Pir Meher Ali Shah

Pir Meher Ali Shah
Religion	Islam, specifically the Chishti Sufi order
Personal
Born	14 April 1859(1859-04-14) Golra Sharif
Died	May 1937 (aged 78) Golra Sharif
Senior posting
Based in	Golra Sharif
Title	Pir
Predecessor	Hazrat Khawaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi
Successor	Pir Syed Ghulam Mehi ud Din

Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah Gilani (Urdu: پیر م‍ﮩ‍رعلى شاه ) was born 14 April 1859 (1 Ramadan, 1275 A.H.) in Golra Sharif, which is located midway between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, in present-day Pakistan. The time just before his birth saw the Indian Rebellion of 1857 fought between the British and the sepoys allied with seven of the Princely states. He is renowned as a Sufi saint, a great Hanafi scholar upholding the position of Hazrat Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehalvi, and especially for being at the forefront of the anti-Ahmadiyya movement. He wrote several books, most notably Saif e Chishtiyai, (The Sword of the Chishtis), a polemical work regarding the unorthodoxy and the heresy of the Ahmadiyya movement of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.

Early childhood

Pir Meher Ali Shah reported that he loved seclusion since childhood, feeling uncomfortable in the midst of throngs of people, and finding deserted places serene. Quite often, he said, he would quietly leave the house at night after everyone else had gone to bed, and spend much of the night wandering the nearby wooded ravines. As he grew, he started experiencing a feeling of such unusual heat within his body that he was sometimes compelled — even on cold winter nights — to bathe in the ice-cold water of the canal, and also rub pieces of ice on his body. When he left his room late at night after finishing his studies, he used to experience the same kind of comfort from contact with the cold mountain air that a thirsty person normally derives from cool water at the height of summer. Sufis believe such heat is generated due to excessive amounts of Zikr or Dhikr, an Islamic practice that focuses on the remembrance of God.

Early education

Mehr Ali received his early education about the Qur'an at his family khanqah (Sufi hospice) and was given classes in Urdu and Persian in the local madrasah. He completed his intermediate level religious education here. His stay in this madrasah was for about two and a half years.

After completing his education at Angah at the age of 15 from Mianwaddal family of Hafiz Rehmatullah, he decided to continue further studies in the United Provinces (U.P) of India. Therefore, Pir Meher Ali, in 1874 set out for higher education, to different parts of India such as Kanpur, Aligarh and Saharanpur. His stay at Aligarh at the madrasah of Maulana Lutfullah of Aligarh was for two and a half years

Marriage

When Pir Meher Ali Shah returned home after completing his studies, he married the daughter of Syed Charagh Ali Shah who belonged to his mother’s family living in the town of Hasan Abdal, a few miles away from Golra Sharif.

Works

1. Tahqiq-ul-Haq Fi Kalima-tul-Haq (The Truth about Kalima-tul-Haq)
2. Shamsul Hidayah
3. Saif-e-Chishtiya
4. I’la Kalimatillah Fi Bayan-e-Wa Ma Uhilla Bihi Legharillah
5. AlFatuhat-us-Samadiyyah (Divine Bounties)
6. Tasfiah Mabain Sunni Wa Shi’ah
7. Fatawa-e-Mehria
8. Mulfuzaat-e-Mehria (Sayings of Meher Ali Shah)

Poetry

“	'کتھے مہر علی کتھے تیری ثنا Who is (the humble) Meher Ali to chant thy praises;	”
—

Pir Meher Ali Shah was a famous Sufi poet. Most of his poetry is in the Persian and the Punjabi languages, with a few poems and couplets written in Urdu. The following poem, "Aj Sik Mitraan Di", is the most well-known of his writings.

اج سک متراں دی ودھیری اے

Why is my heart sadder today than ever before?

کیوں دلڑی اداس گھنیری اے

Why is my heart sadder today than ever before?

لوں لوں وچ شوق چنگیری اے

Why does longing penetrate every tissue of mine?

اج نیناں لائیاں کیوں جھڑیاں

And why are the eyes shedding tears like a shower of rain?

الطیف سری من طلعتہ

His shining face appeared to me in a vision,

والشذ و بدی من وفرتہ

And fragrance emanated in profusion from His tresses;

فسکرت ھنا من نظرتہ

I fainted from the sight of these visions;

نیناں دیاں فوجاں سر چڑھیاں

The hordes of his eyes overpowered me.

مکھ چند بدر شعشانی اے

His face shines like the full moon;

متھے چمکدی لاٹ نورانی اے

A brilliant light radiates from his brow;

کالی زلف تے اکھ مستانی اے

مخمور اکھیں ہن مدھ بھریاں

His hair is black, and his eyes are bewitching and intoxicated.

دو ابرو قوس مثال دسن

His two eye-brows are like cross-bows,

جیں تھیں نوک مژہ دے تیر چھٹن

Hurling darts of pointed eye-lashes (in all directions);

لباں سرخ آکھاں کہ لعل یمن

His lips are red like rubies of Yemen;

چٹے دند موتی دیاں ہن لڑیاں

His white teeth like a string of pearls.

