Beauty of Islam

'Verily in their stories are lessons for men of understanding'

Baha'uddin Naqshband
rahmatullah alayhi

The Shaykh was born on the 4th of Muharram 708 Hijri at a place called Qasr-i-Arifan near the city of Bukhara, and he was a saint from birth. Karamats and visions were part of the Shaykh's life from his childhood. One day, soon after the Shaykh had learned to talk, he spoke to his mother regarding some cattle that were in front of them, telling her that one of the cows had a calf in her belly of such and such a colour, and with such and such markings on its body. When the cow gave birth, its calf was just as the Shaykh had described, and all the marks on its body were exactly where he had said they were.

Physically, the Shaykh acquired the knowledge of Tareeqah from Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, but in reality the Shaykh was a spiritual student of Hadhrat Khwajah Abd-ul-Khaliq Ghajdwani rahmatullah alayhi, for the Shaykh attained guidance from his Rooh.

Hadhrat Khwajah Muhammad Baba Samasi rahmatullah alayhi related the excellence of the Shaykh before he was even born, saying, "The time is approaching when a great person will be born in these lands. I can smell his fragrance. The world will be illuminated by his presence and multitudes of people will attain fayz from him."

This is why the Shaykh was taken to Hadhrat Khwajah Muhammad Baba rahmatullah alayhi just three days after his birth, who immediately accepted him as a son and addressed his honourable Khaleefah Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, saying, "I place this child in your care, and I shall never forgive you if there is any deficiency in the spiritual upbringing of this child."

The Shaykh states, "One day I was sat all alone, when all of a sudden I heard a voice saying, 'O Baha'uddin, do you not think that the time has come for you to turn your face away from the world and for you to devote yourself to Me?'" On hearing this voice, the Shaykh was overcome with anxiety. He stood up and went out into the darkness of the night. On reaching a wide stream, the Shaykh washed his clothes, performed ghusl and prayed two rakats of prayer. In later days, the Shaykh would say "So much time has passed, yet I still live with the desire to experience a prayer like that again."

The Shaykh relates, "In my youth I would live in a state of unrest, wandering the streets at night, visiting the various shrines in and around Bukhara. One night, I saw a lamp that was full of oil but its light was flickering, sometimes bright and at other times so dim as if it would disappear altogether. I noticed that with a little adjustment, the lamp could become very bright. When I reached the shrine of Hadhrat Khwajah Muhammad Wasi' rahmatullah alayhi, I was instructed to go to the shrine of Hadhrat Khwajah Mahmood Anjeer Faghnawi rahmatullah alayhi. When I got there, two men approached me. They tied two swords to my back and made me sit on a horse. They then turned the horse around to face in the direction of the shrine of Khwajah Mazd Afan. When I reached that shrine, I sat down facing the Qibla, and all of a sudden the wall before me parted, and I saw a very big throne in front of me. Then I saw that a saintly person had sat on the throne, and that in front of him was a green curtain and gathered around him was a group of saints. Someone began to call out the names of these saints saying, 'This is Khwajah Abdul Khaliq rahmatullah alayhi (and it was he who was sat on the throne), this is Khwajah Ahmad Siddique rahmatullah alayhi, this is Khwajah Awliya Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, this is Khwajah Arif Reogari rahmatullah alayhi, Khwajah Mahmood Faghnawi rahmatullah alayhi, Khwajah Ali Ramatini' and when it came to Khwajah Muhammad Baba Samasi rahmatullah alayhi, the voice said, 'And this is your Shaykh.' I then requested that I be allowed to convey salaam to Hadhrat Khwajah Abdul Khaliq rahmatullah alayhi. The curtain before him was drawn to the side, and Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi returned my greeting and then taught me Sulook from beginning to end. He then addressed me, saying, 'Be steadfast upon the Shari'ah under all circumstances, and act upon the blessed Sunnah with devotion. Stay well clear of innovations and refrain from a life in which you only fulfil the minimum requirements of worship and no more. Always make the Ahadeeth of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam your guide.'

"Later I went into the company of Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, who taught me dhikr Nafi Athbaat Khafi (rejecting everything but Allah through silent repetition of La ilaha illa'llah), which I continued to perform with steadfastness for a long while; and in accordance with the instruction of Hadhrat Khwajah Abdul Khaliq Ghajdwani rahmatullah alayhi, I would not do Jahr (loud) dhikr. When the companions of Hadhrat Khwajah Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi used to do loud dhikr, I would often get up and leave. The other mureeds of the Shaykh did not like this, but their doubts were finally put to rest when one day Hadhrat Khwajah Ameer rahmatullah alayhi said, 'O People! You think ill of Baha'uddin, but do you not know that a very special favour of Allah is upon him?' Later, Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah spoke to me saying, 'O Baha'uddin, I have completed your spiritual upbringing in the manner that I had been instructed by Hadhrat Baba Samasi rahmatullah alayhi.' After that, Hadhrat Shaykh granted me khilafah.

