HAZRAT KHWAJA BAHA-ud-DIN NAQSHBAND (RA) Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad Naqshband was born in 718 AH at Qasr-i-Arifan, a village in Bukhara. Later on he shifted to Revertun village of Bukhara and spent his life there. Certain sources mention him to be from the Husaini Sadat and his ancestor was named Muhammad, titled Jalal-ud-Din. His ancestors were the followers of the Murshid of the Sufis of Khwajgan-Khwaja Muhammad Babai Sammasi. The father of Khwja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad was known as Baba Sahib Sarmast and lies buried in Samarqand..
Bahauddin Naqshband
Hazrat Muhammad Bahauddin Shah Naqshband
Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband's mausoleum in Qasr al-Arifan, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Born Muhurram 717 AH / March 1389 AD Qasr al-Arifan, Bukhara (present-day Uzbekistan)
Passed away 791 AH/1391 AD
Resting place Qasr al-Arifan
Little is known about his details except some brief hints. He was having great regard for the saints of the time. Just after three days of his birth Hazrat Baha-ud-Din was taken by his ancestor to Khwaja Muhammad Babai Sammasi for receiving his blessings, who had come to Qasr-i-Arifan along with a group of his followers and he adopted Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad as his son, and he said that ‘he is my son and I have accepted him’ and foretold his followers that ‘this son shall be the leader of the time.’ He was married at the age of 18 years and in those very days he was blessed with remaining in the service of Khwaja Baba Muhammad Sammasi, and on his passing away in 755 AH, his ancestor took him to Samarqand. There he obtained blessings from the dervishes in his favour. On reaching maturity, he reached in the service of Hazrat Amir Kalal, the successor of Babai Sammasi, who trained him in ‘zikr’ and thus he got busy in prayers and ‘mujahada’. Hazrat Sayid Amir Kalal left no stone unturned in his education, training and instructions as desired by his Murshid Khwaja Muhammad Sammasi. On completion of his course, Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad desired to leave and on account of God- given capability, the Murshid allowed him to try for higher perfection of self. Thereafter he served Moulana Arif Deg-garai for seven years, besides spending several months with Shaikh Qasam of Turkistan, who was associated with Khwaja Ahmad Yaswi and thereafter he spent twelve years in the service of a Turkistani Murshid Khalil Aata. Some more period he spent with scholars, where he learnt the knowledge of Hadith , besides he aquainted himself with the biographies of Sahaba (Companions of the Prophet) Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din performed Hajj twice. In one of these travels the king of Herat Muiz-ud-Din Husain bin Gayas-ud-Din gave a grand reception in his honour, where he invited scholars of Herat and himself too enquired regarding issues about ‘Tariqat and Irfan’. In the second travel for Hajj, he went to see the famous saint Hazrat Zain-ud-Din Abu Bakr Taib-Abadi and remained in his company for three days. Hazrat Zain-ud-Din passed away in 791 AH. Besides these travels of Hajj, Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband went to meet great Mashaikh of Khurasan, Mavara-un-Nahar, Samarqand, Joi Mooliyan, Revartun, Bekand, Tasaf, Simnan, Marv, Tus, Mashhad, Teyibad, Azyut, Karminya, Qashlaq-i-Khwaja Mubarak, Qarshi, Kufeen, Qazeel Rabat, Kush,etc. Little is known about the family background of Hazrat Khwaja Naqshband, though much has been written on Naqshbandi order. At last Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband left this temporal world on Monday night of third Rabi-ul-Awal 791 AH. His age was 73 years. He lies buried in his home town Bukhara. This village is now known as Baha-ud-Din. Hazrat Khwaja Ala-ud-Din Attar states that “Hazrat Khwaja Naqshband was miskeen (faqir) and had given up the world, relationship and had adopted a lonely life of abistenance.His pious breaths were devoted to the grace of fuqur, darvishi and he would tell me with great love, that whatever he had found, was found by him with it’s original attributes.” “There would be dust in his house in winter, which would be falling from the mosque. In summer there would be