Hadrat Haji Dost Muhammad Qandahari and the Wahhabi sect

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Excerpt from letter 30 of the Maktubat of Hāji Dost Muhammad Qandahāri Naqshbandi (1801-1868), a great Naqshbandi master of India in the 19th century

Written to Molvi Abdullāh, advising him to refrain from the beliefs of the Wahhabi sect

It has come to knowledg through the visitors that Molvi Ghiyās ad-Dīn believes in the issues of the Wahhabi sect and teaches these issues to the people. Therefore it is emphasized to you in writing that abhor the beliefs of the Wahhabis and loathe by heart the Ismāīli Wahhabi sect [1]. To maintain the right doctrine and to do the (righteous) acts, the books written by the pious ancesters the Ahl as-Sunnāt wal-Jamā’ah are sufficient for us. These books should be under your consideration, do not read the writings of the Wahhabi sect and refrain from their beliefs. If you wish to observe the powerful effect of our Great Masters in yourself, may Allah best sanctify their secrets , then you should follow your masters in all issues, practical or doctrinal, apparent or inner. Allah willing, you will get the fruit of the Reality and Cognition of the Exalted Haqq. Just say: Allah bass Māsiwā Abas wa Hawas wan-Qati’ alaih in-Nafs (Allah is sufficient, everything else is vain and lust, cut-off youself from them).

That’s all.

And Salām is the best ending!

Written on the 23rd of Shawwāl 1279 H.

 

1. Here the word Ismāīli refers to Molvi Ismāīl Dehlavi who brought the Wahhabi beliefs from Arabia to India

Posted in Wahhabism | Leave a comment

Letter 16 from the Maktubat of Haji Dost Muhammad Qandahari

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Letter no. 16 from the Maktūbāt of Hazrat Khwaja Hājī Dost Muhammad Qandahāri Naqshbandi Mujaddidi, may Allah sanctify his soul.

Written to Khalifa Sher Muhammad Kulāchvi, about following the noble Shariah, and that the practice upon knowledge is necessary.

 

In the name of Allah, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful.

All praise is to Allah who gave rise to the sun of Muhammadan Prophethood in the eternal orbit, and …..

My brother, my dear, my elder Molvi Sher Muhammad sāhib, may Allah the Exalted preserve him in Deen and Dunya, and may Allah the Exalted make him lover for His Being.

From the humble faqeer, naught, Dost Muhammad alias Hājī, Allah be the substitute of everything for him.

After the Salām, Sunnah of the Best of creations, it be clear that Al-Hamd-u-Lillah (all praise is for Allah) [this] faqeer along with all associates is in good health until the 7th [day] of Rabi al-Awwal. May Allah keep you protected as well and bestow upon you persistence and consistency on the Muhammadan Shariah. The request is that my brother! always be engaged in the Zikr (remembrance) of Haqq (God, lit. Truth), and remain mindful of Him. So much that ignorance from that Holy Excellency should not come even for a single moment. Because except this way, there is no other choice for the seekers of Haqq (God). You should strive hard in spreading the noble Nisbah (cognation) of the masters of the exalted Naqshbandi tariqa. Because the present time is the time of closeness to the Judgement-Day, and that of sedition and corruption. Know that it is exactly by the will of Allah the Exalted. The chief of the world [Prophet Muhammad], may Allah’s mercy be on him, says:

(Translation:) “One who makes the servants of Allah dear to Allah, Allah will make him dearer to His servants. And the one who made my Sunnah alive after it had died (became out of practice), for him is the reward of a hundred martyrs”. Continue reading →

Posted in Tasawwuf (Sufism), Writings of Mashaikh | 2 Comments

Sayings of Khwaja Dost Muhammad Qandahari (1801-1868)

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Hazrat Khwāja Hāji Dost Muhammad Qandahāri Naqshbandi (1801-1868) was the chief deputy and spiritual successor of Shah Ahmed Saeed Mujaddidi Faruqi, may Allah be pleased with them both.

