Part 2: There's Baraka in the Awliya Allah's Graves.

Part 2: THERE’S BARAKA IN THE AWLIYA-ALLAH GRAVES.

From the Layman’s Desk: Islamic Article No.17:

        

In the Name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and blessings and peace of Allah upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), his Family and all his Companions.

Allah has bestowed upon His favorites, a great importance, and therefore, our Shariah urges Muslims to be in touch with the pious persons and wants to remain this connection till the last moment of life.  It is the consensus of the Muslim scholars that the miracles of saints are absolutely true and correct.  In various places the Qur’an has pointed out the miracles, and the Ahadith of the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) have mentioned them, and only innovators and their followers are the people who deny the miraculous power of saints.  [al-Mukhtasar al-Fatawa al-Masriyya by Ibn Taimiyya]

Imam Sawi, while commenting on the verse "And seek a means of approach to him" ( 5:35 ), writes: "To say that Muslims who visit the graves of the saints are Kaafir because you believe they are worshipping other than Allah is a sign of clear heresy. To visit the saints is not worshipping other than Allah, rather it is a sign of loving those whom Allah loves" (Tafseer Sawi, vol.1 p.245).  Therefore, from the commentary of Imam Sawi we learn that visiting the graves of the saints is permissible, and that it is not worshipping other than Allah but it is loving those whom Allah loves.  As Shah Waliyullah states: “To love the symbols of Allah the Exalted, means to love the Qur’an, the Prophet (Salla Allahu Ta’ala Alayhi Wa Sallam) , and the Ka’ba, or to love anything that reminds us of Allah the Exalted. To love the Awliya of Allah is the same.”  [Hujjat Allahi’l Baaligha;  Altaaf al-Quds – The Sacred Knowledge (Persian)]

Shaykh Abdul Haq Dehlwi (d. 1052 H.) writes: "To visit graves is by consensus a mustahab (preferable) action" (Ashi'atul Lum'aat, vol.1, p.715)  He also writes: "When visiting the dead, respecting them is Wajib (necessary) especially where the pious are concerned. As it was necessary to respect them whilst they were alive, similarly, it is important to show them respect at their graves. This is because the help which the pious give depends on the respect that people who visit them show to them". (Ashi'atul Lum'aat, vol.1 p.720).  From these writing, it is absolutely manifest that the belief of Shaykh Abdul Haq was that to visit the graves is neither Shirk nor Bid'ah. Moreover, it is a preferable act and the visitor is blessed with the help of the inmate of the grave.

Shah Waliullah Dehlvi in his book Faizul Haramain, Page No: 57  states:  "If someone achieves mystical knowledge then his soul become so powerful that Tariqah, Maslak, Saintly chain, Lineage, Genealogy, Relations and everything connected with that person comes into the range of his favor and inclination.  The favor of Allah reflects through his spiritual attention".  And in his Persian book, Hama’at:  "This guarantees for the regular attending on death anniversaries (Urs) of the saints.  Regular visits to their  shrines  to recite Fatiha there, distribution of charity, to honor his offspring, relations and relics are lawful in Shariah; and also these are supererogative (Nafl and Mustahab) actions."

To say that Shah Waliullah muhaddith (rh) criticized those who visited the mazaars is but attributing lies to him.  According to the experts,    the deviants have attributed false books (such as al-balagh al-mubeen), as well as carried out mass fabrications, interpolations, extrapolations and deletions in Shah Waliullah Dehelvi’s books such as the Persian book al-Tafhimat al-Ilahiyya. This was done with a view to making his works agree with the teachings of the Najdi Shaykh as well as Shah Ismail whose followers were in the forefront in committing these forgeries.    However, even a staunch Wahhabi such as Suleiman Nadwi has, in his own books, admitted to these fabrications.  The fact remains that Shah Waliullah followed the Naqshbandi silsila,  celeberated mawlid, visited graves of awliya often for maraqaba, used to recite dua ( supplication) having words of Istighatha, did fatiha on food , used to give amulets containing verses from Qu'ran and Hadith.  And so did his more famous son, Shah Abdulaziz Muhaddith al-Dehlwi.

Therefore, when we track the Islamic hagiography including the Classications and Generations (Tabaqaat), Remembrances, Recollections (Tadhkira), Marvellous Deeds or Feats (Manaqib),  Spiritual qualities (Fadhail) of Prophets and Saints, and Life Story (Sira) of Hadith Masters (Muhaddithun) and persons of religious knowledge (Ulama’) we do come across instances in many of them that the burial place of so and so Wali-Allah or a Hadith scholar or a pious person, is full of Baraka where the dua’ is accepted by Allah.

