Gharib Nawaz: Life and Teachings of Gharib Nawaz also known as Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty

By Syed Ali Hamza Chishty

About the book:
This book is intended to provide a summary of Gharib Nawaz's life and teachings, as well as some of His sermons, quotes, and letters. Apart from that, I've included some basic information about the Sacred Shrine of Dargah Sharif Ajmer and Syedzadgans (Gaddi Nashins).

"Do not write any book on me," Gharib Nawaz once told His disciples, "or else the people of India will consider me a God because they worship anything that has power," so there was no writing for 250 years, after which people began writing down his biographies as the world needed to learn from his teachings, until we Mujawirs, (Gaddi Nashins) promoted his teachings orally, which we learned orally from our ancestors.

This book is Arq (transpiration) of all the books written on Khwaja Gharib Nawaz - Allama Dr. Fawad Khan
About the author:
Syed Ali Hamza Chishty (Shah Hamza Chishty) is one of the  Syedzadgan (Priest) at Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty's Holy Shrine, also known as Gharib Nawaz. His philosophy-based approach to teaching Mysticism garnered him recognition both offline and online. At the age of 23, his Peer Syed Aal E Ahmed Shah granted him Khilafat. His Spiritual Silsila is Chshtiya.
His Grand Spiritual Teacher was Ghulam Moinuddin Chishty Taunsvi.
apart from spirituality he is website developer, His hobbies includes Shayari, and his pen name is "Zari."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pencil
• Release date: Jun 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9789356106239

Book preview

As a child

Gharib Nawaz, also known as Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty (R.A.), was born in Sijistan on 18th of April 1136 corrospondace to 14 Rajab 530 Hijri,   but some of people claims that He was born in Sanjar because many people wrote sanjari after His name, but at that time there were no city named as Sanjar, although a city named sijistan was there and people have considered Sijzi سجزی  as Sanjari سنجری , as in persian and urdu manu script both are same and one by one this tradion was formed to call him Sanjari.[5] Sijz was also the birthplce of renowed scholar Abu Dawood author of Sunnah Abi Dawood. At that time there was no concept of countries although that area perticularly known as Sistaan. some people say that Gharib Nawaz was born in Afghanistan but thats not true as Sistaan was in Persia because the Hero of Persian mythology Rostom was named as Sistaani. so cosider it as Sijzi city, Sistan state, and Persia as country. [6]  

Gharib Nawaz has been merciful to all since birth, as he is from the family of Rahmatal lil Alameen Mercy toward worlds. He was twelth from lineage of Imam Ali bin Abu Talib (A.S.) , successor of the Last Prophet of God (S.A.W.). His father, Khwaja Ghayasuddin Hasan (R.A.), was a deeply religious and God-fearing man who lived during the Islamic Golden Age. According to historians, Gharib Nawaz showed early signs of his uncommon religiosity and willingness to make sacrifices for others as early as his birth. A sign would be made to his mother every time a woman with a child came to see him and the child wailed for feeding. He would make a sign to his mother, telling her to feed the crying child. When his mother performed this act, the Sufi was enthralled by the spectacle. He used to share his own food with his playmates when he was three or four years old. [7]

He was once dressed well, when he travelled to the Eidgah for the Eid prayer with his Father. On the way, he came upon a boy dressed in rags. He felt the pain of youngster and he gave him some of his own clothes, and asks him to wear his rags. he then escorted him to Eidgah with all the affection he deserved. After witnessing this, his Father was met by a large number of people who were moved by this act of charity from a human being, and it was clear that he would go on to be a Great Personality in his life.

He lost his beloved father (551 AD) when he was just 15 years old, and he had already lost his beloved mother Bibi Umm ul Wara at the age of 12.