Following are few excerpts from his sayings:

“A bit of true action is better than a hundred thousand knowledge, and a bit of true Ikhlās (sincerity) is better than a hundred thousand actions, and a bit of love is better than a hundred thousand Ikhlās, and a bit of grief is better than a hundred thousand love and passion.”

“Agriculture is of two kinds: external cultivation which is the means of food and energy for the body, and internal cultivation which is the stock for hereafter, and that is the Zikr and [spiritual] effort and struggle.”

“An illiterate person better adopts this noble tariqa, as his mind does not hold the logical and intellectual evidences, and so he cannot fall into doubt. In contrast to a scholar who is more prone to doubts and skepticism.”

“I consider myself the most sinful and acknowledge my shaykh as the superior of all.”

While reading letter 70 from the first volume of Maktūbāt (of Mujaddid Alf-e-Sāni), he said:

“God almighty is one, so shaykh should also be one. Making more than one shaykhs makes the matter of tariqa dispersed and scattered. Master of the order Khwāja Sayyid Bahā’uddin Muhammad Naqshband Mushkil-kusha Bukhari, may Allah sanctify his soul, has said that when you have given your hand in my hands for learning Zikr and made me your shaykh, then do not go to every door, hold on tight to a single door.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Hazrat Shah Ahmad Saeed Mujaddidi Faruqi Madani (1802-1860)

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Hazrat Shāh Ahmad Saeed Mujaddidi Fārūqi Dehlavi then Madani (1802-1860), may Allah sanctify his soul, was one of the most popular Naqshbandi shaykhs of India, and the spiritual heir of Hazrat Shah Ghulām Ali Dehlavi.

He was born in 1217 AH (1802 CE) in Rāmpur, India. He is the elder son of Hazrat Shah Abū Saeed Mujaddidi Dehlavi who was the first spiritual successor to Hazrat Shah Ghulām Ali Dehlavi.

His father was first a disciple of Hazrat Shah Dargāhi, a famous shaykh at that time, and would often bring his little son to the shaykh’s company. When Shah Abu Saeed went to Hazrat Shah Ghulam Ali Dehlavi for seeking advanced stages of Wilāyah (sainthood), Shah Ahmed Saeed also accompanied him. Thus he entered the service of Shah Ghulam Ali from his young age.

He was young and was still seeking Islamic education. Hazrat Shah Ghulam Ali advised him that one should combine the Haal (spirituality) with Qaal (literary education), so you should learn the external knowledge from the scholars and join the Halqa when free. Thus he advanced his external education and internal/spiritual training together. He would learn the Islamic knowledge, specially the science of Hadith from his father’s uncle Shah Sirāj Ahmed Mujaddidi and other scholars. Meanwhile he would also continue seeking his spiritual training from Shah Ghulam Ali who trained him in all the prevalent Sufi methods of the time.

Finally, when he completed the spiritual training and reached the highest stages of Wilāyah, his shaykh gave him authority in seven Sufi orders, mainly the Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi tarīqa. He was just 22 years old when his shaykh departed from this world on 22 Safar 1240 AH (October 1824). His father Shah Abū Saeed had been appointed by the shaykh as his ultimate heir who succeeded the spiritual movement and the noble khānqāh Mazhariya. After striving to train thousands of disciples for about ten years, his father left for Hajj and passed away in the return journey, in the night of 1st Shawwal 1250 AH (31 January 1835). His body was brought to Delhi and finally laid to rest in this sublime khanqah. Hazrat Shah Ahmed Saeed became the next successor to his shaykh after the demise of his father, and inherited the khanqah and all the followers.

Migration to Madinah

During his life, most of India was captured by the British who had reached close to Delhi where he lived. The Muslim scholars declared India as Dar al-Harb (legally, in state of war) and allowed for Jihad against the British. The uprising of 1857 was a key event in the history of India, in which the capital Delhi was taken over by the British and the long rule of Muslim kings over India came to an end. This uprising was supported by a fatwa (legal ruling) of the Islamic scholars, and one of them was Shah Ahmed Saeed himself. Indeed, he was the first to affirm it and sign it.

