Hazrat Khwaja Abul Hassan Amir Khusro Biography

Hazrat Khwaja Abul Hassan Amir Khusro Biography

Hazrat Amir Khusro
Name: Hazrat Khwaja Abul Hassan Amir Khusro
Titles: Mehboob Mehboob-E-Illahi, Shirin Sokhan,
Tottiy-E-Hind, Yamin-Ud-Deen
Predecessor: Hazrat Khwaja Sayed Nizamuddin
Auliya ( ﺭﺣﻤﺘﮧ ﺍﻟﻠﮧ ﻋﻠﯿﮧ )
Date of Birth: 1253 A.D.
Date of Wisaal: 1325 A.D.
Date of Urs: 17th, Shawwal
Resting at: Delhi, India.
A legend is there that when Hazrat Amir Khusro’s
first saw His Holiness Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin
Aulia (R.A). It is said that young Amir Khusro
went to His Holiness khanqah, but did not entered
and remained at the door by remarking, "I shall
select my "Peer" myself, and if it is bestowed with
Divine Power he will converse with me even from
distance."
Thus sitting at the door he composed:
Tu an Shah-e-ke bar aiwan-e-qasrat.
Kabutar gar nashinad baz garded.
Gharib-e mustanande baradar amad.
Be ayat andar un ya baz gardad.
(You are such a mighty King that if a pigeon sits
on your palace, it turns into a hawk. An outsider
and a needy person has come at your door, please
let him know whether he should come in, or go
away).
His Holiness who had supernatural powers sent
him the following verse in reply:
"Biya yet andarun marde haqiqat,
Kibama yak nafas hamraz gardad,
Agar ablah buwad an mard nadan,
Azan rahe ki amad baz gardad."
(The person who knows the truth may come inside
so that we may exchange divine secrets between
us for a moment. If that person is ignorant, then he
should return on the same path from where he has
come here.)
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) immediately got up and
ran to His Holiness and fell on his feet and wept!
His Holiness accepted him as his disciple (murid)
and gradually the two became inseparable and
attached to each other.
Love is deep rooted in human nature. Every Soul
has a natural inclination towards another soul.
Love in fact, –beautifies the soul, and beauty of the
soul resides in love for humanity. Love, the Sufis
believe is greater than religion. Love is the essence
of all creeds. Every worshiper worships God out of
Love. Love enslaves him. The true majestic
welcomes love whatever its guise. One who has a
perfect insight beholds God in everything.
God is both transcendent and immanent. He is the
essence of all existence. The whole universe is a
manifestation of Allah Taála (God). His Oneness
appears in diversity. The Holy Quran points out:
"Which ever way you turn, to God belongs the east
and the west there is the face of Allah Taála. He is
Omnipresent and All Knowing (Quran 2:115)."
"Are they still in doubt as to their beholding the
countenance of God? Do they not realise that God
encompasseth all things? (Quran 41:54)."
"When my servants question you about Me, tell
them that I am near (with them)." (Quran 2:186)
"Quran Sharif also points out "God is nearer to
man than to any other thing."
Life History
Hazrat Amir Khusro was a great Sufi, a wealthy
merchant who once exchanged all his wealth for a
pair of His Holiness Sultan-ul-Mashaikh shoes, an
intellectual giant of many languages, an artist, a
prolific author, a genius musician who invented the
‘sitar’, a versatile composer and a true devoted
"mureed" of His Holiness. He was "All-in-One" type
of highly amazing mixture of Divine gifts.
Dome of the shrine of Hz. Amir Khusro
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) was the son of Amir
Alachin a Turk from Laccheen. His actual name
was Saifuddin Mahmood Shamsi. At the invasion of
Gengiz Khan he migrated from his native place
Kesh near Samarkand to Balkh. Saifuddin was the
chieftain of Hazara. Shamsuddin Iltamish the King
of Delhi welcomed them to his capital. He provided
shelter to the dislodged prince’s artisans, scholars
and rich nobles. Saifuddin was among them. It was
around 626/ 360 A.H/1226 A.D. In 1230 A.D he
was granted afief in the district of Patiali (in Etah
District-Uttar Pradesh). He married to BiBi Daulat
Naz, who bore him three sons and one daughter.
Yaminuddin (Khusro) was one among them born at
Patiali, presently known as Hazrat Amir Khusro
Nagar in District Etah (U.P.) in the year 652-653
A.H/1252-53 A.D. Yaminuddin’s (Khusro) father
Saifuddin was mostly engaged in battles, and was
killed in 660 A.H/1260 A.D. Yaminuddin or Khusro
was an intelligent child. Poetry came to him at the
early age of eight.
Later, Khusro reflects on his father’s bravery as:
"My father Saifuddin Mahmood Shamsi, the
renowned breaker of enemies ranks, possessed
might, enough to conquer the world with all the
merits of his inner self, he never spoke about his
inherent goodness and behaved like an Angel. He
was a military commander and a saint. Although he
was highly educated and cultured, he loved
martyrdom from the beginning and he drank
ultimately the Sharbate-Shahadat."
A Great Secular Scholar and Patriotic Poet
There is no country in the World whose cultural
heritage is so much blended with divine touch. In
Punjabi, Baba Farid and Nanak spoke in poem –
thus the beginning of Punjabi literacy heritage. In
Gujarat, Narsi Mehta and Meera Bai sang songs of
the glory of Ranchchodji – thus the beginning of
Gujarati Literature. In Kashmir, Lalleshwari and
Nand Rishi (Sheikh Nurudedin) sang to the glory of
God – thus the beginning of Kashmiri language.
Urdu, (the rich language of India) was also born in
the same fashion. His Holiness showed keen
interest in the promotion of mutual love and
goodwill among all classes of people. When His
Holiness found that languages and dialectic
obstacles clogged this harmony and hindered the
understanding amongst the Afghans, the Iranians
and the Turks and others, His Holiness ordered
Hazrat Amir Khusro to invent a "new language" so
as to facilitate inter-communication and
homogenous oneness amongst the people of India.
Hazrat Amir Khusro mixed the Persian with local
Brij Bhasha (native language of the North) and this
mixture laid the foundation of Urdu. With the
passage of time and by its usage it developed into
more refined Urdu cultural.
Delhi is proud of His Holiness and Hazrat Khusro.
Delhi is proud of Urdu. It was in Delhi that Urdu
was born, nourished and flourished. Hazrat Khusro
is the father of Modern Urdu Literature. He
composed the first poem in Hindi too. He is the
pioneer of Hindustani Literature. He was a great
scholar in Persian. He introduced Sitar, the five
string instrument. He was a pioneer of Indian
Classical music.
Hazrat Amir Khusro was not only a talented and
highly learned poet of India having full command
over Turkish, Persian, Arabic, Hindi and Sanskrit
