End sectarianism to realize the dream of Gharib Nawaz: Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi in the Times of Kashmir

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hakeel Shamsi, the regional editor of the well-known daily Urdu, Inquilab wrote an interesting editorial called “Maslaki Bughz-o-Inaad Ka Waseetar Hota Daira.” He laments that the religious disputes between Muslims restricted to Shias-Sunni or later Deobandi-Barelwis are now escalating into the slugfests between the Sufis of Ajmer Dargah and the pious Barelwis.

The puritanical Barelvi ulema, who call themselves ‘Reformist Sufis,’ dismissed the Ajmer Dargah’s mystically inclined custodians as Badmazhab (heretics) and Gumrah (misguided) and Rawafiz (hardcore Shias). More bluntly, they have asked Sunni Muslims to boycott Ajmer Sharif Dargah visitations in the recently concluded annual Urs-e-Aala Hazrat in Bareilly.

In sharp rebuttal the Sufi shrine custodians also known as ‘Khuddam’ (those in service) disassociated themselves with the ‘fatwa factories’ working in Sufism’s name.

In his press release, Gaddinashin Khadim Syed Sarwar Chishti, of Ajmer Sharif, said in a stern counter-attack that Barelwiyat (the religion of Barelwi) is not Sufism and that it is another offshoot of religious extremism. “Their task is to pass Fatwas against each other,” said Chishti as stated on November 8 in Amar Ujala. Amarujala.com / uttar-pradesh / barneilly / ajmer-sharif-khadim-syed-sarwar-chishti-big-statement-on-urs-e-razavi-forum notification. (1)

Chishti believes that Sufism is a service to people honoring their religions and preserving the peace of society. The glaring example is the compassionate kindness of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz for and peace with all (Sulh-e-Kul). “But their (Barelwi Ulema’s) positions are not for the Sufi saint ‘s teachings,” he avers.

In reality, Sayed Amin Mian, chair of Khanakah-e-Barkatia in Marahra, accused the Ajmer Sufi custodians of making objectionable remarks against Aala Hazrat on the occasion of the Urs-e-Ala Hazrat. Therefore he told his followers not to visit Ajmer Sharif. This comment made headlines in the local Urdu and Hindi newspapers, and the following day the Barelwi ulema backed out and refused to admit that they had given any guidance against the Ajmer Dargah’s visitation.

This feud apart, the arguments that the Barelwi movement in India has actually purged Sufism of its universal appeal and egalitarian ideals are what deserve attention and serious deliberation. No wonder nearly all contemporary Sufi-minded scholars have been rejected by the Barelwi muftis for their pluralistic culture and peaceful ideas.

For example, for his interfaith activism in Canada and other European countries where he frequently lectures, Pakistani-born Sufi scholar Dr. Tahir ul Qadri is seen as “Badmazhab” (follower of erroneous path) India’s president, Barelvi Muftis and Qazis like Allama Ziaul Mustafa (Barelwis president Qazi in India) called him an apostate during his lecture in a Muslim congregation in South Africa. Consequently, many Fatwas of Takfeer (apostasy) were issued against him by the ulema of the Barelwi group in India and Pakistan on the grounds of his inter-religious dialog activities, such as participating in Christmas festivities and conducting Sufi Music congregations (Mahfil-e-Sima’a).

These Barelwi ulema retrogressive pronouncements or Fatwas were not on the rise in India until they re-ideologized into Pakistani blasphemy laws. The founder-editor of this radical website, New Age Islam, Sultan Shahin rightly points out this:”The fact remains that Mumtaz Quadri, Governor Salman Taseer’s murderer, came from a non-Wahhabi Barelvi sect and was offered heaven instead of this murder by Barelvi Mullah Hanif Qureshi. A sanctuary has now been built in the outskirts of Islamabad to worship him. Barelvis is considered Sufism-oriented and was the key victims of Salafi-Wahhabi attacks on Sufi.

In one of his earlier editorials on NewAgeIslam.com, Mr. Shahin also put a related question:
“Sectarian unification is definitely an admirable aim, but the reason behind it is also quite significant. For a few months now, Wahhabi, Deobandi and Barelvi sects, who call each other Kafir (infidel), are trying to reconcile, but to what end?”

