Mehboob-e-Ilahi Hazrat Khawaja Nizam Uddin Aulia
Hazrat Nizam Uddin Aulia was one such saint as illuminated the nooks and corners of India with the divine light of the deen and all people, the elders as well as the commoners, were equally benefited form it.Parentage
Muhammad is the name but called by various titles. Mahboob-e-Ilahi, Sultan-Ul-Aulia, Sultan-Ul-Mashaikh and Sultan-Ul-Salatin etc. His grand father, Syed Ali, a resident of Bukhara, and father, Syed Ahmad, were well known Syeds and traced their lineage to Hazrat Ali with 15 of his ancestors falling in the chain. His maternal grandfather, Khawaja Arab Husain was Syed and resided in Bukhara. Both families migrated to India. Syed Ahmad was married to, Bibi Zulekha. Badaun, in those days, was a great center of learning so his father settled down there on migration from Bukhara.
Birth
Born on 27 Safar 636 Hijri in the city of Badaun.
Early Education
After learning the Qu'Oran he read books on various subjects, Qadoori from Maulana Ala-Uddin Usooli, Maqamaat-e-Hariri from Maulana Shamsuddin Malik, and obtained distinction in outer subjects like Jurisprudence, Tradition Commentary, Speech, Logic, Mechanics, Arithmetic, Vocabulary, Literature, and Recitation. He also obtained the degree of 'Mashariq-ul-Anwar' from Maulana Kamal-uddin at Delhi.
Divine Education and Stay in Delhi.
He completed his exterior education at Badaun and reached Delhi with his mother for further education and finally settled here. He took lessons from the renowned Scholars Maulana Shamsuddin and Maulana Kamal-Uddin Zahid and came to be recognized as a distinguished scholar.
Search of the Teacher
He later set out in search of a teacher and guide who could lead to spiritual and intrinsic learning. During his stay at Badaun, he was apparently introduced to Baba Farid through Abu-Bakar Qawwal and came to have faith in him and longed to see him. Baba Farid's younger brother, Sheikh Najib-uddin Mutawakkil, was his neighbor in Delhi. His intimacy with Sheikh Mutawakkil added fuel to the fire.
Change in Life
He spent nights in prayer in a mosque. One morning themuazzin recited the Qu'Oranic verse from the minaret meaning:
Hasn't time come for the Faithful that their hearts bow down in praise to God.
The verse left a strange effect on him, his heart began to shake, and tears rolled down the cheeks; worldly love left him, and his heart was flooded with divine light. No longing remained, and under the condition he set out for Ajodhan.
Baba Farid
Baba was extremely pleased to see him and recited the Persian couplet,
Ai A'tish-e-furqat dil ha kabab karda
Sailab-e-Ishtiaqat janha kharab karda
Removing his kulah-e-char Turki (a kind of Turkish cap) from his head he placed it on his head. Mahboob-e-Ilahi recounts the meeting. "When I presented myself to him, he found symptoms of fear in me then said, "Welcome! God willing, you will find bounties of the world as well as of the Deen."
Servitude and inheritance
Baba Farid said to him, "I wanted to accord this rank to some other person but it was revealed to me that you are to come from Delhi. The rank was fated for you and so I continued delaying it."
Baba Farid also gave him other things: his robe, sandals, and prayer mat, staff etc.
Hazrat Nizam Uddin pledged obedience to Baba Farid on 15, Rajab 655 Hijri and stayed in his service till 3, Rabi-Ul-Awwal 656 Hijri and engaged in prayer and meditation under his guidance and soon attained high degrees and proficiency in conduct and divinity. Baba Farid sent him to Delhi laden with divine and spiritual conduct.
Hazarat Nizam-Uddin Aulia in DelhiBefore his departure to Delhi, Baba Farid gave him special robe he inherited from peers of the chistia Order, and a document confirming his appointment as his spiritual heir and instructed him to repay the loan the earliest. To keep the enemies happy by all means, to strive hard in prayers, and said, "Under the orders of God, I grant Maulana Nizam Uddin the territory of India. And leave the country under his charge, and appointed him my regent" He asked him to show the document to Maulana Jamal Uddin at Hansi and Qazi Muntakhib in Delhi. When Maulana Nizam Uddin met Maulana Jamal Uddin at Hansi, he was pleased to see him and expressed happiness on the appointment.
