Dr Mohammad Raziul Islam Nadvi, an active member of Jamat-e-Islami, Hind is a renowned Islamic Scholar, Writer, Translator and Social Activist. He was born on 27th May, 1964 in the village Rajapur, Bulbulnawaz of the district Bahraich, UP. His father was Mohammad Shafi Khan.

Early Years

Dr Mohammad Raziul Islam Nadvi got primary education in his native district Bahraich and secondary education in Markazi Darsgah Rampur. He graduated and post-graduated from Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema Lucknow UP in 1981 and 1983 respectively. Valuing professional education, he acquired BUMS degree in 1989 and MD in 1993 from Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College of Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh.

Writing Career

Dr Mohammad Raziul Islam Nadvi is prolific writer, participant national and international seminars and contributor to prestigious periodicals, journals and newspapers on diverse topics pertaining Islam and Muslims in particular and humanity in general. He has authored a number books so far, which include translated and edited books as well.

Dr Mohammad Raziul Islam Nadvi has been associated with a research institution Idara Taqiqq wa Tasnif -e- Islami from 1994 to 2011. Currently, he is the secretary of the writing section of Jamat-e-Islamic Hind and the editor of the famous and prestigious three monthly journal of India, Tahqiqat-e-Islami.

Books

He has written some books on the Unani medical system and the Islamic medicinal sciences.

Dr Mohammad Raziul Islam Nadvi has also extensively translated books from Arabic into Urdu. Some of them are:

• Syed Sulaiman Nadvi – A Short Glimpse of the Erudite Islamic Scholar
• AULIYA MOSQUE DAMAGED IN NORTHEAST DELHI VIOLENCE REOPENS
• MAULANA KAIFUL HASAN QADRI, AUTHOR OF TANWIRUL QURAN
• The Story of Javed Mohammad alias Javed Pump
• MAULANA SAUD ASRAR NADVI WINS THAKURGANJ SEAT IN KISHANGANJ

Harivansh Rai Bacchan is a well known name in India and abroad in reference to Hindi Literature and Bacchan Family. Born 1997 in Allahabad, he has contributed memorable and highly acclaimed literary works to the Hindi literature. Madhushala (1935) Madhubala  (1938), Madhukalash (1938) Nisha Nimantran, Ekant Sangeet, Akul – Antar, Milanyamini, Satrangini, Arti and Anagre, Naye Puurane Jharokhe,  Tooti – Phooti Kadiyan (Poetry collection); Kiya Bhulun Kya Yaad Karun, Need ka Nirman Phir, Basere se Door, Dashdwar Se Sopan Tak (Autobiography in four volumes), Hamlet, Jangita, Macbeth  (Translation); Parwasi Ki Diary (Diary) are testimony to his enormous achievement in the field of language and literature. Mr Bacchan left for heavenly abode in the year 2003 in Mumbai.

              Harivansh Rai Bacchan was a Professor in the University of Allahabad from 1942 to 1952. He was associated with the literary programs of Akashwani. Then he was appointed as Hindi Expert in the Foreign Ministry of India. Mr Bacchan gave voice to the disheartened mind of the bewildered middle class between both the world wars.  He used simple and sensitive idioms and phrases to express his thoughts and feelings instead of cumbersome and loaded tough tongue. The sincere expression of the events happened in the personal life emerged as poetry by Mr Bacchan. This is the basic reason for his popularity in the realm of Hindi poetry. We find echo of inebriation of the middle ages Persian Poet Umar Khayyam in the early poems of Harivansh Rai Bachhan particularly in Madhushala. One drop of a poem is a drop of life. We find strains of mysticism in the poetry of Mr Bachhan.

              Although we know Harivansh Rai Bacchan as a poet but he has also authored stories, dramas, diary and others in addition to a marvelous autobiography, which continues a popular read as it contains honest confession with lucid style.