The graveyards become more blessed when pious people are buried there.  This in turn strengthens the motive to visit such a graveyard to participate in and obtain some of those blessings and divine mercy.  That’s the reason why some graveyards such as Jannatul Baqi and Jannatul Mua’la are held in highest esteem.  In his book "al-Hisn-ul-Hasin" and its summary "Uddat-ul-Hisn-il-Hasin", Hafiz, Muhaddith, the Shaykh of the Qurra' (Reciters of al-Qur'an) and student of Ibn Kathir, Shams-ud-Din Ibn al-Jazari,   mentioned that the graves of the righteous are among the places of having the dua' fulfilled.

A Hadith which demonstrates the existence of blessing at the graves of the righteous is the one wherein the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) says that every person'a grave would either be a garden from Paradise, or a pit from the pits of Hell.

[Tirmidhi (Kitab Sifat al-Qiyama, #2384) with a Da'if chain, Bayhaqi in his Shu'ab (1:360) and 'Adhab al-Qabr, Tabarani in his Kabir (from Abu Sa'id) and Awsat (8:273 #8613), Abu Nu'aym (8:87), Ibn 'Asakir (42:497), Ibn Abi Dunya (K.Qubur, #122), Ibn Mandah, and Daylami (Firdaws, 1:438 #1445, 3:283 #4717, 4:471 #6861).]  Cf. Sakhawi's Maqasid (#758), where he says it is Da'if. However, there are numerous supporting narrations that strengthen the meaning of this Hadith (such as Abu Ya'la #6644, Ibn Hibban #3122, Muslim #5110).

Sayyidi Arwaasi (reh) informs us that 'Allama Shams ad-din ibn an-Nuaym (rahmat-Allahi 'alaih), a Hanafi scholar, wrote in Kitab ar-Ruh: 'Souls may be in a different state other than when they are in their bodies. The souls of awliya' are at Rafiq al-ala and also have a relation with their dead bodies. If a person visits such a wali's grave and greets him, his soul at Rafiq al-ala answers that person.' This is also noted in al-Imam as-Suyuti's Kitab al-Munjali. All these proofs show that awliya' have powerful tasarruf (disposal) and influence after their death in a way which we may not know.  It is necessary to believe that the tasarruf (disposal, possession) of their souls is by Allahu ta'ala's tasarruf on them.

Imam Maalik stated: “I have learned that souls are free. They come and go wherever they wish.” [Narrated by Ibn Abi-al-Dunya in his book Dhikr al-Mawt and confirmed by Ibn-Taymiyyah in his Majmu al-Fatawa 4/294].

The soul can and does come. Events and observations bear witness to this fact.   According to Salman al-Farsi ® “The Arwaah of Mum’inin live between heaven and earth (i.e. the dimension of Barzakh) and they can go wherever they want.” [Narrated by Ibn-al-Qayyim in Kitab-ar-Ruh, p. 144).

This is also confirmed by Ibn Hajar Haytami and Imam Suyuti – among many others. Ibn Hajar Haytami states in his Fatawa Hadithiyya (Pg: 393): “Imam Yafi`i said: ‘… And they [the awliya] saw the Prophets (Allah bless them all) … which was like the vision of our Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) towards the congregation of Prophets in the heavens – and he heard and spoke to them. Verily, whatever is permitted for the Prophets as a miracle is permitted for the Saints as a miracle also.’ 

Ibn Mulaqin said: ”There have been numerous visions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), both in a state of wakefulness and sleep. The narrations in connection to this regarding [the vision of] the Friends of Allah are extremely plentiful and none denies them except one who is stubborn and dead.”  Ibn Hajar goes on to discuss the modality of such a vision, the permission of the souls of the Prophets to leave their graves, the fact that the vision of numerous people of a given prophet at a given moment is possible (he contrasts it to the sun), and how this does not make one a companion.  This is the position of those spiritually realized… They have removed the veils from their eyes within this world such that their “vision is piercing” (Quran) and therefore witness and see what many of us cannot.

Allamah Alusi (reh.) has proven that many pious people have seen the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) in the state of wakefulness and received knowledge from him. In Ruh al-Ma’ni he mentions such instances and the references that involved Hadrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani ®, Shaykh Ibn Ataullah and Shaykh Abul Abbas al-Mursi. Imam Ghazali (reh) stated: “Countless matters were disclosed to me during these seclusions. What I will mention though for the benefit of others is that I realized for sure that the Sufis are the seekers in Allah's Way, and their conduct is the best conduct, and their way is the best way, and their manners are the most sanctified....and indeed they witness the Angels and the SOULS OF THE PROPHETS while awake, and they hears their sounds, and derive benefits from them." (al-Munqidh min al-Dalal, p. 131).

