Hazrat Muhammad Murad Ali Khan Rahmatullah Alayh
Hazrat Khwajah Muin ud Deen Chishti
Rahmatullah Alayh
His father’s name was Ghiyathud Deen Sanjari. He was born in the year 537 Hijri according to the consensus of the historians. His birthplace is in the town of Sanjar which is in the Irani province of Seetaan.
He is the Imaam of Tasawwuf of Hindustan. The commencement of Uloom-e-Ma’rifat in Hindustan was with Khwajah Muinud Deen. The Silsilah of the Chishtiyyah spread in Hindustan with the advent of Khwajah Muinud Deen.
There are eleven ancestral links between him and Hadhrat Imaam Husain (radhiyallahu anhu). His excellences and virtues constitute a limitless ocean. His gaze was sufficient to transform a man into a Saahib-e-Ma’rifat. He had gained perfection in both Uloom-e-Zaahiriyyah and Baatiniyyah. His father passed away when he was 15 years old.
He had inherited an orchard from his father. He would occupy himself to the care and development of the orchard. One day while occupied in the orchard, a Majzْb by the name Ibrahim Quhanzari approached him. Hadhrat Muinud Deen honoured the Majzْb and presented some fruit to him. Ibrahim Majzْb, after chewing some of the fruit, gave it to Hadhrat Khwajah. As Hadhrat Khwajah ate the fruit, a Nْr appeared in the orchard. A profound transformation took place in him. His heart turned completely away from the world and a special strong yearning for Allah Ta’ala consumed him.
He sold the orchard and distributed the proceeds to the fuqarah. He set off on a journey, reaching first Samarqand where he engrossed himself in Hifz of the Qur’aan and the acquisition of academic Shar’i knowledge. After this accomplishment he travelled to Iraq. He reached the town of Harْn and became bay’t to Hadhrat Uthman Harْni. By virtue of Hadhrat Shaikh’s tawajjuh he attained perfection in Sulook in a single day. He stayed 20 years in the service of his Shaikh.
Hadhrat Hakimul Ummat, Maulana Shah Ashraf Ali writes in his Malfoothaat:
“I have read the stories of the Auliya of former times. It is apparent that their condition and style were not like that of the majority of Masha-ikh of today. These (present-day) Masha-ikh do not consider obedience to the Shariah a requisite for Wusool ilallaah (Attainment of Divine Proximity). In fact, they believe Shariat and Tariqat to be two separate entities. On the contrary, the state of Taqwa, tahaarah and ittibaa-e-Sunnat (obedience to the Sunnah) of the former Masha-ikh resembles that of the Sahaabah.
It is narrated that once Hadhrat Khwajah Muinud Deen Chishti (rahmatullah alayh) while making wudhu forgot to make khilaal of his fingers. A voice from the Ghaib (Unseen Realm) reprimanded:
“You claim love for the Rasool, but abandon the Sunnat of the Rasool!”
He immediately repented. Whenever he saw a fire, he would shiver with fear because of the feeling that on the day of Qiyaamah he may be punished for having omitted the Sunnat (of Khilaal). Thus, the condition of those Masha-ikh regarding obedience to the Sunnah was similar to the state of the Sahaabah.”
His Shaikh leaving him in charge of his Wilaayat of Hindustan (i.e. his spiritual kingdom), went for Hajj.
After returning from his Shaikh, he met and derived benefit from the famous Masha-ikh, Shaikh Najmuddin Kubra and Hadhrat Ghauthul A’zam Muhyud Deen Abdul Qadir Jilani and others. Thereafter he settled in Hindustan.
