KHAJA Mohammad TAHIR RAFIQI ASHAI R.A

One among the influential Suhrawardi Sufis of Kashmir during the sixteenth
century was Khwajah Tahir Rafiq ‘Asha’i, who was a contemporary of Makhdum
Shaykh Hamzah, the leading Suhrawardi Sufi of Kashmir. He was son of a cloth
merchant namely Khwajah Ibrahim ‘Asha’i, along with whom he often used to visit Lahore for the business purpose. Khwajah Tahir became a disciple of Shaykh ‘Abd al Shakur, a descendant of Baha al-Din Zakariyya Multani r.a . Having enlightened him with the guiding principles of the spiritual path, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Shakur bestowed him with
Ijazat Namah (formal permission to enrol disciples), a rosary and a Khirqa. Later on,
he received guidance in the Naqashbandi, Kubrawi and Qadiri orders as well.
Initially Khwajah Tahir used to carry the business of his father but later on
abandoned it and earned his livelihood by cultivation of land at Wanigam. He
travelled most parts of the valley and remained in seclusion for almost nine years. He had established close relations with his contemporary Sufi scholars like Shaykh Y’aqub Sarafi and Baba Dawud Khaki, the noted disciple of Makhdum Shaykh Hamzah. Owing to the antipathy of Suhrawardi’s against the Shiite traditions in the valley, most of the Suhrawardi Sufis had to face persecution and exile during the Shiite rule in Kashmir. Thus, while Kashmir was ruled by Y’aqub Shah Chak, the Shiite ruler (of Chak dynasty), he remained out of the city and returned only after the Mughals started to rule over Kashmir in 1586 C.E. Khwajah Tahir stayed with an eminent Brahman of Verinag namely Adar Suh, who finally embraced Islam. “^ He resided in the area known as Fatah Kadal in Srinagar, where he established a Khanqah, known as Khanqah-i Rafiqi, along with a Langar (Public charity kitchen).
Khwajah Tahir was an eminent and influential Suhrawardi Sufi, who was bestowed with great expertise in the spiritual knowledge. During his travels within the valley, he attempted to spread the Suhrawardi order and guided enormous number of people
in the spiritual path. He left behind a multitude of great Sufi scholars as his disciples, including Shaykh Musa Zahgir, Shaykh Mir ‘All, Mawlana Hasan Lankar, Shaykh Yusuf, Shaykh Muhammad Sharif etc. They kept the Suhrawardi chain of Khwaja Tahir alive for at least next two generations. Khwaja Tahir died in 1001 A.H / 1592- 93 C.E. and was entombed at Fatah Kadal in Srinagar.

A PAGE FROM CHIRAG-i-MARIFAT/ CHILCHILAT-UL-ARIFEEN

HAZRAT MAKHDUM SHAIKH HAMZA (RA) [900 AH- 984 AH]

(An introductory page from “CHARAG-I-MURIFAT”- translation of ‘CHILCHILATUL ARIFEEN by Hazrat Moulana Mohammad Ishaq Qari Kashmiri (b. Mazar-i-Baqi). After the advent of Islam Kashmir has produced innumerable Awlya, Aqtab, Abdal and renowned Scholars, who have served the cause of Islam to their utmost, using all their abilities and had made the sole purpose of their life the spread of the religious knowledge, eradication of Kufr and Shirk and to promote love among humanity. They devoted every moment of their life in this very purpose. Among these spiritual giants, the revered person of Hazrat Sultan-ul-Arifeen does not call forany introduction. Every child of Kashmir is acquainted by his name and about the location of his last resting place. HIS BIRTH: His sacred birth took place at Tujjar Zaina Gir in 900AH in the house of Baba Mohammad Usman Raina. His mother Bibi Maryam was a pious, God-fearing, devoted to regular prayers and fasting. She was a degree higher than other girls of the village in her intellect, understanding and shyness, thus unparalleled. The family of Baba Usman Raina had been converted to Islam since six generations only. His dynasty belongs to the historically famous and well known dynasty of Chandar-Bansi clan, which according to Shastrya books reaches up to Brahma.From the different history books, which have recorded their details in Urdu and Persian, the family tree is as under: Hazrat Makhdum Shaikh Mohammad Hamza (RA) ibni Mohammad Usman Raina, ibni Zaiti Raina, ibni Jahangir Raina, ibni Daulat Raina, ibni Abdal Raina,ibni Ahmad Raina, ibni Rawan Chandar, ibni Ram Chandar, ibni Sangram Chandar, ibni Bilad Chandar, ibni Mal Chandar, ibni Susram Chandar. With the fruitful association of religious scholars and sofi saints, this dynasty too got once influencedby spiritual rays of Islam. Many God-fearing, pious and noble persons were born in this dynasty, who spread the lesson of humanity and best etiquette among masses. Lastly it was Hazrat Makhdum Shaikh Hamza (RA), who was born in this family, who established his might of spiritual excellence not only among Kashmiris, but also in rest of India as well, and transformed lakhs of people in the likeness of the purified gold, after building their inner character. Moulana Ishaq Qari Kashmiri (RA) states about an event that took place in the childhood of Hazrat Sultan-ul-Arifeen that after thorough research and enquiry, it is established thathe was a born saint and he was blessed by the sightof Hazrat Khizar (AS), when he was still in the mother’s womb.According to Moulana Ishaq (RA), when his mother had to go out in the darkness during her pregnancy, she could see nothing and was very much vexed and suddenly there was a light like that of the fourteenth moon and she thought, what could this light be due to, which made entire surroundings to shine? And there camea reply that this light is due to the spirituality of your son, who is in your womb. By the light of his spirituality, a world will become enlightened and common people will get an everlasting benefit and in fact all this happened later on. He conveyed the message of Tawheed, Risalat and of human brotherhood among innumerable servants of God and lakhs of the servants were successful on sipping the drink of Unity.