• Toy-man (Khilaunewala), A Poem for Children
• Ram Chandra Shukla, Author of the masterpiece “History of Hindi Literature”
• Siyaramsharan Gupt, A Prominent Hindi Writer
• Adabi Miras: A Resource Portal for Urdu Lovers
• Some Dohe of Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana

ख्वाजा अहमद अब्बास (7 जून 1914 – 1 जून 1987), जिन्हें के.ए. अब्बास के नाम से भी लोग जानते है, एक भारतीय फिल्म निर्देशक, पटकथा लेखक, उपन्यासकार और उर्दू, हिंदी और अंग्रेजी भाषाओं के पत्रकार थे। उन्होंने भारत में चार राष्ट्रीय फिल्म पुरस्कार जीते, और अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर उनकी फिल्मों ने कान्स फिल्म फेस्टिवल (तीन पाल्मे डी’ओर नामांकन में से) और कार्लोवी वेरी इंटरनेशनल फिल्म फेस्टिवल में क्रिस्टल ग्लोब में पाल्मे डी’ओर  जीता। एक निर्देशक और पटकथा लेखक के रूप में, ख्वाजा अहमद अब्बास को भारतीय समानांतर या नव-यथार्थवादी सिनेमा के अग्रदूतों में से एक माना जाता है, और एक पटकथा लेखक के रूप में उन्हें राज कपूर की सर्वश्रेष्ठ फिल्में लिखने के लिए भी जाना जाता है।

https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-40134088

बतौर निर्देशक उन्होंने हिंदुस्तानी फिल्में बनाईं। धरती के लाल (1946), 1943 के बंगाल के अकाल के बारे में, भारतीय सिनेमा की पहली सामाजिक-यथार्थवादी फिल्मों में से एक थी, और इस ने सोवियत संघ में भारतीय फिल्मों के लिए विदेशी बाजार खोल दिया। परदेसी (1957) को कान्स फिल्म समारोह में पाल्मे डी’ओर के लिए नामांकित किया गया था। शहर और सपना (1963) ने सर्वश्रेष्ठ फीचर फिल्म के लिए राष्ट्रीय फिल्म पुरस्कार जीता, जबकि सात हिंदुस्तानी (1969) और दो बूंद पानी (1972) दोनों ने राष्ट्रीय एकता पर सर्वश्रेष्ठ फीचर फिल्म का राष्ट्रीय फिल्म पुरस्कार जीता।

एक पटकथा लेखक के रूप में, उन्होंने कई नव-यथार्थवादी फिल्में लिखीं, जैसे कि धरती के लाल (जिसे उन्होंने निर्देशित किया), नीचा नगर (1946) जिसने पहले कान्स फिल्म समारोह, नया संसार में पाल्मे डी’ओर जीता। जगते रहो (1956), और सात हिंदुस्तानी (जिसे उन्होंने निर्देशित भी किया था)। उन्हें राज कपूर की सर्वश्रेष्ठ फिल्में लिखने के लिए भी जाना जाता है, जिसमें पाल्मे डी’ओर नामांकित आवारा (1951), साथ ही श्री 420 (1955), मेरा नाम जोकर (1970), बॉबी (1973) और मेंहदी (1991) शामिल हैं।

उनका कॉलम ‘लास्ट पेज’ भारतीय पत्रकारिता के इतिहास में सबसे लंबे समय तक चलने वाले कॉलम में से एक है। कॉलम 1935 में द बॉम्बे क्रॉनिकल में शुरू हुआ, और क्रॉनिकल के बंद होने के बाद ब्लिट्ज में चला गया, जहां यह 1987 में उनकी मृत्यु तक जारी रहा। 1969 में उन्हें भारत सरकार द्वारा पद्मश्री से सम्मानित किया गया था।

जीवनी

अब्बास का जन्म अविभाजित पंजाब के पानीपत में हुआ था। उनका जन्म मिर्जा गालिब के छात्र अल्ताफ हुसैन हाली के खानदान में हुआ था। उनके दादा ख्वाजा गुलाम अब्बास 1857 के कि जंगे आज़ादी के प्रमुख मुजाहीदों में से एक थे, और पानीपत के इस पहले शहीद को एक तोप की के मुंह से उड़ा दिया गया था। अब्बास के पिता गुलाम-उस-सिबतैन, अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम विश्वविद्यालय से स्नातक, एक राजकुमार और एक व्यापारी के शिक्षक थे, जिन्होंने यूनानी दवाओं की तैयारी का आधुनिकीकरण किया। अब्बास की मां, मसरूर खातून, एक शिक्षाविद् सज्जाद हुसैन की बेटी थीं।

अब्बास ने हाली मुस्लिम हाई स्कूल में पढ़ाई की, जिसे उनके परदादा हाली ने स्थापित किया था। उन्हें कुरान के अरबी पाठ को पढ़ने का निर्देश दिया गया था और उनके बचपन के सपने उनके पिता के बाध्यकारी आदेश पर आ गए थे। अब्बास ने पंद्रह साल की उम्र में मैट्रिक किया।