"Once I had a dream that I would attain something from a Turkish Shaykh, so I was always on the look out for that Shaykh. Finally, one day I met this Shaykh in one of the bazaars of Bukhara. I recognised him and discovered that his name was Khalil. Later a messenger came to me saying that I had been called to meet this Darwesh called Khalil. I went to see him straight away and wanted to tell him about my dream, but he said to me, 'I know what is in your heart; there is no need to tell me.' I loved this person and I had some amazing experiences in his company. A few days later, he disappeared. I learned later that he was the King of Mawralnahar, and he called me to his kingdom and offered me a job. I served the king for six years and during that time saw many remarkable things." Regarding this, the king used to say, "The person who serves others for the sake of Allah alone has a great status among creation."

The Shaykh relates another event thus: "During the time that I was in the service of Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, I once saw Hadhrat Khidr alayhi salaam. He was riding, wearing a kulla and had a big stick in his hand. He spoke to me, saying, 'Have you seen my horse?' and then he hit me with his stick. I did not say anything in reply. Then he blocked my path a few times, and I said to him, 'I know full well that you are Khidhr alayhi salaam.' He followed me and said, "Stop!" but I did not listen and carried on walking. When I arrived in the company of Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, the Shaykh took one look at me and said, 'You met with Hadhrat Khidr alayhi salaam why didn't you pay him any attention?' I replied, 'Hadhrat, all my attention at the time was on you.' Hadhrat Khwajah Ameer rahmatullah alayhi then explained, "The spiritual well-spring of the Khwajigan is linked to four sources; the first is Hadhrat Khidhr alayhi salaam, the second is Junayd al-Baghdadi rahmatullah alayhi, the third is Hadhrat Bayazeed Bistami rahmatullah alayhi from the chain of authority that reached him from Hadhrat Ali radhiallah anhu, and the fourth is the chain of authority that reached him from Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddique radhiallahu anhu.'"

The Shaykh used to say, "A person should not shut his eyes intentionally during Wuqoof-e-Qalbi (stopping the worldly thoughts of the heart) as that is nothing but Itlaai' Khalq (observing one's own being)."

The Shaykh also stated, "Once, on seeing a person sitting with his neck bent down and head bowed, Ameer-ul-Mu'mineen Hadhrat Umar radhiallah anhu said, 'When a person is not alone and is amongst other people, he should do dhikr in such a manner that no one notices that he is in Allah's remembrance.'

The Shaykh used to say, "Dhikr is the removal of neglect. When someone is no longer neglectful, then he can be called a dhaakir." The Shaykh further explained, "It is a saying of the saints that if a person is neglectful for even the time it takes to blink, he will never be able to comprehend how much he has lost in that one moment." The Shaykh also stated, "Whoever remains busy in Allah's dhikr in the morning and evening can never be among the ghafil (neglectful). He is indeed a dhaakir."

The Shaykh related: "I was granted a vision of the the Maqam of Shaykh Junayd, Shaykh Shibli, Shaykh Mansoor Hallaj and Hadhrat Bayazeed Bistami rahmatullah alayhum, and I saw that whatever stage they reached, I too reached. During this spiritual journey, we arrived at the gates of one majestic station which I realised was that of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. When Hadhrat Bayazeed Bistami rahmatullah alayhi reached this station, he had a desire to view the Maqam, and due to this, the hand of refusal hit his forehead. My response was very different; I placed my head in utmost respect and reverence at the gate of the station, with no desire to behold it."

In a similar vein, the Shaykh stated, "One should seek steadfastness and should never desire miracles. Allah subhana wa ta'ala seeks steadfastness from his servants, whereas your Nafs seeks miracles." He also said, "If a friend of Allah walks in a garden and hears the trees speaking to him and sees spirits coming to visit him, he should never set store by these things and should always adopt a humble manner, continually striving to perfect his way of life."

The Shaykh also stated, "My Tareeqah is to follow the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the manner explained to us by his blessed Sahaba radhiallahu anhum"; and he said, "In my Silsilah, a little is worth a lot, but devotion and obedience is a condition of this reward." He also stated, "Our Tareeqah is one of Suhbat (company). Fame comes from solitude and in fame there is destruction."

The Shaykh gave the following advice about the friends of Allah: "When you go to visit a friend of Allah, you should examine yourself and analyse your state; if you see that your Deen has improved through this company, then make it incumbent upon yourself to make this company regular." The Shaykh further stated, "True self-analysis is when a saalik continually assesses his own actions; he should regret his shortcomings, thank Allah for his progress and always work tirelessly to improve." He also said, "There is no friend of Allah on this Earth who is not under the special gaze of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. When you sit in the company of the friend of Allah, the fayz (overflow of spiritual blessings) that you receive is in fact a reflection of that special gaze." Another point he made was that "The friends of Allah are endowed with the knowledge of many secrets concerning the wonders of creation, but those with this knowledge do not disclose it, whereas those who have no idea talk a lot and pretend they know everything."