an old mat. He would always be careful in self-introspection and would be cautious about his diet. He would often relate Hadith about pious (halal) diet. Inspite of being at the height of fuqr, he was full of the desire for sacrifice and servitude.Whatever gift was brought to him, he would return a similar or better gift, in keeping with the practice of the Prophet (PBH). He would entertain his guest with befitting diet and would see that there is no laxity in making him at ease. He would provide his own clothes/ coverings to cover the guest in his sleep to make him comfortable. Hazrat Khwaja would grow his paddy/wheat himself from his fields. He would be cautious in the selection of seeds and the selection of oxen with broad horns. Scholars coming in his service would eat from his kitchen, considering it to be a blessing from him. His personality is described to be so impressive that King and Amirs of Herat would remain dumbfounded on seeing him. He would be well dressed duly scented, social with friends and guests,attendind domestic work himself,and would help his family in other domestic works, would go to enquire about sick people, and would even provide advice regarding their treatment, he would treat the wounds of animals,and would pray for the welfare of faithful (moomin). He was a guide for the ettiquete, a Murshid to many hearts and would always preach for just (hahal) diet and clean and pious life. He himself had attained the fame of a Perfet friend of Allah (Wali), people like great scholars, Amirs, Wazirs,and even kings from far and wide would attend his gatherings to receive his blessings. He would pray for their welfare and also for the (taqwa)-abstinence of their hearts. Besides the hard prayers, he would follow in the footsteps of the Prophet in all (Ibadat) prayers- he would be always with ablution (Wazoo), punctual in (prayers (Salat) and recitation of Quran, repentance (Toba-Istigfar); Remembrance of Allah (Zikir); Awrad,-wazaif, nawafil, tarawih; Tasabih, Tahajjud and fasting; in short he spent whole life in engaging himself in these tasks, without wasting a moment. Khwaja Naqshband classified knowledge in three categories: one is bookish knowledge, which perishes with the death of the writer and eating of the book by moths; many such types of knowledge have come and are lost; the second form of knowledge is that of verification. Again this too is not reliable as a theory put forward today is disproved tomorrow. Yesterday we were told that sun is stationary, today we are told that it is moving. Hence not reliable. The third form of knowledge niether needs books nor verification. It is transfered from person to person and one must think that a person having this type of knowledge has reached it’s climax, when he says that he knows nothing, as this knowledge is so vast that it has no boundaries. Khwaja Naqshband says that being a student of this knowledge, time and distance is no bar to him, that means he could travel both time and distance without means and that is the lowest stage of this knowledge. The highest form of this knowledge is (The Miraj) the ascension performed by the Prophet (PBH). The purpose of knowledge should be to take you to the Source of knowledge, which is ALLAH. In India the Naqshbandi order was introduced by Hazrat Khwaja Razi-ud-Din Muhammad Baqi known as Khwaja Baqi Billah. It was with his efforts lasting three to four years that a strong foundation of the order was laid in India. Hazrat Baqi Billah was born in Kabul in 971 AH. He received initial education from his father Qazi Abdul Salam Khilji followed by Moulana Muhammad Siddiq Halwai, who took him to Mavra-un-Nahar and there he became fond of Sofi Tariqat in his company. Ignoring the traditional education, he began to attend the gatherings of the Mashaikh. Having developed interest, he made repentance (Tobah) in presence of Shaikh Khwja Ubaid (Khalifa of Moulana Lutfullah who was Khalifa of Makhdoom-i-Azam Dahbedi). Next he went to Shaikh Iftikhar from the order of Shaikh Ahmad Yasvi, who had come to Samarqand., on whose hands he made second repentance (Tobah). He had a vision of Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband and Khwaja Muhammad Parsa. At last he came to India in his full youth and fufilled his thirst wherever he found the