Who was Sultan ul Hind? Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمة الله تعالى عليه
March 22,2018 - Published 6 years ago
Allah عزوجل who is our creator and most merciful and kind to us has chosen pure and pious personalities from his creation to guide humanity. The great blessing and mercy of Allah عزوجل is that He blessed us with Prophets and after the seal of Prophethood, our beloved Prophet صلی اللہ تعالی علیہ وسلم, He عزوجل gave the task of guidance to great saints of the Islamic traditions. These saints or awlia kiraam رحمھم اللہ المبین are the lamps giving the light of knowledge and guidance to humanity. In this series of shining luminaries, the name of great spiritual sultan of India is, Hazrat Khwaja Muinudeen Hasan Sanjari Ajmeri, famous as Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه.
Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz was born in Iran in 1142 (537 H) About nine hundred years ago from now. He is a descendant of our beloved Prophet صلی اللہ تعالی علیہ وسلم. His lineage meets to Hazrat imam Hussain رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ through twelve generations on the paternal side and to Hazrat imam Hasan رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ through ten generations on the maternal side. The name of his father was Hazrat Khwaja Ghiyasud deen Hasan رحمةالله تعالى عليه and the name of his virtuous mother was Hazrat Bibi Mahnur. Hazrat Bibi was also known as Umm-ul-Wara. Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه belonged to a most pious family. The most honorable relationship is that, the Sultan-ul-Awliya, Crown of the Saints, Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani رحمةالله تعالى عليه famous as Hazrat Ghaus-ul Azam is the maternal uncle of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه.
His father died in his early age and inherited a grinding stone and a garden for Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz. These two things were the means of his livelihood. Once a great saint Hazrat Ibrahim Qandoozi رحمةالله تعالى عليه visited him. Hazrat Ibrahim Qandoozi رحمةالله تعالى عليه impressed by the hospitality of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه and gave him something to eat. This eatable internally transformed the Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه to completely turn away from this world and attached with the higher realm. As a result he sold off his two belongings and donated to the poor and needy people and began a spiritual journey in the love of Allah عزوجل.
Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه received his early education at home. He memorized the entire Holy Quran at the age of nine years. At that time Samarqand and Bukhara were most renowned centers for learning like Baghdad so he traveled towards these cities. He also traveled towards Baghdad Sharif where he met with the greatest saint and the king of saints Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani رحمةالله تعالى عليه. Huzoor Ghaus-e-Pak رحمةالله تعالى عليه said upon meeting him: “This young man will be a great figure of his time. He will be a source of inspiration and a center of devotion and focus of attention of myriads of people.” How true were the words of Huzoor Ghaus-e-Pak رحمةالله تعالى عليه!
Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه spent most of his time acquiring knowledge, traveling and in the company of great saints of his time. During his early twenties, he met to his spiritual guide (Peer o Murshid) Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni رحمةالله تعالى عليه and made the spiritual contract (Bait) with him. He got a lot of knowledge from his murshid. He also traveled towards Lahore where he visited the tomb of Hazrat Ali Hajveri رحمةالله تعالى عليه famous as Data Ghanj Bakhsh. The pinnacle of his travels was his visit to the noble cities of Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah. When he presented his reverent salutations to the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ تعالی علیہ وسلم the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ تعالی علیہ وسلم blessed him by conferring upon him the title of “Qutbul Mashaikh”, i.e. “The Head of the Pious Qutubs”. Finally he reached to Ajmer Sharif, where thousands of people become Muslim due to his pious personality.
He رحمةالله تعالى عليه was very pious person as he used to fast throughout the year and used to recite the Holy Quran twice in a day, once in the day time and once at night. He always remained in the state of Wuzu. He continued his prayers throughout the night and prayed his fajar prayer with the Wuzu of Isha prayer. One day he was present at the Holy Kaba when a voice was heard saying: “Muinuddeen, We are pleased with you. We have forgiven you. We have granted you salvation. Ask of Us, whatever you may desire.” The great Shaykh submissively replied: “O God Almighty! Grant salvation to the spiritual disciples of Muinuddeen!”
