IECRC (USA & Canada)

Issue 10

February 2006 / Muharram 1427

Just like the full moon’s sweeping bright light covers the earth for miles on end into and beyond the horizons, similarly the miracles, saintliness, spiritual benefits and bounties of the 13^th century CE Saint, Hazrat Baba Fareeduddin Masood Ganj Shakar (may Allah have mercy on him) proclaim a fame that reach beyond the Indian Subcontinent into Arabia, Iran, and the entire Muslim world. And just like the full bloomed flower fragrances the entire garden, the veracious and pious life of   Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) has been resuscitating lifeless and encrusted hearts for centuries. Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him)  is not just one of the most prominent Saints of the Chishtiya Spiritual Order, but the world of Punjabi poetry owes its existence to him.  According to the narrations of historians, the seeds of Punjabi poetry were sown by his blessed hands.  Through his poetry he has guided the astray and made Saints out of thieves.  Even today his poetry is read with much devotion and reverence.  Through his love and sincere struggles Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) removed the thorns of disbelief and polytheism from the Punjab which was the center of idol worship. It was the result of his consistent efforts that hundreds of thousands of misguided people found the light of faith (Iman).  Many candles were lit from this light and this has been ongoing for several centuries.

Syed Mohammad Kirmani (may Allah have mercy on him), the spiritual disciple (mureed) of the Crown of the Scholars (Sultan-ul-Mashaikh) Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya (may Allah have mercy on him), writes in his famous book “Sair-ul-Awliya” that the blood lineage of Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) traces back to Farrukh Shah Adil, the king of Kabul by 7 generations, to Hazrat Sultan Ibrahim Adham (may Allah have mercy on him) by 17 generations, and by 22 generations to the Rightly Guided Caliph, the Great Hazrat Umar Farooq (may Allah be well pleased with him).  The descendants of Farrukh Shah lost the Sultanate to the brutal attacks of Chengiz Khan forcing Hazrat Baba Fareed’s (may Allah have mercy on him) paternal grandfather Hazrat Qazi Shoaib (may Allah have mercy on him) to migrate from Kabul to India.  This was the time when Punjab, Ajmer, and Delhi were under the Muslim Mughal rule of Shahabuddin Ghori.  When the Mughal emperor discovered the greatness of Hazrat Qazi Shoaib (may Allah have mercy on him), he gifted the entire city of Multan to him.  Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) was the middle born son of Hazrat Kamaluddin Sulaiman, the son of Hazrat Qazi Shoaib (may Allah have mercy on them both).  There are varying reports as to the year of birth of Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him).  Mohammad Akbar Qadri relates in “Hayat-e-Faridi” that the great Saint was born in the year 584 Hijri (about 1188 CE) in the village of Khatwal in Multan, Pakistan. His parents named him Fareeduddin Masood. Who knew that this baby was to become famous as Hazrat Baba Fareeddun Ganj Shakr (may Allah have mercy on him), a star in the history of Islam? History cannot tell us when he became an orphan but historians say that this happened at a very young age. Bibi Qasim Khatoon (may Allah have mercy on her), his blessed mother was very well versed in the Holy Quran and Hadeeth, and labored hard to raise her son in a very religious environment.  In his poetry, Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) mentions the miracles at the hands of his mother and how she was at the extremely high station in spirituality (Wilayat) of Vasalane Haq.

Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) obtained his early education in religious studies in his birth village of Khatwal. He memorized the entire Holy Quran in Arabic, i.e. became a Hafiz at the young age of twelve. He then proceeded for higher learning to main Multan which was the center of knowledge and scholarship at the time. One of the most prominent spiritual disciples of Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him), Sultan-ul-Mashaikh Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in his “Sair-ul-Arifeen” that the great Saint lodged in Masjid Mawlana Minhajuddin Tirmizi in Multan and began his studies.  Everyday he would complete one recitation of the Holy Quran.  He was about 12 or 13 years old at the time.  Once, when he was reading the book “Nafi’”, he was visited by Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him), the spiritual disciple (mureed) and successor (Khalifa) of Sultan-ul-Hind Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti (may  Allah have mercy on him), who asked him what he was reading.  Hazrat Baba replied with the name of the book which means “one that gives benefit”.  Hazrat Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him) replied that Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) would receive much benefit from this book.  To this Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) replied that what would truly benefit him was the discipleship of Hazrat Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him). Saying this, he presented himself humbly to the great Qutb.  Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) was 18 years old at the time.  He fell deeply in love with Hazrat Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him) and when the great Qutb departed for Delhi from Multan, Hazrat Baba  Fareed went with him.  However after a short time, the Qutb instructed his devotee to return to Multan to complete his mastery of the external sciences of Islam, the Shariat, saying that “the ascetic (zahid) without knowledge is satan”.  Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) diligently pursued his studies for 5 years. Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in his “Rahat-ul-Quloob” where the Sultanul Mashaikh has compiled all the sayings of his beloved spiritual master, that from Multan the great Saint left for Baghdad Shareef where he visited all the great scholars of his time; topping the list were Shaykhul Mashaikh Hazrat Shahabuddin Soharwardi, Hazrat Shaykh Bahauddin Zakariya Multani, and Shaykh Saifuddin Khizri (may Allah have mercy on them all).  For higher learning he went to Jerusalem, Madina Munawwara, Makka   Mukarrama and Kirman (Iran).  After completing all the external sciences, traveling the Muslim world, and visiting the scholars and Sufi Saints of his time, Hazrat Baba was ecstatic with happiness as the time had now come to visit his beloved Hazrat Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him). Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) came to Delhi and presented himself in the service of Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him).  After 3 days the Qutb accepted his hand in the Prophetic spiritual contract (bai’ah) placing his turban (Imama) on him saying that a Sufi scholar should have the ability to remove the rust of the hearts with one spiritual sight (nazar) and take the seekers to their destination – Allah Almighty.  This was the beginning of Hazrat Baba Fareed’s (may Allah have mercy on him) inner spiritual journey at the hands of his beloved Murshid (Spiritual Guide).  Hazrat Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him) said that a man’s perfection lies in 4 things: sleep less, eat less, speak less and keep less company of the people.  As part of his inner struggles, Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) requested his Murshid for intense spiritual exercises (mujahida).  He was asked to keep the fast of “Tay”, which involves fasting for 3 days and then eating whatever one is presented from the unseen (ghayb).  Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) did as he was instructed and on the third day someone brought him some bread.  However upon eating it he threw it all up.  He went to  Hazrat Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him) and told him what happened.  The Qutb replied that this was a great mercy upon Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) from his Lord as that food had been prepared from the earnings of an alcoholic.  He was asked to repeat his 3 day fast.  Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) obeyed unquestioningly.  The continuous fast of 6 days made him extremely frail.  The pangs of hunger had him put some pebbles in his mouth and by Allah Almighty’s Mercy and Grace, they turned into sugar! (Sairul Awliya). His Murshid told him that from now on Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) will always be sweet.  And how true that his sweetness is felt even today after a period of over 800 years! This is how he became famous as “Ganj Shakar,” the treasury of sweetness. It was the prayers and spiritual grace (faiz) of his Murshid that people began flocking to Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) and miracles (karamaat) began to abound at his blessed hands.

