Speech delivered in Razvia Mosque on May 4th (5th Rajab) 2014
Auzoo billah Hi Minach Chaitwan nir Rajim
Bismillah ar Rehman ir Raheem
It is our intention today to make our respectful Salaams to one of the friends of Allah, one who was deputed by the holy Prophet of Allah to
carry on the work of bringing the light of peace to the subcontinent now known as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh; A follower of the Sufi
way whose fountain-head is the indomitable Hazrat Ali Murtaza; one who became a light that spread further even than that vast sub-
continent.
I mean it is our intention to pay our humble respects to Khawaja Muinuddin Hasan Chishti (ra) known as Khawaja Gharib Nawaz.
This is our intention today. Hamara Niyat Aise Hai.
First let us begin with gratitude for the the Mercy of Allah. Without ar-Rehman (the Merciful) not one of us in this room, no matter how long
the beard or how full of knowledge of the holy Quran, or how many times they may have performed Hajj or Umra, or how much zakat
(charity) they have given, or how many fasts they may have kept, or how often they pray, or however learned in hadiths they may be, or
however often they declare, la ilaha illallah Muuhammed dur rasulallah with their tongue, - not one of us would be safe on the day of
Judgement but for the Mercy – the Rehman of Allah. So our deepest and sincerest gratitude must be to the Mercy of Allah. To Ar Rehman;
and not only in this room but in any mosque or room in this or any other country. Subhan Allah. May the Mercy of Allah smile on us today.
The wise say: Allah the Creator, first from His own indescribable and unlimited light brought forth the Nur - i – Muhammed (logos). From this
light he created the divine souls, even before time itself existed. Then He created our father Adhem (Adam) and breathed His Ruh
(soul/breath) into that clay. The divine souls became the Prophets, whose souls are derived of the same divine light.
The time of the Prophets on this earth passed with the advent of Prophet Muhammed SAW, though in truth they live still as a Mercy of Allah,
but hidden behind the veil of this world. But Allah’s Mercy did not cease he continued to inspire men of great purity so that the evidence of
the Mercy of Allah still remains even in this visible world. These are the saints of Allah may He be well pleased with each and every one of
them and may Allah be thanked for them.
Brothers and sisters, in the way of the physical universe every moment is unique. At no time again will all the billions upon billions of
elements in the physical world and its many galaxies be ever the same again. Yet some things return in familiar forms, the day dawns, the
sun sets, the seasons come and go and return. Today we come again to the holy month of Rajab and to a time for celebrating the occasion
when one of the lover’s of Allah returned to his Beloved. I mean the ‘Urs of Khawaja Gharib Nawaz.
Khawaja Gharib Nawaz (ra) – one cannot mention this name without the thought of Divine Love. So the question arises as to what exactly
divine Love is – what does it mean. Let us look at what it does not mean. It does not mean the law of the jungle – in the law of the jungle the
rule is the survival of the fittest. Kill or be killed. Satisfy carnal lusts without regard for others. Power through force - this is the rule in the
animal kingdom, but it does not apply just to the animal kingdom – for man too has an animal nature – this is evident in the world we see
around us.
Brothers sisters look around you at the world we inhabit you will see everywhere greed, lust, selfishness, anger, hostility, brute force,
malice, evil thoughts evil words and evil actions. There is disharmony in families, between social groups, between brother and brother, sister
and sister, between religions and within religions, between caste and class, between countries, colours, and creeds, between political
parties and ideologies, between cultures.
The world is constantly hovering on the brink of self-destruction. So some people call out to God, to Allah, to Khuda, the Divinity by
whatever name they know Him; or not believing in anything they wring their hands in despair. What is the solution they ask? The answer to
this despair has been given, and it is the answer that was preached by Khawaja Gharib Nawaz (ra) and many other saints and people who
came to know Allah – That is the Law of Love.
It is pointless to try to define what Love is – it can be known but it cannot be defined. We can however see what its manifestations are – just
as we cannot define Allah or God, we cannot define Love. We can see the ayat the signs of Allah, just so we can see the manifestations of
Love but not Love itself.