The Shaykh stated, "If a mureed has any doubt regarding one of his Shaykh's actions, he should be patient for it may well be that the reason for the action will become very clear at a later stage." He also said, "One should always try one's best to strive hard in Allah's Path."
The Shaykh states, "Once, Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and his Sahaba each put one piece of bread in a clay oven to bake. All the pieces of bread got baked except for the bread of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. This was because the Prophet's blessed hand had touched it, and therefore the fire could not burn it." The Shaykh continued, "Through attaining perfection in following the Sunnah, I too was once in a similar situation; I too once placed a piece of bread in a clay oven along with some of my companions, and all their pieces got baked whereas mine was left untouched by the fire."

Once a person came to the Shaykh and asked him to display a miracle. The Shaykh replied, "Despite committing so many sins, I still walk on the land and the earth does not devour me. Tell me, what can be a bigger miracle than this?"

Once the Shaykh enquired from Hadhrat Khwajah Ala'uddin Attar rahmatullah alayhi whether or not the time for Zuhr Salaah had begun, and was informed that it hadn't. The Shaykh then said, "Look up at the sky." When they looked up at the sky, they noticed that the veils of the heavens had been drawn aside and that the angels in the heavens were performing the fardh prayer. The Shaykh then said, "And you were telling me that it was not yet time."

Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi had the opportunity to see the blessed House of Allah and performed the Hajj. On the day of sacrifice, when all the pilgrims were making Qurbani, the Shaykh said, "I too shall make a sacrifice: there is a boy - I sacrifice him in Your Path." Later the people discovered that on that very day of Eid, the Shaykh's son had passed away in Bukhara.

Once, Ameer Burhan-ud-din brought some pieces of bread and began to bake them in a clay oven, when all of a sudden it began to rain heavily. At this Hadhrat Khwajah said, "Tell the rain not to come near us while we are here." The Ameer replied, "How can I say such thing?" The Shaykh said, "Say what I have told you to say." As soon as he did as he was told, it rained all around them yet not one drop of rain landed on the small patch of land where they were.

One of the mureeds of Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi brought an apple for the Shaykh. The Shaykh said, "Wait; do not eat this apple right now because it is busy in tasbeeh." Those present heard clearly the recitation of the apple.

Once, the Shaykh was in the city of Sarkhas. A few envoys of King Hussain came to see the Shaykh from Herat and they delivered a message from the king, which said, "I have a strong desire to meet with the friends of Allah." The Shaykh did not make a habit of visiting Sultans, but on this occasion the Shaykh accepted the invitation and went to see the king, where a huge reception was waiting for him.
The king spoke to Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi, saying, "Your type of spiritual prowess is hereditary, is it not?" The Shaykh replied, "No, and I have only come here in response to the command of my enthusiasm." The King asked, "What is your Tareeqah?" Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi replied, "It is a saying of Khwajah Abd-ul-Khaliq Ghajdwani rahmatullah alayhi that 'Khalwat dar anjuman.'" The King asked what this meant and the Shaykh replied, "It is to be with the creation physically and outwardly, but to be with the Haq subhana wa ta'ala spiritually and inwardly."

After a while, the King asked the Shaykh, "Some Masha'ikh have stated that Wilayah (sainthood) is more virtuous than Nabuwwah (Prophethood). What type of Wilayah are they referring to that is more virtuous than Prophethood?" The Shaykh replied, "They refer to the Wilayah of a Nabi, which is more virtuous than his own Nabuwwah."

The Shaykh also stated, "Although Salaah, fasting and extensive mujahidah (striving) and nawaafil worship is the way to reach Haq subhana wa ta'ala, according to us it is essential to negate one's Self in the process, for that is the most virtuous achievement of the seeker."

One of the scholars of Bukhara came to Hadhrat Khwajah and asked, "What matter or action gives you the feeling of being in the presence of your Lord when you pray Salaah?" Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi replied, "Halal food that is consumed with care, understanding and thought."

The Shaykh stated, "The following has been stated by Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: 'My Ummah will never reach a consensus about a matter that is false.' This is because there are people in the Ummah who are the Siddiqeen, and are known as Ummat-e-Mataabi'at." He went on, "The Ummah falls into three categories. The first is 'Ummat-e-Da'wat', and this includes every person in the Ummah. The second is 'Ummat-e-Ajabat', meaning those that have Iman. And the third is 'Ummat-e-Mataabi'at', who are those who follow the ways of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam after they have been granted Iman."

The Shaykh stated, "Our Tareeqah is all Adab (etiquette). It is for this reason that one of the conditions for seeking the Path is Adab. One Adab is nisbat with Allah subhana wa ta'ala; one Adab is nisbat with Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; and one Adab is nisbat with the Masha'ikh of the Tareeqah. The Adab of the nisbat that one has with Allah subhana wa ta'ala is that a person obeys the commands of Allah subhana wa ta'ala both internally and externally, and that his worship and all actions are for Allah alone. The Adab of the nisbat one has with Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is that a person must always be obedient to Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and to try his utmost to live his life upon the Sunnah in all aspects, considering Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi a sallam to be the link between Allah and His creation and the sole channel through which he can reach Allah. Finally, the Adab of the nisbat with the Mashai'kh is that it is compulsory for the seekers to have utmost respect and adab for their Shaykh, both in his presence and in his absence."