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani writes: Abd al-Wajid says that I saw the Prophet, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), in a dream with his companions waiting at this place, like they were waiting for someone. I said, "As Salaam 'alaykum," after the reply to the salaam I asked "what or who are you waiting for?" The reply was we are waiting for Imam Bukhari, and that was the day Imam Bukhari passed away. [Fath al Bari, chapter on the death of Imam Bukhari, and Tarikh Baghdad by Hafidh Asqalani and Khateeb Baghdadi] 

In Tarikh ibn Kathir in the Chapter on Karbala, Hafidh Ibn Kathir writes: Abdullah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with Him, said that in his dream he saw the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), and upon him there was dust from travelling. In his hand’ was a bottle in which there was blood, I asked him: “what is this?” He replied, “My grandson Hussain and his companions have been martyred, and I have collected the blood spilt by them and I shall present this blood to Allah Ta'ala.” This is an authentic narration.   Ibn Kathir also mentions that Ummul Mu’ mineen Salma states: I saw the Messenger of Allah, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), in my dream, there was dust upon his hair and beard, I asked him: “O Messenger of Allah why is there dust on you?” He replied: 'I am returning from Kerbala. Of course, there are many such instances right from the time of the Sahaba, as is evident from the many ahadith and other Islamic litertures.

Incumbent upon all Muslims to respect the Awliya-Allah:

The scholars list tormenting or troubling the Awliya-Allah as a major sin since doing so can lead to kufr and is foreshadowed with a dire threat. Imam Dhahabi writes in his book Kitabul-Kabair, "The 51st major sin is tormenting the Awliya-Allah and bearing malice against them. Allah says: Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this world, and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating punishment. And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin. (Ahzaab 57:58) The Blessed Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) stated that Allah said, "I have declared war upon him who makes an enemy of my wali." (Bukhari) And in another narration of Bukhari, "He invites Me (Allah) to war." And really, what could be a greater threat than the fact that one is inciting war with Allah? Nothing indeed is so damning as to declare war against Allah except for the person who deals in usury. It is obvious that a person whom Allah declares His enemy can never succeed (may Allah I save us). The consequences of declaration of war against Allah Subhanahu Ta’la can be nothing less than dying in kufr. May Allah save us from this through his infinite kindness and mercy.

It is incumbent upon all Muslims to respect the sanctity of the Awliya-Allah and not to disregard their relics. One day shortly after the insurrection began against him, Uthman (R) was delivering a Khutbah in Masjid Nabawi.  A Ghafari man stood up, snatched the staff from the hand of Uthman ® and snapped it in half on his knee. Not a year had passed after that the the lost the sensation in his leg and died soon thereafter. (Sunan Saeed Bin Sakan)

In his Jami’ul Karamat il-Awliya Imam Nabhani mentions that Imam `Abdul Wahab Sh`arani stated, “Our brother Shaykh Salih al-Hajj Ahmed Halabi [may Allah sanctify his secret] informed me that his house was in the vicinity of the blessed mausoleum of Shaykh Muhyuddin ibn `Arabi.  It was visible from his house.  One night after the `Isha prayer, a person advanced towards the tomb with a fiery torch in his hand, with the intention of burning the bier.  When he was 8-9 metres away from the grave, he started sinking into the ground, so much so that he disappeared in the ground. Late night, when his family members could not find him anywhere, they started looking out or him. When the shaykh narrated them the entire incident, they reached the place where he had sunk. When they dug up the place, they found his head. But as they went on digging, his body kept sinking on further. After much digging up, they finally gave up, covered his body with mud and went away.”

Hazrat Khwaja  Moinuddin Hasan Chishti Sanjari ® has narrated:

“There was a man who hated the Awliya.  When he died, and was placed in the grave, the people tried to turn his face towards the Qibla, but it would always turn away from that direction. The people were astonished at this action.  There was a voice from nowhere announcing, ‘It would be a futile  exercise to try to turn his face toward the Qibla, because he used to turn  his face away at seeing the Awliya, and that he who would turn his face in disgust from My friends, I will turn My face on him.  He is a condemned soul, and on the day of judgement, such people will appear with faces of donkeys.” 

