Khawaja Abid Khan Siddiqi (b. 17th Century1687 d.), or Nawab Khawaja Abid Siddiqi/Khawaja Abid (Qalich Khan - title given by Shah Jahan) better known as Kilich Khan, was a

Nawab Nawab ( Balochi: نواب; ar, نواب; bn, নবাব/নওয়াব; hi, नवाब; Punjabi : ਨਵਾਬ; Persian, Punjabi , Sindhi, Urdu: ), also spelled Nawaab, Navaab, Navab, Nowab, Nabob, Nawaabshah, Nawabshah or Nobab, ...

and military general under

Mughal Emperor The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...

Aurangzeb. He was a loyal general of the

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...

. He was the father of Ghazi ud-Din Khan Siddiqi - Feroze Jung I (a Mughal general) and the grandfather of Mir Qamar-ud-din Siddiqi, Asaf Jah I.

Birth

Kilich Khan was born in Adilabad near the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand. His father was Khawaja Ismail Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi s/o Shaikh Allahdad Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi s/o Shaikh Abdul Rehman Azizzan Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi the 14th in direct descent from

Shihab al-Din 'Umar al-Suhrawardi Shahab al-Din Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi (c. 1145 – 1234) was a Persian Sufi and nephew of Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi. He expanded the Sufi order of Suhrawardiyya that had been created by his uncle Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi, and is the person respons ...

Sohrevard Sohrevard ( fa, سهرورد, also Romanized as Sohravard) is a city in the Central District of Khodabandeh County, Zanjan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 5,786, in 1,356 families. Sohrevard was the birthplace of the twel ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

a celebrated Sufi mystic lived in

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

, a renowned scholar known for his piety and knowledge of the law and was even honored with the title ''Allum-ul-Ulema'' (wisest of the wise). Through his father's side of the family, Nawab Kilich Khan could trace his lineage back 34 generations to the first

Caliph A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...

of Islam, Abu Bakr Siddique since Nawab Kilich Khan was his direct descendant through the Bayafandi Clan in the

'Asir Region The ʿAsir Region ( ar, عَسِيرٌ, ʿAsīr, lit=difficult) is a region of Saudi Arabia located in the southwest of the country that is named after the ʿAsīr tribe. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,211,875 (2017). It is ...

Arabia The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plat ...

, and on his mother's side of the family he can trace his ancestry to

Prophet Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...

Early life

Kilich Khan broke his family tradition and became a

warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...

rather than a

scholar A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researc ...

although he was well-versed in

Islamic theology Schools of Islamic theology are various Islamic schools and branches in different schools of thought regarding '' ʿaqīdah'' (creed). The main schools of Islamic Theology include the Qadariyah, Falasifa, Jahmiyya, Murji'ah, Muʿtazila, Batin ...

and

Persian language Persian (), also known by its endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken a ...

. Kilich Khan is known to have utilized the

composite bow A composite bow is a traditional bow made from horn, wood, and sinew laminated together, a form of laminated bow. The horn is on the belly, facing the archer, and sinew on the outer side of a wooden core. When the bow is drawn, the sinew (stre ...

and arrow, he kept the

Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , s ...

attached to his

quiver A quiver is a container for holding arrows, bolts, ammo, projectiles, darts, or javelins. It can be carried on an archer's body, the bow, or the ground, depending on the type of shooting and the archer's personal preference. Quivers were trad ...

and rode along with a

Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often shown wearing a crescent moon on his ...

standard and a

yellow Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In the ...

flag. Henry Briggs a historian wrote,

'' In youth he was trained to the use of the bow, the spear and the sword. Riding on horseback was familiar to him from the moment he could toddle alone from his mother's knee as it is to this day to everybody from the plains of
Arabia The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plat ...
to the hills of
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and he was specially taught to regard the cause of the
Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often shown wearing a crescent moon on his ...
and the
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , s ...
as the great purpose of his existence.''

It was in 1655 that Kilich Khan undertook a

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow ...