The Shaykh also stated, "In Qabdh (the state of spiritual constraint) one witnesses the quality of Jalaal (Awesome Power), and in Bast (the state of spiritual expansion) the quality of Jamaal (Beauty)."

Once the Shaykh said, "All the Masha'ikh have two faces to their 'mirror'; however there are seven faces to ours." Hadhrat Mujaddid Alf Thani rahmatullah alayhi explained this statement, saying, "The 'mirror' refers to the heart of the Arif (one possessed of direct spiritual insight), which is the link between the Rooh and the Nafs, and its two faces relate to the Rooh and the Nafs respectively. In the other Tareeqahs, both of these reflect onto the heart, and the heart thereby receives spiritual knowledge and blessing. In the Silsilah Aaliya Naqshbandia, knowledge falls onto the mirror of the heart from six directions or points, namely the Nafs, Qalb, Rooh, Sirr, Khafi and Akhfa. This is why it has been stated that the other silsilahs engage in the 'exploration of the heart', whereas the Silsilah Aaliya Naqshbandia engages in the 'exploration of the internal orientation of the heart'; thus it is from those six lataa'if (points of spiritual reception) that spiritual knowledge enters the heart."

Thousands of karamat have been attributed to the blessed Shaykh, and if we were to put them in writing, we would end up with several very thick volumes. The biggest karamat of the Shaykh was that he gave life to hundreds of thousands of dead hearts with the dhikr of Allah, through bestowing such a mark (Naqsh-) on the hearts of the believers that, once stamped, is indelible (-band) and goes with them into the grave. To give life to a dead heart is more virtuous than bringing a dead person back to life. This is because if a dead person were to come alive, he could again occupy himself in the deceptions of the Dunya, whereas the heart that comes to life becomes nearer to Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

It was a custom of the age to decorate clothes with beautiful patterns and prints. The Shaykh, however, imprinted the remembrance of the Haq onto the hearts in such a way that it could never be erased or tampered with. It is for this reason that the name of this Silsilah came to be known as Naqshbandia.

It has been narrated that before the Shaykh passed away, he said, "When my last moment comes upon me, I shall teach the people how to die." So when the Shaykh reached the last moments of his life, he raised his hands in du'a and supplicated for a lengthy time. No sooner had he finished the du'a and wiped his hands over his face, his soul went to meet his Lord. The Shaykh was seventy-three years old when he passed away on Monday the 3rd of Rabi-ul-Awwal 791 Hijri. He had given instruction for the people not to recite the kalimah or the Qur'an aloud in front of his funeral procession, since it could be disrespectful. The shrine of the Shaykh is at a place called Qasr-e-Arifan, and is a fountain of blessing for the seekers of the Haq.

The Shaykh is Imam-ut-Tareeqah and it is from the nisbat of Hadhrat Shaykh rahmatullah alyahi that the Silsilah gets its name. The Shaykh reached the status of Ijtihaad in knowledge of Tareeqat. When the Shaykh was given khilafah in the Tareeqah by his Murshid, Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, he was already familiar with the Mujahidaat and acts of devotion of all the various Tareeqahs. In solitude, the Shaykh went into Sajdah (prostration) and prayed to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, saying, "O Allah, the people of the Ummah have become weak. They have no strength, determination or ability to tolerate hardship; and the blessed time and era of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, that was so full of goodness and blessing, gets further away from us as each day passes by. Through Your Mercy and Blessings, please give me a Silsilah by which one can gain Your nearness quickly and with ease." For fifteen consecutive days the Shaykh remained in Sajdah, weeping and pleading before his Lord, only leaving that position in order to pray fardh Salaah in congregation or to attend the call of nature. On the fifteenth day, from the oceans of the Mercy of Allah, the Shaykh received Ilham (inspiration) from Allah in these words: "O Muhammad Baha'uddin! We shall give you that Tareeqah which was that of the Companions of My Habeeb sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, namely Wuqoof-e-Qalbi (stopping the worldly thoughts of the heart) and adherence to the Sunnah of Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." The Shaykh expressed his gratitude to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and then lifted his head from the ground. Subsequently this Tareeqah spread across the world in the way that daylight spreads over the land at sunrise.

Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi used to say, "All the Tareeqahs are blessed, full of light, and all of them lead to Allah. However the Tareeqah that Allah subhana wa ta'ala has given me is full of ease in comparison, and one reaches Allah very quickly." In Dhikr-e-Qalbi (remembrance of the heart) there is Jadhb-e-Rabbani (rapture in the Divine) and in Dhikr-e-Rabbani (remembrance of the Divine) there is Sulook (the Path towards Allah's nearness), and it is for this reason that Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi stated, "Ma murad-a-neem, kamaa fadhliy-a-neem", meaning "We are of those who are sought, and we are of those upon whom there is fadhal."
Mawlana Jaami rahmatullaha alayhi states,

"Naqshbandia ajab qafila sa laaranand,
ke barandaaz rahe panhaan baharam qaafila raa",

which translates as:

"The Naqshbandia lead an extraordinary caravan,
for they take their students to the Haram via a secret, hidden route."