This fatwa made the British rulers his foes, and he had to flee from Delhi in order to evade the oppression and injustice of the new rulers who wanted to persecute him. He decided to migrate to the holy city of Madinah. During the journey, he stayed for 18 days at khanqah Mūsā Zaī Sharīf, established by his chief khalifa Hājī Dost Muhammad Qandahari in district Derā Ismāīl Khān (presently in Pakistan). There he declared Haji Dost Muhammad his successor and made him the custodian of khānqah Mazhariya in Delhi and commanded him to either reside there himself or send a khalifa to take control of it. Haji Dost Muhammad decided to stay at Musa Zai and presented his khalifa Mawlana Rahīm Bakhsh Ajmeri to his shaykh for residing at the Delhi khanqah. Continue reading →

Posted in Masha'ikh | 2 Comments

The Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Tahiri silsila sharif

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Author:
Hadhrat Khwaja Muhammad Tahir Abbasi Naqshbandi alias Mahboob Sajjan Saeen

(Translated from Urdu and Sindhi versions)

All praise is reserved for the Greatest Being,
Hundreds of blessings and Salams for Mustafa [1]
(The holy prophet Muhammad sallalah-u-alaihi-wasallam).

Truth and Purity be granted for sake of Siddiq-e-Akbar (Abu Bakr) [2],
Grant your love for that Faithful’s sake.

Bestow your blessings O Kind! for sake of Salman Farsi [3],
For sake of Qasim (Bin Muhammad) [4] the Master of Saints.

My Nafs be overwhelmed for sake of Imam Jaafar (Sadiq) [5],
For sake of Qutub of the world, Baa Yazid (Bustami) [6] the king.

Khwaja Abul Hasan Khirqani [7], the king of saints,
For sake of Abul Qasim (Gurgani) [8], pir of pirs and companion of God.

Man of bounty and excellence Abu Ali (Farmidi) [9], Shaikh of the world,
For sake of Khwaja Abu Yousuf [10], virtuous and trustworthy.

Khwaja Abdul Khaliq Ghijdwani [11], the saint,
For sake of Shaikh Arif Reogri [12], that Guide to God

Make my afterlife pleasant for sake of Hadhrat Mahmood [13],
For sake of Pir Ali Ramitani [14], the fellow of God.

Khwaja Baba Samaasi [15], the dignified and perfected,
For sake of Sayyad Shamsuddin [16], the sovereign. Continue reading →

Posted in Golden Chain | Leave a comment

Hazrat Khwaja Haji Dost Muhammad Qandahari Naqshbandi (1801-1868)

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Hazrat Khwājā Hājī Dost Muhammad Qandahārī Naqshbandī (1801-1868), may Allah sanctify his soul, was the chief deputy and spiritual successor to Shāh Ahmad Saeed Mujaddidi Faruqi (d. 1860), and lived in the 19th century in areas currently in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

grave-khwaja-dost-muhammad

The noble grave of Hazrat Khwaja Haji Dost Muhammad Qandahari, in Musa Zai Sharif

He was born to Khwājā Mullā Alī of Durrānī family in 1216 AH (1801/1802 C.E) near Kandahar, Afghanistan. Starting his early education in his parental village, he later moved to Kabul to seek further education in Islamic sciences.

While studying, he also developed a strong love and passion for the way of Sufism and the love of Awliya. Once he went to the shrine of Baba Wali along with other students. On the way there, they met a Majzūb (a saint) who told something for everyone. When his turn came, the majzūb said: “This student will be a man of perfection and among the saints, and will become a perfected walī (saint), as the signs of Marifah are evident in his forehead.”

