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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.
A Tribute To Hazrat Syeda Fatima Zahra, Blessed Mother of Hazrat Syeda Zaynab (May Allah be pleased with them both)
Issue # 12
April 22, 2007 / Rabiuth Thani 1428
It is related in the famous book Khasais-e-Kubra of Hazrat Allama Jalaluddin Suyuti (b. 1445 CE, may Allah have mercy on him) that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Countless Prayers and Peace Be Upon Him, His Blessed Family and Noble Companions) said:
“No person is a believer unless they love the People of my Household [Ahle Bayt] for my sake and for the sake of Allah Almighty.â€
In another Hadeeth, Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“My family among you is like Noah’s ark. He who sails on it will be safe, but he who holds back from it will perish.â€
Further, the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said about Hazrat Fatima Zahra (may Allah be pleased with her):
“She is a piece of my body. Whoever hurts her has hurt me.†[Bukhari Shareef]
Today the pen is raised for the mention of that Pure Personality who is known as “Jaane Ahmed (May Allah be pleased with her).†She is that pure personality who received the title of Khatoone Jannat [Lady of Paradise] during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and whom the world knows as Hazrat Syeda Fatima Zahra (May Allah be pleased with her). She had the honor of being the most beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Allah be pleased with her).
Syeda Tayyeba Abida Zahida
Yani Khatoone Jannat pe lakhon salam
In the words of Hazrat Maulana Hasan Raza, brother of the great Mujaddid [Renewer of the religion] of this century, Ala Hazrat (may Allah have mercy on them both) said in her greatness:
Jin ke ghar beijazat Jibril aate nahin
Qadar vaale jaante hain qadre Ahle Bayt
Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) was the youngest daughter of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). Her mother’s name was Hazrat Khadija Kubra (May Allah be pleased with her). The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) received revelation in the 40th year and in the 41st year Hazrat Fatima’s (May Allah be pleased with her) blessed birth further adorned the Blessed Household. Hazrat Khadija (May Allah be pleased with her) said that the good news of the arrival of this blessed daughter had been given to her beforehand that the pure personality whom she was going to give birth to is going to be the leader of the women of Paradise.
Some of the famous laurels awarded to Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) are Batool, Zahra, Tayyeba, Tahira, and Zakiya. She is called Batool because throughout her lifetime she did not love this world and adopted independence from it. The titles Zahra, Tayyeba, and Tahira reveal her purity. Such purity has not and will not be received by any woman in the world! Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) was kept pure by Allah Almighty from menstrual blood and lochia all her life. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“My daughter Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) is a human hoori whom Allah has kept free from menses and lochia.â€
Hazrat Syeda Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) received the blessed name “Fatima†because the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said that Allah has kept her away from hell. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) further said:
“Those who love her, Allah will keep them away from the hellfire.â€
As long as she lived with her respected Father (Peace Be Upon Him), she helped Him (Peace Be Upon Him). She helped Him (Peace Be Upon Him) in many of the battles and tended to His (Peace Be Upon Him) wounds with her blessed hands. Whenever the disbelievers placed obstacles and caused her Father (Peace Be Upon Him) pain, she helped Him (Peace Be Upon Him) despite her young age. In many instances she would cry witnessing the pain of her Blessed Father (Peace Be Upon Him).
She was married after the Battle of Badr in the holy month of Ramadan to Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him). According to narrations, she was 15 years old and Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) was 21 or 22 years old. Khatoone Jannat’s status can be known by the fact that her message of marriage was sent by Allah Almighty through Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him). Hazrat Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) says that he was in the Company of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) arrived with Allah Almighty’s Message. The Holy Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) turned to Hazrat Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) and said “Marry Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) to Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him).†All the other Companions were also present. Kitabun Nikah of Ibn Majah relates that all the preparations for the marriage of Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) were done by Hazrat Aysha (May Allah be pleased with her). Hazrat Aysha (May Allah be pleased with her) said that, “I have not seen a wedding better than the wedding of Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her).†Hazrat Fatima’s (May Allah be pleased with her) marriage was the only marriage in which the most number of angels attended. It is related in the famous book Shahnamae Islam that her dowry from the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was one small bed, two wheat grinding mills, two earthen jars, one leather cushion filled with date-palm leaves, and one small water carrier.
Mila tha faqr-o-faqa ka asli jahez unko
Ke bakshi thi Khuda ne ek jabeene sajda rez unko
Chaleen theen Aap ke ghar se Nabi y ki laadli beti
Haya ki chadar sabr ke gehne
Ridae sabr bhi haasil thi Sayyida Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) ko
Ke hona tha unhein Sartaje Khatoone Jannat bhi
There is a very heart-moving narration regarding the Mehr (gift given to the bride by the groom at the time of marriage) of Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) that was revealed at the time of her passing away. Being the great personality that she was, she had been given the knowledge of her leaving this worldly abode. She called her respected husband Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) and expressed her desire for this very special piece of paper to be placed with her when she was laid to rest. When Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) enquired about the history of this paper she went on to say that when she was being married to Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him), her blessed Father, the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) asked her if Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) was acceptable to her. She said that her husband to-be was acceptable but the Mehr was not. At this instance Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) came and said that Allah Almighty is offering the entire Paradise as her Mehr. She respectfully said that even this is not sufficient. Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) went back to Allah Almighty and returned with the Message that the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) may ask His Beloved daughter and she would be granted whatever she wishes for her Mehr. When the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) asked her what she wanted for her Mehr, she replied, “All my life I have seen You (Peace Be Upon Him) crying for your people [Ummat]. I would like my Mehr to be the forgiveness [bakhshish] of your Ummat.†At this juncture Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) came with this piece of paper which said, “O Muhammad y! I have made Fatima’s (May Allah be pleased with her) Mehr the forgiveness of the Ummat-e-Muhammadiya.†Subhan Allah! What a great reflection of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)!