languages but he was a distinguished Sufi by virtue
of his initiation and closeness to His Holiness. His
poetical composition, specially the Persian-Hindi
blending were aimed at cementing the bonds of
culture and friendship between the Hindus and
Muslims.
Amir Khusro was a leading poet in Persian and
Hindi languages. In his introduction to ‘Ghurratul
Kamal’ Khusro wrote that, "a few poems that I
have composed in Hindi I have made a gift to my
friends." He was a Hindustani Turk. In another
famous verse he said, "To speak the truth, I am an
Indian parrot. If you want to listen from me some
subtle verses, ask me then to recite some of my
Hindi poems".
Amir Khusro says that the Hindus are Mushrik,
(i.e. pluralist in their belief of God) as under:
"Though Hindus are not men of our faith, yet on
certain points they hold concurrent ideas in respect
of our faith. They affirm that life is one and eternal
and that God created everything."
He was the monarch in the field of prose and
poetry. His Holiness, Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia
(R.A) says, "He is our Khusro not Nasiri Khusro,
May God help my Khusro". Amir Khusro remained
wedded to truth, love and humanity.
Path of Sufism
Amir Khusro was very promising child. He became
a scholar of philosophy and science in short time.
At the age of twenty, he became a famous poet. He
was a man of soaring imagination. The greatness
lies in his breaking the mistrust and isolation in the
then existing various culture groups and thus
paving the way for reconciliation at the social and
ideological levels. Such conciliation and concord
amongst them was a moral and intellectual
demand besides being an urgent social necessity.
Hazrat Amir Khusro rose to a high status because
of his connections in political circles and had
opportunities of observing many important events
from close quarters. He was a man of learning and
helped the growth of Hindustani literary societies.
His genius unfolded itself in poetry, music and
prose.
Inside the shrine of Hz. Amir Khusro
After his father’s death, he migrated along with his
mother to Delhi where he was brought up by his
maternal grandfather Imadul Mulk Rawat Arz. Mir
Khurd writes that His Holiness Hazrat Syed
Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A) came to Delhi at the age
of sixteen for the purpose of his higher education in
the profession of Qazi. By a strange turn of fortune
he stayed in the same locality where Amir Khusro
lived i.e. in Namak Sarai. After some time His
Holiness Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A)
shifted to Rawat Arz house on the recommendation
of Hazrat Amir Khusro. He further writes that when
Amir Khusro reached his adolescence he became
"Iradat Kash" of His Holiness Hazrat Syed
Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A). Amir Khusro writes in the
preface to his "Diwan" "Wastful Hayat" that he was
sixteen years old when he found His Holiness
Hazrat Syed Nizamudddin Aulia (R.A) as his
spiritual mentor, along with Mufti Moizuddin
Gharifi. Both of them guided him to the path of
following the style of Shaikh Sadi and Ispahani.
Son of an Indian Soil
Man himself is a mysterious being. His soul,
spiritual powers, insights, intuitive faculties, contact
with ultimate Reality and several other things have
made him an enigma.
The Holy Prophet says:
"I am creating man from dry clay from black
moulded loam. When I have fashioned him and
breathed My spirit into him…" Quran (15:29).
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) says:
"Ashiqui um kah gar a waz dahi jane mera
Dost az seenah um awaz bar arad kah manam."
(I am a lover, if any one calls my Soul)
My beloved responds from inside my breast saying
it is ‘I’.
He also believes that his beloved God is
omnipresent in his essence:
Hasti man rafat va qayalish ba mamand,
In kah tu beeni nah manam balkeh oost.
(My entity has disappeared, now I think only of
Him. That which you actually see is not me but
He.)
Allah Tala (God) is the most important being for
the mystics to contemplate on. They hold that it is
beyond the limits of human mind to apprehend God
and to circumscribe Him. Hazrat Amir Khusro
argues that even with the help of mental and
intellectual faculties it is not possible to apprehend
Allah Tala (God):
"Dar niyai bih fahm aliman
Darnah gan ji bih wahm admiyan."
(Thou cannot be comprehended by worldly people.
Thou cannot be confined to the imagination of
man.)
Man himself is a mysterious universe unto himself
with all his mental powers he cannot understand
his own self. How can it be possible to understand
Allah Tala?
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) states:
"Ankh khud rashanaqat nah tu aanad,
A free nandah ra kuja danad."
(A man who cannot conceive his own self, can he
ever be able to conceive his Creator)
Thus, said the Prophet (S.A.W.):
Man Arafa Nafsa hu
Faqad Arafa Rabba hu
(Those who realised himself has realised the Allah
Tala (God)).
Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Ganj Shakar (R.A) advises
that:
"Do not insult a man by a bad word. For in
everyone genuine Lord lives."
Hazrat Abu Sayeed Abul Khair (R.A) says:
"I went to the the church of the Christians and the
place of the Jews. And saw that both are facing
you.
The desire to meet You took to me to the temple of
Idols (Hindus)
And I heard the idols singing Your love songs."
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) though he was
distinguished in Suluk, and Tariqat (Way of God)
and was also a great patriot to his mother land. He
used to quote a saying of Prophet (PBUH):
"Love of country is like Love of religion."
This is according to the Tradition (Hadees):
"Oh, group of believers! Love of the country is
certainly like the real faith (in religion)."
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) believed, India with its
beauty - is a Paradise on the earth!.
He said:
"Kishwere Hind Ast Bahashti Bih Zameen".
India is a country like Paradise on the earth.
"Falak az u jumla amad hindustan bar tar guft har
chah az ameen kishwer amad."
(The heavens said that all the countries which
have come of the earth. Among them all only
Hindustan (India) has come up to the height of
excellence.)
He himself refers indirectly and said:
"Singing like a parrot, in the ancient bower
(dwelling),
Is the lot of Khusro blessed with Almighty Power."
Hazrat Abul Hassan said that Amir Khusro heart
was equally capable of responding with all the
swirl and glow of passion, to the love of the
Infinite. It is the cosmic emotion that vibrated
through all his mystical ghazals, and they seem to
have emerged out of the souls encounter with the
Absolute.

