Khawaja
Moinuddin Chishti was born
in 1141 and died in 1230 CE, also known as Gharib
Nawaz , is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti
Order of South Asia. He was born in 536 A.H./1141
CE, in Sajistan, Khorasan (other accounts say Isfahan)
in Persia. He was a direct descendent of the Prophet
Muhammad.
He
was one of the most outstanding figures in the annals
of Islamic mysticism and founder of the Chistiyya
order in India.
Khawaja
Moinuddin Chishti visited the seminaries of Samarkand
and Bukhara
and acquired religious learning at the feet of eminent
scholars of his age. He visited nearly all the great
centers of Muslim culture, and acquainted himself
with almost every important trend in Muslim religious
life in the Middle Ages. In 1220 he became the disciple
of the Chishti
Khawaja Uthman Harooni. They traveled the Middle East
extensively together, including visits to Makkah and
Medina.
Moinuddin
Chishti turned towards India, reputedly after a dream
in which the Holy Prophet told him to do so, and,
after a brief stay at Lahore he reached Ajmer where
he settled down. There he attracted a substantial
following, acquiring a great deal of respect amongst
the residents of the city. Today, hundreds of thousands
of people, Muslims, Hindus and others, from the Indian
sub-continent assemble to his tomb on the occasion
of his urs
(death anniversary).
He
apparently never wrote down his teachings in the form
of a book, nor did his immediate disciples do so.
But he laid the foundations of the Chishtiyya order
in Ajmer, India, where common people flocked to him
in large numbers. His firm faith in Wahdat al-wujud
(Unity of Being) provided the necessary ideological
support to his mystic mission to bring about emotional
integration of the people amongst whom he lived.
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
The
central principles that became characteristics
of the Chistiyya order are based on his many teachings
and practices. They lay stress on renunciation of
material goods; strict regime of self-discipline and
personal prayer; participation in Sama
as a legitimate means to spiritual transformation;
reliance on either cultivation or unsolicited offerings
as means of basic subsistence; independence from rulers
and the state, including rejection of monetary and
land grants; generosity to others, particularly, through
sharing of food and wealth, and tolerance and respect
for religious differences.
Sama
Gathering at brother Salman's Chisty Manzil
He,
in other words, interpreted religion in terms of human
service and exhorted his disciples “to develop river-like
generosity, sun-like affection and earth-like hospitality.”
The highest form of devotion, according to him, was
“to redress the misery of those in distress – to fulfill
the needs of the helpless and to feed the hungry.”
Sama
Gathering at brother Salman's Chisty Manzil
It
was during the reign of Akbar
(1556 – 1605) that Ajmer emerged as one of the most
important centers of pilgrimage in India when the
Mughal Emperor undertook an unceremonial journey on
foot to accomplish his humble wish to reach the place.
The Akbarnama
records that the emperor’s interest was first sparked
when he heard some minstrels singing songs about the
virtues of the holy man who lay asleep in Ajmer. Emperor
Akbar was a Sufi mystic who firmly believed that all
existence is one, and that love of God and one’s brethren
was more important than narrow religious rituals.
Khawaja
Moinuddin Chishti authored several books including
‘Anis al-Arwah’ and ‘Daleel al-Arefeen’ both of them
dealing with Islamic code of living.
Buland
Darwaaza & Bazaar Street in Ajmer, A wood Engraving,
1878
Khawaja Qutbuddin Baktiyar Kaki (d. 1235) and
Hamiduddin Nagori (d. 1276) were Khawaja Moinuddin
Chishti’s celebrated Khalifa or disciples who continued
transmitting the teachings of their master through
their disciples, leading to the widespread proliferation
of the Chistiyya order in India.
Among
Khawaja Qutbuddin Baktiyar’s prominent disciples was
Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar (d. 1265), whose dargah
is at Pakpattan
(Pakistan). And Fariduddin’s most famous disciple
was
Nizamuddin Awliya (d. 1325) popularly referred
to as Mahboob-i-Ilahi (God’s beloved) whose dargah
is located in old Delhi.