Hadhrat Shaikh’s karaamaat are numerous and beyond the scope of this concise treatise. Once during his travels he went to Heraat where lived a hostile Shiah chief. His hostility and hatred were so much that he would put to death any person who adopted the name Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman. Hadhrat Shaikh had to pass by this Shiah’s orchard. Hadhrat went and sat by the side of the pond. The Shiah appeared in a furious state and contemplated to severely punish Hadhrat Shaikh. But when Hadhrat glanced at him, he fell down unconscious. After a short while, Hadhrat Shaikh sprinkled some of the pond’s water on him. When the Shiah came to his senses he was a transformed man. He was now a staunch follower. Along with his associates he became bay’t to Hadhrat. Hadhrat also conferred the mantle of khilaafate to him. Hadhrat refused to accept a large sum which the chief presented as a gift, commenting:
“This wealth does not belong to you. You have no right in it.”
Along this journey many other karaamat were demonstrated. He would meet all the Masha-ikh of different places along the route. Finally, on the 10th Muharram 561 Hijri he reached Ajmer. The first person who became his mureed in Ajmer was Mir Sayyid Husain who originally was a Shiah. He abandoned Shi’ism, became bay’t to Hadhrat Muinud Deen and attained lofty spiritual accomplishments. Thereafter, thousands of people entered the Silsilah.
He had in fact come to Hindustan on the instruction of Rasulullah (صلى الله عايه وسالم). It is obvious that he chose Ajmer on this instruction. The story pertaining to this episode is famous and lengthy. It shall, however, be narrated here in brief.
When Hadhrat Muinud Deen arrived, he sat down somewhere on the outskirts of Ajmer. The royal camelherd informed him that this was the sanctuary of the king’s camels, hence he should leave. Hadhrat left and sat down by a lake named Ranasagar. Meanwhile the king’s camels sat down and could not get up. The camelherd informed the king, Raja Parthuraj of this incident. The king said that there was no option other than to go to the dervish, fall at his feet and apologise. The king himself suffered many set-backs. Every magician he called to combat Hadhrat Shaikh, not only failed, but became Hadhrat’s mureed.
Hadhrat slaughtered a cow near to the pond, Ranasagar. The kuffaar attacked him, but failed miserably in their attempt to harm him. The people then went to their holy man to solicit his aid. He resorted several times to magic, but failed miserably against Hadhrat Shaikh. Seeing this, the Hindu holy man also embraced Islam. Finally, having been rendered impotent, the king gave up his opposition. Hadhrat Shaikh then came to live among the people.
For seventy years Hadhrat never slept at night. It is impossible to enumerate his excellences. The best testimony of his excellence is that his Shaikh was proud of having initiated him as a mureed.
Hadhrat Khwajah Qutbud Deen narrates:
“I lived in Hadhrat’s service for 20 years. Hadhrat never refused anyone. Whenever someone came to ask anything, Hadhrat would put his hand under his musalla and hand to the person whatever had been decreed for him.
In 20 years I never saw Hadhrat becoming angry.”
Hadhrat Muinud Deen said:
The sign of Allah’s ma’rifat is to flee from people.
The ibaadat of the Ahl-e-Ma’rifat is Paas Anfaas (Thikr by a breathing exercise) and the sign of an unfortunate man is that inspite of involvement in disobedience, he believes himself to be maqbool (an accepted friend of Allah Ta’ala).
For twenty years while in the service of Hadhrat Shaikh (Khwajah Harْni) I never allowed my nafs any respite. I did not distinguish between night and day. When Hadhrat Shaikh paid attention to my service, he conferred limitless favours on me. I am unable to explain the abundance of favours.
Whatever is acquired is by way of khidmat (service to the Shaikh).
When someone asked:
“When does the mureed become steadfast?”, Hadhrat Muinud Deen responded:
“When the Angel has not recorded any sin of the mureed for twenty years.”
His Demise
He passed away during the reign of Sultanush Shams. According to the majority of historians his date of demise is Sunday 6th Rajab. Some claim that it is 30th Thil-Hajj. There is considerable conflict regarding the year in which he passed away. 632, 633, 636 and 637 Hijri are contended. There is conflict regarding his age as well. Some say that his age was 96 years. Other versions are 104 and 107. His grave is in Ajmer. His Khulafaa are innumerable. There are 13 or 14 famous ones. These names appear in other voluminous books.