Love is manifest in every act of humanity; every act of kindness; every moment when we do something for the benefit of others and not for
our own benefit. It is manifest in the feelings of a mother for a new born infant, it is manifest in the care a parent shows to a son or daughter
who is handicapped or that a friend shows for a friend in trouble, or brother for brother. It is manifest when someone forgives an offence
against themselves. It is manifest when the rich and poor alike embrace as brothers as after the Eid prayers. It is manifest when we care for
the ones who are elderly; when we grieve for the loved one who has died. It is manifest in acts of charity that are done secretly. It is manifest
when a husband and wife live together in harmony; when a child does something to please their parent or sister or brother. It is manifest in
the glow of happiness that spreads inside the human heart just to be in the company of a friend, or beloved.
It is also manifest in the lives of good people. And the best of these are the Prophets and Saints of Allah. It was manifest in Rasulallah’s
(saw) whole life. It was manifest in the love he showed his family and companions, the love for the holy five, Panjitan is well known.
The highest form of Love is undoubtedly the love of Allah, the love of God, the Love of the divine Essence. Just as Rasulallah approached
Allah to within two bow lengths distance – where even Gabriel could not follow, yet he returned to this world to fulfil his prophetic mission. So
there are saints who gave their whole life to seeking the essence of Love, the Love of Allah and yet did so through service to mankind. The
holy Quran refers to people whose love of Allah is so great it is overflowing.
This Love whose source is Divine was marvellously made manifest in the life of Khawaja Muinuddin Hasan Chishti (ra) to whom we make our
respectful and reverential salaams today.
Love does not ask what religion you are, what family you come from, what colour you are, how rich you are, what country you come from.
Whether you have sinned or not sinned. It says come and be purified of every outward and inward impurity. Khawaja Saheb puts it this way
– There is a fire in the heart of a lover that burns everything that comes into it. That is the fire of Love.
Let us see the evidence of Love in the whole life Khawaja Saheb. How as an infant he made signs for his mother Bibi Mah Nur to give milk to
other infants. How as a child he gave his new Eid clothes to a poor child. How he sold his small inheritance from his venerable father
Khawaja Ghiyasuddin, in order to devote his life to the search for the Truth.
Khawaja Saheb was born in the year 530 AH, in what is now called Iran, he was born in Isfahan but grew up in Sanjar, so he is known as
Sanjari – coming from Sanjar. He passed his last days in Ajmer Sharif where he is buried thus he is also called Ajmeri.
His patronage of the poor and suffering and the needy was a legend and so he became known as Khawaja Gharib Nawaz. The Patron of
the poor.
O Lord of the worlds, what great mercy You had,
When you sent us such a light from sweet Sanjer
How broad and deep was the compassion he had,
That true man who came to us from sweet Sanjer.
Ya Sanjari, Ya Ajmeri, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz.(x4)
What a power to make our hearts carefree he had,
That true lover of Allah, that came from sweet Sanjer,
What beauty that deputy of holy Mustafa had,
That pilgrim of love’s way that came from sweet Sanjer
Ya Sanjari, Ya Ajmeri, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz.(x4)
The courage of a lion from brave Hazrat Ali he had,
That illustrious Saint who came to us from sweet Sanjer.
The loving look of Khawaja Uthman Harooni he had,
That Pir o Murshid who came to us from sweet Sanjer,
Ya Sanjari, Ya Ajmeri, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz.(x4)
How great was the Baraka, of the Chishti saints he had.
That Sultan-ul Hind, that came to us from sweet Sanjer.
He opened his heart to all, happy and sad, good and bad,
Rich and poor flock to the door of the Saint from Sanjer.
Ya Sanjari, Ya Ajmeri, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz.(x4)
At 15 years of age Khawaja Muinuddin met a wandering mystic known as Khawaja Ibrahim Qandoozi who came to the garden of the young
man and was so impressed by the respect he was shown he gave the young man a piece of seed cake he had chewed. Then Khawaja
Saheb became a changed person and sold everything he had inherited, gave the money to the poor, and went in search of a higher calling.
