Hadhrat Shah Sa’adullah Naqshbandi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

Hadhrat Shah Sa’adullah Naqshbandi

(May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

 

Before his birth itself, a saint had given the news to his parents that you will be blessed with a son.  He will be a perfect saint, but will not be able to use one leg.  Hadhrat Shah Sa’adullah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) was born in Uchdi Mulk, Pikli Punjab. He belonged to the Tajik community.  It is written in Ghiyas that Tajik are the progeny of the Arabs who grew up in non-Arab lands.  This shows that his forefathers came from Arab lands and settled in non-Arab lands.  From his childhood itself, he was pious and was among the men of Allah (Ahlullah).  He would always be busy in either learning the sciences of Islam or in worship.  His father once sent him for some work.  On the way back, about 100 armed bandits attacked him.  Although they ran away unable to face him, his left leg was seriously injured.  His father got it treated as much as he could, but to no avail.  At last, he took permission from his father and went somewhere else to get his leg treated.  On the way, he saw a saint in his dream. He told him: Son Sa’adullah, where are you going?  Your cure is here with us. On this divine signal, he decided to go to Delhi.  In spite of difficulties, he traveled to Delhi and started searching for the saints.  At last he reached Hadhrat Maulana Shah Ghulam Ali Sahab.  The features of Hadhrat Ghulam Ali (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) were the same features of saint whom he had seen in his dream. He thanked Allah Most High and gave his pledge (Ba’yah) to Hadhrat Ghulam Ali (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).

 

For 12 years he remained busy in prayer, striving in the path of Allah, meditation, contemplation and remembrance of Allah Most High.  When he completed all the stages of the path to Allah (Suluk), Hadhrat Ghulam Ali (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) very graciously granted him the authorization to accept disciples and instruct them in Naqshbandi, Qadri, Chishti, Suhawardi, Kubrawiya, etc. orders of Tasawwuf.  In this course, Hadhrat Sa’adullah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) completed his Islamic education under his spiritual brother, Maulvi Sher Muhammad Sahib.  From the start of his divine journey until its accomplishment, every day he would go the shrine of Hadhrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) and gain blessings.  In his behavior, actions, Salaat, worship, habits, that is in every way, he used to the follow Sunnah perfectly.  Nobody ever saw him stray even a wee bit from the Sunnah.

 

He went for Hajj either in the year Hadhrat Ghulam Ali (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) passed away or the next year.  On the way, many people became his disciples and drew benefit from him.  When he completed the Hajj and paid his respects to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) at Madina Munawwara, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the Companions told him: Sa’adullah!  You go to India.  Many people will benefit from you.  To fulfill this command, he started for India and reached Hyderabad, Deccan, passing through Madras and Kurnool.  In Hyderabad, he stayed at Masjid Almas, which was near Darwaza Aliabad.  For 2 years, he stayed there.  Seekers of truth would come from far off places and benefit by giving him their pledge.  Later on, he took up residence in the orchard of Muhammad Jivan Khan Qiladaar (commander/In charge) of the fort of Golconda, which was in Mughalpura.  After staying here for 2 years, a large part of the orchard of Nawab Khan, Muhalla Urdu was bought by him. There, a mosque was constructed for him and on the 27th of Ramadhan 1249 Hijri he graced it with his presence.  Seekers of truth would come from as far as Qandahar, Bukhara, Kabul, Peshawar, etc.  About 200-250 seekers would always be living with him.  Food twice a day and clothing would be provided by him.  They would not be worried about anything and would spend night and day in remembrance of Allah Most High and other spiritual practices.  Many scholars were ordered by the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) to make Hadhrat Shah Sa’adullah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) as their spiritual mentor and seek blessings from him.  They would come and gain inward blessings.  As the mosque was constructed crudely, it was reconstructed in 1268 Hijri and is present until today.  He would always offer his Salaat in this mosque.

 

His features were this: Medium height, slender build, white, almost reddish complexion, his blessed face would be surrounded by a radiant beard.  The beard was thick.  Although he had an injury to his leg, but Allah Most High had granted him such strength for worship that, even well-known wrestlers and others could not perform offer even a tenth of the worship performed by him. He was very intelligent and had a great memory.  He was master of all sciences.  If he would explain some point without even looking at a book, other scholars would not be able to reach that level even with consulting the book.  He was very much conversant with martial arts as well.  Once there was a discussion of archery before him and somebody expressed his mastery over archery.  The Shaykh sent for a bow and arrow and shot 7 arrows.  All of them hit the mark.  His intelligence was such that even in the most delicate cases, if somebody would accept and use his suggestions, he would never lose.  There was such mercy in his nature that whenever he heard of somebody’s distress, he would cry as much as the person who suffered.  In worship of Allah Most High, His remembrance and other spiritual practices, he would always keep the Sunnah before him.

