Ashraf Jehangir. Kichowha. Near Lucknow

Ashraf Jehangir. Kichowha. Near Lucknow

Hazrat Sultan Sayyad Makhdoom Ashraf Jahangir Semnani [d.807] Rahmathullahi alaih. - Kicchocha Shareef -

Dargah Rasulpur, Kicchocha Sahreef, Dist: Faizabad

Sayyad Makhdoom Ashraf rahmatullahi alayh was born in 708 A.H., in Semnan, Iran.

Dargah Rasulpur, Kicchocha Sahreef, Dist: Faizabad

His father Hadrat Sultan Sayyad Ibrahim Noor Bakshi rahmatullahi alayh governed the city for approximately 20 years. As well as being a highly noble and just ruler he was also a great scholar, theologian and Sufi. His mother Bibi Khadija Begum was also from the pedigree of distinguished and notable mystics and saints. She was a very religious and pious lady particularly renowned for her punctuality in tahajjud prayer.

EDUCATION
Sayyad Makhdoom Ashraf rahmatullahi alaih, started their education at the age of 4 years, 4 months and 4 days. Allah, the most Sublime, blessed Sayyad Makhdoom Ashraf rahmatullahi alaih with immense ingenuity, intellect and knowledge. By the age of 7 they had already acquired and memorized the entire Qur'an al-kareem by heart with seven types of qirat, and excelled in the study of Qur'anic exegesis 'tafseer', narration and sciences of hadith, Islamic law 'fiqh' etc. At 14 years they had mastered all the subjects including theology and philosophy, maturing into the most accomplished and proficient scholar. Amongst their notable teachers were His Eminence Mawlana Imad al-Din Tabrezi, Imam Abd'ullah Yafai at Makkah Mukarramah, Baba Mufrah (s/o the great Najm 'al-Din Kubra) at Iskandaria and Mawlana Ahmad Haqqani ridwanallahi ta'ala aly'him ajma'een. Hadrat Makhdoom Ashraf (rahmatullahi alaih), had overwhelmed even the great scholars and theologians from as far as Baghdad with his remarkable talent which was recognized in the historic and famous Persian book Lata'if-e-Ashrafiya, in the following couplet;

"Chuna Mashhoor Ghasht Az Darse Talim,
ke Pas Ahle Funun Kardand Taslim"

'His popularity excelled in his early education,
that the learned men acknowledged his ability'
After the completion of his education Hadrat Sayyad Makhdoom Ashraf rahmatullahi alaih attributed a lot of his time in teaching. Amongst his pupils was his nephew Hadrat Sayyad Abdul Razzaq 'Noor al-Ayn' Jilani rahmatullahi alaih - 11th direct descendant of The Great Ghawth al-A'zam, Sayyad as-Shaykh Abd'al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.

Wissal : Hadrat Makhdoom Ashraf Rahmatullahi alaih left this world on the 28th Muharram 808 A.H. Some time before his passing away he had his dargah (shrine) constructed exactly the way he wanted. On the 26th of Muharram he went to visit his dargah and noticed a 'pen' and some paper on the side of the grave. He sat in the grave and wrote two booklets namely 'Basharat ul Muradeen' and 'Resal-e-Qubria', an extract from Resal-e-Qubria is presented below :

' In this short time that i have stayed in the grave seventy thousand splendor (Tajally) of elegance of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, angels descended on this Fakir and intimate Muqaraban of Allah Subhanhu wa Ta'ala Angels showed so much exalting (izaz) and kindness that cannot be expressed in words. The announcer from the sublime court of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala -'Bargahe Elahi' announced in the world of Angels (Alam-e-Malakut) that "Ashraf is my beloved (Mahboob) I write kindness and forgiveness on the forehead of his disciples and show care to his disciples with absolution (Maghferat) and forgiveness (Mafee)". All praise to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala his glad tidings for our companions. After that it was the order of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and eight thousand angels, thirty thousand of Haramain Shareef, one thousand from Bait al-Muqaddus, one thousand from Abdal of Maghrib (west), one thousand from Rejalud Ghaib of Sarndip, and one thousand Maradaneh Ghaib from Yemen will perform your bath. Your funeral prayer will be said in front of Baitullah Shareef and you will be buried in the earth for the benefit of slaves (Banda) ; he who comes on your grave will get his barkaat and maghferat.'

RELIGIOUS SERVICES :-
It is an accepted fact that the mystics of Islam have rendered valuable services to the cause of Islam in every period. The religious and literary services, done by Hadrat Sultan Sayyad Makhdoom Ashraf Semnani Rahmatullahi alayh are the golden chapter of the history of Islam in general, and history of tasawwuf in particularly. He lighted the candle of reformation and spirituality in the darkness of infidelity at Kicchocha Shareef and brought those astray on the right path.

It is narrated that twelve thousand non-believers accepted Islam having been impressed with Hadrat Makhdoom Ashraf Rahmatullahi alayh's purity of character and spirituality. Hadrat Nizami Yemani Rahmatullahi alayh in his book, 'Lataif-e-Ashrafi has written that wherever Hadrat Makhdoom Ashraf Rahmatullahi alayh went he delivered spiritual lectures in the dialect of that locality and wrote four books in the area dialect and left them with the locals to benefit from.

Construction of grave : It is interesting and amazing to say that he got his grave constructed in his life time. He laid the foundation stone of his grave and placed in its foundation stone from Mecca brought by Hazrat Ruknuddin Sair (R.A.) within minutes. He asked to make grave with brick and it should be as wide and high that he could say prayer standing Hazrat Jamshed Qualandar was engaged in its construction for twelve years . Hazrat Noorul Ain (R.A.), Hazrat Shaikh Mohammad Durre yatim and Hazrat Shaikh Marauf Addwmwi also participated. He used to visit grave daily. In his last time he passed whole day and night in the grave and wrote Resalae Quabria and Basharatul Moridin. He also predicted that he who would come to his grave, he would get his desire. The date of its construction can be calculated from " Arshe Akbar" 793.

URS DATE of this Dargah : Urs is celebrated on the 27TH of Moharam

Thanks and regards,

Khaleel Ahmed Irfani ( Khadim Dargah Hazrath Lalu Bhai Qasir Chisti ( Khwaja-e-Bangalore ) and Astana-e-Irfani Hyderabad.