His initial Education: His initial education took place in Tujjar village Pargana Zainagir. After this he was admitted in the Madrasa Dar-ul-Shifa of Baba Ismail Kubravi in Srinagar., Where ther was arrangement of teaching inner knowledge along with the external knowledge. He learnt the intricacies of concentrating on Allah, night worship, tahajjud, Awrad-u-Azkar etc. His mind and heart became clear like a mirror after getting trained in all these traits. He reached his pinnacle of the outer knowledge in the young age of twenty only. His teachers would be surprised on seeing his alarming ability and descriptive answers of the questions put to him. This was all due to the inner knowledge-( Alim-i-Ludni).

Silsila Suhrawardy: A grand person of Silsila Suhrawardy Hazrat Sayid Jalal-ud-Din Dehlavi (RA) was once seated in Madina Munawarah. He witnessed in a dream a handsome adult in conversation with the Prophet Muhammad (PBH) and found blessings being showered on him. Makhdum Sayid Jalal-ud-Din asked, “O’ Prophet of Allah, what is the name of this boy and where does he live?” The reply was , “Outwardly he is the son of Baba Mohammad Usman Raina of Kashmir, but otherwise he is our son spiritually” It was on the instructions of the Prophet (PBH) that Sayid Jalal-ud-Din came to Kashmir to guide this youth.Thus Sayid Jalal-ud-Din guided him after reaching Kashmir and handed over to him the Khilafat nama of Suhrawardy Sisila. He stated that whatever was in his possession, that I have given to you as it was. If any true seeker comes, this gift should reach him too, so that the servants of God are guided. Sayid Jamal-ud-Din remained in Kashmir for six months and then returned to other corners of India for preaching among people of the land.

The Shajra Mubarak of Suhrawardy Silsila is as under: Hazrat Muhammad (PBH), Hazrat Ali (KW), Khwaja Hasan Basri (RA), Khwaja Habib Raiy (RA), Shaikh Maroof Karkhi (RA), Shaikh Siri Siqti (RA), Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi (RA), Shaikh Mumshad Dainuri (RA), Shaikh Ahmad Aswad Daynuri (RA), Shaikh Abdullah Amwiya (RA), Shaikh Zia-ud-Din Abul Najib Suhrawardy(RA), Shaikh-ul-Shayukh Shaikh Shahab-ud-Din Suhrawardy (RA), Makhdum ShaikhBaha-ud-Din Zakarya Multani (RA), Shaikh Sadr-ud-Din Arif (RA), Abul Fatah Shaikh Rukn-ud-Din (RA), Makhdum Jahanyan Sayid Jalal-ud-Din Bukhari (RA), Makhdum Sayid Nasir-ud-Din (RA), Sayid Makhdum Hamid Kabir (RA), Makhdum Sayid Shah Abul Fatah Rukn-ud-Din (RA), Makhdum Sayid Mahmood Abul Qasim (RA), Makhdum Sayid Mohammad (RA), Makhdum Sayid Hamid Sageer (RA), Makhdum Abdul Wahab Dehlavi (RA), Makhdum Sayid Jalal-ud-Din Bukhari Dehlavi (RA), Makhdum Shaikh Mohammad Hamza Kashmiri (RA).

