Hazrat Shams Tabrazi (R.A)

   

Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz)

AD 1248 was an Iranian Sufi mystic born in the city of Tabriz in Iranian Azerbaijan. He is responsible for initiating Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi(rah), usually known as Rumi in the West, into Islamic mysticism, and is immortalized by Rumi's poetry collection Diwan-e Shams-e Tabriz-i ("The Works of Shams of Tabriz")(raz). Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) lived together with Rumi in Koyna in present-day Turkey, for several years, and is also known to have travelled to Damascus in present-day Syria.

After several years with Rumi, Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) vanished from the pages of history quite suddenly. It is not known what became of him after his departure from Rumi, and there are several locations that lay claim to his gravesite; one is in a remote region of the Karakorams in Northern Pakistan at a place called Ziarat not far from the village of Shimshall, and another is in the same town that Rumi is buried in: Konya, Turkey. Rumi's love for Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), and his bereavement at his death, found expression in an outpouring of music, dance, and lyric poems. Rumi himself left Konya and went out searching for Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), journeying as far as Damascus before realizing that Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) and himself were, in fact, "one and the same"
As the years passed, Rumi attributed more and more of his own poetry to Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), as a sign of love for his departed friend and master. Indeed, it quickly becomes clear in reading Rumi that Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), was elevated to a symbol of God's love for mankind, and that Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), was a sun ("Shams" is Arabic for "sun") shining the Light of God on Rumi.
The image of Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), that is transmitted in the later Sufi tradition is that of an ecstatic wandering mystic who becomes the theophanic teacher for Rumi. While the relationship between Rumi and Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), is certainly among the most refined in the history of Islamic mysticism, the person of Shams differs from the image that is projected on him. In the Maqalat of Shams (oral discourses) which have now been transmitted, Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), comes across as a learned scholar who was particularly interested in demonstrating his devotion to the Prophet Muhammad (S). He repeatedly criticizes philosophers and other mystics who sought to elevate themselves over the Prophet of Islam.
In the comtemporary period of Shams Tabrezi, there is a confusion on the name "Shams" as there were three personalities existing at the same time. These was Shams Tabrezi, Ismaili Pir (Dai )Shams Sabzwari and Ismaili Imam Shamsuddin.
Miracles Performed By Hazrat Shams Tabrez(raz) :Maulana (religious teacher) Rumi could never have become Maula Rumi
Without submitting to Spiritual Guide Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz),
1) Once while Maulana Jalalluddin Rumi (rah) was teaching his pupils in the open courtyard, next to a fountain, a shabbily externally dressed but perfectly internally adorned Sufi, Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), came to their assembly and watched them. He saw Maulana Rumi referring to numerous handwritten books in the course of his teaching. Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), asked Maulana Jalalluddin Rumi (rah) as to what was in the books. Maulana Jalalluddin Rumi (rah) replied, "O! Sufi. This contains knowledge that is beyond your understanding so you continue to read your rosary (tasbih)." Unnoticed by Rumi, Hazrath Shams Tabrez (raz) threw all the books into the pond of water. When Maulana Rumi's(rah) students saw what occurred they began beating Hazrath Shams Tabrez (raz). This and the screams of Shams Tabrez (raz) alerted Maulana Rumi(rah) as to what occurred. He complained that all his valuable knowledge had been destroyed. Hazrat Shams Tabrez (raz) said; "Tell your pupils to leave me alone and I will give back your books." A visibly dejected Rumi conceded to the request thinking that this was impossible. He was surprised to see Shams Tabrez (May Allah be well pleased with him), recite bismillah, lift the drenched books from the pond, blew dust of them and returned them to him intact. He asked Shams Tabrez (raz) as to how he did this. Hazrat Shams Tabrez (raz) replied, "This knowledge is beyond your understanding so you continue to teach your pupils." Maulana Jalalluddin Rumi (rah) fell at his feet and was swept into the currents of love. The presence of this ragged Sufi, Hazrat Shams Tabrez (raz), changed Maulana Jalalluddin Rumi (rah) from a respected professor of theology into a lover of God, one who summed up his whole life with the phrase, "I burnt, and I burnt, and I burnt."
Ilme Baatin Hamchu masqa, Ilme zaahir hamchu sheer
Ke Buwad sheer masqa, ke buwad be Pir, Pir
Internal Knowledge (ilme baatin) is like butter and External Knowledge (ilme zaahir) is like milk
Like butter cannot be acquired without milk, so to recognition of Allah (ilme baatin) cannot be obtained without a Spiritual Guide.
2) Once there was a king who was non muslim his child died due to some illness, the king felt very unable on seeing the death of his child he told his handeler that how to get the life of his child back, the handler told the king that it is only possible by a muslim man with the Aayats(holy versues) of the Holy Quran they can bring back the dead ones, on hearing this the king announced in the whole kingdom to gather all the great muslims people having knowledge of the Holy Quran, as said by the king the Scholars were gathered Maulna Rumi(rah) was also there he was the head of all Islamic scholars, when the king told the matter to Maulna Rumi(rah) about giving life to his child who was dead by reading the aayats( holy verses) from the Holy Quran, on hearing this Maulna Rumi(rah) was completely shock how could he give life to his son who is already dead, life and death is in the hands of Allah, on this note the king enquired that whether there are aayats(holy verses) in the Holy Quran which can bring back the dead ones, Maulna Rumi(rah) replied yes there are but we are not that people who are blessed with that knowledge we only have the zahari (external) knowledge of the holy Quran but the Baatani (Internal) Knowledge are with very special servant of Allah, if they want they can bring back the life of his son, on hearing this the king told to hunt for the man posseing this knowledge otherwise all the scholars will be killed, on hearing this all the scholars were shocked and they were thinking from where they will get this type of man.
All the scholars started searching for the right man Maulna Rumi(rah) with some people were traveling through jungle all of a sudden they heard the voice "Allah Hu" coming from somewhere Maulna Rumi(rah) follwed the direction from where the voice was coming when they reached there they found Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), was sitting under a tree with his mouth closed and the voice was coming from his heart, on seeing this Maulna Rumi(rah) and his companion smiled, they knew that they will be saved by
Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), Maulna Rumi(rah) told the matter to Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), on hearing this Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), replied that he is a ordinary fakir how could he give life to the son of the king but Maulna Rumi(rah) requested him once again, this time Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), agreed and told Maulna Rumi(rah) that due to him he has to take off all his skin, Maulna Rumi(rah) could not understand what Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) meant to say, when they reached the court of the king Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), saw the dead child and recited these words
Kumbe- iznil-lah which means come to life by the order of Allah but the child was unable to come to life he once again repeated Kumbe- iznil-laah which means come to life by the order of Allah but the same thing happened the child was unable to move, then in anger Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), said Kumbe-izni which means come to life by my order, as soon as he said these verses the boy came to life, every body was shocked to se this miracle, the king felt very happy and converted to islam, but the scholars of islam could not withstand this, how can a man can compare himself with Allah, and use this type of words this is complete against the law of sharah(Shariyat), due to which Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) has to shed his skin completely the executor could not do it, Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) himself just by a pinch removed his skin and gave to the scholars, and told Maulna Rumi(rah) that see what he said to him in the jungle is done know, on hearing this Maulna Rumi(rah) felt very ashamed. Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) left the place trusting in Allah, Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) was on Bakabillaah stage this is a place where you are directly connected to Allah and the noor-e-ilahi totally gets submerged into you, this is the time when Allah becomes your hands, your ears, yours eyes, yours legs, each and every part of the body becomes Allah. When this time come the tounge is yours but the words are of Allah. This was the stage which Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) was given by Allah.
After the removal of the skin Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz) started looking very ugly, once he felt very hungry so he went outside asking for food, but nobody gave any thing to him he was feeling very hungry and the thurst for food was unbarable, after trying for a while a man gave him a loaf of un cooked meat some peole also says fish Allah knows the best, but as the food was not cooked how can he eat he requested many people to roast his meat or fish but due to his ugly look no one wanted to see him how can any one cook the meat or fish for him, after stiving here and there he was un able to cook the meat or fish, then in anger he looked up and told the sun to come down so that he can cook his meat or fish, and as he said this the sun realy came down, and people says that it was as if qayamat(the day of judgement) has come, the temperature was highly raised making the people totally unconfartable.
There are many more miracles performed by Hazrat Shams-e-Tabrizi(raz), I can get much of this bakamaal buzurg the little which I can gather is in front of you people.

More information...

Shah Shams Tabrez
Also located in the mytsic city of Multan is the famous shrine of Shah Shams Tabrez. The saint came from Baghdad and died in 1276 AD. The shrine was built in 1330 AD. The Tomb is square, 30 feet in height, surrounded by a hemispherical dome. Some other shrines of noticable importanc eint he city of Multan are:
Shrine- Jamal-ud-Din Syed "Shah Yousaf Gardez"
Shrine-Bibi Pak Daman
Shrine-Hameed-ud-Din Hakim
Shrine-Qutab-al-qutaab "Moj Dariya"
Shrine-Qazi Qutab-ud-Din Kashani
Shrine-Syed Hasan Khanjzee
Shrine-Abu Hassan Hafiz Jamal-ud-din "Musa Pak Shaheed"
Shrine-Hafiz Muhammad Jamal Chisti Nazami
Shrine-Pir Chup Wardi Waly
Shrine-Allama Syed Ahmad Saeed Kazmi
Shrine-Pir Syed Wali Muhammad Shah(Chadar Wali Sarkar)
Shrine-Hazrat Gul Shah
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Shams and Rumi
By Nasir Shamsi
Shams-i Tabriz was, without doubt, a no ordinary person. He had studied Quran and jurisprudence with his father and uncle, both accomplished Jurists, very early in life. He was sent to Tabriz to seek further knowledge. He studied various sciences with Abubakar Sanjasi Tabrizi, a reknown mystic teacher of Najmuddin Kubra order. When Shams-i Tabriz demonstrated his interest in learning the esoteric and the metaphysical, he recommended that he would go to a master teacher, Kamal Jundi. Shams Tabriz who had an innate and inborn gift for the metaphysical accomplished himself as a master within a relatively short period. He was certified by Kamal Jundi as a master himself and was cautioned that he would stay away from the odinary and the mundane and that one day he will meet with someone who will act as his mouthpiece and speak to the world on his behalf. He was however told that he had to wait until his future student was ready to receive from him the promised gift. He was also advised by his master to stay away from the sufis as well as the faqihs (religious scholars) which he did. Always traveling from place to place (he was called parinda or flying bird for hat reason), Shams would show up at times at the seminaries and madrisas, however, without revealing his credentials. He disliked the mystics because they had given up the Shari'a (practice). He detested faqihs (scholars) because they indulged in useless polemics and diatribes. He avoided staying at the seminaries and khankahs. Instead he stayed at the Traders inns, showing himself as a traveling salesman. He ate very little. An occasional meal (bread and soup) would be enough for days. He virtually starved his body, as if saying no to his self. In return, he received the uncanny gift of knowing the other person's mind, predicting the events, even transferring himself from one place to another (ta'y ardh ). He was capable of doing things that seemed extra-ordinary, uncanny or supernatural to an undiscerning eye. He kept it however from the ordinary people. Rumi saw it when Shams threw his hand-written manuscripts in the water, then taking them out, dry and intact, with no sign of water on the pages. This was no magic or illusion; this was a God-given gift. In Quran, God says " Kun Fa ya Koon ".(We say, Be and it is).
It is said that God lends His power or phenomenon of immediate Being to his chosen people, such as Prohets or Saints. Some people are born with these gifts, in varying degrees ( they may not even be aware of their hidden potential) while others can get there through personal struggle to get close to God ( taqarrub or salook). It is the human journey from fana to baqa. You give up your ' self ' to be one with the Ultimate. Shams-I Tabriz was born with the gift and he perfected it through suffering his self. He recognized it early on in his childhod, according to his own admission in the Maqalat ( an authentic record of his conversation with Rumi, recoded in Sultan Vald's hand. He did not lose any time to perfect the gift of the esoteric in him. Finally, as predicted by his teacher Kamal Jundi, the flowering of Sham's gift took place and manifested itself in his counterpart, Jalal uddin Rumi. Shams was able to transfer, his knowledge and wisdom onto Rumi in a rather mysterious manner.
Rumi has repeatedly said in his Mathnavi and Divan that it was not him but Shams talking through him. That is why he did not use his name in any of the verses out of more than 50,000 verses that he left behind. Rumi ends most of his poems with the name of Shams of Tabriz. In so long as this phenomenon of transfer of souls had never been witnessed before nor did it happen again in the annals of history, it makes the story of these two oceans unique and one of its own kind.

