About Hazrat Diwan e Hazuri (Reh.)
And lastly, with the arrival of our Lord and Master, the Seal of Prophets, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), the chapter of Prophethood was also closed, and whilst preaching the religion, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) conveyed the message of the ‘Oneness of Allah’ to the people. After the apparent life of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the Caliphs, the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) continued this process in a very good manner. After them, Allah Almighty gave this responsibility to the Saints and Scholars of truth to guide his creation and the chain continues until today. One such saint was a great spiritual figure known by the people as ‘Hazrat Dewan Huzuri’. His birth name was Muhammad Abdullah.
Muhammad Abdullah was born on the 29th of Shaban al-Muzam 974 AH in the village of Takht Padi, a suburb of Rawat, Rawalpindi, in the house of Sheikh Nihaluddin, a dervish person, and he received his early education from his distinguished mother.
Muhammad Abdullah’s parents emanated from a scholarly and religious family. At a very young age, he studied the Holy Quran, Hadith, Tajweed, syntax, grammar, logic, and Islamic issues, gaining a distinguished status in the world.
Muhammad Abdullah was not destined to remain in the confines of South Asia; he decided to travel to Baghdad Sharif in Iraq to gain further knowledge. This destiny was already affirmed by Ghous-ul-Azam, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) who had written a will during his lifetime stating that a person named Abdullah would come from Punjab and sweep my shrine for 12 years. Further, when he would departs from Baghdad Sharif the people were instructed to give him 12 gifts and 12 titles. This was all to project his piety.
In order to comply with this will, on a beautiful and sunny morning, he made a journey, having sought permission from his beloved parents, to travel to Baghdad Sharif.
Before starting the journey, his mother gave some advice, the most significant piece of advice was to always speak and support the truth in life.
Meanwhile, a convoy was travelling towards Baghdad Sharif. He joined this convoy. After encountering difficulties on the way and after several days of continuous travel, finally came the time for the window of fate to open when he found himself in Baghdad Sharif in a state of spiritual tranquility. On entering Baghdad, he visited the Holy shrine of Ghous-Al-Azam and supplicated to his Lord. The duty of Muhammad Abdulla thus began. He further studied the teachings, which included the Quran, Sunnah, rules of Islam and spiritualism. He remained there for 12 years; studying and handling the affairs of the Holy Shrine. He gained the honour of completing Hajj 12 times, which included 12
visits to the abode of our Lord and Master Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). After 12 years, Muhammad Abdualla had a blessed dream where he met Ghous-Al-Azam. Muhammad Abdulla was told that he had already pledged inner allegiance to Ghous-Al-Azam, but he had to pledge outer allegiance to the world of Sufism by meeting Hazrat Shah Muhammad Bandgi Bukhari Dehlavi, and there he was to collect the 12 gifts and 12 titles, which were being held on trust for him.
Ghous-Al-Azam also instructed Muhammad Abdulla in his dream to attend the Qasba’ tul Nakheel (also known as the village of dates) and begin his dawah work (preaching of Islam) . The details of the gifts and titles were as follows. Gifts: Holy Quran, bowl, miswak (tooth-cleaning stick), antimony (known as ‘surma’ in Arabic), comb, cane, turban, handkerchief, thobe, prayer mate and two spoons. Titles: Haji al-Haramain al-Sharifain, Sultan al-Mohadin, Burhan al-Ashqeen, Hujta al-Mishaikheen, Ghous al-Magheethin, Qutb al-Aqalim, Imam al-Sajiya, Mahdi al-Awaliya, Mufti al-Faqara, Muqtada al-Badala, Hadi al-Muhtharin and Diwan Hazuri.
