Biography of Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah

Name, family and date of birth!

Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَـالٰی عَـلَيْـه himself used to say: My birth name was ‘Ahmad Mukhtar’. My paternal grandfather Shaykh Qutbuddeen Qaadiri named me ‘Ziyauddin’ later on. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَـالٰی عَـلَيْـه was born in 1877 (Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1294 AH) on Monday at a town ‘Kalaswala’ of district Ziyakot (Sialkot).

(Sayyidi Ziyauddin Ahmad Al-Qaadiri, vol. 1, pp. 164)

Blessed appearance!

He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَـالٰی عَـلَيْـه was a little taller than the average height, with a fair complexion and a man of awe-inspiring and attractive personality. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَـالٰی عَـلَيْـه had an oval face, broad and luminous forehead in the middle of which a thin vein always remained visible. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَـالٰی عَـلَيْـه had a prominent nose, dark, big and very bright eyes, long and thin eyebrows almost connected to each other, long and thick eyelashes, red and fleshy cheeks with a mole on the right, thick and curved beard equal to the length of a fist, long neck, broad chest, long fingers, fleshy and extremely soft palms.

(Sayyidi Ziyauddin Ahmad Al-Qaadiri, vol. 1, pp. 567)

Early education

He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه received his early education from his paternal grandfather, then from a renowned Islamic scholar and ‘Aarif of Ziyakot (Sialkot) ‘Allamah Maulana Muhammad Husayn Naqshbandi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه then he went to Markaz-ul-Awliya (Lahore) and received education from great Islamic scholars of Markaz-ul-Awliya and then, under the supervision of famous Muhaddis, Islamic scholar ‘Allamah Maulana Wasee Ahmad Muhaddis Soorti رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه spent approximately 4 years and acquired Islamic education.

Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said: People used to go to Pilibhit from our Punjab to do Daurah Hadees. In Punjab, Shah Wasee Ahmad Muhaddis Soorti رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was a great pious saint and I also went to him and attended Daurah Hadees.

(Sayyidi Ziyauddin Ahmad Al-Qaadiri, vol. 1, pp. 67)

Bay’at and Khilafat

The teacher of Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah, Wasee Ahmad Soorti رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه had a great love for A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه . He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه used to go to Bareilly every Thursday in order to meet A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه and perform Friday Salah with him, and after having lunch etc. he used to return to Pilibhit. His two pupils along with Muhaddis Soorti also used to go to Bareilly. One of them was Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه . Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah has himself stated: It was the blessed habit of ‘Allamah Wasee Ahmad Muhaddis Soorti رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه that after offering Salat-uz-Zuhr and having lunch, at the time of ‘Asr he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would sit in the train that would go to Bareilly and would reach Bareilly before Maghrib. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would spend the day of Friday and the Friday night in the service of A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه . He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would have lunch after Friday Salah and then would return to Pilibhit. In this way, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه continued to visit A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه for more than 3 years.

During these visits, Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه took the oath of spiritual allegiance from A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه in 1314 AH and was granted Khilafat by A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه in 1315 AH. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was only 21 years old that time. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was number 11 amongst those who were granted Khilafat by A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه .

(Sayyidi Ziyauddin Ahmad Al-Qaadiri, 1/173)

تم کو قطبِ مدینہ یا مُرشِد! عُلماء نے کہا ضِیاءُ الدّین

مجھ کو اپنا بناؤ دِیوانہ واسطہ غوث کا ضِیاءُ الدّین

Manners and habits!

He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was the man of extremely good attributes and manners, always occupied with the remembrance of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ . He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه used to worship in the nights and offer Tahajjud, Ishraq, Chasht and the Salah of Awwabeen. Instead of weakness and old age he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه did not give up the fasts of the days of Beez [i.e. the Nafl fasts observe on 13th, 14th & 15th of every Islamic month].

(Sayyidi Ziyauddin Ahmad Al-Qaadiri, vol. 1, pp. 486)

Demise and blessed funeral

On Friday, 4th Zul-Hijja-til-Haraam, 1401 AH (02-10-81), as the Muazzin of Masjid-un-Nabawi started call to prayer ‘اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ’ Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه recited Kalimah and then departed this world ‘اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَ اِنَّآ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ’ .

Having given a bath, shroud was spread and under the blessed head of Qutb-e-Madinah, the sacred dust of the blessed Hujrah-e-Maqsoorah of The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was kept. The blessed Ghussalah [the blessed water used for the Ghusl of the area around the luminous grave of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم] and many other sacred relics were also kept. Then the blessed shroud was tied. The blessed bier was lifted after Salat-ul-‘Asr in the echoes of Salat-‘Alan-Nabi and Qasidah Burdah.

Aashiq ka janazah hay zara dhoom say niklay

Mahboob ki galiyaun mayn zara ghoom kay niklay

Eventually, Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه according to his will, was buried in the presence of countless mourners at the place of Jannat-ul-Baqi’ where the Ahl-e-Bayt-e-Athaar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم are resting. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was buried just at a distance of two yards from the sacred shrine of Sayyida-tun-Nisa Fatima-tuz-Zahra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی عَـنْـهَا .

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy upon him and forgive us for his sake! The high ranked generosity and natural kind-heartedness of Sayyidi Qutb-e-Madinah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه were two of the innumerable good qualities and excellent characters. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه had absolute and firm faith in Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ ; his blessed appearance was also incredibly good-looking and attractive.

In Pilibhit, during his studies under the patronage of Muhaddis Soorti رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه he had become the disciple of A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه and was conferred with Khilafah (spiritual succession) shortly. For seeking Islamic teachings, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه travelled to Lahore, India and Baghdad. Offering Ishraq, Chasht and Awwabeen Salahs were amongst in his daily routine practices.

مجھ کو جَذبہ دے سفر کرتا رہوں پَروَردِگار سُنتَّوں کی تربیَّت کے قافلے میں بار بار

اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِه وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد