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The most attractive part of the life of a Wali is
that which deals with his manners and customs as corresponding to
those of the Holy Prophet and is in accord with “Sunnah”. Hazrat
Sheikh-ul-Islam, from the very beginning was devoted towards divine
love and was engaged also in the service of mankind. He spent
practically his whole life in such service to making especially in
the educational and spiritual spheres.
In early life as a student during a year of famine in Baghdad, one
day he felt very hungry. But he did not have any money to buy food.
He was obliged therefore, to proceed towards the bank of the river
Tigris to pick up some vegetables to satisfy his hunger. When he
found something edible, he did not run ahead of the other hungry
persons, who were around him, to first take and have it for himself.
Such was his exemplary conduct, even when starving.
Once having been unsuccessful in his attempt to find any food, he
returned to Baghdad in an exhausted condition and entered a mosque
to take rest. There he found a stranger eating something. The
stranger invited him to join and share the food, but he declined
though he was on the point of starvation.
he stranger however requested Hazrat again to share his meal for the
sake of Allah. Then only, he joined him. In the course of
conversation the stranger learnt that he was Abdul Qadir of his own
town Jilan, and was perturbed. He confessed to Hazrat that his
mother had given him eight dinars to be given to him, but as he
could not locate him in Baghdad and as he had no food for the last
two days, he had that day purchased the meal out of that fund under
such extreme circumstances.
He apologized and placed before Hazrat the balance in hand. Hazrat
not only pardoned him, but returned to him the balance tendered,
thereby depicting his benevolence.
Once in Baghdad deprived of substantial food for 20 days, he
proceeded to the ruins of Aewan-I-Kisra to see if he could find any
vegetable or edible roots. He preferred such search to seeking help
from anyone, under any circumstances. When he reached there, he
found about seventy Walis already there in that same search for
food. He returned to town and did not consider it proper to remain
there and thereby reduce the quantity that may be found. Upon
reaching back to the town, he met an unknown person from his native
place. The stranger delivered him some pieces of gold and silver
stating that those were sent by the mother of Hazrat Sheikh, to be
delivered to him. He took them and immediately went back to the
ruins of Kisra and distributed these pieces of gold and silver to
those Walis, retaining one, with which he purchased food, which he
shared with other needy persons. What a rare example of benevolence
indeed.
His whole life was devoted towards the service of the poor and he
devoted more of his precious time to the poor, than to the rich.
Whenever in a town while passing through its streets, the people
would come out of their shops and houses, and would stand on both
sides of the streets to greet him in their reverence.
Once his son Sheikh Abdur Razak was with him on a journey to Hijaz
when they reached a village where Hazrat Sheikh desired to stay.
Instead of staying in the village, he proceeded towards the surburb,
where he saw an isolated tent in which an old man, his wife and
their daughter were residing. Hazrat Sheikh asked his permission to
camp in vicinity.
Soon the news of the arrival of Hazrat reached the village and the
notables and “Amirs” of the village came to Hazrat and requested
him to come to their village and stay with them, but he declined to
accept their offer. When his Murids, devotees, students and people
of the neighbouring villages heard this, they rushed to see him.
They then gifted various presents. The Hazrat graciously accepted
them but gave them to the old man near whose tent Hazrat had
preferred to stay. Obviously this act was done to improve the
financial position and social status of the old man and his poor
family, who were until then disallowed from living in the village
itself. The effect of this act obliged the people of the village to
shift him to the village and to allow him to live among them.
Hazrat had a very soft corner for the needy and he would not rest
until their needs were fulfilled. Even after his demise, any prayer
for spiritual help from Hazrat seldom met with disappointment. He
was very fond of feeding people along with him. His door was always
open for all. He would personally look after the needs of his
guests. After evening prayers, his tablecloth would be spread and
his personal attendants would announce dinner for his guests,
whatever was the food available.
