Chiragh Dehlavi, RA
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ajmerikhawaja.com
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Khawaja Naseeruddin Mahmood Chiragh, Dehlavi, RA
Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin Mahmood RA., popularly known as "
Chiragh Delhi "was the fifth spiritual successor of Hazrat Khwaja
Moinuddin Chishti RA. He was the Khalifa of Nizamuddin Auliya
RA. who, at the time of his death, told Hazrat Nasiruddin RA. that,
"You shall have to stay in Delhi and suffer the persecution of the
people," while handing him over the "sacred relics".
(Tabbarukat-e-Mustafavi).
Hazrat Nasiruddin RA. renounced the world at the blooming age of
25 and began Mujahedas against his Nafs with the company of a
dervish with whom he is reported to have roamed around the
surrounding mountains and jungles of Avadh for 8 years. During
this period, he always observed fasts and lived on herbs. He used to
break his fast with the leaves of sambhuker (a kind of plant
generally found in Avadh, Uttar Pradesh, India).
Hazrat Nasiruddin RA. came to Delhi at the age of 43 years and
joined the circle of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya's Murids [disciples].
One day while Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya RA. was descending from
his hujra [room] at the top of his Khanqah, he noticed that Sheikh
Nasiruddin Mahmood Chiragh RA. was standing in a despondent
mood under the shade of a nearby tree. He sent for him through his
attendant and took him in privacy to have a talk about his
condition. After a brief self-introduction, Hazrat Nasiruddin r.a.
said: "Sir, I have come here to help the dervishes in putting on their
shoes." This one sentence was enough to confirm his humble
character and keenness for a spiritual career and also to win the
affection of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya RA. who related his own
story of devotion to his Pir-o-Murshid in the beginning of his
career. He then became Murid at the hands of Hazrat Nizamuddin
Auliya RA. and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the service of his
Peer-o-Murshid [shaikh].
Once Khwaja Mohammed Gazrooni, a Murid of Khwaja Ahauddin
Zakaria RA. of Multan was staying as a guest of Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auliya r.a. at his Khanqah. One night Khwaja
Gazrooni r.a. awoke for Tahajjud [prayer before sunrise] and
keeping his clothes in the Jamat Khana, went to perform Wudu
[purification] but on his return he did not find his clothes where he
left them and began to grumble loudly in a fit of anger. Hazrat
Nasiruddin RA. was upset by his noisy temper and thought that it
would disturb Hazrat Mehboob e Illahi's RA. devotion at this late
hour of night. In order to pacify the anger of the Khwaja, he at
once took off his own clothes and gave them to him. The next
morning, when this incident came to the knowledge of Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auylia RA., he presented Hazrat Nasiruddin RA. with
a new "poshak" (dress) and prayed for his success.
After the demise of Hazrat Mehboob-e-Illahi RA., the Jamat Khana
of his Khanqah became the property of his sisters and descendants
and Hazrat Nasiruddin RA. moved himself to the place Chiragh,
Delhi where his Mazar Sharif stands to this day.
Like his Peer-o-Murshid, Hazrat Nasiruddin RA.had to contend
with very hard times. Often, during the nights, he had no lights in
the house. For several days his oven remained cold. When anybody
came to see him, he used to wear his Pir's Jubba to meet him, and
after having gone he would change into his rough clothes. He says
that he never liked to perform ablution by wearing his Pir's Jubba
but he liked to hide his poverty from the world by wearing it.
During his good times, although he used to fast daily, he ordered
delicious food to be prepared and served to his guests and Murids.
He himself used to say, "Allah be praised! After all, Faqiri (life of a
Sufi) is tremendous blessing. It's beginning and end are both
beautiful."
The title of "Chiragh," according to one version, was given to the
Sheikh by his Pir o Murshid. Once there was a distinguished
gathering of many leading Masha'ikhs at the khanqah of Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auliya's RA . Hazrat Nasiruddin RA arrived a bit late
and Hazrat Mehboob e Illahi RA asked him to sit down, but he
replied: "Sir, my back would be towards this august assembly"- a
posture which is considered impertinent in Islamic etiquette. Upon
this Hazrat Mehboob e Illahi RA said: "A Chiragh has no back"
meaning that there is neither a face nor a back of a lamp, it sheds
its light in all directions. From that day onwards, among his fellow
Murids, the title of "Chiragh" became very popular.
Once a learned person came to Hazrat Nasiruddin RA to become
his Murid. At the time of initiation, the Saint warned him: "When
an aspirant enters on the path of Tariqat, he must shorten his
sleeves, keep his dress up and shave off his head. Shortening of
sleeves means that he has cut off his hands so that he may not
spread it before the world for help except Allah; keeping his dress
up means that he has cut off his feet so that he may not go to any
place that is bad and where there is a danger of misfortune; and
shaving of the head means that he has cut of his head in the Oath of
Divine Love so that nothing against the Shari'at [Islamic Law]
would come from him."
