There have been countless theories throughout time about how the world will end and how or if life will cease to exist. At the turn of the 21st century, conspiracy theorists claimed that the Y2K bug was only a small part of the impending devastation: The new century would bring about total destruction, and no one would survive. Others believe that Earth is slated for another ice age, which will kill off all living things. And according to astronomers, billions of years from now, the s¬un will become a red giant, expanding to a size larger than the Earth's orbit and consuming Earth in the process. Even if the planet somehow survives, thesun will eventually shrink, becoming a white dwarf and gradually cooling off until it can no longer warm anything in the solar system.
In 2006, Mel Gibson released a movie about the Mayan civilization. "Apocalypto" follows one man's journey from slavery back to his family. During the course of the movie, a young woman prophesizes that a man will bring an end to the Mayans and wipe out their civilization. But in the real world, some speculators don't believe a man will be the end of the Mayans -- instead, they think a celestial event will be the cause. The Mayan calendar even gives us a potential date for the theoretical downfall: Dec. 21, 2012.
Many doomsayers hang onto the idea that this ancient calendar is a ticking time bomb signaling our fast-approaching demise during the 2012 winter solstice. While scholars pay little heed to these fervent forecasts, they're still interested in the calendar.For example, there is some lingering disagreement over which day marks the exact beginning of the Mayan calendar. One commonly referenced date is Aug. 11, 3114 B.C., although other researchers pinpoint dates such as Aug. 13, 3114 B.C. (which would make Dec. 23 the big day.)
Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalander(R.A)
The mosque that is built in the hearts of the saints
Is the place of worship for all, for God dwells there
(Jalaluddin Rumi)
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. A few instances are as below:
(Neither the power of crowns and kings nor the might of armies equals the force of a Qalandar)
(I was utterly abashed by this word of the Qalandar: ‘If you bow down before an alien, you will not only be physical whackled but also be deprived of your mind and soul)
It is interesting to note that even the great philosopher-poet Iqbal assumes that he himself is not less than a Qalandar. Therefore he proclaims:
(The world is pleased with my traits of a Qalandar otherwise I know that my verses and my poetry are not so appealing)
In short, Ali Shahbaz Qalandar whose heart was the abode of God dwells in the hearts of the multitudinous people looks supreme and superior to any emperor with all his sovereignty, splendor and stateliness
Is the place of worship for all, for God dwells there
(Jalaluddin Rumi)
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. A few instances are as below:
(Neither the power of crowns and kings nor the might of armies equals the force of a Qalandar)
(I was utterly abashed by this word of the Qalandar: ‘If you bow down before an alien, you will not only be physical whackled but also be deprived of your mind and soul)
It is interesting to note that even the great philosopher-poet Iqbal assumes that he himself is not less than a Qalandar. Therefore he proclaims:
(The world is pleased with my traits of a Qalandar otherwise I know that my verses and my poetry are not so appealing)
In short, Ali Shahbaz Qalandar whose heart was the abode of God dwells in the hearts of the multitudinous people looks supreme and superior to any emperor with all his sovereignty, splendor and stateliness
757th Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalander(R.A)
Sindh is the land of mystics and saints who not only preached the message of Islam but also guided the people to live with love, peace, affection and brotherhood and there is the need to spread over the guidance of these mystics and saints in every nook and corner of the country.
The Governor of Sindh, Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan said this while talking to medial men after inaugurating the 757th three day annual Urs celebrations of Hazrat Syed Usman Marvandi Lal Shahbaz Qalandar [RA] on Monday.
Shrine of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar [RA] at Sehwan Sharif in Sindh province of Pakistan. [File Photo]Tens of thousands of the devotees from the country and abroad have converged in this small but historic town of Jamshoro district to pay their homage to great mystic and saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. The Governor said that these are the blessings of the saints that Pakistan particularly Sindh always come out from the crisis, however, there is need to promote the message of these mystics and saints. By following it, the country could move towards rapid progress and prosperity, he said.
The Governor was accorded warm welcome by Sindh Auqaf Minister Abdul Hasseb Khan, Secretary Sindh Auqaf Department Younis Khan, District Coordination Officer Samihuddin Siddiqui and other officers of the District Government, Jamshoro on his arrival, laid floral wreaths and offered fatha at the Mazar of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar [RA] and inaugurated the Urs celebrations.
Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar [RA] (1177 - 1274) was a great Persian Sufi Saint, philosopher, poet and Qalandar. He belonged to the Suhrawardiyya order of Sufis and was close contemporary to Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya [RA] Hazrat Shaikh Fariduddin Ganjshakar [RA], Hazrat Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari Surkh-posh [RA] of Uchch and Hazrat Shah Shams Tabrizi [RA]. Some also add the name of Hazrat Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi [RA].
Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar [RA] travelled around the Muslim world and had settled in Sehwan (Sindh, Pakistan) and was buried there. He preached religious tolerance. Thousands of pilgrims visit his shrine every year, especially at the occasion of his Urs.
Hazrat Shahbaz Qalandar [RA] was born in Marwand to a dervish, Syed Ibrahim Kabiruddin whose ancestors migrated from Bagdad and settled down in Mashhad, a center of learning and civilization, before migrating again to Marwand. His dedication to the knowledge of various religious disciplines enabled him to eventually become a profound scholar. During his lifetime, he witnessed the Ghaznavid and Ghurids rules in South Asia. He became fluent in many languages including Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Sindhi and Sanskrit.
His mysticism attracted people from all religions. He was titled Lal (Red) for his usual red attire, Shahbaz due to his noble and divine spirit, and ‘Qalandar’ for his Sufism and saintly attitude. Qalandar Lal Shahbaz [RA] lived a celibate life and, did not marry. Evidence shows that he was active in Sindh before 1196, when he met Pir Haji Ismail Panhwar of Pat; it is believed he entered Sehwan in 1251. He established his Khanqah in Sehwan and started teaching in Fuqhai Islam Madarrsah; during this period he wrote his treatises Mizna-e-Sart, Kism-e-Doyum, Aqd and Zubdah.
A Qawwali by Abida Parveen and many other singers of sufi songs, 'Lal Meri Pat Rakhiyo ...' is in honour of Hazrat Shahbaz Qalandar [RA], as is the one sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan named Mast Qalandar. This famous mystic often quoted the teachings of Maulana Jalal ad-Din Rumi. A book detailing his life is called "Solomon's Ring" by Gul Hasan.
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. His annual Urs (death anniversary celebration) is held on the 18 Sha'aban - the eighth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. Thousands of devotees flock to the tomb while every Thursday their number stands multiplied especially at the time of his ‘Urs’ being a carnival as well a religious festival and celebrated every year.
The Governor went around different portions of the Mazar was also briefed about the work being carried out under renovation project of the mazar. Sindh Minister Abdul Hasseb Khan presented traditional gifts of Ajrak and Sindh Cap to Governor Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan.
Future of Pakistan
There are always two parallel forces ruling over a physical world.These are defining the future of that nation, country etc.Now we think that it is just our physical sources but it is not correct...
Pakistan is in a crucial situation now a days. It is because our spiritual supporters have gone away from us. They were with us in era of Field Marshal Ayub Khan and after that as well. But our rulers did not listen to them carefully so we are paying price of those.It is menstioned in Hoy Quran as wel that when ever God is annoyed with some nation, a cruel ruler is imposed over them. If we think deeply, same thing comes in our minds as well....
Now it is a point for al of us. Lets be there for a true religious nation. Be as a true spirit of muslim nation... thats the only way left for us.Rest is nothing because al our resources are engaged in so called war against terrorism...
Pakistan is in a crucial situation now a days. It is because our spiritual supporters have gone away from us. They were with us in era of Field Marshal Ayub Khan and after that as well. But our rulers did not listen to them carefully so we are paying price of those.It is menstioned in Hoy Quran as wel that when ever God is annoyed with some nation, a cruel ruler is imposed over them. If we think deeply, same thing comes in our minds as well....
Now it is a point for al of us. Lets be there for a true religious nation. Be as a true spirit of muslim nation... thats the only way left for us.Rest is nothing because al our resources are engaged in so called war against terrorism...
What happens after we die...!!!
Overview:
What happens after we die? This is one of the questions found so often in the field of religion in which different faiths teach a variety of incompatible, mutually exclusive beliefs, while most people are convinced that they know the answer precisely.
Many mental health professionals and religious historians believe that believe that religion was created millennia ago as an attempt to explain how the universe works and what happens to people after death. Religions were originally developed so that people could have a sense of power over their life and environment. Knowing that they may be wiped out at any time by starvation, animal attacks, drought, floods, foreign army attack, illnesses, accidents, etc., ancient people sought security in an insecure world. Religion filled that need.
There are few if any fears more serious than the fear of death. Religions answered these fears with a belief that somehow a person's personality, memories, talents, and consciousness survived death in a new form.
There is general agreement among persons of all religions that a person's eventual destiny after death will be one of the following:
Heaven: Eternity is spent in Heaven or Paradise with God, in a state that is beautiful beyond our ability to conceive.
Hell: Eternity is spent in Hell with Satan and his demons. All are tormented and tortured, in isolation from God, without any hope of mercy or relief.
Annihilation: The body rots. One's soul, spirit, memory, personality, awareness, body, and mind disappear and are no more.
Transmigration of the soul: Our soul and spirit are reborn into a human fetus or newborn child.
Reincarnation: Our soul and spirit are reborn into another living entity - not necessarily human.
Most people believe that up to three of the above destinations and states exist. For example, some faith groups teach that people who are saved go to Heaven; those who are unsaved go to Hell and are eventually annihilated. They regard the other options as religious fantasy which do not exist in reality. But, of course, there is no general agreement about which are the true states and which are the fantasies.
There is close agreement within most faith groups, but little agreement between religions, about what criteria is used to determine whether, for example, a person eventually resides in Heaven or Hell. There is little agreement about the processes, locations, and states that a person will go through between death and their final destiny.
Roman Catholic beliefs:
The church teaches that when a person dies, their body starts its process of decomposition. Meanwhile, the soul leaves the body and is immediately evaluated in a Particular Judgment. 1This belief is partly based on Hebrews 9:27: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (KJV).
There are three possible destinations immediately after the judgment:
Heaven: Those few people whose "love for God has been perfected in this life" have their bodies "glorified" and taken immediately to their eternal reward in Heaven. Perhaps the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, the saints and a some others will qualify for this path.
Hell: If they have committed a mortal sin which has not been forgiven, or have rejected God, then they are taken immediately to Hell where they will be tortured forever without any hope of relief or mercy.
bullet
Purgatory: If the person dies in a state of grace, but loves God "imperfectly," then their souls immediately enter Purgatory. Here, they suffer for a time in order to cleanse themselves of their accumulated imperfections, venial sins and faults. Any mortal sins that they have committed, and for which they have been forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance, may have some residual temporal punishment still remaining; this has to be discharged as well.
The inhabitants in Purgatory are systematically tortured with fire. The dead remain in purgatory until they have become sufficiently purified to enter heaven. However, if their friends and family offer Masses, prayers and other acts of piety and devotion, then their stay in Purgatory will be shortened. Purgatory is very similar to Hell; the main difference is that one will eventually be released, perhaps after millennia of torture.
Although most Catholic believers have regarded Heaven, Hell and Purgatory as actual places, the church's teaching is that they are both a place and a state of existence.
Later, when Jesus returns to earth in the "second coming", he will conduct the General Judgment (a.k.a. Final Judgment):
bullet
Those who have previously died have already faced the Particular Judgment; that decision will continue in force. Those in Heaven or Hell will continue to spend eternity there. However, those who are in Purgatory at the time of Jesus' second coming will be released and moved to heaven immediately. At the second coming, the bodies of the dead will be reconstituted; this produces a bodily resurrection. At that time, they will be permanently reunited with their souls. This second judgment is needed so that the entire human race can learn about every person's life and comprehend the "justice, wisdom, and mercy of God."
All people who are alive on earth at the time of the second coming will be assembled together (Matthew 25:31-32). "Those who have rejected the Lord in this life, who have sinned mortally, who have no remorse for sin and do not seek forgiveness, will have condemned themselves to hell for all eternity." The others will go either to Purgatory or Heaven, depending upon the perfection of their love for God. The same evaluation criteria will be used in the General Judgment as for the Particular Judgment.
Every "deliberate thought, word, deed and omission" of every individual that has ever lived, would be reviewed at the Final Judgment. The only exception would be thoughts and acts of Jesus of Nazareth, who lived without sin. This would presumably be a very time consuming process. It would be necessary to include the life histories of each of the billions of humans that have lived on earth for the past many hundreds of thousands of years that the human race has been in existence.
What happens after we die? This is one of the questions found so often in the field of religion in which different faiths teach a variety of incompatible, mutually exclusive beliefs, while most people are convinced that they know the answer precisely.
Many mental health professionals and religious historians believe that believe that religion was created millennia ago as an attempt to explain how the universe works and what happens to people after death. Religions were originally developed so that people could have a sense of power over their life and environment. Knowing that they may be wiped out at any time by starvation, animal attacks, drought, floods, foreign army attack, illnesses, accidents, etc., ancient people sought security in an insecure world. Religion filled that need.
There are few if any fears more serious than the fear of death. Religions answered these fears with a belief that somehow a person's personality, memories, talents, and consciousness survived death in a new form.
There is general agreement among persons of all religions that a person's eventual destiny after death will be one of the following:
Heaven: Eternity is spent in Heaven or Paradise with God, in a state that is beautiful beyond our ability to conceive.
Hell: Eternity is spent in Hell with Satan and his demons. All are tormented and tortured, in isolation from God, without any hope of mercy or relief.
Annihilation: The body rots. One's soul, spirit, memory, personality, awareness, body, and mind disappear and are no more.
Transmigration of the soul: Our soul and spirit are reborn into a human fetus or newborn child.
Reincarnation: Our soul and spirit are reborn into another living entity - not necessarily human.
Most people believe that up to three of the above destinations and states exist. For example, some faith groups teach that people who are saved go to Heaven; those who are unsaved go to Hell and are eventually annihilated. They regard the other options as religious fantasy which do not exist in reality. But, of course, there is no general agreement about which are the true states and which are the fantasies.
There is close agreement within most faith groups, but little agreement between religions, about what criteria is used to determine whether, for example, a person eventually resides in Heaven or Hell. There is little agreement about the processes, locations, and states that a person will go through between death and their final destiny.
Roman Catholic beliefs:
The church teaches that when a person dies, their body starts its process of decomposition. Meanwhile, the soul leaves the body and is immediately evaluated in a Particular Judgment. 1This belief is partly based on Hebrews 9:27: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (KJV).
There are three possible destinations immediately after the judgment:
Heaven: Those few people whose "love for God has been perfected in this life" have their bodies "glorified" and taken immediately to their eternal reward in Heaven. Perhaps the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, the saints and a some others will qualify for this path.
Hell: If they have committed a mortal sin which has not been forgiven, or have rejected God, then they are taken immediately to Hell where they will be tortured forever without any hope of relief or mercy.
bullet
Purgatory: If the person dies in a state of grace, but loves God "imperfectly," then their souls immediately enter Purgatory. Here, they suffer for a time in order to cleanse themselves of their accumulated imperfections, venial sins and faults. Any mortal sins that they have committed, and for which they have been forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance, may have some residual temporal punishment still remaining; this has to be discharged as well.
The inhabitants in Purgatory are systematically tortured with fire. The dead remain in purgatory until they have become sufficiently purified to enter heaven. However, if their friends and family offer Masses, prayers and other acts of piety and devotion, then their stay in Purgatory will be shortened. Purgatory is very similar to Hell; the main difference is that one will eventually be released, perhaps after millennia of torture.
Although most Catholic believers have regarded Heaven, Hell and Purgatory as actual places, the church's teaching is that they are both a place and a state of existence.
Later, when Jesus returns to earth in the "second coming", he will conduct the General Judgment (a.k.a. Final Judgment):
bullet
Those who have previously died have already faced the Particular Judgment; that decision will continue in force. Those in Heaven or Hell will continue to spend eternity there. However, those who are in Purgatory at the time of Jesus' second coming will be released and moved to heaven immediately. At the second coming, the bodies of the dead will be reconstituted; this produces a bodily resurrection. At that time, they will be permanently reunited with their souls. This second judgment is needed so that the entire human race can learn about every person's life and comprehend the "justice, wisdom, and mercy of God."
All people who are alive on earth at the time of the second coming will be assembled together (Matthew 25:31-32). "Those who have rejected the Lord in this life, who have sinned mortally, who have no remorse for sin and do not seek forgiveness, will have condemned themselves to hell for all eternity." The others will go either to Purgatory or Heaven, depending upon the perfection of their love for God. The same evaluation criteria will be used in the General Judgment as for the Particular Judgment.