All her life Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) lived with patience and gratitude. Once Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) brought home some spoils of a battle and Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) made two silver bracelets and a curtain for their home. When the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) saw this, He (Peace Be Upon Him) returned from their home without saying anything. Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) immediately understood what had displeased her Blessed Father (Peace Be Upon Him). She immediately gave away these items in charity. Subhan Allah what simplicity in the home of the Leader of the women of Paradise!
Allah Almighty bestowed Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) with uncountable miracles. Her entire life was a miracle. One famous miracle was related to her Blessed Chador (shawl). It is related that once Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) came home and found that there was no food and his blessed wife and children were starving. Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) said, “I am the daughter of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). Take my Chador and pawn it with this Jew.†Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) did so and brought home some wheat for Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) to grind and feed the family. That night the wife of the Jew, who had thought that this was an ordinary shawl, saw bright light coming from it and from their entire home. They immediately realized that this was no ordinary shawl and neither was its owner. They went to the home of the Beloved Daughter of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and apologized for their mistake and both the Jew and his wife accepted Islam!
As mentioned earlier Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) had already been given the knowledge of her leaving this ephemeral world. When she learnt of this, she did all of her household chores, gave showers to her children, cooked for her husband, and then informed him that it is time for their separation. When Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) asked her how she knew, she said that she had a dream in which the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was beckoning her saying that Heaven is eager to meet her. Subhan Allah! She said, “O Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) these are my last moments.†She kissed her children, took them to the Roza Mubarak of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). She performed the major ablution [ghusl], wore clean clothes, faced the Holy Kaba and placed her right hand under her cheeks. Hazrat Asma bint Umayr (May Allah be pleased with her) was her handmaid whom she gave special instructions. Hazrat Asma (May Allah be pleased with her)said that Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) requested to be by herself to say some special words to her Lord. Hazrat Asma (May Allah be pleased with her) then heard Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) crying, “Oh my Lord! Have mercy on the sinning members of the Ummat of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and forgive them.†This was her last prayer. Subhan Allah! How fortunate we are to have a mother like her! She also instructed that no one except her husband should perform her ghusl and that during her burial full respect must be observed of modesty [purdah]. She (May Allah be pleased with her) said that modesty on the face of women is sweeter than honey. It is written in the Khasaise Kubra that the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “First I will come out of my resting place on the Day of Judgment and then my daughter.†In another Hadeeth He (Peace Be Upon Him) said, â€My daughter Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) will cover the Pul Sirat wearing a green chador. The people in the Mehshar will be commanded to lower their gaze that the leader of the women of Paradise Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) is passing through.â€
Allah Almighty blessed her with Hazrat Imam Hasan, Imam Husayn, Hazrat Muhassan, Hazrat Bibi Umme Kulthum and Hazrat Bibi Zaynab (may Allah Almighty be well pleased with them all.) Each of them are shining stars as in the eloquent words of Ala Hazrat (May Allah be pleased with him):
Teri Nasle pak mein hain bachcha bachcha Noor ka
Tu hai ayne Noor Tera sab gharana Noor ka
May Allah Almighty grant us a portion of the Purity & Pleasure of Allah that was bestowed to Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her). May Allah grant us a portion of the tears that she shed in the grief of the Hereafter. May Allah grant us the guidance [taufeeq] to recite the Holy Quran like she did. Peace be upon the Pure and Pious Personality of Hazrat Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) and upon the Beloved of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (May Allah be pleased with him).
Wa salaamun ‘alal Mursaleen.
Wal hamdulil Lahir Rabbil ‘Aalameen.
Syeda Zille Humma Qadri
Responding to Tribulations in Our Times
Issue # 12
April 22, 2007 / Rabiuth Thani 1428
Immensely Blessed is He in Whose control is the entire Kingdom, and He has authority over everything. He, Who has created death and life that He might test you, as to whose work, is excellent among you. And He is the Esteemed One the Forgiving. [The Holy Quran 67:1-2]
It is clear from the aforementioned blessed verse of the Holy Quran that trials and hardships that face the human condition in the form of tests from Allah Almighty are a part and a parcel of His Divine Plan on this earth. Who has not experienced some type of hardship in life, be it in the form of loss of a loved one, loss of one’s health, or wealth. The question then arises: what is the purpose of the test? Is it ultimate harm or ultimate good? The answer lies in the same verse above. It is to see how one responds to the test. Whether the ultimate result of the test is harm or good depends on one’s own response to it. Does one exhibit patience (sabr) recognizing that the test is from the Almighty, Loving Creator and therefore can only carry goodness in it despite the apparent signs of harm? Does one express gratitude (shukr) to Allah Almighty appreciating the fact that one was considered worthy of such a weighty examination? Does one appreciate the fact that this opportunity for reflection (tafakkur), purification (tazkiya), repentance (tauba) and seeking forgiveness (istaghfar) will make a better, stronger person out of us? Or does one simply complain about the outward temporary losses not being able to see Allah Almighty’s Wisdom?