उन्होंने 1933 में अंग्रेजी साहित्य में कला स्नातक की उपाधि प्राप्त की और 1935 में अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम विश्वविद्यालय से विधि स्नातक की उपाधि प्राप्त की।

व्यवसाय

विश्वविद्यालय छोड़ने के बाद, अब्बास ने एक नई दिल्ली स्थित समाचार पत्र नेशनल कॉल में एक पत्रकार के रूप में अपना करियर शुरू किया। बाद में 1934 में कानून का अध्ययन करते हुए, अलीगढ़ ओपिनियन, भारत का पहला विश्वविद्यालय छात्रों का साप्ताहिक शुरू किया।

वह 1935 में द बॉम्बे क्रॉनिकल में शामिल हुए। उन्होंने कभी-कभी एक फिल्म समीक्षक के रूप मं काम किया, लेकिन अखबार के फिल्म समीक्षक की मृत्यु के बाद, वे फिल्म अनुभाग के संपादक बन गए।

उन्होंने 1936 में बॉम्बे टॉकीज के लिए एक अंशकालिक प्रचारक के रूप में फिल्मों में प्रवेश किया, जो हिमांशु राय और देविका रानी के स्वामित्व वाला एक प्रोडक्शन हाउस था, जिसे उन्होंने अपनी पहली पटकथा नया संसार (1941) बेची थी।

द बॉम्बे क्रॉनिकल, (1935-1947) में रहते हुए, उन्होंने ‘लास्ट पेज’ नामक एक साप्ताहिक कॉलम शुरू किया, जिसे उन्होंने ब्लिट्ज पत्रिका में शामिल होने पर जारी रखा। “द लास्ट पेज”, (उर्दू संस्करण में ‘आजाद कलाम’), इस प्रकार भारत के इतिहास (1935-87) में सबसे लंबे समय तक चलने वाला राजनीतिक कॉलम बन गया। इन कॉलम का एक संग्रह बाद में दो पुस्तकों के रूप में प्रकाशित हुआ। उन्होंने अपने अंतिम दिनों तक द ब्लिट्ज और मिरर के लिए लिखना जारी रखा।

इस बीच, उन्होंने चेतन आनंद के लिए नीचा नागर और वी. शांताराम के लिए डॉ. कोटनिस की अमर कहानी के लिए अन्य निर्देशकों के लिए स्क्रिप्ट लिखना शुरू कर दिया था।

1945 में  ख्वाजा अहमद अब्बास ने 1943 के बंगाल अकाल पर आधारित एक फिल्म से अपने निर्देशन की शुरुआत की, भारतीय पीपुल्स थिएटर एसोसिएशन (इप्टा) के लिए धरती के लाल (पृथ्वी के बच्चे)। 1951 में उन्होंने नया संसार नामक अपनी खुद की प्रोडक्शन कंपनी की स्थापना की, जो लगातार सामाजिक रूप से प्रासंगिक फिल्मों का निर्माण करती थी, जिसमें मुल्क राज आनंद की कहानी पर आधारित अनहोनी, मुन्ना, राही (1953), चाय बागानों में श्रमिकों की दुर्दशा पर आधारित थी। राष्ट्रीय फिल्म पुरस्कार विजेता, शहर और सपना (1964) और सात हिंदुस्तानी (1969), जिन्होंने राष्ट्रीय एकता पर सर्वश्रेष्ठ फीचर फिल्म के लिए नरगिस दत्त पुरस्कार जीता और इसे बॉलीवुड आइकन अमिताभ बच्चन की पहली फिल्म के रूप में भी याद किया जाता है।

अब्बास ने अंग्रेजी, हिंदी और उर्दू में 73 किताबें लिखीं। अब्बास को उर्दू लघुकथा का प्रमुख प्रकाशमान माना जाता था। उनका सबसे प्रसिद्ध काल्पनिक काम ‘इंकलाब’ है, जो सांप्रदायिक हिंसा पर आधारित है, जिससे उनकी शाहरत घर घर फैल गयी। इंकलाब की तरह, उनके कई कार्यों का रूसी, जर्मन, इतालवी, फ्रेंच और अरबी जैसी कई भारतीय और विदेशी भाषाओं में अनुवाद किया गया था।

