Category Archives: Urs
IECRC Commemorates the Martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Husayn (May Allah be pleased with him)
Issue 10
February 2006 / Muharram 1427
Wa qul jaa al Haqqu
wa zahaqal baatil
Inna baatila kaana zahooqa
And proclaim,
“The Truth has arrived
and falsehood has vanished; indeed falsehood had to vanish.”
[The Holy Quran 17:81]
The timeless struggle between truth and falsehood, good and evil, is epitomized in no other chronicle of Islamic history than on the banks of the river Euphrates in the plains of Karbala, Iraq. What the soil of Iraq witnessed in 61 Hijra / 680 CE was a testimony and lesson for all time to come that sacrifices are inevitable on the Path of Truth and that those who are closest to their Lord and therefore most committed to the Path are to endure the severest of hardships.
To further this salient message, the Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center of Northern California observed the momentous day of Ashura at its weekly Dhikr location in Fremont, California on Sunday, February 12, 2006. Derived from the Arabic word for ten, Ashura is commemorated on the 10th day of the Sacred month of Muharram, the first in the Islamic lunar calendar. This historic day carries in it the heartrending reminder of the martyrdom in Karbala of Hazrat Imam Husayn ibn Ali (may Allah be well pleased with them both), the most beloved grandson of the Beloved of Allah  Almighty, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Countless Peace & Prayers Of Allah Almighty Be Upon Him.)
The Crown of Saints, Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (1077/8-1166 CE, may Allah Almighty be well pleased with him) narrates authentic Prophetic traditions in his magnum opus, “Al-Ghunya li-Taalibi Tareeq al-Haqq “ rendered into English as “Sufficient Provision for Seekers of the Path of Truthâ€, that Ashura is the day in which Allah Almighty created the heavens and the earth, the Tablet and the Pen; it is also the day in which Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and his community were delivered from the unjust reins of the Pharaoh; it is also the day in which this world will come to an end; and above all it is the day that Allah Almighty chose to honor Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah be well pleased with him) with his pre-ordained martyrdom to grant him the elevated rank of the martyrdom of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be well pleased with them). It is worth reflecting that despite the fact that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had been made aware of this fatal fate of Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah be well pleased with him) by Angel Jibraeel (peace be upon him) as is taught to us through authentic Prophetic narrations; and despite the fact that any supplications by the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) to change this fate would have been accepted by Allah Almighty, no such prayer was made. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) chose and agreed to give up the life of His beloved grandson for the sake of His Ummah (community) so that we may learn the essential lessons of sacrifice. Peace Be Upon Him and His Noble Family! [For the benefit of our readers it must be pointed out here that committing suicide or taking the lives of civilians is completely antithetical to Islamic teachings.]
The great 11th century CE Sufi scholar, Hazrat Abul Hasan Syed Ali bin Uthman Hujweri famous as Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (may Allah be well pleased with him) writes in his encyclopedic treatise on Tasawwuf (Sufism), the “Kashf-ul-Mahjoob†rendered into English as “Unveiling the Veiledâ€:
“[Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah be well pleased with him)] is one of the great Awliya Allah devoted exclusively to Allah and famous for renunciation, patience and forbearance in the hours of extreme affliction, such as that experienced in the massacre at Karbala.â€
Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (may Allah be well pleased with him) further quotes Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah be well pleased with him) in the Kashf-ul-Mahjoob:
“We are the people called Ahl-e-bala (sufferers).
We love bala (calamities) and feel pleased with it.
We live for others and not for ourselves.â€
This is the foundational spiritual teaching of Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah Almighty be well pleased with him) and the essential message of unconditional service to others that the Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center (IECRC) attempts to convey and promote to the community through its various conferences, events and especially the Urs (memorial) days observed for the Awliya Kiram (Noble Friends of Allah Almighty or Sufi Saints, may Allah have mercy on them all). This is the message of all the Sufi Saints of the Islamic tradition. IECRC’s commemoration of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah Almighty be well pleased with him) in February 2006 in Fremont, California was no exception. Poignant couplets were recited by various community members including young children, reminding the audience of the great sacrifice that this luminary of the Islamic tradition gave in order to uphold the principles of Islam. He gave his head but did not pledge allegiance to the tyranny of the then ruler of the Muslims.
Seventy thousand angels alighted in the grave of Imam al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (may Allah Almighty be pleased with them both) on the day when he was mortally wounded, and they will continue to weep over him until the day of Resurrection.