Later, he went to the Haramain (the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah) and stayed there for many years. There, he would perform the Hajj and afterwards go to the illuminated city of Madinah and study there. He had heard about the great saint and shaykh of that time Shah Abdullah alias Ghulam Ali Dehlavi Naqshbandi who lived in Delhi. Thus he left for Delhi, traveling through Kandahar, Ghazni and Kabul. When he reached Peshawar, he heard about the demise of the shaykh. This news saddened his heart and he turned back from there to Kandahar and Kabul to seek further education.

During this time, his heart had been alighted in the love of Allah and he would often cry and weep for long times. Sometimes, he would fall unconscious for many days. His heart was burning and his soul was restless. To extinguish his spiritual thirst, he went to Baghdad to the holy shrine of Ghaus al-Azam Sayyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani, may Allah be pleased with him. Later he went to Herat in the presence of Shaykh Abdullah Herati, a khalifa of Mawlana Khalid al-Baghdadi al-Kurdi who was one of the most important deputies of Shah Abdullah Dehlavi. After spending there three months, he came back to Baghdad and stayed in the company of Shaykh Muhammad Jadeed, another khalifa of Mawlana Khalid. But considering that his spiritual restless could not be calmed down anywhere, he finally set out for the company of Shah Abu Saeed Dehlavi, the chief khalifa and successor of Shah Abdullah Dehlavi. Continue reading →

Posted in Masha'ikh | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Usman Damani Naqshbandi (d.1897)

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Usman Damani Naqshbandi Mujaddidi (d.1897), may Allah sanctify his soul, was one of the greatest Naqshbandi shaykhs and spiritual successor to Khwaja Dost Muhammad Qandahari (d.1868), may Allah sanctify his soul, who established the noble khanqah Musa Zai Sharif, in district D.I. Khan, Pakistan.

Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Usman Damani

The noble grave of Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Usman Damani Naqshbandi, at khanqah Musa Zai Sharif (Pakistan)

He was born in 1244 AH (1828/1829 C.E) at Luni, a village in tehsil Kulachi, district Dera Ismail Khan, now in Pakistan. He was son of Mawlana Muhammad Musa Jan, son of Mulla Ahmad Jan, son of Mulla Abdul-Haleem, son of Mulla Abdul-Karim, son of Mulla Qazi Shamsuddin. He was from the Achakzai branch of the Durrani tribe of Afghans. His grandfather Qazi Shamsuddin was a Qazi (Judge) of Qandahar during the times of Ahmad Shah Abdali.

His father passed away when he was only five or six years old, leaving behind him and his younger brother Mawlana Muhammad Saeed. His maternal uncle Mawlana Nizamuddin took the guardianship of the two brothers and educated them in Islamic sciences.

He was granted absolute authority in eight Sufi orders by his shaykh Hazrat Khwaja Dost Muhammad Qandahari.

  1. The chief tariqa Naqshbandī-Mujaddidī, founded by the Great Mujaddid Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (971-1034 AH, Sirhind)
  2. Qādrī (Qādriyyah), founded by Ghaus al-Azam Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani (470–561 AH, Baghdad)
  3. Chishtī (Chishtiyyah), founded by Khwaja Mueenuddin Hasan Chishti Ajmeri (d.627 AH, Ajmer)
  4. Suhrawardī (Suhrawardiyyah), founded by Khwaja Umar Ibn Muhammad Shihabuddin Suhrawardi (539-632 AH)
  5. Kubravī (Kubrawiyyah), founded by Khwaja Najmuddin Ibn Umar al-Kubra (540-618 AH, Khwarazm)
  6. Madārī (Madāriyyah), founded by Khwaja Badee’uddin Shah al-Madar
  7. Qalandarī (Qalandariyyah), founded by Khwaja Najmuddin Qalandar Ibn Nizam al-Ghaznavi
  8. Shattārī (Shattāriyyah), founded by Shaykh Abdullah Shattar (d. 1406 CE)

The complete chains of these orders are listed in biographical works such as Majmua Fawaed Usmaniya and other books. The golden chain of the Naqshbandi order goes to Imam Rabbani Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi as follows: Continue reading →

Posted in Masha'ikh | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Hazrat Khalifa Mahmood Nizamani Qadri Naqshbandi (d.1851)

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Hazrat Khalīfo Mahmood Nizāmānī Qādrī Naqshbandī (d.1851) was a great Sufi saint of Sindh in the early 19th century and the chief deputy of the great saint and founder of Pir Pagara shrine Hazrat Pīr Sayyid Muhammad Rāshid alias Rozay Dhanī, may Allah be pleased with them both.