. But on his way there he stopped off in

Hindustan ''Hindūstān'' ( , from '' Hindū'' and ''-stān''), also sometimes spelt as Hindōstān ( ''Indo-land''), along with its shortened form ''Hind'' (), is the Persian-language name for the Indian subcontinent that later became commonly used by ...

to present himself before Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The Mughal Emperor bestowed on Kilich Khan a ''Khilat'' or dress of honour and promised him that after he returned from

he could take up a post on his personal staff. Aurangzeb was trained by him. Under his command, Aurangzeb conquered central India and south India. He was Chief Commander of Aurangzeb's Army when Golconda was conquered. He was promoted to Sadar-i-Qul ( Supt. of Endowments ) 1681 - 1685, Subedar of Ajmer 1667–1672, Subedar of Multan 1672–1676, Amir-i-Haj 1676–1680. Faujdar of Zafarabad ( Bidar ) 1686–1687. Granted the title of Azim Khan 1657, and Qilich Khan Bahadur 1680.

Later life

He returned from his

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

in 1658 to take up his post serving the Emperor Shah Jahan, only to find that the Emperor had been taken ill and so Kilich Khan decided to throw his lot in with Prince Aurangzeb. Taking command of one of the Mughal armies, Kilich Khan played a crucial role in the

Battle of Samugarh Battle of Samugarh, Jang-e-Samugarh, (May 29, 1658), was a deciding battle in the struggle for the throne during the ''Mughal war of succession (1658–1659)'' between the sons of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan after the emperor's serious illness ...

. For this, he was rewarded by being made ''Sadr us Sadur'' (President of Presidents) and one of the Emperor's most trusted

generals A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

. He then proceeded to follow Aurangzeb around

as the Emperor pursued his dream of bringing all of

under the Timuri Flag. Many battles were fought and many Forts besieged but it was during the

Siege of Golconda The siege of Golconda occurred in January 1687, when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb led his forces to besiege the Qutb Shahi dynasty at Golconda Fort, home of the Kollur Mine. The siege of Golconda lasted 8 months, and on various occasions it pu ...

in 1687 that Kilich Khan shone through as the Emperors most loyal and courageous

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

. When Aurangzeb's army left to attack Golconda, it was under the command of Kilich Khan's son Ghazi ud-Din Khan Feroze Jung. Ghazi ud-Din Khan Feroze Jung was so keen on taking the fort that in a sudden assault, he sent his father in charge of the storming party. However, Kilich Khan was hit by the shrapnel of a powerful

cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...

, the bombardment which completely severed his arm. He returned to the Mughal camp on his horse refusing to dismount. Aurangzeb's Vizier-e-Azam (

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

), Asad Khan noticed that while the surgeons were busy taking bits of bone and iron from his wound, he was stoically sipping

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...

. Kilich Khan died a few days later, his arm was also found identified by the signet ring he always wore on his finger. Kilich Khan is buried in a tomb at Kismatpur near

Himayat Sagar Himayat Sagar is an artificial lake about from Hyderabad in Telangana, India. It lies parallel to a larger artificial lake Osman Sagar. The storage capacity of the reservoir is 2.9 tmc ft. History The construction of reservoirs on the Esi, ...

only a few Kilometers from where he had died at Golconda in

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...

Telangana Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 3 ...

Children

Having had issue, five sons and two daughters. Nawab Ghaziuddin Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi, Nawab Khwaja Hamid Khan Bahadur Siddiqi Bayafandi, Nawab Rahim Chin Kilich Khan Bahadur Siddiqi Bayafandi and two sons died young. Khadija Begum Sahiba and another daughter married to Nawab Riyat Khan Bahadur. Golkonda Fort

Promotions

*1000 ''zat'' (infantry, meaning that he had been granted lands that would provide 1000 infantry in times of battle) Granted in 1655 by Emperor Shah Jahan. *3000 ''zat'' and 500 ''sowar'' in 1657 (''sowar'' were cavalry troops) Granted by Emperor Aurangzeb. *4000 ''zat'' and 700 ''sowar'' in 1658 *4000 ''zat'' and 1500 ''sowar'' in 1665 *5000 ''zat'' and 1500 ''sowar'' in 1681

References

External links

https://www.auliadeccan.com/2020/12/hazrat-khaja-abid-kilich-khan-siddiqui.html by https://www.auliadeccan.com/ : (Himayat sagar Rajendar nagar:Hazrat khaja abid kilich khan siddiqui)

Bibliography

* Zubrzycki, John. (2006) ''The Last Nizam: An Indian Prince in the Australian Outback''. Pan Macmillan, Australia. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Kilich Khan 02 History of Hyderabad, India Mughal generals 1687 deaths Year of birth unknown History of India Nizams of Hyderabad