springs bubbling with Muarifat. He came to Kashmir as well and spent two years in the service of Baba Ali Waali (RA) and after the death of Baba Ali Waali reached Sumbal to get benefitted from Shaikh Ilahi Bakhsh Sumbali. After completion of his travels, the soul of Khwaja Ubaidullah Ahrar got manifest to him, who educated him in the tariqa Naqshbandiya and after its completion he went back to Mavra-un-Nahar and reached in the service of Khwajagi Khwaja Muhammad Amkingi, who gave a special attention to him in seclusion for three days and three nights and sent him to India for propagating Naqsbandi order there. He reached Lahore and the scholars of that place were benefited during his one year stay there.Then he moved to Delhi and lived in the fort built by Feroz Shah Tagluk. There was a mosque inside the fort, besides a channel was running through it. He remained there till his last day. He was down to earth by nature, most lovable, very matured and tolerant. His lovable personality attracted the disciples and with his spiritual influence, a spiritual change would take place iin them, and whoever would come in his sight would enter the Naqshbandi order finding a transformation and in some cases ‘Alami- malakoot’ got manifest on them. Though the number of people entered in the order was considerable, but the most distinguished among all was Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (RA). who was the founder of Tariqa Mujadadia in India and is known as Mujaddad Alf Sani (Reviver of Deen after thousand years). Hazrat Baqi Billah perfected spiritual education of Shaikh Ahmad in Naqshbandi order. In him Hazrat Baqi Billah found his dream getting fulfilled in which he was earlier shown a speaking parrot on the tree branch and he himself sitting under the shade of the tree. The parrot came flying and sat on his hand and Hazrat Baqi Billah dropped saliva from his mouth in the bird’s mouth and the parrot in turn dropped some sugar from his mouth in the mouth of Baqi Billah. When he related this dream to Khwaja Amkingi, he told him that I have already told you to go to India, where a vast population will get enlightened by you. The parrot is the bird of India and there a person will get benefitted, who will enlighten a great world and you will also be benefitted by it. Within two or three months Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani discovered the light of inner self and covered the stages of ‘salook’ and before leaving for Sirhind, Hazrat Baqi Billah told him this good news that you have qualified for Naqsshbandi order and will progress with each passing day. Thereafter Shaikh Ahmad revisited Delhi to see his Pir-o-Murshid and he was bestowed the honour of Khilafat and was permitted to give instructions in the tariqat, besides he entrusted his own disciples to him for further education and training. Again in a state of restlesness, Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani went to see his Murshid for the third time. This time Hazrat Baqi Billah himself came out to receive him and blessed him with many blessings. He directed all his disciples to follow him even in his presence and brought his two sons Khwaja Ubaidullah, and Khwaja Abdullah and their mother in his presence and asked him to take care of them, which was a hint of his nearing end of his life. He once pointed towards Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani stating that Shaikh Ahmad is the sun in whose light there are thousands of stars like us. Hazrat Baqi Billah reached India in Akbar’s reign and within four year’s stay, he brought a great populace under the influence of his order. Many Mashaikh became his disciples. Many disciples were released from the innovations and brought back on the track of Sunnah and straight path and a new blood was infused in people. He breathed his last in 1014 AH in Delhi, when he was only forty years and four months of age.He lies buried in Delhi near Qadm-i-Rasool (PBH). Though Kashmiris were longing for the visit of Hazrat Baqi billah, and when it was not possible, the Kashmiri Mashaikh would go to Delhi to get benefitted in the Naqshbandi order from Hazrat Baqi Billah. Though Hazrat Makhdum Shaikh Abdul Ahad Farooqi Sirhindi father of Shaikh Ahmad visited Kashmir , when Saif Khan was the Governor of this place