Islamic Saints

Life of Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti

The middle of the sixth century A.H. was a period of great strain and stress not only in India but in the entire world of Islam. There were disturbances, disruptions, strife, distress and disorder in almost all the termitories where the banner of Islam was flying:

       In India, Ghaznavid dynasty was breathing its last and the Ghorids were preparing to replace it. At last, Bahram shah, the last ruler of Ghazni was dethroned and Husain bin Hasan known as Alauddin came to power. During this period Lahore was made the capital through the efforts of his nephew of Shahbuddin. The old city, Ghazni could not stand the onslaughts of revolutions after revolutions and was devastated to a great extent.
       But Sistan and Khurasan were facing dilapidations of the greater magnitude.Heartless and ferocious marauders and plunders were adding to the troubles and miseries of the people in general. Loot,arson and murder had become a way of life. There was none to come to their rescue. There was no saviour of the innocent men, women and children far and near. The rest of the country was facing bloody civil war of the worst kind. The Muslim king Sanjar, although a great fighter with the big army of fearless warriors tried his best to stem the advancing steps of the Tartars but failed to turn the tide. They pulled down whatever came their way. They practically ravaged the entire land. Sultan Sanjar was completely defeated in 536 A.H. and fled for life.

        The same year i.e., 536 A.H. Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (may mercy of Allah be upon him) was born in Sistan, But he was brought up in Khorasan. But there was no peace there. Turks and other religious sects were ravaging the territory. Disruptions and barbarism were at thecir peak.
       His father, khawaja Ghayasuddin Hasan was a wealthy and influential person of the country. But he was pious, devoting and man of purity and high order. He left Sistan and came to khorasan in search of peace but it was denied there too.)
       At the age of 13 , Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti saw with his naked eyes such a critical, horrible and dreadful situation that tears of blood would roll down his rosy cheeks. All these events left indelible mark on his tender heart right in his childhood. Three years had passed that his father Khawaja Ghayasuddin left for the eternal abode, Thus he was left alone in this world of sorrows and sufferings. His entire existence was deeply wounded. He was now a heart-broken person. But since Almighty Allah had decided to train him in hardships and troubles while spreading His Message, he was brought near the state of orphanage the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) faced during his childhood.

        Personal tragedies, social evils and moral degradations had stirred him from within. His inner being was completely transformed. He was now quite tired of the worldly pleasures and comforts and started getting absorbed in spiritual feelings. He was passing through new experiences of heart and soul that he came across something which made him a new man in letter and spirit.
        Once he was watering the garden which he had inherited from his father that he met a holy divine named Ibrahim Qanduzi. He showed him great respects and kissed his hands out of utmost regard. He was then seated under a shady tree. Thereafter he brought a bunch of grapes for him and sat before him in reverence.

       The saint, on the other hand, was also deeply impressed with the spiritual height and sense of service of the young Moinuddin. Hence he decided to give the boy a genuine taste of spirititual purity and devotion. He took out a piece of chalk from his armpit, cut it a little from his teeth and into his throat. No sooner that the piece of chalk went down his throat that his entire being was completely changed.

       What to speak now ! Everything looked changed.Neither the world nor its luxuries and belongings had any value in his spiritual sight. He severed all his relations with friends and relations and all worldly things which he was once connected property pund belongings and distributing the money among the poor and needy. He was now nothing but the seeker after Truth.

       Thereafter he made journey towards the north and the east and covered Samarkund and Bukhara. Both of them were then the centres of learning. It was there that he learnt the Holy Qur'an by heart and obtained knolwedge of various physical  discipline. After finishing his studies in Quranie commentary, Hadith, Figh and various other religious disciplines, he bade good-bye to those cities and moved towards the west. During his journey he passed through Nishapur which played a vital role in his mental and spiritual make-up. But he never stopped his journey to meet any of his friends and relations.

        Graduully he reached Harun near Nishapur where he came across Shaikh Uthman Haruni, a great saint. He visited the shaikh and entreated him to allot a place in the row of his disciples. But how he was enlisted as the disciple of the Shaikh was something very interesting He himself narrates it in his own words:

"I appeared before Shaikh Uthman Haruni with utmost regard and put my face on the ground. The Shaikh uttered: 'offer two rakah of salat: "I carried his order at once. Then he said: 'Be seated facing qiblah: "I did accordingly. Following this he ordered: "Recite Surah Al-Baqra" I recited the whole Surah with deep respects. He then asked me to chant the words 'Subhan Allah' sixty times. I carried out this order too. After passing through these stages the Shaikh stood up, took my hand upon his holy hand, looked toward the sky and said: "I made you reach Allah:"

       Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti stayed with Shaikh Uthman Haruni for two and half years and passed through hard trials and strains. It was the time of fearless fight against his innerself. It was the period of attaining spiritual heights.