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It is a well known historical fact that in spreading the ethical and spiritual
values of Islam, major and effective contributions have been Made by the Walis
of ALLAH (saints). It was their humanistic position, and piety which won
over the hearts of lacs of people. They made a direct contact with the masses
served and loved them, lived with them in the realisation of Eternal Truth. The
proof of this is more than evident from the history of growth of Islam in India.
Although Islam had penetrated in this subcontinent in the first century of Hijra,
but the noble task of inspiring the people to its tenets and values in India was
accomplished by Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty (R.A.) popularly known as Khwaja
Saheb and Khwaja Gharib Nawaz. He did it all through his great moral power, glorious
and appealing character, with love and dedication to mankind, without any worldly
resources of wealth, power, force and material means.
Khwaja
Saheb was a scholar a great repute. He interpreted the true Islamic message of
love for mankind and through that, the love for the Almighty creator. He preached
the Quranic philosophy of the unity of religion and worked out its potentialities
for the whole humanity. He was the greatest mystic of his time. He laid the foundation
of the liberal Chishtia order of Sufis in India, and inspired millions of souls
to be his followers and thus served the masses of the Indian Sub-continent.
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The life and mission of Khwaja
Saheb have been of an exceptional character as compared with any other saint in
India. His simple teaching penetrated even stony heart, his affectionate look
silenced the fiercest of his enemies. His matchless piety and blessings knew no
distinction and his "spiritual power", amazed and did defied his bitterest adversaries
who came to harm him but were inspire to embrace Islam and become his devotees
for rest of the life. He brought the message of universal love and peace. He chose
the way of non-compulsion in the true spirit of holy Quran he says : "Let there
be no compulsion in religion, will thou compel men to become believers? No soul
can believe but by the persuasion of Allah". Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty (R.A.) followed
this dictum strictly throughout his mission. It is because of this reason that
he is popularly known as ' Gharib Nawaz' which means the one who shows kindness
to the poor. This was later reinforced by succeeding Chishtia Sufis, who became
religious pioneers in national integration in the country. They fulfilled the
objective of bringing together various castes, communities and races, elevating
the humanity from the morass of materialistic concerns, which is the bane of mankind
even today.
The teachings of Khwaja Sahib have been recorded in several books
on mysticism.
The essence of his teaching is :
Closest to Allah is one who possesses
the following three qualities : - Magnanimity
of the river.
- Kindness
of the sun.
- Humility
of the Earth.
Noblest
of the characters is possessed by the one who is :
- Bountiful in poverty.
- Content and hunger.
- Cheerful
and grief.
- Friendly in
hostility.
Surest
way to keep off the internal punishment in the hell is :
- To feed the hungry.
- To
redress the aggrieved.
- To
help the distressed.
SACRED
SAYING
- Without performing "Namaz",
none can approach 'Allah' (God), because 'Namaz' is the climax (Mairaj) in the
process such approach for pious.
- If
all the rules of Namaz were not followed properly, it is struck back on
the face of him who offers such a Namaz.
- The
heart of a lover (True lover of Allah) constantly burns with the fire of love
so much so that what ever intrudes upon its sanctity is reduced to ashes.
- A sin committed does not harm
an individual so much as the looking down upon one's own fellow beings.
- Of all the worship that pleases
Almighty Allah, the best is the grant of relief to the humble and the oppressed.
- Performance of charity is the
key of attaining the state of generosity.
- One
who does not perform devotion to Allah is engaged in the career of attaining a
sinful earning.
- There
are four fundamental virtues of the individual self :
Firstly refraining from
begging in the state of penury.
Secondly, showing the attitude of the
well-fed when feeling hungry.
Thirdly, maintaining cheerfulness in the time
of sorrow,
Fourthly, befriending in the enemy. - That
man is true devotee of Almighty Allah, who resigns with pleasure to the misfortune
that comes from his beloved (Almighty Allah).
- The
path of love of God is such a path that who so ever steps into it, loses himself.
- For a follower of the path of
truth it is worse than a sin to disdain or look down upon any one.
- Those
who are true Lovers of God give away both of the worlds for the sake of their
Beloved and even then feel that they have done nothing worthy.
- Perfection
in faith is evident by three things :
(1) Fear (2) Hope
(3) Love |
