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Mehfil-e-Tazkira, a Sufi travelogue by Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

Stimulating an engaging spiritual discussion on Indian Sufism and different branches of Islamic mysticism (silsilaas and tariqaas) which have deep roots in the country.......

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, Founding Editor Word For Peace

An international initiative of a Kazakistan-based Sufi centre, Yasawi Foundation, under the title of “Mahfil-e-Tazkira” is organised with the support of Delhi-based Al-Nizami foundation. As part of it, “Mehfil-e-Tazkira, a travelogue of Sufism through ages” was held at Khanqah Chilla Sharif of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamudin Awlia (r.a) which is located behind Humayun Tomb in New Delhi. It stimulated an engaging spiritual discussion on Indian Sufism and different branches of Islamic mysticism (silsilaas and tariqaas) which have deep roots in the country.

The spiritual events of Tazkira are held every year in different parts of the Muslim world to promote and propagate the culture of Tasawwuf or Sufism spreading the pluralistic message of Sufi saints.

This was the first time when the event was organized by Yasawi Foundation at one of India’s prime Sufi khanqahs— Chilla Sharif of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamudin Awlia (r.a). The occasion was graced mostly by the Sufi-oriented youths from various walks of life. It was a result of joint collaboration of two young Sufi lovers, Syed Affan Yesvi and Altamash Nizami. On this auspicious occasion, I was invited as a guest speaker. Here’s is the crux of my talk on “Sufi salaasil (orders) in India” which I delivered at this Mefil e Tazkirah.

Foundations of Sufism
Sufism is based on the foundational principles of Islamic mysticism: tawheed (oneness of God), ishq-e-Rasool (unconditional love for the Prophet saw), wahdatul wujud (unity of existence), ilmul yaqeen (knowledge with firm faith), zikr (incantation), muraqaba (meditation), observance of taqwa (God-consciousness) and tawba (repentance on sins), ikhlas (sincerity), tawa-kkul (contentment), sidq (truthfulness), amanah (trustworthiness), istiqamah (uprightness) and shukr (thankfulness).

Harbingers of Sulh-e-Kul
These Sufis were harbingers of sulh-e-kul (peace with all), a Sufi term that essentially means: love for all and hatred for none. This greatly impacted their attitude towards other faith traditions. They were loved by one and all; Kings and commoners, elites and laymen, intellectuals and illiterate ones and the poor and the rich were equally enchanted by the immense sincerity and simplicity in their lives. What actually appealed to all, regardless of caste and creed, was the Sufi saints’ spiritual legacy of humanism.

Sufi Salasil (orders)
India has been the land of Sufi mystics and dervishes. Indian Sufism is anchored in humanism, universal brotherhood, peace and pluralism, compassion, goodwill and tolerance. It’s in perfect harmony with the composite Indian culture. Sufi teachings are based on pluralistic traditions that are in sync with the notion of unity in diversity. Sufi saints preached moderate, progressive, multi-cultural and pluralistic Islamic tradition, which was the sole reason behind its popularity in this land of Vedic culture which later embraced a Rishi-Sufi tradition or the syncretic culture which is highly revered in Urdu literature as “Ganga-Jamuni Tahzib”.

Prominent Indian Sufis like Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer, Baba Fariduddin of Pakpattan and Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia of Delhi, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki and Chiragh Dilli left an everlasting impact on the Indian composite culture.

India has a great number of Sufi Salasil or Turuq (orders). Chishtiyya, Naqshbandiyya, Suhrawardiyya and Quadriya and Yasawiyah; all these Sufi orders emerged in India as harbingers of peace, love, social amity, communal harmony and interfaith synergy.
In contemporary India, the impact of Sufism can be seen through the prism of arts and culture. The multi-faceted Sufi tradition reflects an essentially pluralistic and composite culture that connects people of this country beyond many barriers. The most redeeming features of Sufism in India, as anywhere else, are its inherent openness, wide embrace, tolerance and its accommodating nature.