Gharib Nawaz was left to fend for himself in a world filled with hatred, and greed, with no one to turn for help but God. Despite the fact that he inherited sufficient material means to support himself and his family in their normal way of life, but the death of his beloved parents, caused him to pause and reflect. At times, he was overcome with anguish and saw only a hazy picture of this dreadful world, despite the fact that he bore it with courage and outstanding forbearance throughout it. Gharib Nawaz supported himself on the earnings from a garden and a water mill that he had inherited from his father. When a Dervish named Ibrahim Qunduzi (R.A.) went by while Gharib Nawaz was working in the garden one day, he ran towards him and performed Dast Bosi, after which he offered the Dervish a seat under the trees and placed a bunch of grapes in front of him. Taking some out, chewing them, and placing them in Gharib Nawaz’s mouth. The spiritual revelation that resulted from this experience was profound.[8]

Education

Following the amazing experience with Sheikh, Gharib Nawaz immediately renounced the world, and this was the initial inspiration of the experience. He wasted no time in selling his orchard and windmill, as well as all of his other worldly possessions, and he generously handed every penny of the sale earnings to the poor and the needy in the community. Later, having severed all of his ties with his loved ones and friends, he said his final goodbyes to them and set out for Baghdad, which was then the seat of learning, in search of religious knowledge and moral education.

A supernatural vision received via the assistance of a great ‘Mazhoob’ had transformed his ever rising discontentment in his earlier years, in spite of all of his rich traditions and material riches, into a perfect state of contentment soon after the vision was received. However, God is willed to make Him one of the greatest holy saints and ‘Mujaheds’ of his time in the history of Islam, who would turn the tables on the evil world, who would apply the balm of solace and salvation to the wounds of afflicted humanity, and who would bring the pride and arrogance of the mightiest monarchs of his time to a halt in order to redeem the suffering of the oppressed. In a world where he had no friends, the friend of Him is God, and he was destined for an extraordinarily large mission and an outstanding career committed to the cause of world peace and happiness.

After learning that the famous oriental universities of Baghdad and Neshapur had been destroyed by the ravages of continuous war and plunder of Tatari's and fights within Abbasids for the sake of worldly desires, Gharib Nawaz decided to pursue his education in Bukhara, which still possessed some of the best educational institutions and some of the most learned ‘Ulama’ of the time. [9]

During his time in Bukhara, Gharib Nawaz received instruction in all of the oriental sciences and literature from many learned ‘Ulama’ of the day, the most notable of whom was Maulana Hissamuddin Bukhari (R.A.), from whom he received his ‘jubba’ (cloak) and Dastaar e-Fazilat' (turban of learning), the two highest academic diplomas or robes of learning of the time.

While in Samarqand, Gharib Nawaz continued his studies after completing his studies in Bukhara. At the time, Samarqand was considered to be a major centre of learning. He also attended other prestigious universities to further his education in the fields of shariah, fiqh, theology, philosophy, and grammar. His schooling at Bukhara and Samarqand is said to have lasted between 1150 to 1160 A.D., or 552 to 561 A.H., according to historical records.

Gharib Nawaz then started to live in Medina and there He was a Hadeeth (sayings of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.) instructor for three years.[10]

Sufism and Silsila

Sufism

A Sufi's life is governed by Islamic doctrine and traditions. His first instruction is unwavering faith inGod and total submission to His will. This means a hard life of austerity and self-denial. To obtainDivine Knowledge and Truth, man must practise frequent prayer and meditation. This knowledge ispassed on ‘in secret' by a Sufi to another Sufi who qualifies, i.e. one who does not think evil, see evil,hear evil, or utter evil. The hidden truths of Nature and the soul are incomprehensible without DivineKnowledge. The ultimate goal of Sufism is spiritual purity.

A Sufi is distinguished by his disinterest in this world and comforts. His ignorance dissolves in the‘Divine Light' of the Most High, the Lord of all. He feels no pain or grief since he is completelydedicated to the will of the Almighty God. So a Sufi saint is the Spiritual King, hidden under thetattered robes of a poor dervish.

Silsila

Qadariya, Chishtiya Suhrawardiya, and Naqshbandiya are the four major Sufi silsilas.Gharib Nawaz (Holiest Sufi) belonged to the second ‘silsila'. There are very slight differencesbetween these silsilas. However, just as in modern universities, the ceremonies used to earn God'scommunion or raza vary depending on the degree sought. The Chishtia ‘silsila' does not permit anyother Hanafi Sunni Mussalman belief. Their faith is in the Holy Quran. In their lives, Hazrat KhawajaMuinuddin and his spiritual mentor Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni preached and held exclusively Quranic principles. To be a Chishty saint means rigorously following the Quranic commandments.