Khalifo Mahmood Nizamani

The holy shrine of Hazrat Khalifo Mahmood Nizamani Qadri Naqshbandi, Kario Ganhwar, Sindh (Pakistan)

He was born in around 1189 AH (1775 CE) at Kario Ganhwar, a village in the Badin district, southern Sindh. He was from the influential Nizamani tribe, a branch of Seraiki Balochs. His father Ganhwar Khan Nizamani was a tribal leader and bureaucrat in the Talpur rule. He was born with the prayers of a saint who named him ‘Mahmood’, an Arabic name, although his elder brothers all had Balochi names. In his childhood and younger age, he was highly attracted towards the Sufi saints and fuqara and used to be in their company. At the age of 22 he did Bay’ah with the great shaykh and Sufi master of Sindh Hazrat Pir Sayyid Muhammad Rāshid, well known as Pīr Rozay Dhanī.

Khalīfā Mahmood received spiritual training and permission from his shaykh Pir Muhammad Rashid (alias Rozay Dhani), who received it from his father Hazrat Pir Sayyid Baqā Shāh Shaheed, who received the Qādri tariqah from Shaykh Sayyid Abdul-Qādir and received the Naqshbandi tariqah from Makhdūm Ismāīl Piryāloī (a famous saint of Sindh).

He was the chief deputy of his shaykh who regarded him as his spiritual successor. His shaykh loved him and regarded him in high esteem, and would often recommend his followers to his Suhbat. His shaykh would often ask him to lead the prayer, even if many scholars and other deputies of high qualities were present there. He had reached the highest stages of the spiritual path such as Ghaus and Mahboob.

His miracles and spiritual visions are many.

He passed away from this mortal world on 9th Rabi al-Awwal 1267 AH (13 January 1851). He used to celebrate the Mawlid of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, on every 12th of Rabi al-Awwal. This celebration, called Urs in Sindhi, is still arranged at his holy shrine.

His writings include:

  1. Majma’ul-Fuyūzāt (Persian), 6 volumes, malfūzāt of Hazrat Pir Muhammad Rāshid Rozay-Dhanī.
  2. Mahboobiyat-ul-Mahmoodiya. Description of the lessons of Sufism as taught by Pir Rozay-Dhani, based on the Qadri and Naqshbandi Sufi methods.
  3. Gulshan-e-Awliya (Persian). This book is lost now and only few translated excerpts survive.
  4. Collection of letters written to various disciples and deputies
  5. Collection of letters of his shaykh which he collected.
  6. His own Malfuzat, Sirāj-ul-Ashiqeen written by Khalifo Muhammad Malook Chandio
  7. His own Malfuzat, Kunūz-ul-Marifat, written by Khalīfā Gul Muhammad Hālāī. The original Persian transcript is lost and only the translation named Taufīq-ut-Tālibeen is available today.

Some of his deputies are following:

  1. Khalifa Gul Muhammad Hālāi, a scholar and poet of Sindhi language
  2. Khalifa Muhammad Malook Chāndio, Badin, Sindh
  3. Khalifa Sayyid Bāwā Miān, Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat, India
  4. Khalifa Hājī Muhammad Roshan
  5. Khalifa Sayyid Sharf-ud-Dīn, Ahmadabad, India

Hazrat Khalifa Mahmood had thousands of disciples in near and far areas, mostly in southern Sindh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, up to Mumbai where he had many followers. He also had many disciples in the Arab world some of whom permanently migrated to his village to get his spiritual blessings.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Hazrat Sayyid Laal Shah Hamdani Naqshbandi (d. 1896)

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Hazrat Sayyid Laal Shāh Hamdānī Bilāwalī Naqshbandī (d.1896) was one of the greatest deputies of Khwājā Muhammad Usmān Dāmānī Naqshbandi Mujaddidi (1828-1897), may Allah sanctify their souls.