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DhikrAllah Discourses of the Pious Great Personalities Contact	'Verily in their stories are lessons for men of understanding' Baha'uddin Naqshband rahmatullah alayhi The Shaykh was born on the 4th of Muharram 708 Hijri at a place called Qasr-i-Arifan near the city of Bukhara, and he was a saint from birth. Karamats and visions were part of the Shaykh's life from his childhood. One day, soon after the Shaykh had learned to talk, he spoke to his mother regarding some cattle that were in front of them, telling her that one of the cows had a calf in her belly of such and such a colour, and with such and such markings on its body. When the cow gave birth, its calf was just as the Shaykh had described, and all the marks on its body were exactly where he had said they were. Physically, the Shaykh acquired the knowledge of Tareeqah from Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, but in reality the Shaykh was a spiritual student of Hadhrat Khwajah Abd-ul-Khaliq Ghajdwani rahmatullah alayhi, for the Shaykh attained guidance from his Rooh. Hadhrat Khwajah Muhammad Baba Samasi rahmatullah alayhi related the excellence of the Shaykh before he was even born, saying, "The time is approaching when a great person will be born in these lands. I can smell his fragrance. The world will be illuminated by his presence and multitudes of people will attain fayz from him." This is why the Shaykh was taken to Hadhrat Khwajah Muhammad Baba rahmatullah alayhi just three days after his birth, who immediately accepted him as a son and addressed his honourable Khaleefah Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, saying, "I place this child in your care, and I shall never forgive you if there is any deficiency in the spiritual upbringing of this child." The Shaykh states, "One day I was sat all alone, when all of a sudden I heard a voice saying, 'O Baha'uddin, do you not think that the time has come for you to turn your face away from the world and for you to devote yourself to Me?'" On hearing this voice, the Shaykh was overcome with anxiety. He stood up and went out into the darkness of the night. On reaching a wide stream, the Shaykh washed his clothes, performed ghusl and prayed two rakats of prayer. In later days, the Shaykh would say "So much time has passed, yet I still live with the desire to experience a prayer like that again." The Shaykh relates, "In my youth I would live in a state of unrest, wandering the streets at night, visiting the various shrines in and around Bukhara. One night, I saw a lamp that was full of oil but its light was flickering, sometimes bright and at other times so dim as if it would disappear altogether. I noticed that with a little adjustment, the lamp could become very bright. When I reached the shrine of Hadhrat Khwajah Muhammad Wasi' rahmatullah alayhi, I was instructed to go to the shrine of Hadhrat Khwajah Mahmood Anjeer Faghnawi rahmatullah alayhi. When I got there, two men approached me. They tied two swords to my back and made me sit on a horse. They then turned the horse around to face in the direction of the shrine of Khwajah Mazd Afan. When I reached that shrine, I sat down facing the Qibla, and all of a sudden the wall before me parted, and I saw a very big throne in front of me. Then I saw that a saintly person had sat on the throne, and that in front of him was a green curtain and gathered around him was a group of saints. Someone began to call out the names of these saints saying, 'This is Khwajah Abdul Khaliq rahmatullah alayhi (and it was he who was sat on the throne), this is Khwajah Ahmad Siddique rahmatullah alayhi, this is Khwajah Awliya Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, this is Khwajah Arif Reogari rahmatullah alayhi, Khwajah Mahmood Faghnawi rahmatullah alayhi, Khwajah Ali Ramatini' and when it came to Khwajah Muhammad Baba Samasi rahmatullah alayhi, the voice said, 'And this is your Shaykh.' I then requested that I be allowed to convey salaam to Hadhrat Khwajah Abdul Khaliq rahmatullah alayhi. The curtain before him was drawn to the side, and Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi returned my greeting and then taught me Sulook from beginning to end. He then addressed me, saying, 'Be steadfast upon the Shari'ah under all circumstances, and act upon the blessed Sunnah with devotion. Stay well clear of innovations and refrain from a life in which you only fulfil the minimum requirements of worship and no more. Always make the Ahadeeth of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam your guide.' "Later I went into the company of Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, who taught me dhikr Nafi Athbaat Khafi (rejecting everything but Allah through silent repetition of La ilaha illa'llah), which I continued to perform with steadfastness for a long while; and in accordance with the instruction of Hadhrat Khwajah Abdul Khaliq Ghajdwani rahmatullah alayhi, I would not do Jahr (loud) dhikr. When the companions of Hadhrat Khwajah Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi used to do loud dhikr, I would often get up and leave. The other mureeds of the Shaykh did not like this, but their doubts were finally put to rest when one day Hadhrat Khwajah Ameer rahmatullah alayhi said, 'O People! You think ill of Baha'uddin, but do you not know that a very special favour of Allah is upon him?' Later, Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah spoke to me saying, 'O Baha'uddin, I have completed your spiritual upbringing in the manner that I had been instructed by Hadhrat Baba Samasi rahmatullah alayhi.' After that, Hadhrat Shaykh granted me khilafah. "Once I had a dream that I would attain something from a Turkish Shaykh, so I was always on the look out for that Shaykh. Finally, one day I met this Shaykh in one of the bazaars of Bukhara. I recognised him and discovered that his