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[[Category: India |K]]
[[Category: History |K]]
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[[Category:Name|Alphabet]]
 
=Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti=

==Spiritual architect of India's composite culture==

''' Spiritual architect of India's composite culture ''' 

'' India Harmony ''  VOLUME - 1 : ISSUE - 3 APRIL, 2012

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Ajmeri is a rare persona, a glittering gem in India's crown, who,
popularized the message of love and affection
through out the country. He heralded Islam's
message of peace to the people and laid the
foundation of the Ganga-jamni tehzeeb. This
philosophy of a syncretic culture highlights
the singular fact that civilisational, religious
and linguistic barriers can be broken down
and people could mesh and live together
harmoniously.

[[File: khwaja.png| khwaja|frame|500px]]

Khwaja Ajmeri hailed from Sanjar or Sij, a
town in the province of Sajistan in Iran. Born
on April 18, 1143 A.D, he was orphaned at
the age of thirteen and inherited an orchard
and a stone cutting mill. But, the Khwaja was
destined to
be a
spiritual
guide and
mentor for
millions
across the
world. And
his guiding
star was a
revered
soul Ibrahim, who wandered into the orchard
and was pleased with the exquisite humility
with which, the young Moinudding Chisti
served him. He blessed the young man and
shared a piece of cake with him. And after he
had eaten the piece of cake, the young
Moinuddin Chisthi was a transformed person.
He sparkled with the divine grace of Allah
and was no longer enamoured with his earthly
possessions. Tending to his orchard or the
stone cutting unit held no charm for him.
Renouncing the worldly possessions and
fixing his heart and soul firmly in the Divine,
he left his homeland.

[[File: khwaja1.png| khwaja1|frame|500px]] 

As he reached Samarkhand, the spiritual
yearning increased and he learnt the Quran
completely and imbibed all spiritual
knowledge.

[[File: Dargah Sharief in its ancient glory seen in sepia tints.png| Dargah Sharief in its ancient glory seen in sepia tints|frame|500px]] 

Seeking to further his knowledge, he headed
towards Harwan in search of a perfect
murshid (mentor) and met Sheikh Usman
Harwani. After he had completed two and a
half years under the tutelage of his murshid,
the duo embarked on and toured the Arab
world for well over a decade. visiting the
Holy cities of Mecca and Medina. During this
sojourn, the Khwaja heard a Divine voice
hailing him and declaring: 'He is our friend,
we accepted him and made him a pious
person'. And the Divine pronouncement has
reverberated over the centuries and across
continents, making the Khwaja, one of the
holiest and most divine persona, sought after
by millions cross the world.

When he was 52, the Khwaja, bid adieu to his
mentor and proceeded to Baghdad. After
reaching Sanjar, he lived in the company of
Sheikh Najmuddeen Kubraa and he went into
a retreat for forty days of intense penance in
Baghdad. He also spent sometime with
Sheikh Shahabuddin, the founder of Silsilah
Sahrwardiyyah. From Baghdad, he went to
Hamdaan, then to Tabrez, where he lived with
Sheikh Jalaaluddeen Tabrezi. With the
blessings of his mentors, he headed to India,
touring through different regions and cities.
At first, he halted at Lahore and practised
intense austerities for forty days at the shrine
of Sheikh Ali Hajweri. He then proceeded to
Multan.

The Khwaja acquired felicity in various
languages spoken in India and began his
mission of spreading the message of peace
and amity amongst the people. . He moved to
Delhi for a time and later to Ajmer, where he
settled down permanently.

While, there was some opposition to his stay
from the King of Ajmer, the Khwaja's piety
and his spiritual evolvement, slowly erased
the animus. The wandering Fakir prevailed
over the King.

