Data Ganj Bakhsh | Abul Hassan Ali Ibn Usman al-Jullabi al-Hajvery al-Ghaznawi

Silsila: Junaidia Chishtia

Date of Wisaal: 1071 A.D.

Date of Urs: 19 Safar (Next Urs: 4 Feb 2010)

Address:

Data Darbar, Lahore, Pakistan

Description:

It is generally thought that in his lifetime the great saint was called as Gang Bakhsh but afterwards he became too famous as 'Data Gang Bakhsh'. Ali Hajvery (R.A.) was a Persian sufi and a scholar. The greatest saint of the sub-continent born in Hajver, a town of Ghazni in Afghanistan, in 1000 A.D (400 H) and died in Lahore in 1063 or 1071A.D. In the course of his spiritual journey to God, he journeyed physically to many countries, including Turkistan, Transoxania, Iran, Iraq, and Syria where he met innumerable Sufis and Sheikhs, many of those have been mentioned in his book 'Kashf-ul-Mahjoob'.

During the urs the shrine and its whereabouts are beautifully lit. A large number of devotees from different parts of the country besides tens of thousands from the city will visit the Data Darbar to pay their homage by reciting verses from the Holy Quran, qawalees, and recitation of naats and poetry to the saint. Separate arrangements are made for women to visit the shrine. 'Langer Khana' (distributing free food) and milk sabeel also attract a large number of people. The tradition of milk-sabeels traces its roots to a time when the people of Lahore used to give tax in the form of milk to the city keeper Ray Raju Jogi. Legend has it that when Hazrat Data Gunj Baksh arrived in Lahore, he stopped them from this practice. As a result, their businesses flourished and followers began giving the milk to the saint to give to the needy. Today, milkmen continue the practice by donating milk to destitutes.

Sultan al-Hind Hazrat Khwaja Moeenuddin Chishti paid his homageto Data Ganj buksh in the following words:

Ganj Bakhsh-e faiz-e aalam, mazhar-e Noorr-i Khuda Naqisaan ra peer-e kaamil, kaamilan ra rahnuma

The bestower of treasure (Ganj Bakhsh) in both the worlds, the reflector of the splendour of God, An accomplished spiritual guide for the learned and a guide for the ignorant.

According to some historians one of the first persons to become Muslim at the hand of Hazrat Data Gang Bakhsh was Rai Raju. He was Naib Hakim of Lahore at that time. On his conversion to Islam Hazrat Data Gang Bakhsh named him Shaikh Hindi. There is likelihood that under his influence many other people also converted to Islam.

When Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, R.A came to Lahore, he built a 'Khanqah' and a Mosque, known as 'Khishti Masjid', outside the city on a mound to the west of Bhati Gate near the bank of river Ravi. It is said that when the mosque was originally being built by him some of the locals pointed out that the Qibla direction of the mosque is not in the right and appears towards south. On complaint, he asked the people to say prayer and during the prayer he showed them the Holy Kaaba, consequently its direction was right.

It was the first miracle of the saint. This mosque became a model to look at for the fixing of Qibla of all the mosques in the following centuries.

The historical records tell us that after the death of Hazrat Data Gang Bakhsh, R.A, because of the reverence and respect of the Muslims for the great Saint, the mosque has been the subject of renovation, addition and beautification for several times by different devotees.

The great Mughal Emperor Akbar built the northern and southern massive gates and floor leading to the cenotaph. Later, in the third year of the reign of Emperor Mahyiudin Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir (1658-1707 A.D) an excessive flood in the River Ravi ruined the original mosque. So, keeping in view the need of mosque, within few days a new beautiful building of the mosque was built on the same foundation. The emperor also built an embankment that not only had been a major reason in saving Mosque ever after but also caused the river to change away its course further north.

Maharaja Rangit Singh (Nov.1780- June 1839) himself also had great respect for the Holy saint. He came to hold the shrine in great reverence and made many offerings. He contributed Rs. 10000 on the occasion of each Urs of the Hazrat Data Gang Bakhsh and he also repaired the mosque periodically. After him Maharani Chand Chour (Wife of Kharak Singh and mother of Naunehal Singh) repaired the mosque and also built a beautiful vaulted chamber over the cenotaph where the Holy Quran was recited day and night.