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Hazrat Sultan Bahoo R.A Saying

Hazrat Sultan Bahoo R.A Saying

Hazrat sultan bahoo ne zuban se ada kiye gaye kalma ko sifati ya sifate sanaai kalma kaha hai- aur batini haqiqi kalma ko zati ism, dil ka kalma " ism e aazam" Allah ka ism" wagera kaee namo se pukara hai - ye zuban se ada hone wala nahi, bal k apne aap dil mein padha ja raha hai, jis ko haqiqi aashiqe murshid ki hidayat ke bamu jab padhte hain, aur jis se un ka maheboob se abdi wisal ho jata hai-aashiq ishq ki namaz padhte hain jis mein koi harf istemal nahi hota-asl namaz wahi hai jo zuban aur hont hilaae bager ada ho-

1-Ka ne kap ke qalam banawan likh na sakkan qalma hoo.... 

2-z- zubani kalma har koi aakhe dilda padhda hoo.... 

Jethe kalma dilda padhye othe jebhe mile na duhee hoo.... 

Dilda kalma aashiq padhde ki janan yaar galoee hoo.... 

Main e kalma peer padhya bahoo sada suhagan hoee hoo.... 

3-Aashiq padhan namaaz pirem di, je wich harf na koi hoo.... 

Jeeb te hont na hillan bahoo, khas namaazi soee hoo.... 

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Holy Blood Of Imam Hussein A. S

