The Preaching of Islam in India! Part I (KHAWAJA MOINUDDIN CHISHTI)

                                                                      Image credit: Times of India

Sultan ul Hind Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti:

According to the consensus of historians Khawaja was born in the year 537AH (1143 AD) in the town of Sanjar which is in the Irani province of Seetaan. Khawaja had inherited an orchard from his father. initially after getting inspired by one Ibrahim Quhanzari who was a dervish, a profound transformation took place in Khawaja's heart which made him completely turn away from the word and a strong yearning of Allah's loved consumed him.

 Khawaja sold the orchard and distributed the money to the poor and left on a journey to Samarqand were he bade the Qur'an to his memory and gained the academic shariah knowledge. Thereafter he travelled to Iraq to benefit in the company of Hadhrat Uthman Harooni (ra) in a town called Harun. Khawaja Moinuddin stayed 20 years in the service of his shaykh.

Khawaja's adherence to the Prophet:

It is narrated that once Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (ra) while making ablution forgot to make khilal of his fingers. A voice from the Ghaib (unseen realm) reprimanded:

"You claim love for the Rasool, but you abandon the Sunnat of the Rasool"

He immediately repented. Whenever he saw a fire, he would shiver with fear because of the feeling that on the day of judgement he may be punished for having omitted the sunnah of khilal. thus the condition of those Masha'ikh regarding obedience to the sunnah was similar to that of the Sahaba (ra). (Tarikh Masha'ikh-i-Chisht)

After Khawaja's service to his shaykh wile returning, he met and took benefit from the company of Shaykh Najmuddin Kubra and Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May God be pleased with them).

Khawaja's Arrival in Hindustan:

The reason Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (ra) had arrived in India was a dream in which the Holy Prophet of Islam Instructed him to set off to India and settle in Ajmer.

When Khawaja arrived he sat down somewhere on the outskirts of Ajmer. the Royal camelherd informed him that this was the sanctuary of the kings camels, hence he should leave. Khawaja left and sat down by a lake named Ranasagar. Meanwhile the kings camels sat down and could not get up. the camelherd informed the king Prithviraj of this incident.

The King said that there was no option then to apologize, as the himself suffered many setbacks. Every magician who was called not only failed but became his student. Khawaja slaughtered a cow near the pond of Ranasagar, on seeing this the Hindu holy men attacked Khawaja but failed miserably in their attempts, as all were in vain it is reported that many Hindu holy men accepted island at the hands of Khawaja on the spot. thereafter Khawaja came to live among the people.

It cannot be denied that, from the very first day when the Sufi Shaykhs of Chishti order entered India starting from Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (ra) they remained itinerant preachers of Islam. People accepting Islam through Khawaja were quite numerous, his achievements can never be measured in the absence of records kept by his contemporaries. it is however an established fact that the spread of Islam in India was the fruit of the Khawaja's piety and religious zeal.