अब्बास ने रूसी प्रधान मंत्री ख्रुश्चोव, अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति रूजवेल्ट, चार्ली चैपलिन, माओ-त्से-तुंग और यूरी गगारिन सहित साहित्यिक और गैर-साहित्यिक क्षेत्रों में कई प्रसिद्ध हस्तियों का साक्षात्कार लिया।

अब्बास ने जगते रहो, और आवारा, श्री 420, मेरा नाम जोकर, बॉबी और मेंहदी सहित राज कपूर की अधिकांश प्रमुख फिल्मों के लिए पटकथाएँ लिखीं। उनकी आत्मकथा, आई एम नॉट एन आइलैंड: एन एक्सपेरिमेंट इन ऑटोबायोग्राफी, 1977 में और फिर 2010 में प्रकाशित हुई थी।

सेंसरशिप केस

1968 में अब्बास ने चार शहर एक कहानी (ए टेल ऑफ़ फोर सिटीज़) नामक एक वृत्तचित्र फिल्म बनाई। फिल्म में कलकत्ता, बॉम्बे, मद्रास और दिल्ली के चार शहरों में अमीरों के शानदार जीवन और गरीबों की बदहाली और गरीबी के बीच के अंतर को दर्शाया गया है। उन्होंने ‘यू’ (अप्रतिबंधित सार्वजनिक प्रदर्शनी) प्रमाणपत्र प्राप्त करने के लिए केंद्रीय फिल्म प्रमाणन बोर्ड से संपर्क किया। हालांकि अब्बास को बोर्ड के क्षेत्रीय कार्यालय द्वारा सूचित किया गया था कि फिल्म ‘यू’ प्रमाण पत्र दिए जाने के योग्य नहीं थी, लेकिन केवल वयस्कों के लिए प्रदर्शनी के लिए उपयुक्त थी। केंद्रीय फिल्म प्रमाणन बोर्ड की संशोधित समिति में उनकी अपील के कारण सेंसर के निर्णय को बरकरार रखा गया।

ख्वाजा अहमद अब्बास ने आगे केंद्र सरकार से अपील की लेकिन सरकार ने फिल्म को ‘यू’ सर्टिफिकेट देने का फैसला किया बशर्ते कुछ दृश्यों को काट दिया गया हो। इसके बाद, अब्बास ने भारतीय संविधान के अनुच्छेद 19(1) के तहत एक रिट याचिका दायर करके भारत के सर्वोच्च न्यायालय का दरवाजा खटखटाया। उन्होंने दावा किया कि केंद्र सरकार द्वारा फिल्म को ‘यू’ प्रमाणपत्र देने से इनकार करने से उनके भाषण और अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता के मौलिक अधिकार से इनकार किया गया था। अब्बास ने फिल्मों पर पूर्व-सेंसरशिप की संवैधानिक वैधता को भी चुनौती दी। हालांकि भारत के सर्वोच्च न्यायालय ने फिल्मों पर पूर्व-सेंसरशिप की संवैधानिक वैधता को बरकरार रखा।

• डॉक्टर शमीम अहमद, विधायक 12 नरकटिआ विधान सभा क्षेत्र – एक परिचय
• सैय्यद अहमद मुज्तबा – “वामिक जौनपुरी”
• मशकूर अहमद उस्मानी
• काज़िमार स्ट्रीट मदुरई एक इस्लामिक हेरिटेज स्ट्रीट

My name is Nishrin Hussain. I was born in a small town called Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, India, my maternal grandparents’ hometown. My grandfather was a farmer in a nearby village called Rustampur. My paternal grandfather was a doctor from Burhanpur who moved with his family to Ahmedabad. This is the town my mother Zakiya Jafri called home.

Like any other family, my father’s family was struggling and juggling between work and studies. They felt safe surrounded by a mixed community of both Hindus and a few Muslims and settled in a small two-bedroom house. My father worked for Kuber Seth, our local bike repair shop owner, and Rama Seth, our local grocer shop owner, to meet his expenses by doing their books while continuing his law degree. This was a normal Indian household, a normal Indian family.  Except that we were Muslims.