Incident of a bird who was covered by the blood of Imam Hussein [Alahe Sallat OoWaSallam]After the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (as), abird whose color was white landed on the dead body of Imam (as). He covered his wings in the blood Imam Hussein (as) and went to a place where many birds were sat in the shade of trees and were talking about their food . Upon reaching there he said to the other birds, "Alas! You are talking about your food and the Grandson(as) of RasoolAllah (saw) has been slaughtered on the plains of Karbala. His dead body is lying on the hot sands and His blood is still fresh. When the other birds heard this news, they flew to Karbala and saw Imam Hussein (as) laid slaughtered while the accursed army of yazid(la) was taking His Holy Head towards Kufa. Imam (as)’s dead body waslying there without ghusl or kaffan,and His sacred body had been trampled underthe hooves of the horses. The hot sand of the desert was covering Imam(as)’s dead body. The animals of the jungle and jinns were coming for the ziarat of Imam (as). When the birds saw this great scene of oppression, they started crying loudly. All of the birds covered their wings with the Holy Blood ofImam (as) and flew in different directions.They started telling people, "O’ people, Imam Hussein (as) has been slaughtered in Karbala. Muslims have destroyed the whole Family of RasoolAllah (saw)." Wherever these birds went,other birds would also gather around them. All would mourn Imam Hussein(as). One of these birds came to Medina and went to the shrine of RasoolAllah(saw). He kept tellingRasoolAllah (saw) about how Imam Hussein(as) was slaughtered. When the other birds saw this bird, they gathered around him and all began mourning Imam Hussein (as). When the people ofMedina saw this scene, they could not understand what had happened. They noted the day of the crying of these birds . Then after some time, the news of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (as)came to Medina , then they realized Imam Hussein (as) had been martyred onthe same day they had seen these birds gathered at the shrine of RasoolAllah(saw) offering their condolences.One bird flew from the shrine of RasoolAllah(saw) and landed in the garden of a Jew. He sat upon a tree and cried over Imam Hussein (as) the entire night.The owner of this garden had a daughter who was blind and disabled. The Jew would bring his daughter in the day and bringher back into the home during the evening. That day however the Jew was very busy and could not take his daughter back to the home. So the girl spent the whole night under the tree in which the bird was sat mourning over Imam Hussein (as).A drop of Imam Hussein (as)’s holy blood fell from his wings onto one eye of that blind girl. With the blessing of the blood of Imam Hussein (as), her sightwas immediately restored. Then another drop of the blood of Imam Hussein(as) fell onto her other eye and sight in that eye was also immediately restored. Then a few drops fell on her body.With the blessing of the Holy Blood of Imam Hussein (as), all of her disabilities were healed.In the morning, when the father came in the garden , he saw a healthy girl walking in the garden. He asked her "Do youknow where my sick and blind daughter has gone?"The daughter replied, "O’my father, I think youdo not recognize me. I am yoursick and disabled daughter." Upon hearing this,the Jew fell unconscious.When he came to, he asked his daughter howshe had been cured. The daughter took hold of the hand of her fatherand brought him to the tree upon which the bird was sitting and mourning Imam Hussein (as). The daughter said , "O’my father, in the night when I waslying under this tree. A few drops of blood fell down from the wings of this bird and with the blessing of that blood I was cured." That Jew said to the bird,"O’bird, for the sake of the one who created you, speak to me in my language."Allah blessed this bird with the ability to speak in the human language.The bird said, "I was sitting with my fellowbirds when suddenly another birdcame and said, "O’ birds, you are busy in gossips here while Imam Hussein(as) has been slaughtered in Karbala. The oppressors have beheaded Him and His whole Family has been destroyed. Upon hearing this, we immediately went to the desert of Karbala where we saw the dead body of Imam Hussein(as) laying on the plains of Karbala with His Holy Blood still freshly flowing.We covered our wings with His Holy Blood andflew in different directions. I came here to offer my condolences to RasoolAllah (saw)." When the Jew heard this, he said, "No doubt the religion of the grandfather of Imam Hussein (as) isthe true religion. If there is this much great blessing contained in a few dropsof His Holy Blood, then what would be the status of such personality."The Jew embraced Islam immediately alongwith 500 people from his tribe.(Mantaqib Tareehi page no 107-109)

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Adab Of The Sufis

Adab of the Sufis | the purifying ones.. truly who purifies the inner-self succeeds,and who corrupts it fails! - The QuranI have been sent to perfect good manners ...Righteousness is good character.- Prophet MuhammadAdab is courtesy, respect, appropriateness. Adab is not formality; it helps to create the context in which we develop our humanness.Every situation and relationship has its proper adab: between students on the path, in relationto family members and elders, in relation toone's shaikh. Every level of being also has its adab, including coming into the presence ofTruth (Al-Haqq).The model of adab in the Sufi tradition is the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing uponhim), who said: "None of you will have authentic faith until your hearts are made right,nor will your hearts be made right until your tongues be made right, nor will your tongues be made right until your actions be maderight."Awareness of some simplified aspects of adab:. To be Straight forward with sincerity and truthfulness.. To be aware of and have regret for our own faults, rather than finding fault with others.. To be free from the preoccupation, worry,vanity and ambition over the world and the worldly.. To be indifferent to the praise or blame of the general public.. To do what one does for God's sake-not forthe desire for reward or the fear of punishment.. To adopt an appropriate humility and invisibility in public and in the meetings of the dervishes.. To serve the good of one's brothers and sisters with all one's physical and other resources .. To seek to heal any wound you may have caused to another, and to correct any misunderstanding within three days if possible.. To know that no good will come out of the expression of anger or excessive hilarity.. To be patient with difficulties.. To be indifferent to favor or benefit foroneself, for "receiving one's due.". To be free of spiritual envy and ambition,including the desires to lead or teach.. To strive to increase one's knowledge ofSufism (the Gnosis, the Marifa, the Knowledgeof God and self). To be willing to struggle with one's ego asmuch as it prevents one from following proper adab, and to realize that the greatest ally isLove.. To seek instead to make one's practices moreand more inwardly sincere, rather than outwardly apparent."Technology of the Heart"thanks to brother.