The political world around that time was terrible – massacres – the killing of the learned men, of children and women, was common place.
There was destruction of libraries, Kings were murdered by their sons, life was fragile and politics was ruled by force not by law. The
civilising affect of Islam was under serious threat from many sources, both from within and without.
After his education Khawaja Saheb took to the life of a travelling mystic. He met his uncle Hazrat Ghaus Pak (Hz Abdul Qadir al-Jillani) who
predicted he would be a source of devotion to millions of people. His travels brought him to a meeting with Khawaja Uthman Harooni whom
he was to serve for over twenty years.
Here we should make our respectful salams to the saints who preceded Khawaja Uthman Harooni and were thus the spiritual forebears of
Khawaja Saheb. Of course all the sufi orders trace their descent to the holy Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and to Hazrat Ali Murtaza his son in
law – may Allah be well pleased with him.
The Shilshila (chain of transmission) of the Chishti Order
The Holy Prophet Muhammed Mustafa
(peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him and his family and descendents)
Hazrat Syedna Ali Murtaza (pbuh)
Khawaja Hasan Basri (ra)
Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Wahid bin Zaid (ra)
Khawaja Fuzail bin Ayez (ra)
Khawaja Sultan Ibrahim bin Adhem of Balkh (ra)
Hazrat Khawaja Sadeeduddin Khadeefa Marashee (ra)
Hazrat Khawaja Abee Hubera Basri (ra)
Hazrat Shaikh Mumshad Alu Denoori (ra)
Chishti
Hazrat Khawaja Abu Ishaq Shami Chishti (ra)
Hazrat Shaikh Abu Ahmed Chishti (ra)
Hazrat Shaikh Abu Mohammed Chishti (ra)
Hazrat Khawaja Abu Yusuf Chishti (ra)
Hazrat Khawaja Moudoud Chishti (ra)
Hazrat Shaikh Khawaja Hajji Sharif Zindani (ra)
Hazrat Khawaja Uthman Harooni (ra)
Hazrat Khawaja Muinuddin Hasan Chishti of Sanjar and Ajmer (ra)
Love; Ishq! So small a word yet so much power it contains. Mevlana Rumi called it the astrolabe of the mysteries of Allah. An astrolabe is a
small instrument but with it we can measure the vastness of the heavens.
Love is the way of the Prophets and true Sufis and indeed of holy men from all faiths.
Yes it is correct to say that the lower animal nature (the nafs al amara) and the wiles of the deceiver of man, Shaitan, have tried again and
again to associate this word with sensuality and lust, but the perceptive man or woman understands the difference and is not fooled by it.
The Love of the Prophets and saints is for the Source of their very existence; for that which alone is not created: The Uncreated Creator.
As I said earlier the holy Qur’an refers to those whose ‘Love of Allah is overflowing’. The love and compassion of these great ones for
mankind is an overflowing of this love.
Rasulallah himself came to within two bows lengths of His Creator. So close even angel Gabriel dare not go. Then what had he to do with
the helping of mankind if it was not that the overflowing of that Divine Love gave him pity for the state of man and thus he returned from that
exalted state and dealt with the business of spreading the religion of Truth to mankind, despite of their hostility, stupidity and foolishness
and meanness and selfishness.
It was Rasulallah who, in Medina one blessed day gave to Khawaja Gharib Nawaz the duty to spread the truth to the dark and troubled land
of what was then known as Hindusthan.
Let us go back a step and rehearse what led up to this. We have heard how Khawaja Gharib Nawaz (ra) began to follow the path of seeking
Truth, And his early travels. Now let us recall how he was initiated a second time by Khawaja Uthman Harooni his spiritual guide.
This is a translation of Khawaja Saheb’s own words made by my own Shaykh Dr Zahurul Hasan Sharib.
