Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, who came to Ajmer from Iran, made Islam popular in India? Why did you not take the gifts of Mohammad Ghori?

New Delhi: Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti was a Sunni Muslim philosopher and religious scholar of Persian origin. he/she was also known as Garib Nawaz and Sultan-Hind. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti came to the Indian subcontinent in the 13th century and settled in Ajmer, Rajasthan. he/she founded and spread the Chishti order of Sunni Islam in the Indian subcontinent. This was a mysterious Sufi order. his/her Khanqah is in Ajmer, which is Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah. The architecture of this Dargah is Indo-Islamic.
Actually, Ajmer Dargah has become a topic of discussion these days. After Jama Masjid located in Sambhal, UP, now a survey of Dargah Sharif can be done in Ajmer, Rajasthan. A lower court has accepted the petition of the Hindu side, in which Ajmer Sharif Dargah has been declared a Hindu temple. It is said that earlier there was a Shiva temple here. The petition was filed on behalf of Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta. Know the complete story of Khwaja.

What is the meaning of Sufi, where did this word come from?

The word ‘Sufi’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘Saf’ which means one who wears clothes made of wool. One reason for this is that woolen clothes were generally associated with fakirs. Another possible origin of this word is ‘Safa’ which also means ‘purity’ in Arabic. Anyway, Arab people used to wear woolen clothes to protect themselves from sand storms. Sufis believe in Sulh-e-Kul i.e. peace and harmony. The tradition of Piri-Murshidi here is similar to the Guru-Shishya tradition of India.

Sufis are not accepted by staunch supporters of Islam.

It is a form of Islamic mysticism that emphasizes asceticism. In this, emphasis has been laid on devotion to God and staying away from materialism. In Sufism, self-discipline is considered a necessary condition for attaining God through the spirit of realization. Unlike orthodox Muslims who emphasized external conduct, Sufis emphasized internal purity. Sufis believe that serving humanity is equivalent to serving God.

What is the theory of Sufis, why do fundamentalists maintain distance?

According to historian Dr. Danpal Singh, when Islam came to India, it came with Muslim invaders armed with swords. In such a situation, the people of India found it very difficult to accept it easily. Sultans like Iltutmish, Balban and Alauddin Khilji tried hard to force conversion, but it could not happen. In such a situation, Sufi was born as the heart of Islam, which was very similar to the path of devotion due to music and dance. In such a situation, Hindu-Islamic culture developed.

American scholar explained the reason for music in Islam

According to American scholar John Esposito, he/she was one of the first major Islamic mystics to formally permit his/her followers to incorporate the use of music in their devotions, prayers, and hymns to God. The Arab faith is more related to the indigenous people who have recently entered this religion.

4 types of Sufi orders became popular in India

Actually, there were many types of Sufi traditions or orders. But, four types of series were more popular in India. These were Chishti, Suhrawardy, Naqshbandi and Qadri orders. Among these also, Chishti and Suhrawardy series were more popular. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti belonged to this Chishtia lineage. Safi people live in Khankahs, a kind of ashram, where their followers gather. Sangeet i.e. Samaan is organized here, in which people try to connect with God by dancing to Qawwali.

When Ghori defeated Prithviraj, Chishtis started living in Ajmer.

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti started preaching while living in Ajmer in the year 1192 AD, when Muhammad Ghori (Muizzuddin Muhammad bin Sam) established his/her rule in Delhi by defeating Prithviraj Chauhan in the second battle of Tarain. Chishti’s instructive sermons, full of spiritual knowledge, soon attracted the local population as well as kings, nobles, farmers and the poor in remote areas. After his/her death, Mughal emperor Humayun built his/her tomb there. Rulers like Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Shershah Suri, Akbar, Jahangir, Shahjahan, Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb visited his/her Dargah in Ajmer.

Chishti order was established in India by Khwaja Garib Nawaz.

The Chishti order in India was founded by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. In this regard, the principle of oneness with God (Wahdat al-Wujud) is emphasized. The members of this group believed in peace-loving. he/she rejected all material things as a distraction from the contemplation of God. Moinuddin Chishti himself had refused to accept any kind of gift from Mohammad Ghori.

Chishti Silsila was secular, kept distance from the government

The Chishti order laid emphasis on reciting the name of God loudly and silently i.e. Dhikr Jahari and Dhikr Khafi. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti’s disciples like Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, Fariduddin Ganj-e-Shakar, Nizamuddin Auliya and Naseeruddin Chirag etc. played an important role in popularizing Chishti’s teachings.

Suhrawardy Silsila used to take money from Muslim rulers

Sheikh Bahauddin Zakaria founded the Suhrawardy sect of Sufism. In India, Sheikh Shahabuddin Suhrawardy Maktool had established this series. Unlike the Chishti order, those who followed the Suhrawardy order accepted the patronage and grants of the sultans and the state. Sheikh Shihabuddin Suhrawardy and Hamiduddin Nagori were other popular saints of this sect. This series became more popular mainly in the areas of Punjab and Sindh.

Naqshbandi Silsila more fundamentalist sect

The Naqshbandi order was founded by Khwaja Baha-ul-Din Naqshband. This order was founded in India by Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshbandi. From the very beginning the fakirs of this series laid emphasis on following Shariat. This series played a more important role in the spread of Islam.

Qadiriya supporter of Mughals

Qadiriya Silsila was popular in Punjab. It was founded by Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani of Baghdad in the 14th century. The followers of this sequence were staunch supporters of the rule of Mughal emperor Akbar. Mian Mir was also a popular Sufi saint. This sect is popular in Arabic speaking countries as well as in many countries like Türkiye, Indonesia, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan.

Who was Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and where did he/she come from?

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti was a Sufi mystic saint and philosopher. he/she was born in 1143 AD in Sistan region of Iran. It is currently located in the south-eastern part of Iran, bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan. Chishti left his/her father’s business and took up spiritual life. During his/her spiritual journey he/she met the famous saint Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni. he/she accepted Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti as his/her disciple and initiated him/her. At the age of 52, he/she received Khilafat from Sheikh Usman. After this he/she went to Hajj, Mecca and Medina. From there he/she came to India via Multan and made his/her base in Ajmer.

From Akbar to Aurangzeb used to come to visit

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti died in 1236 AD. he/she was buried in Ajmer. his/her tomb (Dargah) is famous by the name of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmer Sharif Dargah. This is an extremely sacred place for his/her followers. Emperors like Iltutmish, Akbar, Razia Sultan, Jahangir, Shahjahan, Aurangzeb had come and visited here. The Maharaja of Baroda had built a beautiful cover over Dargah Sharif. Mughal emperors Jahangir, Shahjahan and Jahanara contributed to its renovation.

Urs is celebrated every year, celebration on the anniversary of death

Every year a festival called ‘Urs’ is celebrated on the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The special thing is that instead of mourning, the anniversary of death is celebrated. This is because the followers believe that on this day the Murshid i.e. the disciple reunites with his/her superior i.e. God.