The 1969 Gujarat riots brought unthinkable devastation. My ammi, as she recalls the tragedy of the night the violence hit us, says she had no time to pick up the only wedding picture they had from the shelf. As the mob closed in, burning, looting and killing, my parents, grandparents, uncle and aunt ran with us and hundreds of other Muslims trying to find their children and their way in the dark and chaos. As a five-year-old, the only light from faraway I remember that night was the light of the fire from the burning Muslim homes, homes which included my own. Walking for hours in the dark night on the

train tracks, my family finally climbed on to a coal train with scores of other survivors. The house with the meagre belongings they had was gone. Then started the long days in refugee tents in Maleksaban stadium in Ahmedabad, and those long lines for food.

Note at this point that in a democratic country of my birth, I was in a refugee camp not because of a natural disaster, but because of a growing hate towards Muslims – because of hate politics, because of hate speeches and because of the Rashtriya Swayamevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

My father and his side of the family were very active in politics. My grandparents (yes, even my dadijaan, or grandmother), father, uncle and aunts – all had been to jail during the Quit India movement against the British, arrested in protests and rallies.

After the 1969 riots, my father was determined to return back to his home and rebuild. And he did. He returned to rebuild his home from the ashes with his family and neighbours. Kuber Seth and Rama Seth accommodated my parents in a small room behind their shop. Once again, with my father’s efforts, we settled and resumed a new life after 1969. As we grew older, we children made friends with our neighbours in the area, went to school together and attended social events. I moved to the the United States after my marriage in 1983. My children spent their summers in Ahmedabad with my parents every year.

Ammi always said that with our father’s determination and the donated “german ke bartan” (aluminium kitchen utensils) to cook, what else did we need. These donated utensils were neatly kept as a reminder of her hard times in the new kitchen in 19, Gulberg Society until they too turned to ashes in 2002 along with my father. Yes, I am talking about India, my country; the city of Ahmedabad, my home.

My mind wanders to that day and as I force and struggle to keep myself from thinking of that moment when the mobs linked to or inspired by  the RSS/VHP pulled my 73-year-old father, an ex-Member of Parliament, Ahsan Hussain Jafri, from the house. This was on February 28, 2002. They dragged him out while the police stood a couple feet away in a van outside the complex, as if waiting for the goons to confirm his death. They cut his legs and his hands, while he was still alive. Then the final blow as the witnesses described, was to his head. They hung his head on a “trishul” or trident and paraded it around saying, incredibly, “Jai Shree Ram, Jai Shree Krishna”.

By the time they finished burning his body parts, the rest of the goons had looted, raped, killed and burned young children, women and men. With their bodies on fire, young children jumped into the open water tanks. And entire community of young and old was chopped and burned to ashes.

This actually didn’t end that day. The whole of Gujarat burned as the politicians in power gave speeches to incite the mobs and newspapers spread fake news across the state with full support from the ruling BJP. From Ahmedabad’s Gulberg Society and Naroda Patia to villages all over Gujarat, bodies were dumped from trucks in deep wells to remove evidence. All the Gods above, below, homes and hearts remained silent.

As the entire state of Gujarat burned and women and children ran on streets looking for help, the top police officers of the state said ‘We have no orders to save you’.  Human Rights Watch in its report confirmed after full investigation what took place in broad daylight in 2002 in the state under BJP rule.

It is unthinkable. But this happens all over India. For politics and power, we stooped so low. So low that in years to come our own children will not recognise us for what we are doing to a section of our society.

My father was a lawyer, politician and a poet. In his book, Qandeel, he wrote about India:

Har Dil Mein Muhabbat Ki Ukhuwat Ki Lagan Hai
Ye Mera Watan Mera Watan Mera Watan Hai

Politics is a game of hate. Elections are fought on and by spreading hate on the basis of Hindu-Muslim. This has to stop. India is a secular country. Our founders laid down a beautiful constitution. Let’s live that.

Hazrat Khwaja Syed Muhammad Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki (Urdu: حضرت خواجہ سیّد محمد قطب الدین بختیار کاکی) was a renowned Sufi saint and scholar of the Chishti Order from Delhi, India. Khwaja Qutbuddin’s original name was Bakhtiar but his title was Qutbuddin. The additional suffix of ‘Kaki’ to his name was attributed to hint by virtue of a miracle that emanated from him at a later stage of his life at Delhi. Popularly, he is also called Khwaja Kaki and Hazrat Qutub Saheb.