The already existing mosque was a flat top building having minarets but without any dome. In 1860 AD, Gulzar Shah, a Kashamirian, rebuilt the mosque on the same pattern. It was for the first time that he also built a huge dome in its center with two other small domes on its right and left. There were also low height minarets at the corners. In1879A.D the mosque was again repaired by Jhando chob Farosh. Some people say that there was no dome over the mausoleum of Hazrat Data Gang Bakhsh, in 1868 A.D Haji Muhammad Noor built a dome over the mausoleum.

The recorded events revealed that, in 1921 A.D under the supervision of Ghulam Rasol Khatwala, a major operation was exercised here when in place of the earliest modest mosque a pretentious building was constructed here but it was damaged in late 1960 A. D during an earthquake. The Punjab Auqaf Deparment took the charge of the shrine and the mosque in 11 January 1960 A.D.

As there was rapidly increase in number of visitors so the government decided to embark upon an ambitious two phases expansion plan of the Mosque. In 1978 A. D, the phase one (western side of the shrine) was completed under the supervision of General Zia-ul-haq. The mosque was shifted from its original place further towards west. The second phase (eastern side of the shrine) was begun in 1997A.D under the direction of former Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif that has completed now. It is divided into four parts on Mughal Chahar Bagh pattern. On completion, the project would have a double storey complex consisting of a basement for parking vehicles, a Sama Hall, Ablution site, Toilets, Administrative block, Atiqaaf rooms, Langer Khana, Library, Madressa, Industrial School, Quran Mahal and A/C plants. The upper storey consists of a square prayer chamber, the mausoleum, the Chillaghah of Hazrat Khawaja Muinudin Chishti (R.A) and a wide courtyard.

The facade of the prayer chamber is a magnificent arched structure raised in blue tiles with two high cone style minarets that are gold plated. On the south, in front of the mausoleum, there are two doors. The Shah of Iran donated one of these doors that has beautiful Iranian inlaid work on gold. All the arches, the window frames and pillars in the mosque and mausoleum are in carved marble. The entire floor is also in marble. The mosque is spread over a total area of 3,68,150 sq. ft. and it is the third largest mosque in Pakistan. It can accommodate up to 52,600 people.

Hazrat Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi

Silsila: 720

Date of Wisaal: 773

Date of Urs: 20-22 Dhu al-Hijjah

Address:

Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan

Description:

Hazrat Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi is considered to be patron saint of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The dargah of Abdullah Shah Ghazi is located in Clifton neighbourhood of Saddar Town in Karachi.

History

Abdullah Shah Ghazi was the great grandson of the Prophet Muhammad from the linage of Hasan Ibne Ali Ibne Abu Talib, making him a member of the Ahl al-Bayt.

The growing popularity of Abdullah Shah caused concern amongst the Ummayyad dynasty who dispatched an army to Sindh. The Ummayyads, and their successors the Abbasids, were known for their hatred of the Banu Hashim (the tribe of Prophet Muhammad and Hadrat Ali ibn Abu Talib) and mercilessly tracked and killed thousands of members of this tribe.

Abdullah Shah was on a hunt in what is now present day Karachi, when the Ummayyad army intercepted his party. Out numbered, Abdullah Shah still chose to fight rather than submit to the Umayyad army. It is because of his display of valor in the face of the Ummayyad army that Abdullah Shah was given the honourable title of "Ghazi" meaning "victorious".

His shrine in Karachi is dated back to 1400 years ago, his brother, Misry Shah, who is also buried along the coastline in Karachi, is also remembered as a saint.

Many people claim to have been granted their wishes at the shrine and it is the centre for people who throng the shrine all year round. Every year marks the Urs (festival) at the shrine for 3 days (dates: 20-22 Dhu al-Hijjah - 12th month of the Islamic calendar), marking the anniversary of Abdullah Shah Ghazi. A famous myth about the mazar is that Karachi never had a tropical disaster in a thousand year because of the shrine's blessing.

Abdullah Shah Ghazi is revered by both Sunni and Shia alike, however his blood line gives him a special status in the Shia community by some. Muhammad bin Qasim was sent for Abdullah Shah Ghazi in his hunt, however that time Raja Dahir, the ruler of Karachi had hosted Abdullah Shah Ghazi and had denied to turn him over to Qasim. Where Qasim revolted against him, massacring the army of Dahir and martyring Abdullah Shah Ghazi.

