In the subcontinent of India and Pakistan, the spiritual affairs and hearts of people are controlled by Sultaan al Hind Khwaja Moinudeen Gharib Nawaaaz e. However, over the last few centuries there were four Khanqahs that shared a special bond and relationship of love, respect, mutual understanding, spiritual, academic excellence and service to Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah.

• Khanqah e Barkaatiya (Named after Al Qutb Hadrat Shah Barkatullah Ishqi e  in Marehra Sharif
• Khanqah e Qadriyya in Badayun Sharif
• Khanqah e Ashrafiya (named after Ghauth al Aalam Makhdoom Syed Ashraf Jahaangeer Simnaani e in Kichaucha Sharif
• Khanqah e Razviyya (Named after the great Mujadid A’la Hazrat Ash Shah Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Faazil-e-Bareilvi e in Bareilly Sharif.

 

Bareilly sharif and Badayun sharif are just 50 km apart whilst Badayun Sharif and Marehra Sharif are separated by a distance of 150 km. Even though these Khanqahs are geographically close to each other but in reality, they were bonded together by the vision they shared.

Shah Abdul Majeed Ainul Haq e the father of Saifullah al Maslool Shah Moeenul Haq Fazle Rasool Badayuni e was the Mureed and Khalifa of Shams-e-Marehra Sayyiduna Abul Fazl Shamsudeen Aal-e-Ahmed Ache Miyan e. His grandson Taajul Fuhool Maulana Abdul Qadir Badayuni e was slightly senior than A’la Hadrat Ash Shah Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Faazil-e-Bareilvi e in age, but both were inseparable friends, had immense love and had respect for each other . It was Hazrat Maulana Abdul Qadir Badayuni e the son of Saifullah al Maslool e who took A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan e to Marehra Sharif where he became the Mureed of Al Qutb Sayid Shah Aale Rasool Marehrwi e.

A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan e is known for his devotion to Saadat. His love for Rasoolullah r compelled him to show the utmost love and respect for anyone who had his beloved’s blood running in their veins, even if it was a child. It was perhaps a reward for this uncompromised devotion that he was granted Ba’yah in the family of the Zaidi Saadaat of Marehra Sharif.

Being Mureed in the Qadriyya order, A’la Hadrat e became the epitome of what love for Huzoor Ghauth al A’zam Shaykh Abdul Qaadir Jaylani e actually is. Both his love for Sayyids and love for Huzoor Ghauthul A’zam e led A’la Hadrat e to visit Kichaucha Sharif many times as it was a Khanqah of not only Sayyids but of direct descendants of Huzoor Ghauth al A’zam e.

Hadrat Makhdoom Ashraf Jahaangeer Simnaani e didn’t have sons, so he went to Baghdad Sharif and brought back his cousin’s son that lived in Baghdad Sharif, Hadrat Shaykh Sayyid Abdur Razaaq Noorul Ain e, who carried the work of the Khanqah and the family legacy forward.

A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan e and Ala Hazrat Ashrafi Miya e were also blessed with the honor of Khilafah from the same Shaykh, i.e. Hazrat Shah Aale Rasool Marehrawi e.

This explains the equation of love between the four Khanqahs in recent history. Bareilly, Badayun and Kichaucha reaped the blessings of the Aqtaab of Marehra whilst they all respected the senior Mashaaikh of each of the respective Khanqaahs, many of the youngsters from each Khanqaah would go and study at feet of the elders of the next, and each would show the other such respect and love that are beyond our comprehension.

A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan e is reported to have lectured at the Urs-e-Qadri that takes place in Badayun Sharif and has also acknowledged the services of the Mashaaikh of Badayun Sharif, to the Deen, and their efforts in protecting the pristine teachings of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah.

A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan e has been considered unanimously by the scholars of the sub-continent as well as scholars of Haramain Sharifain as the yardstick of dedication and devotion to protecting the integrity of the Holy Messenger r, and of exposing blasphemous cults in the garb of Muslims, it is a reality one cannot deny.

In this day and age, the entire world is aware and acknowledges A’la Hadrat e for his sterling services, be it Ulama or laymen. He has become rightfully the undisputed household name in every Sunni home, where every child knows the extent he went to in saving the authentic teachings of the Deen. With that, we also found it beneficial acknowledge, salute and pay homage to some of the contemporaries and in this case A’la Hadrat’s e senior, who also spent his life writing against the Wahabi regime, someone who A’la Hadrat e saluted for the services in this avenue, that were carried out before him. Someone who A’la Hadrat e called ‘Saifullah’ (the sword of Allah), but someone who unfortunately has been lost in the pages of history at least for people who live in western countries like South Africa or Great Britain and for people who have not visited India or the city of Badayun.