and a huge gathering entered into his discipleship , to mention a few of them, Mohammad Amin Sufi, Noor Babai Pakhli, Hazrat Shaikh Mohammad Murad Tung (Murshid of the historian Khwaja Mohammad Azam Dedamari)- [ His hanwritten manuscript Shajra Mubarak in Kubravia, Qadiria, Suhrawardia, Naqshbandia and Chishtia orders is lying in my ancestoral library], Shaikh Abdul Rashid, Allama Moulana Qazi Mohammad Haidar (d. 1120 AH- b- Bachpora). But since Hazrat Makhdum Shaikh Abdul Ahad was the follower of Chisti and Qadiri orders, he enlisted his disciples in these two orders only. He however was often found praying for reaching of Naqshbandi order in India. Many names of Kashmiris are mentioned who got benefitted from this order by travelling to Delhi, to mention a few Akund Mulla Kamal,Hazrat Shah Qasim Haqqani, Shaikh Mahdi Ali Sopori, Mirza Hayat Beg, Khwaja Mohammad Sadiq (Sood), Shaikh Usman Jallundari, Shah Mohammad Sadiq Qalandar. Besides there are many persons who got initiated into Naqshbandi order from Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani. Hazrat Shaikh Yaqub Sarfi (RA) initiated Shaikh Ahmad in Kubravi order, who in turn initiated Shaikh Sarfi in Naqshbandi silsila. One of the decendants of Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi- Mir Ismail Ahmadi Bukhari (s/o Shaikh Mohammad Sibgatullah s/o Hazrat Khwaja Mohammad Masoom s/o Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi), migrated to Kashmir and lies buried in Dabtal Zaina Kadal. It is in his compound that Hazrat Habibullah Attar also lies buried. [Mir Ismail Bukhari happens to be my mother's ancestor.] Allama Haidar bin Feroz Kashmiri was initiated in the orders of Qadirya, Shazilia, Madinia, Chishtia and Naqshbandia by Shaikh Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlavi.[The copy of the Shajra Mubarak- handwritten manuscript by Shaikh Muhaddis Dehlavi in these five orders lies in my ancestoral library.] In Kashmir the Naqshbandi order was initially intoduced by Sayid Hilal, who arrived in the reign of Sutan Sikandar (1389-1413 AD). Sayid Hilal is said to have been a direct disciple of Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband. He lived a quiet life and died in 862 AH/1457 AD at the village of Asham North Kashmir, where he had settled down. Sayid Hilal left only one disciple named Sayid Amin known as Wusi Sahib in Kashmir. He hailed from the Baihaqi family and was the second son of Sayid Husain Baihaqi or Mantiqi. Sayid Amin was adopted as a son by Baihaqi Begum, the wife of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, but the life of affluence did not appeal to him. Like his spiritual master he led a life of retirement at Asham. When Sayid Hilal died, he moved to Srinagar, where he confined himself to a room near Koh-i-Maran. He became victim of a political intrigue, when fifteen members of his family were killed in 889 AH/1484 AD.He was buried at Alikadal on the right bank of river Jhelum in Srinagar, where his tomb exists to this day. Sayid Amin left no disciple. It was after over a century thereafter that Khwaja Khawand Mahmud arrived here at the end of 16th century AD. The Khwaja was the son of Khwaja Mir Sayid Sharif, who claimed descent from Khwja Ala-ud_din Attar, a distinguished disciple of Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband. Khawaja Khawand was initiated in the order by Khwaja Ishaq Safedki, but he claimed to have received inspiration direct from Khwja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband. Before entering Kashmir from Kabul, Khwaja Khawand had journeyed to many countries. The Khwaja did not stay there for long and soon left for Agra. However in the 17th century, when Khwaja Khawand made several further visits to Kashmir, the Naqshbandi order received a great impetus here.Later Khwaja Khawand preferd to settle at Lahore along with his other sons and deputed one of his sons Khwaja Moin-ud-Din to stay at Srinagar to look after the disciples and the affairs of Khanqah. The Khanqah which was earlier constructed by Budshah at Asham, was got shifted to Khwaja Bazar, where Khwaja Moin-ud-Din Naqshbandi was stationed later on. Khwaja Moin-ud-Din Naqshbandi lies buried in the masoleum near the Khanqah along with his wife (who was daughter of Aurangzeb) besides his two sons.