Hazrat Khuwaja Mohin Udin Chishti (R.A)

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti (R.A.) 

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti (R.A.)Popularly known as Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, (R.A.), Khwaja Baba, was born in 1142 A.D. in Sijistan (Iran). His paternal genealogy is related to Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S.) and that of his maternal to Hazrat Imam Hassan (A.S.) and thus he was a direct descendant of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.).
Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisty,Ajmer,(R.A) occupies a prominent place among the spiritual Healers of the world. In his temperament as in the circumstance of his life Khwaja Sahib was destined for an extra ordinary career. Into a tottering civilization, fraught with material acquisition, which guaranteed no safety to human life and which conferred no spiritual freedom on human beings he burst forth all the masterful force of his personality, There is a complete blending of greatness and grace, mediation and action precept, practice, indifference of the mystic and idealism of a Saint. He stands for all that is true, Beautiful and Noble..

He is a SYMBOL OF LOVE, HARMONY AND TRUTH.
The sources of this power may be traced to his own exceptional endowments. Throughout his life, he exhibited the noble traits of character so peculiar to the house of Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) to which he belonged.

His father, Sayyid Ghiyas-u’d-din, a pious man of some means, died when his son was in his teens. He left as legacy an orchard and a grinding mill. Once Khwaja Muinuddin Hassan was looking after the plants in his garden that a mystic, Shaikh Ibrahim Qanduzi, happened to pass by. Shaikh Mu’in-u’d-din entertained him in his garden. Hagiologists trace the germination of mystic attitude in him to the blessings of this Saint. In fact, the most powerful factor in giving a mystic touch to his personality at this early stage was the condition of Sijistan which had suffered terribly at the hands of the Qara Khita and the Ghuzz Turks. It drove the Khwaja’s mind inwards and he realized the futility of hankering after worldly glory or looking after worldly goods. He sold all his assets, gave the proceeds in charity and took to itineracy. He visited the eminent scholars of his age. While on his way to Iraq, he passed through Harvan, in the district of Naishapur.
 Here he met Khwaja ‘Usman Harwani’ and was so deeply impressed by his spiritual eminence that he decided to join the circle of his disciples. For twenty years he accompanied him on his arduous mystic journeys and performed all sorts of personal services to him. Shaikh Mu’in’d-din once told his disciples. “I did not give myself a moment’s rest from the service of my Peer-o-Murshid, and carried about his night clothes during his journeys and stoppages”.
Khwaja Garib Nawaj Haj and Prophet’s command
 As the great Khwaja become accomplished and perfect in every respect, the divine tutor (Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harwani (R.A.) honored him with his robe and took him to Haj. Both then proceeded to Makkah and performed the Haj, and then went to Madina and stayed there for sometime, to get the blessings of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.)

One night in a trance he was ordered by the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.)

“O Moinuddin! You are a prop of our faith. Proceed to India and show the path of truth to the people there. That is why he is known as Ataye Rasul/Naib-e-Rasul.” (Lieutenant of  Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.)

Later he undertook independent journeys and came into contact with eminent Saints and scholars like Shaikh Najm-u’d-din Kubra, Shaikh Najib-u’d-din ‘Abdul Qahir Suhrawardi, Shaikh Abu Sa’id Tabrizi, Shaikh Mahmud Ispahani, Shaikh Nasir-u’d-din Astarabadi and Shaikh ‘Abdul Wahid – all of whom were destined to exercise great influence on contemporary religious life and thought. He visited nearly all the great centers of learning in those days – Samarqand, Bukhara, Baghdad, Naishapur, Tabriz, Aush, Ispahan, Sabzawar, Mihna, Khirqan, Astarabd, Balkh and Ghaznin and aquainted himself with almost every important trend in Muslim religious life in the middle ages. His moral and spiritual qualities attracted many people to his fold and he appointed his Khalifas in Sabzwar and Balkh. Shaikh Auhad-u’d-din Kirmani, Shaikh Shihab-u’d-din Suhrawardi and many other eminent mystics benefited by his company. Having thus roamed all over the Muslim lands which had not yet recovered from the terrible shocks of Qara Khitai and Ghuzz invasions and were to be ravaged very soon by the Mongols, he turned towards India. After a brief stay at Lahore, where he meditated at the Shrine of one of the prominent Sufi, Shaikh Ali Hajweri, he proceeded to Ajmer. Hazrat Khwaja Garib Nawaz composed a couplet paying a glowing tribute to Shaikh Hajweri :



 (Ganj Bakhsh-e-Har Do Alam Mazhar-e-Noor-e-Khuda, Na Qisan Ra Peer-e-Kamil, Kamilan Ra Peshwa)

  He is a wealth bestowing Saint in this world and hereafter and an embodiment of divine light.

A complete spiritual guide for the imperfect disciples and a leader of the perfect Saints.
He adopted the Indian tradition and culture, seeing the inclination of Indians towards Music and singing he introduced Qawwali (Sama) to convey his message.

Huzoor Gharib Nawaz (R.A.) breathed his last; after achieving the command given to him by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). His noble soul left the corporeal body on the 6th of Rajab 633 A.H./ 16th March 1236 at the age of 97. He was buried in the same prayer room (Hujra)which was the center of his divine activities, throughout his stay at  .  Ajmer Today his Shrine is popularly known as “Dargah Sharif of Huzoor Khwaj Gharib Nawaj (R.A.)”. People of all walks of life and faith from all over the world, irrespective of their caste, creed and beliefs visit this great Shrine to offer flowers, Chaddar and Itar of their esteem and devotion. The rich and the poor stand side by side to pay their homage and respect to the divine soul and to acquire the peace of mind & soul to get the blessings of Huzoor Gharib Nawaz (R.A.)

 Ajmeri was not merely the seat of Chauhan power ; it was a religious center also where thousands of pilgrims assembled from far and near Shaikh Mu’in-u’d-din’s determination to work out the principles of Islamic mysticism at a place of such political and religious significance shows great self-confidence.

Gharib Nawaz was the exponent of the true spirit of Islam. Like orthodox and static theologians he did not engage himself in vain metaphysics but rigorously strove to save human sympathy from running into narrow grooves and struck at the very root of parochialism, casteism and religious exclusiveness which are being propagated by some vested interests. According to Khwaja Gharieb Nawaz the religion is not merely based on rituals and ecclesiastical formalities but “service of humanity” is its sole raison d’etre.
 Describing the qualities which endear a man to God, Khwaja Ghareb Nawaz referred to the following attributes : AWWAL SAKHAWATE CHUN SAKHAWATE DARIYA, DOM SHAFQAT-E-CHUN SHAFQAT-E-AFTAB, SIWAM TAWAZO-E-CHUN TAWAZO-E-ZAMEEN. (First, river like generosity; second, sun-like affection, and third earth like hospitality.) When once asked about the highest devotion of God, Gharib Nawaz remarked that it was nothing but

“Dar mandgaan ra fariyad raseedan wa haajat-e-baichaargaan ra rawa kardan wa gursingaan ra sair gardaneedan”

i.e. to redress the misery of those in distress, to fulfil the needs of the helpless and to feed the hungry.

Khwaja Gareb Nawaz loved humanity in general and the Indians in particular. Indeed he had a mission to bring a social and spiritual revolution.

He ruled over the hearts. The concepts of national integration, composite culture (Ganga-Jamni Tehzeeb) originated from his life style and teachings and thereafter were spread by his representative disciples.

Perhaps in no other country were the effects of this social and cultural revolution so marked and so far reaching as in India. Sufism (Islamic mysticism) reached India when it had entered the last and the most important phase of its history the organisation of Sufistic structure of Islam having various denominations, especially Naqshbandia, Qadriya, Suharwardia and Chishtiya Among these denominations the Chishtiya order has been supremely successful on all levels of pluralistic society of India based on cultural, religious, and social differences.                                            

Hazrat Imam Ahmeed Raza Khan Berali

NEGLECTED GENIUS OF THE EAST

ALLA HAZRAT IMAM AHMAD RIZA KHAN BAREILVI An Introduction to the life and the works

(1272/1856 ------1340/I921)

PARENTAGE

Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan was born at Bareilly (India) in 1272/1856. His father Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan (d. 1297/1880) and grandfather Mawlana Rida Ali Khan (d. 1282/1866) were celebrated theologians recognized as such by academic circles of the entire subcontinent.1



EDUCATIONAL CAREER

Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan completed his educational career under his fathers as well under famous scholars like:

1. Shaykh Ahmad Bin Zayn Dahlan Makki (d. 1299/1881)

2. Shah Al-i-Rasul (d. 1297/1879).

3. Shaykh and ‘Abd al-Rahman Makki (d. 1301/1883).

4. Shaykh Husayn bin Saleh. (d. 1302/1884).

5. Shah Abu al-Hasan Ahmad (d. 1324/1906)

Scholarship

Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan was astonishingly well versed in more than fifty branches of learning pertaining to Ancient Sciences 4, Modern Sciences, 5 Current Sciences and Oriental Learnings and left contributions in all these academic disciplines. His caliph Mawlana Muhammad Zafar al-Din (d. 1382/1962) had compiled his chronological bibliography al-Mudjmal al-Mu‘ddid in 1327-1909 i.e. 12 years before the death of Ahmad Rida Khan. In this bibliography he has mentioned about 350 books and treatises on more than fifty branches of knowledge. His knowledge was indeed encyclopaedic.7



Sufism

In 1294/1827 he went with his father to visit Shah Al-i-Rasul (d. 1297/1879). He was admitted to the Qadiriyya Order and was permitted to enroll and train neophytes. He had similar authority in thirteen other orders.8



Pilgrimage

In 1295/1878 he went with his father for the first pilgrimage and got diplomas from famous Arab scholars at Mecca.9. In 1323/1905 he proceeded for his second pilgrimage. During his stay at Mecca and Madina he won the respect of noted scholars who visited him and received from him diplomas and Fatawa.10



Master Jurist

On 14th Sha‘ban 1286/1869 he started issuing Fatawa and gave verdicts on Muslim jurisprodence.11. At that time he was only a boy of less than 14 years old.12. Afterwards he attained such eminence in this field that the scholars of the Indo-Pak subcontinent and also of the Islamic World acknowledged him as a great jurist.13. He had full command over Muslim Jurisprudence so much so that he differed in certain verdicts with the great Islamic savants like Allama Shami, Allama Tahtawi and Shah Wali Allah etc.14. He had great insight in Fiqh. The following Savants, Scholars, Philosophers and Journalists highly praised his scholarship and command over Muslim Jurisprudence.

