In The Name Of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

HAZRAT KHWAJA SAYYED MUEENUDDIN CHISHTI (R.A.) OFAJMER SHARIF (INDIA) - AT A SHORT GLANCE

Hazrat Khwaja Mueenuddin's father: Hazrat Sayyed Ghiyasuddin Ahmad.

Hazrat's Birth: Siestan (Southern Iran) on Rajab 14, 530 A.H. (1142 AC), at a time when the Muslim world was passing through a critical time and the Abbaside Caliphate of Baghdad was

tottering.

Hazrat ''Khwaja Gharib Nawaz'' (Benefactor of the Poor) came under the influence of SUFI IBRAHIM QANDOZI and sold his orchard and mill, distributed the money among the poor and

embarked upon a spiritual pilgrimage to set out his noble mission to establish the kingdom of Allah on earth.

In Shawwal of 560 A.H., the Khwaja became a disciple of HAZRAT USMAN HAROONI, follower of HAZRAT KHWAJA ISHAQ GHANI CHISHTI, founder of the CHISHTIYYA SUFI ORDER. After leaving his master, Hazrat proceeded to Makkah and Medina for the Hajj.

Hazrat travelled from Sanjar and passed through Hamdan, Tabrez, Isfahan, Astrabad, Herat, Sabzwar, Balkh, Ghazni, and finally went to India after he saw the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) in his

dream advising him to go there. Hazrat arrived in Lahore in 586 A.H. where he performed meditation and prayers at many shrines of saints. On leaving Lahore, he went to Multan, a seat of learning where he spent five years. From there he went to Delhi reaching in 1193 AC and from there he went to Ajmer, where he settled down for the rest of his life, which formed the centre of

his activities.

Hazrat died at Ajmer in March 1236 AD (6th of Rajab, 633 A.H.). He was buried there and mourned by the Muslims and Hindus alike. Hazrat Khwaja Sahib was acclaimed as the spiritual head of the Indian sub-continent, loved and adored by all. The glory of Islam in India was to a large extent, due to the spiritual teachings of Khwaja Mueenuddin and his disciples. He was

known for his piety, simplicity and humanitarianism.

Hazrat Sahib is the author of several books including 'Anisul Arwah' (giving details of his 28 meetings with his spiritual teacher Sheikh Usman Harooni), and 'Dalail-Ur-Aarfin'. Among his

recorded sayings are (1)” A true Muslim befriends three things, namely: - Abstinence, disease and death". (2) "One who helps the needy is a friend of Allah". (3) "The highest

spiritualism is to remember one's death".

© Copyright 1999 – Published By: Imam Ahmad Raza Institute International