Hazrat Syed Muhammad Azeem Barkhiya aka Abdal-e-Haq Qalander Baba Aulia

Silsila: Azeemia

Date of Wisaal: January 27, 1979

Date of Urs: January 27

Address:

Shadman Town, North Nazimabad, Karachi, Pakistan

Description:

Abdal-e-Haq, Husn-e-Ukhra, Syed Muhammad Azeem Barkhiya commonly renowned as Qalander Ba Ba Auliya, (Birth: 1898 in the town of Khorja, District Buland Shehr, Uttar Pardesh, India - Wisaal: January 27, 1979, Karachi) was the founder of the Sufi Order of Azeemia. His mother was adopted by Baba Tajuddin and hence Qalandar Baba always referred him as his Nana (maternal grandfather).

During his stay in Aligarh an inclination towards spirituality developed in him and he start spending most of his time in the company of a local Sufi Kabli Baba. He used to go there early in the morning and would come back late in the evening.

After completing the 12th grade education at Aligarh, Baba Tajuddin summoned him to Nagpur, India where he spent nine years under the vigilant guidance of his Baba Tajuddin of Nagpur until he physical demise in 1929. During his stay in Nagpur, his mother died, leaving four daughters and two sons. Qalandar Baba Auliya was the eldest son and most of his siblings were very young at the time. It was becoming difficult for him to serve as the surrogate parent for his siblings. Realizing that Baba Tajuddin arranged his marriage with one of his disciples' daughter in Delhi. Qalandar Baba moved his family to Delhi and worked there as a journalist until the partition of India in 1947.

After the partition, he migrated to Pakistan along with his family, and stayed in Karachi's Lyari subdivision. At the time, Karachi was not a fully developed city and finding a job was hard. He believed in hard work and was not ashamed of odd jobs to support his family. Later on, He chose journalism as a career and was appointed the sub-editor of the Daily Urdu Dawn.

In 1956, a famous dervish of Suhurwardiya Sufi Order, Hazrat Abul-Fayz Qalandar Ali Suhurwardi, came to Karachi. Qalandar Baba Auliya met and asked to be initiated in his Order. The visiting Shaykh told him at arrive at his hotel room at three in the morning. It was during winter; nevertheless, Qalandar Baba Auliya went at 2 A.M. to the hotel where Hazrat Abul-Fayz was staying and sat at the doorsteps. At 3 A.M sharp, Shaykh Abul-Fayz opened the door of his room and summoned him inside. Qalandar Baba Auliya sat before Hazrat Abul-Fayz, and Hazrat Abul-Fayz blew three times on the forehead of Qalandar Baba Auliya. On first blow, the Alam-e-Arwah (Cosmic World) was revealed to Qalandar Baba Auliya; on the second blow, the Alam-e-Malkut (Angelic realm); on the third one, the Arsh-e-Mu'alla (The Divine Throne).

Hazrat Abul-Fayz Qalandar Ali Suhurwardi completed his teachings of Qutub-e-Irshad to Qalandar Baba Auliya, in three weeks. After that, he spiritually(oweysia) received divine knowledge from many saints including Shaikh Najamuddin Kubra.

When Qalandar Baba Auliya was working as a journalist in the local magazine in Karachi, it was his routine that he would go to the residence of his beloved disciple Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi where he conducted Sohbet(satsung).People from all walks of life would come to discuss various topics.

One week before of his death, he told to his disciples and friends that, "I'm a guest here for a maximum of one week". He appointed Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi as the head of the Sufi Order of Azeemia. He died on January 27, 1979. His tomb is in the Shadman Town subdivision of Karachi.

The essence of the teachings of Qalandar Baba Auliya is that man has not been created solely to earn a livelihood. The first and foremost purpose of his creation is that he should recognise his own Self and have an intimate relationship with his Creator.

His famous quote: 'One can not find Truth in the outward (zahir), it can only be realized by turning to inward(batin). Your inner is the doorway the Cosmos that is why Man is called microcosm (al-alam sughra).'