The fountain head of the saints of the Ummat of Rasulallah was the lion hearted
Hazrat Ali Murtaza. It is said of Hazrat Ali that when Allah disclosed a portion of the
Divine Secrets to him he was so overawed by it that he had to shout them into a well.
Who would not want to know what those divine secrets were?
To hear what Allah to Hazrat Ali did tell,
You must become an empty well,
Like the one into which Prophet Yusuf fell;
You must also learn never to tell.
This was a consistent theme in the teachings of the Saints – to receive Allah’s
blessings become empty of self importance, in fact of self.
Into an empty bowl blessings will be poured, into one full of the self, this cannot
happen. So the message of the saints was to be empty of selfishness and of self.
This was the meaning of spiritual poverty.
Now the saint of Allah, whose ‘Urs we celebrate today, Khawaja Muinuddin Hasan
Chishti (ra) was also known by the name of patron of the poor, Khawaja Gharib
Nawaz. He was, and remains, a patron of the poor in two senses – firstly in
encouraging the feeding of those in material poverty, which continues in his name to
this day after 800 years. The second was to provide spiritual blessings to the sincere
seekers who had become empty of selfishness and self and came to his door for
some of the overflowing spiritual wealth that Allah had bestowed on him.
The Baraka the saints bestow has its source in Allah of course and flows through
the blessings of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and Hazrat Ali Murtaza (May
Allah bless him).
Amongst the Awliya Allah the Baraka was passed from generation to generation.
These are the spiritual forbears of Khawaja Muinuddin Hasan Chishti.
Khawaja Hasan Basri (ra)
Khawaja Shaikh Abdul Wahid bin Zaid (ra)
Khawaja Fuzail bin Ayez (ra)
Khawaja Sultan Ibrahim bin Adhem of Balkh (ra)
Khawaja Sadeeduddin Khadeefa Marashee (ra)
Khawaja Abee Hubera Basri (ra)
Khawaja Shaikh Mumshad Alu Denoori (ra)
the Chishti order was founded by his disciple who came from Chisht in Afghanistan –
he was called
Khawaja Abu Ishaq Shami Chishti (ra)
Khawaja Shaikh Abu Ahmed Chishti (ra)
Khawaja Shaikh Abu Mohammed Chishti (ra)
Khawaja Abu Yusuf Chishti (ra)
Khawaja Moudoud Chishti (ra)
Khawaja Hajji Sharif Zindani (ra)
Khawaja Uthman Harooni (ra)
Khawaja Muinuddin Hasan Chishti of Sanjar and Ajmer (ra)
The Baraka or spiritual grace was passed not by teachings in the way that we
learn things at school but by a wonderful spiritual transference which cannot be
imagined.
Ya Khawaja Khawajagan, Ya Khawaja Khawajagan, Ya Khawaja Khawajagan
About Khawaja Saheb’s life we have heard already today.
We have heard of the marvellous selfless behaviour he showed even as an infant.
We have heard how Khawaja Saheb was orphaned at a young age when his
venerable father Khawaja Ghiasuddin passed away, how he met a mystic called Hz
Ibrahim Qanduzi and was transformed by that contact and went in search of Truth.
Let us now recall how Khawaja Saheb was initiated (for a second time) by
Khawaja Uthman Harooni, in his own words.
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’.
For ten further years Khawaja Saheb accompanied his guide on his travels
carrying on his head his bedding and water pot.
After serving Khawaja Uthman Harooni for altogether 22 years Khawaja Saheb
parted from him in Baghdad, having received the holy relics of the Prophet
Muhammed (pbuh) that were passed down through the Chishti order.
Khawaja Saheb travelled on, staying in graveyards. He met Qutub Saheb (ra) and
accepted him as his disciple. They went on Hajj.
One day when he 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.
We have heard of how Khawaja Saheb eventually reached Ajmer after long
travels. With just a small band of followers and in the teeth of opposition from the
Raja of that place he established himself.
You may have heard the story of how when he was asked to move to make way
for the camels of the Raja he caused all the camels to sit so that they would not get
up at all until the servants of the Raja begged his forgiveness. Many such miracles
are recorded.
His 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. 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.’
Ya Khawaja Gharib Nawaz
Now in Ajmer 800 years later people still mark the event- in his Urs – a half million
people descend on Ajmer till it becomes almost impossible to walk in the streets.
They are of all kinds rich and poor, young and old, fit and sick, with skin black,
brown, white, yellow. Sikhs, Parsis, Jews, Hindus, believers and unbelievers. They
are farmers, peons, business men, craftsmen, doctors, lawyers, soldiers, sailors, film
stars, presidents, paupers, men women and children of every age and kind,
courtesans and priests, Maulvis and Sufis. Thus the doctrine of Come All is seen in
practice not as just fine sounding words.
There are many languages to be heard too but from the babble of sound one
great sound emerges, one great theme:
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.
People come to his shrine in Ajmer to ask for many things, a child, recovery from
sickness, a good marriage, good crops and so on. Some come to get spiritual benefit
or divine knowledge. Whatever people may come to ask some receive specifically
but all irrespective receive the blessings of Allah in some way or another whether
they are aware of it or not. The Holy Qur’an speaks of those men whose Love of
Allah is so intense that it is overflowing and it is this overflowing of Divine Love that
all who approach with open hearts receive.
How is it that the saints get so many prayers and pleas heard. I heard it put this
way once. The way of the Sufis is that people come to them and say pray for me
please. They smile and inwardly put that prayer in their pocket.
Now when by the grace of Ar-Rehman there soul reaches to the Divine throne,
from Love of Allah they become overpowered and fall down in a faint. Then Allah
seeing the sincerity of his lover asks what is in his pocket and it is brought to Him. In
it is a list of all the prayers that have been requested of him. Because of his pleasure
with His lover He says to each – granted, granted, granted.
O Gharib Nawaz hear this our plea,
Cleanse the mirror of our heart that we may be,
In wonder at the love Allah has for thee,
And from ignorance and doubt ever be free.
Though in Southampton physically far are we,
In our heart we seek today to be with thee,
We live in land of material wealth for sure
But it is our hearts, and minds we seek to be pure.
A speech delivered in Razvia Mosque, Southampton on 27th May 2012. (Part 2)