Urs Of Pious Predecessors in Rabi-ul Awwal

Our pious predecessors

Abu Majid Muhammad Shahid Attari Madani

Rabi’-ul-Awwal is the third month of the Islamic year. From the companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم, and from the great saints and the scholars of Islam who passed away in this month, 44 of them have been briefly mentioned in the editions of ‘Monthly Faizan-e-Madinah’ Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1439 A.H to 1441 A.H. Let’s look at the introduction of 14 more such figures:

The Companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم

1.   Sayyiduna Ka’b Bin Umayr Ghifaari رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ is one of the leading companions. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sent him along with 15 others, on the 8^th Rabi’-ul-Awwal, to the region of Zaat-e-Atlaah (near the valley of Quraa) in Syria toward Banu Quda’ah, who attacked them instead of accepting the invitation to Islam. 14 companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم, including Sayyiduna Ka’b رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ were martyred in that battle. (Usd-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 4, pp. 511-512; Tabaqat Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 2, p. 97)

2.   Badri Companion, Sayyiduna Abu Huzayfah Mahsham Bin Utbah Qurashi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was born 32 years before the migration (Hijrah) to Madinah. He was of noble status, handsome and the son of Utbah Bin Rabi’ah, who was a wealthy chief of the city of Makkah. He accepted Islam before the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم entered Daar-e-Arqam. He migrated to both Habshah and Madinah. In Madinah, he was made the brother of Sayyiduna ‘Abbaad Bin Bishr Ansari رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. He took part in all the battles, including Badr. In Rabi’-ul-Awwal of 12^th A.H., he achieved the rank of martyrdom in the battle of Yamamah. (Usd-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 6, pp. 76-77, vol. 2/341)

Saints and Spiritual Guides (Awliya and Mashaaikh) رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه

3.   Sultan-ul-Mutawakkileen, Sayyiduna Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Khawwas رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was from ‘Amol (Province of Maazandaran), Iran. He passed away on 27 Rabi-ul-Awwal 291 A.H. in the Jami’ Masjid of Ray (Old Tehran). His shrine is in Fort Tabrak (Tehran). He was a great Sufi and ascetic of the third century A.H. (Tabaqat-e-Imam Sha’rani, vol. 1, pp. 137-138; ‘Aalam lil Zarkali, vol. 1, p. 28; Wafyaat-ul-Akhyar, p. 12)

4.   Sultan-ul-Taarikeen, Sayyiduna Sultan Hameed-ud-Deen Haakim Qurayshi Suharwardi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in 570 A.H. in Kech Makraan (Balochistan province). He passed away on 22^nd Rabi-ul-Awwal 737 A.H. His shrine is in the fort of Mao Mubarak Shareef (Mianwali Qureshian, Rahim Yar Khan District). He was the ruler of Kech Makran, successor of Shah Rukn-e-Aalam Multani, an accomplished saint and one whose supplications were always accepted. The collection of his sayings is called ‘Gulzar Hameediyyah’. (Tazkirah-e-Sufiya e Balochistan, p. 128; Khazeena-tul-Asfiya, vol. 4, p. 86)

5.   Shah-e-Naqshband, Qutb-e-Irshad, Sayyid Muhammad Baha-ud-Deen Naqshband Bukhari رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in 728 A.H. in Qasr-e-‘Arifaan near Bukhara, Uzbekistan. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه passed away on 3^rd Rabi’-ul-Awwal 791 A.H. His shrine is in Qasr-e-‘Arifaan. He was the Imam of his age, the founder of the Naqshbandi order, and the leader and the guide for the people. With his blessings, the religion (of Islam) flourished. (Tazkirah Naqshbandiyyah Khayriyyah, pp. 295-308)

6.   Sayyid-ul-Hind, Naa`ib Ghaus-e-A’zam, Sayyid Muhammad Baghdadi Amjhari رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in 810 A.H. in Baghdad, Iraq and passed away in India on the first of Rabi’-ul-Awwal 940 A.H. His shrine is in Amjhar Shareef (Haspura district, Aurangabad, Bihar). He was an honourable descendent of the family of Ghaus-e-A’zam, a possessor of spiritual and physical sciences, the founder of Qadiriyyah Amjhar Zawiyah and the leader of the Shuyukh. (Tareekh Mashaaikh Qadiriyyah, vol. 1, pp. 245-248; vol. 2, p. 50; Mahnamah Jaam Noor, November 2007, pp. 23-24)

7.   Founder of the Naushahiyyah order, Imam-ul-‘Aarifeen, Sayyiduna Haji Muhammad Naushah Ganj Bakhsh Qaadiri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in 1014 A.H. in Ghogganwali (Tahseel Phalia, Mandi Bahauddin District), Punjab and passed away on 3^rd Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1103 AH. His shrine is in Ranmal Shareef (Mandi Baha-ud-Deen District), Punjab and is the focal point for the public and the elite. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was a religious scholar, very active in worship and devotional practices, author of many books, an accomplished saint, a poet with his own book on poetry and an influential figure. Many Zawiyahs were established by his grace. (Hadrat Naushah Ganj Bakhsh Ahwaal-o-Aasaar, pp. 27-30-75-79-113-132)

