The Great Book On Sufism - The Kashaf Al Mahjoob

This is one of the best and oldest book written on Sufism nearly 950 years ago. It has the saying, methods and rules of the Sufis and the stories of Ahle Sufa, Shaba, Ahle Bayt, Ancient Imams and leading Sufi saints of the early ages whose lives were lived according to Quran and Sunnah. Data Saab discusses the various schools of Sufism, the correct beliefs of Muslims, Conduct, Hadiths and Quranic Tafsir etc. In this way it is a complete book where Islamic teachings are given in such an easy way that from student to saint everyone can benefit. Data Saab proves that Sufis are only those who follow Quran and Sunnah and that Tariqat is no different from Shariah but the Tariqat is the fruit and the end result of shariah, and these two cannot be separated at all. He also refutes the false and fabricated Sufi tales which corrupt people and reminds that we follow the true Sufi examples at all times. Kashf-ul-Mahjub is such a great book that it opens one's heart to the Spiritual Realities and one can easily understand that Sufism is the true Islamic teachings. After reading the book, one finds that his mind, heart and thoughts gets new form of Love, Wisdom and Knowledge that no other book on Sufism provides. Data Saab himself says in this book that people should regard this book, in terms of reading it and benefiting from it. One can surely realize after reading the book ho great is Hazrath Syed Ali Hujwiri's blessed knowledge, Marifat, Tariqat, Haaqah and Waliyaat, given to him by Allah Tala. Analysis and Rank His book hold dominant position in the world of Sufism and it is written in Persian language. This book represents the Sufi theories such as Marifat, Tariqat, Haaqah and Waliyaat in such a way that they reflect the needs of every age. For example, this book was useful early 900 years ago, was useful 500 years ago and is useful today and will be useful for as long as Allah want it to be. Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya says that: If one does not have a Pir, he should read this book and by blessing of reading it you will find your Pir. This book is like a complete Pir (murshhed e kamil) in Persian language Sufi books it has no other match This book is one of the best and authentic books of Sufism Kashf al-Mahjub is that book on Sufism that all the leading Sufis Saints of India takes their guidance from and it is considered as Torah or Bible of Sufism. Hazrat Syed Ali Hujwiri also known as Data Ganj Baksh holds dominant position in the Ahle Tariqat Saints. He is high-ranking sufi saint. Many people consider him as true saint. His book Kash-al Majub is one of the most authentic books on Sufism. This book does not only have the stories and saying of the saints but has deep roots of original Sufi material. The sayings in this book (Kash al-Mahjub) represent a complete Sufi Saint (Murshid) instructions. Ahle Ilm (Scholars) and Ahle Batil (Spiritual Saints) have both considered the importance of this book. Kash al-Mahjub opens the door of guidance and straight path, enlightens the heart with bright light removes filth and the person who reads this book benefits from the true understanding of Shariat and Tariqat. This book cleans your inner heart and removes the hidden obstacles from your self. Kash al-Mahjub contains the life stories of various Saints and the way it is written opens door for guidance for those who read this book. This book is universal as it helps the Students of Sufism in every age. Hazrat Syed Ali Hujwiri himself writes in his book: Oh Student of Sufism, May Allah give the bounty of both the worlds and he further writes,By writing this book (Kash al-Mahjub) my aim is that if someone has this book then there shouldn't be a need to obtain any other book as I have said in the beginning and your third question of this book that this book will be sufficient for the Students of Sufism.

Hazrat Ali Hajveri (Data Ganj Bakhsh)

He was born in 400 A.H. in Ghazni (Afghanistan). He belonged to a Syed family (descendant of the Holy Prophet). He completed his earlier education in Ghazni by memorizing the Holy Quran. Then he studied Arabic, Farsi, Hadith, Fiqh, Philosophy etc. At that time Ghazni was the center of education in Central Asia, and it was the realm of the famous Afghan ruler Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi.

After completing the wordly education, he searched for the spiritual education. He travelled to many places for this purpose, and finally became spiritual disciple of Hazrat Abul Fazal Mohammad bin Khatli, in Junaidiya Sufi Order, who lived in Syria.

