The famed Saint of the Chistia Order was born at village Kahotwal in the
district of Multan in the year 569 Hijri. His father, Maulana Kamal Uddin,
belonged to the royal family of Kabul. Farrukh Adil shah, a famous ruler of the
dynasty, ruled over Kabul with dignity for a long time. Maulana Kamal Uddin was
a descendant of Umar Farouk and had twenty of his ancestors in between. When
Chingez Khan directed his attention towards Kabul, he left the place and came
to Punjab and finally settled down in the village of Kahotwal of Multan. His
mother, Qarsam Khatun, was the daughter of a renowned learned man. Hazrat
Gang-e-Shakar was pious, God-fearing, devoted, and a man of wondrous spiritual
powers. His original name was Masood Farid and Ganj-e-Shaker was titles.
Education
His mother was his teacher who imbibed in him virtues of head and heart
and made him say his prayers regularly. He received his early education in
Kahotwal and later went to Multan for higher studies. Here he learnt the
Qu’Oran by heart and took lessons on Arabic. During this period Hazrat
Qutab-Uddin Bakhtiyar Ka’aki came to the mosque to say his prayers were Baba
Farid studied. He was busy in the study of ‘Nafey’, a book on
Jurisprudence at the time. Hazrat Bakhtiyar Ka’aki said. ” Masood: What do you
read?” He replied, “Nafey,” Hazrat Ka’aki said.” Do you think, the book Nafey
will benefit you?” He replied, “No, I beseech of your kindness”. He raised and
placed his head on the feet of the Hazrat Ka’aki, who embraced him lovingly and
admitted him as his disciple. When the Qutab prepared to leave for Delhi he
requested him to accompany him but he instructed him to complete his education
and went to Delhi himself.
Baba Farid complied with the wishes of his teacher and guide completed
his studies of usual subjects and turned out a great man of letters.
The travels
He started on a journey to Ghazni, Baghdad, and Badakhshan and met the
holy men there. During this period he had the distinction of meeting saints:
Sheikh Shahab Uddin founder of the Suharawardy order, Sheikh Saif-Uddin Khizri,
Sheikh Syed Uddin Hamvi, Sheikh Bahauddin Zakaria Multani, and Sheikh Farid
Uddin Attar Neshapuri, to name a few.
Arrives in Delhi
Having returned from his travels abroad he reached Delhi to see his
teacher and guide. The Qutab received him warmly and put him up in a room out
of the Ghazni gate and started his intrinsic training. Baba Farid busied
himself in intense prayer and meditation.
Origin of the title of Ganj-e-Shaker
Once Baba was passing through a jungle. He was hot and thirsty. There
was no water around. At last he saw a well but there was neither bucket nor
rope to draw water. This dismayed him and he sat there. A short while later a
herd of deer’s appeared at the well. The well water rose upto the brim of the
well. The deer’s drank to their fill. But when Baba Farid reached it the water
lowered. He said complaining to God,” Am I inferior to the deer that water came
up for them but for me it went down?” He heard the answer, “The deer depended
upon us but you trusted the bucket and rope. What to complain for now!”
Baba Farid realized his mistake and felt ashamed he fasted, as penance,
for 40 days. On the last day, he had nothing to eat so that he might break the
fast. In the event he put a piece of clay in his mouth that turned sugar. When
news reached his teacher he exclaimed, “Farid is a store-house of Sugar.”
Once Baba Farid was travelling. Some camel’s laden with sugar passed
before him. He said to the Camel drivers, “What do you carry?” They replied,
Salt!” He said, “May it be salt! When the bags were opened, they were found
filled with salt. The camel drivers were non-pulsed, came to him asked
forgiveness. The Sheikh said, “Go if it was sugar, it would be sugar”. On their
return the camel drivers found that the bags were full of sugar. The incidence
received wide currency and Baba Farid came to be known by the title ‘Ganj-e-Shaker’
Prayers
For most of time he remained busy in prayers and was so deeply engrossed
in that he lost touch of the world. During his stay in Delhi he grew so weak,
that once when Khawaja Moin-uddin Chisti came to see Qutab-Uddin Bakhtiyar
Ka’aki, and went to see Baba Farid in his room, he could not stand to receive
him. The Khawaja was moved and blessed Baba Farid and gave him his dress.