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How Hazrat Sultan Bahoo Found Perfect Murshid

"As the saint himself says that when he did not find any true seeker to impart his spiritual wealth and blessings, he decided to transform this esoteric wealth into writing and thus madeit available for generations to come""Hazrath Sultan Bahu's initiation into the spiritual world was both esoteric and exoteric.In his book ` Amirul Kaunain ' he writes that`for thirty years I have traveled far and wide insearch of a Perfect Murshid (Spiritual Master)'.During this period he met innumerable spiritual guides and spent time with many ofthem, serving them in every respect and receiving spiritual light and blessings from them.Esoterically, Hazrath Sultan Bahu was initiatedby the Prophet Muhammed (Peace BE UPONHIM ) himself. He received instructions and spiritual guidance from the fountain -head ofall lights himself (PBUH) and was accepted asa child of light in the court of Hazrath Syeda Bibi Pak Fatima, the lady of light and her husband Hazrath Imam Mawla Ali"Hazrath Sultan Bahu in one stanza in his Abyat'(Punjabi Poems) he says:Murshid should be like a goldsmith Roasting dross in crucible Taking out the wholesome metal Shape rings irresistible Polish them for ladies' ears Who will look adorable Through true Murshid, every moment Bahu's Fate is changeable '.At another place he says:Mystic ways without a Murshid Try to tread and, sure, get lost..... Murshid perfect keeps you Happy in this life and life to come rids you of the pangs of hungerTurns to silver pure and shining..

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How To Perform Ghusl?

Ghusal is an act of washing the whole body

from the head to the toe. "Ghusal" means

"Bath." We must use clean running water to

have a Ghusal so that all the dirt will be

removed from our body.

Method of Making Ghusal

Read the Niyyah:

1. Wash both your hands up to the wrist.

2. Wash the private parts properly to remove

all the dirt. Remove all pubic hair and the hair

from under the arms.

3. Make WUDU. Ensure that the mouth and the

nostrils are washed properly. Also brush your

teeth and gargle your mouth till the throat.

4. Wash the entire head properly.

5. Then wash the entire body, making sure that

every part is washed properly. Start with the

right-hand side of the body and then the left-

hand side.

6. When you have completed the Ghusal, dry

the whole body with a clean towel and get

dressed as quickly as possible.

The Fards (Faraa'id) of Ghusal

Now that you have a brief idea of how to make

Ghusal, you should learn the Fards (Faraa'id)

of Ghusal which are:

1. To wash the whole mouth. If you are not

fasting, then you must gargle your mouth until

the water reaches the throat.

2. To cleanse the nostrils.

3. To wash the whole body thoroughly from the

head to the toe.

The Sunnahs of Ghusal

There are certain actions in Ghusal which are

Sunnah. If you perform these actions you will

get great Thawaab. These actions are:

1. The person should make the Niyyah or

intention for Ghusal.

2. Washing the hands 3 times till the wrist.

3. Washing the private parts thoroughly.

4. All dirt from the body should be removed.

5. To perform the Wudu.

6. To pour water over the right shoulder 3

times and then over the left shoulder 3 times.

7. To pour water over the head and the whole

body 3 times.

8. Washing the feet when Ghusal is completed

and then leaving the place of Ghusal.

9. To make Ghusal in a private place. If you

are making Ghusal in the bathroom, make sure

that the door is closed and nobody can see

you.

10. Make sure that you do not read or speak

while making Ghusal. If somebody does call

you and you need to reply then make a noise

or sound like you are clearing your throat. The

person will know that you are making Ghusal

and will not disturb you.

11. To dry the body with a clean towel or

cloth.

Note:

(a) Do not face the Qiblah when making

Ghusal or making Istinja. Remember not to

build toilets and bathrooms facing the Qiblah.

(b) You may stand or sit when making Ghusal,

but it is better that you sit.

(c) Do not waste water.

When is it Sunnah to make Ghusal?

There are certain occasions in which it is

Sunnah to make Ghusal. Some of these

occasions are:

1. For Jummah Salaah.

2. For both the Eids (Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-

Adha).

3. On the Day of Arafaat.

4. Before one wears the Ihraam.

When is it Mustahab to make Ghusal?

It is "Mustahab" or "preferable" to make

Ghusal on the following occasions :

1. Staying at Arafaat.

2. Staying at Muzdalifa.

3. When entering Masjidul Haram.

4. When visiting the Masjid-un-Nabawi.

5. Making Tawaaf.

6. When entering Mina.

7. When stoning the Shaytaan (on the 3 days).

8. Laylatul Baraat (Night of Baraat).

9. Laylatul Qadr (Night of Power).

10. On the night of Arafaat.

11. For the Mawlood-un-Nabi (sallal laahu

alaihi wasallam) and when attending all

Islamic functions.

12. After making Ghusal for the dead.

13. After the person is cured of madness or

illness.

14. After unconsciousness.

15. After intoxication (drunkenness).

16. Before making Tauba.

17. When wearing new clothes.

18. After returning from a journey.

19. For most of the Nawaafil Salaah like

Salaatul Istisqa and others.

20. When there is unnatural darkness in the

skies.

21. On the afternoon of a very hot day to wash

away perspiration.

22. When embracing Islam.

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Can Muslim Women Visit Graves

by Dr. G. F. Haddad

In his recent booklet, Advice to our Brothers

the Scholars of Najd, Sayyid Yusuf al-Rifa`i

states, addressing present-day Wahhabis: "You

forbid women from visiting the noble Baqi`

with no agreed-upon, clear and explicit proof

from the Law!" The following is a

demonstration of the permissibility of visits to

al-Baqi` according to the principles of Sacred

Law and the proof-texts of the Sunna.