A miscreant relieved himself on the grave of Hasan (R).  Right after that he went mad and died.  (Endless Bliss, 5the facs.)  

The above are just a very incidents that warn us against harbouring evil thoughts or insults towards Allah Awliya.  But they are enough to show that the wrath of Allah does visit on the enemies of Awliya-Allah. 

As an Islamic scholar states:  The hearts that are in Allah rememberance are alive even when they depart to the barzakh, they are like fish in water, and the aura/radiation of certain dead awliya are so profound and strong, that even lay people when visiting them in their graves, feel their personality qualities and characteristics when they were in this world, for example sayidina Moinuddeen Chisti, those who visit his grave in Ajmer, find a dominating effect of parental love, attention and care directed at them in that place, which was a character of Sayidina Chisti to those around him when he was present in this world.

Continued in Part 3.

NASIR

THE KHWAJA OF AJMER AND THE MUGHAL EMPERORS.

Got back today, 03.12. 2008, after visiting the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti Ajmeri Sanjari (R.A.) (1141-1230 Christian Era). When I had landed at Ajmer Shareef on Friday, 28th November 2008, the road traffics were out of gear since there was a heavy police bandobast (surveillance) in the wake of Mulayam Singh - the Samajwadi leader's visit to the shrine of the Sufi Saint.

Now, as all of us know, there are so many biographies and books available regarding the teachings, the life and times of this great Saint (Awliya-Allah) who is also known as the Ghareeb Nawaaz or the Patron of the Poor. Hence, these are not being mentioned here. As for Ajmer, besides its ancient history, it has been the place of royal retreat of the Mughals and has served as an army base for the Mughal Emperors. Ajmer was conquered by Emperor Akbar in 1559 c.e. He began paying homage at the shrine since 1562 after hearing a minstrel sing the praises of the Saint.

However, what is relatively less known is what I got to read from secular sources many years ago. These concerns many of the Saint's marvels or 'Karaamaat' even after passing away from the worldly life, in relation to the military successes of Emperor Akbar (reign 1556-1605).

For example, it is mentioned that the Mughal Emperor Akbar who was a regular visitor to the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.) could conquer the forces of Mirzas and annex Broach (Bharuch) Baroda (Vadodra)and Surat with a small band of just 200 men after crossing the Mahi river - thanks to the blessings of the Saint. According to a folklore in Surat, after conquering Gujarat Akbar was on his way back when the Mirzas instigated a rebellion against him. But with just 3,000 men, Akbar was able to subdue an army ten times stronger than his. It is said that the rebels were disoriented and also mentally affected when they encountered the presence of spirits in Akbar's army. Akbar was able to wrest Ahmedabad (Amdawad)without a battle since he had previously paid his homage at the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.)who, according to the legends, has hundreds of spirits under his control.

After subduing the rebel Mirzas in Gujarat, Akbar reached Ajmer in March 1576. In April, the same year, Akbar sent an army of 5,000 men under Raja Man Singh of Ambar (Jaipur) to subdue Rana Pratap (1540-1597) the ruler of Mewar, who had been resisting the Mughal forces ever since he had lost the Chittor Fort to them. The conquest of the Fort of Chittor by the emperor itself offers an interesting story. In 1568, during his annual visit to the Dargah, Akbar took a vow that if he were able to conquer the Fort he would visit the Dargah on foot. True enough, his wishes were granted, and according to his vow, Akbar began the journey from Chittor to the Dargah on foot, trudging the hot sands in stages. He thus reached the Dargah where he paid homage to the Saint and offered alms to the poor. That was the beginning of his annual visits to the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.).

Coming back to the expedition of 1576 by Raja Man Singh, Akbar himself remained in the Camp at Ajmer at that time. Rana Pratap blocked and destroyed the food and water supply line from Ajmer to Chittor. It is said that having planned to kill Akbar in his own tent, he along with his followers reached Akbar's camp at night when he found Akbar fast asleep. But to his surprise, he found the camp being guarded by some transparent and shadowy figures. Rana Pratap gave obeisance to them and went back to his own place. A battle was fought at Haldighati, which lasted just four hours. During the battle, Rana Pratap was advised by his generals to flee the battle-field which he did while riding his famous horse, Chetak. It is interesting to note that in this battle, Akbar's army was led by Raja Man Singh - a Hindu Rajput, and Rana Pratap's army was led in the front by Hakim Khan Sur Pathan - a Muslim general who actually laid down his life defending the lost battle of Haldighati. His annual 'urs' is held in Haldighati by the Rajputs. That the victory at Haldighati was due to the blessings of the 'Peer' is also borne out by history books and as such when the famous elephant "Ramprasad" which had been captured in that battle was presented to Akbar, he was overjoyed and re-christened it as "Peerprasad" or "Gift of the Saint". It is also mentioned in history books that Emperor Akbar used to visit the shrine at Ajmer on every 'Urs' and seek the blessings of the Saint.

