HAZRAT Ghareeb Nawaz (RA)
Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty (R.A.) popularly known as Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A.) , "The founder of Chishty Order of Sufis" in India was born in 1142 A.D. in Sijistan (Iran). His paternal genealogy is related to Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S.) and that of his maternal to Hazrat Imam Hassan (A.S.) and thus he is a direct descendant of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.).
His father, Sayyid Ghiyas-u’d-din, a pious man of some means, died when his son was in his teens. He left as legacy an orchard and a grinding mill. Once Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty (R.A) was looking after the plants in his garden that a mystic, Shaikh Ibrahim Qanduzi, happened to pass by. Shaikh Mu’in-u’d-din entertained him in his garden. Hagiologists trace the germination of mystic attitude in him to the blessings of this Saint. In fact, the most powerful factor in giving a mystic touch to his personality at this early stage was the condition of Sijistan which had suffered terribly at the hands of the Qara Khita and the Ghuzz Turks. It drove the Khwaja’s mind inwards and he realized the futility of hankering after worldly glory or looking after worldly goods. He sold all his assets, gave the proceeds in charity and took to itineracy. He visited the eminent scholars of his age. While on his way to Iraq, he passed through Harvan, in the district of Naishapur. Here he met Khwaja ‘Usman Harwani’ and was so deeply impressed by his spiritual eminence that he decided to join the circle of his disciples. For twenty years he accompanied him on his arduous mystic journeys and performed all sorts of personal services to him. Shaikh Mu’in’d-din once told his disciples. “I did not give myself a moment’s rest from the service of my Peer-o-Murshid, and carried about his night clothes during his journeys and stoppages”.
Haj and Prophet’s command:
As the great Khwaja become accomplished and perfect in every respect, the divine tutor (Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harwani (R.A.)) honored him with his robe and took him to Haj. Both then proceeded to Makkah and performed the Haj, and then went to Madina and stayed there for sometime, to get the blessings of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.)
One night in a trance he was ordered by the Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.)
“O Moinuddin! You are a prop of our faith. Proceed to India and show the path of truth to the people there. That is why he is known as Ataye Rasul/Naib-e-Rasul.” (Lieutenant of Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.)
Later he undertook independent journeys and came into contact with eminent Saints and scholars like Shaikh Najm-u’d-din Kubra, Shaikh Najib-u’d-din ‘Abdul Qahir Suhrawardi, Shaikh Abu Sa’id Tabrizi, Shaikh Mahmud Ispahani, Shaikh Nasir-u’d-din Astarabadi and Shaikh ‘Abdul Wahid – all of whom were destined to exercise great influence on contemporary religious life and thought. He visited nearly all the great centers of learning in those days – Samarqand, Bukhara, Baghdad, Naishapur, Tabriz, Aush, Ispahan, Sabzawar, Mihna, Khirqan, Astarabd, Balkh and Ghaznin and aquainted himself with almost every important trend in Muslim religious life in the middle ages. His moral and spiritual qualities attracted many people to his fold and he appointed his Khalifas in Sabzwar and Balkh. Shaikh Auhad-u’d-din Kirmani, Shaikh Shihab-u’d-din Suhrawardi and many other eminent mystics benefited by his company. Having thus roamed all over the Muslim lands which had not yet recovered from the terrible shocks of Qara Khitai and Ghuzz invasions and were to be ravaged very soon by the Mongols, he turned towards India. After a brief stay at Lahore, where he meditated at the Shrine of one of the prominent Sufi, Shaikh Ali Hajweri, he proceeded to Ajmer. Khwaja Gharib Nawaz composed a couplet paying a glowing tribute to Shaikh Hajweri :
"Ganj Bakhsh-e-Har Do Alam Mazhar-e-Noor-e-Khuda,
Na Qisan Ra Peer-e-Kamil, Kamilan Ra Peshwa"
Salaam:-
His father, Sayyid Ghiyas-u’d-din, a pious man of some means, died when his son was in his teens. He left as legacy an orchard and a grinding mill. Once Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty (R.A) was looking after the plants in his garden that a mystic, Shaikh Ibrahim Qanduzi, happened to pass by. Shaikh Mu’in-u’d-din entertained him in his garden. Hagiologists trace the germination of mystic attitude in him to the blessings of this Saint. In fact, the most powerful factor in giving a mystic touch to his personality at this early stage was the condition of Sijistan which had suffered terribly at the hands of the Qara Khita and the Ghuzz Turks. It drove the Khwaja’s mind inwards and he realized the futility of hankering after worldly glory or looking after worldly goods. He sold all his assets, gave the proceeds in charity and took to itineracy. He visited the eminent scholars of his age. While on his way to Iraq, he passed through Harvan, in the district of Naishapur. Here he met Khwaja ‘Usman Harwani’ and was so deeply impressed by his spiritual eminence that he decided to join the circle of his disciples. For twenty years he accompanied him on his arduous mystic journeys and performed all sorts of personal services to him. Shaikh Mu’in’d-din once told his disciples. “I did not give myself a moment’s rest from the service of my Peer-o-Murshid, and carried about his night clothes during his journeys and stoppages”.
Haj and Prophet’s command:
As the great Khwaja become accomplished and perfect in every respect, the divine tutor (Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harwani (R.A.)) honored him with his robe and took him to Haj. Both then proceeded to Makkah and performed the Haj, and then went to Madina and stayed there for sometime, to get the blessings of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.)
One night in a trance he was ordered by the Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.)
“O Moinuddin! You are a prop of our faith. Proceed to India and show the path of truth to the people there. That is why he is known as Ataye Rasul/Naib-e-Rasul.” (Lieutenant of Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.)
Later he undertook independent journeys and came into contact with eminent Saints and scholars like Shaikh Najm-u’d-din Kubra, Shaikh Najib-u’d-din ‘Abdul Qahir Suhrawardi, Shaikh Abu Sa’id Tabrizi, Shaikh Mahmud Ispahani, Shaikh Nasir-u’d-din Astarabadi and Shaikh ‘Abdul Wahid – all of whom were destined to exercise great influence on contemporary religious life and thought. He visited nearly all the great centers of learning in those days – Samarqand, Bukhara, Baghdad, Naishapur, Tabriz, Aush, Ispahan, Sabzawar, Mihna, Khirqan, Astarabd, Balkh and Ghaznin and aquainted himself with almost every important trend in Muslim religious life in the middle ages. His moral and spiritual qualities attracted many people to his fold and he appointed his Khalifas in Sabzwar and Balkh. Shaikh Auhad-u’d-din Kirmani, Shaikh Shihab-u’d-din Suhrawardi and many other eminent mystics benefited by his company. Having thus roamed all over the Muslim lands which had not yet recovered from the terrible shocks of Qara Khitai and Ghuzz invasions and were to be ravaged very soon by the Mongols, he turned towards India. After a brief stay at Lahore, where he meditated at the Shrine of one of the prominent Sufi, Shaikh Ali Hajweri, he proceeded to Ajmer. Khwaja Gharib Nawaz composed a couplet paying a glowing tribute to Shaikh Hajweri :
"Ganj Bakhsh-e-Har Do Alam Mazhar-e-Noor-e-Khuda,
Na Qisan Ra Peer-e-Kamil, Kamilan Ra Peshwa"
Salaam:-