Those who object to the visitation of graves by

women adduce chiefly three hadiths as their

proof, two of these being the weak-chained

narrations, (a) "Allah curses the women who

visit the graves"1 (la`ana Allahu zâ'irât al-

qubûr) and (b) "Allah curses the women who

visit the graves and take them for places of

worship and candles,"2 the third one being, (c)

"Allah curses the women who frequently visit

the graves" 3 (la`ana Allahu zawwârât al-

qubûr).

As indicated by Sayyid al-Rifa`i, the above

narrations do not constitute "agreed-upon,

clear and explicit proof from the Law" for the

prohibition of women from visiting graves in

Islam. Accordingly, the majority of the Ulema

concur that women are permitted to visit the

graves if there is no danger of temptation and

sin.4 This is established by the following

proofs:

1. The Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -

said: "I forbade you to visit the graves but

[now] do visit them!"5

2. `A'isha - Allah be well-pleased with her -

said: "The Prophet - Allah bless and greet him

- forbade the visitation of graves then

permitted it, and I think he said: `For, truly,

they remind you of the hereafter.'"6

3. `A'isha visited came to Mecca after her

brother's death saying, "Where is the grave of

my brother?" Then she came to the grave and

prayed over him, a month after his death.7

Another version states that Ibn Abi Mulayka

said: "`A'isha's brother died six miles away

from Makka, so we carried him until we

reached Makka and buried him there. `A'isha

came to us after that and reproached us for

doing so. Then she said: `Where is the grave of

my brother?' We showed it to her and she

alighted in her howdah and prayed at his

grave."8< /p>

4. When `Abd Allah ibn Mulayka saw `A'isha

visiting the grave of her brother `Abd al-

Rahman he said to her: "Did not the Prophet -

Allah bless and greet him - forbid this

[visitation of graves]?" She replied: "Yes, he

had forbidden it. Then he ordered to visit

them."9 Ibn `Abd al-Barr mentions that Imam

Ahmad adduces this report as proof that

women are permitted to visit the graves.10

The wording and verb tenses used by the

Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - and the

Companions in the above narrations show that

these narrations explicitly abrogate the

narrations that express prohibition. This is

confirmed by al-Hakim who narrated the

hadith: "Allah curses the women who

frequently visit the graves" then said: "Those

narrations pertaining to prohibition from

visiting the graves are abrogated, the abrogator

being the hadith of `Alqama ibn Marthad, from

Sulayman ibn Burayda, from his father, from

the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -: `I

forbade you to visit the graves but [now] do

visit them!'"11

5. Due to her strictness, and perhaps in

confirmation of Ibn Abi Mulayka's remark,

`A'isha disliked to visit the grave of her

brother as is evident from her remark in al-

Tirmidhi's narration of her visitation to `Abd

al-Rahman: "If I had been present at the time

of your death I would have never visited you

[now]."12 Yet this is another proof that she did

not understand the Prophet's - Allah bless and

greet him - prohibition as absolute - were it

not abrogated - since she did allow herself the

visitation of her brother despite it.

6. The Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -

passed by a woman who was weeping next to

a grave and said: "Fear Allah and be

steadfast!" She replied: "Leave me alone! You

were not afflicted with my affliction" - without

recognizing him. Then she was told that this

was the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -.

She came to see him and did not find anyone

at the door [so entered directly] and said: "I

did not recognize you!" He replied:

"Steadfastness is only at the first shock."13

7. `A'isha asked: "What should I say, O

Messenger of Allah [at al-Baqi`]?" He replied:

"Say: `Greeting to you, O people of the abodes

among the men and women believers! May

Allah grant mercy to those of you and us who

went ahead and those who tarried back! Truly

we shall - if Allah wills - join up with you.'"14

Al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Hajar and al-Nawawi said that

the above narrations show that it is permitted

for women to visit the graves in confirmation

of `A'isha's visitation of her brother, as the

Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - only

admonished the mourning woman to be

steadfast without forbidding her from visiting

the grave, and he gave instructions to `A'isha

on what to say when visiting the graves.15

8. The Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -

said: "I had forbidden you to visit the graves

but Muhammad has been permitted to visit the

grave of his mother, so visit them, for truly,

they remind you of the hereafter."16

9. Another version states: "I had forbidden you

to visit the graves but do visit them for they

truly remind one of the hereafter."17

10. Another version states: "Whoever wants to

visit the graves [may], truly they remind of the

hereafter."18

11. Another version states: "I had forbidden

you to visit the graves but do visit them, for

they help to renounce the world and they

remind of the hereafter."19

12. Another version states: "I forbade you to

visit the graves then it appeared to me that

they soften the heart, bring tears to the eyes,

and remind one of the hereafter. Therefore,

visit them, but do not say reprehensible

things!"20

The proof for the visitation of women in the

above five narrations is that the positive

effects of remembering the hereafter, weeping,

and softening the heart are not exclusively

limited to men but extend to women as well.