In Syria, Hazrat Ali Hajveri started his spiritual education under the guidance of Hazrat Abul Fazal, he slept less, ate less, performed tough contemplations & meditation. Then he travelled to many countries & places like Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Arabia, Azerbaijan etc. There he met many Sufi saints & dervishes.

Once he entangled in a spiritual mystery, and wasn't able to solve it, so then he went to the tomb of Hazrat Bayazid Bistami, where he meditated for many days, even he finally solved that spiritual mystery. On another occasion he entangled, and also went to the tomb of Hazrat Bayazid Bistami, but this time he found no clue. So then he left for Khurasan (A Province in Iran), he stayed in a village, where he found a group of Sufi dervishes. Because Hazrat Ali Hajveri always wore simple & normal dress, so those Sufis said to eachother that this person (Ali Hajveri) doesn't belong their group, (As they all were wearing specific dress of dervishes). Hazrat Ali Hajveri stayed with them, they ate delicious foods, and gave him a dry bread to eat. They also mocked on Hazrat Ali Hajveri, threw on him the crusts of fruits. Hazrat Ali Hazjveri addressed God: "O God! if these people wouldn't be wearing the clothes of your friends (dervishes), then I wouldn't tolerate their insulting behavior."

During the journey of Syria, he visited the tomb of the great Companion of the Holy Prophet, Hazrat Bilal. There he slept for a while, and found himself in Makka, where he saw the Holy Prophet with an old man, he didn't recognize him & thought who he could be? Then Hazrat Ali Hajveri fell on the feet of the Holy Prophet & kissed them. The Holy Prophet knew what Hazrat Ali Hajveri had in his mind, so he told Ali Hajveri: "This old man is Abu Hanifa, your Imam."

Later his spiritual teacher Hazrat Abul Fazal ordered him to go to Lahore to preach the spiritual teachings of Islam. He said: "Hazrat Shah Hussain Zanjani is already there for this purpose, so then why should I go to there? Hazrat Abul Fazal said: "It's none of your business, just go to Lahore." So he left Syria & came to Ghazni. From Ghazni he went to Peshawar & then to Lahore, in 1041 A.D (431 A.H). When he reached to Lahore, he saw that people are taking a coffin towards the graveyard for burial. He asked who is he? People replied that it is the dead body of Hazrat Shah Hussain Zanjani. After hearing that, he understood why his teacher Hazrat Abul Fazal sent him to Lahore. After reaching to Lahore, he started to preach Islam & built a mosque there.

At that time Lahore was included in the Ghazni Kingdom, whose ruler was Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi. And the governer of Lahore was Ra'e Raju, who was a Hindu & had many great mystical abilities. People of Lahore were used to supply milk to Ra'e Raju in big quantity, as a capitation. Once an old woman was on her way to pass before Hazrat Ali Hajveri, holding a water-pot poured with milk. Hazrat Ali Hajveri asked her to give him some milk from that. The woman refused & said that she has to give it to Ra'e Raju. Hazrat Ali Hajveri said: "Give some milk to me, by the grace of God, your cow will produce much more milk than usual". The woman gave him the pot, Hazrat Ali Hajveri drank some milk, and then threw the remaining into the river. The old woman when went to her home, she was surprised to see the breasts of her cow who were full of milk. She poured all of her pots from milk, but still the cow's breasts were full. Soon this news spread all around the Lahore, and people started to visit Hazrat Ali Hajveri, and all people brought milk for him, and he also drank some milk from their pots & then threw the remaining into the river, and all of their cows started to produce more milk. So they stopped to supply milk to Ra'e Raju.

Later Ra'e Raju sent one of his disciples to Hazrat Ali Hajveri, as his disciples also had mystical abilities. That disciple didn't come back, so Ra'e Raju sent another disciple, who also didn't come back. In that way, he sent all of his disciples, but no one came back at all. Finally he himself went to Hazrat Ali Hajveri, in anger. Ra'e Raju challenged Hazrat Ali Hajveri to show him any miracle. Hazrat Ali Hajveri replied: "I'm not a juggler." But Ra'e Raju tried to impress him with his miracles, and started flying in the air, Hazrat Ali Hajveri ordered his shoes to bring him down. So the shoes of Hazrat Ali Hajveri went to the flying Ra'e Raju & started to strike on his head & broght him down. Ra'e Raju was inspired & embraced Islam on his hands. After accepting Islam he changed his name as Shaikh Ahmed Hindi.

