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Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz Khwaja Muinuddeen Chishti Ajmeri (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) spent 20 years of his life travelling with and serving his Murshid, Hazrat Khwaja Uthman Hirwani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). (Hazrat Khwaja Neseeruddeen Mahmood Chiragh Dehlawi (Rahmatullah Alaih) has stated that the correct word is Hirwani and not Harooni as many people state, because Hazrat Khwaja Uthman lived in a village called Hirwan). [Akhbaar Al Akhyaar]
After 20 years Hazrat Khwaja Uthman Hirwani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) granted Khilafat to Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and presented him with some of the Tabarrukaat (Sacred Relics) of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). He then embraced Khwaja Muinuddeen Chishti (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), kissed him on the forehead and said, “I have given you to Allah.” Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddeen Chishti (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) then departed with a heavy heart on his own travels. [Masaalikus Saalikeen]
Sanjar
After this final departure from his Murshid, Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) visited Sanjar which at that time was the seat of the Sufi Master, Hazrat Khwaja Najmuddeen Kubra (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), a disciple of the senior Sufi Master, Shaikh Shahabuddeen Umar Soharwardi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) spent two and a half months in the company of Khwaja Najmuddeen Kubra (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh).
Jiyal
Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddeen Chishti (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh)then departed to Jiyal in the valley of the Jodi Mountain range. Jiyal (present day called Ifrah) is in the north-west of Iraq called Kurdistan. This locality was a 7 day journey from Baghdad. The Imam of the Awliya, Huzoor Ghaus-e-Azam Sayyiduna Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was living there at that time. Huzoor Ghaus-e-Azam (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) later commissioned his beloved son, Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Azeez Jilani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) to this place to propagate Islam to the Kurds.
Khwaja Muinuddeen Chishti (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) took the advantage to pursue his spiritual refinement under the guidance of the great Ghaus. So he spent 5 months and seven days in the service of Huzoor Ghaus-e-Azam (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and underwent intrinsic spiritual training at his feet. [Iqtibaas Al Anwaar] Sayyiduna Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was very pleased with him and once compassionately said, “I pray for Muinuddeenand see that one day he will be the leader of the Mashaaikh of his time. Many travellers of the path will reach their goal through him and under his guidance.”
Both of these illustrious personalities were closely related and hailed from the same Ahle Bait noble family. Khwaja Muinuddeen Chishti’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) mother was a cousin sister of Huzoor Ghaus-e-Azam (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and thus, the great Ghaus (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) is a maternal uncle of the Khwaja.
It is recorded in Zubdatul Haqaaiq, the Malfoozaat (anecdotes) of Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) compiled by his senior Khalifah, Qutbul Aqtaab Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddeen Bakhtiyar Kaki (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), who states that with the permission of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) obtained the Khirqah (Sufi Garb) and Khilafat from his uncle, Sultanul Awliya Sayyiduna Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). At that time the Khwaja was 50 years old and the Ghaus was 90 years of age. [Iqtibaas Al Anwaar] The great Ghaus also entrusted him with the Ism‑e‑Azam (Secret Names of Allah Ta’ala), which he received from Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) via the chain of his noble predecessors. Besides these gifts, Huzoor Ghaus-e-Azam (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) also transferred other secrets and Awrad (litanies) to Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh).
During his stay in Baghdad, Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) met and derived spiritual grace from many senior Awliya and Mashaaikh. One notable personality that also had a great impact on the Khwaja was Shaikh Abu Najeeb Abdul Qaahir Sohrawardi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), who was a Khalifah of Huzoor Ghaus-e-Azam (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and the uncle of the Shaikh Shahabuddeen Umar Soharwardi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) spent a great deal of time in the service of Shaikh Abu Najeeb Abdul Qaahir (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). [Akhbaar Al Akhyaar]
A Miracle of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz
Before Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) departed from Baghdad, he was informed about seven fire-worshipper devotees who engaged in intense fire worshipping in Baghdad. One day these seven persons came to meet Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). On the first sight, Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) cast a stunning Tajalli (Divine Lustre) on their hearts. They were so awestruck with Haibat (Awe) that their feet trembled with fear and they fell at the feet of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh).
He said to them, “O disbelievers! Do you not have any shame worshipping other things besides Allah Ta’ala?” They replied, “The sole reason we worship the fire is so that it will not burn us on the Day of Judgement.” Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) told them, “You will not get salvation from the Fire of Hell until you worship Almighty Allah Ta’ala.” They said, “If the fire does not burn you, then we will embrace Islam.” Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) said, “Allah! Allah! A fire cannot even burn the sandal of Muinuddeen!” The fire was lit nearby and Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) removed his sandal and threw it in the fire, saying, “O Fire! Do not burn the sandal of Muinuddeen!” Amazingly, as the sandal fell in, the fire immediately extinguished. A Voice called from the Unseen, “The fire does not have the courage to burn the sandal of My friend.” Everyone present heard this Voice and when the fire‑worshippers saw this miracle, they instantly embraced Islam on the blessed hands of the great Khwaja (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). After their reversion, they remained in the service of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) as ardent devotees and were later bestowed with Wilaayat (Sainthood). SubhanAllah! [Siyar Al Aqtaab]
May Allah Ta’ala grant us true love for the Awliya Allah and the ability to practice on their teachings, Allahumma Ameen.
