HAZRAT BABA FARIDUDDIN GANJ-E-SHAKAR, R.A.

His Shrine His mazar (shrine) is the pride of Pakpattan. Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia constructed his tomb. Mazar has two doors, namely Noori darwaza and Bahishti darwaza. Bahishti darwaza opens once a year and during the fair thousands of people pass through it. It (door) is made of silver and floral designs are laid in gold sheet. Thousands of devotees come to visit the shrine daily from within the country and from abroad. His death anniversary is celebrated every year on the 5th of Muharram.

His Masters He was the spiritual disciple and Khalifa (spiritual successor) of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki who was the disciple and Khalifa of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti who was the disciple and Khalifa of Sheikh Usmaan Haruni.

His Students He was the spiritual master of Nizamuddin Auliya who was the Master of Amir Khusro and [[Nasiruddin Chirag-e-Delhi ]]

His descendants His descendants, also known as Fareedies, mostly carry the name Farooqi. They are all over South Asia and can also be found all over the world. However those still looking after his shrine are better known as Diwans.

His place in Sikhism His verses have been collected in Guru Granth Sahib under the chapter Farid's Sayings by Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Urs time at the Dargah of Hazrat Baba Fareed Ganj

Hazrat Baba Faridudeen Gang Shakar was one of the most influential and pivotal figures in the Chishtiyya silsila, and is widely renowned for his intensely rigorous mujahedas in Allah's path. After the premature death of Khwaja Qutubuddin Kakionly a year after the demise of Khwaja Moinudeen Chishtithe bulk of the work begun by the latter fell upon his shoulders. It was he who, in his 37 years as head of the silsila, ensured the propagation of Islam throughout India and the lands beyond.

Miraculous events surrounded Baba Faridudeen'sbirth.. He was born on the 29th Shabaan in 569 AH, the son of a pious alim and a waliah (female saint). As the night was cloudy, people did not know whether Ramadaan had begun or not. But a dervish told them that a wali had been born who would be the Qutb (spiritual monarch) of his time, and that they must look to the child for their answer. Sure enough, the one-day old Baba Faridudeen did not touch his mother's milk after sehri, indicating to all that Ramadaan had in fact begun. Baba Faridudeenwas a direct descendent of Hazrat Umar FarooqAt the age of 7 he memorised the Qur'an and later became an alim. When Khwaja Qutbudeen Kakivisited the city of Multan, where he was studying, he was so impressed by the child's spiritual prowess that he immediately accepted him as a mureed.

After his education finished, Baba Faridudeenwas ordered by his Pir-o-murshid to begin a tour of all the Islamic countries in order to meet the leading mystics of his time. On this journey, he came into contact with many great sufis. Whilst in Madinah performing Hajj, he was spiritually directed by the Holy Prophetto go to Baghdad. Doing so, he was welcomed by the son of Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani and given khilafah in the Qadriyya silsila, as well as receiving from him various sacred relics such as a turban and wooden food bowl of RasulallahAfter eighteen years of travelling, he returned to Delhi and his Pir-o-murshid, and was given khilafah by Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki in the presence of many great sufis.

Baba Faridudeen was then ordered to go to Hansi and begin preaching Islam there. But before he had even settled down, he received the sad news of Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki death, and rushed back to Delhi arriving, as Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki had prophesied, three days after his death. There he was given the khilafa-e-azam of Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki and decided, because of the political upheavals occuring in Dehli, to move the Chishtiyya headquarters to Ajodhan, the city renamed Pak Pattan in honour of him. Ajodhan was a small, isolated town surrounded by jungles and wild animals, but with the spiritual blessings of Baba Faridudeenit soon became a bustling centre of Islam. Scholars and sufis flocked from all over India and the lands around to study under the great wali, who built up a veritable university of Islamic education along with a great khanqah. From Ajodhan would leave many missionaries who spread out over the whole of India to propagate Islam and Sufism. His great popularity aroused the ire and jealousy of Ajodhan's qadhi, who out of his envy wrote a letter to the leading ulema of the time complaining about Baba Faridudeen's love of Sama. But the ulema rebuffed him, saying, "Baba Farid is the Qutb of our time, and the highest authority on Shariah among all of us. If he says Sama is permissible, then it is."

The above incident bears ample testimony to the universal awe in which Hazrat Baba Faridudeenwas held. His mujahedas were of such rigour that few in the history of sufism have managed to surpass them. Once he was ordered by Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki to perform a forty night seclusion whilst suspended upside down in a well, being pulled up only for salaah and to perform more ordinary devotions. On another occasion, he was so exhausted by his mujahedas that he could not stand up to greet Khwaja Moinudeen Chistiwhen he came to visit. At that, Khwaja Moinudeen Chisti remarked to Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki "You have captured a hawk whose nest is no lower than the 7th heaven", and a divine voice proclaimed, "We have accepted Farid."