The poet of the East Dr. Muhammad lqbal remarked: -

“Such a genius and intelligent jurist did not emerge.”15

The Great Mufti of India Shah Muhammad Mazhar Allah, Commanding Ahmad Rida Khan writes: -



“I do think Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan was the genius and a great scholar of Ahl-i-Sunnat wa Djamat.” 16



The renowned Theologian-cum-politician figure of Pakistan Mawlana Abu al-Ala Mawdudi writes in his letter (dated 12 February 1974 addressed to the editor of The Monthly Tardjuman-i-Ahl-I-Sunnat, Karachi):



In my eyes the late Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan was the bearer of religious knowledge and insight and was a respectable leader of the majority of Muslims. 17



(4) Dr. Abd Allah (the Chairman, Department of Encyclopedia of Islam, University of the Punjab, Lahore) writes: -



A scholar is the mind and tongue of his nation. And a Muslim Scholar whose axis or thought is the Quran and the Prophetic Tradition; is the interpreter of science and learning; the proclaimer of truth and righteousness and the benefactor of humanity. It will be no exaggeration if I say that Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan was a scholar of the same kind.18



(5) Mr. Khurshid Ahmad while discussing the scholarship of Ahmad Rida Khan remarks:



“Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan is the founder of Bareilvi school of thought and one of the most important scholars of this era.



He had started writing in the last quarter of nineteenth century A.D. and this continued till his death in 1921. Apart from jurisprudence and Tafsir (commentry of Holy Quran) he was master in Philosophy and Mathematics. The standard of his writings is very high. Besides the translation of Holy Quran in idiomatic Urdu he had contributed several books in Arabic language on pure scholastic topics. He had also written books in refutation of Ahl-i-Hadith and Ulama-i-Deoband.19



(6) The editor of the monthly Maarif (a leading journal of India) observes: -



The late Mawalana Ahmad Rida Khan R.A. was a great scholar, writer and a jurist of his time. He wrote treatises pertaining to hundreds and thousands of minor and major problems concerning jurisprudence.20



The editor of “Les Nouvellous” (Prort Louis/Mauritius) writes: Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan (R.A.) is a renowned writer of Islam. Among his literary works of about 700 books, he wrote the famous Fattawa-i-Ridawiyya in twelve volumes, each consisting of about 850 pages. He had a profound knowledge of science too, for he was a Master of Mathematics and Astronomy. He dedicated his whole life to the religion of Allah and acted as a shield against those who wanted to assault the principles of the Ahl-i-snnnat wa Jamaat, for he was truly a great defender of the Faith. On his visit to Mecca and Madina, he was greeted with great dignity and was conferred upon the title of “Imam-i-Ahl-i-Sunnat” by eminent theologians. They hailed him as a “Reformer of this Century”, and adopted him as their Spiritual Guide. 21



(7) A well-known author and critic of Indo-Pak Sub-continent Mr. Niyaz Fath Puri expressed his impressions regarding Ahmad Rida Khan as under:-



“I had the good opportunity to meet Ahmad Rida Khan, who was an exceptionally gifted person. His study was both varied and intensive and reflected itself in his demeanour. In spite of humility and good-naturedness, he had a strange air of awe over his face”



(Quoted in “Tarjuman-i-Ahl-i-Sunnat”, Karachi, December, 1975 : p. 27).



Lean and thin yet he possessed a gigantic personality. He left a profound issuance over his epoch. None among his contemporaries was as powerful as to influence the majority of Muslim population of Indo-Pak Sub-continent all alone from East to West and from North to South.



Dr. S.M. Ikram, a renowned Pakistani scholar spotlights this influence as under:



…but it is popular among the masses, and in West Pakistan especially in South West Parts of Punjab its hold is strong. 22



RELIGIOUS SERVICES



The religious turn of mind of Ahmad Rida Khan was in creed and law unalterably determined by the old traditional views.



Though he was well versed in scores of branches of knowledge yet in the later years he restricted his interest in the following branches of religious learnings:



i. To support and defend the Holy Prophet (S. A. w)



ii. To uproot the innovations prevalent in Muslim society.



iii. To issue Fatawa according to the Hanaifi school of jurisprudence 23



He hit the targets in these fields with unshakable confidence and accuracy that none among his contemporary scholars could claim to be his equal. This is not an exaggeration. His voluminous works, a hidden treasure to be explored by the orientalists of the world, will bear the testimony to this fact. He reviewed and revolutionized the Muslim Society, especially the Muslims of Indo-Pak Sub-continent, that is why the Arab scholars like Shaykh Ismail bin Khalil and Shaykh Musa Ali Shami commended him as the Revivalist of the 14th Century A.H.



If he is called the Revivalist of this Century it will be right and true. 24



The Muslim Savants and saints all over the world appreciated his services to Islam and bore testimony to his extraordinary scholarship. 25



In 1322/1904 he founded Dar-al-Ulum Manzar-i-lslam at Bareilly (U.P. India), which played an important role, but the fame and prestige of Ahmad Rida Khan was not indebted to this Dar al-Ulum like others. Scores of Dar-al-Ulum in India and especially in Pakistan are under his influence.



Ahmad Rida Khan infused the zeal of preaching and missionary work to his Caliphs, desciples, and pupils. Some of them rendered great services to Islam which must be recorded in the history, 26 His renowned Caliph Mawlana Muhammad Abd al-Alim Siddiqi (d.1374/1954) toured all over the world, propagated Islam and made hundreds and thousands non-Muslims embraced Islam. He met the world-renowned Irish dramatist and philosopher George Bernard Shaw on 17th of April 1935, during his Visit to Mombassa and discussed the religious problems with him. After the discussion when they parted Shaw expressed his feelings as under: -



“have been very pleased to make acquaintance and it will be the most precious of all memories of this trip of mine ”. 27



Abd al-Alim son Mawlana Shah Ahmad Nurani 28 and son-in-law Dr. Fadl al-Rahman Ansari (d. 1394/1974) also rendered great services to Islam. The latter compiled a unique book in English with the title: -



“The Quranic Foundations and Structure of Muslim Society”. (Karachi, 1973).30



POLITICAL SERVICES



Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan, as stated earlier, was the grandson of Mawlana Rida Ali Khan (d. 1282/1866), the great theologian and warrior who fought with General Bakht khan against English invaders in 1250/1834. General Hudson announced a reward of Rs. 500.00 for the one who could behead him. An English historian writes that Rida Ali Khan did his best against English domination and supported the freedom fighters with horses and weapons. 31



Being the grandson of such a warrior he could not remain aloof from Freedom Movement. Although he did not take any active part yet he paved the way for freedom with his brilliant philosophy based on the Holy Quran and Hadith. It is his love of freedom that the personalities like Mawlana Fadl-I-Haq (d. 1278/1861) 32 and the Martyr peot Mawlana Kifayat Ali Kafi (d.1275/1858) 33 had been his favourite models.



He was against Hindu-Muslim Unity. This was the basic idea which can rightly be called the foundation of Pakistan.



In 1920, when the Islamic College, Lahore, was entangled in a non-co-operation movement, with the suggestion of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (the Poet of the East) and the Members of Anjuman-i-Himayat al-lslam, Prof. Hakim Ali the Vice Principal of Islamia College, presented an Istifta before Ahmad Rida Khan. He was seriously ill at that critical juncture but he gave his verdict un-dauntedly which was published as a treatise with the title of: -



“AL-MUHADJDJA- AL-MU’TAMINA 34.”



This treatise can be called a precious and valuable document for freedom fighters. It paved the way and changed the ideas of the great politicians like Dr. Muhammad Iqbal and Qa‘id-i-Azam M.A. Jinnah.His caliphs, desciples and pupils took active part in freedom movement. They had discussion with Abu al-Kalam Azad and Ali Brothers (i.e. Mawlana Muhammad Ali and Mawlana Shaukat Ali).On 13th Radjab 1339/1920 a public meeting was held at Bareilly under the auspices of Djam‘yyat-t-Ulama-i-Hind. Maulana Abu Al-Kalam Azad the first Minister of Education of Bharat (India), was on the stage. Ahmad Rida Khan’s Caliphs Mawlana Sayyid Sulayman Ashraf, Mawlana Muhammad Zafar Al-Din, Mawlana Hamid Rida Khan (the elder son of Ahmad Rida Khan) Mawlana Burhan al-Haq, etc., were also invited. They had open and free discussions on political issues publicly with Mawlana Abu al-Kalam Azad and refuted Hindu-Muslim Unity. 35



In 1946/1366 an ideal conference was held at Benares (India) Hundreds and thousands Ulamas (followers of Ahmad Rida Khan) from all over Indo-Pak Sub-continent attended this conference. A resolution was unanimously passed in favour of Pakistan and thenceforward his caliphs and desciple and followers expanded and enhanced their political activities all over Indo-Pak Sub-continent. 36 Among them the following were prominent: -1. Mawlana Sayyid Muhammad Muhaddith (d. 1383/1963).



2. Mawlana Muhammad Naim al-Din (d. 1367/1948). 36



3. Mawlana Sayyid Muhammad Ahmad (d. 1380/1961).



4. Mufti Muhammad Umar (d. 1385/1966).



5. Mawlana Muhammad Abd al-Alim (d. 1374/1954). 37



6. Mawlana Muhammad Sharif (d. 1371/1951).



7. Mawlana Abd al-Hamid Badyuni (d. 1390/1970).Ahmad Rida Khan had strong hold on Muslim masses and it was masses that made the movement of Pakistan a success. The majority of the Muslim voters was under the influence of him, his caliphs, desciples and pupils. So the credit should go to him and his followers. Historians of the world especially of Indo-Pak Sub-continent should draw their attention to this most significant aspect of freedom movement. 38



The love of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) is the summum bonum of Islamic politics and has played important role in the history of Muslim World. Ahmad Rida Khan was the Torch Bearer of this love in the Indo-Pak Sub-continent. The only Motto of his life was the “ love of the Holy Prophet ” (S.A.W.) and he could leave no stone unturned in defending this love. Throughout his life and in all his works he maintained this Motto and in this respect he could not compromise with any.His poetry totally depended on this love. Hence it has great religio-political importance. He awakened the Muslim Nation from a sound sleep, purified their hearts and kindled the fire of love in an atmosphere where the people tried their best to extinguish it.