One simply has to turn the pages of history and observe the lives of the greatest people who have walked this earth – the Prophets (peace be upon them all), and the Saints (Awliya – may Allah Almighty be pleased with them and have mercy on them all) to see that when Allah Almighty wishes to grant His knowledge (marifat) & closeness (qurbat) to His servants, He Almighty sends hardships. One must remember, however, that the Prophets and Saints are Allah Almighty’s chosen people and their role on this earth is that of guiding the common folk. Therefore, the hardships they face are instructional for others and for the purpose of increasing them in infinite spiritual ranks with their Creator. The Crown of the Saints, Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (b. 1077 CE, may Allah be pleased with him) says in his famous Sirr-ul-Asraar, “Allah created the spirit (rooh) in the finest formation in the realm of Divinity. Then He wished to reduce it to the lowest of the low, for the purpose of increasing intimacy and nearness.â€
The pious Hazrat Syeda Zaynab (May Allah be pleased with her), the beloved grand-daughter of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) experienced so many hardships in her life that she earned the title of Ummul Masaib, the “Mother of Hardships.†When she was six years old, her beloved Grandfather – our Beloved Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), who had honored her with the name Zaynab and placed His Blessed Saliva in her mouth, passed onto the Realm of Divine Beatitude. Six months later, her blessed mother Hazrat Syeda Fatima Zahra (May Allah be pleased with her) too joined her Blessed Father (Peace Be Upon Him). Upon reaching early adulthood, she witnessed the martyrdom of her beloved & respected father, Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him). Ten years later she witnessed the martyrdom of her dear brother Hazrat Imam Hasan (May Allah be pleased with him). And on the battlefield of Karbala, she lost her dear brother Hazrat Imam Husayn (May Allah be pleased with him) and nearly the rest of her entire family. However, in the face of such immense hardships she always stood tall for the Truth against the wrong-doers. Her words of fortitude, courage, and resilience reverberate the passageways of history providing inspiration to both women & men today.
There is a famous narration regarding the great 8th century CE Saint Hazrat Rabia Basri (May Allah be pleased with him) regarding the response to hardships. A Saint was asked about how one should respond to hardships and he said, †with patience (sabr)â€. Another Saint was asked the same question and he replied, “with gratitude (shukr)â€. When Hazrat Rabia (May Allah be pleased with him) was asked the very same question, she said that one should be so engrossed in love (ishq) for Allah Almighty and His Messenger (Peace Be upon Him) that one cannot even see the hardship!
It is clear from the writings and sayings of all the great scholars and saints that the foremost response to hardships in life is patience. Indeed Allah Almighty Himself commands us in the Holy Quran to seek help from prayer and patience. [Al-Quran, 2:45] As Hazrat Syeda Zaynab’s (May Allah be pleased with her) blessed father, the Gate of Knowledge (Babul-‘Ilm), from whom she directly learnt, Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) writes in his famous Nahjatul Balagha that the relationship of patience (sabr) to faith (iman) is like that of the head to the body. He (May Allah be pleased with him) further says as is reported in the famous Kashful Mahjoob of the 11th century CE scholar and Saint, Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (May Allah be pleased with him) that, “I have recognized my Lord (marifat) in the breaking of plans.â€
Allah Almighty also states in the Holy Quran that He appreciates gratitude [Al-Quran, 4:147] The scholars have said that one must say “Alhamdulillah ‘alaa kulli haal,†i.e. all praises are to Allah Almighty in every condition. When one adopts such a response to one’s hardships then the angels pray for one’s forgiveness and deliverance. Whether Allah Almighty has given us an apparent blessing or an apparent hardship, in every situation one must say “Alhamdulillah.†It is also very important to remember that what may seem as an apparent blessing may also indeed be a test. As Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (May Allah be pleased with him) warns us in his Kashful Mahjoob that, “a blessing is truly a blessing when it guides you towards Allah Almighty. If it veils you from the Giver, then it is a hardship (bala).†In the eloquent words of the great 12th century CE Persian poet, Shaykh Saadi (May Allah be pleased with him) (translated):
Aysh vo kya jo halaakat ka sabab ban jaae
Jis ka anjaam ho raahat vo museebat achchi
May Allah Almighty give us the guidance (taufeeq) to follow in the footsteps of our pious predecessors and may He Almighty grant us a portion of their patience in our hardships and may He grant us that spiritual station (maqam) that we are so engrossed in His and His Beloved’s (Peace Be Upon Him) love that the hardships become invisible to us. Ameen.
Syeda Shagufta Ahmad Qadri