Every "deliberate thought, word, deed and omission" of every individual that has ever lived, would be reviewed at the Final Judgment. The only exception would be thoughts and acts of Jesus of Nazareth, who lived without sin. This would presumably be a very time consuming process. It would be necessary to include the life histories of each of the billions of humans that have lived on earth for the past many hundreds of thousands of years that the human race has been in existence.
Life after death...
Christianity - Views on Death
death in christianity
For Christians whose lives are guided by the Bible, the reality of death is acknowledged as part of the current human condition, affected by sin (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5; Hebrews 9:27). There is "a time to be born, and a time to die" (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Although eternal life is a gift that is granted to all who accept salvation through Jesus Christ, faithful Christians await the second coming of Jesus for complete realization of their immortality (John 3:36; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54). While waiting for Jesus to come again, Christians may be called upon to care for the dying and to face personally their own death.
Islam - Views on Death
death in islam
When death approaches, the close family and friends try to support and comfort the dying person through supplication as well as remembrance of Allah and His will. The attendance is to help the dying person to iterate his commitment to unity of God.
Upon death, the eye lids are to be closed, the body should be covered, and preparation for burial takes place as soon as possible. The whole body is washed and wrapped in a shroud. Muslims gather and a prayer is performed for the dead. The body is to buried soon after the prayer. The wrapped body is to be
laid directly at the bottom of the dug grave. The body is to be laid on its right side facing the direction of Makkah. A ceiling is attached to the grave and then covered with dirt. The grave is to be marked by raising its top level of dirt above
surrounding grounds. A stone may be used to mark its location, but no writings are allowed. Buildings or other forms of structures are not allowed on top of the grave.
The family of the dead has a responsibility to fulfill any debts he had as soon as possible. They have the commitment to maintain contacts and courteous relationships with close relatives and close friends. They frequently pray and
supplicate for him. Charity, fasting, prayers, and pilgrimage is often performed on behalf of the dead. Visiting the graves is recommended for the living to remember death and the day of judgment.
Top
Hinduism-Views on Death
death in hinduism
Hinduism believes in the rebirth and reincarnation of souls. Death is therefore not a great calamity, not an end of all, but a natural process in the existence of soul as a separate entity, by which it reassembles its resources, adjusts its course and returns again to the earth to continue its journey. In Hinduism death is a temporary cessation of physical activity, a necessary means of recycling the resources and energy and an opportunity for the soul to review its programs and policies. When a person dies, his soul along with some residual consciousness leaves the body through an opening in the head and goes to another world and returns again after spending some time there. What happens after the soul leaves the body and before it reincarnates again is a great mystery .
The Bhagavad gita describes two paths along which souls travel after death. One is the path of the sun, also known as the bright path and the other is the path of the moon, also known as the the dark path. When a soul travels along the path of the sun, it never return again, while those which travel along the path of the moon return again.
What happens to a soul after the death of a mortal being on earth depends upon many factors, some of which are, his previous deeds, his state of mind at the time of death,the time his death, the activities of his children, that is whether they performed the funeral rites in the prescribed manner and satisfied the scriptural injunctions.
Hinduism believes in the existence of not one hell and one heaven but in the existence of many sun filled worlds and many dark and demonic worlds. Vaikunth is the world of Vishnu, Kailash is the world of Siva and Brahmalok is the world of Brahman. Indralok is the standard heaven to which those who please the gods through their activities upon the earth go. The standard hell is Yamalok, which is also ruled by a god called Lord Yama, who is also the ruler of the southern quarter.In the ultimate sense, the purpose of these worlds is neither to punish or reward the souls, but to remind them of the true purpose of their existence.
After death, Hindus are not buried, but cremated. The idea is that the human personality is made up of five elements of which four belong to the body and come from this world, namely fire, earth, water and air while the fifth the ether (fine matter) belongs to the domain of the subtle body and comes from the higher worlds. By cremating the body, the elements are rightfully returned to their respective spheres, while the subtle body along with soul returns to the worlds beyond for the continuation of its afterlife.
A lot of rituals are associated with the cremation ceremony. When a person dies, the body is given a final bath, carried on a wooden stretcher by his kith and kin and cremated on the community cremation grounds generally by the eldest son. This is followed by some rituals in which the sons make offering of food to the departed soul under the supervision of a priest. Generally a function is organized on the fifteen day and guests are invited for a meal. Generally Hindus who have lost an important relation in their families do not celebrate functions and festivals for a specific period of time as a mark of respect. While cremation is the standard procedure, Hindus consider it very auspicious if a dead body is immersed in the Ganges or cremated on its banks since the river is considered very sacred.
Top
Buddhism - Views on Death
death in buddism
From its inception, Buddhism has stressed the importance of death, since awareness of death is what prompted the Buddha to perceive the ultimate futility of worldly concerns and pleasures. Realizing that death is inevitable for a person who is caught up in worldly pleasures and attitudes, he resolved to renounce the world and devote himself to finding a solution to this most basic of existential dilemmas.
A Buddhist looks at death as a breaking apart of the material of which we are composed. However Buddhism does not look at death as a continuation of the soul but as an awakening. Dying and being reborn has been compared by some Buddhist as a candle flame. When the flame of one lit candle is touched to the wick of an unlighted candle, the light passes from one candle to another. The actual flame of the first candle does not pass over but is responsible for lighting the second candle.
When preparing for death Buddhist generally agree a person’s state of mind while dying is of great importance. While dying the person can be surrounded by friends, family and monks who recite Buddhists scriptures and mantras to help the person achieve a peaceful state of mind. Buddhism asserts that all being live beyond the various fluctuations of this life. Death is merely a passage to rebirth in another realm such as the human world, a pure land or the flowering of the ultimate nature of the mind.
Zoroastrianism - Views on Death
death in zoroastrianism
The Parsees (Zoroastrians ) do not cremate, bury or submerge their dead in water because they consider the dead to be impure, and their Zoroastrian faith does not permit them to defile any of the elements with them. This desert ritual, which originated along with their faith in Persia more than 3,000 years ago and regards death not as the work of God but of the devil, dictates that that the dead be left to vultures on hilltops.
It is common for Parsees to travel long distances to bring their dead to the Mumbai towers (India) because prayers for the dead can only be said for those who have passed through its gates. Dead Parsees are carried on a bier to a ceremonial gate near the five Towers of Silence, where relatives hand them to pallbearers, the only people allowed inside. The black stone towers, about 36 metres high, are like three-tiered, open-air arenas where the men are placed in the outer circle, women in the middle and children in the innermost for the vultures to feed on. But with an average of three Parsees dying every day, the handful of vultures at the towers are overfed.
Experts say about 100-120 birds would be needed to deal with the daily intake of bodies. The Zoroastrians, or Parsees, have installed solar reflectors in their Towers of Silence in Mumbai to help dispose of their dead after a decline in the number of vultures that scavenge their corpses in keeping with tradition.
Judaism - Views on Death
Judaism has stressed the natural fact of death and its role in giving life meaning. The fear of death, concern about the fate of our own soul and those of our loved ones, ethical concerns that some people die unfairly, all these and many other issues are discussed in Jewish literature. Since God is seen as ultimately just, the seeming injustice on Earth has propelled many traditional Jewish thinkers into seeing the afterlife as a way to reflect the ultimate justice of human existence.
Traditional thinkers considered how individuals would be rewarded or punished after their deaths. There are a few rare descriptions of life after death. Traditionalists gave the name Gehenna to the place where souls were punished. Many Jewish thinkers noted that since, essentially, God is filled with mercy and love, punishment is not to be considered to be eternal. There are, similarly, many varying conceptions of paradise, such as that paradise is the place where we finally understand the true concept of God. It is also possible that there is no separate Heaven and Hell, only lesser or greater distance from God after death.
Judaism does not believe people who are Gentiles will automatically go to Hell or that Jews will automatically go to Heaven on their basis of their belonging to the faith. Rather, individual ethical behavior is what is most important.
death in christianity
For Christians whose lives are guided by the Bible, the reality of death is acknowledged as part of the current human condition, affected by sin (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5; Hebrews 9:27). There is "a time to be born, and a time to die" (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Although eternal life is a gift that is granted to all who accept salvation through Jesus Christ, faithful Christians await the second coming of Jesus for complete realization of their immortality (John 3:36; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54). While waiting for Jesus to come again, Christians may be called upon to care for the dying and to face personally their own death.
Islam - Views on Death
death in islam
When death approaches, the close family and friends try to support and comfort the dying person through supplication as well as remembrance of Allah and His will. The attendance is to help the dying person to iterate his commitment to unity of God.
Upon death, the eye lids are to be closed, the body should be covered, and preparation for burial takes place as soon as possible. The whole body is washed and wrapped in a shroud. Muslims gather and a prayer is performed for the dead. The body is to buried soon after the prayer. The wrapped body is to be
laid directly at the bottom of the dug grave. The body is to be laid on its right side facing the direction of Makkah. A ceiling is attached to the grave and then covered with dirt. The grave is to be marked by raising its top level of dirt above
surrounding grounds. A stone may be used to mark its location, but no writings are allowed. Buildings or other forms of structures are not allowed on top of the grave.
The family of the dead has a responsibility to fulfill any debts he had as soon as possible. They have the commitment to maintain contacts and courteous relationships with close relatives and close friends. They frequently pray and
supplicate for him. Charity, fasting, prayers, and pilgrimage is often performed on behalf of the dead. Visiting the graves is recommended for the living to remember death and the day of judgment.
Top
Hinduism-Views on Death
death in hinduism
Hinduism believes in the rebirth and reincarnation of souls. Death is therefore not a great calamity, not an end of all, but a natural process in the existence of soul as a separate entity, by which it reassembles its resources, adjusts its course and returns again to the earth to continue its journey. In Hinduism death is a temporary cessation of physical activity, a necessary means of recycling the resources and energy and an opportunity for the soul to review its programs and policies. When a person dies, his soul along with some residual consciousness leaves the body through an opening in the head and goes to another world and returns again after spending some time there. What happens after the soul leaves the body and before it reincarnates again is a great mystery .
The Bhagavad gita describes two paths along which souls travel after death. One is the path of the sun, also known as the bright path and the other is the path of the moon, also known as the the dark path. When a soul travels along the path of the sun, it never return again, while those which travel along the path of the moon return again.
What happens to a soul after the death of a mortal being on earth depends upon many factors, some of which are, his previous deeds, his state of mind at the time of death,the time his death, the activities of his children, that is whether they performed the funeral rites in the prescribed manner and satisfied the scriptural injunctions.
Hinduism believes in the existence of not one hell and one heaven but in the existence of many sun filled worlds and many dark and demonic worlds. Vaikunth is the world of Vishnu, Kailash is the world of Siva and Brahmalok is the world of Brahman. Indralok is the standard heaven to which those who please the gods through their activities upon the earth go. The standard hell is Yamalok, which is also ruled by a god called Lord Yama, who is also the ruler of the southern quarter.In the ultimate sense, the purpose of these worlds is neither to punish or reward the souls, but to remind them of the true purpose of their existence.
After death, Hindus are not buried, but cremated. The idea is that the human personality is made up of five elements of which four belong to the body and come from this world, namely fire, earth, water and air while the fifth the ether (fine matter) belongs to the domain of the subtle body and comes from the higher worlds. By cremating the body, the elements are rightfully returned to their respective spheres, while the subtle body along with soul returns to the worlds beyond for the continuation of its afterlife.
A lot of rituals are associated with the cremation ceremony. When a person dies, the body is given a final bath, carried on a wooden stretcher by his kith and kin and cremated on the community cremation grounds generally by the eldest son. This is followed by some rituals in which the sons make offering of food to the departed soul under the supervision of a priest. Generally a function is organized on the fifteen day and guests are invited for a meal. Generally Hindus who have lost an important relation in their families do not celebrate functions and festivals for a specific period of time as a mark of respect. While cremation is the standard procedure, Hindus consider it very auspicious if a dead body is immersed in the Ganges or cremated on its banks since the river is considered very sacred.
Top
Buddhism - Views on Death
death in buddism
From its inception, Buddhism has stressed the importance of death, since awareness of death is what prompted the Buddha to perceive the ultimate futility of worldly concerns and pleasures. Realizing that death is inevitable for a person who is caught up in worldly pleasures and attitudes, he resolved to renounce the world and devote himself to finding a solution to this most basic of existential dilemmas.
A Buddhist looks at death as a breaking apart of the material of which we are composed. However Buddhism does not look at death as a continuation of the soul but as an awakening. Dying and being reborn has been compared by some Buddhist as a candle flame. When the flame of one lit candle is touched to the wick of an unlighted candle, the light passes from one candle to another. The actual flame of the first candle does not pass over but is responsible for lighting the second candle.
When preparing for death Buddhist generally agree a person’s state of mind while dying is of great importance. While dying the person can be surrounded by friends, family and monks who recite Buddhists scriptures and mantras to help the person achieve a peaceful state of mind. Buddhism asserts that all being live beyond the various fluctuations of this life. Death is merely a passage to rebirth in another realm such as the human world, a pure land or the flowering of the ultimate nature of the mind.
Zoroastrianism - Views on Death
death in zoroastrianism
The Parsees (Zoroastrians ) do not cremate, bury or submerge their dead in water because they consider the dead to be impure, and their Zoroastrian faith does not permit them to defile any of the elements with them. This desert ritual, which originated along with their faith in Persia more than 3,000 years ago and regards death not as the work of God but of the devil, dictates that that the dead be left to vultures on hilltops.
It is common for Parsees to travel long distances to bring their dead to the Mumbai towers (India) because prayers for the dead can only be said for those who have passed through its gates. Dead Parsees are carried on a bier to a ceremonial gate near the five Towers of Silence, where relatives hand them to pallbearers, the only people allowed inside. The black stone towers, about 36 metres high, are like three-tiered, open-air arenas where the men are placed in the outer circle, women in the middle and children in the innermost for the vultures to feed on. But with an average of three Parsees dying every day, the handful of vultures at the towers are overfed.
Experts say about 100-120 birds would be needed to deal with the daily intake of bodies. The Zoroastrians, or Parsees, have installed solar reflectors in their Towers of Silence in Mumbai to help dispose of their dead after a decline in the number of vultures that scavenge their corpses in keeping with tradition.
Judaism - Views on Death
Judaism has stressed the natural fact of death and its role in giving life meaning. The fear of death, concern about the fate of our own soul and those of our loved ones, ethical concerns that some people die unfairly, all these and many other issues are discussed in Jewish literature. Since God is seen as ultimately just, the seeming injustice on Earth has propelled many traditional Jewish thinkers into seeing the afterlife as a way to reflect the ultimate justice of human existence.
Traditional thinkers considered how individuals would be rewarded or punished after their deaths. There are a few rare descriptions of life after death. Traditionalists gave the name Gehenna to the place where souls were punished. Many Jewish thinkers noted that since, essentially, God is filled with mercy and love, punishment is not to be considered to be eternal. There are, similarly, many varying conceptions of paradise, such as that paradise is the place where we finally understand the true concept of God. It is also possible that there is no separate Heaven and Hell, only lesser or greater distance from God after death.
Judaism does not believe people who are Gentiles will automatically go to Hell or that Jews will automatically go to Heaven on their basis of their belonging to the faith. Rather, individual ethical behavior is what is most important.
The neural Basis of self...
Neuroscience and Neurology CategoryPerhaps the most personal and most quintessentially human aspect of our existence is the experience of our ‘self.’ What contemporary philosopher Daniel Dennett has described as the unitary narration of our experience, the ‘author’ of our life. Artists, writers, philosophers and psychologists dedicate much of their attention to describing and discerning the kernels of the self. And now, cognitive neuroscientists have entered the debate. With the recent advent of brain imaging technologies, researchers now have a tool to take a stab at this fundamental, though esoteric, question.
MRIBased on brain imaging studies, the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) seems to play a pivotal role in the self. For example, the MPFC is more active when participants make judgments about themselves, compared to other semantic judgments (i.e. I am a good friend vs. you need water to live). Similarly, MPFC is recruited when subjects retrieve memories about themselves compared to a fictional character. Interestingly, the MPFC is also recruited when participants passively rest while undergoing an fMRI scan. Until recently, most fMRI scans required that participants perform cognitive tasks during scanning, and researchers mapped statistically significant brain activation to cognitive components of the task. However, a recent trend in brain imaging is to identify the neural circuitry active during humans’ resting state, or when they are not performing tasks and instead are free to think about whatever they want. During such scans, a few brain areas are active, including the MPFC. It has been hypothesized that the MPFC activation represents the ongoing self-related processing during a conscious state, orchestrating the ‘authorship’ of our daily experiences.