He was from Dandā Shāh Bilāwal, a town established by his great grandfather Sayyid Shāh Bilāwal Hamdānī who migrated from Hamadān (Iran) and established this new village in Punjab, located between Miānwālī and Chakwāl. He was a true Sayyid, a descendant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.

Hazrat Sayyid Laal Shah Hamdani Naqshbandi

The noble grave of Hazrat Sayyid Laal Shah Hamdani Naqshbandi, Danda Shah Bilawal (Pakistan)

Hazrat Laal Shāh received Islamic education from Hazrat Mawlānā Ahmad Deen Angvī, a renowned scholar and khalīfā of Khwājā Dost Muhammad Qandahārī Naqshbandi (of Mūsā Zaī Sharīf). After completing his education, he stayed with his teacher for fifteen years and taught in the same madrasāh. When his teacher passed away from this world, he left out to seek spiritual training from the shaykh of his teacher Khwājā Dost Muhammad, and did bay’ah on his noble hands in the Naqshbandi tarīqāh. For two years, he received spiritual training and guidance from his shaykh until he passed away in 1284 AH (1868). During the last days, his shaykh who was very ill, asked him to come near and placed his noble hand on his chest and he fell unconscious. When he waked up, he said my chest is now clear of all impurities and rust, and has become bright like a mirror. Continue reading →

Posted in Masha'ikh | 3 Comments

Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Sirajuddin Naqshbandi Mujaddidi

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Talib Ghaffari

Hazrat Khwājā Muhammad Sirāj ad-Dīn Naqshbandi Mujaddidi is the son and spiritual successor of Hazrat Khwājā Muhammad Usmān Dāmānī Naqshbandi. He was born on Monday 15 Muharram 1297 AH (29 December 1879) at the noble khānqāh Mūsā Zaī Sharīf, district Derā Ismāīl Khān, Pakistan. He completed all his Islamic education and graduated at the age of 14. His teachers include Mullā Shāh Muhammad Akhūnd from whom he learned the Qur’ān, Mawlānā Mahmood Shīrāzī and Mawlana Hussain Alī. He was initiated by his father in the Naqshbandi tarīqāh who also taught him books of Tasawwuf such as Maktūbāt Imām Rabbānī.

Hazrat Khwaja Sirajuddin Naqshbandi

The noble grave of Hazrat Khwaja Sirajuddin Naqshbandi, at khanqah Musa Zai Sharif (Pakistan)

On 3rd Dhu al-Qa’dā 1311 AH (9/10 May 1894), his father awarded him with absolute khilāfāh and spiritual successorship and gave him written certificate. He was just 14 years at that time. His graduation ceremony was held on 14 Jamādā al-Awwal 1313 AH (2/3 November 1895). He received absolute authority in eight Sufi orders: Naqshbandī-Mujaddidī, Qādrī, Chishtī, Suhrawardī, Kubravī, Madārī, Qalandarī and Shattārī. The golden chains of these orders are listed in Majmua Fawaed Usmaniya and other books. His chain of the Naqshbandi order goes to Imam Rabbani Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi as follows:

  • Hazrat Khwājā Sirāj ad-Dīn
  • Hazrat Khwājā Muhammad Usmān Dāmānī
  • Hazrat Khwājā Dost Muhammad Qandahārī
  • Hazrat Shāh Ahmad Saeed Mujaddidī Fārūqī
  • Hazrat Shāh Abū Saeed Mujaddidī Fārūqī
  • Hazrat Shāh Ghulām Alī Dehlavī
  • Hazrat Mirzā Mazhar Jān-e-Jānān
  • Hazrat Sayyid Noor Muhammad Badāyūnī
  • Hazrat Hāfiz Muhammad Mohsin Dehlavī
  • Hazrat Khwājā Said ad-Dīn Sirhindī
  • Hazrat Khwājā Muhammad Ma’soom Sirhindī
  • Hazrat Imām Rabbānī Mujaddid Alf Sānī Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindī Fārūqī