Chishti Sufi tradition
The Chishti Sufi order has been the most influential and is still more popular in the cities as well as the villages of the country. Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, widely known as Gharib Nawaz (r.a), was the pioneer of this order in India. Born in 536 A.H./1141 CE (in Sistan, a region of East Persia) Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti (r.a) came to India in 1193 A.D. He travelled to India after he saw a dream in which the Prophet Muhammad PBUH recommended him to do so. He chose Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan as his spiritual abode. Since then, Ajmer has been a great place of spiritual attraction, pilgrimage and tourism.
In Ajmer, Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti (r.a) formed his Khanqah (Sufi seminary) to reach out to the larger communities of the country, regardless of faith, creed and culture. He offered selfless services to them all.
Mehbub-e-ilahi’s legacy fostering the practical Sufi life in India.
Popularly known as Sultan-ul-Mashaikh (king of the Sufi saints), Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was born on 3 April 1325. He emerged as one of the pioneers of the Chishti Sufi order in the Indian Subcontinent. For him, true love for God was translated into sincere love for humanity. The surest way to attain personal relationship with God (wisal-e-ilahi), he believed, is to render selfless service to humanity. Therefore, he came to be popularly known as as Mehboob-e-Ilahi (God’s beloved).
The 14th century Indian Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia was born to Bibi Zulaikha in Badaun in, a town in the Western UP. His mother’s tomb is in Adhchini village, near the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and is popularly known as Mai Sahiba ki Dargah.
The 14th century historiographer Ziauddin Barani asserts that the overwhelming influence of this great Sufi on the people of Delhi was such that they had developed a highly evolved, progressive and secular worldview. He notes that Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia (r.a) was the most influential Sufi mystic who represented the harmonious secular values of the Indian culture. Inspired by his spiritual masters, particularly Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Muinuddin Chishti of Ajmer, he espoused universal values in his mission of khidmat-e-khalq (service for humanity).
At a time when Indian people were discriminated on the grounds of caste, he empowered people to transcend all distinctions of faith, caste, creed, region and race and thus became spiritual mentor for humanity at large. As an irrefutable evidence, I would cite this excerpt from the Persian poetry of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia’s closest disciple, Hazrat Amir Khusrau:
Kafir-e-ishqam musalmani mura darkaar neest;
Har rag-e man taar gashta hajat-e zunnaar neest.
(Meaning: I am a pagan and a worshipper of love: I do not need the creed (of Muslims); Every vein of mine has become taunt like a wire, I do not need the (Hindu) girdle).

Chiragh-e-Dehli
The last noted master of Chishti Sufi tradition in India was Hazrat Raushan Chiargh Dilli or Chiragh-e-Dehli — the illuminating lamp of Delhi. He lightened up not only the earthen lamps with water instead of oil, but also human souls with devotion. Born at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh in 1274, Chiragh Dehlvi illuminated the entire people of India with his inclusive spiritual legacy. He left Ayodhya for Delhi to attain the spiritual guidance of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. Remarkably, his memories are still alive in the city of Ayodhya where the shrine of his elder sister, called Badi Bua, is still found.

The 14th century historiographers affirmed the everlasting impact of Chiragh Dehlvi as India’s native Sufi master on the future generations of Delhi. In his time, he had evolved such a progressive and all-inclusive worldview that represents, even today, the harmonious values of the Indian culture. Inspired by his spiritual murshid (guide) Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Chiragh Dehlvi served the mystical mission of khidmat-e-khalq (service for mankind) during the rest of his life, which he spent as disciple (mureed) and then successor (khalifa-majaaz) of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. He brought out in his Sufi discourses (malfuzat) all that he learnt from his murshid. Hazrat Nizamuddin, popularly known as Mehboob-e-ilahi (the one who is beloved to Allah), would often exhort to his disciples: True love for Allah can only be reflected in an earnest love and sympathy for his creations. This was the surest way to attain closeness to Allah (Qurb-e-Ilahi).