اس صورت نوں میں جان آکھاں

I am not sure whether I should call his face the essence of life;

جانان کہ جان جہان آکھاں

Or life of the entire universe;

سچ آکھاں تے رب دی شان آکھاں

The truth is that it is (like) the glory of God,

جس شان تو شاناں سب بنیاں

From which all other (worldly) glories originated,

[ Note : This refers to the Holy Prophet's well-known hadith:

"Allah created (everything from my light, and I am from the Light of Allah"]

ایہہ صورت ہے بے صورت تھیں

This face (of the Prophet) emerged from the Faceless One (i.e., Allah);

بے صورت ظاہر صورت تھیں

The Faceless One manifests Himself through this face.

بے رنگ دسے اس مورت تھیں

The Colourless (Reality) has been revealing itself through this image,

وچ وحدت پھٹیاں جد گھڑیاں

Ever since Unity exploded into Diversity.

دسے صورت راہ بے صورت دا

It is this face (of the Holy Prophet) that guides (mankind) to the path of Faceless One (i.e., Allah);

توبہ راہ کی عین حقیقت دا

Nay (not the path only but) to the Ultimate Reality Itself.

پر کم نہیں بے سوجھت دا

However, understanding this (secret) is beyond the capacity of the simpleton;

کوئی ورلیاں موتی لے تریاں

Only the select few succeed in discovering and capturing the Pearl (of Truth).

ایہا صورت شالا پیش نظر

May this Face (of the Holy Prophet) remain before my eyes,

رہے وقت نزع تے روز حشر

In my last moments (of life) and on the Resurrection Day!

وچ قبر تے پل تھیں جد ہوسی گذر

Then (also) in my grave, and at the time of crossing the (razor-sharp) Bridge (on the Judgment Day as a test to separate the virtuous ones from the sinners);

سب کھوٹیاں تھیں سن تد کھریاں

Only then shall the fake ones become pure (in the sight of Allah).

یعطیک ربک داس تساں

Thou (O Holy Prophet) hast been blessed (by Allah) with the promise to grant thy desire (in full);

فترضی تھیں پوری آس اساں

And we (thy humble followers) have full faith in Allah's assurance that thou shalt be happy with the Bounty of Allah. [Note: Reference here is to verse 5 of Surah XCIII of the Holy Quran: "And presently (i.e., in the Hereafter, as also in this world) thy Lord shall grant unto thee (O Prophet ! rich and abundant reward) so that thou shalt be well-pleased].

لج پال کریسی پاس اساں

The Gracious One (we hope) shall declare us successful (in the test of earthly life);

واشفع تشفع صحیح پڑھیاں

Because we have correctly understood the Divine words: "Intercede and thy intercession shall be accepted". [Note: Here the reference is to the Prophet's divinely inspired hadith (hadith-e-Qudsi)in which Allah reassures the Prophet with the words i.e., his intercession for the forgiveness of sinning believers shall be accepted by Allah on the Judgment Day].

لاہو مکھ تو مخطط برد یمن

Be gracious enough to remove from thy face the sheet of Yemen (O Prophet !),

من بھانوری جھلک دکھلاو سجن

And grant us a glimpse of thy endearing face.

اوہا مٹھیاں گالیں الاو مٹھن

Repeat once again those sweet words,

جو حمرا وادی سن کریاں

Which thou hadst uttered in the valley of Hamra.

حجرے توں مسجد آو ڈھولن

Come (once again) from thy cell to Mosque,

نوری جھات دے کارن سارے سکن

For everyone longs for a glimpse of thy image full of light;

دو جگ اکھیاں راہ دا فرش کرن

(And) denizens of both the worlds (i.e., this world and the Hereafter) are laying their eyes in thy path -

سب انس و ملک حوراں پریاں

Human beings, angels, the houris and the fairies.

انہاں سکدیاں تے کرلاندیاں تے

For the ones yearning and pining (for a glimpse of thine);

لکھ واری صدقے جاندیاں تے

Who are ready to sacrifice (their lives) for thy sake;

انہاں بردیاں مفت وکاندیاں تے

For these slaves ready to sell themselves out without any price (in thy path);

شالا آون وت وی اوھ گھڑیاں

May those moments of bliss come back once again!

سبحان اللہ ما اجملک

ما احسنک ما اکملک

Glory to Allah, who created thee (O Holy Prophet!) in the most beautiful, the best, and the most perfect mould.

کتھے مہر علی کتھے تیری ثنا

Who is (the humble) Meher Ali to chant thy praises;

گستاخ اکھیں کتھے جا اڑیاں

How (presumptuous and) impudent his eyes are to aspire to the heights of thy love!