Historians have written that after December 1584, Akbar "had no time to spare for Mewar". However, the popularly held belief is that Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.) had told the Emperor in a dream that he should not involve himself with the Rana or otherwise there were chances of his losing the Punjab province.

Emperor Akbar lived for 12 long years in Lahore from 1585 onwards for his Punjab campaigns. After returning from Lahore in 1597, Akbar again wanted to lead a battle against Rana Pratap when he saw the same dream again wherein the Saint told him that it was of no use. Rana Pratap died at Chavand in early 1597 under puzzling circumstances at the age of 57 as a result of injuries sustained by him while tying the bow-string. Thus ended the saga of Rana Pratap.

Akbar had ordered for the construction of a huge cauldron for preparation of sweet food for offerings on the occasion of his victory of Chittorgarh. The cauldron is still located near the shrine along with a larger one, which was built later by Akbar's third son, Emperor Jahangir, when he presented himself at the Dargah in the eight year of his reign in 1613. Jehangir, too, moved his court from Agra to Ajmer for three years from 1613 to 1616 and took advantage of being close to the Shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.)while supervising the Mewar campaign of his son, Khurram (later emperor Shah Jahan). In fact, Jehangir was responsible for putting an end to the long, protracted Mewar struggle. According to the New Cambridge History of India, the successful subjugation of Mewar may have been one of Jehangir's vow at the shrine. The emperor admitted that he and his family had derived great blessings from the illustrious soul of the Saint of Ajmer and, as such, made generous offerings at the shrine. He also lavished gifts and Jagirs to all the 'Gaddi Nashins' of the Darbar. The Jehangir Nama enlists the details of his major donations and contributons at the Dargah. As a token of gratitude to the Sufi Saint, he even donned pearl earrings having recovered from a dangerous illness. The donning of earrings became a fashion at the emperor's court.

The Mughal emperors had in fact carried out many constructions in Ajmer, as elsewhere in Hindustan, such as mosques, pavillions, buildings and well laid out gardens. Akbar built a palace which now houses a museum. Shah Jahan built marble pavilions around the Ana Sagar Lake in addition to a well laid out garden near it. As regards the shrine, its construction was begun by Iltutmash (reign 1211-1236 c.e.) the saintly Sultan of Delhi. He was a great follower and contemporary of the Sufi Saint. Akbar's father, Humuyun (1508-1556) had the dome of the shrine constructed. Akbar built a mosque adjacent to the shrine while his grandson, Shahjahan (1592-1666)also built the Shahjahani Masjid in the Dargah precincts in gratitude to the Sufi Saint by whose blessings he had defeated the Rana of Mewar for the second time. After his Deccan success (1637), Shah Jahan presented himself again at the shrine and gifted the silver fencing which is still found around the saint's tomb. A daughter of Shah Jahan, Chimni Begum, got a women' prayer room built near the Dargah. It is known that the later Mughal emperors such as the puritan Aurangzeb (1618-1707) too used to visit the shrine of the Sufi Saint for blessings and thanksgiving.

The shrine of the patron Saint of the Poor attracts the poor and the rich alike. The list can be endless as ever since emperors, kings, heads of states, dignitaries, and men of importance along with millions of commoners as well as high-ranking saints and faqirs have continued to pay their homage and derive benefits and blessings at the shrine of the Sultan-e-Hind. The Hindus and the Muslims as well as those from other castes and creeds rub shoulder to shoulder in their efforts to seek the blessings of the Sufi Saint and spread love and sunshine in their own lives as well as carry on the Sufi Saint's message of peace and goodwill, love and charity, to one and all. Feeding the hungry, helping the distressed, and redressing the wronged are some of the other messages of the Sufi Saint, which the visitors to the shrine emulate.

In today's violent world, the relevance of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (R.A.), who combined service to God with service to mankind, is all the more significant.

NASIR.

NO POSTS FOR A WEEK.

27.11.2008.



DEAR VISITORS,

There will be no post for a week or so, since I'm leaving for Ajmer for the Ziyaarah at the Shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri Sanjari.

ALLAH HAAFIZ.