The special attributes and qualities of the Khwaja

 
The special attributes and qualities of the Khwaja and his teachings and utterances

 

The generosity of the Khwaja

 

The generosity of Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) was such that no one who asked of him returned disappointed.  Hadhrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyaar Kaki (May Allah shower His mercy on him) says that he stayed with Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) for a very long time.  In this whole period, he never saw anybody who asked of him or any beggar return empty-handed.

 

In his Langar daily so much food would be prepared that all the needy and destitute of the city would eat to their heart’s content.  When the attendant would ask for the day’s expenses, the Khwaja would turn over a corner of his prayer mat and ask him to take as much as was needed.  The attendant would take as much as was needed and prepare food and distribute it among the poor.  Apart from this, grants were given to the dervishes by the Khwaja.  (Seerat-e-Ghareebnawaz, Pg. No. 264)

 

Care and concern for neighbors

 

The Khwaja would be very concerned about fulfilling the rights of the neighbors.  If any neighbor passed away, the Khwaja would definitely attend the funeral.  When others would return, the Khwaja would stay back and pray for the forgiveness and deliverance of the deceased.  He would console the dependents of the deceased and advise them to exercise patience.

 

Once a neighbor passed away.  The Khwaja attended the funeral.  As was his habit, he stayed back after everyone had left.  Hadhrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyaar Kaki (May Allah shower His mercy on him) says:  I saw that the Khwaja’s face changed color for a moment.  Then, he said: Al Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) and stood up from there.  He then turned to me and said:  Ba’yah is also a strange thing.

 

When I inquired about the reason, he said:  When this person was buried, the angels in charge of punishment came and wanted to torture that person.  At that moment, Hadhrat Khwaja ‘Uthman Haruni (May Allah shower His mercy on him) came and told the angels:  This is my disciple, don’t punish him.  The angels said:  He is your disciple, but he did not walk your path.  He said:  True, but he has attached himself to this pauper (Faqeer).  I don’t want him to be punished.  At this very moment, the order of Allah came thus:  We desire the gratification of the Shaykh.  Don’t punish him.  (Rahat Ul Quloob, on the authority of M’uin Ul Arwaah, Pg. No. 188)

 

Special attention to disciples

 

Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) had great love for his disciples, his caliphs and their disciples and would make special efforts to grace them with his spiritual blessings.  In the period in which Hadhrat Baba Fareeduddin Ganjshakar (May Allah shower His mercy on him) was engaged in worship and striving in the path of Allah Most High in the flower of his youth, Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz and Hadhrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyaar Kaki (May Allah shower His mercy on them), both went to his chamber.  Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) was very impressed by his worship and blessed him and granted him an abundance of spiritual blessings and graced him with his special attention.

 

His magnanimousness

 

Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) was very kind, noble and magnanimous.  He seldom got angry, if ever.  Even if anyone spoke harshly to him, he would never take offense to it.  It would seem that Hadhrat Khwaja Ghareebnawaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) had not heard those words at all.

 

Once a person hid a dagger below his arm and came to him with the heinous intention of murdering him.  The Khwaja divined his intention and told him: Why don’t you use your dagger?  I offer my neck to you.

 

On listening to this, that person started trembling.  He threw away the dagger, fell at the feet of the Khwaja and asked for his forgiveness.  The Khwaja forgave him and prayed for his felicity.

 

Some biographers have written that this person was a non-Muslim, specifically a Hindu.  This incident happened when the Khwaja was in Delhi en route from Lahore to Ajmer.  Due to the lofty character of the Khwaja, this person embraced Islam and with the blessings of the Khwaja, this person went for Hajj 45 times.  It is mentioned in “Asraar Ul Auliya” that eventually that person was included among the caretakers of the Ka’aba and by the grace of Allah, that sacred land also became the last resting place of that person.