name was Khalil. Later a messenger came to me saying that I had been called to meet this Darwesh called Khalil. I went to see him straight away and wanted to tell him about my dream, but he said to me, 'I know what is in your heart; there is no need to tell me.' I loved this person and I had some amazing experiences in his company. A few days later, he disappeared. I learned later that he was the King of Mawralnahar, and he called me to his kingdom and offered me a job. I served the king for six years and during that time saw many remarkable things." Regarding this, the king used to say, "The person who serves others for the sake of Allah alone has a great status among creation." The Shaykh relates another event thus: "During the time that I was in the service of Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, I once saw Hadhrat Khidr alayhi salaam. He was riding, wearing a kulla and had a big stick in his hand. He spoke to me, saying, 'Have you seen my horse?' and then he hit me with his stick. I did not say anything in reply. Then he blocked my path a few times, and I said to him, 'I know full well that you are Khidhr alayhi salaam.' He followed me and said, "Stop!" but I did not listen and carried on walking. When I arrived in the company of Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, the Shaykh took one look at me and said, 'You met with Hadhrat Khidr alayhi salaam why didn't you pay him any attention?' I replied, 'Hadhrat, all my attention at the time was on you.' Hadhrat Khwajah Ameer rahmatullah alayhi then explained, "The spiritual well-spring of the Khwajigan is linked to four sources; the first is Hadhrat Khidhr alayhi salaam, the second is Junayd al-Baghdadi rahmatullah alayhi, the third is Hadhrat Bayazeed Bistami rahmatullah alayhi from the chain of authority that reached him from Hadhrat Ali radhiallah anhu, and the fourth is the chain of authority that reached him from Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddique radhiallahu anhu.'" The Shaykh used to say, "A person should not shut his eyes intentionally during Wuqoof-e-Qalbi (stopping the worldly thoughts of the heart) as that is nothing but Itlaai' Khalq (observing one's own being)." The Shaykh also stated, "Once, on seeing a person sitting with his neck bent down and head bowed, Ameer-ul-Mu'mineen Hadhrat Umar radhiallah anhu said, 'When a person is not alone and is amongst other people, he should do dhikr in such a manner that no one notices that he is in Allah's remembrance.' The Shaykh used to say, "Dhikr is the removal of neglect. When someone is no longer neglectful, then he can be called a dhaakir." The Shaykh further explained, "It is a saying of the saints that if a person is neglectful for even the time it takes to blink, he will never be able to comprehend how much he has lost in that one moment." The Shaykh also stated, "Whoever remains busy in Allah's dhikr in the morning and evening can never be among the ghafil (neglectful). He is indeed a dhaakir." The Shaykh related: "I was granted a vision of the the Maqam of Shaykh Junayd, Shaykh Shibli, Shaykh Mansoor Hallaj and Hadhrat Bayazeed Bistami rahmatullah alayhum, and I saw that whatever stage they reached, I too reached. During this spiritual journey, we arrived at the gates of one majestic station which I realised was that of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. When Hadhrat Bayazeed Bistami rahmatullah alayhi reached this station, he had a desire to view the Maqam, and due to this, the hand of refusal hit his forehead. My response was very different; I placed my head in utmost respect and reverence at the gate of the station, with no desire to behold it." In a similar vein, the Shaykh stated, "One should seek steadfastness and should never desire miracles. Allah subhana wa ta'ala seeks steadfastness from his servants, whereas your Nafs seeks miracles." He also said, "If a friend of Allah walks in a garden and hears the trees speaking to him and sees spirits coming to visit him, he should never set store by these things and should always adopt a humble manner, continually striving to perfect his way of life." The Shaykh also stated, "My Tareeqah is to follow the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the manner explained to us by his blessed Sahaba radhiallahu anhum"; and he said, "In my Silsilah, a little is worth a lot, but devotion and obedience is a condition of this reward." He also stated, "Our Tareeqah is one of Suhbat (company). Fame comes from solitude and in fame there is destruction." The Shaykh gave the following advice about the friends of Allah: "When you go to visit a friend of Allah, you should examine yourself and analyse your state; if you see that your Deen has improved through this company, then make it incumbent upon yourself to make this company regular." The Shaykh further stated, "True self-analysis is when a saalik continually assesses his own actions; he should regret his shortcomings, thank Allah for his progress and always work tirelessly to improve." He also said, "There is no friend of Allah on this Earth who is not under the special gaze of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. When you sit in the company of the friend of Allah, the fayz (overflow of spiritual blessings) that you receive is in fact a reflection of that special gaze." Another point he made was that "The friends of Allah are endowed with the knowledge of many secrets concerning the wonders of creation, but those with this knowledge do not disclose it, whereas those who have no idea talk a lot and pretend they know everything." The Shaykh stated, "If a mureed has any doubt regarding one of his Shaykh's actions, he should be patient for it may well be that the reason for the action will become very clear at a later stage." He also said, "One should always try one's best to strive hard in Allah's Path." The Shaykh