However, such interpretations are controversial. Most notably, skeptics argue that 2identifying the neuroanatomy during rest does not reveal anything about the cognitive content that corresponds with it. Although previous studies identify the MPFC as crucial in self judgments and reflection, this is not enough evidence to suggest that during our day-to-day experience, it is the hub unifying and personalizing our conscious experience.
Skepticism aside, the findings reflect the reality that cognitive neuroscience is beginning to address questions previously believed to be unanswerable. In his recent book, “Proust was a Neuroscientist,” Jonah Lehrer elegantly draws connections between the philosophies of great artists that now, hundreds of years later, garner empirical support from the neurosciences. Virginia Woolf, one of the profiled artists, attempted to translate the contents of her resting state into written narration. Today, scientists are trying to identify the brain mechanisms underlying this narrative content. As Lehrer argues, it may be that in this pursuit, science could learn from art, and hopefully create studies that better isolate the content of the self and it’s related brain architecture.
References
Gusnard, D. (2001). Medial prefrontal cortex and self-referential mental activity: Relation to a default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98 (7), 4259-4264 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.071043098
Kelley, W.M., Macrae, C.N., Wyland, C.L., Caglar, S., Inati, S. & Heatherton, T. F. (2002). Finding the self? An event-related fMRI study. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 14(5), 785-794.
Pfeifer, J., Lieberman, M., & Dapretto, M. (2007). ?I Know You Are But What Am I?!?: Neural Bases of Self- and Social Knowledge Retrieval in Children and Adults Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 19 (8), 1323-1337 DOI: 10.1162/jocn.2007.19.8.1323
MRIBased on brain imaging studies, the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) seems to play a pivotal role in the self. For example, the MPFC is more active when participants make judgments about themselves, compared to other semantic judgments (i.e. I am a good friend vs. you need water to live). Similarly, MPFC is recruited when subjects retrieve memories about themselves compared to a fictional character. Interestingly, the MPFC is also recruited when participants passively rest while undergoing an fMRI scan. Until recently, most fMRI scans required that participants perform cognitive tasks during scanning, and researchers mapped statistically significant brain activation to cognitive components of the task. However, a recent trend in brain imaging is to identify the neural circuitry active during humans’ resting state, or when they are not performing tasks and instead are free to think about whatever they want. During such scans, a few brain areas are active, including the MPFC. It has been hypothesized that the MPFC activation represents the ongoing self-related processing during a conscious state, orchestrating the ‘authorship’ of our daily experiences.
However, such interpretations are controversial. Most notably, skeptics argue that 2identifying the neuroanatomy during rest does not reveal anything about the cognitive content that corresponds with it. Although previous studies identify the MPFC as crucial in self judgments and reflection, this is not enough evidence to suggest that during our day-to-day experience, it is the hub unifying and personalizing our conscious experience.
Skepticism aside, the findings reflect the reality that cognitive neuroscience is beginning to address questions previously believed to be unanswerable. In his recent book, “Proust was a Neuroscientist,” Jonah Lehrer elegantly draws connections between the philosophies of great artists that now, hundreds of years later, garner empirical support from the neurosciences. Virginia Woolf, one of the profiled artists, attempted to translate the contents of her resting state into written narration. Today, scientists are trying to identify the brain mechanisms underlying this narrative content. As Lehrer argues, it may be that in this pursuit, science could learn from art, and hopefully create studies that better isolate the content of the self and it’s related brain architecture.
References
Gusnard, D. (2001). Medial prefrontal cortex and self-referential mental activity: Relation to a default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98 (7), 4259-4264 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.071043098
Kelley, W.M., Macrae, C.N., Wyland, C.L., Caglar, S., Inati, S. & Heatherton, T. F. (2002). Finding the self? An event-related fMRI study. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 14(5), 785-794.
Pfeifer, J., Lieberman, M., & Dapretto, M. (2007). ?I Know You Are But What Am I?!?: Neural Bases of Self- and Social Knowledge Retrieval in Children and Adults Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 19 (8), 1323-1337 DOI: 10.1162/jocn.2007.19.8.1323
The neural basis of self...
Neuroscience and Neurology CategoryPerhaps the most personal and most quintessentially human aspect of our existence is the experience of our ‘self.’ What contemporary philosopher Daniel Dennett has described as the unitary narration of our experience, the ‘author’ of our life. Artists, writers, philosophers and psychologists dedicate much of their attention to describing and discerning the kernels of the self. And now, cognitive neuroscientists have entered the debate. With the recent advent of brain imaging technologies, researchers now have a tool to take a stab at this fundamental, though esoteric, question.
MRIBased on brain imaging studies, the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) seems to play a pivotal role in the self. For example, the MPFC is more active when participants make judgments about themselves, compared to other semantic judgments (i.e. I am a good friend vs. you need water to live). Similarly, MPFC is recruited when subjects retrieve memories about themselves compared to a fictional character. Interestingly, the MPFC is also recruited when participants passively rest while undergoing an fMRI scan. Until recently, most fMRI scans required that participants perform cognitive tasks during scanning, and researchers mapped statistically significant brain activation to cognitive components of the task. However, a recent trend in brain imaging is to identify the neural circuitry active during humans’ resting state, or when they are not performing tasks and instead are free to think about whatever they want. During such scans, a few brain areas are active, including the MPFC. It has been hypothesized that the MPFC activation represents the ongoing self-related processing during a conscious state, orchestrating the ‘authorship’ of our daily experiences.
However, such interpretations are controversial. Most notably, skeptics argue that 2identifying the neuroanatomy during rest does not reveal anything about the cognitive content that corresponds with it. Although previous studies identify the MPFC as crucial in self judgments and reflection, this is not enough evidence to suggest that during our day-to-day experience, it is the hub unifying and personalizing our conscious experience.
Skepticism aside, the findings reflect the reality that cognitive neuroscience is beginning to address questions previously believed to be unanswerable. In his recent book, “Proust was a Neuroscientist,” Jonah Lehrer elegantly draws connections between the philosophies of great artists that now, hundreds of years later, garner empirical support from the neurosciences. Virginia Woolf, one of the profiled artists, attempted to translate the contents of her resting state into written narration. Today, scientists are trying to identify the brain mechanisms underlying this narrative content. As Lehrer argues, it may be that in this pursuit, science could learn from art, and hopefully create studies that better isolate the content of the self and it’s related brain architecture.
MRIBased on brain imaging studies, the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) seems to play a pivotal role in the self. For example, the MPFC is more active when participants make judgments about themselves, compared to other semantic judgments (i.e. I am a good friend vs. you need water to live). Similarly, MPFC is recruited when subjects retrieve memories about themselves compared to a fictional character. Interestingly, the MPFC is also recruited when participants passively rest while undergoing an fMRI scan. Until recently, most fMRI scans required that participants perform cognitive tasks during scanning, and researchers mapped statistically significant brain activation to cognitive components of the task. However, a recent trend in brain imaging is to identify the neural circuitry active during humans’ resting state, or when they are not performing tasks and instead are free to think about whatever they want. During such scans, a few brain areas are active, including the MPFC. It has been hypothesized that the MPFC activation represents the ongoing self-related processing during a conscious state, orchestrating the ‘authorship’ of our daily experiences.
However, such interpretations are controversial. Most notably, skeptics argue that 2identifying the neuroanatomy during rest does not reveal anything about the cognitive content that corresponds with it. Although previous studies identify the MPFC as crucial in self judgments and reflection, this is not enough evidence to suggest that during our day-to-day experience, it is the hub unifying and personalizing our conscious experience.
Skepticism aside, the findings reflect the reality that cognitive neuroscience is beginning to address questions previously believed to be unanswerable. In his recent book, “Proust was a Neuroscientist,” Jonah Lehrer elegantly draws connections between the philosophies of great artists that now, hundreds of years later, garner empirical support from the neurosciences. Virginia Woolf, one of the profiled artists, attempted to translate the contents of her resting state into written narration. Today, scientists are trying to identify the brain mechanisms underlying this narrative content. As Lehrer argues, it may be that in this pursuit, science could learn from art, and hopefully create studies that better isolate the content of the self and it’s related brain architecture.
2010..World Predictions...
World Predictions World Prophecies 2010-2011 Of USA China India Uk Russia Australia Pakistan Islamic Nations
World Predictions Free Tarot Readings World Prophecies 2010-2011 Astrology Horoscopes Psychic Readings Of Nations.Nostradamus world predictions world predictions 2012 world predictions 2009 mayan calendar predictions 2012 doomsday prediction mayan world predictions psychic tarot readings free tarot readings i ching tarot daily horoscope tarot free astrology tarot feng shui tarot psychic tarot oracle free runes tarot Astrology world predictions
terrorism pakistan
Pakistan Will Continue to Be The Biggest Terrorist Nations Of The World & Follow Its Violent Treacherous & Deceptive Policies.It Will Face More Unrest, Suicide Bombings, Sectarian & Religious violence, Natural Disasters. Much Blood Will Spill On The Streets Of Pakistan never seen before, it will be wrath from God.Pakistan's Minorities Of Christians Ahmadis Hindus Sikhs Shias Will Be Tortured Converted Raped Looted & Killed. The blasphemy law Will used to terrorize minorities in Pakistan. Pakistan Will Continue to Spread Culture of Violence Terrorism Hatred Around The World thereby giving bad Name to Islam & Muslims. It will Deceive Its Own Countrymen & the World. Citizens of Pakistan Will be A Great Danger to Every Nation and Pakistan Army Will Continue to be a Rogue Army with Nefarious designs spreading Terrorism Against USA UK Europe Australia India Afganistan and Israel. It Will Be seen As a Degenerated Nation.
World Economy Will See Upturn From Jan-2010, There will be more jobs in 2010.Inflation around the world will soar from Mar-2010 with oil prices rising to New Heights. Food Will become Costlier. Another world Crises & Slowdown will begin from 2011.
America Australia UK France Russia China Ireland Will Continue to Practice Racism & Will Bring Bad Name to their country in 2010- 2011.
Saudi Arabia UAE Iran Indonesia will Continue to Support Fund Islamic Terrorism Around The World aimed at the Revival of Islams Global Ascendancy & Eventual Domination but will meet with Great failure & destruction. Millions Of Muslims Will Die around The World As punishment from Allah.
Space Exploration and Tourism Will grow. Science will make Rapid Strides with building of fast Rockets with great speed & landing on moon by 2030. Four Nations will reach Moon for Scientific Research, Finding Minerals & human settlement.
America & China Will face More Natural Disasters like Tornadoes Hurricanes Typhoons Torrential Rains Snow Floods leading to much destruction of lives & property.American goverment will also hide the true figures of people infected with Swine Flu virus and those who had died. Barack Obama will become the misinformed president by his own administration and will lack the will and determinaiton to implement his good intentions.
Followers Of Islam Christianity & Sikhism will continue to suffer in Misery, Ignorance & destruction due to Distortion & misinterpretation of their own religion by their followers.
Hinduism, Yoga & Spirituality Of India will See New Heights & Its Popularity will Soar In The World. Corrupt Politicians of India will prevent It from Regaining Its Greatness.
Pakistan's Goverment Will Continue To Be Hostile Towards India America UK Europe France China Israel & will Destabilize Their Economies With Printing Fake Currencies Drugs & Arms Smuggling. Pakistani Goverment Will Also sponsor terrorist attacks against India in times to come.Pakistan will Continue to Hide & Support Taliban, Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Omar.
Earth Will See No Peace because Of The Wrong & Extremist Policies of The Governments Of America UK China Russia Australia France Italy & Islamic Nations.
There Will Be No Nuclear War In 2010-2011 in The Future.
Bangladesh will Continue To Pump In Fake Currency Illegal Migration Terrorist and Smuggling In India.There will Be Bigger Attacks By Naxlas On Indian Security Forces & Establishment which will be supportd By China Paksitan Bangladesh.
Crime Will Soar In India, Prostitution & Drug Peddling will flourish under the goverment agencies. Law enforcement agencies will be weak & will be glove in hand with mafia.
America, Canada, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, France & Europe Will See Decline & Their Countries & Society Destroyed By Overindulgence in Sex, Drugs, Money, Alchohol, Immorality & Gambling. Uk will continue to restrict immigration of people to its country on basis of racial restrictions.
Medical Science Will Make Rapid strides & there will be Breakthrough In Medicine in Times To come. Cures & Treatment For Some Types of Major Diseases & Cancers Will Be found By Man. Swine Flue or H1N1 Virus will Spread Greatly Around The World And Will Take Many Lives In 2010.
The United States & India Will Lead The World in 21st Century.Indian Economy will grow around 7% in 2010.
There Will Be No End Of The World in 2012 as all doomsday predictions will be proved wrong.
Western Countries & America Will Suffer With Great Natural Disasters , Extreme Temperatures, Famines, Fires, Tornadoes, Twisters, Extreme Heat & Cold waves which will cause massive toll on life & property.
Politicians of India will Do everything to remain in power & will attempt to Quietly Destroy democratic institutions of India & mislead its people on security of the country both internal & external threats.Rich will get richer and poor more poorer.People of India will loose faith in Judiciary and Administration as Corruption under Congress Goverment will reach new Heights. Pseudo Spiritual gurus will fool and loot innocent people of india.
America, China and France Will Continue to supply more weapons to Pakistan thereby endangering the world peace & stability.
Iran Leaders will take Iran towards misery, Suffering & destruction.
Asia, Indonesia and philippines will face more natural disasters, storms, Earthquakes leading to dispalcement & suffering of its citizens.
There will be Rise in Corruption throughout the world. People around the world will make violent demonstrations around the world against their goverments.
Prices of Gold , Silver and Property will Crash in 2010.
World Predictions Free Tarot Readings World Prophecies 2010-2011 Astrology Horoscopes Psychic Readings Of Nations.Nostradamus world predictions world predictions 2012 world predictions 2009 mayan calendar predictions 2012 doomsday prediction mayan world predictions psychic tarot readings free tarot readings i ching tarot daily horoscope tarot free astrology tarot feng shui tarot psychic tarot oracle free runes tarot Astrology world predictions
terrorism pakistan
Pakistan Will Continue to Be The Biggest Terrorist Nations Of The World & Follow Its Violent Treacherous & Deceptive Policies.It Will Face More Unrest, Suicide Bombings, Sectarian & Religious violence, Natural Disasters. Much Blood Will Spill On The Streets Of Pakistan never seen before, it will be wrath from God.Pakistan's Minorities Of Christians Ahmadis Hindus Sikhs Shias Will Be Tortured Converted Raped Looted & Killed. The blasphemy law Will used to terrorize minorities in Pakistan. Pakistan Will Continue to Spread Culture of Violence Terrorism Hatred Around The World thereby giving bad Name to Islam & Muslims. It will Deceive Its Own Countrymen & the World. Citizens of Pakistan Will be A Great Danger to Every Nation and Pakistan Army Will Continue to be a Rogue Army with Nefarious designs spreading Terrorism Against USA UK Europe Australia India Afganistan and Israel. It Will Be seen As a Degenerated Nation.
World Economy Will See Upturn From Jan-2010, There will be more jobs in 2010.Inflation around the world will soar from Mar-2010 with oil prices rising to New Heights. Food Will become Costlier. Another world Crises & Slowdown will begin from 2011.
America Australia UK France Russia China Ireland Will Continue to Practice Racism & Will Bring Bad Name to their country in 2010- 2011.
Saudi Arabia UAE Iran Indonesia will Continue to Support Fund Islamic Terrorism Around The World aimed at the Revival of Islams Global Ascendancy & Eventual Domination but will meet with Great failure & destruction. Millions Of Muslims Will Die around The World As punishment from Allah.
Space Exploration and Tourism Will grow. Science will make Rapid Strides with building of fast Rockets with great speed & landing on moon by 2030. Four Nations will reach Moon for Scientific Research, Finding Minerals & human settlement.
America & China Will face More Natural Disasters like Tornadoes Hurricanes Typhoons Torrential Rains Snow Floods leading to much destruction of lives & property.American goverment will also hide the true figures of people infected with Swine Flu virus and those who had died. Barack Obama will become the misinformed president by his own administration and will lack the will and determinaiton to implement his good intentions.
Followers Of Islam Christianity & Sikhism will continue to suffer in Misery, Ignorance & destruction due to Distortion & misinterpretation of their own religion by their followers.