How great and wise were the teachings of one of he greatest Sufi
Saints ever. Hazrat Nasiruddin RA recommended all that came to
him to observe punctuality of Namaz [ Islamic Prayer ] with
congregation. He himself desired this rule very strictly since his
younger days. He used to explain the benefits of Namaz by guiding
instances from the Hadith [Traditions of the Prophet, s.a.w.s] and
the Qur'an. He had extreme love for the Prophet Muhammad,
s.a.w.s. and his philosophy of Islamic faith was based upon two
paramount things, namely, obedience to whatever Allah and His
Rasul [Messenger of Allah] PBUH, has ordained and the avoidance
of whatever was forbidden.
Hazrat Nasiruddin r.a., like many other Sufi dervishes before him,
had to go through extreme sufferings from the ruler of the time. He
was persecuted by Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq whom history will
never forgive for his tyrannical rule over innocent humanity on the
one hand and the capricious schemes that ruined Delhi and
especially the 200 year old glorious work of the great Sufi Saints of
India, on the other. Because of shortage of space we will not go in
detail about the cruel Sultan's whimsical schemes but so much
should be said that the Sultan's thirst for power interfered with the
pious work of these Sufi dervishes. However, eventually he had to
pay a severe penalty, like some of his short-sighted predecessors
who had also persecuted Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya RA.
Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin, RA and another great Sufi dervish
Hazrat Qutbuddin Munawwar, RA had received their Khilafat on
one and the same day with the instruction of Hazrat Nizamuddin,
RA that they "should maintain mutual affection without any
discrimination or superiority complex."
Here is a story of their overwhelming regard for each other, when
they met after a long time at Hansi ( a town in India ). When Hazrat
Khwaja Nasiruddin RA was retiring from that with Sultan Feroze
Tughlaq, the Saint parted with the king's party to go to Hansi to
meet Hazrat Qutbuddin Munawwar RA ( his Pir-bhai ) whom he
had not seen for a very long time. On hearing that Hazrat Khwaja
Nasiruddin RA had come to Hansi, Hazrat Qutbuddin Munawwar
RA, ran out of his Khanqah bare-foot to meet him on the way and
received him with the most affectionate embrace and overwhelmed
by the recollection of the old happy days of their association of
their beloved Pir, Hazrat Mehboob e Ilahi. RA Both the dervish
could not resist their sorrowful tears on this occasion. A Sama
mehfil [ assembly of listening ] was arranged and both of them had
Wajd ( ecstasy ) and Sukr [ spiritual intoxication ] in a spiritual
mood. After the mehfil [ assembly ] both the dervish insisted upon
each other to lead the Asr prayer out of each others elderly regards,
eventually Hazrat Qutbuddin Munawar RA led the prayer because
he was the host and within his right under the Islamic Shari'at.
Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin RA. was very fond of cleanliness. His
dress always appeared very tidy and neat. On both of his sides he
used to keep a heavy gathering of flowers. One day Hazrat
Nasiruddin Chiragh RA., after his Zuhr [ noon ] prayers, was busy
with his devotional contemplation when a Qalandar by the name of
Turab suddenly entered and persistently attacked the innocent Saint
with a knife, so much so that blood began to flow down the floor.
But curiously enough the murderous attack did not disturb the
Saint at all, in his highly engrossed devotion. When some of the
Murids saw the blood coming out of the hujra, they rushed in and
caught hold of the Qalandar. Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin, RA
strongly dissuaded them and asked his beloved disciples Abdul
Muqtadir, Sheikh Sadruddin Tabib and Sheikh Zainudin Ali, not to
harm the Qalandar. On the contrary, Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin
RA. addressed the Qalandar apologetically and said: "If in the act
of attacking me with your knife, you have felt any pain in your
hands, please pardon me for the same." The Saint further gave 20
tankas to the Qalandar and sent him away unharmed.
From the above incident we see the level of his forgiveness. It is on
account of such rare generosity that Hazrat Nasiruddin Chiragh,
RA enjoys high esteem in the Sufi world. Among the dervishes of
the Chishti particularly, he is a unique symbol of forbearance and
humility.
Three years after the murderous attack, Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin,
RA passed away of a natural death on Friday the 18th Ramadan
757 A.H. [ Sept. 14, 1356 C.E. ]
Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin, RA willed that at the time of putting
him in the grave, the Khirqa [ Sufi cloak ] of his Pir o Murshid,
Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya RA must be put upon his chest, the
Asaa ( staff - cane ) by his side, the rosary on the finger of
Shahadat, the kasa ( a special wooden bowl which the Faqirs usually
carry with them to serve as the only utensil for food, water, etc. )
under his head instead of the brick, and a pair of his Pir's shoes
under his arm. This was carried out.
The passing away of Hazrat Nasiruddin Chiragh, RA closed the first
circle of a most glorious epoch of Sufism in India.
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