Baba Faridudeen kindness and forbearance were legendary. Once a soldier came with the intention of killing him, but the great saint merely told him, "Dear brother, I have done you no harm. Why would you kill a dervish and earn the curse of God?" When the man relented, he immediately embraced and forgave him. He was the most humble of men; despite all the vast knowledge he had at his disposal, he would refrain from even correcting those who came to him arrogantly for fear of puncturing their egos. Baba Faridudeen enjoined the strict adherence to Shari'ah and the necessity of renouncing the pleasures of the world as pre-requisites for embarking on the journey towards Allah. His love for the Prophetwas so intense that he would sometimes break down and cry whilst lecturing on him, realising his own worthlessness as compared to that of our beloved Prophet As with all the great sufis, the object of his life was devotion to Allah and service of mankind. His miracles or karamaat are too numerous to mention, but the greatest stretched over years before they came to fulfilment. One of his descendants, Hazrat Ibrahim Farid Saani was visited and held in awe by Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion.

Hazrat Baba Faridudeen left 14 khulafa behind him, principal of whom were Hazrat Sabir Paak the founder of the Sabriyya silsila and Hazrat Nizamudeen Auliya Mehboobe Elahifounder of the Nizamiyya order. Hazrat Nizamudeen was his principal khilafa, and was located in Dehli. Under him, the Chishtiyya silsila achieved the zenith of its glory and influence. He collected the gathered teachings of his master as Baba Farid had collected those of his murshid Khwaja Qutbudeen Kaki

Death comes to all, even the greatest of saints, but the manner in which we receive it is not the same for all. As Baba Faridudeen was born in a state of devotion, so too he died in that state. For days before his death he maintained complete silence within his cell, only speaking for salaat and to recite the Holy Qur'an. Eventually, his illness grew so severe that after Isha salaat he became unconscious. Upon waking, he decided to perform his Isha again, but once more he passed out. In sajdah on his third Isha salaat, he breathed his last. His last words were, "Ya Hayyo ya Qayyum." Upon his death, a divine voice was heard by those gathered to say,

"FRIEND HAS MERGED INTO THE UNITY OF FRIEND."

My restlessness has reached such a level - I spend morning and evening in your love.
Look upon me now with a merciful eye! Salutations to you, do now make my heart pleased, O Faridudeen Gunje Shakar!

Yaa Baba Faridudeen Gang Shakar

Another Source :

HAZRAT BABA FARIDUDDIN GANJ-E-SHAKAR, R.A.

Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Ganj-e-Shakar r.a. was born on the 29th Sha'ban in 569 A.H. [April 4, 1179 C.E.] in Khotwal, a village near Lahore [Pakistan]. He was a direct descendant of Hazrat Umar Farooq r.a., the second Caliph of Islam.
It is narrated that a miracle occurred before his birth proving his Saintship. One day, during the pregnancy of his mother, she wanted to pluck some plums from her neighbour's tree without his permission, but the child in her womb (Hazrat Baba Farid) created a severe pain in her stomach that forced her to abandon the idea of plucking. After a few years after Hazrat Baba Farid’s r.a. birth, his mother lovingly expressed: “My dear son, during your confinement I never ate anything which was unlawful.” Hazrat Baba Farid r.a., however, smiled and said, “But, my dear mother, you wanted to pluck some plums from our neighbour's tree without his permission when I had created a severe pain in your stomach which saved you from this unlawful act.”

After he had completed his early religious education at the age of 7 in Khotwal, his mother sent him for higher education to Multan. Here he stayed in a masjid [mosque] where he learnt the Holy Qur'an by heart and studied Hadith, Fiqh, Philosophy and Logic under the tutorship of Maulana Minhajuddin.

During his studies, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Baktiar Kaki r.a. of Delhi visited Multan where Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. became his Murid (disciple) in the Chishtiyya Silsila. Upon the instructions of his Pir-o-Murshid, he undertook a tour of Islamic countries, for about 18 years from 593 A.H. to 611 A.H. [1196 C.E. to 1214 C.E.] he travelled to Ghazni, Baghdad Sharif, Jerusalem, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Makkah and Medina meeting many great saints and Sufis. After the demise of Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin r.a. the mantle of spiritual leadership in the Chishtiyya Silsila fell on the shoulders of Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. when Khwaja Qutbuddin r.a.nominated him to be his Khalifa or spiritual successor.

It is narrated that when Hazrat Baba Farid r.a.visited Medina Sharif he was spiritually commanded by the Holy Prophet s.a.w.s. to visit Baghdad Sharif and meet Hazrat Abdul Wahab, son of Hazrat Ghaus-al-Azam Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani r.a. He was to receive some sacred relics from him. Accordingly, when he reached Baghdad Sharif, he received a box from Hazrat Abdul Wahab r.a. which contained the following holy relics: Two flag-poles which were used by the Holy Prophet s.a.w.s. in some of the battles fought by him; one wooden bowl in which the Prophet s.a.w.s. used to eat from; one pair of scissors and one turban which was used by the holy Prophet s.a.w.s.