Hazrat Bahauddin's tomb
The urs of Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband Bukhrai (RA) is celebrated on the 3rd Rabi-ul-Awal every year, besides the gatherings for special prayers (khatmat-muazzamat) are held for twelve days i.e. from 21st Safar to 3rd Rabi-ul Awal. These gatherings are held every day at 8 AM in the Khanqah-i-Naqshbandiya. On the urs day after the Asr prayers, special mass prayers are held called ‘Khoja Digar’. This practice continues as a tradition from the times of Hazrat Khwaja Khawand Mahmood i.e. from 1017 AH- 405 years. Today when I am writing these lines, it is 3rd Rabi-ul-Awal 1422 AH. Presented by HAfiz Bilal (babuulohar786@gmail.com)
Bahauddin Naqshband
Hazrat Muhammad Bahauddin Shah Naqshband
Born Muhurram 717 AH / March 1389 AD Qasr al-Arifan, Bukhara (present-day Uzbekistan)
Passed away 791 AH/1391 AD
Resting place Qasr al-Arifan
Little is known about his details except some brief hints. He was having great regard for the saints of the time. Just after three days of his birth Hazrat Baha-ud-Din was taken by his ancestor to Khwaja Muhammad Babai Sammasi for receiving his blessings, who had come to Qasr-i-Arifan along with a group of his followers and he adopted Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad as his son, and he said that ‘he is my son and I have accepted him’ and foretold his followers that ‘this son shall be the leader of the time.’ He was married at the age of 18 years and in those very days he was blessed with remaining in the service of Khwaja Baba Muhammad Sammasi, and on his passing away in 755 AH, his ancestor took him to Samarqand. There he obtained blessings from the dervishes in his favour. On reaching maturity, he reached in the service of Hazrat Amir Kalal, the successor of Babai Sammasi, who trained him in ‘zikr’ and thus he got busy in prayers and ‘mujahada’. Hazrat Sayid Amir Kalal left no stone unturned in his education, training and instructions as desired by his Murshid Khwaja Muhammad Sammasi. On completion of his course, Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad desired to leave and on account of God- given capability, the Murshid allowed him to try for higher perfection of self. Thereafter he served Moulana Arif Deg-garai for seven years, besides spending several months with Shaikh Qasam of Turkistan, who was associated with Khwaja Ahmad Yaswi and thereafter he spent twelve years in the service of a Turkistani Murshid Khalil Aata. Some more period he spent with scholars, where he learnt the knowledge of Hadith , besides he aquainted himself with the biographies of Sahaba (Companions of the Prophet) Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din performed Hajj twice. In one of these travels the king of Herat Muiz-ud-Din Husain bin Gayas-ud-Din gave a grand reception in his honour, where he invited scholars of Herat and himself too enquired regarding issues about ‘Tariqat and Irfan’. In the second travel for Hajj, he went to see the famous saint Hazrat Zain-ud-Din Abu Bakr Taib-Abadi and remained in his company for three days. Hazrat Zain-ud-Din passed away in 791 AH. Besides these travels of Hajj, Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband went to meet great Mashaikh of Khurasan, Mavara-un-Nahar, Samarqand, Joi Mooliyan, Revartun, Bekand, Tasaf, Simnan, Marv, Tus, Mashhad, Teyibad, Azyut, Karminya, Qashlaq-i-Khwaja Mubarak, Qarshi, Kufeen, Qazeel Rabat, Kush,etc. Little is known about the family background of Hazrat Khwaja Naqshband, though much has been written on Naqshbandi order. At last Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband left this temporal world on Monday night of third Rabi-ul-Awal 791 AH. His age was 73 years. He lies buried in his home town Bukhara. This village is now known as Baha-ud-Din. Hazrat Khwaja Ala-ud-Din Attar states that “Hazrat Khwaja Naqshband was miskeen (faqir) and had given up the world, relationship and had adopted a lonely life of abistenance.His pious breaths were devoted to the grace of fuqur, darvishi and he would tell me with great love, that whatever he had found, was found by him with it’s original attributes.” “There would be dust in his house in winter, which would be falling from the mosque. In summer there would be an old mat. He would always be careful in self-introspection and would be cautious about his diet. He would often relate Hadith about pious (halal) diet. Inspite of being at the height of fuqr, he was full of the desire