states, "Once, Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and his Sahaba each put one piece of bread in a clay oven to bake. All the pieces of bread got baked except for the bread of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. This was because the Prophet's blessed hand had touched it, and therefore the fire could not burn it." The Shaykh continued, "Through attaining perfection in following the Sunnah, I too was once in a similar situation; I too once placed a piece of bread in a clay oven along with some of my companions, and all their pieces got baked whereas mine was left untouched by the fire." Once a person came to the Shaykh and asked him to display a miracle. The Shaykh replied, "Despite committing so many sins, I still walk on the land and the earth does not devour me. Tell me, what can be a bigger miracle than this?" Once the Shaykh enquired from Hadhrat Khwajah Ala'uddin Attar rahmatullah alayhi whether or not the time for Zuhr Salaah had begun, and was informed that it hadn't. The Shaykh then said, "Look up at the sky." When they looked up at the sky, they noticed that the veils of the heavens had been drawn aside and that the angels in the heavens were performing the fardh prayer. The Shaykh then said, "And you were telling me that it was not yet time." Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi had the opportunity to see the blessed House of Allah and performed the Hajj. On the day of sacrifice, when all the pilgrims were making Qurbani, the Shaykh said, "I too shall make a sacrifice: there is a boy - I sacrifice him in Your Path." Later the people discovered that on that very day of Eid, the Shaykh's son had passed away in Bukhara. Once, Ameer Burhan-ud-din brought some pieces of bread and began to bake them in a clay oven, when all of a sudden it began to rain heavily. At this Hadhrat Khwajah said, "Tell the rain not to come near us while we are here." The Ameer replied, "How can I say such thing?" The Shaykh said, "Say what I have told you to say." As soon as he did as he was told, it rained all around them yet not one drop of rain landed on the small patch of land where they were. One of the mureeds of Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi brought an apple for the Shaykh. The Shaykh said, "Wait; do not eat this apple right now because it is busy in tasbeeh." Those present heard clearly the recitation of the apple. Once, the Shaykh was in the city of Sarkhas. A few envoys of King Hussain came to see the Shaykh from Herat and they delivered a message from the king, which said, "I have a strong desire to meet with the friends of Allah." The Shaykh did not make a habit of visiting Sultans, but on this occasion the Shaykh accepted the invitation and went to see the king, where a huge reception was waiting for him. The king spoke to Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi, saying, "Your type of spiritual prowess is hereditary, is it not?" The Shaykh replied, "No, and I have only come here in response to the command of my enthusiasm." The King asked, "What is your Tareeqah?" Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi replied, "It is a saying of Khwajah Abd-ul-Khaliq Ghajdwani rahmatullah alayhi that 'Khalwat dar anjuman.'" The King asked what this meant and the Shaykh replied, "It is to be with the creation physically and outwardly, but to be with the Haq subhana wa ta'ala spiritually and inwardly." After a while, the King asked the Shaykh, "Some Masha'ikh have stated that Wilayah (sainthood) is more virtuous than Nabuwwah (Prophethood). What type of Wilayah are they referring to that is more virtuous than Prophethood?" The Shaykh replied, "They refer to the Wilayah of a Nabi, which is more virtuous than his own Nabuwwah." The Shaykh also stated, "Although Salaah, fasting and extensive mujahidah (striving) and nawaafil worship is the way to reach Haq subhana wa ta'ala, according to us it is essential to negate one's Self in the process, for that is the most virtuous achievement of the seeker." One of the scholars of Bukhara came to Hadhrat Khwajah and asked, "What matter or action gives you the feeling of being in the presence of your Lord when you pray Salaah?" Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi replied, "Halal food that is consumed with care, understanding and thought." The Shaykh stated, "The following has been stated by Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: 'My Ummah will never reach a consensus about a matter that is false.' This is because there are people in the Ummah who are the Siddiqeen, and are known as Ummat-e-Mataabi'at." He went on, "The Ummah falls into three categories. The first is 'Ummat-e-Da'wat', and this includes every person in the Ummah. The second is 'Ummat-e-Ajabat', meaning those that have Iman. And the third is 'Ummat-e-Mataabi'at', who are those who follow the ways of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam after they have been granted Iman." The Shaykh stated, "Our Tareeqah is all Adab (etiquette). It is for this reason that one of the conditions for seeking the Path is Adab. One Adab is nisbat with Allah subhana wa ta'ala; one Adab is nisbat with Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; and one Adab is nisbat with the Masha'ikh of the Tareeqah. The Adab of the nisbat that one has with Allah subhana wa ta'ala is that a person obeys the commands of Allah subhana wa ta'ala both internally and externally, and that his worship and all actions are for Allah alone. The Adab of the nisbat one has with Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is that a person must always be obedient to Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and to try his utmost to live his life upon the Sunnah in all aspects, considering Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi a sallam to be the link between Allah and His creation and the sole channel through which he can reach Allah. Finally, the