Hinduism, Yoga & Spirituality Of India will See New Heights & Its Popularity will Soar In The World. Corrupt Politicians of India will prevent It from Regaining Its Greatness.
Pakistan's Goverment Will Continue To Be Hostile Towards India America UK Europe France China Israel & will Destabilize Their Economies With Printing Fake Currencies Drugs & Arms Smuggling. Pakistani Goverment Will Also sponsor terrorist attacks against India in times to come.Pakistan will Continue to Hide & Support Taliban, Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Omar.
Earth Will See No Peace because Of The Wrong & Extremist Policies of The Governments Of America UK China Russia Australia France Italy & Islamic Nations.
There Will Be No Nuclear War In 2010-2011 in The Future.
Bangladesh will Continue To Pump In Fake Currency Illegal Migration Terrorist and Smuggling In India.There will Be Bigger Attacks By Naxlas On Indian Security Forces & Establishment which will be supportd By China Paksitan Bangladesh.
Crime Will Soar In India, Prostitution & Drug Peddling will flourish under the goverment agencies. Law enforcement agencies will be weak & will be glove in hand with mafia.
America, Canada, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, France & Europe Will See Decline & Their Countries & Society Destroyed By Overindulgence in Sex, Drugs, Money, Alchohol, Immorality & Gambling. Uk will continue to restrict immigration of people to its country on basis of racial restrictions.
Medical Science Will Make Rapid strides & there will be Breakthrough In Medicine in Times To come. Cures & Treatment For Some Types of Major Diseases & Cancers Will Be found By Man. Swine Flue or H1N1 Virus will Spread Greatly Around The World And Will Take Many Lives In 2010.
The United States & India Will Lead The World in 21st Century.Indian Economy will grow around 7% in 2010.
There Will Be No End Of The World in 2012 as all doomsday predictions will be proved wrong.
Western Countries & America Will Suffer With Great Natural Disasters , Extreme Temperatures, Famines, Fires, Tornadoes, Twisters, Extreme Heat & Cold waves which will cause massive toll on life & property.
Politicians of India will Do everything to remain in power & will attempt to Quietly Destroy democratic institutions of India & mislead its people on security of the country both internal & external threats.Rich will get richer and poor more poorer.People of India will loose faith in Judiciary and Administration as Corruption under Congress Goverment will reach new Heights. Pseudo Spiritual gurus will fool and loot innocent people of india.
America, China and France Will Continue to supply more weapons to Pakistan thereby endangering the world peace & stability.
Iran Leaders will take Iran towards misery, Suffering & destruction.
Asia, Indonesia and philippines will face more natural disasters, storms, Earthquakes leading to dispalcement & suffering of its citizens.
There will be Rise in Corruption throughout the world. People around the world will make violent demonstrations around the world against their goverments.
Prices of Gold , Silver and Property will Crash in 2010.
What is sufi????
What is a Sufi?
One who does not separate himself from others by opinion or dogma;
and who realizes the heart as the Shrine of God.
What does the Sufi desire?
To remove the false self and discover God within.
What does the Sufi teach?
Happiness.
What does the Sufi seek?
Illumination.
What does the Sufi see?
Harmony.
What does the Sufi give?
Love to all created things.
What does the Sufi get?
A greater power of love.
What does the Sufi find?
GOD.
And lose?
self
Hazrat Inayat Khan
One who does not separate himself from others by opinion or dogma;
and who realizes the heart as the Shrine of God.
What does the Sufi desire?
To remove the false self and discover God within.
What does the Sufi teach?
Happiness.
What does the Sufi seek?
Illumination.
What does the Sufi see?
Harmony.
What does the Sufi give?
Love to all created things.
What does the Sufi get?
A greater power of love.
What does the Sufi find?
GOD.
And lose?
self
Hazrat Inayat Khan
Spiritual aspects of Islam....
It is often easy for people to slip into a view of the world as a duality split between spiritual and material with the notion that spiritual is good and material is bad becoming a common theme. Islam however rejects such ideas. While there is a value in seeing the difference between the 'spiritual' and the 'material', all 'spiritual' existence, just as 'material' existence, is created by God. It is created with a good purpose which we may, or may not, appreciate.
This is best illustrated in the relationship between good deeds and belief. Good deeds improve the material world around us. However, they are only truly good deeds if we are seeking that improvement according to God's guidance.
Good deeds and the inner 'spiritual' dimension of belief are dependent on each other. You cannot have one without the other. Hypocrisy results from saying and believing something but not acting upon it. Actions done without belief in God are futile. They are done for false gods; serving the purpose of whatever comes to mind.
A good book for you to read that explains the relationship between the spiritual and material aspects of Islam is Alia Izetbegovic's book, Islam between East and West.
For these reasons, you will not find many sites that focus on 'Islamic spiritualism' as distinct from Islamic law. Islamic spiritualism, if indeed we must use the term, is something that pervades Islamic law.
It may be useful to illustrate the issue by reminding ourselves of the problems that Jesus (peace be upon him) dealt with. In his time he found that some powerful elements among the Jews were so focused on the law that they neglected the spirit of the law, or we might say, the intention behind the law and behind obeying it.
With Christianity, as it was formed by the followers of Paul, a large part of the law was itself neglected. Christians were to be saved by faith alone - only having the right 'spirit' was required - this became dependent on esoteric knowledge and doctrines and divorced from the original simple teachings of Jesus.
Islam re-establishes the relation between the law governing the material world and the spirit of that law. According to Islamic teachings, all acts are judged by intention and part of a good intention is the requirement that you are seeking to follow God's laws.
Attempting to identify the underlying spirit and intention of the God's instructions is important and useful, but it is also an exercise which can lead people astray. By its very nature, it remains explained in analogies and abstract ideas and although we should reflect on these and discuss them, we must always resign ourselves to never fully knowing God's wisdom and mercy in making the law.
Instead, we trust that His laws are ultimately for our benefit. The way people are lead astray is by insisting on the truth of their insights into hidden or underlying meanings of God's law and seeking disputes with others that disagree with them.
*{He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its (ultimate) hidden meanings, but no one knows its (ultimate) hidden meanings except God. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.}* (Aal `Imran 3: 7)
*{God disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: "What means God by this similitude?" By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path).}* (Al-Baqarah 2: 26)
A good intention, therefore, recognizes and follows the law. It seeks to understand what the law is and what its spirit is and recognizes that, ultimately, despite our best efforts, human knowledge is limited and that we must place our trust in Allah, that our actions are indeed good.
This is best illustrated in the relationship between good deeds and belief. Good deeds improve the material world around us. However, they are only truly good deeds if we are seeking that improvement according to God's guidance.
Good deeds and the inner 'spiritual' dimension of belief are dependent on each other. You cannot have one without the other. Hypocrisy results from saying and believing something but not acting upon it. Actions done without belief in God are futile. They are done for false gods; serving the purpose of whatever comes to mind.
A good book for you to read that explains the relationship between the spiritual and material aspects of Islam is Alia Izetbegovic's book, Islam between East and West.
For these reasons, you will not find many sites that focus on 'Islamic spiritualism' as distinct from Islamic law. Islamic spiritualism, if indeed we must use the term, is something that pervades Islamic law.
It may be useful to illustrate the issue by reminding ourselves of the problems that Jesus (peace be upon him) dealt with. In his time he found that some powerful elements among the Jews were so focused on the law that they neglected the spirit of the law, or we might say, the intention behind the law and behind obeying it.
With Christianity, as it was formed by the followers of Paul, a large part of the law was itself neglected. Christians were to be saved by faith alone - only having the right 'spirit' was required - this became dependent on esoteric knowledge and doctrines and divorced from the original simple teachings of Jesus.
Islam re-establishes the relation between the law governing the material world and the spirit of that law. According to Islamic teachings, all acts are judged by intention and part of a good intention is the requirement that you are seeking to follow God's laws.
Attempting to identify the underlying spirit and intention of the God's instructions is important and useful, but it is also an exercise which can lead people astray. By its very nature, it remains explained in analogies and abstract ideas and although we should reflect on these and discuss them, we must always resign ourselves to never fully knowing God's wisdom and mercy in making the law.
Instead, we trust that His laws are ultimately for our benefit. The way people are lead astray is by insisting on the truth of their insights into hidden or underlying meanings of God's law and seeking disputes with others that disagree with them.
*{He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its (ultimate) hidden meanings, but no one knows its (ultimate) hidden meanings except God. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.}* (Aal `Imran 3: 7)
*{God disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: "What means God by this similitude?" By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path).}* (Al-Baqarah 2: 26)
A good intention, therefore, recognizes and follows the law. It seeks to understand what the law is and what its spirit is and recognizes that, ultimately, despite our best efforts, human knowledge is limited and that we must place our trust in Allah, that our actions are indeed good.
Hazrat Khwaja Ghulam Farid(R.A)
Khwaja Ghulam Fareed Sahib (1845-1901) or Khawaja Farid (Punjabi/Saraiki: ਖ਼੍ਵਾਜਾ ਫ਼ਰੀਦ, خواجہ فرید, ख़्वाजा फ़रीद) is considered one of the greatest Seraiki poets, Chishti-Nizami mystic and Sajjada nashin (Patron saint) of the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. He was born and died at Chacharan Shrif but buried at Kot Mithan.
He was the son of Khwaja Khuda Bakhsh. His mother died when he was five years old and he was orphaned at age twelve when his father died. He was educated by his elder brother, Fakhr Jahan Uhdi.
He was a scholar of that time and wrote several books. He knew Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Sindhi, Panjabi, Braj Bhasha, and Seraiki. He was a poet of Seraiki and Urdu. He also wrote some poems in Sindhi, Persian, and Braj Bhasha. He was an imperialist poet. He opposed British rule in Bahawalpur. He said to ruler of Bahawalpur in his poem, "You rule yourself on your state and finish police station of British from your state." اپڑیں ملک کوں آپ وسا توں۔پٹ انگریزی تھانے
On 168th birthday Urs in 2008, many Seraiki nationists gathered to call for an independent Saraikistan.
Works by Khawaja Ghulam Farid
* Dewan-e-Farid in 1882. (Seraiki Poetry)
* Dewan-e-Farid in 1884. (Urdu Poetry)
* Manaqabe Mehboobia (in Persian prose)
* Fawaid Faridia (in Persian prose)
[edit] Faridiat
Faridiat (فریدیات)(फ़रीदीयत) is new topic about Khawaja Farid's life, poetry and his mysticism.There are several books and hundreds articles on this topic.There are also experts of Khawaja Farid as under
* Maulana Noor Ahmed Faridi :He translated Dewan-Farid
* Mehr_Abdul_Haq :His books are Lughat-Faridi and Piam-Farid and other[1]
* Christopher Shackle :His book is Teachings of Khaja Farid and other[2]
* Wahid Bakhish Sial: He translated Maqbees-ul-Majalis
* Mujahid Jatoi :His book is 'Aa pahntum jeendian makay
* Saeed Ahmed Sheikh: His book is Ustad Dileen de
* Aziz-ur-Rahman Khan :He was the first who translated 'Dewan-i-Farid
* Akram Qureshi :His book is Auzan Dewan-i-Farid
source; wikipedia
Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah(R.A)
Bulleh Shah (1680 – 1757) (Punjabi: بلہے شاہ, ਬੁੱਲ੍ਹੇ ਸ਼ਾਹ), whose real name was Abdullah Shah [1], was a Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet, a humanist and philosopher.[2]
Contents
[hide]
[edit] Early life and background
Bulleh Shah is believed to have been born in 1680, in the small village of Uch, Bahawalpur, Punjab, now in Pakistan [3]. His ancestors had migrated from Bukhara in modern Uzbekistan.
When he was six months old, his parents relocated to Malakwal. There his father, Shah Muhammad Darwaish, was a preacher in the village mosque and a teacher. His father later got a job in Pandoke, about 50 miles southeast of Kasur. Bulleh Shah received his early schooling in Pandoke, and moved to Kasur for higher education. He also received education from Maulana Mohiyuddin. His spiritual teacher was the eminent Sufi saint, Shah Inayat Qadiri.
Little is known about Bulleh Shah's direct ancestors, except that they were migrants from Uzbekistan.[4] However, Bulleh Shah's family was directly descended from the Prophet Muhammad.[1]
[edit] Career
A large amount of what is known about Bulleh Shah comes through legends, and is subjective; to the point that there isn’t even agreement among historians concerning his precise date and place of birth. Some "facts" about his life have been pieced together from his own writings. Other "facts" seem to have been passed down through oral traditions.
Bulleh Shah practiced the Sufi tradition of Punjabi poetry established by poets like Shah Hussain (1538 – 1599), Sultan Bahu (1629 – 1691), and Shah Sharaf (1640 – 1724).
Bulleh Shah lived in the same period as the famous Sindhi Sufi poet , Shah Abdul Latif Bhatai (1689 – 1752). His lifespan also overlapped with the legendary Punjabi poet Waris Shah (1722 – 1798), of Heer Ranjha fame, and the famous Sindhi Sufi poet Abdul Wahad (1739 – 1829), better known by his pen-name, Sachal Sarmast (“truth seeking leader of the intoxicated ones”). Amongst Urdu poets, Bulleh Shah lived 400 miles away from Mir Taqi Mir (1723 – 1810) of Agra.
[edit] Poetry Style
The verse form Bulleh Shah primarily employed is called the Kafi, a style of Punjabi, Sindhi and Siraiki poetry used not only by the Sufis of Sindh and Punjab, but also by Sikh gurus.
Bulleh Shah’s poetry and philosophy strongly criticizes Islamic religious orthodoxy of his day.
[edit] A Beacon of Peace
Bulleh Shah's time was marked with communal strife between Muslims and Sikhs. But in that age Baba Bulleh Shah was a beacon of hope and peace for the citizens of Punjab. While Bulleh Shah was in Pandoke, Muslims killed a young Sikh man who was riding through their village in retaliation for murder of some Muslims by Sikhs. Baba Bulleh Shah denounced the murder of an innocent Sikh and was censured by the mullas and muftis of Pandoke. Bulleh Shah maintained that violence was not the answer to violence.Bulleh Shah also hailed Guru Tegh Bahadur as a ghazi (Islamic term for a religious warrior) and incurred the wrath of the fanatic muslims at the time.
Banda Singh Bairagi was a contemporary of Bulleh Shah. In retaliation for the murder of Guru Gobind Singh's two sons by Aurangzeb, he sought revenge by killing common Muslims. Baba Bulleh Shah tried to convince Banda Singh Bairagi to renounce his campaign of revenge. Bulleh Shah told him that the same sword which fell upon Guru Gobind Singh's sons and innocent Sikhs also fell upon innocent Muslims. Hence killing innocent Muslim was not the answer to Aurangzeb's reign of oppression.
[edit] Humanist
Bulleh Shah’s writings represent him as a humanist, someone providing solutions to the sociological problems of the world around him as he lives through it, describing the turbulence his motherland of Punjab is passing through, while concurrently searching for God. His poetry highlights his mystical spiritual voyage through the four stages of Sufism: Shariat (Path), Tariqat (Observance), Haqiqat (Truth) and Marfat (Union). The simplicity with which Bulleh Shah has been able to address the complex fundamental issues of life and humanity is a large part of his appeal. Thus, many people have put his kafis to music, from humble street-singers to renowned Sufi singers like the Waddali Brothers, Abida Parveen and Pathanay Khan, from the synthesized techno qawwali remixes of UK-based Asian artists to the rock band Junoon.
Bulleh Shah’s popularity stretches uniformly across Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims, to the point that much of the written material about this philosopher is from Hindu and Sikh authors.
[edit] Modern Renditions
In the 1990s Junoon, Asia's biggest rock band from Pakistan, rendered such poems as Aleph (Ilmon Bas Kareen O Yaar) and Bullah Ki Jaana. In 2004, Rabbi Shergill successfully performed the unlikely feat of turning the abstruse metaphysical poem Bullah Ki Jaana into a Rock/Fusion song, which became hugely popular in India and Pakistan.[5][6] The Wadali Bandhu, a Punjabi Sufi group from India, also released a version of Bullah Ki Jaana on their album Aa Mil Yaar...Call of the Beloved. Another version was performed by Lakhwinder Wadali titled simply Bullah. Bulleh Shah's verses have also been adapted and used in Bollywood film songs. Examples include the songs "Chaiyya Chaiyya" and Thayya Thayya in the 1998 film Dil Se. The 2007 Pakistani movie Khuda Kay Liye includes Bulleh Shah's poetry in the song Bandeya Ho. A 2008 film, 'A wednesday', had a song, "Bulle Shah, O yaar mere" in its soundtrack. In 2009, Episode One of Pakistan's Coke Studio Season 2 featured a collaboration between Sain Zahoor and Noori, "Aik Alif".