Sometimes, people with a desire for a particular dish would come to
Hazrat. Once on his return from Hijaz after Hajj the famous preacher
of Egypt Sheikh Zainuddin in “Bhahjat-ul-Asrar”, has narrated
that he and his other companion wished mentally to have honey and
milk dishes respectively at dinner. Meals were brought and when
these were being served the servant placed honey before my companion
and the milk dish before me. One seeing this Hazrat pointed out to
his attendant to reverse the dishes, that is, the place honey before
me and the milk dish before my companion as were mentally desired by
us. Hazrat Ghous once said, “I have explored the weight of every
human action and have finally come to the conclusion that feeding of
the poor and hungry is virtuous of all actions.”
He was always most polite and respectful to his visitors. Whenever,
any one of them was absent for sometime, he would enquire
particularly about him. In cases of indisposition he would visit the
patients and pray for their health and happiness.
He disliked the company of “Amirs” and rich men. Whenever the
Khalifa or other “Amirs” intended to come to Hazrat, he would
get up from amongst those present and retire to his chambers. It has
not been established by any writer so far that Hazrat Ghous had ever
gone to see any Khalifa or Amir. On the contrary they used to come
to Hazrat.
Khalifa Almustanjad Billah once came to him and presented him bags
of gold. Hazrat Sheikh refused the gift. When the Khalifa begged and
pleaded for the acceptance of the gift, Hazrat took two of the bags
and pressed them. Blood seemed to ooze out of the bags of gold. He
then addressed the Khalifa stating that his wealth had been amassed
by oppressing the poor people.
Sometimes, people with a desire for a particular dish would come to
Hazrat. Once on his return from Hijaz after Hajj the famous preacher
of Egypt Sheikh Zainuddin in “Bhahjat-ul-Asrar”, has narrated
that he and his other companion wished mentally to have honey and
milk dishes respectively at dinner. Meals were brought and when
these were being served the servant placed honey before my companion
and the milk dish before me. One seeing this Hazrat pointed out to
his attendant to reverse the dishes, that is, the place honey before
me and the milk dish before my companion as were mentally desired by
us. Hazrat Ghous once said, “I have explored the weight of every
human action and have finally come to the conclusion that feeding of
the poor and hungry is virtuous of all actions.”
He was always most polite and respectful to his visitors. Whenever,
any one of them was absent for sometime, he would enquire
particularly about him. In cases of indisposition he would visit the
patients and pray for their health and happiness.
He disliked the company of “Amirs” and rich men. Whenever the
Khalifa or other “Amirs” intended to come to Hazrat, he would
get up from amongst those present and retire to his chambers. It has
not been established by any writer so far that Hazrat Ghous had ever
gone to see any Khalifa or Amir. On the contrary they used to come
to Hazrat.
Khalifa Almustanjad Billah once came to him and presented him bags
of gold. Hazrat Sheikh refused the gift. When the Khalifa begged and
pleaded for the acceptance of the gift, Hazrat took two of the bags
and pressed them. Blood seemed to ooze out of the bags of gold. He
then addressed the Khalifa stating that his wealth had been amassed
by oppressing the poor people.
In addition to the daily preaching, he would deliver specific
lectures thrice a week. These sermons were delivered at the Idgah on
Friday mornings, at the Madresa on Tuesday nights, and at the Guest
House, on Wednesday mornings. All categories of people attended
these sermons, and included Sufis, Faqihs, Amirs, Khalifas,
Rijal-ul-Ghaibs, Jins, Angels, Souls of the departed ones. Even
non-Muslims attended these sermons and many of them subsequently
embraced Islam.
Sinners, who listened to his discourses, reformed their lives. His
sermon alone helped in the reformation of over one lac of evil
doers, which included murderers and thieves, who repented their past
sins and started to lead better lives. Without any fear, he publicly
denounced the unjust acts of Khalifa Muqtaza-ai-Ammarallah who once
appointed the notorious tyrant and dishonest person Abu Ofa to the
post of a Qazi. The Hazrat disapproved this appointment and said
that the Khalifa had committed a grave error in making this
appointment and that he would have to account for his action in the
near future before Allah. When the Khalifa heard of this admonition,
he trembled with fear and dismissed the tyrant Qazi.
