Khwaja Bande Nawaz
Encyclopedia
Syed Muhammad Hussaini, commonly known as Hazrat Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gaisu Daraz (July 13, 1321 -November 1, 1422), was a famous Sufi saint from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
of the Chishti Order
Chishti Order
The Chishtī Order is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat, Afghanistan about 930 CE. The Chishti Order is known for its emphasis on love, tolerance, and openness. The doctrine of the Chishti Order is based on walāya, which is a...
, who advocated understanding, tolerance and harmony among various religious groups.
Gaisu Daraz was a murid
Murid
Murid is a Sufi term meaning 'committed one' from the root meaning "willpower" or "self-esteem". It refers to a person who is committed to a Murshid in a Tariqa of Sufism. Also known as a Salik , a murid is an initiate into the mystic philosophy of Sufism. When the Talib makes a pledge to a...
(disciple) of the noted Sufi saint of Delhi, Hazrat Nasiruddin Chiragh Dehlavi. After the death of Chiragh Dehlavi, Gaisu Daraz took on the mantle of the successor (khalifa
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
). When he moved to Daulatabad around 1398, owing to the attack of Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
on Delhi, he took the Chishti Order to South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. He finally settled down in Gulbarga
Gulbarga
Gulbarga is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of Gulbarga District. It was formerly part of Nizam's Hyderabad state...
, at the invitation of Bahamani Sultan, Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah
Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah
Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah was the ruler of the Bahmani Sultanate from 1397 to 1422. He was determined to make the Deccan region the cultural centre of India. He inducted a large number of Hindus in his administration on a large scale...
.
Biography
Banda Nawaz was born to Syed Muhammad Hussaini in Delhi in 1321. At the age of four, his family shifted to Daulatabad in Deccan (now in Maharashtra). In 1397, he went to Gulbarga, Deccan (presently in KarnatakaKarnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
) at the invitation of Sultan Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah
Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah
Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah was the ruler of the Bahmani Sultanate from 1397 to 1422. He was determined to make the Deccan region the cultural centre of India. He inducted a large number of Hindus in his administration on a large scale...
.
At the age of fifteen, he returned to Delhi for his education and training by the famous Sufi saint Hazrat Nasiruddin Chiragh Dehlavi. He was also a very enthusiastic student of Hazrat Kethli, Hazrat Tajuddin Bahadur and Qazi Abdul Muqtadir. After teaching at various places such as Delhi, Mewath, Gwalior, Chander, Aircha, Chatra, Chanderi, Miandhar, Baroda, Khambayat and Gulbarga in 1397 and died in Gulbarga in the year November 1422.
His name as well as patronymic was Abul-Fatah and Gaisu Daraz was his title. Among the scholars and theologians he was Sheikh Abul-Fatah Sadr Uddin Muhammad Dehlavi but people called him Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gaisu Daraaz.
Parentage
He was the descendant of Hazrat AliAli
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
. His forefathers resided in Hirat. One of them came to Delhi and settled down here. Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad was born here on 4, Rajab, 721 Hijri. His father Hazrat Syed Yousaf or Shah Raju Qatal was a holy figure and devoted to Hazrat Nizam Uddin Aulia.
Sultan Muhammad-bin Tughlaq once transferred his capital to Daulatabad (Devgiri) and along with him went many scholars, theologians, and mystics. His parents also migrated to the place. He was four years at the time Malik-ul-Umar Hazrat Syed Ibrahim Mustafa, his maternal uncle, was the governor of Daulatabad.
Childhood and early education
From the very beginning his father put him on the right track i.e. to learn and to study and gave him his early education. From his childhood he was inclined towards Religion and spent time in meditation and prayer. He was ten when his father died and his maternal grand father assumed the responsibility of his education and training and taught him initial books but he took lessons on MisbahMisbah
Misbah is a name for Muslim boys and girls meaning "lamp" or "light". This name has originated from The Quran from Ayatu-n-Nur also known as the Ayat of light. Misbah is also in The Bible and The Torah.Misbah is pronounced as "ms-ba" the h is silent....
and Qadoori from another teacher.
In Delhi
On the death of his father his mother grew angry with her brother, and returned to Delhi. He was fifteen at the time. He had heard a lot about Hazrat Nizam Uddin Auliya and Hazrat Nasir Uddin Roshan Chiragh Dehlavi from his father and maternal grand father and grew devoted to them. One day he went to say his prayer in the Jama-Majid of Sultan Qutub Uddin, there he saw Hazrat Sheikh Nasir Uddin Mahmud Chiragh Dehlavi and pledged obedience to him on 16, Rajab. Under the guidance of Hazrat Nasir Uddin Chiragh Dehlavi he engaged himself in prayers and meditation and so much enjoyed them that lie forbade studies and requested his teacher to allow him to do so. Hazrat Nasir Uddin denied him permission and instructed him to study with attention Usool-e-Bizoori, Risals Shamsia, Kashaf, Misbah so he restarted the studies under the guidance of renowned teachers.Title Gesu-Daraaz
One day he with other disciples lifted the palanquin bearing Hazrat Nasir Uddin. His long hair stuck into the foot of the palki and pained him severely but he did not disentangle them for love and respect to the teacher. When Hazrat Nasir Uddin learned of the episode, he was overjoyed and recited the Persian coupletHar ki murid Syed gesu daraaz shud
Vallah khilaf-e-nest ki Uoo ishq baaz shud.