[edit] Death
He died in 1757, and his tomb is located in Kasur, Pakistan[7].
Urs of Aulia Ullah...
Urs of the beloveds of Allah is an Islamic function, which is generally organised by the Khalifa to commemorate the death anniversary of a wali. To a wali, death is the culmination of a life long yearning to meet Allah and His Rasool (sallalahu alaihi wasallam). In terms of the dictionary it means wedding. In Arabic, the bride and groom are called Aroos.
The Prophet (S.A.W.) mentions in an authentic Hadith, "When the Munkar and Nakir (the angels who question the deceased after death), questions the wali in the grave about Allah, Islam and the Prophet (S.A.W.) and the Wali successfully answers the questions, they (lovingly) declare Sleep like the bride who will only be awakened by the beloved (Mishkaat). Hence the word Urs is traced to a Hadith.
Annually on the day or month on which the wali parted from this world and entered into the hereafter, the mureed and followers and general public gather at the gravesite, recite Quran, Zikrullah, Khatme Khwajagaan and render Esaale Sawaab to the soul of the wali. Normally a lecture is given by an 'alim, who discusses Quranic verses and Ahadith relating to Aulia Allah. The life of the Wali is presented as an example for other Muslims to follow. People are encouraged to emulate the Imaan, Piety (Taqwa), sacrifices and services of the wali.
The roots of Urs are also traced to the actions of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and the four Khulafaae Raashidoon. Ibne Ali Sheebah reports that: "The Prophet (S.A.W.) used to visit the graves of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud every year. He used to send Salaams to them. This Sunnah was upheld by the four righteous Khulafa also, who used to visit the graves of Shuhadae Uhud (Those companions of the prophet (S.A.W.) who lost their lives in the Battle of Uhud, which took place in Madina). (Fatawa Shaami, Tafseere Kabeer Durre Mansoor).
Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith of Delhi (son of Shah Waliallah) writes in his famous Fatawa Azizia, page 45: Secondly, many people must assemble, recite the Holy Quran, recite fatiha on something sweet and other edibles and then distribute it amongst those present.
The Chaadar and Sandal procession is a public event designed to reflect love and respect of the soul of the wali. It is an event whereby homage is paid to the wali, and to his success in the hereafter. Trays are decoratively laden with many Ghilaaf (sheets of material used to cover the grave of the wali), flowers, Itr, Niyaaz and sandal powder. These trays are carried on the head as a mark of respect (This does not constitute Ibaadat in any way). The mureedeen and other devotees of the saint normally prepare the trays. A Shaamyaana (roughly translated as a four - handled shade, awning or umbrella) usually in the colours of the Silsila to which the saint belongs; is held aloft by those who are taking part in the procession. It is there to shelter on from the natural elements, viz. The sun and rain. It also lends dignity to the procession.
Devotional poetry based on the Hamd (Praise of Allah), Na' at (Praise of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and Manqabat (Praise of Aulia Allah) are sung all the way during the procession. Salat o Salaams and Zikrullah are also recited in some countries. These processions differ in different countries in presentation and style; as, the cultural flavourings and influences differ. These various cultural influences should not be mistaken as an imitation of any "religious denomination''.
Chaadars are placed on the grave of the Aulia Allah. This is an act of Sunnah. After the demise of the Prophet (S.A.W.) a sahaabiyah came to Sayyida Ayesha Siddiqah (R.A.) and requested her to show the grave of the Prophet (S.A.W.). Sayyidah Ayesha Siddiqah (R.A.) then raised a Gilaf (sheet of fabric) from the grave of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (S.A.W.). The sahaabiyah became very, very emotional, wept beyond control, finally collapsed and passed away. (Baihaqi Shareef). Fatawa Shami, Volume 5. The Chapter on Libaas also states that it is good to place Chaadar on graves of Aulia Allah.
The grave is then sprinkled with sandal, Itr and covered with flowers. To place flowers and other fresh branches on the graves is also a Sunnah. (Bukhari Sheriff Vol.1). Itr is sprinkled onto the grave, as perfume (itr), has a certain degree of affinity with the rooh and spirituality. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) loved perfume. One of the three things made for Huzoor (S.A.W.) to prefer in this world is perfume, (Hadith). The sprinkling of Itr is for our benefit. The spiritualised precincts of a wali's tomb are sprinkled with itr so that it ushers us into calmness and serenity. It tends to purify our thoughts and is also synonymous with the state the wali is in. Aulia Allah are special servants of Allah.
Their graves are covered with a Ghilaaf just as we cover the Quran and Kaabah with Ghilaaf. The heart of a believer is the throne of Allah (Hadith). Even up to this day the walls housing the grave the Prophet (S.A.W.) is laden with Ghilaaf bearing Kalima Sharief and other Quranic verses which can be seen clearly from the outside also. This Sunnah is in practice from the days of the sahaaba and maintained even by the present Wahaabi regime. The Fuqahaae Kiraam have stated that the intentions behind covering the graves of Aulia Allah is love and respect for their spiritualised souls.
It also displays recognition of the achievement and success of the departed soul. It also dawns on the observer that this is the grave of a beloved of Allah who has reached the ultimate goal of nearness to Allah. The Fuqaahae Kiraam (Islamic jurists) have stressed that chaadars should not be placed on the graves of the general Muslim public.
To further highlight the status and honour of the Aulia Allah, let us take into account the following ayah of the Holy Quran: Thus, then, if he be of nearest to Allah, (there is for him) rest and satisfaction, and a 'Garden of Delights'. (S.56.V88/89
The Prophet (S.A.W.) mentions in an authentic Hadith, "When the Munkar and Nakir (the angels who question the deceased after death), questions the wali in the grave about Allah, Islam and the Prophet (S.A.W.) and the Wali successfully answers the questions, they (lovingly) declare Sleep like the bride who will only be awakened by the beloved (Mishkaat). Hence the word Urs is traced to a Hadith.
Annually on the day or month on which the wali parted from this world and entered into the hereafter, the mureed and followers and general public gather at the gravesite, recite Quran, Zikrullah, Khatme Khwajagaan and render Esaale Sawaab to the soul of the wali. Normally a lecture is given by an 'alim, who discusses Quranic verses and Ahadith relating to Aulia Allah. The life of the Wali is presented as an example for other Muslims to follow. People are encouraged to emulate the Imaan, Piety (Taqwa), sacrifices and services of the wali.
The roots of Urs are also traced to the actions of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and the four Khulafaae Raashidoon. Ibne Ali Sheebah reports that: "The Prophet (S.A.W.) used to visit the graves of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud every year. He used to send Salaams to them. This Sunnah was upheld by the four righteous Khulafa also, who used to visit the graves of Shuhadae Uhud (Those companions of the prophet (S.A.W.) who lost their lives in the Battle of Uhud, which took place in Madina). (Fatawa Shaami, Tafseere Kabeer Durre Mansoor).
Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith of Delhi (son of Shah Waliallah) writes in his famous Fatawa Azizia, page 45: Secondly, many people must assemble, recite the Holy Quran, recite fatiha on something sweet and other edibles and then distribute it amongst those present.
The Chaadar and Sandal procession is a public event designed to reflect love and respect of the soul of the wali. It is an event whereby homage is paid to the wali, and to his success in the hereafter. Trays are decoratively laden with many Ghilaaf (sheets of material used to cover the grave of the wali), flowers, Itr, Niyaaz and sandal powder. These trays are carried on the head as a mark of respect (This does not constitute Ibaadat in any way). The mureedeen and other devotees of the saint normally prepare the trays. A Shaamyaana (roughly translated as a four - handled shade, awning or umbrella) usually in the colours of the Silsila to which the saint belongs; is held aloft by those who are taking part in the procession. It is there to shelter on from the natural elements, viz. The sun and rain. It also lends dignity to the procession.
Devotional poetry based on the Hamd (Praise of Allah), Na' at (Praise of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and Manqabat (Praise of Aulia Allah) are sung all the way during the procession. Salat o Salaams and Zikrullah are also recited in some countries. These processions differ in different countries in presentation and style; as, the cultural flavourings and influences differ. These various cultural influences should not be mistaken as an imitation of any "religious denomination''.
Chaadars are placed on the grave of the Aulia Allah. This is an act of Sunnah. After the demise of the Prophet (S.A.W.) a sahaabiyah came to Sayyida Ayesha Siddiqah (R.A.) and requested her to show the grave of the Prophet (S.A.W.). Sayyidah Ayesha Siddiqah (R.A.) then raised a Gilaf (sheet of fabric) from the grave of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (S.A.W.). The sahaabiyah became very, very emotional, wept beyond control, finally collapsed and passed away. (Baihaqi Shareef). Fatawa Shami, Volume 5. The Chapter on Libaas also states that it is good to place Chaadar on graves of Aulia Allah.
The grave is then sprinkled with sandal, Itr and covered with flowers. To place flowers and other fresh branches on the graves is also a Sunnah. (Bukhari Sheriff Vol.1). Itr is sprinkled onto the grave, as perfume (itr), has a certain degree of affinity with the rooh and spirituality. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) loved perfume. One of the three things made for Huzoor (S.A.W.) to prefer in this world is perfume, (Hadith). The sprinkling of Itr is for our benefit. The spiritualised precincts of a wali's tomb are sprinkled with itr so that it ushers us into calmness and serenity. It tends to purify our thoughts and is also synonymous with the state the wali is in. Aulia Allah are special servants of Allah.
Their graves are covered with a Ghilaaf just as we cover the Quran and Kaabah with Ghilaaf. The heart of a believer is the throne of Allah (Hadith). Even up to this day the walls housing the grave the Prophet (S.A.W.) is laden with Ghilaaf bearing Kalima Sharief and other Quranic verses which can be seen clearly from the outside also. This Sunnah is in practice from the days of the sahaaba and maintained even by the present Wahaabi regime. The Fuqahaae Kiraam have stated that the intentions behind covering the graves of Aulia Allah is love and respect for their spiritualised souls.
It also displays recognition of the achievement and success of the departed soul. It also dawns on the observer that this is the grave of a beloved of Allah who has reached the ultimate goal of nearness to Allah. The Fuqaahae Kiraam (Islamic jurists) have stressed that chaadars should not be placed on the graves of the general Muslim public.
To further highlight the status and honour of the Aulia Allah, let us take into account the following ayah of the Holy Quran: Thus, then, if he be of nearest to Allah, (there is for him) rest and satisfaction, and a 'Garden of Delights'. (S.56.V88/89
Hazrat Khwaja Suleman Taunsvi(R.A)
This exalted court is astonishingly unique - Hands folded (in respect) are men of insight;.
The young and old are here absorbed in love. Salutations to you, O Hazrat of brilliant insight
The master of Tawsa: Khwaja Suleiman - the helper.
Hazrat Tawsa Sharif, a small town in Pakistan, is home to one of the most influential of the later Chishtiyya saints - Khwaja Suleiman Tawsawi (rahmatullahi alaihi). Khwaja SuleimanÕs wilayah was recognised even before he was born; whilst still in his motherÕs womb, a pious saint used to come and pay his respects to the yet unborn child. Upon the mother asking the reason for these visits, he told her that her son would be a miraculous child whose spiritual light would illuminate the world from east to west.
As a child, Khwaja Suleiman was visited by another great wali, Khwaja Noor Muhammad Maharwi (rahmatullahi alaihi) in Court Mithan, where he was schooling. Khwaja Noor Muhammad (rahmatullahi alaihi) had been informed by his own Pir-o-murshid, Khwaja Moulana Fakhrudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi), that a mighty personality would become his mureed, by whose grace all creation would benefit. He found him after years of travelling and searching in Khwaja Suleiman Tawsawi (rahmatullahi alaihi). Immediately upon embracing him and becoming his mureed, Khwaja SuleimanÕs (rahmatullahi alaihi) spiritual state changed completely, and he began to engross himself in ibaadah and spiritual exercises.
Later, when only sixteen years, Khwaja Suleiman Tawswi (rahmatullahi alaihi) visited his now ailing murshid and was granted the khilafah. Ordered by Khwaja Noor Muhammad (rahmatullahi alaihi) to propagate Islam and the Chishtiyya silsila, he spread the order to places as far afield as Iran, the Punjab, Baluchistan and India. Finally, he migrated to the city of Tawsa Sharif, where he would remain till the end of his days. Khwaja Hafiz Paak (rahmatullahi alaihi), the great wali who was destined to become his khalifa-e-azam, was one of several hundred thousand mureeds who benefited from Khwaja SuleimanÕs (rahmatullahi alaihi) guidance. Hafiz Paak (rahmatullahi alaihi) also used to recite the QurÕan and Mathnawi of Moulana Rumi (rahmatullahi alaihi) to his murshid.
As well as living the life of a faqeer and being endowed with miraculous attributes, Khwaja Suleiman (rahmatullahi alaihi) was a strict follower of the Shariah. So engrossed did he become in mystical communion with Allah that he used to remain unconscious for hours, but upon awakening, he would enquire as to whether he had missed any salaat during that time. A Hindu yogi once asked him which was greater: Sharia'h or Faqeeri. He replied unhesitatingly, "Shari'ah". Another time, a man insane with AllahÕs love rode naked into his presence while he was in deep meditation. "What are you looking for beneath," the man laughed, "I am here." Yet a simple glance from Khwaja Suleiman Tawsawi (rahmatullahi alaihi) sufficed to sober him. He alighted from his donkey, put on his clothes and immediately offered salaah to Allah.
"That man was in the same wajd as Mansur-al-Hallaj," noted Khwaja Suleiman , "If Mansur had been alive in my time, he would not have been hanged." Mansur-al-Hallaj (rahmatullahi alaihi) was a Persian mystic whose wajd earned him execution. He refused to recant a statement spoken in his ecstasy that expressed his mystical union with God, which was misinterpreted by the orthodoxy as blasphemy. His own murshid, the great Khwaja Junaid (rahmatullahi alaihi) of Baghdad, was forced by the people to pronounce sentence on him. That Khwaja Suleiman Tawsawi (rahmatullahi alaihi) could make such a statement bears testimony to his exalted status among Awliya Allah.
Khwaja Suleiman (rahmatullahi alaihi) passed away on the 7th Safar, 1267AH after spreading the Chishtiyya Silsila for 63 years. He was buried in his roza in Tawsa Sharif, leaving behind hundreds of thousands of mureeds and a world dimmed without his spiritual light. He left his disciples with two great pieces of advice: firstly, perform your salaat wholeheartedly, after the example of the Auliya Allah; and secondly, remain in the company of the pious - in this way shall the love for Allah and his Rasul blossom in your hearts. As is stated in Sura An-Nisa, verse 69:
FRIEND HAS MERGED INTO THE UNITY OF FRIEND.
The young and old are here absorbed in love. Salutations to you, O Hazrat of brilliant insight
The master of Tawsa: Khwaja Suleiman - the helper.
Hazrat Tawsa Sharif, a small town in Pakistan, is home to one of the most influential of the later Chishtiyya saints - Khwaja Suleiman Tawsawi (rahmatullahi alaihi). Khwaja SuleimanÕs wilayah was recognised even before he was born; whilst still in his motherÕs womb, a pious saint used to come and pay his respects to the yet unborn child. Upon the mother asking the reason for these visits, he told her that her son would be a miraculous child whose spiritual light would illuminate the world from east to west.
As a child, Khwaja Suleiman was visited by another great wali, Khwaja Noor Muhammad Maharwi (rahmatullahi alaihi) in Court Mithan, where he was schooling. Khwaja Noor Muhammad (rahmatullahi alaihi) had been informed by his own Pir-o-murshid, Khwaja Moulana Fakhrudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi), that a mighty personality would become his mureed, by whose grace all creation would benefit. He found him after years of travelling and searching in Khwaja Suleiman Tawsawi (rahmatullahi alaihi). Immediately upon embracing him and becoming his mureed, Khwaja SuleimanÕs (rahmatullahi alaihi) spiritual state changed completely, and he began to engross himself in ibaadah and spiritual exercises.
Later, when only sixteen years, Khwaja Suleiman Tawswi (rahmatullahi alaihi) visited his now ailing murshid and was granted the khilafah. Ordered by Khwaja Noor Muhammad (rahmatullahi alaihi) to propagate Islam and the Chishtiyya silsila, he spread the order to places as far afield as Iran, the Punjab, Baluchistan and India. Finally, he migrated to the city of Tawsa Sharif, where he would remain till the end of his days. Khwaja Hafiz Paak (rahmatullahi alaihi), the great wali who was destined to become his khalifa-e-azam, was one of several hundred thousand mureeds who benefited from Khwaja SuleimanÕs (rahmatullahi alaihi) guidance. Hafiz Paak (rahmatullahi alaihi) also used to recite the QurÕan and Mathnawi of Moulana Rumi (rahmatullahi alaihi) to his murshid.