for sacrifice and servitude.Whatever gift was brought to him, he would return a similar or better gift, in keeping with the practice of the Prophet (PBH). He would entertain his guest with befitting diet and would see that there is no laxity in making him at ease. He would provide his own clothes/ coverings to cover the guest in his sleep to make him comfortable. Hazrat Khwaja would grow his paddy/wheat himself from his fields. He would be cautious in the selection of seeds and the selection of oxen with broad horns. Scholars coming in his service would eat from his kitchen, considering it to be a blessing from him. His personality is described to be so impressive that King and Amirs of Herat would remain dumbfounded on seeing him. He would be well dressed duly scented, social with friends and guests,attendind domestic work himself,and would help his family in other domestic works, would go to enquire about sick people, and would even provide advice regarding their treatment, he would treat the wounds of animals,and would pray for the welfare of faithful (moomin). He was a guide for the ettiquete, a Murshid to many hearts and would always preach for just (hahal) diet and clean and pious life. He himself had attained the fame of a Perfet friend of Allah (Wali), people like great scholars, Amirs, Wazirs,and even kings from far and wide would attend his gatherings to receive his blessings. He would pray for their welfare and also for the (taqwa)-abstinence of their hearts. Besides the hard prayers, he would follow in the footsteps of the Prophet in all (Ibadat) prayers- he would be always with ablution (Wazoo), punctual in (prayers (Salat) and recitation of Quran, repentance (Toba-Istigfar); Remembrance of Allah (Zikir); Awrad,-wazaif, nawafil, tarawih; Tasabih, Tahajjud and fasting; in short he spent whole life in engaging himself in these tasks, without wasting a moment. Khwaja Naqshband classified knowledge in three categories: one is bookish knowledge, which perishes with the death of the writer and eating of the book by moths; many such types of knowledge have come and are lost; the second form of knowledge is that of verification. Again this too is not reliable as a theory put forward today is disproved tomorrow. Yesterday we were told that sun is stationary, today we are told that it is moving. Hence not reliable. The third form of knowledge niether needs books nor verification. It is transfered from person to person and one must think that a person having this type of knowledge has reached it’s climax, when he says that he knows nothing, as this knowledge is so vast that it has no boundaries. Khwaja Naqshband says that being a student of this knowledge, time and distance is no bar to him, that means he could travel both time and distance without means and that is the lowest stage of this knowledge. The highest form of this knowledge is (The Miraj) the ascension performed by the Prophet (PBH). The purpose of knowledge should be to take you to the Source of knowledge, which is ALLAH. In India the Naqshbandi order was introduced by Hazrat Khwaja Razi-ud-Din Muhammad Baqi known as Khwaja Baqi Billah. It was with his efforts lasting three to four years that a strong foundation of the order was laid in India. Hazrat Baqi Billah was born in Kabul in 971 AH. He received initial education from his father Qazi Abdul Salam Khilji followed by Moulana Muhammad Siddiq Halwai, who took him to Mavra-un-Nahar and there he became fond of Sofi Tariqat in his company. Ignoring the traditional education, he began to attend the gatherings of the Mashaikh. Having developed interest, he made repentance (Tobah) in presence of Shaikh Khwja Ubaid (Khalifa of Moulana Lutfullah who was Khalifa of Makhdoom-i-Azam Dahbedi). Next he went to Shaikh Iftikhar from the order of Shaikh Ahmad Yasvi, who had come to Samarqand., on whose hands he made second repentance (Tobah). He had a vision of Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband and Khwaja Muhammad Parsa. At last he came to India in his full youth and fufilled his thirst wherever he found the springs bubbling with Muarifat. He came to Kashmir as well and spent two years in the service of Baba Ali Waali (RA) and after the death of Baba Ali Waali reached Sumbal to get benefitted from Shaikh Ilahi Bakhsh Sumbali. After completion of his travels, the soul of Khwaja Ubaidullah Ahrar got manifest to him, who educated him in the tariqa Naqshbandiya and after its completion he went