His noble father Khwājā Dāmānī parted to the hereafter on 22 Sha’bān 1314 AH (January 1897), leaving behind his only son and the pearl of Naqshbandi Order Khwājā Sirāj ad-Dīn as the sole successor at this noble khānqāh Mūsā Zaī Sharīf, who was just 17 years old. All the followers of his father renewed their initiation on his noble hands.

In 1324 AH, he left for Hajj along with 36 friends and followers. All of his companions in this spiritual journey felt great blessings and revelation of Fayd. During the journey, when they were living in the holy city of Madinah, one day Khwājā Sirāj ad-Dīn left from home to visit the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him. At the holy Green Tomb, he met with the servants (of the tomb) who put on him an Arabic dress and gave him a candle. He took that candle, alighted two more candles there and then entered the sacred chamber. He stayed there for some time, praying and receiving special blessings from the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him.

During his short life, he trained thousands of disciples including many prominent scholars. His miracles and visions are numerous, and his spiritual powers were well known to the people.

He awarded khilāfah to about 36 disciples. All of them were great shaykhs of this noble order, yet the most prominent among them who carried ahead this spiritual Fayd and spread the order far and wide was Pīr Fazal Alī Qureshī Naqshbandī. He was previously a murīd of Sayyid Laal Shāh Hamdānī, khalīfā of Khwājā Dāmānī. After the demise of his first shaykh, he turned to the service of Khwājā Sirāj ad-Dīn and received training for 17 years. Hazrat Khwājā awarded him with khilāfah when he was staying at Khānqāh Mazhariyā during his journey of India. This khilāfah was first limited to fifty disciples, later he was awarded with aboslute khilāfah.

Some of the noble khulafā of Khwājā Sirāj ad-Dīn include the following:

  • Hazrat Khwājā Pīr Fazal Alī Qureshī Naqshbandī (1270/1354 AH) (1854-1935)
  • Hazrat Mawlānā Qāzī Qamr ad-Dīn Chakrālvi (born 23 Ramadan 1274 AH), Miānwālī
  • Mawlānā Sayyid Barkat Alī Shāh, Kolkata and Mumbai
  • Mawlānā Ghulām Hussain Kānpurī
  • Mawlana Abdur-Rahmān Peshāwarī
  • Sāhibzādā Mawlānā Muhammad Saeed Hirātī
  • Mawlānā Abū Sa’d Ahmad Khān Naqshbandī (d. 1941)
  • Sayyid Wilāyat Shāh Hamdānī, Dandā Shāh Bilāwal

His collected letters, numbering 49, are published and also translated in Urdu. During his life, some people criticized Sufi practices at his noble khānqāh. He responded to them and clarified all those practices, validating them from Shariah. He opposed the Wahhābī cult which was slowly spreading in India at that time, calling it a Fitnā.

He left for the hereafter on Friday 26 Rabī al-Awwal 1333 AH (12 February 1915) at an age of 36 years. He was buried next to his father at the noble khānqāh Mūsā Zaī Sharīf, district Derā Ismāīl Khān, Pakistan.

Sources

  1. Jalwā Gāh-e-Dost (Urdu) by Khwājā Muhammad Tāhir Bakhshi Naqshbandi
  2. Biography in Urdu by Mukhtar Ahmed Khokhar, published in Attahir
  3. Tuhfa Zahidiya [Maktubat Khwaja Usman Damani and Khwaja Sirajuddin] Urdu translation by Sufi Muhammad Ahmed Naqshbandi, Zawwar Academy Publications, 2000
  4. Majmua Fawaed Usmania, Urdu translation by Muhammad Nazir Ranjha, 2006
Posted in Masha'ikh | 1 Comment