He was a born saint and had the honor of being the ‘first’ Spiritual Successor of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. Forty days before the demise of his great Pir-o-Murshid, Khwaja Qutubuddin was appointed by him as his recognised Khalifa (spiritual successor) at a formal ceremony at Ajmer, and was deputed to carry on the mission of the Chishti Order of Sufis in India with his headquarters at Delhi. His dargah in Mehrauli, the oldest dargah in Delhi, is the venue of his annual Urs.

His most famous disciple and spiritual successor was Fariduddin Ganjshakar, who in turn became the spiritual master of Delhi’s noted Sufi saint, Nizamuddin Auliya, who himself was the spiritual master of Amir Khusru and Nasiruddin Chiragh-e-Delhi.

The influence of Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki on Sufism in India was immense. As he continued and developed the traditional ideas of universal brotherhood and charity within the Chishti order, a new dimension of Islam started opening up in India which had hitherto not been present. He forms an important part of the Sufi movement which attracted many people to Islam in India in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

Family & Early life

Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki was born in 569 A.H. (1173 C.E.) in a small town called Aush (alternatively Awash or Ush) in the Fergana Valley (present Osh, part of historic Transoxiana) He was born in the middle of the night, brightness lighting up the whole house and a strange light being caste all around. After his birth it is reputed that he prostrated himself in adoration and uttered the words “Allah, Allah.” After sometime he raised his head and the light disappeared.

Nobody knew that the son of Syed Kamaluddin, who was himself a very pious gentleman, would one day play a most distinguished role in the development and history of Sufism in India. When Hazrat Qutbuddin was just eighteen months old, he lost his father. His mother, who was also a pious and very intelligent lady, however, made suitable arrangements for her dear child’s education. At the tender age of 5, he was put under the loving care of a learned tutor, Maulana Abu Hafus, who started him with the teaching of both theological and spiritual sides of knowledge. Along with his early education, he was also devoted to mujahedas (devotional practices) for his spiritual training and when Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti visited Awash, during one of his travels, Khwaja Qutbuddin, who was then 17 years old, offered himself as a Mureed (disciple) to the great saint and sought his blessings for a spiritual career. The great Khwaja Saheb of Ajmer, who had already intuitively perceived the divine spark in the young aspirant, accepted him immediately.

Travels

Later on, with a view to mature his knowledge and experience in Sufism Khwaja Qutbuddin proceeded on a prolonged tour to various: places in Afghanistan, Persia and Iraq, the last named being the home of many top-ranking Sufi dervishes of his time. He himself narrates the stories of this tour, as follows:

He adds:

A strange incident

Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin relates another interesting incident of his travels. He says:

Another strange incident

Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin goes on:

Once, during the Hajj, I and my intimate friend Qazi Hamiduddin Nagauri were making rounds of the Kaaba following a dervish whose name was Sheikh Usman, and who was one of the descendants of Sheikh Abu Bakr Shibli. Out of great respect, we were following him by putting our feet on the impressions of his feet. By his intuitive powers Sheikh Usman, however, found out what we were doing. He turned round and said: “It will do you no good by following me in my footprints in this fashion. If you really wish to follow me, then try to follow my Inward Light.” We enquired as to what his Inward Light was? He said: “I finish recitation of the Holy Quran 1000 times a day”. We were greatly surprised at this apparently fantastic claim because it was humanly impossible to read the voluminous Holy Quran 1000 times in a day. We thought perhaps he may be exaggerating and reading only a word or two of each Surah of the Quran. But just as we were contemplating like this, Sheikh Usman turned back and said: “Do you take, it to be a bluff? I again repeat that I read the Holy Quran 1000 times daily word by word.'” We kept quiet and when I related this story before a gathering of some distinguished dervishes in one of our private meetings, Maulana Alauddin Karmani said: “Anything which is beyond human conception or comprehension is a miracle, because, before a miracle, all human intelligence fails and is unable to fathom into the ‘divine mysteries’ which only prophets and walees can see.”

To the rescue of Multan

In one of his travels, Khwaja Qutbuddin is reported to have visited Multan where he was received by Hazrat Sheikh Bahauddin Zakariya Suhrawardi with great respect. Hazrat Bahauddin has a great reputation as a Sufi dervish of his time in India. His headquarters were in Multan and we shall see more about him, later on, in this publication. During Khwaja Qutbuddin’s stay in Multan, the Mughals are reported to have attacked India and besieged Multan. The Governor of Multan, named Qabacha Beg, begged Hazrat Qutbuddin for his spiritual help and blessing to ward off the attack of the Mughals and, it is reported, he succeeded in repulsing the enemy by the grace of God.