If this ‘unity’ of Ummah just stands for compliance in Muslim countries of unjust blasphemy laws, it is also a matter of grave concern. Isn’t it shocking enough that Khadim Razavi, the Tahrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Barelwi leader, spoke in unison with Maulvi Sami-ul-Haque, ‘father of the Taliban.’ The last sermon he made to his followers before he was stabbed to death in Rawalpindi, called for Asia Bibi and all blasphemers to have a ‘painful death.’ He also rallied the demonstrators at Islamabad, along with Khadim Razavi, against Asia’s acquittal. He had wanted to join them but, as reported in the New York Times, he could not.

Around the same time, in India, the institutions dominated by Barelvi mourned Pakistan’s Supreme Court’s landmark judgment acquitting an accused ‘blasphemer.’

Much earlier in 2011, Barelwi outfit Raza Academy, based in Mumbai, strongly protested in support of Malik Mumtaz Qadri, the bodyguard who murdered Salman Taseer. In India it echoed the vociferous support of the “Shabab-e-Islami” group of Barelwi youths in Pakistan that first protested against Mumtaz Qadri’s imprisonment. They vociferously claimed to be “Ahle Sunnat,” another word that followers of Barelvi preferred to use in the subcontinent. In reality, the Barelwi clergy were to scorn the governor of the Punjab province of Pakistan for proposing changes in the blasphemy laws of Islam first. Now they’re calling Imran Khan a ‘Shaitan’ to defend the Asia Bibi acquittal verdict.

Notably, for Majid Majidi’s biopic, Muhammad: The Prophet of God, the Raza Academy had issued a fatwa against AR Rahman for composing music which is un-Islamic in their opinion. Raza Academy office bearers openly demanded that anyone affiliated with the film recite the Kalima and profess Islam once again. He believed the entire film crew had turned apostate and were thus forced to affirm their belief in Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) again. Mumbai’s Barelwi Qazi, Mufti Mahmood Akhtar Qadri, the then-Imam at Haji Ali Dargah, also issued a strict fatwa.

Contrary to that, this fatwa was condemned by the custodians at Ajmer Sharif Dargah and in various other Sufi shrines against AR Rahman Khan. Instead, they praised the Indian legendary for writing “good faith” music and called him a “true believer.” Subsequently, Rahman wrote this statement: “I follow the middle road and am a traditionalist and a rationalist part of it. I live in the Western and Eastern worlds and seek to accept all people for what they are without judging them.”

More to the point, the Barelwi ulema abhor cultural activities such as Muharram’s first Islamic month commemoration known as Tazia, women’s entrance to shrines, Basant and Diwali celebration that occurs at a few Dargahs, Sufi music known as sim’a and Sufi whirling in imitation of the dervishes called Raqs. All of this is at odds with radical and forward-looking Sufi custodians worldview.

One of Ajmer Sharif Dargah’s world-renowned custodians (Gaddinashins), Syed Salman Chishty who also runs the Chishty Foundation on the basis of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishty’s (r.a) pluralist concept of “Love for all, Animosity for none.” That writer told us:

“Through the Chishty Foundation website, we aim to promote the blessed Sufi teachings of Khawaja Gharib Nawaz, the Sufi art of calligraphy, Sufi poetry, Sufi music and the principles of intertwined spirituality and culture, which is a deeper link between the higher state of consciousness of the Divine Presence through Sama and the food of Qawwali-Chishti Sufis.(2)

Chishty further says that we love and admire Ashraf-ul-Makhluqat (the best of creations, i.e. human beings) irrespective of their religion and belief, it’s a common message for all of mankind. They are all likewise the best creations of Allah, the One Almighty Creator (s.w.t)

Notably, the Chishty Foundation, which affirms Khwaja Gharib Nawaz ‘s blessed message of service to humanity (Khidmat-e-Khalq), is all set to celebrate the 11th International Sufi Rang Festival 2018 as its 11th edition to realize the blessed vision of the Chishti Sufi dynasty. “In today’s troubled times, we believe that the message of the great Sufi saints is not just a means of communication, but an important soft power for solving the crises of the twenty-first century, a guide to the path of love and brotherhood among all humanity,” Chishty said.

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, a daily columnist with Newageislam.com, is a classical Islamic scholar, and an English-Arab-Urdu blogger. He has graduated from India’s leading Islamic seminary, graduated from Al-Azhar College of Islamic Studies with a Diploma in Qur’anic Sciences and Certificate in Uloom ul Hadith. He is now doing his doctorate in Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
— (Courtesy: Muslim New Age)