back to Mavra-un-Nahar and reached in the service of Khwajagi Khwaja Muhammad Amkingi, who gave a special attention to him in seclusion for three days and three nights and sent him to India for propagating Naqsbandi order there. He reached Lahore and the scholars of that place were benefited during his one year stay there.Then he moved to Delhi and lived in the fort built by Feroz Shah Tagluk. There was a mosque inside the fort, besides a channel was running through it. He remained there till his last day. He was down to earth by nature, most lovable, very matured and tolerant. His lovable personality attracted the disciples and with his spiritual influence, a spiritual change would take place iin them, and whoever would come in his sight would enter the Naqshbandi order finding a transformation and in some cases ‘Alami- malakoot’ got manifest on them. Though the number of people entered in the order was considerable, but the most distinguished among all was Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (RA). who was the founder of Tariqa Mujadadia in India and is known as Mujaddad Alf Sani (Reviver of Deen after thousand years). Hazrat Baqi Billah perfected spiritual education of Shaikh Ahmad in Naqshbandi order. In him Hazrat Baqi Billah found his dream getting fulfilled in which he was earlier shown a speaking parrot on the tree branch and he himself sitting under the shade of the tree. The parrot came flying and sat on his hand and Hazrat Baqi Billah dropped saliva from his mouth in the bird’s mouth and the parrot in turn dropped some sugar from his mouth in the mouth of Baqi Billah. When he related this dream to Khwaja Amkingi, he told him that I have already told you to go to India, where a vast population will get enlightened by you. The parrot is the bird of India and there a person will get benefitted, who will enlighten a great world and you will also be benefitted by it. Within two or three months Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani discovered the light of inner self and covered the stages of ‘salook’ and before leaving for Sirhind, Hazrat Baqi Billah told him this good news that you have qualified for Naqsshbandi order and will progress with each passing day. Thereafter Shaikh Ahmad revisited Delhi to see his Pir-o-Murshid and he was bestowed the honour of Khilafat and was permitted to give instructions in the tariqat, besides he entrusted his own disciples to him for further education and training. Again in a state of restlesness, Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani went to see his Murshid for the third time. This time Hazrat Baqi Billah himself came out to receive him and blessed him with many blessings. He directed all his disciples to follow him even in his presence and brought his two sons Khwaja Ubaidullah, and Khwaja Abdullah and their mother in his presence and asked him to take care of them, which was a hint of his nearing end of his life. He once pointed towards Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani stating that Shaikh Ahmad is the sun in whose light there are thousands of stars like us. Hazrat Baqi Billah reached India in Akbar’s reign and within four year’s stay, he brought a great populace under the influence of his order. Many Mashaikh became his disciples. Many disciples were released from the innovations and brought back on the track of Sunnah and straight path and a new blood was infused in people. He breathed his last in 1014 AH in Delhi, when he was only forty years and four months of age.He lies buried in Delhi near Qadm-i-Rasool (PBH). Though Kashmiris were longing for the visit of Hazrat Baqi billah, and when it was not possible, the Kashmiri Mashaikh would go to Delhi to get benefitted in the Naqshbandi order from Hazrat Baqi Billah. Though Hazrat Makhdum Shaikh Abdul Ahad Farooqi Sirhindi father of Shaikh Ahmad visited Kashmir , when Saif Khan was the Governor of this place and a huge gathering entered into his discipleship , to mention a few of them, Mohammad Amin Sufi, Noor Babai Pakhli, Hazrat Shaikh Mohammad Murad Tung (Murshid of the historian Khwaja Mohammad Azam Dedamari)- [ His hanwritten manuscript Shajra Mubarak in Kubravia, Qadiria, Suhrawardia, Naqshbandia and Chishtia orders is lying in my ancestoral library], Shaikh Abdul Rashid, Allama Moulana Qazi Mohammad Haidar (d. 1120 AH- b- Bachpora). But since Hazrat Makhdum Shaikh Abdul Ahad was the follower of Chisti and Qadiri orders, he enlisted his