KHWAJA NIZAMUDDIN AULIYA

The real name of Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya was Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Ali Bukhari. He was born in Badaun in 1236 A.D. His grandparents had come from Bukhara and settled down in India. His father died when he was just five years old. His mother Zulaykha was a very pious lady. It was owing to her influence that Nizamuddin Auliya reached such spiritual heights. His mother secured his admission to a madrasa. 

Here he read the Qur'an and other religious books. Her mother gave him the best education available. After learning the Qur'an by heart, he began his studies in Arabic and Persian languages and in Fiqh and Kalam. He worked hard at his studies and very soon he acquired mastery over all of these. When he was twenty years old his mother took him to Delhi for higher studies. The famous religious scholars of the time, Maulana Shamsuddin and Maulana Kamaluddin taught him theology. He soon acquired a vast knowledge in Fiqh and Kalam.

He gained mastery over logic. He excelled in debate and discussion. For this he came to be called Mulla Nizamuddin Bahhas (the great debater). But he was not satisfied with his knowledge in theology and logic. His spiritual self yearned for some spiritual saint to show him the path to true spirituality. The knowledge of form (fiqh and theology) did not appeal to him much. He hankered for the knowledge of the spirit (tasawwuf) which alone could quench his deep thirst for

spirituality.

In the meantime he happened to hear that there lived a spiritual saint in Ajodhan by the name of Baba Farid. So he left for Pakpatan to benefit spiritually from the great Chishti mystic, Khwaja Fariduddin Ganj Shakar. He was warmly welcomed by the saint. Baba Farid placed his own cap on his head symbolizing formal initiation in Chishti order.

By becoming a disciple of Khwaja Shaikh his spiritual qualities— piety, purity, righteousness, devotion— were greatly enhanced. Soon he was so well versed in the mystic path that Baba Fariduddin appointed Nizamuddin Auliya as his Khalifa and directed him to go to Delhi. Accordingly, Nizamuddin Auliya came to Delhi and set up a Khanqah here.

From his Khanqah he began to disseminate the message of the Chishti order as he had received from Baba Fariduddin. He worked very hard for the expansion of the Chishti order. It was very difficult

to go on without seeking any help from the kings and governors but Nizamuddin Auliya’s devotion and determination compensated for this. 

He managed to infuse a new spirit in the organization of the Chishti order. His untiring effort ultimately brought fruit. A large number of Khanqahs came into existence. About 700 senior disciples (Khalifas) worked in different parts of the country

The most important point that is to be noted is that before Nizamuddin Auliya the emphasis was on individual salvation while now this matter of salvation was turned into a mass movement. This marked the beginning of a new phase in the history of Islamic mysticism. Never before any order had worked for the moral and spiritual regeneration on such a large scale. Shaikh Nizamuddin settled at Ghiyaspur and planned to spread the Chishti teachings to all sections of people. Shaikh was very firm and clear that only those disciples who are least interested in government service will be given the khilafat nama. These were the basic principles on which the Shaikh organized his silsila in Delhi and other places.

These principles shows his deep commitment to human values. These are as follows:

1. The Murids (disciples) must seek the blessing of God through the service of His creatures. Service of mankind was considered bythe Shaikh of greater spiritual significance than formal acts of worship.

2. Baba Farid’s ideal of love and amity was to inspire the lives of allthose who were associated with the order. There was to be no discrimination between one human being and another. All were to be treated as Children of God.

This was a revolutionary concept. Helping one’s fellow human beings brought limitless reward. Thus this spiritual movement was turned into humanitarian activity by the Shaikh. The goal before his disciples was to remove sin and suffering from society.

Shaikh Nizamuddin observed that God does not discriminate between one individual and another. The sun gives light and warmth to all people, rich and poor, kings and commoner all. The rains benefit both rich and poor people. Similarly a mystic too must transcend all barriers of cast, creed, colour, language etc., in dealing with human beings — all were equally God’s creatures.

Once Shaikh Muinuddin Chishti was asked to explain the highest form of religious devotion which brought man closer to God, he observed:

“Develop river-like generosity, sun-like bounty and earth-like hospitality.” (Siyarul Auliya) Nizamuddin Auliya is known also by the titles of Mahboob-e- Ilahi, the Beloved of God, and Sultanul Aulia, the king of the saints. He died at the age of 91 and was buried in Delhi. One of the saint’s famous disciples was Amir Khusru, a courtier and a well-known Persian poet. He was so deeply attached to Nizamuddin Auliya that he died in grief in A.D. 1325 at the death of his pir.

Source & Credit: CPS Global