 

He would offer the Salaat Ul Fajr in its commendable (Mustahab) time and would bless his disciples with his grace and attention till Salaat Ul Ishraaq.  After offering Ishraaq, he would perform his toilet and again grace the disciples until the Salaat of Chaasht.  After Chaasht, he would have breakfast.  His lovers, nobles, etc. would send many varieties of dishes to him.  All of them would be placed before him, but he would not even look at them.  He would eat only the chapatti and broth (shorba) made in his own house.  Then he would have a siesta.  Then he would get up at 1:00 and offer Salaat Ul Zuhr with a large congregation.  He would recite 15 parts (juz) of the Holy Quran.  If he was ill, he would recite at least 3 parts.  He never read anything less than that in his whole life.  Then he would discuss Islamic knowledge and the lives of the saints with the scholars who would come.  After offering Salaat Ul ‘Asr in its Commendable time with a large congregation, Hadhrat Maulana Maulvi Abdur Raheem Ameer Khairuddin (May Allah sanctify his soul) would read out the letters (Maktubaat) of Hadhrat Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him) or the Mathnawi of Hadhrat Maulana Rumi.  Hadhrat would attentively listen to them. If some time would be left after that, he would again grace his disciples.  After Salaat Ul Maghrib, the sons of the Nizam who had given their pledge would also come and they would also be graced with his spiritual attention.  After Salaat Ul Isha, he would relate to the people, the lives of the elders of the order.  After this he would instruct the scholars and others interested in remembrance of Allah Most High and other spiritual practices.  At about 10 o’clock, he would go to bed.  He would get up after half the night would pass and would offer Salaat Ul Tahajjud and Salaat Ut Tasbeeh and busy himself in remembrance of Allah Most High and other spiritual practices.  When just the last part of the night would be left, he would sleep for some time, take a bath and offer Salaat Ul Fajr with congregation.  Hadhrat Miskeen Shah Sahab (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says:  Once after offering Salaat Ut Tahajjud, etc. I sat there and busied myself in remembrance of Allah Most High and other spiritual practices.  At that time to remove a thought which I had got, he turned to me and said: Son Miskeen, do not think that only you engage in Dhikr 25000 times a day.  Apart from other recitations, I also perform Dhikr 25,000 times every day without missing a single day.

 

His manners were such that every person would think that Hadhrat loves me like a parent and does not love anybody else like that.  Almost 200 disciples would be living in his monastery (Khanqaah) and thousand would be spent on them.  Nobody knew from where that money would come and how hundreds of disciples would be taken care of.  If sometimes nothing would be available, he would also remain hungry along with others.  His reliance on Allah Most High was such that the King of Deccan Nawab Nasir Ud Daula would be always eager to meet him, but he never even thought of going to the royal mansion.  He did not even accept any monetary contributions or any endowments.  Raja Chandulal, the minister of Deccan and other nobles tried to serve him with money and endowments, but Hadhrat never accepted anyone’s request. Shams Ul Umara himself came to his house and after a lot of request offered him Rs.500, which Hadhrat accepted, but immediately distributed it among those present.

 

Hadhrat Maulvi Mir Shujauddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him), the author of Kashf Al Khulaasa was his contemporary and would often come to meet him.  Other Shaykhs of Hyderabad would also come and gain blessings.  Hadhrat would celebrate the ‘Urs of his master, Hadhrat Ghulam Ali Shah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) in a very simple manner.  There would be distribution of sweets and the (complete) Holy Quran would be recited a couple of times and that would be it.  Apart from him, the ‘Urs of other Elders of the Naqshbandi order would also be celebrated in the same manner.  A few recitations of the (complete) Holy Quran would be performed and sweets would be distributed.

His attire would be scholarly, as per the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the Companions.  He would be very pleased with the person who would follow the rules of the Shariah and the Sunnah and if anyone would not, he would advise him to do so.  Scholars used to be present all the time and he would be pleased with sessions of scholars.  Giving one’s pledge to him had its own effect.  Anybody who would become his disciple would himself stop from breaking the rules of the Shariah.

 

Everyone has to depart from this world. the Shaykh became ill and weak and complaints of illnesses started.  At last, this sun of the Mercy of Allah Most High, after illuminating thousands of hearts and after making many people his authorized representatives, set on Monday on 27th Jamadi Ul Ula, 1270 Hijri in Hyderabad.

 

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’oon.

 

Thousands of people, nobles and many others gathered and offered his Salaat Ul Janazah.  He was buried in Muhalla Urdu, in the same mosque which has been mentioned.  His radiant grave is of soil, which reminds those of following the Sunnah, although later Nawab Afzal Ud Daula constructed a dome as well, but the grave itself is still of soil.

 

[Excerpted from Gulzaar-e-Auliya of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)]