I, Moinuddin Hasan of Sanjar - well wisher of all the the faithful, had the honour of meeting Hazrat Khawaja Uthman Harooni in the mosque
of Khawaja Junaid of Baghdad (ra). His holiness was surrounded by inspired Dervishes…….(he).. asked me to offer two
genuflexions…Then he asked me to sit with my face towards Kaaba– he asked me to recite sura Baqara – which I did.
Further he commanded me to recite benedictions on the holy Prophet Muhammed (pbhu). I obeyed. Khawaja Uthman Harooni stood up and
holding my hand lifted his face towards the sky and said --‘Come let me cause thee to reach Allah.’
After placing the four edged cap and bestowing a robe on Khawaja Saheb they sat down. There followed a day and night of asceticism.
Khawaja Saheb continues.
‘The next day, when I attended upon him he asked me to sit down and recite Sura Ikhlas 4000 times. I did.
He asked me to look towards the sky. I did.
He asked me ‘How far do you see’. I replied ‘up to the Great Throne’. Next he asked me to look towards the ground. I did.
He asked me, ‘How far do you see?’ ‘I replied – to the furthest reaches of the earth’ .
Next he asked me to recite Sura Ikhlas again a thousand times. I did.
He asked me to look towards the sky again. I did.
He asked me ‘How far do you see now? I replied, ‘Up to the Great Hidden’.
Next he asked me to close my eyes. I did. He asked me to open my eyes. I did.
Next, showing me two fingers, he asked me what I saw there. I replied 18000 worlds.’
After that Khawaja Saheb was instructed to look under a certain brick where he found some dinars. He was instructed to distribute them
amongst the poor.
Later the following account is given of events in Mecca.
Khawaja Saheb says:
‘After going round the Kaaba Khawaja Uthman Harooni took my hand and entrusted me to Allah. He prayed in Kaaba for my humble self. A
voice was heard - ‘We have accepted Moinuddin’.
On reaching Medina they presented themselves at the court of the holy Prophet (pbuh). Khawaja Saheb was instructed to offer his
reverential salaams. A voice came out saying
‘Peace be on you also, O head of the Pious of the Earth and the Sea.’ On hearing this Khawaja Uthman said - ‘Now, indeed, you have
reached perfection’.
One day when Khawaja Saheb was absorbed in prayer in Kaaba he heard a voice saying:
-‘ O Moinuddin! We are greatly pleased with thee. Thou art given salvation. Ask for anything thou may like so that We may grant it to thee.’
Khawaja Saheb prayed not for himself but for the salvation for his followers and disciples and the reply came:
‘O Moinuddin thou art our accepted one. I will give salvation to thy followers and disciples, and also to those who may enter thy fold till the
Day of Resurrection.’
After reaching Medina he received from the holy Prophet (pbuh) a mandate to the effect that:
‘O Moinuddin! Thou art a helper of my religion. I entrust to thee the country of Hindusthan. There prevails darkness. Proceed on to Ajmer
and spread there the gospel of Truth’.
Khawaja Saheb became drowsy and was blessed with seeing in vision, the city of Ajmer.
He was bidden farewell and given the gift of a pomegranate from heaven.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
To the seeker of the Way of Love,
A name that resounds in heaven above.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was
For Allah has poured into that name
Shelter for the poor, sick, blind and lame.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
To the sick in heart, mind, or soul,
The way he showed to make them whole.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
The holy Prophet’s love is found in it,
By the needy ones who Ajmer visit.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
Hazrat Ali the brave, to this name lends
The Baraka that from Allah descends.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
From Sanjar to holy Usman Harooni he came
Now he is known to all by this great name.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
It is a name that burns up any sin,
And refreshes the pilgim from within.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
To be pure, humble, generous and just
This is a name you must learn to trust.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
Tasked with a whole continent to save,
The love of the One God to all he gave.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
Being free from all kinds of bigotry
He opened his door to all, even me
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
Many miracles from Allah came and went
The message of Love remained, permanent.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
When the time to meet his Beloved came
The angels were surely singing this name
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
Now beneath Allah’s throne he lives
And to all the sincere, blessings he gives.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
He does not judge folk by what they say
But how in their true heart they pray.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,,
No sweeter name there ever was,
Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Christian, or Jew,
He never refused those who were true.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
To his ‘Urs they come from everywhere
Presidents and paupers to say their prayer
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
No sweeter name there ever was,
Now in Ajmer this refrain is everywhere
Even from those who only in spirit are there.