At a time when people in India were judged on false distinctions, Hazrat Khwaja Naseeruddin taught the country’s kings and masses alike to transcend the boundaries of caste, creed and race in creating a humane and brotherly bond. His spiritual discourses dwelt on Tajlli-e-Rooh (illumination of the soul), Aqsam-e-Muhabbat (various beautiful forms of love), Sehat-e-Nafs (soundness of the self), different kinds of the Ghusal (purity of the soul), Chaar Aalam (the four kinds of world as per the Sufi view) and many other key Sufi percepts. Around a hundred of his discourses have been beautifully woven in a book titled, Khair-ul-Majaalis (the noblest meetings).

It is mentioned in Khair-ul-Majaalis that an official of the then King Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who was hostile to the Sufi saints, chose to be disciple of Khwaja Naseeruddin. In his first nasihat (an exhortation of murshid to mureed), Khwaja taught a couplet in Persian:
“Muraad-e-Ahl-e-Tariqat Libaas-e-Zaahir Neest,
Kamar Ba Khidmat-e-Sultan Be-band-o-Sufi Baash!”
Meaning: Divine lovers don’t aim to attract attention or admiration. They remain a (true) Sufi, even while being in the service of a king.
Naqshbandi Sufi order
The Naqshbandi Sufi order focuses on the inner purification of an individual applying the influence of the Quranic exhortations on his/her soul and heart. Based on the primary sources of Islam, Quran and Sunnah (the Prophetic traditions), it fosters universal values and essential messages of the divine. Immersed in lofty spiritual inclinations, Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshbandi emerged in Bukhara as one of the most prominent spiritual masters. His teachings continue to guide humankind transcending faith, creed and caste. Among the redeeming features of this spiritual lineage is getting along with all “others” over-flowing with the divine love. It imbibes a firm belief that the world is a cradle of brotherhood.

Therefore, Naqshbandi Sufism is deeply altruistic in its basic precepts and practices. All Naqshbandi luminaries have been primarily concerned with the delight of other beings rather than their own. They had a wider embrace of compassion, spiritual care and kindness for the world at large. They were able to discern the sorrows pent up the in the hearts of people through their facial expressions, and would cure them with no gain in return.

According to Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, the present sufi master of the Naqshbandi sufi order, all actions are to be judged against the moral and spiritual trajectories of the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s Sunnah.

Shaykh Kabbani has contributed a fair share in stimulating keen interest in Sufism in the 20th century. As a result of commercialisation our education systems have become stagnant. The Naqshbandi sufi view is a guiding light. It opines that when education is used as a tool in the hands of the ignorant and oblivious, pupils suffer the most.

Suhrawardi Sufi order
Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya Multani — the founder of the Suhrawardi Sufi order in India — was a luminary Muslim mystic. A contemporary of the great Sufi saints like Baba Farid, Bahauddin Zakariya was highly venerated by both the sultans (kings) and dervishes (saints) of his age. Born in 1182 in Multan — a part of north-western India then — Zakariya was the most leading dervish in his time. His Suhrawardi spiritual order became the most prominent after the Chishti Sufi order in India.

One of the glorious aspects of his mystic worldview that can illuminate the modern money-driven people was his dealing with wealth. His reflections on retaining money for the purpose of cleansing greed and cultivating generosity can guide the Sufi practitioners and all the spiritually-inclined people today.
Bahauddin Zakariya developed a notion of wealth that differed from the common perception of Sufis. He believed that Sufis should not shun gaining material resources. Rather, they should be well-equipped to serve society in financial terms too. But Sufi Hamiduddin Nagauri, a disciple of Hazrat Khwaja Garib Nawaz — the master of Chishti tradition — could not reconcile with this idea. He sent a letter in which he expressed his disagreement with the view of Zakariya Multani. He wrote: “As treasure and serpent are linked in form, so, they are associated in the reality too. Thus, wealth is a serpent (a snake) and anyone who retains wealth actually rears a serpent.”

In his reply to Hamiduddin Nagauri, Zakariya Multani wrote: “Although wealth is a serpent, those who have learnt the incantation to overcome the venom, need not have any fear from the serpent.”

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