The teachings of Chishtiya Silsila are based on the fundamental premise of loving one anotherregardless of one's faith or social class.In the first place, the term Silsila refers to a chain of Spiritual Saints, which is exactly what thissilsila is concerned with. Silsila Qadri and Silsila Naqshbandi are virtually identical, however theirphilosophies are slightly different. In Chishtiya Silsila, everyone is treated on an equal basis. Nomatter who you are or where you come from, the Chishtiya Sufi community is there to serve and prayfor you, regardless of your religion, skin colour, creed, or belief system. Comparatively speaking,people from all religious backgrounds go to Ajmer's Holy Shrine to pay their respects in significantlygreater numbers than they do at other big religious gatherings. People from all walks of life arewelcomed and their desires are granted at sacred sites.It has been written on the walls of the Holy Shrine for generations that this place is a meeting placefor lovers; whomever comes here feeling incomplete will depart here feeling complete.

To summarize teachings of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, the fundamental elements of his speech are love for all ,especially human beings, and hatred for none, especially your enemies.This Silsila is well-knownthroughout South Asia, particularly on the Indian subcontinent, for its love for all people, as well asfor its spiritual mystics and miraculous Sufi masters.

The belongings of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) have come into this Silsila through the hands of Ali bin Abu Talib, Hasan Basri, and his disciples,and so on until Naseeruddin chirag dehelvi Chishty [21st Spiritual teacher from the line], who, duringhis lifetime, decreed that all of the belongings would be buried with him because he had not foundanyone worthy of receiving them.My mercy has triumphed over my wrath, Allah revealed in the Hadees al Qudsee (The Book ofMercy). Only Chishti advocated for the extension of mercy to everyone, and no other Silsila followed suit in emphasising the value of this virtue. Dhikr is the primary objective of Qadri's silsila, whereas Chishty are encouraged to place a strong emphasis on mercy as their primary goal.

Sufi ‘silsilas' aren't sects, they came up because individuals sought spiritual direction and training from Sheikhs or ‘murshids' (religious gurus) who invested their whole life accurig the true knowledge which they forwarded to followers as spiritual and moral needs. Traditions grew up in distinct ‘silsilas'. The Sufi‘silsilas' share just a few spiritual practises, institutions, and individuals, such as the reverence of shrines and the etiquette of visiting them. One of the distinctive aspects of the Chishtia order, especially among the early Indian saints, is their love for all humanity. They tried to instil in their disciples a sense of empathy for the average man, regardless of caste, creed,  race, religion or nationality. They emphasised Muslims' humanitarian obligations the most.

That's why Gharib Nawaz quickly drew 90 lakhs of disciples in India.

Auliya in Quran

Many people have created an incorrect understanding regarding the recognition of Aulia (Saints) inthe faith of Islam.

Some of them are unaware of Holy Saints, and some of them argue that these Sufisan Saints have no mention in the Quran or Hadith but the reality is that God and His Messenger (S.A.W.) have defined them in the Holy Quran and Sunnah.God revealed in the Holy Quran;

Behold! There is no fear or grief for God's friends; those who believe and (constantly) protect againstevil.

There is Good News for them, both in this life and in the Hereafter: There is no change in the promise of Allah. That is ˹truly˺ the ultimate triumph. [10:62]

In another Verse ;

None has the right to guardianship except those mindful ˹of Allah˺, but most pagans do not know. (8:34)

Through these Verses of the Holy Quran, it is defined that Saints are not only correct, but God also keeps them as His comrades.

In Hadith, Prophet Muhammed (SAW) also briefly discussed the question of Saints. According to Hazrat Saad Bin Abe Waqas (R.A), Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.) once remarked, God alleviates the countries but via His devotees. In this Hadith, recounted by Hazrat Saad Bin Abe Waqas (R.A.), Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.) states that God only supports the nation as a whole or individually because of His friends, Aulia Akram (Saints).

Hazrat Eabad (R.A.) related that Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.) once remarked, In My nation, thereare fourty Abdals (devotees) because of whom the whole system exists. Rainfalls occur as a result of them, and as a result of them, you are