Hazrat Baba Fareed’s (may Allah have mercy on him) Punjabi poetry in and of itself is a great miracle.  Through it he has given teachings that have transformed the lives and hearts of many.  His poetry teaches reliance on Allah (Tawakkul), satiation (qana’at), patience (sabr), love (muhabbat), and fear of Allah (khaufe Khuda) amongst other essentials of life.  A famous Punjabi couplet of his says:

Rukkhi Sukhi khai ke thanda paani pee e

Fareeda dekh parai chopdee na tarsain jee u

Eat dry food, then drink cold water

Fareed don’t desire your neighbor’s house

When he was sending his distinguished mureed, Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya (may Allah have mercy on him) to Delhi he advised him “Keep your enemies happy as much as possible; repay your debts as soon as possible; discussion and debate between two people is more beneficial than the individual efforts of one person for 2 years.”  He further advised to keep ones good and bad hidden from people and to make efforts that one remains alive even after one’s death. He further said that those who feed birds will eventually be visited by “Huma”, the king of birds.  In other words he advised to keep oneself involved in small acts of goodness and eventually a great task will be carried through one’s being.  Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) also authored the “Fawaidus Salikeen” which outlines the benefits of spiritual seekers on their spiritual journey to Allah Almighty.

Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) told his Murshid once that people ask him for ta’weez (protective prayers). To this Hazrat Bakhtiar Kaki (may Allah have mercy on him) replied, “Fareeduddin, Ta’weez is Allah’s Name. Give it to the people.”  Through the permission and prayers of his Murshid his blessed hands acquired such blessing and affect that all the Ta’weez he gave alleviated people’s pains. Khwaja Ahmed Siustani, a mureed of his used to bring Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) water for ablution.  One day he did not bring the water. Hazrat Baba Fareed enquired the reason to which the mureed replied that he had severe pain in his back. Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) placed his blessed hands over his disciple’s back and from that point on he never complained of pain.

Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) was blessed with both physical as well as spiritual children.  However his spiritual children, i.e. disciples surpass his blood descendants by a great number.  It is said that there are over 10 million spiritual disciples of Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) in India alone.  In addition to this, his disciples abound in Arabia, and Africa.  In China alone there are 150 spiritual centers (Khanqas) of his spiritual order.  Of his most famous spiritual successors are Hazrat Qutb Jamal-ud-Deen Hanswi, Khwaja Nizamuddin Awliya, and Hazrat Makhdum Alauddin Sabir Kaleri (may Allah have mercy on them all).

Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) spent the last 18 years of his life in Pak Patan, near Multan and Lahore in Pakistan.  Pak Patan was previously known as Ajodhan.  This name meant the “place of magicians,” as this place was filled with evil sorcerers who were engaged in black magic (sahr).  As soon as Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) arrived into Ajodhan, he said that this is where he was meant to stay and this is where he would pass away.  It was the effect of his blessed footsteps that Ajodhan was cleansed and purified of the magicians getting its name as “Pak Patan.”

Towards the end of 669 Hijri Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) became very ill.  He said that his earthly time was now coming to an end and the moment was approaching to meet his Lord.  On the 5^th of Muharram, 670 Hijri (about 1271 CE) he performed his night (Isha) prayer in congregation and then passed out.  After he came to, he questioned if he had performed his prayer.  Even though he was assured that he had performed it, he did it again just to be sure.  He did this 3 times.  He then performed a fresh ablution and then went into prostration.  He recited Allah Almighty’s Names “Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum” and passed away into the Realm of Divine Beatitude in this state of prostration.  He rests in Pak Patan, Pakistan.

Every year, the memorial (Urs) celebrations for Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) are carried out with much devotion from 25^th Dhul Hijja to 6^th Muharram. People from far and near come to pay their respects to his illumined shrine and gain spiritual benefit by following his teachings. It is our prayer that just like Hazrat Baba Fareed (may Allah have mercy on him) guided people through obedience to every command of Allah Almighty and following the Blessed Practices of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace & Prayers of Allah Almighty be upon Him), may the Muslims live their lives following in his blessed footsteps and practicing his teachings. Ameen.

Syeda Zille Humma Qadri

Research Scholar, IECRC

hummaqadri@yahoo.com

The above article is an edited English translation of the original full length Urdu contribution.