Hadhrat Khaja Muhammad Saifuddin Naqshbandi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

Hadhrat Khaja Muhammad Saifuddin Naqshbandi

(May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

 

He was the 5^th son of his father, Hadhrat Muhammad Masoom Naqshbandi.  He was born in 1150 Hijri in Sirhind.  At the time of his birth, his paternal uncle Hadhrat Muhammad Sa’eed (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) had a vision (Mukashifa) that an angel is reciting a verse of the Holy Quran:

 

And peace be on him the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he will be raised up alive!  Surah Maryam (19:15)

 

Hadhrat Saifuddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) completed the memorization of the Holy Quran in a short time after starting his education.  He completed his normative education also in a short time.  His spiritual accomplishments were expressed from a very young age.  At the age of 11 itself, his father gave him the glad tidings of attaining the station of annihilation of the heart (Fanaae Qalb).  Thus, he was supremely accomplished in his youth itself.

 

After the demise of Hadhrat Khaja Masoom Naqshbandi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him), he became the successor. 

 

Many people would eat at his table.  More than 400 people would be present in the Khanqah.  Every person would be given whatever dish he asked for.  In spite of all this, they would reach great spiritual heights.

 

The Shaykh was very humble about himself.  Often, he would circumambulate the blessed mausoleum of Hadhrat Mujaddid Alf Thaani (May Allah be well pleased with him) and would recite a couplet:

 

Who am I to claim friendship with you?

I am the least of the innumerable dogs of your street.

 

Enjoining good and forbidding evil was foremost in his nature.  Once, the Khaja went to Delhi and Emperor Aurangzeb welcomed him.  The Khaja was taken to the fort.  On the entrance of the fort, the Khaja saw that there were sculptures which showed 2 elephants with their mahouts on them.  The Khaja said:  I will not enter the fort until these sculptures are removed, as the angels of Mercy do not enter a place where such visual representations are there.  Thus, those sculptures were broken and only then did the Khaja enter the fort.

 

Emperor Aurangzeb also received the spiritual grace of the Khaja.  With the grace and attention of the Khaja, such spirituality was developed in the Emperor that such spiritual states were considered well nigh impossible for kings.

 

Due to the devotion of the Emperor, princes, nobles, etc. were all guided towards the teachings of Islam.  All of them became the disciples of the Khaja.  The prince Muhammad Azam was also a disciple of the Khaja.  Once, he came to the Khaja and due to the multitude of people, his turban fell to the ground.

 

The Khaja would enjoin the good and forbid evil for the common people as well.

 

Once, Khaja Muhammad Zubair (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) fell seriously ill in his childhood.  When Hadhrat Khaja Saifuddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) visited him, his aunt requested him to pray for the child.  The Khaja graced the child with his attention for some time and then said:  Allah Most High is the protector of this boy.  He will grow up to be a great Shaykh and thousands of people will come to him.

 

A person related that he had resolved that he would never go to Hadhrat Khaja Saifuddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) as he takes pride in himself.  That night, that person saw a dream that the police caught him and beat him with sticks admonishing him for thinking ill of Hadhrat Khaja Saifuddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).  He is the favorite of Allah Most High.  When that person woke up, he repented and came to Hadhrat Khaja Saifuddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) and became his disciple.

 

The Khaja passed away at the age of 47 on 26^th Jamaadi Ul Awwal, 1096 Hijri, which corresponds with 1686 AD.

 

[Excerpted from Tareekh Mashaaikh Naqshband]