Origins with Nicolas Notovitch
A Russian journalist who came up with the theory that Jesus died in Srinagr in Kashmir, after having traveled to the Himalaya region.
This account is then propagated by, among others, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. It forms one of the basic tenets of Ahmadiyya thought, contributing to the 'sacred science' that is common among cults.
In addition to numerous articles, Mirza [wrote a book], published after his death, on the topic, most of which is copied from Notovitch's writings.
The Tomb
There exists a tomb in Srinagr, converted into a shrine, of one 'Yuz Asaf' or Yuz the Gatherer (see notes below). This is claimed to be the tomb of Jesus by the Ahmadiyya.
2 Comments
comments.show.hideFeb 28, 2011
Rationalist Knight
In 1895, MGAQ came to the conclusion that this tomb in Srinagar belonged to Esa (as) (see Dard). One of Ghulam Ahmad’s followers, Khalifa Nur Din [or, Noor al-Din] of Jalalpur Jattan, District Gujrat, a loyal follower of Ghulam Ahmad’s, spoke to him about a tomb in Srinagar that was said to be the tomb of a prophet named Yuz Asaf. Ghulam Ahmad instructed him to do some further research into the matter. Nur Din went to Srinagar and stayed there for about four months. He collected information and also obtained the signatures of 556 inhabitants who attested to the fact that, according to their traditions, the remains of Jesus Christ lied in the Roza Bal. He also brought back a sketch of the Roza Bal. Then Ghulam Ahmad decided to send one of his followers, Maulvi Abdullah, to Kashmir to investigate this tomb. Maulvi Abdullah arrived in Kashmir, conducted his investigations, and wrote back to Ghulam Ahmad about his findings. Ghulam Ahmad then published a poster that contained Maulvi Abdullah’s letter, as well as Maulvi Abdullah’s sketch of the Roza Bal.
Maulvi Abdullah wrote as such:
“The word nabi is common between the followers of Islam and the Israelites, and as in Islam no prophet came after our Holy Prophet Muhammad, nor could one come, therefore the general Muslims of Kashmir are agreed that this prophet is from before Islam.”
“But because of the ending of prophethood, this excludes the Muslim people.
Therefore it is clearly proved that this prophet is an Israelite prophet.”
MGAQ in his correspondace with the said Maulvi wrote:
“But after the ending of prophethood, no further prophet can come in Islam. Therefore it is settled that he was an Israelite prophet.”
Maulvi Sher Ali wrote in the Review of Religions of 1903:
PDF 40/47 http://www.aaiil.org/text/articles/reviewofreligions/1903/reviewreligionsenglish190305.pdf“The fact that he is known as a Prophet or Nabi refutes the idea that he was a Muhamadan Saint. No intelligent man would think that a person who was reputed as a prophet among the Muhammadans was a Muhammadan saint. Even if a Muhammadan saint worked miracles, they would take him as a Wali at best, and never a prophet. They believe that their HP is the seal of the prophets and that he is not to be followed by any other prophet…….and one who takes him as a muhammadan saint only, betrays his complete ignorance of the beliefs prevailing among the muhammadans”
“…..we do not know of any prophet who appeared in Kashmir in the last 200 years”
In 1909, Muhammad Ali wrote:
“He is universally known as a Nabi or a prophet among the muslims, and therefore he cannot be a muslim saint for no muslim saint has been called nabi after the Holy Prophet”
Apr 04, 2011
Ahmed Qerni
Yuz Asaf means 'gatherer'.
In Mandaean Sabean tradition
According to oral tradition (preserved in Al-Tabari) of the gnostic Mandaeans, Yuz the Gatherer called his people to the religion (i.e. Mandaeism), which—so the tradition—had been the religion of the Iranian peoples before the coming of Zoroaster.[3]
Gündüz, Sinasi (1994), The Knowledge of Life: The Origins and Early History of the Mandaeans, Supplements to the Journal of Semitic Studies, London: Oxford University Press .
3 Gündüz 1994, p. 31.
(http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/Yuz_Asaf#cite_note-2)