Some distinguishing qualities of Hadhrat Khaja Baqibillah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

Some distinguishing qualities of Hadhrat Khaja Baqibillah

(May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

 

After the imposition of Deen-e-Ilaahi, the kind of commands and orders that Akbar gave can be seen in the writings of ‘Abdul Qadir Badayuni.  It was compulsory to prostrate to the king.  It became compulsory for men to use gold and silk.  Salaat, fasting, Hajj, Hijab, Islamic sciences, even Arabic script was discouraged.  Construction of new mosques was prohibited and many old mosques were demolished.  Nobody could offer Salaat in the Deewaan Khana.  Circumcision was prohibited for boys below the age of 12.  After that age, it was up to the kid whether or not he wanted it or not.

 

Fake scholars joined ranks with Akbar in these things, while the true scholars took recourse in reclusion.  The person who formed an effective front against the court of Akbar was a Shaykh who came to India in the last years of Akbar’s reign.  He could not work for more than 4 or 5 years.  He not only laid the base of Naqshbandi order in the subcontinent, but also quietly created a front of pious and religious nobles against the decidedly anti-religious policies of Akbar.  That Shaykh was Hadhrat Khaja Muhammad Baqibillah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).

 

Here, we will look at some of the distinguishing qualities of Hadhrat Khaja Baqibillah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).

 

His humility

 

Often it would happen that some seeker would come to him for Ba’yah and he would say:  I am not worth it.  Search for an accomplished person and if you find him, inform me as well.  The same happened with his (future) caliph Hadhrat Shaykh Husamuddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).  He heard the words of the Khaja and went away to Agra.  There, he heard some singers singing a couplet:

 

Whether you brush your sleeves or pull back your tunic,

The fly will never leave the shop of the sweets-maker

 

Shaykh Husamuddin came back and insisted that the Khaja accept him as a disciple.

 

A man from Khorasan was at the shrine of Hadhrat Khaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaaki (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).  He was informed through a dream that a Naqshbandi saint has come to the city and that he should make him his spiritual mentor.  He came to the Khaja, but as usual the Khaja didn’t accept his own greatness.  The young man returned.  That night he was informed through a dream that it is the same saint, this humility is his jewel.  Thus, that young man came to the Khaja again and never went back.

 

Affection and love for the creation of Almighty Allah

 

Many examples of this are found in the biographies of the Khaja.  When the Khaja was staying in Lahore, there was a famine there and people were dying in great numbers.  The Khaja reduced his own food and would often fast.  Whatever food would be cooked in his house, he would give it away to the poor.

 

The Khaja had the same affection for animals as well.  Once the Khaja got for Tahajjud and when he returned, a cat was sleeping in his bed.  The Khaja didn’t remove the cat and himself spent the cold night like that.

 

While journeying, if the Khaja would see any weak person walking, he would make him mount his animal.  The Khaja himself would get down and start walking.  Some distance before the destination, the Khaja would again mount the animal so that no one should know of this.

 

Forbearance and forgiveness

 

Once, the Khaja went to the shrine of Hadhrat Khaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaaki (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).  Before the Khaja reached the shrine, his attendants had placed a podium (Takht) there.  A coarse pauper (Faqeer) came there.  He saw the podium, etc. and started insulting the Khaja.  The attendants became angry and wanted to retaliate, but the Khaja stopped them.  He personally apologized to that man.  He even gave some money to that man.

 

Nobles, who were the devotees of the Khaja would send him money.  The Khaja would add some of his own and distribute it all.  In spite of this some greedy people would speak ill of the Khaja.  The Khaja would always treat them with forbearance and would tell his own people:  Forbearance is the proof of path of Irfan.

 

Caring for the creation and asceticism

 

If any needy person would come to him, the Khaja would make a recommendation for him.  However, the Khaja would make no attempt for worldly gains for himself or his special students.  He would say:  The person who gets monetary help from me should understand that our religious love for that person is less.

 

Whenever any affluent person would seek permission to spend on the students of the Khaja, the Khaja would not allow that person to spend on himself or those of his students who had developed an attachment with him.

 

The pinnacle of guidance and absorption

 

The Khaja was highly accomplished in the art of guiding people to Allah Most High.  Whatever the Khaja achieved in 3, 4 years, very few saints have ever accomplished anything like it.

 

Hadhrat Mujaddid Alf Thaani (May Allah sanctify his secret) says:

 

…..this humble person can say with complete certainty that after the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), such company and guidance did not ever exist.  We should be thankful for this that even though we were not privileged to be in the company of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), still we have not been bereft of the blessings of it.

 

In all matters, the Khaja would act upon the Sunnah itself.  Religious music, dancing, etc. had no place in his gatherings.  So much so that a person said, “Allah” in a loud voice and the Khaja said:  Tell him to be mindful of the etiquette of our gatherings.

 

The Khaja would be very meticulous of his food.  The cook would be with ablution (Wudhu) and blessed with the closeness of Almighty Allah.

 

The Khaja had such accomplished absorption (Jazb) that many seekers would be overwhelmed with ecstasy just on seeing him. 

 

Once, a speaker saw the Khaja while he was speaking on the pulpit.  He was overwhelmed and fell from the pulpit.

 

One night, Hadhrat Mujaddid Alf Thaani (May Allah sanctify his secret) sent a gift to the Khaja through one of his own attendants.  That man was a simple fellow and instead of waking up any of the attendants of the Khaja, he himself went to the room where the Khaja would be engaged in worship.  The Khaja himself received the gift and asked the attendant’s name, etc.  Then the Khaja said:  If you are Shaykh Ahmad’s attendant, you are also mine.

 

When that man returned, absorption and ecstasy started overwhelming that person.  He reached the door of Hadhrat Mujaddid (May Allah sanctify his secret) screaming and stumbling all over the place.  He said:  I see such a colorless radiance in the earth and the sky that I cannot describe it.  Hadhrat Mujaddid (May Allah sanctify his secret) said:  The Khaja came in front of him and a ray of that sun fell on this particle.

 

[Excerpted from Tarikh Mashaaikh-e-Naqshband]