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz,
A sweeter name there never was.
The name by which Khawaja Muinuddin Hasan Chishti
Can be invoked by all – yes by you and by me.
Khawaja Saheb’s eminent disciple and Sajjadnashin was Hazrat Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki – Khawaja Saheb received a dream for forty
nights directing him to make Qutub Saheb his successor. Qutub Saheb was given the spiritual dominion of Delhi. Later he appointed
Khawaja Baba Farid as his successor, and later still Khawaja Nizamuddin Awlia, finally Khawaja Nasiruddin Chiragi of Delhi was appointed –
and finding no one suitable to take on the mantle he had the holy relics which had been passé down in the Chishti order, buried with him.
After making Qutub Saheb his successor Khawaja Saheb settled in Ajmer.
Eventually when his time came and his work in this mortal body was complete and the message of the overpowering importance of Love of
Allah was established as a doctrine that should be available to all whatever their background or religion, he was finally united with his
Beloved forever.
I will give you the description written in the book of my own Shaikh Dr Zahurul Hasan Sharib.
On Monday the 6th of Rajab 627 AH – the 21st May 1229 Gharib Nawaz after night prayers went into his room and closed the door. He did
not permit anyone to enter in. All night long the people outside heard a mystic sound coming from the room....
At the approach of dawn the sound was not to be heard. When the door remained closed at the time of the morning prayers his devotees
thought there was something unusual. In short, when the door was opened they found him dead and on his forehead was written these
words:
Haza habeeb Allahi
Mata fii hub Allahi
'He was a beloved of Allah, He died in the love of Allah'.
That night in dream some saints saw the holy Prophet Muhammed saying:
Moinuddin is a friend of Allah. Today I have come to welcome him.
Qutub Saheb wrote this:
‘.. I felt a little drowsy whilst sitting on my prayer carpet. I saw that he (Gharib Nawaz) was standing underneath the throne of God. I put my
head upon his feet and inquired his condition. He replied: ‘God has been merciful enough to shower His blessings upon me. He has allotted
me a place near the angels and thus underneath His Throne. I live here.’
Brothers and sister _ I speak sometime to people who have a genuine interest in Islam coming from a background of a very different culture.
Islam appears as something very pure and austere – like a magnificent pure palace of shining white marble. Full of rules to maintain that
purity – rules of how to behave that are minute and detailed, covering every aspect of human behaviour – it is the most superb and
magnificent building – but sometimes in the mind of people looking at this comes the thought – but where is the heart of this building so
pure and clean – where is the passion. Yes there is passion in defending Islam from enemies or insults but where is the love that inspires
and attracts.
Well the warm beating heart of Islam was alive in the holy Prophet (SAW), it was alive in the passion and courage of Hazrat Ali. It was alive in
the companions who wept to hear the words of the holy Quran spoken – and it is kept alive in the hearts and minds of the Awliya Allah. To
those wondering about the heart of Islam, its deep sense of Love and Humanity, I point to the mystics of Islam – there see the models for
passion and devotion. There see a heart that bleeds for the wretched state of mankind. There see Khawaja Muinuddin Hasan Chishti (ra).
A man or woman or child does not survive without a heart that is beating, neither does a religion, nor even our common humanity (NAS) –
the preachers of love’s way such as Gharib Nawaz are the very beating heart of the religion of Allah, of any religion.
