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Dargah_Shareef_Hazrat_Khwaja_Ghulam_Muhammad_Siddiqui
urf_Hazrat_Soofie_Saheb_Durban_South Africa
In
the year 1895, Khwaja Habib Ali Shah (Rahmatullah
alai), the great Sufi saint of the Chishti Nizami Order
in India, sent his beloved disciple and spiritual successor,
Shah Ghulam Muhammad Siddique (Rahmatullah alai), the
humble descendant of Hazrath Abu Bakr Siddiq (Rahmatullah
alai), to the Southern tip of Africa to propagate Islam
in general and the Chishti Order in particular. It was
a challenge to push forward the work of Islam and the
silsilah in the British ruled country and to evolve
an effective mechanism to deal with those associated
with the order. Hazrath Soofie Saheb (Rahmatullah alai)
not only rose to the occasion but in the short span
of fifteen years the entire Southern Africa became studded
with Khanqah's of the Chishti order. The Khanqah of
the founding Pir of the Nizami Chishti order, Khwaja
Nizaam ad -din Awliya (Rahmatullah alai), by the side
of the Jamuna river in India, whilst the first Khanqah
of his beloved spiritual son stood by the side of the
Umgeni river in Africa, with a magnificent view of the
Indian ocean.
The subsequent eleven Khanqah's established all stood
in a serene, loving atmosphere, with a cool and refreshing
breeze blowing, which aptly symbolized the order of
Khwaja Muin ud din Chishti (Rahmatullah alai), the order
of love, of the prince of love, which was to blow amidst
the oppression and injustice.
Pietermaritzburg
Khanqah
The Khanqah's comprised of a Masjid, Madrassah, cemetery,
orphanage, rehabilitation center, medical center, houses,
courtyard, garden, fountains, wells and open kitchen.
In each center, the yellow and red flag of the Chishti
Nizami Habibi order was hoisted. The sandy yellow color
on the flag symbolized humility whilst the red color
symbolized ishqe haqiqi (true love), the two qualities
which the Habibia order strives to imbibe into it's
disciples. The flag also indicated that a Khalifa of
the order was present at the Khanqah and could be consulted.
Mahatma
Gandhi Ji used to visit Hazrath for spiritual counseling
whilst Hazrath received legal counseling from him. The
trust deed of Soofie Saheb (Rahmatullah alai) bears
the signature of his lawyer, Mahatma Gandhi, and this
bears testimony to the fact. The various practices of
the Chishti were introduced into each center; in order
to mobilize the spirit in the quest for God.
Mazar
Shareef of Hazrath Soofie Saheb (RA)_Durban_South Africa
The
Habibia Soofie Khanqah in Pietermaritzburg (est.1909),
was built on the banks of the Dorpspruit river, at that
time an uninhabited area, where Soofie Saheb (Rahmatullah
alai) had predicted the people would eventually live,
was administered and controlled by the third son, Hazrath
Haji Shah Abd al -Qadir Soofie (Rahmatullah alai). He
continued in the footsteps of his father and became
a father figure to the community who affectionately
called him "Haji Saheb".
He passed away on the 28 May 1940, and his young widow,
Sayyida Khatoon Bibi Soofie (Rahmatullah alai), continued
the spiritual practices and selfless service to humanity
of the Chisti Habibia silsila. Bhabi Saheba (Rahmatullah
alai) passed away on the 14 January 1991. The Khanqah
is ably served today by her son, Hazrath Shah Ghulam
Muhammad and her grandson Irshad, the son of of Hazrath
Shah Ghulam Muhay ad-Din the son of Hazrath Shah Ghulam
Muhay ad din WHO PASSED AWAY ON 18th Rabi al-Awwal 1429
(March 2008). It is an accepted fact today that the
Habibia Soofie Aastana in Pietermaritzburg which comprises
of a Jaame Masjid, Madrasah, pre-school, Islamic library,
community hall and offering social welfare services,
spiritual healing, counseling and spiritual guidance,
is a thriving Khanqah of the Chishti Nizami Habibi order.
Masjid Lady Smith
In
Southern Africa every centre established by Hazrath
(Rahmatullah alai) is continuously, selflessly serving
humanity and even adversaries admit that the impressive
buildings and well maintained Khanqah's have become
a landmark and a tribute to Islamic architecture in
Southern Africa. The services of Hazrat Soofie Saheb
(Rahmatullah alai) i.e. loving and serving all humanity
regardless of caste, creed, nations, race or sex continue
at his Khanqah's unto the present day. His Mazaar Shareef
at Riverside, Durban at the headquarters of The Spiritual
Order, is a fountain of the nectar of love, that nourishes
hearts up to the present day.
Photos
of different institutions of Hazrat Soofie Saheb (RA)
Overport
RiverSide
Springfield
45th Cutting
Butha Buthe Lesotho
Dargah Kenville
Masjid-Hazrat-Soofie-Sahib
Cape_Town
Colenso
Westville
Tongaat
The Habibia Soofie Khanqah in
Pietermaritzburg _SouthAfrica
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