(Siar ul Aqtab)
Once Sayyiduna Khuwajah Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه honoured the funeral of one of his disciples with his presence. He رحمةالله تعالى عليه laid him to rest with his blessed hands after the funeral Salah. Sayyiduna Bakhtiyar Kaaki رحمةالله تعالى عليه narrates: Almost all the people had left, but Sayyiduna Khuwajah Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه remained at his graveside. All of a sudden, he رحمةالله تعالى عليه became sorrowful. After a little while, he رحمةالله تعالى عليه thanked Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ by reciting (اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ) and he رحمةالله تعالى عليه got satisfied. He رحمةالله تعالى عليه clarified on my request to explain the situation: This devotee of mine was surrounded by the angels of punishment that is why I was worried. Meanwhile, my spiritual mentor, Sayyiduna Khuwajah ‘Usman Harwani عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـغَنِی came and addressed the angels as an intercessor of the deceased, ‘O angels! Release him; he is the disciple of my disciple Mu’eenuddin (رحمةالله تعالى عليه).’ The angels replied, ‘He was a very sinful person.’ While the discussion was in progress, an unseen voice was heard, ‘O angels! We have pardoned the disciple of Mu’eenuddin Chishti for the sake of ‘Usman Harwani.’
(Mu’een-ul-Arwaah)
How fortunate are the ones who have given their hands in the hands of this great Spiritual Guide through his living spiritual successors (Khalifas)! His immediate Spiritual Successor, Khalifa Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddeen Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he spent 20 years in the service of his Murshid but never found him praying for his health. But instead he used to say: “O God! Wherever there is pain, grant it to your servant Muinuddin.” He رحمةالله تعالى عليه had a great respect and love for his Murshid and also advised others to follow their Murshid. As once he said: A spiritual disciple (Mureed) should always carry out the commands of his Murshid taking to heart that whatever his or her Murshid persuades his Mureed to practice is for the benefit of the Mureed.
He رحمةالله تعالى عليه used to say that a true believer should bow his head in front of Allah عزوجل and the true lover of Allah عزوجل should accept all the pains and sorrows with delight coming in the way of Allah عزوجل. The true lover should not do anything against the will of his beloved and said the one who keeps his neck submitted to the Will of God, God Almighty gives him special blessings.
Once he رحمةالله تعالى عليه said that the company of the good is better than doing good work and the company of the bad is worse than doing bad work. He said: It is the sign of misfortune that a person keeps on committing sins even then he considers himself chosen in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. He wrote letters to his beloved Mureed Hazrat Khwaja Bukhtyaar Kaki رحمةالله تعالى عليه .These letters contain many of his teachings. He رحمةالله تعالى عليه also wrote books in Persian language such as Anis-ul- Arwah – in this book he has written the discourses of his Murshid Pak, Hazrat Usman Harooni (may Allah have mercy on him); Hadith-ul-Maarif; Risala Mau- judia; Kanz-ul-Asrar or Ganj-ul-Asrar – this book was written at the behest of his Murshid for the guidance of Sultan of Delhi Shamsuddin Iltutmish; Kashf-ul-Asrar; and Afaq-o-Anfas.
It is the rule of this world that every person who comes into this world has to go back from this world and have to taste death. Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه passed away on the sixth of Rajab 627 hijri. After his demise his Mureeds found him in a state that on his forehead were written these words: هذا حبيب الله ماتا في حب الله means that “He is a beloved of God, he passed away in the love of God.” اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَ اِنَّاۤ اِلَیْهِ رٰجِعُوْنَ Truly we belong to God, and to Him is our return. His annual Urs is celebrated every year with much devotion. The Urs starts from first of Rajab and continues to six of Rajab. On the sixth of Rajab the main ceremony held and after that the Urs ends. On the ninth of Rajab the mausoleum is washed by devotees. Hundreds or thousands of people attend the Urs Mubarak every year.
Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz رحمةالله تعالى عليه was an outstanding preacher of Islam. He رحمةالله تعالى عليه was a great poet, writer and scholar of Islam. He رحمةالله تعالى عليه was a true saint of Allah عزوجل at a time when it was very hard to find a true lover and seeker of Allah عزوجل. May Allah عزوجل keep us in the shadow of the blessings of his saints and give us the path of guidance and allow us to follow the teachings of Islam! Ameen