Hazrat Ameer Khusro Great Sufi Saint and Poet of India

Hazrat Amir Khusro the beloved disciple (Mureed and Khalifa) of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia was born in Patiali,Etah District of Uttar Pardesh in India,in the year 653 Hijri. He was the descendant of a high class family of Turkish origin.His father Hazrat Ameer Saifuddin Mehmood who belonged to the rank of nobility in Turkey migrated from the town of Balkh to India during the rule of King Shamsuddin Altamash. Here he was taken in as one of those who enjoyed the confidence of the ruling King.He married the daughter of Nawab Imadul Mulk and had three sons,of whom Hazrat Amir Khusro was the youngest.

Hazrat Amir Khusro was educated by his father and his brothers. At the age of eight, Hazrat Amir Khusro lost his affectionate father. This gave him the rudest shock of his life .His maternal grand father took this delightful and promising youth under his care and protection.

When he was still young, his father took him to Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, Mehboobe Elahi, whose name and fame had become a bye-word in every heart and home in Delhi and in far off places. Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia’s spiritual attainments, divine outlook of life, vast learning and intense piety had earned for him the most venerable title of Mehboobe Elahi meaning thereby “God’s most beloved”. When the father suggested to Hazrat Amir Khusro to become the disciple of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, at once came the reply from Hazrat Amir Khusro ,Father, he said respectfully “it is for me to choose my own spiritual master and not for you to choose one for me”. On hearing this reply from his devoted, faithful and brilliant son, he quietly left him behind. Hazrat Amir Khusro went alone to Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia.

Hazrat Amir Khusro who was then sitting alone outside, composed a small couplet in his mind, in Persian which is as follows:-

“TO AAN SHAHE KE BER AEVANE QASRAT
KABOOTAR GER NASHEENAD BAZ GARDED
GHARIB-E-MUSTAMANDE BER DER AAMED
BEAAYED ANDAROON YA BAZ GARDED.”
The English translation of the above couplet is as follows:-

You are that great king that, if on the roof of your grand palace a pigeon were to sit, it becomes a sky-lark. So now, on your door-step is sitting a poor creature who is the humblest of the humble, would you be pleased to call him in, or should he go back.

Immediately came the reply from Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, even as Amir Khrso was still composing the lines in his mind, written and sent to Hazrat Amir Khusro in the same rhyme and rhythm and in the same language which is as follows:-

“BE AAYED ANDAROON MARDE HAQEEQAT.
KE BAA MAA YEK NAFAS HAMRAZ GARDED
AGER ABLA BUAD AAN MARDE NADAAN
AZAAN RAHE KE AAMED BAZ GARDED”.
The English translation of the above couplet is as follows:-

Do come in Oh! Truthful Soul so that we are close together and be each other’s trusted friend. But if you are an ignoramus and have no wisdom, then you had better go back the way you came.

     Hazrat Amir Khusro was stunned at the reply which was nothing short of Karamat (Miracle). A divine light flashed through his heart. The very next moment, Hazrat Amir Khusro was at the feet of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Mehboobe Elahi, and became since then his loyal, devoted and faithful disciple (Mureed) for ever and ever. Later on Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia also gave him the Ruhani Khilafat. His Persian and Hindi poetry is very famous. Hazrat Amir Khusro died in the Isalamic month of Shawwal in 725 Hijri just after six months of the death (Wisal) of his Piro Murshid, sapiritual master Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. His annual Urs is always celebrated from 17th to 19th of Shawwal at his shrine situated in the compound of Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, at New Delhi, India. Large numbers of people pay their respectful tributes to him at his shrine irrespective of faith and religion.