From
Delhi, the disciples branched out to establish dargahs
in several regions of South Asia, from Sindh
in the west to Bengal
in the east, and the Deccan
in the south. But from all the network of Chishti
dargahs Ajmer dargah
took on the special distinction of being the ‘mother’
dargah of them all.
Nearest Airport: Jaipur-138 Km
Railway Station: Ajmer
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Hazrat
Khwaja Fakhruddin (R.A.) -
Sarwar Sharif : was the eldest
son of Khwaja Sahib (R.A.) who earned his livelihood
by farming in Mandal town. He was a great saint and
a scholar as well.
After
twenty years of Khwaja Sahib. (R.A.) death he died
in Sarwar town, some 40 miles away from Ajmer. His
Mazar is located near a pond in the town. His Urs
is celebrated on the 3rd of Shaban every year with
great fervour. He was blessed with five sons. One
of his sons, Hazrat Khwaja Hussamuddin was a perfect
Sufi. His grave is at Sanbar Sharif. Every year on
13 and 14 Rajab Urs is organised.
To
Reach Sarwar Sherif You can take a ST bus from Ajmer
Bus Stand which is 15 minutes away from the Dargah.
or you can hire a Sumo. There is regular Bus after
every half an hour from Ajmer to Sarwar. It take around
two hous to reach Sarwar.
Click
here for complete gallery
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Syed
Meeran Husain (R.A.) - Taragard Fort
It
is a grand fort, located on a steep hill in south
of Dargah Sharif, The height of the hill is 800 ft.
During the reignof Rai Pithora, it was a famous and
a strong fort and was considered it cannot be conquered.
But Sultan Shahabuddin Ghauri conquered it without
any difficulty and appointed Syed Meeran Husain (R.A.)
as the Garrison Commander (Qiledaar).
During
the reign of Qutubuddin Ebak, Syed Meeran Husain (R.A.)
was the Garrison of Taragarh Fort. He also live in
the fort. While playing polo in Lahore, Sultan Qutubuddin
Ebak fell down from the back of the horse and died.
As soon as the news of his death reached Ajmer, the
Thakur and Rajput landlords of adjoining areas jointly
launched a night atack on Taragarh and entered the
fort It was totally dark and the Muslims were sleeping
unaware. Most of them were slashed. rest of them were
awaken in a panic and started resisting.
But
they were smaller in number than the powerful enemy.
at last they all were martyred. the enemies fled before
the break of the day. Meeran Husain Khatak (R.A.)
was also martyred in the attack.
When the Muslims of the city heard the news of the
bloodshed there was a mass mourning. Knowing about
the tragedy, Khwaja Gharib nawaz visited the fort
with his followers and after the Namaz-e-Janaza, burried
the martyres of Taragarh. Presently the ruins of the
fort are left, but however everyone visits the Dargah
of Hazrat Meeran Husain Khatak (R.A.) to pay the tributes.
Hazrat
Meeran Husain (R.A.) was a great abstemious saint.
He mostly used to be at the service of Gharib Nawaz
(R.A.) as a staunch follower. His Urs falls on 17th
and 18th Rajab every year.
Click
here for complete gallery
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The
Mazar of Bibi Hafiz Jamal daughter
of Khwaja Sahib, is situated to the south of the Shrine.
There is a small dome with a kalas on top of it. The
doors of this tomb are plated with silver.
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Mark
frm Poland and a friend from Bombay going to the Ziyarrah
of
Khawaja Moinuddin Chishty (ra) with Syed Salman Chishty
in Ajmer Sharif
For
any Assistance in Ajmer pls call :
Syed
Salman Chishty S/o Late S. M. Usman Chishty
Chishty
Manzil ,Jhalra Street ,Dargah Ajmer Sharif ,
Rajasthan
,India. Cell # + 91-9829174973 Email - salmanchishty@hotmail.com
For
Complete Information Pls Visit : http://www.kgn786.com