Addressing a date tree, in the yard of his Ribat as if it
represented the ruling Khalifa Muqtaza-ai-Amarallah, he said that he
would cut off its head if it should be refractory. On hearing of
this, the Khalifa asked his minister, Ibn Habira to submit to Hazrat
Sheikh, in private, that it was not proper for His Holiness to
oppose a Khalifa, when he knew well the rights of the Khalifa. When
Ibn Habira went to the Hazrat, he saw many persons sitting round
him; hence he awaited an opportunity to speak to him in private. In
the course of conversation, Hazrat told him that he would certainly
cut off his head. The minister understood he good intentions and
sincerity of the Hazrat. Ultimately the Khalifa himself came to
Saiyidena Ghousul Azam and sat down respectfully. He then lectured
the Khalifa and reproached him so severely that he burst into tears.
Then Hazrat Sheikh treated him with kindness. The censure had the
desired effect on account of the psychic powers of Hazrat.
Once in 528 A. H., Abdul Hasan Saeed was present at a meeting when
Hazrat Ghous was delivering a sermon on Zumud (Renunciation). He
thought within himself that he would like to hear a sermon on
Mahifiat (gnosis). Hazrat Ghous suddenly changed his subject and
spoke on marfat of such a high character that he had never before
heard.
He then mentally desired to hear a sermon on Shawq (intense desire)
to please God. Hazrat again changed his subject and spoke on “Shawq”
(intense) desire. His sermon on the subject was so excellent that he
did not hear the one like it before. In this manner Abdul Hasan
Saeed mentally desired to hear discourse on different subjects, and
Hazrat spoke on subjects like annihilation and subsistence, and
lastly on “Hazuri” (Presence of heart in God) and “Ghaibat”
(absence from all things except Allah). After he had spoken on the
last subject, he told Sheikh Abdul Hasan Saeed that, that enough had
been spoken for him. Abdul Hasan lost his control and tore his
garments.
One day Hazrat Abdul Wahab, son of Hazrat Ghous, on his return to
Baghdad, after extensive travelling and acquiring knowledge in
different branches of Islamic theology, and having obtained the
previous permission of his father, sat on the chair of his father
and delivered a scholarly speech. The lecture did not move the
audience. The heart of none appeared to be emotionally affected.
Many in the audience, then requested Hazrat Ghous his father, to
speak. At this Hazrat Abdul Wahab got down and Hazrat Ghousul Azam
occupied the chair.
Hazrat merely spoke on his daily routine. But these few words made
the whole audience attentive. His son inquired the reason for having
been able to arrest so quickly the attention of the audience of
quite a formal discourse. At this, Hazrat replied to his son that he
was proud of his travels, though he had yet to travel on a higher
plane. Hazrat said “when I ascended the chair, a spark from
Providence flashed in my heart and I spoke in that state a few
words, which naturally had such an affect on the audience”.
At first he began to preach in the Madresa made over to him by
Hazrat Abu Saeed. In the beginning only two or three persons formed
his audience. ; But on account of his profound learning, piety,
spirituality, adherence to truth, strict observance of the ‘Shariat”,
avoidance of “Bidat” (innovations) and his eloquence, his fame
spread through out the different quarters of Baghdad and all the
Muslim world.
Crowds began to flock to hear his sermons. As there was not
sufficient accommodation in the Madresa. People used to sit outside
the Madresa on the road up to the entrance to the Serai. As the
audience still increased the houses adjacent to the Madresa were
acquired and the Madresa was extended in 528 A. H. Even then, the
Madresa and its percents were not large enough for the audience. It
was then in the Idgah outside the City, that Hazrat used to address
mammoth audiences. Subsequently a monastery was built for this
purpose, which was also known as Musafir Khana. |
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