Shah Niyaz Ahmad
Shah Niyaz Ahmad was born on 6th Jumada al-Thani 1155 Hijri (7 August 1742) and died on 6th Jumada al-Thani 1250 Hijri (9 October 1834). He was a prominent Sufi.
Parental lineage
From his father's side the lineage goes to Ali and from his mother's side it goes to Fatimah Zahra. He was an Alvi from his paternal line and his mother was Rizvi Syed.
His great grandfathers[clarification needed] belonged to the royal family of Bukhara (present day Uzbekistan). Among his great grandfathers Shah Ayaat-ul-lah Alvi left the sultanate and settled in Multan (Punjab province of present day Pakistan). His grandson Azmatullah Alvi came to Sirhind (Punjab, India), his son Elahi Shah Muhammad Rahmat-ul-lah later came and settled in Delhi. He was the father of Niyaz. He was appointed Chief Justice in Delhi. He earned the title of "Hakim-e-Elahi". Shah Niyaz was born in Sirhind and came to Delhi with his father.
His mother's name was Bibi Laado but she was famous by the name of Bibi Gharib Nawaz. She was a daughter of Syed Maulana Sa'id-ud-din, who traced his descent from Musa al-Kazim. He was a spiritual caliph of Hazrat Shaikh Kalim-ul-lah of Shahjahanabad (Delhi). She was herself a spiritual lady. Her spiritual teacher Shah Mohi-ud-din Diyasanami/Giyasnami inducted her twice in Qadria order of Sufism, the reason for making her a disciple for the second time was that, as he said, he was actually making the child in her womb (Niyaz) his disciple.
Education
His primary education started at home under the guidance of his maternal grandfather Sa'id-ud-din. He got higher education from Madarsa Faqriya, Delhi which was equivalent to a college at that time. He completed his education including Quran, Hadis, Tafseer, Fiqh at the age of 15. He was awarded the degree of Farighut-tahsil after 3 days of questioning by various scholars. He then became a teacher there. He later became the principal of the madarsa.
Initiation in Sufi Order
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Shah Niyaz inherited spiritual qualities from his parents, particularly from his mother from childhood.
His mother gave him in the care of Sayed FaKhar uddin Muhammad Dehalvi who is famous by the name Maulana Fakhar-uddin/Fakhr-e-Jahan/ Muhib-un-Nabi who later made Shah Niyaz his spiritual disciple. He used to call him Miyan. Molana Fakhar-e-Jahan deputed Niyaz to Bareilly, (Uttar Pradesh, India) to carry out the work of the order.
Niyaz was inducted in Qadri order by Abdullah Shah Baghdadi, who was direct desecendant of Abdul Qadir Jilani. The incidence is such that one day Moulana Fakhar-e-Jahan told that in his dream Ghaus Paak has introduced him to a certain person (closely related to him) who would be sent to initiate Niyaz as his disciple and Moulana Fakhar-e-Jahan should have him accepted by the person. After six days Moulana Fakhar-uddin told one day that Ghaus Paak has told him that the person has reached Delhi. Moulana Fakhar-uddin placed a tray full of sweets on his head and holding the hand of Niyaz went to Jama Masjid Delhi, where the person (Abdullah Baghdadi) was staying. Fakhar-e-Jahan recognized Abdullah Baghdadi at once and placed the tray in front of him. Niyaz was accepted by Abdullah Baghdadi as his spiritual disciple in front of huge crowd in the arch of Jama Masjid.
Shah Niyaz also received spiritual blessings from other saints of other Sufi orders. In brief it can be put that he was initiated in Qadri order by Syed Abdullah Baghdadi and Mohi-ud-din Diyasnami, in Chisti-Nizami order by Moulana Fakhar-e-Jahan and Said-ud-din, in Suharwardi order by Fakhar-e-Jahan, and in Chisti-Sabri-Naqshbandi order from Shah Rahmat-ul-lah.
The Sufi order he established is known as the Niyazi Silsila.