Therefore women are also addressed by these

narrations which are to be taken in the most

general, inclusive sense. This is confirmed by

the practice of Fatima - Allah be well-pleased

with her! - the daughter of the Prophet - Allah

bless and greet him - as shown in the

following two narrations:

13. Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq narrated with his

chain from al-Hasan ibn `Ali that Fatima the

daughter of the Prophet - Allah bless and greet

him - - may Allah be well-pleased with all of

them! - used to visit the grave of her uncle

Hamza ibn `Abd al-Muttalib every Jumu`a21

and she used to pray and weep there.22

Another version adds that she had marked the

grave with a rock in order to recognize it.23

14. The women wept over Ruqiyya - Allah be

well-pleased with her! - when she died, so

`Umar tried to forbid them but the Messenger

of Allah - Allah bless and greet him - said,

"Wait, O `Umar!" Then he said: "[Women,]

beware of the devil's croaking! As long as it

comes from the eye and the heart, it is coming

from mercy; and as long as it comes from the

tongue and the hand,24 it is coming from

Satan." Whereupon, Fatima began to weep over

the grave of Ruqiyya and the Prophet - Allah

bless and greet him - was wiping her tears

from her face with his hand - or, the narrator

said, his sleeve.25

Even if we should consider the first two of the

three hadiths adduced by the objectors (a and

b) authentic as a handful of scholars did, they

do not form proof for prohibition, for two

reasons. First, they are abrogated according to

the more correct view as demonstrated.

Second, they elucidate one another and are

elucidated by the third hadith adduced (c), in

the sense that the curse does not concern

women who visit the graves in absolute terms,

but only those women who both (1) visit

excessively and (2) commit certain

reprehensible acts during visitation as stated

by al-Tirmidhi, al-Baghawi, al-Tahawi, al-

Qurtubi, and others.26 This qualified

prohibition is confirmed by the fact that the

soundest version of the prohibition hadith

states, "Allah curses the women who

*frequently* visit the graves," in which case

the prohibition is patently restrictive,

concerning only a specific group of women

and not all of them.

Another confirmation is that this qualified

prohibition extends to men as well, as stated in

the hadith of the Prophet - Allah bless and

greet him -: "Allah curse the Jews and

Christians! They took the graves of their

Prophets as places of worship."27 This men-

inclusive qualified prohibition is further

confirmed by the version stating: "I forbade

you from visiting the graves and now [allow

you to] visit them, but do not utter words that

make your Lord angry!"28

The gist of this documentation is not that

Muslim women today are indifferently

permitted to visit the graves, since temptation

and sin abound in our time and there is little

or no observance of the obligations of Sacred

Law shown by either Muslim men or women

who visit the graves. To say the least, as al-

Bayhaqi said: "If women keep themselves clear

from following funeral processions, going out

to cemetaries, and visiting graves, it would be

healthier for their Religion - and from Allah

comes success."29 As far as we know, this is

the Consensus of the Imams of Ahl al-Sunna.

Yet, the negative situation of contemporary

Muslim visitors to city and country cemetaries

hardly applies to the women pilgrims who visit

al-Baqi` and the Prophet - Allah bless and

greet him - in Madina, where the effusion of

emotion is somehow counter-balanced by the

natural decorum of Madina al-Munawwara.

Therefore their status there should be that of

allowance together with male Muslims rather

than prohibition as confirmed by the fatwa of

the Ulema and contrary to the claims of a

handful of Wahhabi dissenters such as the late

`Abd al-`Aziz ibn Baz, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim

ibn `Abd al-Latif, Hammad al-Ansari and his

student Bakr Abu Zayd, the late Abu Bakr al-

Jaza'iri, and others of the circle who hold sway

over the religious jurisdiction of the Two

Sanctuaries.

As for the absolute prohibition, including the

Mosque and al-Baqi` in Madina, insisted upon

by Bakr Abu Zayd in his epistle titled "Juz' fi

Ziyarat al-Nisa' li al-Qubur"30 and his odd

claim that the narrations prohibiting women

from following the funeral bier apply to prove

the prohibition of visitation, such claims stem

from an unreasonable, stubborn rejection of

the evidence and a blind following of the

familiar founts of misguided originality and

nonconformity - Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn al-

Qayyim. But truth is more deserving of being

followed than eminent figures. And from Allah

alone comes all success, and Allah Most High

knows best.

NOTES

1 Narrated from Abu Hurayra by Ibn Hibban in

his Sahih (7:452 #3178) with a weak chain

because of `Umar ibn Abi Salama ibn `Abd al-

Rahman al-Zuhri who is weak as stated by al-

Arna'ut and Ma`ruf in Tahrir al-Taqrib (3:74

#4910). Also narrated from Hassan ibn Thabit

from the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -

by Ibn Abi Shayba (3:31) with a weak chain

because of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Bahman who

is of unknown rank as a narrator (majhûl). The

hadith itself is acceptable as "fair due to

witness and corroborating chains and

versions" (hasan lighayrih) as stated by al-

Arna'ut in the Musnad (5:128 n. 2).

2 Narrated from Ibn `Abbas by al-Tirmidhi

(hasan), Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i in both in al-

Sunan and al-Sunan al-Kubra (1:657 #2174),

Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shayba (2:151, 3:30), al-

Tahawi in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar (12:178-179

#4741-4742), al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunna

(2:416-417 #510), Ibn Hibban (7:452-454

#3179-3180), al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:530) who

indicated its weakness, al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan

al-Kubra (4:78 #6992), Ibn al-Ja`d in his

Musnad (p. 224), al-Tabarani in al-Kabir

(12:148), and al-Haythami in Mawarid al-

Zam'an (p. 200), all with the same weak chain

containing Abu Salih Mawla Umm Hani' who is

weak as stated by Ibn Hajar in al-Mundhiri's

al-Targhib (1997 ed. 4:190) and al-Arna'ut in

Sahih Ibn Hibban and the Musnad (5:128

#2984). However, the hadith itself is

acceptable since al-Tirmidhi and al-Baghawi

declared it "fair"; while Ibn al-Sakan included it

among the sound (sahîh) narrations as stated

by Ibn al-Mulaqqin in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (2:31).

