Our pious predecessors

The honourable saints whose passing or Urs^{^[1]} occurs in Safar-ul-Muzaffar

Safar-ul-Muzaffar is the second month of the Islamic calendar. In the 3 issues of the monthly Faizan-e-Madinah magazine that were published for Safar-ul-Muzaffar between 1439 AH and 1441 AH, brief introductions on 45 personalities from amongst the honourable companions, venerable saints and scholars of Islam whose passing or Urs occurs in Muharram were presented. Below is mention of an additional 13 personalities.

The Honourable Companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم

1. Zul-Shahadatayn, Sayyiduna Khuzaymah Bin Saabit Awsi Ansari رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ accepted Islam prior to Hijra and was therefore from amongst the اَلسَّابِقُونَ الاَوَّلُون (foremost, early Muslims). As well as Badr, he participated in all the Ghazawaat^{^[2]}. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم became so pleased with him that he declared the testimony of Sayyiduna Khuzaymah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ equal to two witnesses. Many Ahadees have been narrated from him. On the day when the conquest of Makkah took place, he had the honour of being the flag bearer of the Muslim army. Sayyiduna Khuzaymah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was martyred during the battle of Siffeen in the year 37 AH. (Al Istee’ab fi Ma’rifat-ul-Ashab, vol. 2, p. 30; Tareekh Al Tabari, vol. 8, p. 765)

2. The guard of the Beloved Prophet, Sayyiduna Abu Abdullah Muhammad Bin Maslamah Awsi Ansari رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was born 22 years prior to the announcement of Prophethood. He passed away in Safar, 46 AH, in Madinah Munawwarah. He was from amongst the illustrious companions and was a brave individual. Sayyiduna Muhammad Bin Maslamah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ accepted Islam in the early stages. He participated in all the Ghazawaat apart from Tabuk as he was made the Governor of Madinah at the time. He wiped out Ka’b Bin Ashraf who was an enemy of the Beloved Prophet. Many Ahadees have been narrated from Sayyiduna Muhammad Bin Maslamah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. He had held many positions during the period of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. (Al-Isaabah fi Tamyeez-ul-Sahabah, vol. 6, p. 28; Al-Mawahib-ul-La-Dunniya, vol. 1, p. 431)

Venerable Saints رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه

3. The Leader of the Tabi’een, Sayyiduna Owais Qarni رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was from Yemen. He accepted Islam during the life of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم but did not receive the honour of seeing him due to serving his elderly mother. Note the following two sayings of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: 1. Whoever from amongst you meets Owais should ask him to perform Du’a of forgiveness. 2. Indeed, Owais is the best of the Tabi’een.

Sayyiduna Umar Farooq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ had met Sayyiduna Owais Qarni رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was famous for his love of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, for staying in seclusion and for his piety and asceticism. He was martyred during the battle of Siffeen in the year 37 AH. His shrine is situated in Raqqah, Syria. (Muslim, p. 1055, Hadees 6492; Mustadrak, lil Hakim, vol. 4, p. 496, Hadees 5771; Tabaqat Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 6, pp. 204,207)

4. Sayyiduna Shaykh Salah-ud-Deen Darwaysh Suharwerdi Dehlwi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in the year 648 AH and passed away in 749 AH in Dehli. His Urs takes place on the 22^nd of Safar. He was a disciple and Khalifah^{^[3]}of Shaykh Sadr-ud-Deen ‘Arif Multani رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه and the neighbour of Sayyiduna Khwajah Nasir-ud-Deen Mahmood Charagh Dehlvi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. Shaykh Salah-ud-Deen رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه performed saintly miracles, had great concern for the Ummah and was a fearless individual. (Akhbar-ul-Akhyar, p. 149)

5. Sayyiduna Khwajah Sayyid Yahya Kabeer Gharghashi Suharwerdi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in the year 707 AH in the city of Ali, (Near Mount Sulayman) Balochistan. It is also here that he passed away on the 2^nd of Safar, 834 AH. His shrine is located in his birthplace. Sayyiduna Khwajah Yahya Kabeer رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه possessed knowledge of both, the outward sciences and the inward sciences. He was a disciple and Khalifah of Jahaaniyan Jahan Gasht. Khwajah Yahya Kabeer رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was a saint who would perform saintly miracles. He would be visited by both, scholars and the general public, and was an influential figure. (Encyclopaedia Awliya-e-Karam, vol. 5, p. 154)

6. A commentator of the Quran, Sayyiduna ‘Allamah Khwajah Ya’qoob Charkhi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in the year 762 AH in Charkh near Ghazni, Afghanistan. He passed away on the 5^th of Safar, 851 AH. His shrine is situated in the area of Lenin Kaal Khaur (Dushanbah), Tajikistan. ‘Allamah Khwajah Ya’qoob Charkhi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was an acclaimed scholar and the Khalifah of the founder of the Naqshbandiyyah spiritual order, Khwajah Baha-ud-Deen. He was also an author; Tafseer Charkhi and Sharh Asma Al-Husna are from his published works. (Tareekh Mashaaikh Naqshband, pp. 225-234; Khwajah Ubaydullah Ahraar, p. 89)