Arrival in Delhi

It is reported that when Khwaja Qutbuddin arrived in Delhi from Ajmer, Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish, who was the ruler of India at Delhi, went out of the city to welcome the Khwaja because he had very great respect for Sufi dervishes. He wanted to arrange for Qutub Saheb’s stay in the city, but the latter preferred to stay at Kelu Kheri, a suburb of Delhi. The Sultan, however, used to wait upon him twice a week in order to receive his spiritual blessings and guidance. The Sultan, later on, became a regular and most dutiful disciple of Hazrat Qutbuddin. At this stage, he again requested his Pir to come and stay with him in the city because in attending upon him at Kelu Kheri, which he must do, he had to spend much of his time which he could save to attend to the affairs of his government Hazrat Qutub Saheb agreed and shifted to the mosque of Malik Ainuddin in the city.

Sheikh-ul-Islam’s Jealousy

After the death of Delhi’s Sheikh-ul-Islam, Nooruddin Ghaznavi, the Sultan wanted Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin to take up this august post but when the latter flatly refused, he appointed Sheikh Najmuddin Sughra who was one of the mureeds of Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni — the great Pir-o-Murshid of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. But, due to the great popularity of Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin both at the Sultan’s court and among the citizens of the State, Sheikh Najmuddin carried a serious jealousy against Khwaja Qutbuddin and wanted to get him out of Delhi by any means whatever. He used to defame Qutub Saheb whenever an opportunity presented itself. It is a historical fact that the worshippers of wealth, power and fame have always borne grudge and jealousy against Sufi dervishes who had no love for money or fame except the love of God and selfless service of mankind.

His love for his Pir

It is reported that once, out of the unbearable love for his Pir-o-Murshid (Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti) Khwaja Qutbuddin wrote a letter seeking his Pir’s permission to go to Ajmer and satisfy the thirst of his love by kissing his Murshid’s feet. But, in the mean time, Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin, who also loved his disciple dearly, himself started for Delhi and reached their quite unexpectedly. Here the Sultan and the public, when they heard of the arrival of Hazrat Khwaja Saheb, all came out of the city to offer their homage and welcome greetings to him. But the Sheikh-ul-Islam of Delhi, i.e. Sheikh Najmuddin Sughra did not take any notice of Khwaja Saheb’s arrival. However out of his own regard and courtesy for his brother Khalifa (as Najmuddin was also one of the Khalifas of Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni, the Pir-o-Murshid of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin), Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin himself went to see the Sheikh at his home. When they met, the Sheikh bitterly complained that “due to the presence and popularity of Khwaja Qutbuddin in Delhi, his own position as Sheikh-ul-Islam had become practically nil” Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin, for the sake of removing even this absurd grievance, ordered his disciple, Khwaja Qutbuddin, to leave Delhi and go to Ajmer with him.

Delhi’s public demonstration

When this news reached the Sultan, he felt awfully upset and beseeched Khwaja Saheb not to take away Khwaja Qutbuddin from Delhi. But it was not accepted and the Khwaja Saheb started back for Ajmer with Khwaja Qutbuddin. When the citizens of Delhi saw this they wailed and wept and protested imploringly before Hazrat Khwaja Saheb to leave Khwaja Qutbuddin with them in Delhi He was so much loved and esteemed that the people used to pick up the dust from under his feet and smear it upon their eyes. When Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin saw this overwhelming love for his beloved disciple in Delhi, he said: “Baba Qutub you may stay here because I do not like to hurt the feelings of this vast multitude by taking you away from them.” And so Khwaja Qutbuddin remained in Delhi as people’s spiritual preceptor upto the time of his last breath.

Khwaja Qutbuddin was, however, summoned to Ajmer before the death of his Pir-o-Murshid.

Picture of forbearance

Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin was a picture of patience and forbearance. It is exemplified by the incidence of his young son’s death. When the people returned after the child’s burial, Hazrat Qutub Saheb’s wife, overwhelmed by grief, began to wail and cry. When the Khwaja Saheb (who was not present at the time of the child) enquired the reason of this wailing, it was disclosed by his Mureeds that his little son had died. He said: “If I knew, I would have prayed to God for the child’s long life. But now we must resign to the will of the Almighty.”

His ‘mujahedas’ (striving)

Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin suffered extreme hardships and privations during the course of his mujahedas and riyazat (strivings) According to “Siyar-ul-Aulia“, (p.49), it is recorded that in the beginning of his career, he could afford to have some sleep but in the concluding years of his life, he never slept and used to say: “If I ever sleep, I feel uneasy and sick.” For 20 years he never slept in the night, nor did he ever touch his back to the floor even for a moments rest. He was also all the time deeply absorbed in muraqba (lost in devotion of God) so much so that if anybody came to see him, he regained consciousness with some difficulty and delay. It was only at the time of Namaz that he regained the state of sehav (normality).

In the concluding years of his life, he had committed the Holy Quran by heart and used to recite and finish it twice every day. According to “Jawama-ul-Kalum“, Khwaja Qutbuddin used to remain in his cell in a state of broken-heartedness, tongue- tied, sighing and weeping. When the crowd of eager devotees and visitors swelled outside his hujra, he came out to meet them and ordered his ‘mureeds’ in the Khanqah to offer the people a cup of water if there was nothing else to offer hospitality. And when they were busy drinking the water, he used to give them brief sermons to lead a God fearing and religious life. After seeing them off, he again went into his hujra and resumed his devotional muraqaba.

Love of Sama & Passing on

Like his predecessors, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin was also very fond of Sama (Qawwali) and used to hold Sama Mahfils often at his place or join such Mahfils sometimes at the place of his dear friend Qazi Hamiduddin Nagauri. He also attended Sama Mahfils at the Khanqahs of other dervishes. In a Sama Mahfil, the Qawwal was singing the following Persian couplet under the spell of which Hazrat Qutubudd in remained in a state of ecstasy for 4 days and nights consecutively, except prayer times:-

Hazrat Qutbuddin’s love for Sama reached its climax when he died in a state of wajd(ecstasy). When this incident took place, the Qawwal was singing the following Persian couplet of Sheikh Ahmed Jam’s famous Qaseeda at the monastery of Sheikh Ali Sijistani at Delhi:-

Shaheed-e-Mohabbat (martyr of God’s love)

Qazi Hamiduddin Nagauri and Sheikh Badruddin Ghuznavi helped to bring Khwaja Qutbuddin in his state of wajd to his home, (the Qawwals repeating the said couplet), where he remained in the same state for 3 consecutive days and nights and expired on the 4th day; his condition becoming worse with the passing of each day. This happened in 634 AH. or 1237 A.D. at Delhi and on account of this extraordinary death, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin is known as “Shaheed-e-Mohabbat” (martyr of God’s love).

At the time of death, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin’s head was resting on the thigh of his beloved friend Qazi Hamiduddin Nagauri, while both of his hands were in the lap of Sheikh Badruddin Ghuznavi.

Place of burial

A few weeks before his death, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin was returning home after the Idd prayer when he stayed at a place on the way and told his companions: “I feel the smell of love coming out of this place.” The owner of the land was summoned immediately and it was purchased. This is the same place where the great saint was buried and where his illustrious Dargah stands upto this day. It is situated in Mahrauli, a small habitation in the suburbs of New Delhi. The famous “Qutub Minar” of Delhi stands near his Dargah.

His Spiritual Successors (Khalifas)

Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki had 27 Khalifas who carried on his teachings in Sufism in different parts of India, apart from Delhi and its adjoining provinces. Of them, Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Hazrat Sheikh Badruddin Ghaznavi, Sheikh Barhanuddin Balakhi, Sheikh Ziauddin Rumi, Sultan Shamsuddin Al-Tamish and Qazi Hamidduin Nagauri are most prominent.

Teachings & Publications

Hazrat Qutbuddin has written a masterpiece on Sufism in Persian, called. “Fawaid-us-Salikin.” It contains his malfoozaat’ (teachings and sayings) in 7 brief chapters and was compiled and arranged by his first spiritual successor, Hazrat Baba Fariddun Ganjshakar, who carried on the distinguished work of the Chishtia Order, after Hazrat Qutbuddin’s death.

Fawaid-us-Salikin is not a voluminous publication and contains only 36 pages and but features all those delicate points, instructions and life-long experiences of the saint which are necessary for a Sufi dervish to achieve perfection in this divine creed.

 (Reference: sufiwiki.com)

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