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HISTORY
AND GENEALOGICAL TRACE
According
to the references available in the authentic historical sources
it is evident that a small batch of the pious followers had
escorted Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty on his India mission.
Their number is said to be around 40, but one of them was
certainly Hazrat Khwaja Syed Fakhruddin Ahmed Gudezi (R.A.)
also known as Maulana Ahmad.
When
Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin proceeded for India, his Peer-o-Murshid
(spiritual mentor) Hazrat Khwaja Usman Haruni asked him to
take one of his blood relations and followers, Hazrat Khwaja
Fakhruddin Gurdezi (R.A.) along with him. Hazrat Khwaja Seed
Fakhruddin Gurdezi, the Khadim-e-khas used to attend on Hazrat
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty (R.A.) day in and out, therefore,
he and his descendants the present khadim community took pride
and deemed it an honour tomb called "KHADIM" of
Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A.).
Syed
Fakhruddin stayed with the great Khwaja upto his last breath
and when Khwaja Saheb kept him self busy in prayer and meditation
or in seclusion for a number of days he looked after his affairs
and management of Khan Gah and Langar Khana
Hazrat Syed Fakhruddin Gurdezi (R.A.) died at Ajmer, on
25th of Rajab 642 A.H./1245 (nearly a decade after the "Wissal"
(death) of Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A.) and was buried
near Mazar - e - Pak of Khwaja Saheb in the Hujra, which is
known as "Tosh - e - Khana" (Toshak - Khana). His
annual Urs, is celebrated on the 25th of Rajab, with all religious
ceremonies by the Khuddam, Khwaja Saheb (Syedzadgan).
The Khuddam of Khwaja Saheb known as "Syedzadgan"
trace descent from Hazrat Khwaja Fakhruddin Gurdezi (R.A.)
through his sons. Khwaja Syed Masood, Khwaja Syed Mahoob Bahlol
and Khwaja Syed Ibrahim. Thus the "Khadims" are
performing there religious duties as there fore - fathers
had done in the past. They served the Mazar - e -Pak
(Shrine) and pray also on behalf of those to come to Ajmer
and have faith in Khwaja Saheb and are desirous of obtaining
his blessings.
Their rights
to serve the Shrine, to perform religious rituals and arrange
spiritual function and to receive all kinds of Nazar are heriditary
and have also been judicially recognised. The documentary
evidence in the "Malfoozat" (Sayings) of Chishtia
order and historical literature, Shahi Faramin, Sanads etc.
(imperial orders) Jagirs, honours and rewards conferred upon
them from time to time not only by Muslim rulers but also
by many Hindu Rajas and Chieftains of India, which were also
conferred by the British government during their succeeding
regimes indicate that they are the real custodians of the
Shrine, as the whole management, control of all the affairs,
inside the tomb (Gumbad Mubrak) of the Shrine, are exclusively
in their hands. Although the Khadims have faced a number of
revolutions and changes of government, but under all circumstances
and worst political up - heavals they kept themselves attached
to the shrine and performed all their traditional duties and
services.
OFFERINGS
AND JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENT :
During the last more than one hundred years the enemies and
envies of Khadims have not been tired of making attack upon
the right of receipt of the offerings by Khadims of Durgah
Hazrat Khwaja Sahib. They have made all possible efforts to
deprive the Khadims from their rights. They make anti Khadim
propaganda and try to mislead people openly not to make any
offerings to them. They also condemn the act of those devotes
who express their devotion to them and make offerings
in the cash or kind to them . Many times they took the matter
to the Court of law resulting in their shameful defeat , ultimately
the matter went to the Highest Court of Law i.e. to the Supreme
Court of India and the Apex court after taking into consideration
all the historical customary religion and legal facts
hold.
"THE
KHADIMS RIGHT TO RECEIVE OFFERINGS WHICH HAS BEEN JUDICIALLY
RECOGNISED IN NO MANNER AFFECTED OR PREJUDICED BY THE IMPUGNED
PROVISIONS. EVEN AFTER THE ACT CAME INTO FORCE PILGRIMS MIGHT
AND WOULD MAKE OFFERINGS TO THE KHADIMS AND THERE IS NO PROVISION
IN THE ACT WHICH PREVENTS THEM FROM ACCEPTING SUCH OFFERINGS
WHEN MADE"
AIR
-1961 S.C. PAGE 1417
Thus
the pilgrims and devotees should be aware of all sorts of
false propaganda by the vested interest to malign these Khadim
of Khwaja Saheb who in reality are the Makhdooms for being
the custodians of the Dargah through the ages.
As
far as the concept of Nazar - o - Niyaz is concerned, according
to Sufi customs, specially Chishti trends it is meant for
those who are attached and serve the shrine and are called
Majaveran or "Khuddam" Since the inception of Dargah
(Shrine), these Khuddam are attached to the shrine serving
there for centuries, performing rituals and customs, preaching
noble Chishty ideals. Therefore they are entitled to get and
receive all kinds of Nazar - e - Niyaz from the devotees and
Muhammad Bin Tughlug (1324) Sultan Mahmud Khilji (1455), Muzaffar
Shah of Gujrat (1396), Rao Maldev of Jodhpur, Sher Shah Suri(1545),
besides other well known Sufis and general people who paid
visit to shrine in the pre-mugal era, offered Nazar - o -
Niyaz to these Khuddam, as had been clearly mentioned in the
contemporary historical records. In lieu of their past services
and attached to Dargah, these custodians of Shrine were offered
huge cash, as well as lands grants by Akbar and his successors,
all of whom held them in high esteem and venerated many of
the Khadims of their age.
Further
more, it is because of their long association with the dargah
that people from all walks of life respect and venerate these
Khuddam and rightly, consider them the actual custodians and
Gaddi Nashin of the Dargah. They go to the shrine through
these people, for the performance of Zirat, rituals and practices
and for obtaining the blessing of the great Khwaja, with whom
these Khuddam have special close relation. They are offered
Nazar as a mark of respect to Khwaja and to them and hope
to be blessed and benefited through their prayers
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