His Khalifas: When he got the Khilafat-nama of Suhrawardy silsila, he started to benefit people by preaching and training them, in his house at Kalashpora Mukhdum Mandav Srinagar and people of every category used to come to him, who would get training in their inner and outer form according to their capacity. Among the scholars of the time the following were the persons who got fully benefitted by his useful association, who spread the knowledge of do’s and donts among lakhs of Kashmiris. Their biographies are recorded in detail in different books. The prominent disciples were: Hazrat Moulana Baba Daud Khaki (RA), Shaikh Ahmad Chagli (RA), Khwaja Hasan Qari (RA), Khwaja Ishaq Qari (RA), Moulana Feroz Ganai (RA), Mir Baba Haidar Tulmuli (RA), Mohammad AliRaina (RA), Molvi Mir Mohammad Afzal (RA), Baba Hardi Reshi (RA), Bayazid Shimnagi (RA) etc.

Baba Daud Khaki: He was the most favourite disciple of Sultan-ul-Arifeen and was called Abu Hanifa Sani due to his thorough hold on knowledge of Fiqah and Hadith. His disciples mentioned in the booksl/manuscripts are: Hazrat Mir Nazuk Qadiri (RA0, Baba Naseeb-ud-Din Gazi (RA), Khwaja Masood Pampori (RA), Khwaja Dawood Balkhi Zoonimari (RA), Shaikh Mohammad Moomin Shah-Sayid Suhrawardy (RA)- ancestor of the author, Haji uttar Baba (RA), Shaikh Mohammad Parsa(RA), Shaikh Ghazi-ud-Din (RA), Mir Yaqoob (RA), Khwaja Mohammad Parsa (RA), Shaikh Mohammad Sayeed (RA) (S/O Khaki) etc. Likewise the list of disciples of others too is a long one.

Biographies of Makhdum Shaikh Hamza (RA): His khalifas and faithful disciples have recorded countless books on his life in both prose and poetry, out of which the poetry book WIRD_UL_MURIDIN of Moulana Baba Dawood Khaki is famous. Its detailed translation DASTUR-US-Salikeen too has been done by him and both the books have been printed. Moulana Mohammad Ishaq Qari has written in 982 AH a detailed account of His biography and miracles performed by him inthe book CHILdren CHILAT-UL-ARIFEEN, which has been translated from Persian to Urdu by Abdul Salam Suhrawardy of Naid Kadal Srinagar in 1982 AD. Khwaja Mohammad Hasan Qari (RA0 has written RAHAT-UL-TLIBEEN. Baba Ali Mohammad Raina has written TAZKIRAT-UL-ARIFEEN. These are yet to be published. Baha-ud-Din Mattoo has written in Persian poetry the book SULTANYA. Saif-ud-Din Qari has written recently MATA-i- NOOR with quotes from ‘Dastur-us-Salikeen’, whichhas been printed. Khwaja Ghulam Mohi –ud-Din Amritsari has published from Amritsar a pamphlet in 1914 AD named TUHFA-i-MAHBOOBIA. Besides this many pamphlets have been written in Urdu and English by different persons who rever the saint. There are countless poetic presentations made by many authors Respectable Moulana Mohammad Qasim Bukhari (RA) has translated in Arabic poetry the WIRD-UL_Muridin.

His death: After attaining the age of 84 years and after a brief illness of seven days, he passed away on 24 th Safar, 984 AH (INNAte Lillehammer WA INNAte aloha RAJIOON) and I am writing this on 24 th Safar, 1434 i.e. exactly 450 years after according to Hijri Calender. He was buried on Koh-i-Maran, where he used to spend days and nights in solitude.Lakhs of people offered Nimaz-i-Janaza. Khwaja Mohammad Tahir Rafiqi Ashai (RA)gave him the lastbath and led the Janaza prayers.His mausoleum is frequented by all anf=d sundry and lakhs of people pay theirrespects on his Durgah.

article can be found here :- https://shahishaharyar.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/a-page-from-chirag-i-marifat-chilchilat-ul-arifeen/