In Amma's Healing Room: Gender and Vernacular Islam in South India

Index

285 Index Abba (Sheikh Hussain Qadiri): and Amma’s bhakti, 152; becomes a bābā after death, 174; cosmology of, 173, 177– 179; death of, 1, 20, 35, 241–249; disciples of, 204, 237, 239 (see also samā); discusses Hindu and Muslim cosmology, 169–170, 175, 177, 182; employment of, at Osmania University , 37; healing activities of, 87, 147– 149; income of, 48, 152; interdependence with Amma, 35, 151–152, 202, 218, 236–237, 239, 247; jalālı̄ nature of, 151, 183, 214; lineages of, 203– 204 (see also Chishti lineage; Qadiri lineage); literacy of, 66, 147; monotheism of, 173; photographs of, v, 123, 193, 212, 224, 230, 247; Quranic narratives of, 154; role of, as pı̄r, 32, 35, 49–50, 56, 151–153, 179, 201– 203, 205–207, 211, 213–217, 230– 233; role of, at samā, 201, 206–207, 211–215, 230–231; roles of, in Amma’s healing room, 40, 44–45, 87, 91, 94–96, 123, 127–128, 151, 153; service of, during World War II, 147; storytelling of, 154, 183–194, 225– 226; teachings of, 152–154, 175, 177– 178, 207, 210, 214, 191–192, 216– 217, 222–223, 235; tells stories of Hindu deities, 176–177, 190–192; training of, 157 Abdul Jinn, 82–83, 85, 107. See also maukı̄l abjad (name-number diagnostic system): and childhood illnesses, 121–122; described , 65, 69–72, 74–75, 90, 237; and failing businesses, 128, 132; and “family systems” healing, 87–88, 115, 117, 130, 239–240; and loss of semantic value of numbers, 83, 85; for marital problems, 118, 120; and misbehaving children, 124; not used in possession cases, 109–111 abjad kā phāl kholnā (mystery of numbers). See abjad Abu-Lughod, Lila, 24–25 Adipara Shakti, 191 Ali (Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law), 39, 46, 203. See also Tiger of God allopathic doctors: Amma refers patients to, 65, 112, 114–115, 120; disciples visit, during search for Amma, 60; patients visit, before seeing Amma, 121, 127 allopathic medicine, 3–4, 65, 79 āmil (healer who writes amulets and incantations ), 133, 138, 162, 231 Amma Jan, 163–164 Amma (Rukhiya Bi): after Abba’s death, 242– 249; appeal of, as a healer, 8, 69, 136, 148–150, 172, 238; author’s relationship with, 7, 16–22, 90, 113; authority of, as a healer, 63, 67–68, 74–75, 105, 136, 236–237; barkat of, 16, 51, 60, 88, 103, 239; as a businesswoman, 48–49, 156, 159–160; clientele described , 54; cosmology of, 8, 174– 176, 178–179; death of, 1, 35, 248– 249; discusses Hindu and Muslim cosmology, 137, 168–169, 173–181, 188–189, 194, 196; explanation of her abjad methodology, 70–73; first healing work of, 158; healing methods of, see abjad; davā; dhuān; jar fiı̄-būt fiı̄; tāvı̄z; utārā (clay pot) ritual; housing of, 37, 39; identifies with women’s jāti, 162; importance of intention in healing work of, 73, 264n20; income of, 48, 152; interdependence with Abba, 35, 151–152, 202, 218, 236–237, 239, 247; love of learning of, 155–158; lineages of, 203–204; literacy of, 42, 65–68, 141, 147 (see also fālitā); menopause of, 51, 160 (see also menstrual taboos); monotheism of, 173; performance of male roles by, 66, 109, 140, 156, 160, 236–237; per- Index 286 Amma (Rukhiya Bi) (continued) sonal narratives of, 155–156; photographs of, v, 43, 47, 62, 87, 104, 230, 246; pierces self with zarab, 230; prayers of, 154 (see also duā); Quranic recitation of, 154; respect of, for other healing traditions, 102; role of, at Gyarwin Sharif festival, 225–227, 230– 232; role at samās, 201, 205–207, 214, 218, 220–221; storytelling of, 23, 42–43, 96, 121, 133, 155–164, 174–176, 188–189, 196, 242–244; testimonial tales of, 164–167; theory of illness of, 104–105; training of, 157, 160, 237; use of herbs by, 82, 86, 196 (see also jar fiı̄-būt fiı̄); view of, that understanding is important in healing, 74, 106; views of, about caste (jātis), 8, 34, 156, 161, 181, 238; views of, about gender roles (women’s jāti), 137–138, 161–162, 167; visions of, 156–157, 236–237, 242–243 Amma’s disciples: abandon Amma after Abba’s death, 153, 244–245, 247; Amma discusses, 146–147; choose Wahhabi reform movement, 13; female , 137; Hussein, 60, 98, 102, 144; need Amma’s permission...