LITERARY SERVICES



Ahmad Rida Khan was a poet of high caliber. He adopted Na‘at 39 the most difficult of all the branches of poetry, but all the same he reached at the highest pinnacles. He was an unrivalled lover of the Holy Prophet (S.A.S.), a great scholar and a great saint. These mental and spiritual qualities elevated his poetry and made it highly ecstatic, lucid and profusely rich with rhetorics. 40 It is regretted that the Urdu literature has been the target of sectarianism that is why he was deliberately neglected in Urdu literature by the latter historians and biographers. And even today the scholars hesitate to appreciate his poetry with open heart due to sectarian bias.For the first time, after half a century, Mawlana Kauthar Niyazi the Minister of Religious Affairs, Government of Pakistan, and himself a brilliant poet, publicly paid homage to Ahmad Raza Khan which is most daring and highly appreciable. In a gathering at Karachi on 13 April, 1975/1395 he expressed his feelings in his presidential address as under: - There born a person in Bareilly who was the imam (Guide) of Na‘at writers and whose name is Ahmad Raza Khan Bareilvi. It is possible that some might differ from him on some points or the difference may be on some dogmas, but there is no doubt that his Na‘ats are completely full with the love of Holy Prophet (S.A.S.). 41How astonishing it is that from 1920 to 1970 A.D. he remained in darkness as a poet in literary circles. But since 1970 the sincere efforts of some workers like Hakim Muhammad Musa (Lahore) etc, have turned the tables. And it is mainly due to his efforts that scholars of Pakistan have made the facts come to light. A few facts about the poetry of Ahmad Rida Khan are presented here, from which one can easily judge his rank among the poets of an Urdu.Mirza Dagh of Delhi (d. 1323/1905) was the teacher of Hasan Rida Khan, the younger brother of Ahmad Rida Khan. One day he enjoyed a verse of Ahmad Rida Khan by the lips of his younger brother. Being intoxicated he remarked: -“Lo, a Mawlavi 42 and such a fine verse!” 43The Qasida-i-Na‘tiyya (encomium in Praise of the Ho1y Prophet S.A.S.) of Mohsin Kakorvi (d. 1323/1905) is considered to be the best in Urdu literature. But When Mohsin himself called on Ahmwd Rida Khan to recite this Qasida before him and listened his Qasida M‘radjiyya (encomium in praise of the Holy Prophet's Ascension), 44 Mohsin had been so impressed that he folded his own Qasida and put it in his pocket. 45 Commenting on this Qasida-i-M‘radjiyya the eminent poets of Lucknow expressed their view unanimously: -“ Its language has been washed in Kauthar ” (name of a river in Paradise). 46The well-known commentator of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, the Poet of the East, Professor Yusuf Salim Chishti commending the SALAM 47 of Ahmad Raza Khan says: -There is hardly any person who does not remember two or four lines of his SALAM by heart. 48The most eminent scholar of Pakistan Dr. Ghulam Mustafa Khan, (Head of the Department of Urdu, University of Sindh, Hyderabad, Pakistan) discussing the poetry of Ahmad Raza Khan explained his view about one of his Qasidas as unparalleled in the history of Urdu literature ”. He gave an extension lecture at the University of Karachi on:“Urdu Shaie Aur Tasawwuf ”In this lecture he highly praised the poetry of Ahmad Rida Khan especially a poem from his Diwan “Hadaq-I-Bakhshish” (1325/1907).49 He expressed:-It will be advisable to refer to a Devotee of the Holy Prophet (S.A.S.) viz. Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan (d. 1340/1921) from whom our writers continued to turn a deaf ear but perhaps he was the only Muslim Theologian who used countless Urdu idioms in his prose and poetry and made Urdu poetry sublime by this scholarship----------and for whom the love of the Holy Prophet (S.A.S.) was the main stay of Sufism. (Photostate, p. 9).Dr. Farman Fathpuri a leading writer of Pakistan writes in his book “Urdu Ki Na‘tiyya Shari” (Lahore: 1394/1974, P. 86): -“The name of Ahmad Rida Khan Bareilvi is most prominent among Muslim Theologians as Na‘at writer.” Niyaz Fathpuri a renowned poet and critic of both India and Pakistan ‘comments on the poetic art or Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan as: -“Poetry and literature are my domains in particular. I have gone through nation poetry of Ahmad Raza Khan with interest and attention. The first impression which one gathers from his poetry is that of his devout love for the Holy Prophet of Islam and secondly one is struck by his vastness of knowledge, sub-limity of thought and excellence of expression. His individuality is also rejected but simply as a foil to his love for the prophet in his Na‘ats. This note of individuality sounds like poetic exaggeration to those who are unaware of his poetic art.In fact his Ideas are full of realism--------Mawlana Hasrat Mohani(a poet and freedom-fighter) was also highly appreciative of Ahmad Rida Rhan . . . Ahmad Rida Khan was also well-versed in Arabic idiom and the art of scansion. ”(Quoted in “Tardjuman-i-Ahl-i-Sunnat, Karachi, December, 1975: p.28.)Recently Shafiq Bareilvi has published a beautiful collection of selected Na‘at with the title of “Armughan-i-Na‘at (Karachi, 1975). In this collection he has included the Na‘at of Ahmad Rida Khan. 50



Demise



Ahmad Rida Khan gave verdicts (Fatwas) for more than half a century (from 1286/1896------1339/1921) fortified the faith of Muslim masses and showed right path to the Muslim Politicians at that critical juncture of 1920. Thus he completed his mission and now he was preparing for his last journey. On Friday 25th Safar l340/ 1921, he left this mundane world for heaven. 51 His mausoleum is situated at Bareilly (U.P., India). His death anniversary is commemorated all over Indo-Pakistan Sub-continent on 24th and 25th Safar, and special issues of newspapers and periodicals


Holy Shrine of Aala Hazrat Ahmend Rada Khan Barailvi

Descendants



Ahmad Rida Khan had two sons and five daughters. His son’s Mawlana Hamid Rida Khan (d. 1362/1934) and Mawlana Mustafa Raza Khan (b. 1310/1892) are celebrated savants of Islam. They rendered great services to Islam and the Muslim Nation In India.



Caliphs



Ahmad Raza Khan's Caliphs are spreading far and wide all over India and Pakistan and also in the Islamic World. Nearly 35 in Islamic World and 30 in Indo-Pak Sub-continent. 53 These are the leading ones: -



Muslim World



Ø Shaykh Multammad Abd al-Hayy.



Ø Shaykh Ahmad Khalil.



Ø Shaykh Ahmad Khudravi.



Ø Shaykh Muhammad Bin Abi Bakr.



Ø Shaykh Muhammad Sa‘id, etc. etc.



India and Pakistan



Ø Mawlana Hamid Rida Khan (d. 1362/1943).



Ø Mawlana Muhammad Zafar al-Din (d. 1382/1962).



Ø Mawlana Didar Ali (d. 1354/1935).



Ø Mawlana Amdjad Ali 54 (d. 1367/1948).



Ø Mawlana Muhammad Na‘im al-Din 55 (d. 1367/1948).



Ø Mawlana Shah Sulayman Ashraf (d. 1352/1933).



Ø Mawlana Sayyid Ahmad Ashraf (d. 1344/1925).



Ø Mawlana Muhammad Abd al-Alim Siddiqi 56. etc. etc.The following caliphs are still alive and are source of knowledge and spiritualism for posterity:



I. Mawlana Mustafa Rida Khan (Bareilly, lndia).



II. Mufti Diya al-Din (Madina, Saudi Arabia).



III. Mawlana Burhan al-Haq (Jabalpur, India).



IV. Mawlana Sayyid Ahmad (Lahore, Pakistan).



V. Abu al-Barakat.WorksAhmad Rida Khan was a genius writer. He started writing from his early age. His first book was the Arabic commentary of Hidaya al-Nahv which he wrote at the age of ten years. The second book was Dau al-Nihaya in Arabic, which he wrote in 1285/1868 at the age of thirteen. He wrote numerous books and treatises in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu on diversified topics. These are estimated more than 1000 on more than 50 branches of knowledge 57 In 1305/1887 at the age of 30 years he had completed 75 books and treatises. 58 In 1327/1909 this number increased up to 500. 59 Apart from these contributions he had written annotation 60 and Commentator on more than 150 books pertaining to various branches of learning. 61. But it is deplorable that even scholar like Dr. S. M. Ikram was unaware of the correct number of Ahmad Raza Khan writings, and their real value that is why he writes: -Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan wrote some fifty pamphlets on controversial subject. 62 But in this special branch the correct number is more than 500. I have gone throught some pamphlets and I can dare to say that each pamphlet is a research paper of high degree whose bibliography consists of books innumerable. His books and treatises are lying un published at Bareilly., Murad Abad, Lahore, Karachi, etc., so far.



Mr. Shams al-Din a contributor to the voluminous history of literature of the Muslims of Indo-Pakistan confesses that Ahmad Raza Khan:



Wrote hundreds and thousands book on various controversial and scientific topics. 63



The most voluminous work is the collection of Verdicts i.e. Fatawa-i-Ridawiyya. In 1324/1904, he had completed its 7 volumes, which afterwards increased upto 12 volumes of 26” x 20” / 8” size each volume containing more than 1000 pages.



When Shaykh Ismail Khalil, the Curator of Library at Mecca read the specimen of these Fatawa (Verdicts) he was puffed up with joy and wrote to Ahmad Rida Khan:By God if Abu Hanifa Nu‘man would have gone through these Fatawa undoubtedly it could have been his heart's delight and granted its writer among his pupils. 64 A prominent figure from the opposition camp and a famous writer Hakim Abd al-Hayy of Lucknow (d. 1341/1923) admits: -During his stay at Mecca and Madina (1324/1906) he wrote several treatises and gave verdicts to some questions received from the scholars. They were dumb strikes to see his vast informations on the text of books on Muslim Jurisprudence and disputed dogmas; his rapid writing and intelligences. 65A renowned theologian and a great saint of Delhi, Hadrat Mawlana Zayd Abu l-Hassan Faruqi (who completed his education at Al-Azhar, Cairo) acknowledged the unrivalled mastery of Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan over jurisprudence and other branches of learning in the following words: -“ None can deny the erudition of Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan in the field of Fiqh. He was, no doubt the greatest Faqih (Jurist) of his time.”He added: -Kifayat al-Mufti of Mawlana Kifayat Allah (compiled and published by Mawalana Hafiz al-Rahman Wasif at Delhi) is simply of little value to me, as it provides no reference or citation. Hence its validity is questionable. On the contrary the Fatawa of Ahmad Raza are not only argumentatively convincing and rational but are supported by authentic references. They are unique in depth and magnitude and broaden ones horizons of vision. They are an assest to know and remember scores of references. One should not, however, look to that image of Ahmad Raza which the pseudo-scholars have envisaged. There was no equal to him in scholarship and the profound knowledge of jurisprudence among his contemporaries.

(Quoted from a despatch of Mawlana Muhammad Mukkarrum, Fathpuri Mosque Delhi, dated December 18, 1975).Even the antagonists of Ahmad Raza Khan referred to these Fatawa. For instance, the great Mufti of his opposite camp Mawlana Kifayat Allah (d. 1372/1952), consulted and ratiocinated these Fatawa and admitted that Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan had full command over the subtleties of Muslim Jurisprudence as stated by Allama Mufti Muhammad Mahmud of Alwar (Hyderabad--- Pakistan).



The second important work which Ahmad Raza Khan contributed towards religious knowledge is the translation of the Holy Quran in Urdu language. It has its own characteristics.



This translation was published under the title of Kanz al-Iman with marginal notes by his Caliph Mawlana Muhammad Na‘im al-Din under the title Khaza’n al-Irfan in 1330/1911.



There are many complete and incomplete translations of the Holy Quran in Urdu language. More than 25 translations had been compiled before Kanz al-Iman while more than 50 have been compiled after its publication. But in all these translations, Kanz-al-Iman seems to stand first. The translator passed smoothly from such delicate places where it was impossible.

Hazrat LaL Shahbaz Qalandar (R.A)

Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar(R.A)

The real name of ‘Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’ was Syed Muhammad Usman who was born in 1177 AD in Marwand, Iran. His father, Syed Ibrahim Kabiruddin, was a virtuous and pious dervish, and his mother was a high-ranking princess. His ancestors migrated from Iraq and settled down in Meshed, from where they again migrated to Marwand. During the Medieval period, Meshed and other cities of that region were renowned centers of learning and civilization.



Even as a young boy, Shahbaz Qalandar showed strong religious leanings. He learnt the Holy Quran by heart just at age of seven, and at twenty embraced the Qalandar order of Sufism. ‘Qalandar’ is a type of dervish who is generally dressed in beggars’ clothes, likes poverty and austerity and has no permanent dwelling. Lal Shahbaz Qalandar wandered throughout Middle East and came to Sind from Baghdad via Dasht-i-Makran. In 1263, he arrived in Multan, which at that time was at the height of glory and splendor. The people of Multan besought him to stay but he continued his journey southward and eventually settled down in Sehwan, then a famous center of learning and popular place of worship for Hindus, in the southern part of Sindh, where he lived in the trunk of a tree on the outskirts of the town. He stayed at Sehwan for six years and during this period he disseminated the light of Islam, providing guidance to thousands of people.