As well as living the life of a faqeer and being endowed with miraculous attributes, Khwaja Suleiman (rahmatullahi alaihi) was a strict follower of the Shariah. So engrossed did he become in mystical communion with Allah that he used to remain unconscious for hours, but upon awakening, he would enquire as to whether he had missed any salaat during that time. A Hindu yogi once asked him which was greater: Sharia'h or Faqeeri. He replied unhesitatingly, "Shari'ah". Another time, a man insane with AllahÕs love rode naked into his presence while he was in deep meditation. "What are you looking for beneath," the man laughed, "I am here." Yet a simple glance from Khwaja Suleiman Tawsawi (rahmatullahi alaihi) sufficed to sober him. He alighted from his donkey, put on his clothes and immediately offered salaah to Allah.
"That man was in the same wajd as Mansur-al-Hallaj," noted Khwaja Suleiman , "If Mansur had been alive in my time, he would not have been hanged." Mansur-al-Hallaj (rahmatullahi alaihi) was a Persian mystic whose wajd earned him execution. He refused to recant a statement spoken in his ecstasy that expressed his mystical union with God, which was misinterpreted by the orthodoxy as blasphemy. His own murshid, the great Khwaja Junaid (rahmatullahi alaihi) of Baghdad, was forced by the people to pronounce sentence on him. That Khwaja Suleiman Tawsawi (rahmatullahi alaihi) could make such a statement bears testimony to his exalted status among Awliya Allah.
Khwaja Suleiman (rahmatullahi alaihi) passed away on the 7th Safar, 1267AH after spreading the Chishtiyya Silsila for 63 years. He was buried in his roza in Tawsa Sharif, leaving behind hundreds of thousands of mureeds and a world dimmed without his spiritual light. He left his disciples with two great pieces of advice: firstly, perform your salaat wholeheartedly, after the example of the Auliya Allah; and secondly, remain in the company of the pious - in this way shall the love for Allah and his Rasul blossom in your hearts. As is stated in Sura An-Nisa, verse 69:
FRIEND HAS MERGED INTO THE UNITY OF FRIEND.
Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj Shakar(R.A)
My restlessness has reached such a level - I spend morning and evening in your love.
Look upon me now with a merciful eye! Salutations to you, do now make my heart pleased, O Faridudeen Gunje Shakar!
Hazrat Baba Faridudeen Gang Shakar (rahmatullahi alaihi) was one of the most influential and pivotal figures in the Chishtiyya silsila, and is widely renowned for his intensely rigorous mujahedas in Allah's path. After the premature death of Khwaja Qutubuddin Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi), only a year after the demise of Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (rahmatullahi alaihi), the bulk of the work begun by the latter fell upon his shoulders. It was he who, in his 37 years as head of the silsila, ensured the propagation of Islam throughout India and the lands beyond.
Miraculous events surrounded Baba Faridudeen's (rahmatullahi alaihi) birth. He was born on the 29th Shabaan in 569 AH, the son of a pious alim and a waliah (female saint). As the night was cloudy, people did not know whether Ramadaan had begun or not. But a dervish told them that a wali had been born who would be the Qutb (spiritual monarch) of his time, and that they must look to the child for their answer. Sure enough, the one-day old Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) did not touch his mother's milk after sehri, indicating to all that Ramadaan had in fact begun. Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was a direct descendent of Hazrat Umar Farooq (rahmatullahi alaihi). At the age of 7 he memorised the Qur'an and later became an alim. When Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) visited the city of Multan, where he was studying, he was so impressed by the child's spiritual prowess that he immediately accepted him as a mureed.
After his education finished, Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was ordered by his Pir-o-murshid to begin a tour of all the Islamic countries in order to meet the leading mystics of his time. On this journey, he came into contact with many great sufis. Whilst in Madinah performing Hajj, he was spiritually directed by the Holy Prophet (saw) to go to Baghdad. Doing so, he was welcomed by the son of Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (rahmatullahi alaihi) and given khilafah in the Qadriyya silsila, as well as receiving from him various sacred relics such as a turban and wooden food bowl of Rasulallah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam). After eighteen years of travelling, he returned to Delhi and his Pir-o-murshid, and was given khilafah by Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) in the presence of many great sufis.
Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was then ordered to go to Hansi and begin preaching Islam there. But before he had even settled down, he received the sad news of Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi)'s death, and rushed back to Delhi arriving, as Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) had prophesied, three days after his death. There he was given the khilafa-e-azam of Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) and decided, because of the political upheavals occuring in Dehli, to move the Chishtiyya headquarters to Ajodhan, the city renamed Pak Pattan in honour of him. Ajodhan was a small, isolated town surrounded by jungles and wild animals, but with the spiritual blessings of Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi), it soon became a bustling centre of Islam. Scholars and sufis flocked from all over India and the lands around to study under the great wali, who built up a veritable university of Islamic education along with a great khanqah. From Ajodhan would leave many missionaries who spread out over the whole of India to propagate Islam and Sufism. His great popularity aroused the ire and jealousy of Ajodhan's qadhi, who out of his envy wrote a letter to the leading ulema of the time complaining about Baba Faridudeen's (rahmatullahi alaihi) love of Sama. But the ulema rebuffed him, saying, "Baba Farid is the Qutb of our time, and the highest
authority on Shariah among all of us. If he says Sama is permissible, then it is."
The above incident bears ample testimony to the universal awe in which Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was held. His mujahedas were of such rigour that few in the history of sufism have managed to surpass them. Once he was ordered by Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) to perform a forty night seclusion whilst suspended upside down in a well, being pulled up only for salaah and to perform more ordinary devotions. On another occasion, he was so exhausted by his mujahedas that he could not stand up to greet Khwaja Moinudeen Chisti (rahmatullahi alaihi) when he came to visit. At that, Khwaja Moinudeen Chisti (rahmatullahi alaihi) remarked to Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi), "You have captured a hawk whose nest is no lower than the 7th heaven", and a divine voice proclaimed, "We have accepted Farid."
Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi)'s kindness and forbearance were legendary. Once a soldier came with the intention of killing him, but the great saint merely told him, "Dear brother, I have done you no harm. Why would you kill a dervish and earn the curse of God?" When the man relented, he immediately embraced and forgave him. He was the most humble of men; despite all the vast knowledge he had at his disposal, he would refrain from even correcting those who came to him arrogantly for fear of puncturing their egos. Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) enjoined the strict adherence to Shari'ah and the necessity of renouncing the pleasures of the world as pre-requisites for embarking on the journey towards Allah. His love for the Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) was so intense that he would sometimes break down and cry whilst lecturing on him, realising his own worthlessness as compared to that of our beloved Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam). As with all the great sufis, the object of his life was devotion to Allah and service of mankind. His miracles or karamaat are too numerous to mention, but the greatest stretched over years before they came to fulfilment. One of his descendants, Hazrat Ibrahim Farid Saani (rahmatullahi alaihi), was visited and held in awe by Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion.
Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) left 14 khulafa behind him, principal of whom were Hazrat Sabir Paak (rahmatullahi alaihi), the founder of the Sabriyya silsila and Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya Mehboobe Elahi (rahmatullahi alaihi), founder of the Nizamiyya order. Hazrat Nizamudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was his principal khilafa, and was located in Dehli. Under him, the Chishtiyya silsila achieved the zenith of its glory and influence. He collected the gathered teachings of his master as Baba Farid had collected those of his murshid Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi).
Death comes to all, even the greatest of saints, but the manner in which we receive it is not the same for all. As Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was born in a state of devotion, so too he died in that state. For days before his death he maintained complete silence within his cell, only speaking for salaat and to recite the Holy Qur'an. Eventually, his illness grew so severe that after Isha salaat he became unconscious. Upon waking, he decided to perform his Isha again, but once more he passed out. In sajdah on his third Isha salaat, he breathed his last. His last words were, "Ya Hayyo ya Qayyum." Upon his death, a divine voice was heard by those gathered to say,
"FRIEND HAS MERGED INTO THE UNITY OF FRIEND."
Look upon me now with a merciful eye! Salutations to you, do now make my heart pleased, O Faridudeen Gunje Shakar!
Hazrat Baba Faridudeen Gang Shakar (rahmatullahi alaihi) was one of the most influential and pivotal figures in the Chishtiyya silsila, and is widely renowned for his intensely rigorous mujahedas in Allah's path. After the premature death of Khwaja Qutubuddin Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi), only a year after the demise of Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (rahmatullahi alaihi), the bulk of the work begun by the latter fell upon his shoulders. It was he who, in his 37 years as head of the silsila, ensured the propagation of Islam throughout India and the lands beyond.
Miraculous events surrounded Baba Faridudeen's (rahmatullahi alaihi) birth. He was born on the 29th Shabaan in 569 AH, the son of a pious alim and a waliah (female saint). As the night was cloudy, people did not know whether Ramadaan had begun or not. But a dervish told them that a wali had been born who would be the Qutb (spiritual monarch) of his time, and that they must look to the child for their answer. Sure enough, the one-day old Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) did not touch his mother's milk after sehri, indicating to all that Ramadaan had in fact begun. Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was a direct descendent of Hazrat Umar Farooq (rahmatullahi alaihi). At the age of 7 he memorised the Qur'an and later became an alim. When Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) visited the city of Multan, where he was studying, he was so impressed by the child's spiritual prowess that he immediately accepted him as a mureed.
After his education finished, Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was ordered by his Pir-o-murshid to begin a tour of all the Islamic countries in order to meet the leading mystics of his time. On this journey, he came into contact with many great sufis. Whilst in Madinah performing Hajj, he was spiritually directed by the Holy Prophet (saw) to go to Baghdad. Doing so, he was welcomed by the son of Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (rahmatullahi alaihi) and given khilafah in the Qadriyya silsila, as well as receiving from him various sacred relics such as a turban and wooden food bowl of Rasulallah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam). After eighteen years of travelling, he returned to Delhi and his Pir-o-murshid, and was given khilafah by Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) in the presence of many great sufis.
Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was then ordered to go to Hansi and begin preaching Islam there. But before he had even settled down, he received the sad news of Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi)'s death, and rushed back to Delhi arriving, as Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) had prophesied, three days after his death. There he was given the khilafa-e-azam of Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) and decided, because of the political upheavals occuring in Dehli, to move the Chishtiyya headquarters to Ajodhan, the city renamed Pak Pattan in honour of him. Ajodhan was a small, isolated town surrounded by jungles and wild animals, but with the spiritual blessings of Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi), it soon became a bustling centre of Islam. Scholars and sufis flocked from all over India and the lands around to study under the great wali, who built up a veritable university of Islamic education along with a great khanqah. From Ajodhan would leave many missionaries who spread out over the whole of India to propagate Islam and Sufism. His great popularity aroused the ire and jealousy of Ajodhan's qadhi, who out of his envy wrote a letter to the leading ulema of the time complaining about Baba Faridudeen's (rahmatullahi alaihi) love of Sama. But the ulema rebuffed him, saying, "Baba Farid is the Qutb of our time, and the highest
authority on Shariah among all of us. If he says Sama is permissible, then it is."
The above incident bears ample testimony to the universal awe in which Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was held. His mujahedas were of such rigour that few in the history of sufism have managed to surpass them. Once he was ordered by Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi) to perform a forty night seclusion whilst suspended upside down in a well, being pulled up only for salaah and to perform more ordinary devotions. On another occasion, he was so exhausted by his mujahedas that he could not stand up to greet Khwaja Moinudeen Chisti (rahmatullahi alaihi) when he came to visit. At that, Khwaja Moinudeen Chisti (rahmatullahi alaihi) remarked to Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi), "You have captured a hawk whose nest is no lower than the 7th heaven", and a divine voice proclaimed, "We have accepted Farid."
Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi)'s kindness and forbearance were legendary. Once a soldier came with the intention of killing him, but the great saint merely told him, "Dear brother, I have done you no harm. Why would you kill a dervish and earn the curse of God?" When the man relented, he immediately embraced and forgave him. He was the most humble of men; despite all the vast knowledge he had at his disposal, he would refrain from even correcting those who came to him arrogantly for fear of puncturing their egos. Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) enjoined the strict adherence to Shari'ah and the necessity of renouncing the pleasures of the world as pre-requisites for embarking on the journey towards Allah. His love for the Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) was so intense that he would sometimes break down and cry whilst lecturing on him, realising his own worthlessness as compared to that of our beloved Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam). As with all the great sufis, the object of his life was devotion to Allah and service of mankind. His miracles or karamaat are too numerous to mention, but the greatest stretched over years before they came to fulfilment. One of his descendants, Hazrat Ibrahim Farid Saani (rahmatullahi alaihi), was visited and held in awe by Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion.
Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) left 14 khulafa behind him, principal of whom were Hazrat Sabir Paak (rahmatullahi alaihi), the founder of the Sabriyya silsila and Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya Mehboobe Elahi (rahmatullahi alaihi), founder of the Nizamiyya order. Hazrat Nizamudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was his principal khilafa, and was located in Dehli. Under him, the Chishtiyya silsila achieved the zenith of its glory and influence. He collected the gathered teachings of his master as Baba Farid had collected those of his murshid Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki (rahmatullahi alaihi).
Death comes to all, even the greatest of saints, but the manner in which we receive it is not the same for all. As Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) was born in a state of devotion, so too he died in that state. For days before his death he maintained complete silence within his cell, only speaking for salaat and to recite the Holy Qur'an. Eventually, his illness grew so severe that after Isha salaat he became unconscious. Upon waking, he decided to perform his Isha again, but once more he passed out. In sajdah on his third Isha salaat, he breathed his last. His last words were, "Ya Hayyo ya Qayyum." Upon his death, a divine voice was heard by those gathered to say,
"FRIEND HAS MERGED INTO THE UNITY OF FRIEND."
Hazrat Nizam-ud-din Aulia(R.A)
I am restless now; my state destroyed - With the burden of sin is my record blackened;
I cannot trace the path leading to your door. Salutations to you,
look upon me now with eyes of mercy Oh Nizamudeen! Beloved of the Lord.
Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) is known by many titles, and deservedly so, for he is one of the greatest saints that India has produced. It was this widely renowned and universally respected saint who continued the sterling work of Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) as the acknowledged head of the Chishtiyya silsila. Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) founded the Nizamiyya branch of the order just as Hazrat Sabir Paak (rahmatullahi alaihi) had founded the Sabriyya branch.
Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) was born in Baduan in 636 a.h.
to Hazrat Sayyid Ahmed Bukhari (rahmatullahi alaihi) a wali and noted jurist; but as with all the Big Five, he lost his father at a young age. His pious and highly intelligent mother ensured that he received spiritual and religious education from the foremost masters of the time. Due to his extraordinary intellect, he became an alim whilst still a child, but the fire in his heart soon turned him towards the path of the spirit. Hearing of the resounding reputation of Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi), he became enamoured of the great saint and decided to meet him. Stopping for a time in Delhi, he heard the muezzin call out one night,
Has not the time come for the hearts of the faithful To remember Allah and bend by His love?
The words proved a divine call and only inflamed his love for Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi). He set out immediately and arrived in Ajodhan to be welcomed by the great saint with open arms. One of his most famous titles, 'Mahboob e Elahi', or 'beloved of God,' comes from his meeting with the great saint. Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) declared that those words were written upon his forehead in letters of light. After his spiritual training, he was afforded the khilafat-e-azam and sent back to Delhi. Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) prophesied, "You will be a spacious tree under which oppressed humanity will take shelter and find comfort."
Thus Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) moved to Delhi with his mureeds and settled in Ghyaspur, a secluded township where he could avoid the bustle of the huge city. This village soon became as busy as Delhi itself, and eventually he thought of leaving. Then however, he received a divine message through the tongue of a young sufi who said, "true courage lies in finding peace and seclusion amidst the bustle of the worldly crowd." Thus warned, he remained in Ghyaspur until his last breath. A khanqah was built for him by one of his mureeds, and soon became a mighty centre of learning.
Courtiers, princes and the rich, who had previously led lives of debauchery, drinking and sin were so powerfully influenced by the austere, moral life and spiritual lessons of Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) that they adopted in their thousands a new and clean style of living. Most devoted themselves to the service of the great shaykh for the rest of their lives.