disciples in these two orders only. He however was often found praying for reaching of Naqshbandi order in India. Many names of Kashmiris are mentioned who got benefitted from this order by travelling to Delhi, to mention a few Akund Mulla Kamal,Hazrat Shah Qasim Haqqani, Shaikh Mahdi Ali Sopori, Mirza Hayat Beg, Khwaja Mohammad Sadiq (Sood), Shaikh Usman Jallundari, Shah Mohammad Sadiq Qalandar. Besides there are many persons who got initiated into Naqshbandi order from Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani. Hazrat Shaikh Yaqub Sarfi (RA) initiated Shaikh Ahmad in Kubravi order, who in turn initiated Shaikh Sarfi in Naqshbandi silsila. One of the decendants of Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi- Mir Ismail Ahmadi Bukhari (s/o Shaikh Mohammad Sibgatullah s/o Hazrat Khwaja Mohammad Masoom s/o Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi), migrated to Kashmir and lies buried in Dabtal Zaina Kadal. It is in his compound that Hazrat Habibullah Attar also lies buried. [Mir Ismail Bukhari happens to be my mother's ancestor.] Allama Haidar bin Feroz Kashmiri was initiated in the orders of Qadirya, Shazilia, Madinia, Chishtia and Naqshbandia by Shaikh Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlavi.[The copy of the Shajra Mubarak- handwritten manuscript by Shaikh Muhaddis Dehlavi in these five orders lies in my ancestoral library.] In Kashmir the Naqshbandi order was initially intoduced by Sayid Hilal, who arrived in the reign of Sutan Sikandar (1389-1413 AD). Sayid Hilal is said to have been a direct disciple of Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband. He lived a quiet life and died in 862 AH/1457 AD at the village of Asham North Kashmir, where he had settled down. Sayid Hilal left only one disciple named Sayid Amin known as Wusi Sahib in Kashmir. He hailed from the Baihaqi family and was the second son of Sayid Husain Baihaqi or Mantiqi. Sayid Amin was adopted as a son by Baihaqi Begum, the wife of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, but the life of affluence did not appeal to him. Like his spiritual master he led a life of retirement at Asham. When Sayid Hilal died, he moved to Srinagar, where he confined himself to a room near Koh-i-Maran. He became victim of a political intrigue, when fifteen members of his family were killed in 889 AH/1484 AD.He was buried at Alikadal on the right bank of river Jhelum in Srinagar, where his tomb exists to this day. Sayid Amin left no disciple. It was after over a century thereafter that Khwaja Khawand Mahmud arrived here at the end of 16th century AD. The Khwaja was the son of Khwaja Mir Sayid Sharif, who claimed descent from Khwja Ala-ud_din Attar, a distinguished disciple of Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband. Khawaja Khawand was initiated in the order by Khwaja Ishaq Safedki, but he claimed to have received inspiration direct from Khwja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband. Before entering Kashmir from Kabul, Khwaja Khawand had journeyed to many countries. The Khwaja did not stay there for long and soon left for Agra. However in the 17th century, when Khwaja Khawand made several further visits to Kashmir, the Naqshbandi order received a great impetus here.Later Khwaja Khawand preferd to settle at Lahore along with his other sons and deputed one of his sons Khwaja Moin-ud-Din to stay at Srinagar to look after the disciples and the affairs of Khanqah. The Khanqah which was earlier constructed by Budshah at Asham, was got shifted to Khwaja Bazar, where Khwaja Moin-ud-Din Naqshbandi was stationed later on. Khwaja Moin-ud-Din Naqshbandi lies buried in the masoleum near the Khanqah along with his wife (who was daughter of Aurangzeb) besides his two sons.
The urs of Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband Bukhrai (RA) is celebrated on the 3rd Rabi-ul-Awal every year, besides the gatherings for special prayers (khatmat-muazzamat) are held for twelve days i.e. from 21st Safar to 3rd Rabi-ul Awal. These gatherings are held every day at 8 AM in the Khanqah-i-Naqshbandiya. On the urs day after the Asr prayers, special mass prayers are held called ‘Khoja Digar’. This practice continues as a tradition from the times of Hazrat Khwaja Khawand Mahmood i.e. from 1017 AH- 405 years. Today when I am writing these lines, it is 3rd Rabi-ul-Awal 1422 AH. Presented by HAfiz Bilal (babuulohar786@gmail.com)
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