3 Narrated from Abu Hurayra by al-Tirmidhi

(hasan sahîh), Ibn Majah, and Ahmad; from

Ibn `Abbas by Ibn Majah with a weak chain

because of Abu Salih; and from Hassan ibn

Thabit by Ibn Majah and Ahmad with a weak

chain because of `Abd al-Rahman ibn

Bahman. Note: Ibn Majah's versions have

zuwwârât.

4 As stated by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari (1959

ed. 3:148), al-Shawkani in Nayl al-Awtar

(chapters on burial and the rulings pertaining

to graves), and al-Mubarakfuri in Tuhfa al-

Ahwadhi (4:139).

5Narrated as part of a longer hadith: from

Burayda by Muslim, al-Tirmidhi (hasan sahîh),

Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i, `Abd al-Razzaq

(3:569), and others; from Abu Sa`id al-Khudri

by Ahmad with a chain of sound narrators as

stated by al-Haythami (3:58), Malik, al-Hakim

(1990 ed. 1:530) who declared it sound by

Muslim's criterion, al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-

Kubra (4:77 #6984), and al-Bazzar with a

chain of sound narrators as stated by al-

Haythami (3:58); from Ibn Mas`ud by Ibn

Majah, al-Daraqutni in his Sunan (4:259), `Abd

al-Razzaq (3:572-573), Ibn Hibban (3:261),

al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:531), and al-Bayhaqi in

al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:77 #6983) all with weak

chains according to al-Arna'ut; from Anas by

Ahmad and al-Bazzar with chains containing

al-Harith ibn Nabhan who is weak according to

al-Haythami (4:27), al-Hakim (1990 ed.

1:531-532), and al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-

Kubra (4:77 #6984).

6 Narrated by al-Bazzar with a chain of

trustworthy narrators as stated by al-Haythami

(3:58).

7 Narrated from Ibn Abi Mulayka by al-

Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra 4:49).

8 Narrated by `Abd al-Razzaq (3:518) and Ibn

`Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid (6:261).

9 Narrated by Abu Ya`la (8:284) with a sound

chain, al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:532), al-Bayhaqi

in al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:78 #6993), and Ibn

`Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid (3:233).

10 Ibn `Abd al-Barr, al-Tamhid (3:234).

11 Al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:530).

12 Narrated from `Abd Allah ibn Mulayka by

al-Tirmidhi.

13 Narrated from Anas in all the Six Books.

14 Narrated as part of a longer hadith by

Muslim and al-Nasa'i.

15 Al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:78), Ibn

Hajar, Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 3:184); al-

Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim (7:41-42).

16 Narated from Burayda by al-Tirmidhi

(hasan sahîh).

17 Part of a longer hadith narrated from

Burayda by Ahmad.

18 Part of a longer hadith narrated from

Burayda by al-Nasa'i.

19 Narrated from Ibn Mas`ud by Ibn Majah.

20 Part of a longer hadith narrated from Anas

by Ahmad.

21 Narrated to here from Ja`far ibn

Muhammad, from his father, without mention

of al-Hasan by `Abd al-Razzaq (3:572) with

an interrupted (munqati`) chain.

22 Narrated by al-Hakim (1990 ed. 1:533,

3:30) who declared its chain sound, al-

Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:78), and Ibn

`Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid (3:234) although al-

Dhahabi condemns it strenuously while al-

Bayhaqi alludes to its weakness.

23 Al-Athram and Ibn `Abd al-Barr narrated it

as mentioned by al-Qurtubi in his Tafsir

(10:381); also `Abd al-Razzaq (3:574) with a

very weak chain because of al-Asbagh ibn

Nubata, who is discarded (matrûk) as a

narrator.

24 A reference to imprecations and the

slapping of the cheeks still exhibited today by

mourning Arab Christian women.

25 Narrated from Ibn `Abbas by al-Bayhaqi in

al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:70 #6946) with a chain

containing `Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jud`an al-Taymi

who is weak, but al-Bayhaqi considers it sound

as it is confirmed by established narrations.

26 Cf. al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan after narrating

the hadith of zawwârât from Abu Hurayra; al-

Tahawi in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar

(12:179-186); al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunna

(2:417, 5:464); and al-Qurtubi in his Tafsir

(20:170), as cited by al-Shawkani in Nayl al-

Awtar (chapters on burial and the rulings

pertaining to graves).

27 Narrated from `A'isha by al-Bukhari and

Muslim.

28 Narrated from Abu Sa`id by al-Bazzar with

a chain of sound narrators as stated by al-

Haythami (3:58); from Ibn `Abbas by al-Rabi`

in his Musnad (p. 194); and from Anas by

Ahmad, Abu Ya`la (6:372), and Ibn Abi Shayba

(3:29).

29 Al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra (4:78).

30 In his misnamed al-Ajza' al-Hadithiyya (p.

107-141).

Allah bless and greet the Prophet, his Family,

and all his Companions. Wal-hamdu lillahi

Rabb al-`alamin.

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