Sufi of the Chishti Order

Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah Gilani was a disciple and Khalifa of Hazrat Shams-ud-din in the Silsila-e-Chishtia Nizamiyah. His biography, Meher-e-Muneer, records that he was also made a khalifa by Hazrat Haji Imdadullah Muhaajir Makki, when he visited the latter in Mecca. Hajji Imdadullah Mahajir Makki advised him to return to India, where a great storm was about to rise against Islam, which Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah Gilani must crush. Haji Imdadullah Mahajir Makki is believed to have been predicting the Qadiyani heresy.

Mausoleum of Pir Meher Ali Shah with Mosque of Golra Sharif

1. Muhammad
2. Ali Ibn-e-Abu Talib
3. Hasan of Basra
4. Abdul Wahid bin Zaid
5. Fuzeel Ibn-e-Ayaaz
6. Sultan Ibrahim Adham
7. Sadeed-ud-din
8. Ameen-ud-din
9. Mumshaad
10. Abi Ishaq Shami Chishti
11. Syed Abi Ahmad Abdal Chishti
12. Syed Abi Muhammad Chishti
13. Syed Nasir-ud-din Chishti
14. Syed Qutb-ud-din Maudud Chishti
15. Makhdum Haji Sharif
16. Usman Harooni
17. Syed Moin-ud-din Chishti of Ajmer Sharif
18. Syed Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki
19. Baba Fareed-ud-din Ganjshakar
20. Syed Nizaam-ud-din Awlia
21. Naseer-ud-din Charagh-e-Delhi
22. Kamaal-ud-din
23. Siraaj-ud-din
24. I’lm-ud-din
25. Mehmood Rajan
26. Jamaal-ud-din Juman
27. Jamaal-ud-din Hasan Muhammad Nuri
28. Qutb Shams-ud-din Muhammad
29. Muhammad
30. Kaleem Ullah Jahanabadi
31. Nizaam-ud-din Aurongabadi
32. Fakhr-ud-din
33. Nur Muhammad Mahaarvi
34. Muhammad Sulaiman Taunsvi
35. Shams-ud-din Sialvi
36. Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah Gilani

A printed copy of letter written in Urdu language by great philosopher Sir Muhammad Iqbal to Pir Meher Ali shah requesting him information about Ibn Arabi concept of Space and Time.

Supporter of Wahdat-ul-Wujood (The Unicity of Existence)

Pir Meher Ali Shah was a supporter of Ibn Arabi's ideology of Wahdat-ul-Wujood but he made a distinction between the creation and the creator (as did Ibn Arabi). He also wrote a masterpiece explaining the Unity of Being doctrine of Ibn Arabi.

Like his comrade, Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad, he was an authority on Ibn Arabi and his 37-volume masterpiece The Meccan Illuminations (Al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya).

In 1933, Pir Meher Ali Shah was absorbed in his meditation and mystic trances. That year the great philosopher Sir Muhammad Iqbal had to give a lecture at Cambridge University on Ibn Arabi's concept of Space and Time. He wrote a letter to Pir Meher Ali Shah stating that now there was nobody in all of Hindustan whom he could consult in this matter, and requesting him to tell about Ibn Arabi's concept of Space and Time. In this letter Sir Muhammad Iqbal stated with respect that he knew he was disturbing the learned Pir's meditations, but as his motive was the service of Islam, therefore he dared to ask him a question. Pir Meher Ali shah however, due to his meditation and bad health, could not reply.

Anti-Ahmadiyya preaching

Pir Meher Ali Shah got settled at Hijaz by the end of nineteenth century; Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki of Makkah appointed him to go back to India and to fight the new movement of Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadyan. So he came back and played a role among the people against the Ahmadiyya movement, writing books such as Saif e Chistiya against the Ahmadiyya movement. Pir Meher Ali Shah also challenged Mirza Ghulam Ahmed to a public debate in Lahore. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had challenged him in writing a commentary of the Holy Quran.

Relationship with the Deobandis

Pir Sahib also has written against the Deobandis. For example, he debated two Deobandis, Ahmad Ali Vabacharan and Ghulamullah Khan, and as per Mawlana Ghulam Mahmud Panpalawi, the student of Pir Meher Ali Shah, he endorsed Imam Ahmad Raza Khan's fatwa against the Deobandi school's four leaders (i.e. Ashraf `Ali al-Thanwi, Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi, Khalil al-Ambethawi al-Saharanpuri, and Qasim al-Nanautawi).

Interestingly enough, the Deobandis still hold Pir Meher Ali Shah in high regard in spite of Pir Sahib's writing against him. They hold the claim that Pir Sahib did not write against the Deobandis, the opposite which is stated by Pir Meher Ali Shah's own grandson, The late Pir Abu Nizamuddin Mawlana Sayyid Nasiruddin Naseer Shah Golrawi, who states that he was told by Mawlana Abdus Shakur Hazarawi as well as Mawlana Muhib un-Nabi that he did not hold all Deobandis to be disbelievers unless they had committed acts of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad, which is an indirect reference towards Imam Ahmad Raza Khan's edict against the four Deobandis who had committed insults against the Prophet Muhammad.

Notes

Category;1859 births