Adab of the nisbat with the Mashai'kh is that it is compulsory for the seekers to have utmost respect and adab for their Shaykh, both in his presence and in his absence." The Shaykh also stated, "In Qabdh (the state of spiritual constraint) one witnesses the quality of Jalaal (Awesome Power), and in Bast (the state of spiritual expansion) the quality of Jamaal (Beauty)." Once the Shaykh said, "All the Masha'ikh have two faces to their 'mirror'; however there are seven faces to ours." Hadhrat Mujaddid Alf Thani rahmatullah alayhi explained this statement, saying, "The 'mirror' refers to the heart of the Arif (one possessed of direct spiritual insight), which is the link between the Rooh and the Nafs, and its two faces relate to the Rooh and the Nafs respectively. In the other Tareeqahs, both of these reflect onto the heart, and the heart thereby receives spiritual knowledge and blessing. In the Silsilah Aaliya Naqshbandia, knowledge falls onto the mirror of the heart from six directions or points, namely the Nafs, Qalb, Rooh, Sirr, Khafi and Akhfa. This is why it has been stated that the other silsilahs engage in the 'exploration of the heart', whereas the Silsilah Aaliya Naqshbandia engages in the 'exploration of the internal orientation of the heart'; thus it is from those six lataa'if (points of spiritual reception) that spiritual knowledge enters the heart." Thousands of karamat have been attributed to the blessed Shaykh, and if we were to put them in writing, we would end up with several very thick volumes. The biggest karamat of the Shaykh was that he gave life to hundreds of thousands of dead hearts with the dhikr of Allah, through bestowing such a mark (Naqsh-) on the hearts of the believers that, once stamped, is indelible (-band) and goes with them into the grave. To give life to a dead heart is more virtuous than bringing a dead person back to life. This is because if a dead person were to come alive, he could again occupy himself in the deceptions of the Dunya, whereas the heart that comes to life becomes nearer to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. It was a custom of the age to decorate clothes with beautiful patterns and prints. The Shaykh, however, imprinted the remembrance of the Haq onto the hearts in such a way that it could never be erased or tampered with. It is for this reason that the name of this Silsilah came to be known as Naqshbandia. It has been narrated that before the Shaykh passed away, he said, "When my last moment comes upon me, I shall teach the people how to die." So when the Shaykh reached the last moments of his life, he raised his hands in du'a and supplicated for a lengthy time. No sooner had he finished the du'a and wiped his hands over his face, his soul went to meet his Lord. The Shaykh was seventy-three years old when he passed away on Monday the 3rd of Rabi-ul-Awwal 791 Hijri. He had given instruction for the people not to recite the kalimah or the Qur'an aloud in front of his funeral procession, since it could be disrespectful. The shrine of the Shaykh is at a place called Qasr-e-Arifan, and is a fountain of blessing for the seekers of the Haq. The Shaykh is Imam-ut-Tareeqah and it is from the nisbat of Hadhrat Shaykh rahmatullah alyahi that the Silsilah gets its name. The Shaykh reached the status of Ijtihaad in knowledge of Tareeqat. When the Shaykh was given khilafah in the Tareeqah by his Murshid, Hadhrat Ameer Kalal rahmatullah alayhi, he was already familiar with the Mujahidaat and acts of devotion of all the various Tareeqahs. In solitude, the Shaykh went into Sajdah (prostration) and prayed to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, saying, "O Allah, the people of the Ummah have become weak. They have no strength, determination or ability to tolerate hardship; and the blessed time and era of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, that was so full of goodness and blessing, gets further away from us as each day passes by. Through Your Mercy and Blessings, please give me a Silsilah by which one can gain Your nearness quickly and with ease." For fifteen consecutive days the Shaykh remained in Sajdah, weeping and pleading before his Lord, only leaving that position in order to pray fardh Salaah in congregation or to attend the call of nature. On the fifteenth day, from the oceans of the Mercy of Allah, the Shaykh received Ilham (inspiration) from Allah in these words: "O Muhammad Baha'uddin! We shall give you that Tareeqah which was that of the Companions of My Habeeb sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, namely Wuqoof-e-Qalbi (stopping the worldly thoughts of the heart) and adherence to the Sunnah of Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." The Shaykh expressed his gratitude to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and then lifted his head from the ground. Subsequently this Tareeqah spread across the world in the way that daylight spreads over the land at sunrise. Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi used to say, "All the Tareeqahs are blessed, full of light, and all of them lead to Allah. However the Tareeqah that Allah subhana wa ta'ala has given me is full of ease in comparison, and one reaches Allah very quickly." In Dhikr-e-Qalbi (remembrance of the heart) there is Jadhb-e-Rabbani (rapture in the Divine) and in Dhikr-e-Rabbani (remembrance of the Divine) there is Sulook (the Path towards Allah's nearness), and it is for this reason that Hadhrat Khwajah rahmatullah alayhi stated, "Ma murad-a-neem, kamaa fadhliy-a-neem", meaning "We are of those who are sought, and we are of those upon whom there is fadhal." Mawlana Jaami rahmatullaha alayhi states, "Naqshbandia ajab qafila sa laaranand, ke barandaaz rahe panhaan baharam qaafila raa", which translates as: "The Naqshbandia lead an extraordinary caravan, for they take their students to the Haram via a secret, hidden route."