Sehwan is probably the town with the oldest continuous existence in Sind.It rises on the top of a conical hill, and nearby lie the ruins of a huge fort believed to have been founded by Alexander the Great. Some coins of Alexander’s time are reported to have been found here. Sehwan was the capital of a Buddhist ruler who was brother of Chandragupta II, the third of the Guptan dynasty in the 4th century AD. From the time of Arab invasion in 712, Sehwan was very important in the history of Sind since it commanded the route from the Upper to the Lower Indus, through which all invaders from either north or south had to pass. And possession of the fort was essential to the success of every campaign.



Lal Shahbaz Qalandar is an overwhelmingly popular patron saint cherished and adored alike by Hindus and Muslims of Sind. He was a great missionary, mystic, scholar, philologist and poet. Several books in Persian and Arabic on philology and poetry are attributed to him. He was ‘Lal’ (red) because of his red attire, ‘Shahbaz’ due to his noble and divine spirit that soared like a falcon higher and higher in the boundless heavens and ‘Qalandar’ since he belonged to Qalandria order of Sufism and was saintly, exalted and intoxicated with love for eternal being of God. The legend goes that the incumbent fakirs in Sewhan sent him a bowl of milk filled to the brim indicating that there was no room for anything more. But surprisingly, he returned the bowl with a beautiful flower floating on the top. This legend spread far and wide by the time of his death in 1274, after living a good span for 97 years.



The shrine around his tomb, built in 1356, gives a dazzling look with its Sindhi kashi tiles, mirror work and two gold-plated doors - one donated by the late Shah of Iran, the other by the late Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The inner sanctum is about 100 yards square with the silver canopied grave in the middle. On one side of the marble floor is a row of about 12 inch high folding wooden stands on which are set copies of Quran for devotees to read. On the other side, beside a bundle of burning agarbattis (joss sticks), are rows of diyas (small oil lamps) lighted by Hindu devotees. The Hindus regarded him as the incarnation of Bhartihari, the saintly brother of King Vikramaditya, who is believed to have worshipped Shiva at the venue where Lal Shahbaz's shrine is situated with all its grandeur and glory.



Thousands of devotees flock to the tomb while every Thursday their number stands multiplied. Especially at the time of his ‘Urs’ (death anniversary) being a carnival as well a religious festival and celebrated every year on the 18th day of Sha’ban, Sehwan springs to life and becomes the focal point of more than half a million pilgrims from all over Pakistan. On each morning of the three day feast, the narrow lanes of Sewhan are packed to capacity as thousands and thousands of pilgrims, fakirs and devotees make their way to the shrine to commune with the saint, offer their tributes and make a wish. Most of the people present garlands and a green chadar (a cloth used to cover a tomb) with Qur’anic inscriptions in silver or gold threads. Humming of verses, singing and dancing in praise of the saint continues till late at night. A devotional dance known as ‘dhamal’, being a frenzied and ecstatic swirl of the head and body, is a special ritual that is performed at the rhythmic beat of the dhole (a big barrel-shaped drum), some of them being of giant size and placed in the courtyard of the shrine. Bells, gongs, cymbals and horns make a thunderous din, and the dervishes, clad in long robes, beads, bracelets and colored head-bands whirl faster and faster in a hypnotic trance, until with a final deafening scream they run wildly through the doors of the shrine to the courtyard beyond.



Not only the people congregating from all over Pakistan but also the tourists and the foreigners are enthralled at this fascinating scene and aspire to enjoy it time and again. Such were the persons who really attained the lofty mystical experience. Through their transcendence, their relation to God is such that in them the Divine personality seems to reflect itself and through them is revealed to his followers, and the grace of God is dispensed to those who invoke God in his name. In Iqbal’s inspirational poetry we find so many verses about who is Qalandar and what are the attributes of a Qalandar.

Hazrat Baba Farid Ganje Shakar (R.A)

HAZRAT BABA FARID  GANJ E SHAKAR (R.A)
1173 – 1266)
Bābā Farīd was born in 1173 or 1188 CE (584 Hijri) at Kothewal village, 10 km from Multan in the Punjab region of Pakistan, to Jamāl-ud-dīn Suleimān and Maryam Bībī (Qarsum Bībī), daughter of Sheikh Wajīh-ud-dīn Khojendī. He was a descendant of the Farrūkhzād, known as Jamāl-ud-Dawlah, a Persian (Tajik) king of eastern Khorasan.
He was the grandson of Shaykh Shu’aib, who was the grandson of Farrukh Shah Kabuli, the king of Kabul and Ghazna. When Farrukh Shāh Kābulī was killed by the Mongol hordes invading Kabul, Farīd’s grandfather, Shaykh Shu’aib, left Afghanistan and settled in the Punjab in 1125.
Baba Sheikh Farid as he is called all over Punjab, India, and Pakistan was born at the time when Punjab was going through great crossroads. Tamur the Lame, Halaku (Son of Chengez Khan), etc ravaged Punjab about 100 to 200 years before he was born. The official language of India was Turkish and Persian. The Slave dynasty of Qutub-Ud-Din aibak was at that time being ruled by Sultan Balban. 200-300 years earlier to the West of India, sword of Islam had swept in the countries like Iran, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe. In India too, Slave Qutubdin Aibak tried to subdue people through force, but could only create a rift between different communities. Then came the sufi saints from Arabia and other places to spread their message of love for Allah. Sufi saints like Khwaja Qutub-Ul-Din Bakhtiar Kaki, who was a Sayid of Jafiri Hussaini tribe, were very famous.
Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki was Born around 1150 A.D. and studied under Abu Hifz, a celebrated doctor of Ush, he went to Ajmer and became a disciple of Muayan-ul-Din Hasan Chisti. In due time he proceeded to Dihli where Baba Farid met him and became his disciple. Emperor Sultan Shams-ul-Din Altmish was also his disciple. He died in A.D. 1235 and was buried in Dihli, where his tomb is held in devout reverence by pious Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. His descendants are called Chistis from the tribe of his priest. – Makhazan-ul-Tawarikh.
Genealogy of Baba Sheikh Farid ji is given in the Jawahi-r-Faridi (The gems of Farid), preserved at the shrine of Pak Pattan, by Ali Asghar of Bahadal, a town near Sarhind. Baba Sheikh Farid ji descended from Farrukh Shah, who was king of Kabul and kings of Ghazni and other states were subject to him. Baba Farid’s Great Grandfather was son of Farrukh Shah, the emperor of Kabul. During that time, Baba Farid’s Great Grandfather was killed when Halaku, the grandson of Chengez Khan invaded Kabul, he killed several princes and learned men, including several of Baba Farid’s ancestors. Baba Farid’s Grandfather Shaikh Shaib abandoned their country and took refuge in the Panjab in A.D. 1125. The Qazi of Kasur who was acquainted with the high position Shaikh Shaib had held there, treated him and his relatives with great respect and hospitality. After some time Shaikh Shaib proceeded to Multan where he deemed he should be less exposed to worldly influences or the temptings of ambition. He took his abode in Kothiwal, now known as Chawali Mushaikh, close to Dipalpur. He established in Kothiwal a private college for religious instruction and attracted much attention. His eldest son Jamal-ud-din married Bibi Miriam, daughter of Saiyid Muhammad Abdula Shah – a descendant of Ali. Bibi Miriam had three sons, Khwaja Aziz-ul-din, Farid-ul- Din Masaud (Baba Farid) and Khwaja Najib-ul-din, and one daughter Khatun Jamila.
When Baba Farid was a few years old his mother taught him his prayers. The boy asked him what was gained by prayer. His mother replied ‘Sugar’. She used accordingly to hide some sugar under his prayer-carpet, and, when he had finished his prayers, draw it forth, and give it to him as a reward of his devotion. One day his mother forgot to put the sugar but after prayers, there was sugar under the carpet. From that day on, Bibi Miriam started calling his son Shakar Ganj, or the treasury of Sugar.
When Baba Farid was 16 years old he went to Hajj and stayed in the house of Abdul Rahim Ansari. Since, Baba Farid use to talk in Punjabi, an unkempt faqir on hearing Farid’s language foretold the Boy’s subsequent greatness. After Farid came back to Punjab, he was sent to Khwaja Qutub-ul-Din Bakhtiar Kaki at Delhi to learn theology. Qutub-ul-din finding Baba Farid deficient in scholarship send him to the shrine of Abdul Shakur of Sarsa, near Dihli to finish his education. On that occasion Baba Farid repeated the following:-
O Farid, thou hast not walked in God’s way ;
therefore He hath no appeared unto thee
Who is there who hath knocked at God’s door
for whom it hath not been opened
Lost thy life on the way of the Friend
if thou desire to be even as those holy men.
The high reputation Farid obtained in Dihli soon became irksome to him. He therefore made his way to Hansi, where he remained for some time. Meanwhile Khwaja Qutub-ul- Bakhtiar Kaki died at Dihli and Baba Farid paid a second visit to that city, and assumed the mantle of his late spiritual guide. He ultimately left it in the keeping of Jamal-ul-Din of Hansi and thence proceeded to Ajodhan, the present Pak Pattan. The manner in which the name of Ajodhan changed to Pak pattan was that a canal which derived its water from the Satluj passed near the town. It was usual for all who visited Baba Farid to wash their hands and feet there. The place then became known as Baba Sahib ji da Pak Pattan, or Farid’s cleansing ferry.
Baba Farid after some time, in accordance with his mother’s advice, went to forest, and lived there as an anchoret for some years on leaves of trees. On his return, when his mother began to comb his hair, Baba Farid complained that the operation caused him pain. His mother replied that he must have caused similar pain to the trees when he robbed them of fruit for food. Then he set out on another pilgrimage . This time, so as not to hurt any living thing, he tied a wooden cake to his stomach, and, it is said, subsisted on the imaginary sustenance it afforded him for this vow. Then when Baba Farid ji returned, his mother finding him that he had not lost all remnants of pride, dismissed him to do penance for a third period of some years. This time, it is said, he caused himself to be suspended by the feet in a well. He composed the following couple in reference to these circumstances.
Farid, thy body is on the stake;
thy head hath become a cage;
the crows peck at thy feet
If God come to me even now, happy shall be my lot.
Sheikh Farid ji made Pak Pattan a great center of Sufi Thoughts. People from all over India and Middle east would come to see him. He always used his language, that was Punjabi spoken by common people, even though he was highly learned and educated in Arabic, Persian, etc. His all couplets are written in Punjabi, with Persian script. He generally rejected offerings of money, but would accept gifts of food, etc for public kitchen. Baba Farid Ji went to Dihli again and was received with a most hospitable reception. Emperor Nasir-ul-Din Balban introduced him to his family. Baba Farid ji looked to Emperor’s daughter Hazabara and asked Emperor to marry her to him. Thus Hazabra was married to Baba Sheikh Farid ji, but only after Emperor Balban promised to not give any costly gifts, Baba ji distributed all her jewels, etc to Faqirs.
Baba Farid ji visited a city called Mokhalpur, now it is called Faridkot in honor of the Baba Farid ji, it is the Indian part of Punjab. Then he turned towards the Punjabi mountains where he converted a tribe. Baba Farid ji remained there for six months and then he locked up the house in which he had dwelt, saying that his successor would open it, and then returned to Pakpattan. As his successor Diwan Taj-ul-Din was returning from a pilgrimage to Makka and Madina, he happened to visit that part of the country. He asked people their tribe name, they said they were descendents of Qutub-ul-Alam Baba Farid Shakarganj. And thus Taj-ud-din opened up the door of Baba Farid ji’s hut hundreds of years later.
Baba Farid ji died of Pneumonia on the fifth day of Month of Muharrim, A.D. 1266. The date of Baba Farid jis death is commemorated by chronograms (a) Farid Asari (b) Auliye Khudai. He was unique, a saint of God. Baba Farid ji were buried outside the town of Pak pattan at a place called martyrs grave. His torch of Sufi thoughts were carried by his successor and subsequently. Several others such as Bhagat Kabir, Baba Guru Nanak Dev ji, etc were affected by the teachings of the great Saint. Baba Guru Nanak Dev ji’s contemporary was a Baba Sheikh Farid ji Sani, or the second Sheikh Farid ji, 6th in succession of Baba Farid Shaikh Shakarganj. Thus Baba Sheikh Farid ji Shakarganj can be truly called the founder of Punjabi literature, making Punjabi culture old than Hindi, Urdu and other languages of current times. It was much after Baba Farid ji that Kabir, Tulsidas, Mira Bai, etc started using common language of people of India. Baba Sheikh Farid ji is where Punjab and Punjabiyat started.

