Islam in India and Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him)

Muslims had already set their feet in India before the arrival of Hadhrat Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him).  In 2nd Hijri, when Sindh looted the gifts sent by the rulers of Ceylon, 17-year-old Muhammad bin Qasim attacked Sindh as a defensive measure and then again with Mahmood Ghaznawi.  Islam had arrived, but only a small percentage of the population was aware of it.  (Musalmaanon Ke Azeem Farmanrawa, Pg. No. 190)

 

At the other end of the subcontinent, from the era of the first 4 caliphs itself, Companions, Successors and others had started landing on Indian shores.  With their arrival these areas surely started reverberating with the Adhaan and the devotees of monotheism started gathering.

 

Allah Most High selected Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) for this great achievement that with his spiritual presence and efforts, Islam spread to all corners of the subcontinent.  Before the arrival of the Khwaja, Islam had arrived, but had not yet spread.  With his presence, the radiance of Islam spread far and wide.

 

The Khwaja’s coming to India

 

All the authoritative books on history agree that these calls of “Allahu Akbar,” the light of Tauheed in millions of hearts, this enthusiasm to lay down lives for truth, this atmosphere of peace and security, culture and refinement, universal love and brotherhood, all this and much more is all because of Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him).  His very talk revived millions of hearts and his character set the standards of truthfulness in the whole of the subcontinent.

 

Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) arrived at Lahore from Ghazni.  There he visited the blessed grave of Hadhrat Data Ganj Baksh (May Allah sanctify his secret) and then came to Delhi.  At that time, Delhi was the seat of the government of Prithiviraj Chauhan.  Then later on, Ajmer became the seat of the government.

 

Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz came to India and the tests of his steadfastness started.  When Prithviraj Chauhan saw the light of Islam spreading, he could not bear it and tried in vain to snuff out the light of Islam.  He tried various methods to drive the lovers of Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz out of India.  Wherever the Khwaja sat, he would be asked to leave.  The height of oppression was that water was forbidden for the Khwaja and followers.  Soldiers stood guard at the banks of Anasagar.  Thus, the king stooped so low that he started committing inhuman atrocities on the Khwaja and his followers.  In spite of all this, there was no change in the steadfastness of the Khwaja and in his eagerness and efforts to spread Islam.

 

Visiting Hadhrat Data Ganj Baksh (May Allah shower His mercy on him)

 

The Khwaja came to India and reached Lahore.  There he spent time at the blessed grave of Hadhrat Makhdoom ‘Ali Hujweri Data Ganj Baksh (May Allah sanctify his secret) and said the following couplet in his praise:

 

Transliteration:

 

Ganj Baksh Faize ‘Alam Mazhare Noore Khuda

Naqisaan Ra Peere Kaamil Kaamilan Ra Rahnuma.

 

After gaining the spiritual blessings of Hadhrat Data Banj Baksh (May Allah shower His mercy on him), the Khwaja came to Delhi.  He spent some days there and went to Ajmer.  When the Khwaja reached the settlement, the men of Rai Pithora found him as per the description given by Rai Pithora’s mother.  Thus, with the intention of hurting the Khwaja, they requested him to stay in that place.  However, the Khwaja divined their vile intentions and didn’t acquiesce to their urgent requests.  He then went on openly along with his disciples and attendants.  Thus, on 10^th Muharram, the Khwaja graced Ajmer with his presence.  The Khwaja rested under a Peepal tree where the camels of the king used to be tied.  (Hayaat-e-Khwaja, Pg. No. 30)

 

The effect of his Wilayah

 

After receiving the robe from Hadhrat Khwaja ‘Uthman Haruni (May Allah shower His mercy on him), the Khwaja traveled and benefited many cities, villages and settlements and reached a place called Sabzwaar.  The Khwaja bathed in the tank of an orchard, offered supererogatory (Nafl) Salaat and busied himself in recitation of the Holy Quran.  The owner of this orchard was a wicked characterless person called Yaadgaar.  He had constructed a house in the orchard itself.  He came to the orchard immediately after the arrival of the Khwaja.  He expressed his anger on seeing the Khwaja there.  He intended to disrespect the Khwaja, but the Khwaja cast a single glance at him and his whole body started trembling.   His face lost all its color and staggering, he fell to ground.  The same happened to his servants, etc.  The Khwaja ordered his own attendant to splash water on Yaadgaar’s face.  On regaining his conscience, he fell at the feet of the Khwaja, repented against all sins and entered among the attendants of the Khwaja.

 

The Khwaja treated him with such benevolence and such divine attention that all evil turned to good.  (Panj Ganj Farsi, Pg. No. 75; Mishkaat Un Nubuwwah, Vol. 4 Pg. No. 101; Miraat Ul Asraar, Pg. No. 596)

 

Sending his representatives to various places for propagation of Islam

 

After this, he assigned the responsibility of propagating Islam to his caliphs and sent them to various places in the country.  Thus within a few years, the message of Islam spread to every nook and cranny of the country.  Hadhrat Syed Muhammad bin Mubarak Kirmani, the caliph of Hadhrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya (May Allah shower His mercy on them) says about this revolution of peace:

 

It is truly a miracle of the Khwaja.  This land up to its farthest corner was overspread with idol worship.  People were oblivious of religion and the rules of religion.  They were incognizant of Allah Most High and the Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  This sun of the folk of certitude dispelled the darkness of disbelief and the light of Islam spread far and wide.  He is really the Helper of the Religion (M’uin Ud Deen).  In this land, whoever became a Muslim and whoever will become a Muslim until the Day of Judgment, the reward of that will reach Khwaja M’uinuddin Hasan Sanjari (May Allah shower His mercy on him).  (Siyar Ul Auliya, Pg. No. 57)