Thursday, May 24, 2012




Hadhrat Haji Syed Muhammad Naushah Ganj Bakhsh QadiriRadi Allahu anhu, a scholar, saint and preacher of Islam in the South Asia, was the founder of the Naushahia branch of the Qadri order. He preached Islam in the tenth and eleventh Hijri and brought non-Muslims into the fold of Islam. He loved Muhammad and modelled his own life and teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah. His adherents call themselves Qadri Naushahi, Naushahi or just Qadri, since Haji Nausha pak belonged to the Qadri order.

Syed Naushah Ganj Bakhsh Qadri was born on the first day of Ramadan in 959 A.H. (21 August 1552) at Ghogganwali, district Gujrat in Punjab, Pakistan. The name of his father was Sayyed Alā’uddīn, who was respected for being a great Sufi of his own times. Despite all difficulties of undertaking a long journey in his days he had completed his pilgrimage to Mecca Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah seven times on foot, which shows how devoted to Islam he was.
At his birth he was named (Haji) Muhammad. This name was kept in accordance with some divine and supernatural messages. In the first instance he became famous by the name of Haji Muhammad. Later on he also became famous by the names of Haji Naushah, Abul Hashim, Hazrat Naushāh Walī, Bhoora Wala Pir (the enshrouded one), Mujaddid-i Islam (the great revival of the Islam), Naushah Ganj Bakhsh, Syed Naushah Pir and Naushah Pak. The name Naushāh is also spelled and pronounced as Noshāh.
His Ancestors
It has been recorded that the first of the ancestors of Syed Naushah Ganj Bakhsh, who came to the South Asia, was Syed Awn ibn Ya‘lā, well known by the name of Qutb Shah Qadiri. This happened by order of Syed Abdul Qadir Jilani in the fifth century A.H. (about the eleventh century according to western era). Moreover, he was an uncle of Syed Abdul Qadir Jilani and one of his spiritual successors born in 1028 in Baghdad. He is also the first person who introduced the Qadiria Order in India. Hazrat Qutb Shah QadiriRadi Allahu anhu was an appointed Qutb (spiritual pole) by Syed Abdul Qadir JilaniRadi Allahu anhu for this South Asia. Due to his great efforts many of the Hindu tribes converted to the Islam.
The son and the spiritual successor of Qutb Shah Qadiri was Syed Zamān Ali MuhsinRadi Allahu anhu. He spread the Islam in the southwest regions of the South Asia, Kohistan-i Namak and the surroundings of Saunsakesar.
Syed Mahmūd Shah, better known as Pir Jālib, is one of the descendants of Syed Zamān Ali Shah. He was an outstanding saint who possessed super natural gifts, called Tasarrufāt. He was also called Pir Jālib, because of his numerous benefactions and his spiritual attraction.
Syed Shamsuddīn Shah was one of the descendants of Pir Jālib. He always took with him his favourite weapon, a javelin. Hence he was called Sangīn Shah Shahīd. He died during a battle. Sangīn Shah had two sons: Alā’uddīn Husain and Rahīmuddīn. The holy graves of both the brothers are situated in Ghogganwali, near Qadirabad in the district Gujrat, Pakistan.
Hazrat Syed Alā’uddīnRadi Allahu anhu is reckoned among the great spiritual masters of the mystical path. He observed very accurately the Shaīr‘ah, the Islamic laws. He had the Kunyah (a nickname indicating a parental relationship) Abu Isma‘īl with the extra appellation Pir Ghāzi. Among his contemporaries, just as his younger brother, he was an exceptional saint, from whom supernatural powers have been revealed till today. Syed Alā’uddīn, whose holy grave is in Ghogganwali, is also the father of Syed Naushah Ganj BakhshRadi Allahu anhu.
Spiritual Geneology/Shajra e Tareeqat
At the age of twenty-nine years Hazrat Syed Naushah accepted Shah Sulaimān Nūri as his spiritual guide. His guide welcomed him because he knew before that Naushah Pir was a chosen saint of Allah, the most exalted.