100 Question & Answeres On HOLY QURAN

I Hope the following Questions Answers about Holy Quran will helps us in understanding ourselves and the religion Islam better.

May Allah bless all Muslims.

 
Q) What is the meaning of the word "Qur''an"?
A) That which is Read.

Q) Where was the Qur''an revealed first?
A) In the cave of Hira (Makkah)

Q) On which night was the Qur''an first revealed?
A) Lailatul-Qadr (Night of the Power)

Q) Who revealed the Qur''an?
A) Allah revealed the Qur''an

Q) Through whom was the Qur''an revealed?
A) Through Angel Jibraeel (Alaihis-Salaam)

Q) To whom was the Qur''an revealed?
A) To the last Prophet Muhammed (Sallahu Alaihi Wasallam)

Q) Who took the responsibility of keeping the Qur''an safe?
A) Allah himself

Q) What are the conditions for holding or touching the Qur''an?
A) One has to be clean and to be with wudhu (ablution)

Q) Which is the book which is read most?
A) The Qur''an

Q) What is the topic of the Qur''an?
A) Man

Q) What are the other names of the Qur''an according to the Qur''an itself?
A) Al-Furqaan, Al-Kitaab, Al-Zikr, Al-Noor, Al-Huda

Q) How many Makki Surahs (chapters) are there in the Qur''an?
A) 86

Q) How many Madani Surahs (chapters) are there in the Qur''an?
A) 28

Q) How many Manzils (stages) are there in the Qur''an?
A)7

Q) How many Paara or Juz (parts) are there in the Qur''an?
A) 30

Q) How many Surahs (chapters) are there in the Qur''an?
A) 114

Q) How many Rukoo (paragraphs) are there in the Qur''an?
A) 540

Q) How many Aayaath (verses) are there in the Qur''an?
A) 6666

Q) How many times is the word ''Allah'' repeated in the Qur''an?
A) 2698

Q) How many different types of Aayaath (verses) are there in the Qur''an?
A) 10

Q) Who is the first ''Haafiz'' of the Qur''an?
A) Prophet Muhammed (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam)

Q) At the time of the death of Prophet Muhammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) how many Huffaz were there?
A) 22

Q) How many Aayaaths (verses) on Sajda (prostation) are there in the Qur''an?
A) 14

Q) In which Paara (part) and Surah (chapter) do you find the first verse about Sajda (prostation) ?
A) The 9th Paara, 7th Chapter-Surah- al-Araaf, Verse206

Q) How many times has the Qur''an stressed about Salaat or Namaaz (prayer)?
A) 700 times

Q) How many times has the Qur''an emphasized on alms or charity?
A) 150

Q) How many times in the Qur''an, is the Prophet Muhammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) addressed as Yaa-Aiyu-Han- Nabi?
A)11 times

Q) Where in the Qur''an has Prophet Muhammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) been named ''Ahmed''?
A)Paara 28, Surah Saff, Ayath 6

Q) How many times has the name of Rasool-ullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) been mentioned in the Qur''an?
A) Muhammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) - 4 times Ahmed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) - 1 time.

Q) Name the Prophet whose name is mentioned and discussed most in the Qur''an?
A) Moosa (Alahis-Salaam)

Q) Who were the Kaathibe-Wahi (copyists of the revelations) of the Qur''an?
A) Abu Bakr (Radhiallahu Anhu), Usman (Radhiallahu Anhu), Ali (Radhiallahu Anhu), Zaid Bin Harith (Radhiallahu Anhu) And Abdullah bin Masood (Radhiallahu Anhu)

Q) Who was the first person who counted the Aayaath (verses) of the Qur''an?
A) Ayesha (Radhiallahu Anha)

Q) On whose advice did Abu Bakr (Radhiallahu Anhu) decide to compile the Qur''an?
A) Omer Farooq (Radhiallahu Anhu)

Q) On whose order was the Qur''an compiled completely in written form?
A) Abu Bakr (Radhiallahu Anhu)

Q) Who confined the recitation of the Qur''an on the style of the Quraysh tribe?
A) Usman (Radhiallahu Anhu)

Q) Out of the copies of ey at present?
A) Only 2 copies. One in Tashkent and the other in Istanbul.

Q) Which Surah of the Qur''an was Prophet Muhammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) reciting while praying, that Hazrat Jabeer Bin Muth''im Listened to and embraced Islam?
A) Surah Thoor

Q) Which was that Surah of the Qur''an which the Prophet Muhammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had recited when one of his enemies Utba after listening to it fell in Sajda (prostation) ?
A) The first five Ayaaths of Ham-Meem-Sajda

Q) Which is the first and the most ancient Mosque according to the Qur''an?
A) Kaaba.

Q) In Qur''an mankind is divided into two groups. Which are those two groups?
A) Believers and disbelievers.

Q) Who is the man about whom, Allah has said in the Qur''an that his body is kept as an admonishing example for future generations to come?
A) Fir''aun. (Pharaoh)

Q) Besides the body of Pharaoh, what is that thing which is kept as an admonishing example for future generations to come?
A )Noah''s Ark.

Q) After the wreckage of Prophet Noah''s Ark, which is its place of rest mentioned in the Qur''an?
A) Cave of Judi.

Q) In the Qur''an the name of which companion of Prophet Muhammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is mentioned?
A) Zaid Bin Harith.

Q) Who is the relative of the Prophet Muahmmed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) whose name is mentioned in the Qur''an?
A) Abu Lahab

Q) In the Qur''an there is a mention of a Prophet who has been called by his mother''s name. Who was he?
A) Jesus Prophet (Isa Alahis salaam) is mentioned as bin Maryam.

Q) Which was the agreement that was titled Fath-hum-Mubeen' ' without fighting a battle?
A) Treaty of Hudaibiya.

Q) What are the different names used for Satan or Devil in the Qur''an?
A) Iblees and Ash-Shaitaan.

Q) Which category of creature does the Qur''an put ''Iblees'' into?
A) Jinn.

Q) What were those worships and prayers that were ordered by Allah to the community of Bani Israeel and which were continued by the Muslim Ummah also?
A) Salaat and Zakaat. (Al-Baqarah: 43)

Q) The Qur''an repeatedly warns of a certain day. Can you say which day it is?
A) Youmal Qiyamah. (Doomsday)

Q) Who were those people with whom Allah was pleased and they were pleased with Him, as mentioned in the Qur''an?
A) Companions of Prophet Muhammed. (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)

Q) In which Holy Book of Non-Muslims the Qur''an mentioned repeatedly?
A) In the Holy Book of Sikh Community-Granth Saheb.

Q) In which year were the vowels inserted in the Qur''an?
A) 43 Hijri.

Q) Who were the first serious students of the Qur''an? A) As-haabus Suffah.

Q) Which is the first Residential University where the faculty of the Qur''an was established for the first time?
A) Masjid-e-Nabvi. Mosque of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)

Q) By what name did the Qur''an address those noble and pious people who were selected by Allah to convey His message to mankind?
A) Nabi (Prophet) and Rasool (Messenger).

Q) What type of a person does the Qur''an want to make?
A) A Momin.

Q) What is the scale or measure of one''s dignity according to the Qur''an?
A) Thaqwa. (Piety)

Q) What according to the Qur''an is the root cause of the evil?
A) Alcohol.

Q) What are the two most important types of kinds of Aayaaths (Verses) found in the Qur''an?
A) Muhakamaat and Muthashabihaath.

Q) Which is the longest Surah (Chapter) in the Qur''an?
A) Surah-al-Baqarah.

Q) Which is the smallest Surah in the Qur''an?
A) Surah-al-Kausar.

Suffi Wherlings

SUFFI WHERLINGS

|Source| WWW.SUFFISUM.COM

Sufi Whirling is one of the most ancient technique used by Sufi Mystics. Sufi master Jalaluddin Rumi has specially used this technique and he became enlightened while doing whirling meditation. It is believed that he did whirling for 36 hours continuously non-stop, before he became awakened. Whirling is a very powerful technique and a single experience can bring a big transformation in us.

According to Osho, we have to do the whirling meditation with open eyes, just like small children go on whirling. Every child loves whirling as it gives a feeling of inner centering or it connects us with our center. According to Osho, we have to do whirling meditation as if our inner being has become a center and our whole body has become a wheel, moving - the way a potter’s wheel is moving. We are in the center, but the whole body is moving. The Whirling technique has 2 stages.

First Stage: 45 minutes

Keep your eyes open and feel the center point of your body. Lift your arms to shoulder height, with the right hand palm up and the left hand low, palm down. Start turning around your own axis. Let your body be soft and relax. Start slowly. In this technique we become a whirlpool of energy – the periphery a storm of movement.

Start the whirling slowly, clockwise. If somebody feels that it is very difficult to move in clockwise direction then try anti-clockwise, but the rule is to move clockwise. Few people who are left-handed they may feel that it is difficult to move clockwise, then they can move in anti-clockwise. In reality 50% of people should be left handed but because of society interference only ten percent of people are left-handed. So if we feel uneasy while doing whirling in clockwise, then move anti-clockwise; but start with clockwise and feel what is right for you. Music played for whirling meditation is to help us in the technique.

We have to start the whirling very slowly, no need to go fast in the first 15 minutes. Just enjoy the slow whirling for the first 15 minutes. Next 15 minutes should be more faster and one can increase the speed of whirling. and the third 15 minutes even more faster, just mad. With our total energy in the whirling we become a become a whirlpool, an energy whirlpool, lost completely in it: no witnessing, no effort to observe. No effort to see or witness. We just need to be the whirlpool, Just the whirling.

In the beginning, we may not be able to do whirling technique for so long, but we should, not stop the whirling by our self. There is no need to stop, keep on whirling. Although it may be difficult and there might be a division within us. One part wants to lie down and another wants to continue. Then for this scenario, Osho instructions is to continue with the whirling. In case our body is too much tired and it is impossible to do whirling then our body will fall down automatically. In such a scenario, If we fall down in the middle of the hour, on our own, then there is no problem; the process is complete.

But we should not allow the mind to play its tricks with our self. No need to deceive our self; No need to entertain the thinking that now we are tired and it is better to stop. According to Osho - Don't make it a decision on your part to fall down. If we are tired, then how can we go on? we will fall down automatically. So no need to stop ourself; let the whirling itself come to a point where we fall down.

