Abul Hassan Ali Hajvery sometimes spelled Hujwiri, Hajweri, and Hajveri, also known as Daata Ganj Bakhsh which means the master who bestows treasures or, was a Persian Sufi and scholar during the 11th century. He significantly contributed to the spreading of Islam in South Asia.
He was born around 990 CE near Ghazni, Afghanistan during the Ghaznavid Empire
and died in Lahore (in present day Punjab, Pakistan) in 1077 CE. His most famous work is Kashf Al Mahjub ("Unveiling the Veiled") written in the Persian language.
The work, which is one of the earliest and most respected treatises of Sufism, debates Sufi doctrines of the past.
and died in Lahore (in present day Punjab, Pakistan) in 1077 CE. His most famous work is Kashf Al Mahjub ("Unveiling the Veiled") written in the Persian language. The work, which is one of the earliest and most respected treatises of Sufism, debates Sufi doctrines of the past.Ali Hajvery is also famous for his mausoleum in Lahore, which is surrounded by a large marble courtyard, a mosque and other buildings. It is the most frequented of all the shrines in that city, and one of the most famous in Pakistan and nearby countries. His name is a household word, and his mausoleum the object of pilgrimage from distant places.
Ali Hujwiri is both al-Hasani and al-Husayni Sayyid. His father is al-Hasani Sayyid and his mother is al-Husayni. Abul Hasan Ali bin Usman Al-Hujwiri Al-Jullabi Al-Ghazanwi was born in Ghazni (Hujwir) where his family had settled and the members of which were passionate for devoutness and learning. He was known as Ali Al-Hujwiri Al-Jullabi, Al-Ghazanwi because he lived for a long time in Hujwir and Jullab, the two suburbs (Mazafat) of the city of Ghazni located in Afghanistan.
In spite of Hazrat Ali bin Usman Al-Hujwiri's popularity and deep reverence; coming across his life biography is very much tortuous. Much of his life history and thought came from his own authentic reference Kashf al-Mahjub.
In spite of Hazrat Ali bin Usman Al-Hujwiri's popularity and deep reverence; coming across his life biography is very much tortuous. Much of his life history and thought came from his own authentic reference Kashf al-Mahjub.Ali Hujwiri studied Sufism under Abu'l-Fazal Muhammad, who was a student of Abu 'l-Hasan al-Husri. Abu 'l-Fazal Muhammad bin al-Hasan was well-versed in tafsir and riwayat. Ali Hujwiri traveled far and wide through the Indus to the Caspian Sea.
Among the countries and places which he visited were Azerbaijan, the tomb of Bayazid at Bistam, Damascus, Ramla, and Bayt al-Jinn in Syria. In Khursan alone he is reported to have met 300 Sufis. Al-Hujwiri was associated with the most well-known Sufi orders in the subcontinent, such as the Qadri, Suharwardi, Naqshbandi and the Junaidi orders. Hujwiri belonged to the Junaidia school of Sufism, founded by Hazrat Khawaja Junaid Baghdadi, a major Sufi saint of Baghdad.
Hajwiri is also viewed as an important intercessor for many Sufis. Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri,
a chief saint of the Chishti order, stated that an aspiring mureed (disciple) one who does not (yet) have a murshid (spiritual master), should read Ali Hujwiri's book Kashf al-Mahjub, as that would be (temporarily) enough for his spiritual guidance. He settled for some time in Iraq where he had a short experience with married life.
Among the countries and places which he visited were Azerbaijan, the tomb of Bayazid at Bistam, Damascus, Ramla, and Bayt al-Jinn in Syria. In Khursan alone he is reported to have met 300 Sufis. Al-Hujwiri was associated with the most well-known Sufi orders in the subcontinent, such as the Qadri, Suharwardi, Naqshbandi and the Junaidi orders. Hujwiri belonged to the Junaidia school of Sufism, founded by Hazrat Khawaja Junaid Baghdadi, a major Sufi saint of Baghdad.
Hajwiri is also viewed as an important intercessor for many Sufis. Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri,
a chief saint of the Chishti order, stated that an aspiring mureed (disciple) one who does not (yet) have a murshid (spiritual master), should read Ali Hujwiri's book Kashf al-Mahjub, as that would be (temporarily) enough for his spiritual guidance. He settled for some time in Iraq where he had a short experience with married life.
Al-Hujwiri was a contemporary of al-Qushairi. During his travels, he met with many eminent Sufis, and saw and felt the slow transformation of Sufism from simple asceticism and adoration of God to a highly developed theosophical cult considerably influenced by pantheistic ideas. He is the link between Mysticism as it developed in Persia and Khurasan, and the form it took in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent.
Al-Hujwiri came to Lahore under orders from his Pir as successor to Sheikh Husain Zanjani at a time when as a result of irruption of the Seljuk on one side and the rising tide of Hindu resistance on the order, the Ghaznavid Empire began to dismember rapidly, and life in Ghazni itself was disrupted. The saint had to leave Ghazni in difficult circumstances, leaving his books behind. According to Faw'id-ul-Fu'ad, Ali Hujwiri reached Lahore at night and in the morning found the people bringing out the bier of Sheikh Husain Zanjani whom he replaced in Lahore.
Although a Sunni Hanafi, Hujwiri's theology was reconciled with the concept of Sufi annihilation. However he strenuously campaigned against the doctrine that human personalities can be merged with God, instead likening annihilation to burning by fire which allows the substance to acquire fire like properties while retaining its own individuality. He also was a great upholder of the Sharia and rebuffed the idea that outward observances of Islam are not important for Sufis. Hujwiri believed that individuals should not claim to have attained "marifat" or gnosis because it meant that one was prideful, and that true understanding of God should be a silent understanding.
Ali-Hujwiri is said to have died on the twentieth of the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal 465 H.E, but the date, the month and year are all conjectural. Most early writers agree on 455 H.E. as the year of his death, on the basis of the various chronograms.
Ali Hujwiri was buried near the mosque which he had built during his life-time. It has a been a practice of Sufi saints coming to South Asia to first visit the shrine of Ali Hujwiri. Upon arriving in the subcontinent, Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri first came to Lahore to pay his respects at Daata Ganj-Bakhsh's shrine, where he spent quite some time in meditation and prayer before attaining enlightenment. He was then directed to settle in Ajmer Sharif, and commence his spiritual mission to go further east and preach. Moinuddin Chishti paid homage to Ali Hujwiri in the following words.
Ganj Bakhsh-e faiz-e aalam, mazhar-e nur-i Khuda
Naqisaan ra pir-e-kaamil, kaamilaan ra rahnuma
Comments (0)
Post a Comment