Now a practical question comes – how to apply this simple and profound philosophy of love of Khawaja Sahib to our lives today. The answer
to that is many layered it comes in focussing all our attention on love, on the things that unite and not the things that divide. On the inner
realisation that as God is one, so is the soul of mankind essentially one. The thing we focus our attention on we attract towards us. Here is
one example in the sphere of controlling our thoughts – a very important practice to find inner peace.
Someone said to me – my mind is confused my thoughts run this way and that: Recalling the utmost importance that Khawaja Saheb gave
to love this answer came to me:
When the mind is confused turning this way and that,
Thoughts running off in all directions, what to do?
Turn your attention to one thought and that
Thought is love and all its manifestations too.
Think of love’s nights and of and love’s days,
Think of love and love’s many varied ways,
Think of love and what it means to you,
Think of love and what it makes you do.
Think of love and the kindness it can display,
Think of love and its light do not betray.
Think what the holy prophets did for you,
Think how holy Mustafa loved Allah too,
Think how Lord Jesus’ breath of love cures ills,
Think of taking all these many, many love pills.
Think how Prophet (Moses) Musa braved Pharuns ire,
Think how Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) survived the fire.
Think How Prophet Yunus (Jonah) turned to Allah’s Mercy,
Think how our father Adhem (Adam) his own fault did see,
Think of Gharib Nawaz way’, and Hafiz Shirazi,
Think of love’s advocates like great Mevlana Rumi,
Think of the greatness of Hazrat Abdul Qadir al Jillani too,
Think of the power of love to change you,
Think of the circle of love surrounding you,
Think of a mother’s love for a baby infant,
Think how simple love is and yet so elegant,
Think of the word Love and the power it displays,
Think of loves lasting effect, it is no passing craze,
Think of the spirit of love, rising higher in you,
Think how love is always returning, uniting too.
Think how love binds every brother to brother,
Think how love binds, all mankind to each other.
Think how love is the common denominator,
Think how, of evil, love is the sure exterminator.
And persist in the thought of love and its ways,
Till thought rests in love’s bosom and there it stays.
Even the thought of love is a great power, but its reality is beyond even that. The saints have said its reality is a gift we can only receive
from the spiritual guide by the grace of Allah. When it enters the heart it is known but cannot be defined or described. The ordinary love we
feel for others is but its shadow.
We cannot earn this divine love, but by the constant remembrance of Allah in the heart, we may make ourselves fit to receive it. Mevlana
Rumi says we transform our mind into a garden of good thoughts and actions; but however much we do this it is only when the Beloved
comes, Allah, that our garden really comes to life – but then we do not concern ourselves with the garden any longer only with the Beloved.
Divine Love is a spiritual power whose manifestation is seen and felt in the material world, in the sphere of social behaviour, in the sphere of
humanitarian concern for the welfare of others. It is seen in the multitude of people of all backgrounds, faiths, classes and castes who
throng to Khawaja Saheb’s Urs. It is seen in the mingling of teachers with students, clerks with farmers, the rich with the poor, the doctors
with patients, the film stars with the fans, the tycoons with the labourers, the handicapped with the fit, the elderly with the young, the nurse
with taxi driver, the computer savvy with the illiterate beggar, the energetic with the lazy, the hungry with the well-fed, the Mufti with the kafir,
the pious with drunkard, the poet with the practical man, the Hindu with the Muslim, the Jew with the Christian.
It is manifest in many ways but its essence is purely spiritual. It is a divine gift.
This was basically what Khawaja Saheb taught and it is a lesson more relevant today than ever; when divisions and extremism in many
forms threatens the very existence of a civilised society. Therefore we pay our tribute to Khawaja Saheb by emphasising its importance
today. How better to pay our respect to this friend of Allah who lives today beyond the veil of the known physical universe, but alive,
because he lived a life devoted to this ideal, and found the pleasure of Allah in so doing.
May the universal song of love that Khawaja Saheb sang throughout his life reverberate in our own hearts today and every day. May Allah
be well pleased with him and may his blessings be upon those here present and upon all attending his ‘urs today in Ajmer Sharif.
amin