Hazrat, Qutab-Uddin Ka’aki wrapped the turban, signifying the status of his,
spiritual heir, on his head with his hands. He became extremely popular. People
thronged to him. When crowds increased he left Delhi for Hansi.
Self-sufficiency and Fasting
He often remained engrossed in prayers and meditation and kept fasts for
most of the time. His kitchen was symptoms and served the needs of the poor and
the hungry of the city. When time of, the breaking of the fast approached, he
ate the frungal he had at the time.
Stay in Hansi
From Delhi he went to Hansi. Hearing the news of the demise of his
teacher and guide he returned to Delhi.
The relics of the Teacher
Having listened to the death of his teacher he returned to Delhi from
Hansi and said the Fatiha at the grave. Qazi Hamid Uddin Nagori then entrusted
him his teacher’s relics robe of spiritual heir, the staff, the sandals, prayer
mat and etc in accordance to the wishes of the deceased: Having taken the things
and in order to continue the divine work, he returned to Hansi.
His stay at Ajodhan or Pak pattn
He engaged in the service of the Faith whole heartily but the love of
the people was so overwhelming that it disturbed him. He left Hansi for Pak
pattan (formally named Ajodhan) in Punjab. The beggars and saints were given
scant respect in Pak pattan. People hated them and treated disrespectfully. He
thought it was the right place for him. He laid his blanket away from human
habitation and busied in praying God but soon people started collecting around
him.
When the number of his followers increased he built a house for his
dependants near the Jama Majid, but continued to live at original site. His
popularity increased. The city Qazi grew envious of him and obtained a sentence
from the theologians against him but when truth was revealed, he was acquitted
of all charges. The city Qazi was humiliated.
Propagation of the Faith
His stay at Pak pattan proved useful for the propagation of Islam. He
did marvelously in Punjab and Sindh and quite a large number of people
embarrassed Islam because of his attempts. Sultan Ghayasuddin Balban was
greatly impressed of his endeavors; He gave away his daughter in marriage to
him who bore him six sons.
Death
Baba Farid passed away in 664 Hijri at Pak pattan and laid to rest
there. Besides the followers, his spiritual heirs are Qutub Uddin Hansi,
Maulana Nizam Uddin Mehboob-e-Ilahi, and Makhdoom Ala-Uddin Sabir Kalahari.
Revelations and Miracles
Once an old woman carried a pail of milk on her head. He called her and
asked her where she was taking the milk. She answered that there was a yogi
living nearby. If a thing demanded by him was not given to him it turned to
blood. The yogi waited for sometime and then sent his disciple to Enquirer into
the matter. The disciples saw her the old women and called her names. When he
exceeded beyond the limits of decency Baba Farid asked him to be quiet. He lost
his power of speech. The yogi then sent another disciple and the same occurred
to him. Several of his disciples came and sat there mute. In the end the yogi
himself came and became furious with the woman. Baba Farid ordered him to keep
quiet and he too lost his power of speech. Then the yogi realized his mistake
and the spiritual power of the Baba. With folded hands he begged forgiveness.
The Baba excused him on the condition that he would not harass any person.
Books
He wrote and edited several books. Sheikh Nizam Uddin, his follower and
spiritual heir, edited his articles into a book, Rahat-Ul-Quloob. The other
book Seair-ul-Auliya contains biographical articles and was edited by his
another disciple and heir, Badar Ishaq.
Quotes
·
Sofist is one, whose presence cleanses everything and nothing can rust
it.
·
Don’t fear for worldly grandeur and material.
·
Fool is not alive.
·
Don’t be proud of sin, and run after decoration.
·
Two men discourse is better than a year’s labor of a man
·
Avoid the killer-like fool.
·
If desire respect, move with the poor and broken hearted.
·
Never forget Death.
·
Don’t overlook the Faith, when you are with the rich
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