Badayun Sharif is a very significant place historically. Khwaja-e-Khwajegaan Khwaja Nizaamud deen Awliyaa Mehboob-e-Ilaahi e was born and brought up in Badayun. His father’s Mazaar is in Badayun. The original founder of the Khanqah-e-Qadriya in Badayun was the Mureed of Khwaja-e-Khwaajegaan Khwaja Uthman Haarooni e and the Peer Bhai of Hazrat Khwaja Moeenudeen Hasan Gharib Nawaz e, therefore the family is Uthmani in both ways, being the offspring of Hazrat Uthmaan Ghani t and the original founder being the Mureed of Hazrat Khwaja Uthmaan Harooni e .

Allah has blessed this sinful beggar of the Awliyaa (Saleh)  with the honor of visiting Badayun Sharif in May 2014. It was the time when Badayun Sharif and Marehra Sharif particularly, and generally the entire Sunni subcontinent was mourning an unforgettable tragedy. The tragic and sudden demise and martyrdom of the young, dynamic, talented, learned and blessed scholar, researcher, thinker, author and Aalim, Aalim-e-Rabbani, Shaheed-e-Baghdad Allamah Shaykh Usaidul Haq Aasim al Qadri.

The young scholar was the eldest son and next in line to be the custodian of the Khanqah-e-Qadriya after his father Taajdaar-e-Ahle Sunnat Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Hameed Saalim-ul-Qadri (who is the current Sajjada Nasheen and custodian both of the Khanqah and Mazaar of the Qadri Mashaaikh in Badayun).

Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Hameed Saalim al Qadri is the grandson of Taajul Fuhool Allama Abdul Qadir Muhibb-e-Rasool Badayuni e who is the son of Saifullah al Maslool e.

I visited Madrasa and Khanqah-e-Qadriya as well as the Mazaar of the Qadri Mashaaikh listed above. Hadrat Allamah Saalim al Qadri had already left to Ajmer Sharif for the Urs. I had the honor of meeting his son and Allama Usaidul Haq’s younger brother Moulana Ateef Miyan Qadri who honored me with a warm and heart felt welcome. He gave me a copy of “Aalim e Rabbani Number” (a literary tribute to Shaykh Usaidul Haq) compiled by the chief editor of the Monthly magazine ‘Jaame Noor’ and the grandson of Raeesul Qalam Hadrat Allamah Arshadul Qadri, Moulana Khushtar Noorani.  This was a compilation of the achievements and services of Shaykh  Usaidul Haq in his short career as an Islamic Scholar, as well as testimonials from majority of the great scholars, institutes, organizations and Khanqahs of India and Pakistan expressing their shock, grief and sorrow at the loss of the great young scholar.

My visit to Badayun and my browsing through the compilation gave me an idea of how great these Mashaaikh are, and the role they played in enhancing the mission of Islam.  The love that the Mashaaikh of Marehra Sharif and Bareilly Sharif had for the Mashaaikh of Badayun and vice versa is something that can never be encapsulated in a short article like this, rather something that deserves volumes. I wish one day the general public realize the relationship that the Mashaaikh of the past had, that even though they differed in certain secondary Fiqhi Masaail, their respect for each other really showed that they were true men of Deen and they understood the etiquettes of secondary disagreements.

Huzoor Mufti-e-A’zam Hind Hazrat Shah Mustafa Raza Khan e continued the relationship that his father had with the family of Badayun and there are letters available to substantiate this.

This is a humble effort to broaden our understanding of other Mashaaikh and scholars of the sub-continent who were all linked and united in the common cause of serving the Deen and the protection of their people from corruption in Aqaaid.

I must emphasis on the inspiration that I have received from the life and achievements of Allama Usaidul Haq Qadri as he was considered a young scholar but his work was such that the elders did not hesitate to salute him simply based on his age. He went on Ziyarah to Baghdad Sharif and was travelling through Irbil, his vehicle was attacked by a group of terrorists and he was shot in the head which resulted in his instant demise. He left this world at the age of 39. His firm grounding in primary Usool, his high level of research, his vast knowledge, his staunchness in Aqeeda, whilst his broadmindedness in secondary and irrelevant matters for the sake of unity amongst Sunnis seems to be the reason why he was loved by all Akaabireen and Mashaaikh regardless of Silsila.

His body was brought back to Baghdad and was placed at the feet of Huzoor Ghauthul A’zam and he was buried in the graveyard reserved for the Saadaat of the family.

He took on the mission of reviewing the books written centuries ago by his forefathers, translating them and beautifying them with commentaries and references and publishing them for the benefit of the general public. He had accomplished this to a great degree where he published over 150 books like these including some that he authored himself.

May Allah accept this humble effort to try and increase awareness so people may know and be inspired by the lives and legacies of his beloveds and the true soldiers of his Deen.

May we be blessed with the Faizaan and spiritual blessings of all the Mashaikh of all the Salaasil, particularly the Mashaaikh of Marehra Sharif, Badayun Sharif, Kichaucha Sharif and Bareilly Sharif, Ameen.

Mohamed Saleh Joosab Arbee

Co-founder and Head of Youth Development, Public Relations and Welfare

Islamic Lifestyle Solutions, Durban , South Africa.