7. An illustrious leader of a spiritual order, Sayyiduna Shaykh Mahmood Rajan Farooqi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in Ahmadabad (Gujrat, India) into a noble family of Sufi lineage. He obtained Khilafah from numerous spiritual orders, was a knowledgeable man of many sciences and had dispersed abundant blessings amongst people. Shaykh Mahmood Rajan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه passed away on the 22^nd of Safar, 900 AH. His shrine is situated in the same place as the shrine of Shaykh Siraaj-ud-Deen Peeraane Patan in the Naharwala area of Mubarakpura, Gujrat. (Mashaaikh Ahmadabad, p. 226)

8. Shaykh ul-Mashaaikh, Sayyiduna Shah Ghulam Ali Dehlwi Mujaddidi Naqshbandi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in the year 1156 AH in Patiala (Gurdaspur, Eastern Punjab), India. He passed away on the 22^nd of Safar, 1240 AH. His shrine is located in Dehli, Hind (India). Shah Ghulam Ali رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was a scholar, a great Shaykh of a spiritual order and the reviver of the 13^th century. He was a friend of Allah Almighty who performed saintly miracles and had written over 12 works. (Jahan-e-Imam Rabbani, vol. 4, pp. 588-602)

9. An eminent individual, the leader of Golra, Sayyiduna Peer Sayyid Mehr Ali Shah Geelani رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in the year 1275 AH in Golra Shareef (Islamabad, Punjab), Pakistan. He passed away in 1356 AH. His shrine in Golra Sharif attracts visitors from the laity and the spiritual elite. Peer Mehr Ali Shah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was a Shaykh of a spiritual order and a brilliant scholar whom other scholars would consult. He had authored many books. Peer Mehr Ali رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was a warrior of Islam, had compiled his own poetic work and was an extremely influential figure. (Mehr-e-Muneer, pp.61,335; Faizan-e-Peer Mehar Ali Shah, p. 4,32)

Scholars of Islam رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه

10. A jewel from the family of the Ahl-ul-Bayt, Sayyiduna Imam Zayd-ul-Shaheed رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in the year 79 AH. Based on one record, he was martyred on the 2^nd of Safar, 122 AH in Kufa. His shrine is also situated there. Imam Zayd-ul-Shaheed رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was the son of Imam Zayn-ul-‘Aabideen رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه and the brother of Imam Baaqir رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. He was an illustrious scholar, a Faqih, a courageous and a brave man and the orator of his time. Imam Zayd-ul-Shaheed رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه had also authored many books, such as Tafseer Ghareeb Al-Quran and Majmu’ fil-Fiqh. (Tareekh Tabari, vol. 4, p. 314;, vol. 3, p. 59; Tareekh Islam lil Zahabi, vol. 8, p. 105,108)

11. An accomplished Sufi, Sayyiduna Shaykh Ahmad Majd Shaybani رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in Narnaul (Mahendrgarh, Haryana), India, into a scholarly family. He passed away in Nagor on the 25^th of Safar, 927 AH and was buried near a king of ascetics, Shaykh Hameed-ud-Deen Sufi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. Shaykh Ahmad Shaybani رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was a notable scholar and an expert in Arabic and Farsi. He had great devotion for the Ahl-ul-Bayt and was a man who demonstrated saintly miracles. Shaykh Ahmad Shaybani رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه had great enthusiasm for discouraging acts that were prohibited. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه spent some part of his life in Ajmer Shareef. (Akhbar-ul-Akhyar Farsi, pp. 184, 186)

12. Maulana Meer Ghulam Mustafa Jahangeeri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in Devi (dist. Gujar Khan, Rawalpindi) in approximately 1305 AH. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه would seek fatwas from A’la Hazrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. Maulana Meer Ghulam Mustafa رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was a head teacher with a lot of religious knowledge and had a great passion for reading. He had an interest in spreading the religion and was loved by all. He passed away on the 26^th of Safar, 1370 AH, and his shrine is located in Devi. Maulana Meer Ghulam Mustafa رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه attained knowledge from A’la Hazrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه by sending questions in the form of letters. (Ma’arif Raza, Salnamah, 2007, p. 233)

13. The commentator of Bukhari, a great jurist of India, Mufti Muhammad Shareef-ul-Haq Amjadi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in 1339 AH in the town of Ghausi, Mau (UP, India). It is also here that he passed away on the 6^th of Safar-ul-Muzaffar, 1421 AH. He was a Mufti of Islam, a leader in a spiritual order and a teacher of scholars. Mufti Shareef-ul-Haq Amjadi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه authored 20 works, including his commentary on Bukhari (9 volumes). He was from amongst the seniors of Ahl-us-Sunnah. Mufti Shareef-ul-Haq Amjadi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه taught for a period of 35 years in 10 madrassas of India, and he remained a mufti for 11 years at Bareilly Shareef and for 24 years at Al-Jami’ah-tul-Ashrafiyyah. He penned or instructed a total 85,000 fatwas. Ameer e Ahl-e-Sunnat, ‘Allamah Muhammad Ilyas Qaadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ was granted Khilafah by him in numerous spiritual orders. (Fatawa Sharih Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 72, 110)