The Preaching of Islam in India! Part I (KHAWAJA QUTUBUDDIN BAKHTIYAR KAKI)

 Khawaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki was born in the town of Aush in the year 582 hijra (1173 AD) in present day Tajikistan. Khawaja became orphan at a very tender age, his mother took special care for his education and got him admitted in a primary school. After completing primary education at a Aush Khawaja took road to Baghdad for further education. he was endowed with the robe of spiritual succession in the Chishtiyah order by none other than Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti in the sacred mosque of Faqih Abul laith Samarkandi, in the presence of a large number of scholars and celebrated saints.

It is said that the Prophet of Islam (may peace and blessings be upon him) directed Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (ra) to confer the mantle of succession  to him and the spiritual kingdom of Delhi was also assigned to Khawaja Qutubuddin kaki by the command of God. Khawaja directed his course to India at the bidding of his mentor and stayed over at Delhi, capital of the then sultanate. Delhi was then not only the capital of the sultanate, but was also the emerging stronghold of Islam in a country recently brought under its realm, where many men of arts and learning of the then Islamic world had gathered.

Once during his stay in Delhi Khawaja Qutubuddin (ra) went to Ajmer to stay with his shaykh after some ulema (scholars) from the royal court had complained about him to Khawaja Moinuddin. the people of Delhi were grieved considerably by his separation. after requesting to Khawaja Moinuddin (ra), he was sent back.

Besides Khawaja's other routine work, he would recite every time 3000 times Durood Shareef. when Khawaja married, he was unable to keep up his routine for about two three nights. His servant, Anees Ahmad, saw in a dream a beautiful palace. A huge gathering was outside the palace, but no one was entering. However there was a buzurg of short physical stature who was going in and out. it was said that Rasulullah (s.a.w) was inside the Palace. this buzurg was Hadhrat Abdullah bin Masud (Ra). he would carry the messages of the outsiders into the palace. Anees Ahamd the servant expressed a desire for ziyarat. 

From the palace it was said:

You are not yet worthy of ziyarat. However convey salaam's to Qutubuddin and inform him that for three days his gift has not arrived.

Another routine of Khawaja was hundred raka'at nafl salaat daily. he was generally in the state of Istighraaq (absorbed in divine love). when someone came to visit him, he would only become aware of the persons presence after sometime. (Tarikh-i-Mashaikh Chisht)

Khawaja Qutubuddin was held in veneration by sultan Iltutmish but he refused to have anything to do with the royal court and rejected all offers and grants from the king. sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish used to call upon Khawaja twice a week for guidance in spiritual and worldly matters. although Khawaja did not live long enough to complete the difficult task entrusted to his care by his spiritual guide Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti, he discharged his responsibilities with success and also established the Chishtiyah order in India with a firm foot for all times to come.

Khawaja was about 50 years of age when the all consuming flame of the love of God, which he had kept subdued in his frail bodily frame for the edification of surrounding humanity, burst forth in ecstatic trances and transports. He was often seen in the state of total absorption and elevation produced by divine illumination of his heart, till the day came when he heard in the chamber of Shaykh Ali Sikizzi, a poet reciting the following couplet.

Ungrudging who are in resignation and submission;

A new life they get, ever and anon.

He fell into ecstatic trance; returned to his place after sometime, but remained attracted to the same condition. In between, when the time for prayer arrived he would perform the observances but would relapse into the same state of ecstasy and rapturous trance as soon as the couplet was recited before him. on the fifth night, in the same condition, he preferred the deeper privacy of the grave. (Siar-ul-Aulia, on the Authority of Khawaja Nizamuddin awliya).

While returning from Idgah to his residence, a few days before his death, Khawaja happened to pass through an open ground. he remained standing at that place for quite some time until a companion reminded politely: it is Eid today and a large number of people would be waiting your return" Khawaja replied: "I find the fragrance of hearts emitting here". Later he called the owner of the land and purchased the field for his burial place. this is the place where his grave exists today. (Siar-u-auliya,pg.55)

Thereafter, Hadhrat Abu saed tabrezi read out Khawaja's will. it was written:

My janaazah salaat should be performed by the person who never committed Zina (fornication), who never missed the sunnah raka'ats of Asr and who never missed takbeer-e-ula of jamaat salaat.

Hearing these conditions a silence fell on the crowd. after sometime, the sultan stepped forward and said:

I desired my condition to remain concealed, but Khawaja exposed it.

Khawaja Qutubuddin had conferred the habit of succession to nine or ten of his disciples, but his chief successor who devoted himself whole-heartedly to the completion of the task undertaken by him was Khawaja Farid ud-din Ganjshakar.