[Al-Ghunya li-Talibi]
The highlight of IECRC’s commemorative evening was a most informative talk by Hafiz Prof. Dr. Mohammad Abdullah Qadri who delivered his important speech via telephone in which he emphasized the importance of remembering that those who are martyred in the Path of Allah Almighty are not to be considered dead as is taught by the Holy Quran. He also highlighted that Muslims should hold on tightly to the obligatory prayers and principles of Islam for the upholding of which Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah Almighty be well pleased with him) gave up his life.
Also quoted at this spiritual gathering were the profound words of Hazrat Allama Iqbal (may Allah have mercy on him), the great 19th century Urdu poet-philosopher of Pakistan:
Qatl-e-Husayn asal mein
marg-e Yazid hai
Islam zinda hota hai har Karbala ke baad
The slaughter of Husayn [Truth] is in reality the death of Yazid [Falsehood]
Islam is revived after every Karbala
The above couplet is an intense reminder of the ongoing struggle between good and evil, truth and falsehood that not just played itself out on the plains of Karbala, but is the constant activity of the human soul. Every moment we are faced with an inner battle between the lower (falsehood) and higher (truth) self and whenever the higher self wins it revives a state of peace, a state of Islam.
Hazrat Baba Fareeduddin Masood Ganj Shakar (May Allah be pleased with him)
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 13th 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’â€, 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 benefitâ€. 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 satanâ€. 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 “Tayâ€, 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.â€Â 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 “Humaâ€, 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.â€Â 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.â€
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 5th 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 25th Dhul Hijja to 6th 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.
Hazrat Maulana Rumi (May Allah be pleased with him)Â (1207-1273Â CE)
Issue #11
July 8, 2006 / Jamaduth Thani 12, 1427
Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Muhammed Rumi (1207 – 1273 CE, may Allah Almighty be pleased with and have mercy on him) is one of the greatest Saints in Islamic history and the most famous in the West because of his spiritual and mystical poetry emphasizing love of Allah Almighty and His Beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).
Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) was born on the 6th of Rabbi al-Awwal in the Islamic Hijri year 604 in Balkh, present-day Afghanistan. His father, Hazrat Bahauddin Walad (may Allah have mercy on him), was a great Muslim scholar and also a Sufi saint who came from the family of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), First Caliph of Islam. Maulana Rumi (r.a.) grew up in this learned household and was a fully accomplished scholar himself. His family migrated from Central Asia towards Eastern Turkey and completed the Hajj pilgrimage, after which Hazrat Bahauddin Walad became the head of a seminary school (madrasa) in Konya, Turkey. When he passed away, Maulana Rum (r.a.) took his place at the head of the school. During this time, Maulana Rum (r.a.) was a spiritual disciple of first his father, and then Syed Burhanuddin Mahaqqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) until the latter passed away.
One version of the famous meeting that Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) had with Hazrat Shams Tabrez (may Allah have mercy on him), was that once Maulana Rumi (r.a.) was teaching a group of his students and referring to his handwritten books and notes while Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.) happened to come along and asked him about those notes. Maulana Rumi (r.a.) replied that the books and notes were beyond the understanding of Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.). Then Maulana Rumi (r.a.) continued his class, meanwhile Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.) threw all the books into a nearby pond of water. The students noticed this and started beating him. This caught the attention of Maulana Rumi (r.a.) who complained about losing his knowledge. Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.) replied that he could return the books, so he recited Bismillah and retrieved the books from the water and they were intact. Now Maulana Rumi (r.a.) was surprised and asked how this was possible – to which Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.) replied that such knowledge was beyond that of an external scholar.
Thus began the relationship between Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) and Hazrat Shams Tabrez (may Allah have mercy on him). Maulana Rumi (r.a.) is reported to have mostly retired from his public life and spent a lot of time with Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.). Once Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.) was driven from Konya but returned. The second time that Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.) disappeared, it was permanent. There is a famous Persian couplet:
Maulvi hargis na shud Maula e Rum
Ta ghulame Shams Tabrizi na shud
Maulana (religious teacher) Rumi could
never have become Maula Rumi
Without submitting to
Spiritual Guide Shams Tabrez
Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) then formed companionship with Hazrat Saladin Zarkub (may Allah have mercy on him) and then later Hazrat Husam Chelebi (may Allah have mercy on him). The latter encouraged the Maulana to write the famous Masnavi-ye Manavi or Mathnawi Shareef, which is a very long poem containing as many verses as the Iliad and the Odyssey put together. Among Maulana Rumi’s other famous works are the Diwan Shams-e-Tabrez, and Fih ma Fih (What is in it, is in it).