Second Stage: 15 minutes

When the music stops then let your body fall to the ground. (it may already have happened before.) When we fall down, then we should fall down on our stomach; and it will be good if our stomach is in direct touch with the earth. Otherwise roll onto your stomach immediately so that your navel is in contact with the earth. Feel your body blending into the earth and close the eyes

According to Osho instructions - While lying down on the earth, feel as if you are lying down on the breast of your mother, as if a small child is lying down on the breast of his mother. There is no need to witness any thing. Become completely unconscious.

Some more key points for help:

For the whirling meditation, our stomach should be empty. One should not eat food and then do this meditation. This may cause vomiting or nausea.

Keep your physical condition in mind before attempting this technique. eg: for a heart patient, this method may be harmful.

Wear Loose comfortable clothes.

While whirling, our gaze should be unfocused on the outside things but focused on the inner space. Some people might feel uncomfortable or dizzy while seeing everything moving so quickly outside. So as a help, these people can look at the palm of the right hand(which is raised upwards) while whirling.

Note - It is said that we don't need to be aware while doing this technique but my experience is that this technique naturally brings a centering in us - provided done properly.

Purification Of Soul

How To Purify Our Soul

|Source| WWW.SUFFISUM.COM

Purifying the Soul

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Allah (S.W.T) says in the Noble Qur'an after He swore several times in surat Ash-Shams, (Verses 9&10), what can be translated as, "Indeed he succeeds who Zak-Kaha purifies his ownself, and indeed he fails who Das-Saha corrupts his ownself."
Imam Ibn Katheer says: "This verse means: He who purified his soul obeying Allah (S.W.T), and purified it from vices and bad manners, he succeeded. And he who corrupted it by immersing it in sins and disobeying Allah (S.W.T), he utterly failed." This verse was also interpreted by Ibn Abbas (R.A.). He said: "He whom Allah (S.W.T) purified his soul, he succeeded, and he whom Allah (S.W.T) corrupted his soul, he failed utterly." The prophet (S.A.W.) frequently used to say in his supplication: "Oh Allah! Grant me the sense of piety and purify my soul as You are the best to purify it, You are its Guardian and its Master…" {Reported by Imams Muslim and Ahmad}
Allah (S.W.T) also said in surat Al-A'la, (Verse 14), what can be translated as, " Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success." which means he purified his soul from the evil morals and followed what Allah (S.W.T) revealed to His prophet (S.A.W.).
Purifying the souls of people was one of the most important tasks of the great messengers including the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). Allah (S.W.T) described him in surat Al-Baqarah, (Verse 151), what can be translated as, "Similarly We have sent (Muhammad) of your own, reciting to you Our verses and sanctifying you, and teaching you the book and Al-Hikmah…"
Also Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Emran, (Verse 164), what can be translated as, "Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses, and purifying them …" He (S.A.W.) purifies them with what is revealed to him. He purifies their convictions and their conduct because man's life in this world and his destiny in the Hereafter do not succeed with knowledge only; rather there has to be purification.
"Taz-ki-yah": Linguistically, it means spiritual cleansing, growth, and blessing. Based on this, purification from the Islamic perspective means cleansing the soul from corruption, and growing it with the belief in Allah, and by doing good deeds and refraining from doing evil so that the soul will be blessed in this world and in the Hereafter.
The purified soul is the one that is purified according to Allah's legislation and deserves all the beautiful traits in this world and the great rewards in the Hereafter.
"Tad si yah" (Corruption) is the opposite of "Taz-ki-yah" (purification) because corruption makes the soul filthy with sins and disobeying Allah (S.W.T). So, the soul deserves all the bad traits in this world and the severe punishment in the Hereafter.
The Noble Qur'an proclaimed that man success depends on purifying his soul, and that failure is the result of corrupting the soul. Allah (S.W.T) swore to confirm this reality several times; the fact that shows its seriousness.
The prophet (S.A.W.) confirmed that man's righteousness or corruption starts with the heart. If the heart is righteous, man becomes righteous, and if the heart is corrupted, man becomes corrupted. The prophet (S.A.W.) says: "Truly in the body there is a lump of flesh which, if it be good, the whole body is good, and which, if it be corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Truly it is the heart."{Reported by Imam Bukhari}
In another Hadith, the prophet (S.A.W.) told us that the immediate reason for the righteousness or the corruption of the heart is the way it deals with sins that confront it. If the heart accepts those sins and embrace them, a dark spot is left behind in the heart. If the heart rejects those sins, a bright spot is left behind. The prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Trials are presented to the hearts like a mat, one stick at a time. If any heart accepts it, a dark spot is left in it. If any heart rejects it, a bright spot is left in it. Consequently, the hearts become two types: Bright heart like the Safa that gets no harm from any sin as long as the skies and the earth exist, and a dark heart that does not know any good deed and does not reject any evil unless it is from its whims and desires." {Reported by Imam Muslim}
This is confirmed in the Noble Qur'an: Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Mutaffifeen, (Verse 14), what can be translated as, "Nay! But on their hearts in the raan (covering of sins and evil deed) which they used to earn."
In an authentic hadith reported by Imam At-Trmizi that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said: "When a person commits a sin a dark dot is dotted on his heart. Then if that person leaves that evil deed, begs Allah to forgive him, and repents, then his heart is cleaned, but if he repeats the evil deed, then that covering is increased till his heart is completely covered with it, and that is Ar-Raan which Allah mentioned (in the Qura'n)…" Be careful! All our convictions and our deeds have direct influence on our hearts to the extent that those convictions and those deeds will either purify the hearts or kill them or make them sick.
The heart was made by Allah (S.W.T) to be the place for reasoning, contemplation, peace, calm, belief, pity, mercy. Allah (S.W.T) says about the Non-believers in surat Al-A'raf, (Verse 179), what can be translated as, "…They have hearts wherewith they don’t understand…"
Allah (S.W.T) also said in surat Muhammad, (Verse 24), what can be translated as, "Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'an, or are their hearts locked up?"
Allah (S.W.T) also said about the believers in surat Al-Fath, (Verse 4), what can be translated as, "He it is Who sent down As-Sakinah (tranquility) into the hearts of the believers."
Allah (S.W.T) also said in surat Al-Hadid, (Verse 27), what can be translated as, "…And We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him (Jesus) compassion and mercy…"
Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Ash-Shu'ra', (Verses 88 & 89), what can be translated as, "The day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, except him who brings to Allah a clean heart.'
Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Qaf, (Verse 33), what can be translated as, "…And brought a heart turned in repentance (to Allah)." And there are many other verses that describe the hearts and their tasks.
Allah (S.W.T) describes the Noble Qur'an that it is a cure and healing for heart sicknesses:
Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Esra', (Verse 82), what can be translated as, "And We send down from the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe…"
Allah (S.W.T) also said in surat Yunus, (Verse 57), what can be translated as, "…There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (the Qur'an) and a healing for that in your breasts (the heart)…"
The diseases that afflict the hearts are two:
* Diseases of doubts: A man may be afflicted with one that is in the roots of the Deen or its branches. The Noble Qur'an clarifies these doubts and eliminates them for everyone who has the correct understanding and belief. If these diseases persist in the heart, they corrupt its vision.
* Diseases of whims and desires: A man may be afflicted with one desire that Allah (S.W.T) tests him with. This desire may dominate and control the heart. In the Noble Qur'an, there is a cure for this disease for everyone who has the correct understanding and belief. If this desire settles in the heart, it will destroy it.
Both of these diseases are behind the corruption of the hearts. With their corruption, people get corrupted, and with the people's corruption, the society gets corrupted. Life is then transformed to a life of misery and hardship. At this point, there will be failure in this life and in the Hereafter.

Purifying the Soul (2)
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
The Practical Means for Tazkyiah (Soul Purification):
Useful Knowledge:
The most important task for man after knowing Allah (S.W.T.) is Tazkiyah or (soul purification). Man's success or failure in this life and in the Hereafter depends on whether man purifies his soul or not. Islam prescribed to us means that help purify the souls. It is a must that we use these means when we are in the process of Tazkiyah or (soul purification). We can not use any means that are not prescribed by Islam.
The process of soul purification is an on-going process as long as man is alive. It is implied by the sincere submission to Allah (S.W.T.) who created man and Jinn for no purpose other than the sincere submission to Him alone. Allah (S.W.T) says the Noble Qur'an in surat Ath-Tharyat, (Verse 56), what can be translated as, "I did not create the Jinn and the humans but to ya'bodoon (submit to me)." "The "ibadah" is a collective noun that includes every thing that Allah (S.W.T.) loves and accepts from sayings and the physical acts; the hidden (acts by heart) and the openly (acts by limbs). The acts by limbs are many, which we start with the useful knowledge:
The useful knowledge is the first means to purify the soul. This is every knowledge that brings man closer to Allah (S.W.T.), increases man's fear of Allah (S.W.T.) and guides man to do good deed. This knowledge includes the knowledge of Islamic rules that apply to Aqheeda, acts of worship, dealings. This knowledge also includes other types of knowledge that guide man to contemplate about Allah's creation, His great power and perfection.
Knowledge is the foundation of deeds and its guide. It is as useless to do something without knowledge as having knowledge without a deed. Allah (S.W.T.) ordered us to have knowledge before the deed: Allah (S.W.T.) says the Noble Qur'an in surat Muhammad, (Verse 19), what can be translated as, "(O Muhammad) Have knowledge that there is no god except Allah and seek forgiveness for your sin and for the believers males and females." So, Allah (S.W.T.) commanded the messenger Muhammad (S.A.W.) that he has to have knowledge of the Oneness of Allah first followed by asking for forgiveness which is an action. Imam Al-Bukhari in his authentic book cited this verse to show the importance of knowledge and that it should precede the deed.
The useful knowledge based on the Oneness of Allah (S.W.T.) is the fundamental and first practical means to purify the soul and bring it closer to Allah (S.W.T.). It is also the means to increase the fear of Allah (S.W.T.) and corrects the path and increases belief. For this reason, seeking knowledge is one of the greatest acts of worship. There are many verses and Ahadiths that show the importance of knowledge, its status in the sight of Allah (S.W.T.), and the position of those who have knowledge.
For knowledge to have an effect in the process of Tazkiyah of the soul, two conditions must be met:
* Good deeds must follow knowledge with sincerity for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.), performed according to their rules upheld equally by the scholar and the student.
* The person who has knowledge must avoid the arguments that lead to animosity and evil soul.
The first condition includes:
Acting according to the knowledge. Allah (S.W.T.) warned us from knowledge that is not followed with action and from a saying that is not followed with action. The prophet (S.A.W.) also clarified to us that the scholar would be asked on the Day of Judgment about his knowledge and what he did with it. Did he seek it and teach it for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) alone.
The prophet (S.A.W.) also used to ask Allah (S.W.T.) the useful knowledge and seek His refuge from the knowledge that is useless. So, the prophet (S.A.W.) used to say: "Oh Allah, I seek your refuge from a knowledge that is not useful, from a heart that does not humble, and from a soul that is not satisfied and from a supplication that is not granted."
Imam Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali said: "If someone does not acquire this useful knowledge, he will fall into the four things that the prophet (S.A.W.) used to seek Allah's refuge from. His knowledge will be against him. So, he will not benefit from it because his heart does not humble before Allah (S.W.T.) and his soul is not satisfied with this world. Rather he is holding tight to this world and always seeking it. His supplication will not be heard because he does not obey Allah's orders and does not refrain from anything that displeases Allah." Imam Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali also said: "A sign of the people of knowledge is that they are humble, they hate reverence and people's high remarks of them, they do not look down on people, they are always seeking the Hereafter taking from this world only what they need, they are constantly worshipping Allah (S.W.T.). The more knowledge they have, the more fearful of, the more humble, and the more submissive to Allah (S.W.T.) they become."
The second condition is:
Avoiding arguments because this will lead to evil soul, and the animosity towards others. In an authentic Hadith the prophet (S.A.W.) said: "No people got misguided after they were guided, but they were plagued with argument." Then, the prophet (S.A.W.) recited what Allah (S.W.T) says the Noble Qur'an in surat Az-Zukhrf, (Verse 58), what can be translated as, "…They quoted it for you not except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people."{Reported by Imams At-Trmthi, Ahmad and Abn Majah}
A scholar from the Salaf generation said: "If Allah (S.W.T.) loves a man, He will provide to him the opportunity to do good deeds and keep off the argument. And if Allah (S.W.T.) wants harm for a man, He will keep off the good deed and will plague him with argument."
Imam Malik said: " Argument concerning knowledge turn off the light of knowledge and stiffen the heart."
Imam Al-Hasan Al-Bassri heard a folk arguing. So, he said: "These people are bored with worship, they find it easy to talk in vain, and their righteousness is diminished so they vainly talked."
Some of the effects of the useful knowledge on purifying the soul:
* The Muslim would know the correct Aqheedah, strengthen his belief and keep away from false beliefs.
* The Muslim would know the rules of Halal and Haram and all that he needs from the rules of worship and dealings.
* The Muslim would know the due right of every act of worship. This way he is not busy doing a recommended deed and forgetting an obligatory deed.
* The knowledge would protect the Muslim from everything that would destroy him, like the whims and desires and Satan’s traps.
* The knowledge helps the Muslim fear Allah (S.W.T.), love Him, and get closer to Him.
* The knowledge helps the Muslim become more humble with others.
* The knowledge helps wipe out the sins because knowledge is from the greatest good deeds. Allah (S.W.T) says the Noble Qur'an in surat Huod, (Verse 114), what can be translated as, "…Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds…" and the prophet (S.A.W.) says: "Follow the bad deed with a good one that will wipe it off." Omar (R.A.) used to say: "A man walks out with sins like the mountains of Tehamah (to a circle of knowledge). If he hears some knowledge, he fears Allah, reassesses himself and repents. So, he leaves the circle of knowledge with no sin. So, do not leave the circles of knowledge."
* The knowledge helps Muslim long for the Hereafter and takes only what he needs from this worldly life. So, he is not busy going after things that will vanish in this life instead of being busy running after the everlasting life in the Hereafter.
So, we should all help one another to acquire the correct knowledge through learning it and teaching it. This must include all; man, women, children, young and old with no exception. We must also know that we can not achieve knowledge unless we are patient, perseverant, and persistent and struggling with our own self and benefiting from our time instead of wasting it. Also, everyone who learns something useful should teach it to others. This way, Tazkiyah or soul purification is collective and continuous until we meet Allah (S.W.T.).
Purifying the Soul (3)