In Delhi
Delhi was a populous city and he found it difficult to find a suitable place. He selected Ghayaspur for his stay in Delhi.
Prayer and Meditation
He busied himself in prayer and meditation in Delhi, renounced material things, and kept fast regularly. He did intense penance for 30 years. He led a life of renunciation and resignation, had no interest in things of the world. He said his prayers regularly. After theChast and Ishraq prayers he sat in the congregation of sophists and mendicants and discussed problems of mysticism. After midday prayer he talked to the students and seekers of knowledge, and spent his nights in prayers.
Self-sufficiency and fasting
He passed his early days of his stay in Delhi in extreme poverty. Often observed fast three days continuously. When had nothing to eat his mother would say, "We are Allah's guests today." "I drew much taste from my mother's statement." Penury and povery were so acute, when he shook the suspended bag at the Afar time out dropped dry pieces of bread with which he broke his fast.
VictoriesSheikh Burhan Uddin Gharib and Sheikh Kamal Uddin Yaqub, who later became his heirs, lived with him. One day Kamal Uddin boiled some flour in an earthen pot then came a mendicant and demanded food. Mahboob-e-Ilahi placed the pot before him, the mendicant ate some from it and then dashed it to the ground, and said, "Sheikh Nizam Uddin Aulia Baba Farid blessed you with divine bounties and I have broken the pot of your apparent self-sufficiency." After which he saw no shortage.
GenerosityBaba Farid said, "May you consume seventy mounds of flour daily in your kitchen!"
His kitchen always remained hot. Thousands of beggars and the poor ate from it. Whatever received in the monastery was promptly given away to the needy. Nothing was saved. Many people drew sustenance. Numerous students and Hafiz were given help. The kings were surprised at this.
Death and Distribution of sacred relies.
When he antiapated Death, he gave a special robe, a turban, and a prayer mat to Maulana Burhan Uddin Gharib and ordered him to go to the Deccan. The same things to Maulana Yaqub and repaired him to Gujrat. He also gave the same articles to Maulana Shams Uddin but denied anything to Maulana Nasir Uddin Chiragh-e-Dehlavi. People were surprised at the outcome. On Wednesday Mehboob-Ilahi called Hazrat Nasir Uddin and entrusted to him staff, prayers mat, rosary, sandals, robe, and other sacred relics of Baba Farid and said, "you shall have to bear the tribulations of the people and stay in Delhi. "All of your heirs are well known but Amir Khusro loved him profoundly.
He laid his life on 18 Rabi-ul-Sa'ani. His tomb stands in Nizam Uddin Basti and attracts thousands of Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim pilgrim's daily.
BooksHis articles, regular publications in nature, are
- Fawaed-Ul-Fawaed
- Afzal-Ul-Fawaed
- Rahat-Ul-Mohibbin
Besides he noted the interesting incidents of the meetings of his teacher, Baba Farid, in a book entitled 'Rahat-Ul-Qulub.'
Revelations and Miracles
Sultan Ghayas Uddin Tughlaq was envious of him. He bore great ill will for him. Once when he was returning from Bengal to Delhi, he sent word to Mahbooh-e-Ilahi to leave Delhi. This grieved him and said, "Delhi is still Far." and it so happened that Ghayasuddin did not reach Delhi. Tughlaqabad palace collapsed on him and killed him.
His Wondrous Deeds
His attention and care revolutionized the society. Morals and conduct of the people improved. They became truthful and true to their word. He welcomed every body; treated the sinners kindly, and robbed them. To all, elite's or the sundry, rich or the poor, King or the beggar. Learned man or a layman, he taught to be penitent and pure. His mission not only reached the Four Corners of India but China also. Khawaja Salar Han ban was his spiritual heir in the country.