The Sufi order Chishti Nizami Lutfi (India & Pakistan) established by Moulana Lutfullah Chishti Nizami Dankori Rehmatullah the 4th spiritual descendant of Shah Niyaz.
Miskeen Shah Jaipuri was also the prominent Khalifa-mijaaz of Shah Niyaz. Miskeen Shah's premier Khalifa and successor was Shah Sadiq Jaipuri. Shah Sadiq's Premier Khalifa and successor was Fazl-e-haq Patodi. Fazl-e-Haq's premier khalifa and successor was Moulana Lutfullah Dankori. Moulana Lutfullah's premier khalifa and successor was Sofi Abdulhameed dankori. Sofi Abdulhameed's premier khalifa and successor was Shaikh Ghayoor Ahmed Hyderabad(pak). Shaikh Ghayoor Ahmed Chishti Nizami Lutfi Hameedi's premier Khalifa and successor is Moulana Shahid Hussain Chishti Nizami Lutfi Hameedi Ghayoori (Hyderabad Pakistan).
easy order Shah Niyaz Rehmatullah, Miskeen shah Jaipuri Rehmatullah, Shah Sadiq Jaipuri Rehmatullah, Fazl-e-haq Patodi Rehmatullah, Moulana Lutfullah Dankori Rehmatullah, Sofi Abdul-Hameed Dankori Rehmatullah, Shaikh Ghayoor Ahmed Rehmatullah (died: 5 ziqad 1424 Hyderabad Pakistan), Moulana Shahid Hussain (Living in Hyderabad Pakistan).
Marriage and children
He was married firstly to the daughter of Abdullah Baghdadi who died after some years. He had two sons, Shah Nizam-ud-din Husain and Shah Nasir-ud-din, from his second wife.
His tomb is in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh, India). His urs (death anniversary) is celebrated annually in a traditional way and is attended by a huge crowd.
Khalifa (Caliphs)
His eldest son Nizamuddin Hussain was his premier khalifa and successor. He had lot of other caliphs, in which some prominent are-Syed Muhammed Sani of Badakshan, Maulvi Abdul Latif of Samarkand, Maulvi Nemat-ul-lah of Kabul, Maulvi Yar Muhammed of Kabul, Mulla jan Muhammed of Kabul, Maulana waz Muhammed of Badakshan, Maulvi Muhammed Husain of Mecca and Mirza Asad-ul-lah Beg of Bareilly. Meerza Agha Muhammad of Jabalpur. Maulvi ubiadullah sum shreef mansehra pakistan Shah Miskeen Jaipuri was also the prominent Khalifa-mijaaz of Shah Niyaz. Miskeen Shah's premier Khalifa and successor was Shah Sadiq Jaipuri. Shah Sadiq's Premier Khalifa and successor was Fazl-e-haq Patodi. Fazl-e-Haq's premier khalifa and successor was Moulana Lutfullah (Dankor* India). Moulana Lutfullah's premier khalifa and successor was Sofi Abdulhameed (Dankor* India). Sofi Abdulhameed's premier khalifa and successor was Shaikh Ghayoor Ahmed Hyderabad(pak).[1][2][3][4]
- Dankor (Dankaur) once a prominent township in the Mughal era was a ganj or a granary market on Sher Shah Suri's Bengal-Peshawar Road also known as the Grand Trunk Road on way from Sikandarabad to Delhi, is now a tiny village on the Sikandarabad - Greater Noida Road and still has a few mausoleums and tombs of the post Aurangzeb period. A dilapidated and neglected brick and sandstone octagonal tomb with Persian inscriptions may be that of Shaikh Lutfullah Dankori who is being mentioned above.
References
- ^ "Website of Khanqah-e-Niazia".
- ^ Zahurul Hasaan Sharib. The Sufi Saints of the Indian sub continent. ISBN 81-215-1052-X.
- ^ Zahurul Hasaan Sharib. Sufis of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. ISBN 81-7151-315-8.
- ^ Dr Bilquis Jafri. Khanqah-e-Niazia, Epitome of Sufism.