The spiritual succession of the Silsila (spiritual Order or chain of saints) of Naushah Pir goes from one saint to another saint back to Abdul Qadir Jilani. This spiritual lineage ends via Ali Al-Murtaza at the final and Muhammad
- (26) Syed Haji Muhammad Naushah Ganj Bakhsh disciple of
- (25) Sakhi Shah Sulaiman Nūri,
- (24) Sakhi Shah Muhammad Ma‘rūf Khushābī,
- (23) Syed Mubārak Haqqāni,
- (22) Shah Ghauth Muhammad Bandagī,
- (21) Syed Shamsuddīn Gilani,
- (20) Syed Shah Mīr Gilani,
- (19) Syed Abul Hasan Ali Gilani,
- (18) Syed Mas‘ūduddin Halbi,
- (17) Syed Abul Abbas Ahmad,
- (16) Syed Safiyiuddin Sufi,
- (15) Syed Saifuddin Abdul Wahhāb,
- (14) Syed Abdul Qadir Jilani,
- (13) Khawaja Abu Sa‘īd Mukharrami,
- (12) Khawaja Abul Hasan Al-Hakkāri,
- (11) Khawaja Abul Farah Yusuf Tartūsi,
- (10) Khawaja Abul Fadl Tamīmī,
- (9) Khawaja Abu Bakr Shiblī,
- (8) Khawaja Abul Qasim Junaid Baghdadi,
- (7) Khawaja Shah Sari Saqati,
- (6) Khawaja Ma‘rūf Karkhī,
- (5) Khawaja Dāwūd Tā’ī,
- (4) Khawaja Habīb Ajamī,
- (3) Khawaja Hasan Basri,
- (2) Ali Al-Murtaza ibn Abi Tālib,
- (1) Syeduna Muhammad Al-Mustafa
Reasons for deserving the honorary title “Naushāh”
Syed Naushah Pir received the titles “Ganj Bakhsh” and “Naushah” in the presence of Allah. Both names are Persian words. Ganj Bakhsh means literally bestower of hidden treasures, one who is very generous to show benefits to others, both in material and spiritual respect. The word Naushah points to a young king or a bridegroom. These honorary titles are related with his unique spiritual status: the Maqām-i Naushāhat.” - One day Syed Naushah Pir was overpowered by the divine love. He descended in a dried up well, far from the living world, completely submerged in the meditation of Allah. Forty days had already passed in this state, till a shepherd cast a glance at him. He took him out of the well. When he saw that his body showed some signs of life, he quickly put goat’s milk in his mouth. Later on when he recovered to his worldly consciousness, he expressed his displeasure. Suddenly he heard a voice from the unseen that told him the happy news. - - In another version this account continues: Just after he regretted the interference of the shepherd, he received Ilhām (divine inspiration). He was told that he had attained a very high status in the presence of Allah. He got the command to sit under a dried out and withered tree. As soon as he sat there, it turned green and fully loaded by blossoms and fruit by the infinitely mercy of Allah. From each leave sounded “Naushah”, “Naushah” and when he faced towards the village, he heard all the jinn, the human beings, the animals and the angels calling “Naushah”, “Naushah”. All birds, all animals, trees and stones begun to say this name. Finally everything in the whole area began to call him “Naushah”, “Naushah”, after which he openly experienced the divine presence!
Conversion of non-Muslims to the Islam
Syed Naushah spent his whole life in spreading the light of Islam and hundreds of thousands of non-Muslims accepted Islam as a result of his efforts. Beside the large majority of Hindus, there were also followers of Christianity, Buddhism and Parsism. This fact is even mentioned by non-Muslims. The English historian Sir Thomas Arnold and the French orientalist Garcin de Tassy have written this: There was in the Punjab a certain person, named Hajji Muhammad, about whom is said that two hundred thousand Hindus converted to the Islam due to him.
A well-known Hindu leader, whose number of disciples exceeded more than one thousand and who possessed a great skill in the black magic (Istidrāj), arrived one day accompanied by his followers at Syed Naushah Pir. He asked permission to show his skill. He changed himself in three appearances: as an old man, a young man and as a child. After his performance he said that it took him twelve years to achieve this spiritual level, after withdrawing three times in Chillah (seclusion). Syed Naushah Pir answered that he has in reality wasted his lifetime by this engagement! “To take three different appearances comprises not any spiritual perfection at all. Accept that one is merged into the divine love in such a way, that when he looks at somebody, his hart is filled with this intense love!” After saying this he pronounced the article of faith “Lā ilāha (there is no god) ” glancing at the riverside of the Chenab, whereupon a wave of water splashed in his direction. From every drop that fell on the ground before him was heard: “illallāh (except Allah)!” Then Syed Naushah Pir looked at the Hindu leader in such a way, that he went into ecstasy and fell before the feet of Syed Naushah Pir, breaking his cord of Hinduism and accepting the Islam as true religion. All his disciples and admirers followed him in this and were converted to the Islam.