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
The Practical Means for Tazkyiah (Soul Purification):
The Righteous Deed:
Good knowledge and righteous deeds are strongly related; the knowledge that does not lead to good deed is not a good knowledge. Also, the deed that is not based on the correct divine knowledge is not a good deed and will not be accepted by Allah (S.W.T.).
The good deed includes all kinds of good deeds; it is not restricted to the acts of worship. It includes everything that pleases Allah (S.W.T.); sayings, actions (seen as well as hidden).
The most notable deeds that help purify the soul are the pillars of Islam: Salah, Zakah, Fasting, and Hajj (the mandatory and the recommended ones).
# The prayer is the main pillar of Deen, the key to Paradise, and the first thing that person will be accountable for on the Day of Judgment. Salah is the second pillar of Islam after the two declarations of Islam. It is the only act of worship that was prescribed during the night when the prophet (S.A.W.) was ascended to the sky. Many verses as well as Ahadith show the importance of the prayer.
There are conditions that must be met for the prayer to be an effective means for the purification of the soul. The most important of these conditions:
* The Salah must be complete, well performed on time without any compromise, performed exactly as the prophet (S.A.W.) performed it, and performed sincerely only for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.).
* The Muslim must perform Salah with all solemnity, submissiveness and full submissive a fully aware heart. This is because Salah without full submissiveness is like a body without a soul. The Muslim can never be successful unless he prays with full submissiveness. Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayers with all solemnity and full submissiveness." {Al-Mu'minun, 1 &2}
How do we accomplish all solemnity and full submissiveness in Salah?
The following actions help the Muslim to become full submissive in his Salah
* The Muslim must recognize the importance of Salah. He must realize that it is a connection between him and Allah (S.W.T.). He must perform the Salah out of his conviction that it is an order from Allah (S.W.T.). He must know that Salah wipes out sins and lifts him to higher degrees and protects him from committing sins.
* The Muslim must push away all thoughts from his mind when he is performing Salah. He must keep away all things that interfere with his concentration and focus on what he is doing in Salah. He must keep away all things that interfere with his humility during Salah like various sounds (pagers, Cell Phone ), pictures….. He must focus his eyes on the place of his prostration and never turns left or right or look up.
* The Muslim must contemplate the verses that he or the Imam is reciting. He must look into the meanings of these verses. He must contemplate death and its fright, grave, the people gathering on the Day of Judgment, and the various events of the Day of Judgment. The prophet (S.A.W.) reinforces this in his Hadith: "Pray like you are leaving this world."{Authentic Hadith reported by Imams Abn Majah and Ahmad.}
The more submissive the Muslim has in his prayer, the more reward he will get. With full submissive, the Muslim feels content, his soul is reassured, and Salah will have its effective deterrent against evil. With that, Salah becomes one of the greatest means to purify the soul and lift it to higher degrees closer to Allah (S.W.T.).
# Zakah is the third pillar of Islam. It is the growth, purification and blessing. It is one of the means that help purify the soul. Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them…"{At-Tawbah, 103}
Because of its importance, Zakah was associated with Salah, in the Qur’an, in 82 verses. Abu Bakr (R.A.) said: "I will fight every one who disassociates Zakah from Salah." He indeed fought those who did with the companions’ consensus.
Zakah will not have its fruits unless three conditions are met:
* The Muslim must keep away from hypocrisy, showing off, and reminding people of his generosity. Allah (S.W.T.) does not accept a good deed unless it is for his sake only. Allah (S.W.T.) cancels the reward of the charity when the charity-giver hurts people and boasts with his generosity. Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "O you who believe! Do not render in vain your charity by reminder of your generosity or by injury…" {Al-Baqarah, 264}
* The Muslim must spend from what he loves, not from what he hates. He must be content with what he spends. Allah (S.W.T.) expressed that in the following verse: Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety), unless you spend (in Allah's cause) of that which you love…" {Al-Emran, 92} This closeness to Allah (S.W.T.) will not be attained until you spend from what you love, and you spend it generously. This way, you free your soul from being a slave to your money and stinginess that impede purification of the soul.
* The Muslim must spend from the good earnings, not from the bad ones. Imams Bukhari and Muslim reported that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said, "If a person gives in charity of the value of even a date out of his pure earning, and Allah accepts only that which is pure, Allah accepts it with His Right Hand and fosters it for him, as one of you fosters the colt, till it becomes like a mountain."
This way, Zakah will be a practical and a fruitful way to purify the soul. Zakah is a practical test for the believer to obey Allah (S.W.T.) who orders him to spend. It is also a means to purify the soul from stinginess. This way, Zakah will pave the way to success. Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful." {Al-Hashr, 9} Zakah is also a practical way with which the believer shows his gratitude and his thanks to Allah (S.W.T.).
# Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam. Allah (S.W.T.) prescribed it upon other nations in the history of humanity. Allah (S.W.T.) made the month of fasting so special that he revealed in it the Qur’an.
The greatest benefit attained in the month of Ramadan is Taqwa. Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwa." {Al-Baqarah, 183}
This month is a great training school for the soul. In it, the soul quits its whims, desires, and needs, and learn patience. The Muslim also abstains from everything that causes breakfast from dawn to sunset. For fasting to achieve its role in purifying the soul, two conditions must be met:
* Fasting must be done for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.). It must be done out of belief in Allah (S.W.T.) and hoping his rewards. It must not be done as a habit. This way, the real meaning of fasting is realized. Imams Bukhari, Muslim and others reported that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said, "Whoever observes the fasting during the month of Ramadan, believing in Allah and seeking His rewards, will have his/her past sins forgiven."
* Abiding by the orders of the prophet (S.A.W.) during the month of Ramdan helps us understand the meaning of this act of worship. For example, the prophet (S.A.W.) ordered us to have some food just before dawn prayer, he also ordered us to break our fast quickly after sunset and that our breakfast should be done only with few date fruits or some water. He also ordered us to supplicate to Allah (S.W.T.) when breaking our fast.
The Muslim must keep away from sins as he must keep away from allowed acts during fasting like eating, drinking. Imam Bukhari reported that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action then Allah has no need that he should leave his food and drink."
When these conditions are met, fasting becomes a great mean to purify the soul. It is a practical training to submit the soul to Allah (S.W.T.), it is also a practical training on patience, control and self-restrain from whims, desires and rage. It is also training for the soul to quit doing evil and to hurry to obey Allah (S.W.T.). It is also training the soul to appreciate the blessings of Allah (S.W.T.). This is attained when someone stops having these blessings for a short period of time to realize how great these blessings are. If those blessings are to continue without any interruption, their appreciation will be lost.
# Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is distinguished from the other acts of worship in that it is a spiritual, physical and financial act of worship. It must be performed once in a lifetime for the capable. It must be performed in a specific place and a specific time. He who performs it will witness many worldly benefits as well as the benefits in the Hereafter. The greatest benefit is the attainment of the pleasure of Allah (S.W.T.) and His forgiveness. For Hajj to play its role in purifying the soul, some conditions must be met:
* Sincerity in performing Hajj for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) alone.
* The Muslim must keep away from foul language, dispute and disobedience of Allah (S.W.T.) and everything that harm others.
Imams Bukhari, Muslim and others reported that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said, "Whoever performs Hajj (pilgrimage) and dos not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commits sin, no disputes unjustly, then he returns from Hajj as pure and free from sins as on the day on which his mother gave birth to him."
This way, Hajj becomes a practical way to purify the soul. It is a practical training for the soul when the Muslim suffers hardships in his travel. It is a training because the Muslim teaches himself to obey Allah (S.W.T.) through his application for the rituals of Hajj and his pillars. Also, the Muslim’s deeds are done out of his absolute obedience to Allah (S.W.T.), through his absolute submission to Allah (S.W.T.) because many acts of Hajj can not be understood by the mind, like circling the Ka’bah, kissing the black rock… Hajj is a great lesson that teaches patience through the hardships of travel, leaving home, and staying away from family and children. For this reason, Omar (R.A.) said: "Pack and go to Hajj. It is one of two ways to do Jihad."
Hajj is also a treatment for the sickness of the soul like stinginess, egoism, hatred, and arrogance. This is done when the Muslim spends his money to travel, to lodge and to slaughter. This is also done when the Muslims are in one uniform clothing, one harmonious call, calling one Elaah. They are gathered under the brotherhood of Islam. There is no difference between an Arab and a non-Arab. Nor is there a difference between a white and a black. This is also done when Muslims get together on the mountain of Arafah where Satan is so humiliated. The prophet (S.A.W.) said: "There is no day that Satan feels so small, and so humiliated like he feels on the day of Arafah. This is because he sees how great the forgiveness of Allah (S.W.T.) to his people."
After this presentation for the pillars of Islam, it is clear to us how important these pillars in purifying the soul and training it. So, we must perform them and understand their meanings and benefit from their good fruits.