8.   Commentator of Bukhari, Allamah Sayyid Shah Muhammad Ghaus Lahori Qaadiri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in 1084 A.H. in Peshawar. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه passed away in Lahore on 17^th Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1152 A.H. His shrine is located at Sir Keller Road, outside Delhi gate in Lahore. He was the son of Daata Sarhad Shah Abul Barakat Sayyid Hassan Shah Geelani رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه; he was the Murshid (spiritual guide) of Miraan Shakir Shah Jehlami and a great scholar of Islam. He is the author of many books and a teacher and Murshid of many scholars and spiritual suides. (Tazkirah ‘Ulama`-o-Mashaaikh Pakistan-o-Hind, vol. 1, p. 533; Buzurgan-e-Lahore, p. 101; Tazkirah Awliya Pakistan, vol. 2, p. 34)

Scholars of Islam رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه 

9.   Shaykh-ul-Muhaddiseen, Sayyiduna Sulayman Bin Mehran A’mash رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born on 10^th Muharram 61 A.H. in Kufa and passed away at the same place in Rabi’-ul-Awwal of 148 A.H. He was a Taabi’i saint, a great Muhaddis, an expert in Quranic sciences, a jurist of the time, a worshipper and an ascetic. He was so punctual in his worship that he never missed Takbeer-e-Oola in seventy years. (Wafyaat-ul-A’yaan, vol. 2, pp. 334-336)

10.   Commentator of Bukhari and Abu Dawood, Sayyiduna Abu Sulayman Hamd Bin Muhammad Khattabi Afghani Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in Bost (now named Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province), Afghanistan in 319 A.H. and passed away at the same place in Rabi’-ul-Awwal 388 AH. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه travelled to many cities to acquire the knowledge of Islam. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was the Muhaddis of his time, a Shaafi’i jurist, literary genius of his time, commentator of Hadees, a writer of many books, a teacher of scholars and a poet. Aa’laam-us-Sunan (Sharh Sahih Bukhari) and Ma’aalim As-Sunan (Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood) are his memorable scholarly works. (Wafyaat-ul-A’yaan, vol. 2, p. 184; Bughya-tul-Wu’aat, vol. 1, p. 546)

11.   Qazi of Awadh, Sayyiduna Khuwajah Sayyid Muhy-ud-Deen Kaashaani رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in a learned family and passed away in Delhi on 15^th Rabi’-ul-Awwal 719 A.H. He was a great religious scholar, a teacher of scholars, successor of Khuwajah Mahboob-e-Ilahi, a Shaykh-e-Tareeqat (Master of a Sufi order), one who performed saintly miracles and possessor of asceticism and piety. (Akhbar-ul-Akhyar Farsi, p. 98; Delhi kay Baais Khuwajah, pp. 162-167)

12.   Sadr-us-Sudoor, Allamah Mufti Muhammad Sadr-ud-Deen Khan Azurda Dehlawi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in Delhi, India in 1204 AH and passed away on 24^th Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1285 AH. He was buried in the shrine of Sayyiduna Charaagh, Delhi, India. He was a student of Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddis Dihlvi and Shah Fazal Imam Khayrabadi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْهما, a comprehensive scholar of rational and transmitted sciences, Mufti of Islam, a poet in all three languages: Arabic, Persian and Urdu ​​and a teacher of hundreds of scholars. (Tazkirah Ulama-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, p. 105; Hadaiq-ul-Hanafiyyah, pp. 498-500; Jaam Noor, November 2011, p. 58)

13.   Student of the Khalifah-e-A’la Hadrat, teacher of teachers, Maulana ‘Allamah Peer Muhib-un-Nabi Haashimi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in 1314 A.H. in Bhoi Gaar (administrative division Hasan Abdaal, Attock district) in a learned family and passed away on 21^st Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1396 A.H. His shrine is in the family graveyard of Bhoi Gaar. He was a student of Qutb-e-‘Alam, Peer Mehr Ali Shah and ‘Allamah Mushtaq Ahmad Kanpuri. He was an eminent religious scholar, Mufti of Islam, a great teacher, devotee of Kanz-ul-Iman and Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish and a true reflection of the pious predecessors. (Tazkirah Akabir Ahl-e-Sunnat, pp. 416-417; Ulama e Bhoi Gaar, p. 133)

14.   Hafiz-ul-Hadees, Maulana Peer Sayyid Muhammad Jalal-ud-Deen Shah Mashhadi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was born in 1333 A.H. in Bhikkhi Shareef (Tahseel Phalia, Mandi Baha-ud-Deen District), Pakistan and passed away at the same place on 5^th Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1406 A.H. He was a Hafiz-e-Quran, a graduate of the Jami`ah of Mazhar-ul-Islam Bareilly Shareef, the successor of Mufti Azam Hind, the student and successor of Muhaddis-e-A’zam Pakistan, the disciple and successor of Peer Sayyid Noor-ul-Hassan Bukhari (Kalianwala Shareef), the founder of the Muhammadiyyah Nooriyyah Razawiyyah Jami`ah in Bhikki Shareef and a teacher of many scholars. (Hayat Muhaddis A’zam, p. 357; Nawaye waqt, 25 November 2014)