Because of political upheavals in Delhi, he was obliged to shift the centre of the Chishtiyya mission from Delhi to Ajodhan now known as "Pak Patan". The Khanqah of Baba Farid r.a., with his patronage, became a great university of "moral and spiritual training." Thousands of aspirants, scholars, dervishes and Sufis reaped benefit from this spiritual university. Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. reached the pinnacle of spiritual glory through extremely hard Mujahidas (spiritual striving) to gain mastery over the Nafs.

Once Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin r.a. ordered Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. to perform the "Chilla-e-Maakoos" for 40 days. This chilla was seldom undertaken by Sufis and was one of the most difficult tests of Hazrat Khwaja Baba Farid's r.a. faith and courage. It was to be performed in a well by hanging himself in a reverse or headlong position with his feet tied up by a rope to a sturdy branch of a treetop.

Once, due to utter weakness, Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. helped himself to walk with the aid of a staff. But after a few steps, the colour of his face suddenly became purple, as if he was under heavy punishment. He threw away the staff. When Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin r.a., who was escorting him, enquired the reason for this, Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. replied, “I wanted to take help of the staff, but Allah’s Displeasure frowned upon me for depending on other’s help instead of His. I, therefore, threw away the staff and felt highly ashamed of this weakness in my faith in Rabb, the Almighty.”

It is also narrated that once a trader was taking a caravan of camels laden with sugar from Multan to Delhi. When he was passing through Ajodhan (now Pakistan), Hazrat Baba Fariduddin r.a. enquired casually as to what he was carrying on his camels. The trader sarcastically replied, "It is salt." Hazrat Baba Fariduddin r.a. also affirmed, "Yes, it may be salt." When the trader reached Delhi, he was awfully perturbed to find that all his bags of sugar had turned to salt. He immediately returned to Ajodhan and apologized before Hazrat Baba Farid r.a.. Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. said: "If it is sugar then it shall be sugar." The trader returned to Delhi and was pleased to find that the salt had turned back to sugar by the Grace of Almighty Allah. This is how Hazrat Baba Sahib r.a. received the title of "Ganj-e- Shakar."

One of the devotees of Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. named Mohammed Nishapuri lived in Gujerat and was going to Delhi with three other companions. On their way through the jungle, robbers encountered them. Mohammed Nishapuri and his companions had no wepons to defend themselves. In such a helpless state, Mohammed Nishapuri remembered his Pir, Hazrat Baba Farid r.a., and also offered prayers seeking Allah's help in their predicament. Surpassingly, the robbers threw away their weapons and offered an apology to the party and went away.

One day some poor people came from Arabia to see Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. and said that they were strangers to the land and that all their money was spent before the end of the journey. Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. gave them some dried dates which were lying in front of him at the moment and said, “Take them and go. Your journey shall be completed by the Grace of Allah.” Apparently, these persons were very disappointed with such a "cheap gift". After leaving the Khanqah, they wanted to throw away the dates, but just as they were about to do so, to their amazement, the dates turned into gold. Regretting their thoughts, these people left happily uttering their heartfelt gratitude and prayers for Hazrat Baba Farid r.a.

He fasted throughout his life and maintained his nightly prayers and devotions. Fear of Allah always dominated him. He was a staunch devotee of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s. and dedicated his entire life to the veneration of the beloved Prophet's s.a.w.s. immortal glory. At the mention of the Holy Prophet's s.a.w.s. character he would often weep out of his love and devotion. Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. avoided kings, government officials and the rich. He also warned his Khalifas, devotees and Murids to avoid their company. He was a living picture of humility. Whatever he received was spent in the name of Allah and his chest overwhelmed with mercy and forgiveness. Many miracles are attributed to him during his lifetime and after his passing away.

On the 5th of Muharram, during the Isha prayer [evening prayer] ] while in the act of Sajdah, [prostration during prayer] he uttered "Ya Hayo Ya Qayum" [O Self-Subsisting, O Eternal -- two names of God] and with these words on his lips his soul disappeared into the eternal bliss of his beloved Allah. Immediately a "Nida" or Divine Voice declared: "Dost ba Dost Pewast" - Friend has merged into the unity of "Friend" (Allah).

An old woman that was one of the devotees of the Saint presented a piece of cloth for the kaffan [shroud] of Hazrat Baba Farid r.a.. She implored: “I have not spun even a single thread of this cloth without having Wudu [purification]. I had prepared it for my own coffin but if it is accepted for the kaffan of this great Saint, I feel confident, Allah would be pleased with to pardon my sins and grant me salvation.” Hazrat Baba Farid’s r.a. son accepted this cloth as the Kaffan.

His Mazar Sharif [noble shrine] is in Pak Patan, Pakistan. Hazrat Sabir Pak, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Hazrat Jamaluddin Hansi rehmatulla alaihim [may Allah have mercy upon them] are among his favourite Murids and Khalifas. It is generally recognized that he had three wives and many children. Hazrat Baba Farid r.a. was indeed one of the most brilliant stars of the Chishtiyya Silsila and is held in high esteem by one and all.