When Hazrat Ali Hajveri built a mosque in Lahore, that mosque's front was towards south, and differed from all other mosques of Lahore. So there became a doubt that this mosque's fron't isn't towards Ka'ba. The Scholars of Lahore objected over that mosque, but Hazrat Ali Hajveri didn't reply them. When the mosque was built completely, he invited all scholars of Lahore & said to them: "You objected over this mosque's Ka'ba direction, now look by yourself in which direction Ka'ba actually is!" When they looked at the front, they saw Ka'ba, as they are sitting before Ka'ba in Makka. All scholars felt ashamed after watching that, and apologized.

Hazrat Ali Hajveri also built a room adjacent to that mosque, and used that room as Khanqa (Spiritual School). Many unbelievers accepted Islam on his hands, many people touched the higher stages of spirituality under his guidance. He married twice, but both of his wives died soon after marriage. He had a son, named "Hasan".

He lived in Lahore for 21 years, and then went to Syria to meet his spiritual teacher Hazrat Abul Fazal. And after the death of Hazrat Abul Fazal in 453 A.H, he again came to Lahore.

Hazrat Ali Hajveri wrote many books, some of his books are: Diwan-e-She'r; Minhajuddin; Al-Bayan Lahal- Al-Ayan; Israrul Kharq Wal-Mauniyat; Behrul Quloob; Kitab Fana Wa Baqa; Birri'ayat Be-Huqooq-Ullah; Kashful Israr; Sharah-e-Kalam; and Kashful Mahjub.

He died at the age of 65 in 465 A.H., in Lahore.

It has a been a practice of Sufi saints coming to the Indian subcontinent to first visit the shrine of Hazrat Usman Ali Hujwiri. Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti first came to Lahore in 561 A.H (1165 AD), he stayed at the tomb of Hazrat Ali Hajveri for two weeks to pay his respects at Data Ganj-Bakhsh upon his arriving in the subcontinent. There he was directed to settle in Ajmer Sharif and commence his spiritual mission in India. Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti paid homage to Hazrat Usman Ali Hujwiri in the following words:

Ganj Bakhsh-e faiz-e aalam, mazhar-e Nur-i Khuda

Naqisaan ra pir-e kaamil, kaamilaan ra rahnuma

Translation:

Ganj Buskh (Bestower of Spiritual Treasures) is a grace to the world; a manifester of God's light.
A perfect spiritual teacher for the beginners; a guide for perfected.

His mausoleum, popularly known as Data Durbar, is located inLahore, Pakistan.

The Sayings Of Hazrath Moinudin Chishti RA

1. Without performing Namaz (prayer), none can approach Allah (God), because Namaz is the climax (mi'raj) in the process of such an approach for the pious.

2. If all the rules of Namaz were not followed properly, it is struck back on the face of him who offers such a Namaz.

3. The heart of a lover (True lover of Allah) constantly burns with the fire of love, so much so that whatever intrudes upon its sanctity is burnt to ashes.

4. A sin committed does not harm an individual so much as looking down upon one's own fellow human beings.

5. Of all the worship that pleases Almighty Allah, the most is the granting of relief to the humble and the oppressed.

6. Performance of charity is the key of attaining the estate of a philanthropist.

7. The one who does not perform devotion of Allah is engaged in the career of earning a sinful living.

8. There are four cardinal virtues of the individual self: (i) refraining from begging in the state of penury; (ii) showing the attitude of being well-fed when feeling hungry; (iii) maintaining a cheerfulness in the time of sorrow; and (iv) befriending the enemy.

9. That man is a true devotee of Almighty Allah, who resigns with pleasure to the misfortune that comes from his beloved (Almighty Allah).

10. The path of Love of God is such a path that whosoever steps into it, loses himself.

11. For a follower of the path of Truth, it is worse than sin to disdain or look down upon anyone.

12. Those who are true Lovers of God give away both of the worlds for the sake of their Beloved and even then feel that they have done nothing worthy.

13. Perfection in faith is evident by three things: (i) Fear, (ii) Hope, and (iii) Love