At Ajmer, Khwaja Saheb devoted himself to
serving humanity and continued to propagate
the message of peace. His court knew no
discrimination between the rich and poor, a
Raja or a mendicant. He behaved
evenhandedly with everyone and people
belonging to different religions and nations
were welcomed in his office without any
discrimination. The less privileged, who lived
sans any identity or access to wealth and
power, For the less privileged, who had no
identity of their own and did not have any
access to the powerful, it was the Khwaja
saheb's court that proved a lifeline.
Earlier, when the Khwaja Sahjeb had parted
with his mentor, the latter advised him that
having decided to renounce all worldly riches,
he should live like a fakir, a wandering
mendicant, whose sole aim should be to help
those who are the poorest. He had further
asked him to show immense forebearance in
the face of all trials and tribulations and
single-mindedly devote himself to the
cause of the underprivileged, serving
them with immense love and affection.

[[File: Interior of the Dargah.png| Interior of the Dargah|frame|500px]] 

And the Khwaja Saheb followed his
mentor's advice and served the poor and
the hapless with complete devotion,
unmindful of all hurdles. Even
oppression by the monarch, could not
deter him from his resolute stand and his
courage and steadfastness proved
unshakeable even in the face of every
hardship.

And in the true spirit that exemplifies
everything about India, he showered
affection upon the masses irrespective of
creed and caste. And his precept of
serving the most under-pirvileged
sections, redressing their grievances and
showing immense humanity, proved to
be a hallmark of selfless service.

By founding a permanent chain of Sufi
succession, his mureeds (disciples)
spread his message across the country.

He founded the Chistiyya Silisilah and
trained people with spiritual calling, in the
task of serving humanity. While, these
messengers of the Seer spread his message,
several of them compiled his teachings and
also wrote about the man, who was their
mentor.
Some of this literature is available as 1)
Aneesul Arwaah, (2) Risaalah dar Kasb-e-
Nafas, and (3) Daleelul 'Aarifeen. These
books enunciate Khwaja Saheb's vision and
instruct his followers to embrace sulook
(good behaviour).

He preached that Tasawwuf is neither a
science nor a custom; rather it is morality that
is perfect in all respects. The excellence of a
saalik (follower of these teachings) is that he
embodies all types of virtues, his life mirrors
Shari'ah and his character is one that practices
lofty values and he is a supporter of the poor,
mentor of the have-nots and a well-wisher and
companion of the weak and powerless.

[[File: The Sanctum Sanctorum, the Mazaar of Khwaja Shaheb.png| The Sanctum Sanctorum, the Mazaar of Khwaja Shaheb|frame|500px]] 

The Khwaja remarked that it is necessary for
the friends of Tareeqat (the blessed path) to
meet the following conditions in different
stages of sulook (self realization) and these
include (1) Search for truth, (2) Search for
perfect murshid (mentor), (3) Etiquette, (4)
Obedience, (5) Love, (6) Repudiation of
materialism, (7) Piety, (8) Stability, (9)
Austerity simple food and minimum sleep,
and (10) Solitude.

Similarly, it is necessary that when one
follows the path of “sulook” (spiritual
enlightenment) carry out the following ten
tasks: (1) Kindness to all, (2) eschew
denigration of any person, (3) adopt humility,
(4) selfless love for humanity, (5) discard
hatred, (6) acceptance of each task and
surrender to the will of Allah, (7) patience and
forbearance in each affliction, (8)
contentment, (9) Faith in Allah, and (10)
burning and melting one's own heart.

Through these teachings Khwaja provided a
complete training to his adherents. His
towering personality and teachings have
spread a new light across India. His followers
include Khwaja Qutbuddeen Bakhtiyaar
Kaakee (of Delhi), Baabaa Fareeduddeen
Ganj-e-Shakar (of Punjab), Sheikh
Nizaamuddeen Awliyaa' of Delhi), Hazrat
Saabir Kaliyari, Poet musician Ameer
Khusro, Chiraagh-e-Dehli Khwaja
Naseeruddeen and founder of Urdu prose
Khwaja Bandah Nawaaz Gaisoo Daraaz.
These illustrious followers turned the light of
spirituality towards seeker.

These eminent people promoted harmony,
integration and composite values in the
country, and their tradition is alive and
glorious even today. Their message of love is
potent force even today.

[[Category:History|K
KHWAJA MOINUDDIN CHISHTI]]
[[Category:India|K
KHWAJA MOINUDDIN CHISHTI]]
[[Category:Name|ALPHABET
KHWAJA MOINUDDIN CHISHTI]]