In his commentary on the Mathnawi Shareef, Maulana Abdur Rahman Jami (may Allah have mercy on him), the famous 15th century CE Persian Sufi Saint and poet, writes:
“The word ‘ney’ (reed) in the first couplet of the Mathnawi (“Listen to the reed, how it tells a tale, complaining of separations…”) means a perfect and exalted human being brought up in Islam. Such people have forgotten themselves and everything else. Their minds are always busy seeking the rida [approval] of  Allah, The Most Exalted.”
Maulana Jami (r.a.) says that ‘Ney’ also means non-existent, because these men are emptied of themselves. Finally he says ‘Ney’ refers to the reed-pen. A pen’s writings are fully controlled by its writer, which also points to men emptied of existence and perfectly submitting to the will of Allah, The Most Exalted.
This brings up the point that Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) Â was a true Muslim scholar and Sufi. Unfortunately, there have been many mistranslations or misrepresentations of Maulana Rum (r.a.). He himself writes in his Diwan:
man banda-yé Qur’ân-am, agar jân dâr-am
man khâk-é rah-é Muhammad-e mukhtâr-am
gar naql kon-ad joz în, kas az goftâr-am
bêzâr-am az-ô, w-az-în sokhan bêzâr-am
I am the servant of the Qur’an
as long as I have life.
I am the dust on the path of
Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the Chosen one.
If anyone quotes anything
except this from my sayings,
I am quit of him and
outraged by these words.
Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) was a poet, jurist, theologian and scholar of the highest accord. He emphasized however that true knowledge is not found in books, but at the feet of the Noble Friends of Allah Almighty. For any given individual that person is his or her Shaykh or Spiritual Guide (Murshid / Pir). Maulana Rum (r.a.) mentions the importance of the Shaykh when he writes:
Sad kitaboh, sad waraq, dar nar kun
Aur jaan-o-dil rah, janibeh, dil daar kun
Throw all (100) your books into the fire
And turn with heart and soul to the Awliya
[For without them one cannot reach perfection.]
In the Mathnawi Shareef, Maulana Rumi (r.a.)Â writes the following:
“Seeing a man who was tilling the earth, a fool, unable to control himself, cried out, “Why are you ruining this soil?” “Fool,” said the man, “leave me alone: try to recognize the difference between tending the soil and wasting it. How will this soil become a rose garden until it is disturbed and overturned?”
This verse brings to mind the importance of the Shaykh who is the tiller, where he may test the spiritual disciple (Mureed) in order for the Mureed’s full inner potential to be realized.
Maulana Rumi’s (may Allah have mercy on him) importance continues throughout the centuries and across cultures. Hazrat Allamah Iqbal (may Allah have mercy on him), the great 19th century CE poet-philosopher of the Indian Subcontinent, separated by six centuries of time, famously attributed Maulana Rum as his Pir when he wrote “Pir-e-Rumi, Mureed-e-Hindi” and also about himself:
Tu bhi hai us qaafla-e-shawq mein Iqbal
Jis qaafla-e-shawq ka salaar hai Rumi
You too are a member of that
caravan of longing Oh Iqbal
That caravan of longing
whose guide is Rumi
Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) passed away into the realm of Divine Beatitude on 5th Jamadi-u-‘l-Akhar 672 Hijri in Konya, Turkey and his tomb is near to that of his Shaykh Hazrat Shams Tabrez (r.a.). This shining star of the East however lives on through his legacy of love, devotion, and piety, which continues through the centuries to fragrance, nourish and heal the broken hearts that it encounters. May Allah Almighty give us the ability to learn from him and follow in his footsteps. Ameen.
Naveed Agboatwala
Mr. Agboatwala has been with the IECRC since its inception and is one of its most dedicated and hard working contributors. He is a Software Engineer by profession and a research scholar by nature. Brother Naveed leads the IECRC Friday (Juma) prayers. He handles all of IECRC’s audio releases and is an invaluable technical support resource to the rest of the IECRC team.
Biography of Maulana Rum (rahmatullahi alayhe):
- Hazrat Maulana Jalauddin Rumi (ra) – Part 1 (Urdu)
- Hazrat Maulana Jalauddin Rumi (ra) – Part 2 (Urdu)