"Syed Gesu Daraaz has pledged his obedience; there is nothing wrong in it because he has deeply fallen in love."
After this incident he was entitled Gesu-Daraaz.
In Afghanistan and Balochistan
Syed preached Islam in Afghanistan and Balochistan too. In Afghanistan he married a Pathan woman of the Kakar tribe and had two sons, Stouryani (Ustarana) and Hazrat Syed Masood Ali Shah (Mashwani).From the lineage of Ali Ibne Abitalib a popular prince or governor from Persia (Iran) Syed Kalan Gesu Daraz who was devoted to mysticism as per local sayings around 800 ce who was the son of syed qaf the fourth generation from the islamic scholar and imam jafare sadiq was very popular here at that time too which matched with the title Gesu Daraz of the Bande Nawaz Gesu Daraz.
In Gulbarga
Having lived for about 44 years in Delhi he went to Gulbarga. He was 76 (Approx) at that time. Firoz Shah Bahmani ruled over the Deccan during this period. He gave him much respect. For a long time he was engaged in religious discourses, sermons, and spiritual training of the people.Death
Bande Nawaz attained an age of 101 years, died on 16 Ziqa'ad 825 Hijri in Gulbarga and was buried there. His tomb is a place of pilgrimage.Golden Quotes
- If a Salik prays or meditates for fame, his is an atheist.
- If one prays or meditates out of fear, he is a cheat and a hypocrite.
- So long as a man disengages himself from all the worldly things, he would not step into the road of conduct.
- Divide the night into three periods: in the first period say Darud and recitation; in the second sleep and in the third call His name and meditate.
- The Salik should be careful in food it should be legitimate.
- The Salik should abstain from the company of the worldly people.
Works
Bande Nawaz authored about 195 books in Arabic, PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. His magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
, Tafseer Multaqat, was compiled into one book very recently. He also composed a book on the Prophet of Islam
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
titled Miraj-al Ashiqin for the instruction of the masses in Dakhni, a South Indian branch of the Urdu language. He was the first Sufi to use this vernacular which was elaborated upon by many other Sufi saints of South India in later centuries. He wrote many treatises on the works on Ibn Arabi
Ibn Arabi
Ibn ʿArabī was an Andalusian Moorish Sufi mystic and philosopher. His full name was Abū 'Abdillāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn `Arabī .-Biography:...
and Suhrawardi
Suhrawardi
Suhrawardi or al-Suhrawardi is a name that may refer to:** Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi , Iranian philosopher also known as Sohrevardi* The Suhrawardiyya order of Sufism...
, which made the works of these scholars accessible to Indian scholars and played a major role in influencing later mystical thought. Other books authored are Qaseeda Amali and Adaab-al-Mureedein.
Books
- Tafseer-e-Qu'Orane-e-Majeed
- Multaqit
- Havashi Kashaf
- Shairah-e-Mashareq
- Shairah Fiqah-e-Akbar
- Shairah Adab-Ul-Murideen
- Shairah Ta-arruf
- Risala Sirat-Ul-Nabi
- Tarjuma Mashareq
- Ma-Arif
- Tarjuma Awarif
- Sharah Fasoosul Hukm
- Tarjuma Risala Qerya
- Hawa Asahi Quwwat-Ul-Qalb
Urs
People from various walks of life, irrespective of caste and creed, assemble even today to celebrate the ursUrs
Urs is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint in South Asia, usually held at the saint's dargah . South Asian Sufis being mainly Chishtiyya, refer to their saints as lovers and God as beloved...
(death anniversary) which takes place on the 15, 16 and 17 day of Zul-Qa`dah of Muslim calendar at the famous Bande Nawaz dargah
Dargah
A Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
in Gulbarga every year. Several hundred thousand devotees from near and far, irrespective of religion and beliefs, gather to seek blessings.
See also
- Qari Muhammad Muslehuddin Siddiqui
- Sufi Saints of South AsiaSufi Saints of South AsiaSufism in India had an instrumental role in spreading Islam in India. The Sufis belonged to different tariqas of Sufism. The most prominent tariqahs of India are the Shadhiliyya, Chishtiyyah, Naqshbandiyyah, Qadiriyyah, Suhrawardiyya, and Sarwari Qadri, orders. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti introduced...
- Maudood ChishtiMaudood ChishtiMaudood Chishti was an early day Sufi Saint, a successor to his father and master Abu Yusuf Bin Saamaan, twelfth link in the Sufi silsilah of Chishti Order, and the Master of Shareef Zandani. He was born around 430 Hijri in the city of Chisht. He initially received education from his father...
- Wali Kirani
- Syed Muhammad Gaisu DaraazSyed Muhammad Gaisu DaraazSyed Muhammad Gaisu Daraaz was an Indian Sufi scholar and mystic.- Biography :...
- Mashwani