Under Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi), the sun of the Chishtiyya silsila reached the zenith, and its power and influence attained heights that it has never equalled. In addition to being a spiritual master and distinguished alim, Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) was also an administrative genius. Throughout India, he established literally thousands of khanqahs after the model of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani's (rahmatullahi alaihi); he sent his khulafa across the length and breadth of the great nation, especially to the hitherto unexplored south. His primary khanqah in Delhi became a veritable fountain of divine wisdom and knowledge, and the centre of religious, moral and social education for hundreds of thousands of aspirants throughout the eastern Islamic world.
Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) lived for near a century, during which time Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of no less than seven kingdoms. Some of the sultans were the great saints devoted followers, others his avowed enemies. Despite many rich and influential men wishing to meet and pay homage to him, Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) never entertained them, remembering Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti's (rahmatullahi alaihi) warning never to mix with the worldly. He used to say, "My khanqah has two doors. When they enter one, I will leave through the other." Because of his great generosity and influence, Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) was extremely popular amongst the people of Delhi, and this naturally aroused the ire of kings and courtiers.
However, though his strongly held principles often led him to open conflict with the rulers, he absolutely refused to compromise the
commandments of Shariah and traditions of Sufism.Once sultan Qutbuddin Khilji issued an edict that forbade anyone from donating any money to him; the saint responded by doubling his khanqah's expenses and increasing its beneficiaries to 16,000 every day. The royal order thus had no effect whatsoever, and the sultan who persecuted Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) came to a miserable end.
As with all sufis and the pious, the lessons we learn from the life of Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) are myriad. A sufi teaches not only through words, but also in the lofty moral standards he or she sets. Love for Allah, Rasulallah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) and Islam is radiated not only through their sermons, but in the very purity of their lives wherein can be found the highest principles of Islam. In the very simplicity of their material existences we learn the true meaning of tawakkul, or absolute trust in Allah. And through observing their actions and deeds, we discover exactly how we should lead our lives.
Rivers of wealth flowed daily into the khanqah, and was given out even more freely to the poor and the destitute, but the attire of Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) consisted of a cloak and some badly torn clothes. Banquets were prepared every day, but Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) subsisted on a piece of barley bread and some water for sehri - and sometimes he would not even eat that much, thinking of all the needy who could not even afford this. He loved even his most staunch enemies; once when they scattered thorns in his path, he walked over them uncaringly. Then, with his bare feet bleeding, he prayed that every thorn that had pierced him might become a rose in the grave of the thrower.
He used to recite 300 rakats of nafil salaah in twenty four hours, fast every day, and spend the entire night in worship. His mujaheda only increased with age; at eighty years, his only rest would be the nap that is sunnah for a short while after zuhr. Even so, he used to instruct his mureeds that should anyone come to see him during this time, he should be woken immediately.
Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) had twenty four khulafa who were sent to every part of India, though his khalifa-e-azam, Khwaja Nasirudeen Chiragh e Dehlawi (rahmatullahi alaihi), remained in the capital on his orders. Hazrat Amir Khusro (rahmatullahi alaihi), the near legendary poet, composer, inventor, linguist, historian and scholar, one of the intellectual giants of Indian history, was his most loved and devoted mureed.
Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) died at the age of eighty nine, after Rasulullah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) himself visited him in a dream and told him, "I am very eager to meet you." With almost his last breath, he ordered that all the food and money remaining in the khanqah be distributed amongst the poor and needy. After more than sixty years of heading the Chishtiyya silsila, as the sun rose during his ishraaq salaah, this great spiritual sun of India set. The whole of Delhi and the lands beyond were plunged into deepest mourning at his passing away, and his like has rarely been seen ever since. As the grief-stricken Amir Khusro (rahmatullahi alaihi) himself said upon arriving at his pir-o-murshid's tomb,
The beloved sleeps, covering her face with the beautiful locks of her hair.
Khusro, go home! The darkness of evening has engulfed the whole world.
I cannot trace the path leading to your door. Salutations to you,
look upon me now with eyes of mercy Oh Nizamudeen! Beloved of the Lord.
Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) is known by many titles, and deservedly so, for he is one of the greatest saints that India has produced. It was this widely renowned and universally respected saint who continued the sterling work of Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) as the acknowledged head of the Chishtiyya silsila. Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) founded the Nizamiyya branch of the order just as Hazrat Sabir Paak (rahmatullahi alaihi) had founded the Sabriyya branch.
Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) was born in Baduan in 636 a.h.
to Hazrat Sayyid Ahmed Bukhari (rahmatullahi alaihi) a wali and noted jurist; but as with all the Big Five, he lost his father at a young age. His pious and highly intelligent mother ensured that he received spiritual and religious education from the foremost masters of the time. Due to his extraordinary intellect, he became an alim whilst still a child, but the fire in his heart soon turned him towards the path of the spirit. Hearing of the resounding reputation of Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi), he became enamoured of the great saint and decided to meet him. Stopping for a time in Delhi, he heard the muezzin call out one night,
Has not the time come for the hearts of the faithful To remember Allah and bend by His love?
The words proved a divine call and only inflamed his love for Hazrat Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi). He set out immediately and arrived in Ajodhan to be welcomed by the great saint with open arms. One of his most famous titles, 'Mahboob e Elahi', or 'beloved of God,' comes from his meeting with the great saint. Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) declared that those words were written upon his forehead in letters of light. After his spiritual training, he was afforded the khilafat-e-azam and sent back to Delhi. Baba Faridudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) prophesied, "You will be a spacious tree under which oppressed humanity will take shelter and find comfort."
Thus Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) moved to Delhi with his mureeds and settled in Ghyaspur, a secluded township where he could avoid the bustle of the huge city. This village soon became as busy as Delhi itself, and eventually he thought of leaving. Then however, he received a divine message through the tongue of a young sufi who said, "true courage lies in finding peace and seclusion amidst the bustle of the worldly crowd." Thus warned, he remained in Ghyaspur until his last breath. A khanqah was built for him by one of his mureeds, and soon became a mighty centre of learning.
Courtiers, princes and the rich, who had previously led lives of debauchery, drinking and sin were so powerfully influenced by the austere, moral life and spiritual lessons of Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) that they adopted in their thousands a new and clean style of living. Most devoted themselves to the service of the great shaykh for the rest of their lives.
Under Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi), the sun of the Chishtiyya silsila reached the zenith, and its power and influence attained heights that it has never equalled. In addition to being a spiritual master and distinguished alim, Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) was also an administrative genius. Throughout India, he established literally thousands of khanqahs after the model of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani's (rahmatullahi alaihi); he sent his khulafa across the length and breadth of the great nation, especially to the hitherto unexplored south. His primary khanqah in Delhi became a veritable fountain of divine wisdom and knowledge, and the centre of religious, moral and social education for hundreds of thousands of aspirants throughout the eastern Islamic world.
Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) lived for near a century, during which time Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of no less than seven kingdoms. Some of the sultans were the great saints devoted followers, others his avowed enemies. Despite many rich and influential men wishing to meet and pay homage to him, Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) never entertained them, remembering Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti's (rahmatullahi alaihi) warning never to mix with the worldly. He used to say, "My khanqah has two doors. When they enter one, I will leave through the other." Because of his great generosity and influence, Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) was extremely popular amongst the people of Delhi, and this naturally aroused the ire of kings and courtiers.
However, though his strongly held principles often led him to open conflict with the rulers, he absolutely refused to compromise the
commandments of Shariah and traditions of Sufism.Once sultan Qutbuddin Khilji issued an edict that forbade anyone from donating any money to him; the saint responded by doubling his khanqah's expenses and increasing its beneficiaries to 16,000 every day. The royal order thus had no effect whatsoever, and the sultan who persecuted Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) came to a miserable end.
As with all sufis and the pious, the lessons we learn from the life of Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) are myriad. A sufi teaches not only through words, but also in the lofty moral standards he or she sets. Love for Allah, Rasulallah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) and Islam is radiated not only through their sermons, but in the very purity of their lives wherein can be found the highest principles of Islam. In the very simplicity of their material existences we learn the true meaning of tawakkul, or absolute trust in Allah. And through observing their actions and deeds, we discover exactly how we should lead our lives.
Rivers of wealth flowed daily into the khanqah, and was given out even more freely to the poor and the destitute, but the attire of Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) consisted of a cloak and some badly torn clothes. Banquets were prepared every day, but Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) subsisted on a piece of barley bread and some water for sehri - and sometimes he would not even eat that much, thinking of all the needy who could not even afford this. He loved even his most staunch enemies; once when they scattered thorns in his path, he walked over them uncaringly. Then, with his bare feet bleeding, he prayed that every thorn that had pierced him might become a rose in the grave of the thrower.
He used to recite 300 rakats of nafil salaah in twenty four hours, fast every day, and spend the entire night in worship. His mujaheda only increased with age; at eighty years, his only rest would be the nap that is sunnah for a short while after zuhr. Even so, he used to instruct his mureeds that should anyone come to see him during this time, he should be woken immediately.
Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) had twenty four khulafa who were sent to every part of India, though his khalifa-e-azam, Khwaja Nasirudeen Chiragh e Dehlawi (rahmatullahi alaihi), remained in the capital on his orders. Hazrat Amir Khusro (rahmatullahi alaihi), the near legendary poet, composer, inventor, linguist, historian and scholar, one of the intellectual giants of Indian history, was his most loved and devoted mureed.
Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya (rahmatullahi alaihi) died at the age of eighty nine, after Rasulullah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) himself visited him in a dream and told him, "I am very eager to meet you." With almost his last breath, he ordered that all the food and money remaining in the khanqah be distributed amongst the poor and needy. After more than sixty years of heading the Chishtiyya silsila, as the sun rose during his ishraaq salaah, this great spiritual sun of India set. The whole of Delhi and the lands beyond were plunged into deepest mourning at his passing away, and his like has rarely been seen ever since. As the grief-stricken Amir Khusro (rahmatullahi alaihi) himself said upon arriving at his pir-o-murshid's tomb,
The beloved sleeps, covering her face with the beautiful locks of her hair.
Khusro, go home! The darkness of evening has engulfed the whole world.
Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani(R.A)
(MAY ALLAH SANCTIFY HIS SECRET)
This great saint was born in the month of Ramadaan in 470 A.H. (1077 - 78) in a region called Al - Jil in Iran. The saint is popularly known as al Ghawth al a'zam. It is said that 1100 children were born in the city of Jil on that day and with the barakah of the birth of this saint all these children became great saints and leaders of their time.
His mother Ummul - Khayr Fatima bint al Shaykh Abdullah Sumi was from the line of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through his grandson Imam Hussain (May Allah be pleased with him). His father Sayyid Abu Salih Musa is a descendent of Imam Hasan (radiallahu anhu).
The Shaykh went to Baghdad at the age of 18 to acquire education and studied and qualified in approx. 9 years.
Twenty five years were then spent in the desert and wilderness undergoing strict religious and spiritual training and at about the age of 50 years the Shaykh returned to Baghdad for the guidance of Muslims.
The extensiveness of his teachings can be ascertained from the fact that over 80 000 people used to attend his lectures. His teachings and effect on society was so great that he was given the title of "Muhiyyuddeen"- Reviver of religion. His miracles are legendary, and he is revered as the greatest saint of our time. The venerable Shaykh left this world on the 11th of Rabi al Thaani. The history of the Shaykh is well known. We have merely given an overview of his biography. However, we have selected a few of his blesses statements to introduce the reader to this great saint's works. May we all be blessed by his honourable personality Ameen. Hereunder follower excerpts from some of his published works.
This great saint was born in the month of Ramadaan in 470 A.H. (1077 - 78) in a region called Al - Jil in Iran. The saint is popularly known as al Ghawth al a'zam. It is said that 1100 children were born in the city of Jil on that day and with the barakah of the birth of this saint all these children became great saints and leaders of their time.
His mother Ummul - Khayr Fatima bint al Shaykh Abdullah Sumi was from the line of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through his grandson Imam Hussain (May Allah be pleased with him). His father Sayyid Abu Salih Musa is a descendent of Imam Hasan (radiallahu anhu).
The Shaykh went to Baghdad at the age of 18 to acquire education and studied and qualified in approx. 9 years.
Twenty five years were then spent in the desert and wilderness undergoing strict religious and spiritual training and at about the age of 50 years the Shaykh returned to Baghdad for the guidance of Muslims.
The extensiveness of his teachings can be ascertained from the fact that over 80 000 people used to attend his lectures. His teachings and effect on society was so great that he was given the title of "Muhiyyuddeen"- Reviver of religion. His miracles are legendary, and he is revered as the greatest saint of our time. The venerable Shaykh left this world on the 11th of Rabi al Thaani. The history of the Shaykh is well known. We have merely given an overview of his biography. However, we have selected a few of his blesses statements to introduce the reader to this great saint's works. May we all be blessed by his honourable personality Ameen. Hereunder follower excerpts from some of his published works.
Hazrat khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri(R.A)
With every breath, my restlessness increases; Why does the bud of my heart not blossom?
Grant you my wishes, for the sake of Ali (radiallahu anhu). Salutations to you, O
Khwaja, the saint of Hind! May this devotee's aspirations be fulfilled.
The small town of Ajmer, 400 kilometres south and west of Delhi, is unremarkable to the eye at first glance. However, on closer inspection, one beholds the reason that it stands out; pilgrims. In thousands upon thousands they come, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, of all nationalities; raising their voices in celebration and prayer, in praise and remembrance of one of the greatest saints ever produced in the long and illustrious history of Islam. The deservedly titled Sultan of India, the Qutb or spiritual axis of the eastern Islamic world; he is the fountain from whose spiritual light have sprung all the beautiful, mighty saints of the Chishtiyya silsila: Hazrat Khwaja Moinudeen Hassan Chishti Gharibun-Nawaaz Ajmeri ( rahmtullahi alaihi).
The chieftain and founder of the Chishtiyya silsila, one of the four great orders that radiate throughout the world, Khwaja Gharibun-Nawaaz (radiallahu anhu) is one of the most respected and universally recognised figures in Sufism and Islam. He stands tall as a great spiritual leader; a reformer and purifier of hearts at the most turbulent of times. Most of the saints before his time had been concentrated around the lands of the Middle East, but he was a pioneer, a missionary who was responsible for spreading the Sufi and Islamic sphere of influence to the remotest regions of polytheistic India.
His pious character was a true picture of Islam; his practice exactly in accordance with the dictates of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah, and his teachings beautiful lessons in godliness, truthfulness, and equality which enlightened the hearts of multitudes. Authentic estimates place the number of people he guided to the path of Islam at nine million. It is a historical fact that his Chishtiyya silsila wielded a direct and crucial influence on the course of Indian history, the development of the embryonic Bhakti Consciousness Movement of Hinduism, and modern (pantheistic) Buddhism.
Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) was born in the year 536AH in Sijistan, the son of Khwaja Ghyasuddin Chishti, a pious and influential man of what is now Iran. He was a direct descendant through both his parents of Hazrat Ali (radiallahu anhu). It was a time of chaos and great upheavals in both India and the Muslim Empire as a whole. In the year of his birth, Sultan Sanjari was finally defeated before the implacable advance of the Mughals, spelling the beginning of the end of the Sultanate; and in Khurasan, where he was brought up, religious sects and barbarism had lain waste a once civilised country. He was orphaned at the tender age of fourteen, and was thus raised in the same condition as Rasulallah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam).
But social evils, moral degradations and personal tragedy stirred something deep within the young man, and he began to turn towards the spiritual life. Once when watering his father's garden, he came across a dervish, Hazrat Ibrahim Qanduzi (radiallahu anhu). He was deeply affected by the saint's holy manner, and Hazrat Ibrahim (radiallahu anhu) for his part transformed Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu)'s inner being. His eyes became opened to the ultimate realities of the spiritual world. Renouncing all material things, he sold his father's garden, all his possessions and distributed the money among the poor.
Still at a young age, he arrived at the great centres of learning in Samarkand and Bokhara, where he swiftly became a hafiz and distinguished alim, fully conversant in all aspects of Islamic thought. Unsatisfied with this, he began a strict regime of prayers, meditations, fasting and self-renunciation which continued for years and grew more intense and vigorous until Allah granted him the exalted rank of sainthood. He used to fast for seven days and nights, breaking fast on the eighth with a small crust of bread soaked in water. At this point, he felt the need for a shaykh, or spiritual guide, feeling the truth of the Qur'anic injunction,
O YE WHO BELIEVE! BE MINDFUL OF YOUR DUTY TOWARDS ALLAH, AND SEEK A
MEANS OF APPROACH UNTO HIM, AND STRIVE IN HIS WAY IN ORDER THAT YE MAY SUCCEED. (5:35)
He himself used to state, "success is not possible without a guide." He travelled extensively throughout the near East, finally finding a spiritual guide in Hazrat Khwaja Uthman Haruni (radiallahu anhu). In twenty years he spent under his murshid's guidance, he attained perfection in tasawwuf and was awarded the khilafat-e-azam by Khwaja Uthman (radiallahu anhu). He offered many pilgrimages both with his murshid and alone. It was during one of these, while in Madinah Sharif, that he was directed spiritually by Rasulallah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam)) to go to India and spread Islam there. He left immediately with 40 of his disciples, on the long and arduous journey.