His Death/Wafaat
On Monday, the fifteenth of the Islamic month Rabī ‘ul-Awwal 1064 A.H. Syed Naushah Pir said farewell to this transitory world. He died a natural death and has become one hundred and five years old. This date corresponds to Monday the eighteenth May 1654 according the western calendars. This period coincides with the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
Literary Works
There are many works of Syed Naushāh Ganj Bakhsh. As time passes they are compiled and published from manuscripts. At present there are five books of poetry and prose:
1 Kulliyāt-i Naushāh (Urdu poetry) consisting of 76 Risala's and 2400 verses;
2 Kulliyāt-i Naushāh (Punjabi poetry) In this work 126 Risala's are alphabetically arranged and totally consists of four thousand verses;
3 Ma‘ārif-i Tasawwuf (Persian poetry) dealing with assignments on the spiritual path;
4 Mawā‘iz-i Naushāh Pīr (Punjabi prose) comprises delivered speeches and advices;
5 Ganj-ul-Asrār (the treasure of mysteries), a short Risala in prose ascribed to him. According to Professor Ahmed Qureshi the following books are also written by Syed Naushah Pir: Diwan Urdu, Diwan Punjabi (two poems in respectively Urdu and Punjabi), Mathnawi-ye Ganj (The Mathnawi of Naushah Ganj Bakhsh) and Mawā‘iz-i Naushah Pir (speeches of Syed Naushah Pir). The last mentioned work is not in verse. An example from this is as follows: - “ Oh friend, withdraw yourself from the world!
- If you don’t, you have once to do that.
- Don’t spoil your time of life;
- Leave the fame of the world behind you!
- Oh my true friend, follow your Murshid (guide)!
- Do this in sincere surrendering in the hart with belief.
- Commemorate the Kalima, in order you will no loose it;
- The sufferings of this world and the last moment (death),
- You can only prevail by this!”
His spiritual successors
His elder son, Syed Muhammad Barkhurdar, acquired knowledge, and rose to a place of distinction in the field of mysticism. Many people benefited from him. The younger son, Syed Muhammad Hashim Darya Dil completed his education and training under the supervision of the well-known scholar of Punjab, Allama Abdul Hakim Sialkoti. Having distinguished himself in the science of interpretation of the Qur’an, the Hadith and Islamic law.
Among his renowned spiritual successors are: Syed Muhammad Barkhurdar, Syed Muhammad Hashim Shah, Shah Hafiz Mamūri, Hafiz Nūrmuhammad from Sialkot, Shah Abdurrahman Pak, Pir Muhammad Sachyār, Syed Sālih Muhammad, Shah Abdullah Chaumukkhi, Shah Fatehmuhammad, Shah Sadr Diwān, Khawaja Muhammad Fuzail from Kabul, Syed Shah Muhammad Shahīd, Hazrat Muhammad Ismaīl, Abdulhakim Sialkoti, Nazr Muhammad Kunjāhi, Allama Abul Baqa, Khushi Muhammad Kunjāhi and Radiyuddin Kunjāhi.
The Qādirī Naushāhī Order comprises as a consequence of spiritual succession sub-branches carrying the name of the successors after Syed Naushah Pir, such as Barkhurdārī Naushahī, Hāshimī Naushāhī, Suchyārī Naushāhī and the like.
His descendants are still continuing this tradition, of serving the Islam and the Muslims.
The current leader of the Naushahi order is Shaykh Allama Pir Syed Mahroof Hussain Shah Naushahi Hashmi Qadiri who has a great hand in the spread of the Qadria Naushahia sufi order all over Europe and Pakistan


Shaykh founded the organisation Jamiyat tabligh ul Islam in 1962, based in the United Kingdom, spanning over more than 20 mosques and religious centers across the country spreading the teachings of Islam, Sunnah and Naushahi Qadiri Sufi Order .

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