Along the way, he stopped in several places including Baghdad, Isfahan and Balkh. In Baghdad Sharif, he was the guest of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (radiallahu anhu), the greatest of saints and founder of the Qadriyya silsila. Hazrat Ghaus-ul Azam (radiallahu anhu) organised a qawwali in his own house for the visitors, and he himself stood outside that night, with eyes closed and his staff tightly held against the ground. When asked the reason for his actions, he replied, "I needed to stop the ground shaking, such was the power of Khawja's wajd."
In Sabzwar, he came across a ruler of such corruption that he would not even hesitate to denigrate the holy sahaabi of the Holy Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam). Yet one glance from the great saint sufficed to render the man unconscious. When he awoke, his personality had changed completely; he gave up his kingdom, renounced all his possessions and became a mureed of Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu).
Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) and his disciples were in a cave in the mountains of the Hindu Kush when one of the most famous events in sufi history occurred. Hundreds of miles away, in Baghdad Sharif, Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (radiallahu anhu) pronounced his chieftainship of all auliya-allah by saying, "My foot is on the neck of all walis." Spiritually hearing the great saint's statement, Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) immediately threw himself down and stretched his neck against the floor, signifying his submission to that truth.
It was because of this type of humble obedience that Allah granted him the title, "Sultan-e-Hind", for he is the leader and spiritual head to all the hundreds of walis that have blessed India in after-times. So it was that Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) arrived in India at a time of tremendous upheaval and moral decay. The Ghaznavi dynasty was in its death throes, and the Rajput kings were gaining power. Tyrannical rulers were making life unbearable for common people, especially the muslims whose numbers were diminishing day by day.
Yet India is not named for no reason, "the land of saints and sufis"; its people had inherited a wealth of spirituality that yearned for expression. It was into such an arena that Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) stepped, a torch to India's tinder. First he went to Lahore, a centre of learning where resided a great number of Muslim theologians, philosophers and sufis. Yet he soon left this place, for his divinely guided mission was not to men such as these, but rather to those who were deprived of the light of Islam.
Thus he arrived in Delhi, which was to become the seat of his most famous successors. At the time, the city was a place of much fear and mutual hatred between Hindus and Muslims, but Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) began delivering his sermons in a soft tongue, dipped in honey. As a result of this kindness and forbearance, both Hindus and Muslims were turned towards the path of truth. The great wali was revered and loved by those of both religions, a trend which, was to be the hallmark of Sufism in India.
Soon, however, he left Delhi too, heading instead for the remote city of Ajmer, deep within the kingdom of the most powerful Rajput prince in Northern India, Raj Prithviraj.
This city was completely alien to Islam; no muslims at all lived within its bounds. It was in this hostile environment that Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) and his forty disciples settled and began the bulk of his teaching. Very soon, however, he changed the entire civic atmosphere, gathering people of all races, castes and stations to the shining truth of Islam. His high morals and frugal lifestyle deeply impressed the Hindus and all the while, the beautiful messages of the Qur'an and Sunnah entered deep into their hearts. Soon they started to convert, in multitudes upon multitudes, and the raja became alarmed as even his courtiers and high-ranking servants took up Islam.
It is interesting here to note that the raja's mother had predicted the arrival of Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu), and had warned her son not to interfere with him lest he suffer total destruction. Whether Raj Prithviraj forgot this prophecy or ignored it is unknown, but he began to harass the shaykh and trouble his followers. But Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu), holding firm to the Islamic doctrine that, "Allah is with those who patiently persevere," steadfastly carried on his peaceful mission. One day, however, he said, "the raja will be captured alive, and his kingdom snatched away." This prophecy was proven true not months later. The raja, was defeated by Sultan Shahabuddin, was captured alive and brought into the presence of the sultan, who ordered him executed. The power of the Rajputs was thus broken for more than three hundred years.
Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) carried on his work in Ajmer for 45 years, and millions entered Islam through his spiritual light and endeavours. Besides this great service, he also established permanent sufi centres which were run by such mighty disciples as Khwaja Qutbudeen Khaki, Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya, Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj Shakar and Khwaja Nasiruddeen Chiragh Delhawi (rahmatullahi ta'aala ajmaeen).
On the 29th Jamaad-us-Saani, before entering his bare cell for his usual meditations, he advised his attendants that he should not be disturbed until his khalifa-e-azam, Khwaja Qutbuddeen Khaki (radiallahu anhu), arrived from Delhi. On the 6th Rajab, 633 AH, his khalifa arrived and, receiving no answer to his polite knocking, the mureeds broke down the door. There they found that their beloved murshid had already left the world, at the ripe old age of ninety-six. To the wonder and amazement of all, upon his forehead was inscribed in letters of light,
HE WAS A LOVER OF ALLAH, AND HE DIED IN THE LOVE OF ALLAH.
Such was the passing of one of the greatest saints in Islamic history. Undoubtedly, if not for him and his enormous sacrifices, many of those who read this would not have been born into the mercy of this beautiful religion. One can only imagine the hardship he endured in his early years in Ajmer, in the kingdom of a hostile king, surrounded by a nation of polytheists, a people even whose native tongue - Sanskrit - was foreign to him.
How similar was his situation, and his conduct under adversity, to the Holy Prophet (saw) himself! How he managed to convert so many Hindus to Islam, working from the heart of their own kingdom, at a time when the only words that the two religions could address each other with were hatred and war, is a miracle in itself.
He not only moulded the character of a people, but also led them to a more prosperous, nobler way of living, and cultivated in them the qualities of humanity and truth. Through him and his immediate successors, the entire culture and civilisation of India underwent a profound change.
As alluded to before, apart from the millions of converts to Islam, the Bhakti Consciousness movement, modern Buddhism and Sikhism, all monotheistic or pantheistic in outlook emerged from the ancient religions of Hinduism and Buddhism due in great part to the Chishtiyya silsila's efforts in the path of Islam. As is stated in Sura al-Nasr,
When Allah's succour and triumph cometh, and thou seest mankind
entering the religion of Allah in troops, then hymn the praises of thy Lord,
and seek. forgiveness of Him Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy.
Grant you my wishes, for the sake of Ali (radiallahu anhu). Salutations to you, O
Khwaja, the saint of Hind! May this devotee's aspirations be fulfilled.
The small town of Ajmer, 400 kilometres south and west of Delhi, is unremarkable to the eye at first glance. However, on closer inspection, one beholds the reason that it stands out; pilgrims. In thousands upon thousands they come, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, of all nationalities; raising their voices in celebration and prayer, in praise and remembrance of one of the greatest saints ever produced in the long and illustrious history of Islam. The deservedly titled Sultan of India, the Qutb or spiritual axis of the eastern Islamic world; he is the fountain from whose spiritual light have sprung all the beautiful, mighty saints of the Chishtiyya silsila: Hazrat Khwaja Moinudeen Hassan Chishti Gharibun-Nawaaz Ajmeri ( rahmtullahi alaihi).
The chieftain and founder of the Chishtiyya silsila, one of the four great orders that radiate throughout the world, Khwaja Gharibun-Nawaaz (radiallahu anhu) is one of the most respected and universally recognised figures in Sufism and Islam. He stands tall as a great spiritual leader; a reformer and purifier of hearts at the most turbulent of times. Most of the saints before his time had been concentrated around the lands of the Middle East, but he was a pioneer, a missionary who was responsible for spreading the Sufi and Islamic sphere of influence to the remotest regions of polytheistic India.
His pious character was a true picture of Islam; his practice exactly in accordance with the dictates of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah, and his teachings beautiful lessons in godliness, truthfulness, and equality which enlightened the hearts of multitudes. Authentic estimates place the number of people he guided to the path of Islam at nine million. It is a historical fact that his Chishtiyya silsila wielded a direct and crucial influence on the course of Indian history, the development of the embryonic Bhakti Consciousness Movement of Hinduism, and modern (pantheistic) Buddhism.
Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) was born in the year 536AH in Sijistan, the son of Khwaja Ghyasuddin Chishti, a pious and influential man of what is now Iran. He was a direct descendant through both his parents of Hazrat Ali (radiallahu anhu). It was a time of chaos and great upheavals in both India and the Muslim Empire as a whole. In the year of his birth, Sultan Sanjari was finally defeated before the implacable advance of the Mughals, spelling the beginning of the end of the Sultanate; and in Khurasan, where he was brought up, religious sects and barbarism had lain waste a once civilised country. He was orphaned at the tender age of fourteen, and was thus raised in the same condition as Rasulallah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam).
But social evils, moral degradations and personal tragedy stirred something deep within the young man, and he began to turn towards the spiritual life. Once when watering his father's garden, he came across a dervish, Hazrat Ibrahim Qanduzi (radiallahu anhu). He was deeply affected by the saint's holy manner, and Hazrat Ibrahim (radiallahu anhu) for his part transformed Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu)'s inner being. His eyes became opened to the ultimate realities of the spiritual world. Renouncing all material things, he sold his father's garden, all his possessions and distributed the money among the poor.
Still at a young age, he arrived at the great centres of learning in Samarkand and Bokhara, where he swiftly became a hafiz and distinguished alim, fully conversant in all aspects of Islamic thought. Unsatisfied with this, he began a strict regime of prayers, meditations, fasting and self-renunciation which continued for years and grew more intense and vigorous until Allah granted him the exalted rank of sainthood. He used to fast for seven days and nights, breaking fast on the eighth with a small crust of bread soaked in water. At this point, he felt the need for a shaykh, or spiritual guide, feeling the truth of the Qur'anic injunction,
O YE WHO BELIEVE! BE MINDFUL OF YOUR DUTY TOWARDS ALLAH, AND SEEK A
MEANS OF APPROACH UNTO HIM, AND STRIVE IN HIS WAY IN ORDER THAT YE MAY SUCCEED. (5:35)
He himself used to state, "success is not possible without a guide." He travelled extensively throughout the near East, finally finding a spiritual guide in Hazrat Khwaja Uthman Haruni (radiallahu anhu). In twenty years he spent under his murshid's guidance, he attained perfection in tasawwuf and was awarded the khilafat-e-azam by Khwaja Uthman (radiallahu anhu). He offered many pilgrimages both with his murshid and alone. It was during one of these, while in Madinah Sharif, that he was directed spiritually by Rasulallah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam)) to go to India and spread Islam there. He left immediately with 40 of his disciples, on the long and arduous journey.
Along the way, he stopped in several places including Baghdad, Isfahan and Balkh. In Baghdad Sharif, he was the guest of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (radiallahu anhu), the greatest of saints and founder of the Qadriyya silsila. Hazrat Ghaus-ul Azam (radiallahu anhu) organised a qawwali in his own house for the visitors, and he himself stood outside that night, with eyes closed and his staff tightly held against the ground. When asked the reason for his actions, he replied, "I needed to stop the ground shaking, such was the power of Khawja's wajd."
In Sabzwar, he came across a ruler of such corruption that he would not even hesitate to denigrate the holy sahaabi of the Holy Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam). Yet one glance from the great saint sufficed to render the man unconscious. When he awoke, his personality had changed completely; he gave up his kingdom, renounced all his possessions and became a mureed of Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu).
Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) and his disciples were in a cave in the mountains of the Hindu Kush when one of the most famous events in sufi history occurred. Hundreds of miles away, in Baghdad Sharif, Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (radiallahu anhu) pronounced his chieftainship of all auliya-allah by saying, "My foot is on the neck of all walis." Spiritually hearing the great saint's statement, Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) immediately threw himself down and stretched his neck against the floor, signifying his submission to that truth.
It was because of this type of humble obedience that Allah granted him the title, "Sultan-e-Hind", for he is the leader and spiritual head to all the hundreds of walis that have blessed India in after-times. So it was that Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) arrived in India at a time of tremendous upheaval and moral decay. The Ghaznavi dynasty was in its death throes, and the Rajput kings were gaining power. Tyrannical rulers were making life unbearable for common people, especially the muslims whose numbers were diminishing day by day.
Yet India is not named for no reason, "the land of saints and sufis"; its people had inherited a wealth of spirituality that yearned for expression. It was into such an arena that Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) stepped, a torch to India's tinder. First he went to Lahore, a centre of learning where resided a great number of Muslim theologians, philosophers and sufis. Yet he soon left this place, for his divinely guided mission was not to men such as these, but rather to those who were deprived of the light of Islam.
Thus he arrived in Delhi, which was to become the seat of his most famous successors. At the time, the city was a place of much fear and mutual hatred between Hindus and Muslims, but Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) began delivering his sermons in a soft tongue, dipped in honey. As a result of this kindness and forbearance, both Hindus and Muslims were turned towards the path of truth. The great wali was revered and loved by those of both religions, a trend which, was to be the hallmark of Sufism in India.
Soon, however, he left Delhi too, heading instead for the remote city of Ajmer, deep within the kingdom of the most powerful Rajput prince in Northern India, Raj Prithviraj.
This city was completely alien to Islam; no muslims at all lived within its bounds. It was in this hostile environment that Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) and his forty disciples settled and began the bulk of his teaching. Very soon, however, he changed the entire civic atmosphere, gathering people of all races, castes and stations to the shining truth of Islam. His high morals and frugal lifestyle deeply impressed the Hindus and all the while, the beautiful messages of the Qur'an and Sunnah entered deep into their hearts. Soon they started to convert, in multitudes upon multitudes, and the raja became alarmed as even his courtiers and high-ranking servants took up Islam.
It is interesting here to note that the raja's mother had predicted the arrival of Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu), and had warned her son not to interfere with him lest he suffer total destruction. Whether Raj Prithviraj forgot this prophecy or ignored it is unknown, but he began to harass the shaykh and trouble his followers. But Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu), holding firm to the Islamic doctrine that, "Allah is with those who patiently persevere," steadfastly carried on his peaceful mission. One day, however, he said, "the raja will be captured alive, and his kingdom snatched away." This prophecy was proven true not months later. The raja, was defeated by Sultan Shahabuddin, was captured alive and brought into the presence of the sultan, who ordered him executed. The power of the Rajputs was thus broken for more than three hundred years.
Khwaja Moinudeen Chishti (radiallahu anhu) carried on his work in Ajmer for 45 years, and millions entered Islam through his spiritual light and endeavours. Besides this great service, he also established permanent sufi centres which were run by such mighty disciples as Khwaja Qutbudeen Khaki, Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya, Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj Shakar and Khwaja Nasiruddeen Chiragh Delhawi (rahmatullahi ta'aala ajmaeen).
On the 29th Jamaad-us-Saani, before entering his bare cell for his usual meditations, he advised his attendants that he should not be disturbed until his khalifa-e-azam, Khwaja Qutbuddeen Khaki (radiallahu anhu), arrived from Delhi. On the 6th Rajab, 633 AH, his khalifa arrived and, receiving no answer to his polite knocking, the mureeds broke down the door. There they found that their beloved murshid had already left the world, at the ripe old age of ninety-six. To the wonder and amazement of all, upon his forehead was inscribed in letters of light,
HE WAS A LOVER OF ALLAH, AND HE DIED IN THE LOVE OF ALLAH.
Such was the passing of one of the greatest saints in Islamic history. Undoubtedly, if not for him and his enormous sacrifices, many of those who read this would not have been born into the mercy of this beautiful religion. One can only imagine the hardship he endured in his early years in Ajmer, in the kingdom of a hostile king, surrounded by a nation of polytheists, a people even whose native tongue - Sanskrit - was foreign to him.
How similar was his situation, and his conduct under adversity, to the Holy Prophet (saw) himself! How he managed to convert so many Hindus to Islam, working from the heart of their own kingdom, at a time when the only words that the two religions could address each other with were hatred and war, is a miracle in itself.
He not only moulded the character of a people, but also led them to a more prosperous, nobler way of living, and cultivated in them the qualities of humanity and truth. Through him and his immediate successors, the entire culture and civilisation of India underwent a profound change.
As alluded to before, apart from the millions of converts to Islam, the Bhakti Consciousness movement, modern Buddhism and Sikhism, all monotheistic or pantheistic in outlook emerged from the ancient religions of Hinduism and Buddhism due in great part to the Chishtiyya silsila's efforts in the path of Islam. As is stated in Sura al-Nasr,
When Allah's succour and triumph cometh, and thou seest mankind
entering the religion of Allah in troops, then hymn the praises of thy Lord,
and seek. forgiveness of Him Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy.
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