These gifts are still present in Darbar Alia, which are shown to the public on 20 Shawwal-ul-Mukarram and various other dates. The twelve titles are engraved on the tombstone of the blessed grave of Muhammad Abdulla and it is the last title of Diwan Huzuri, which became the most prominent and well-known title and it is this title, which is used to address Muhammad Abdulla by the world today. Muhammad Abdulla then planned to travel from Baghdad Sharif to Delhi and he bid farewell to the city of Ghous-Al-Azam. After a continuous journey of several days, he entered the city of his Sheikh Tariqat (spiritual guide) in Delhi. Hazrat Shah Muhammad Bandgi Bukhari Dehlavi left his lesson, which he was teaching and came out of his educational institution with all his students and other teachers. The reason for this was because Muhammad Abdulla was sent there by Ghous-Al-Azam and them greeting Muhammad Abdulla was symbolic in reverence to Ghous-Al-Azam.
After this honourable reception and welcome, Muhammad Abdulla was accompanied to the educational institution and he remained there for some days. It was here where he pledged allegiance to Shah Muhammad Bandgi Bukhari
Dehlavi and he collected the 12 gifts, 12 titles and specific religious teachings which were passed on to him as a result of him pledging allegiance to Shah Muhammad Bandgi Bukhari Dehlavi. The command was then to make a journey to the village of dates to begin preaching of Islam. History tells us that this village was the centre of disbelief, polytheism and there were all kinds of rituals that were being practiced, which originated in Arab society from the time of ignorance. Muhammad Abdulla started preaching Islam here and teaching people the Holy Quran and Hadith. Hazrat Abdullah’s preaching and conversations with people had the effect that people repented after learning his righteous ways and started entering the fold of Islam. People became such Muslims that they began to possess the golden principles of Islam in their hearts.
There is no doubt that during this time Hazrat Abdulla had to face many hardships, but he was steadfast in calling people to the right path and preaching Islam. And with the passage of time, the name of the village also came to be known as Bishandour (a Hindu name) as opposed to Qasbata-ul-Nakhil, and the followers and seekers of the right path added the word Sharif, so it became known as Bishandour Shareef.
In this regard, when King Shahjahan was on his campaign to Kandahar, he ordered his daughter Jaha Ara Begum and Prince Darashkoh in 1049 AH to meet with two religious leaders of Punjab, one of them being Syed Kabir Uddin Shahdola Daryai Gujarati and the other being Muhammad Abdullah Shah Diwan Hazuri Bishandouri.
This incident, Jaha Ara Begum narrates in detail in her works and writes that I appeared before Syed Kabiruddin Shahdola Daryai Gujrati and he gave me some teachings. I then appeared before Dewan Huzuri and saw that he had made the Quran, Hadith sermons and advice the purpose of his life and in his spare time he used to make and sell prayer mats to earn legitimate income. He showed great compassion to me and my brother Dara Shikow and granted other teachings along with two pieces of pearl millet bread to me.
She then wrote, I had eaten one piece of this bread and she stated in the Farsi language that as I ate this I attained the virtue of light and closeness to Allah Almighty. I kept the rest of the bread for two days and later distributed it amongst my courtiers.
According to the tradition of verbal transmission of history, Darashkoh had also built a beautiful mosque and library there, which were later set on fire by those conspiring against Muslims and were consequently destroyed.
Even during the lifetime of Hazrat Abdulla and after his departure from this world, scholars of righteousness, nobles, and key members of governance continued to visit his abode; amongst them was a great Sufi Poet known to the world as Hazrat Miah Mohammad Bakhsh who visited a number of times. He also wrote poems in the honour of Diwan Hazuri. Two such poems gained great popularity and are mentioned in the book ‘Tofa Merah’. According to another tradition of verbal transmission of history, Tajdar Gollra who defeated Qadian referred to Bishundour as ‘Baghdad Sagheer’ because the darling of Ghous-Al Azam had his resting abode there.
This information has continued to be conveyed by scholars of knowledge. With the passage of time, the names of countless villages, towns, and cities in the country of Pakistan, which had been named after non-Muslims were changed to Muslim names. Keeping this trend in mind, the people of the area and the descendants of Diwan Hazuri commenced a movement to change the name of this village to ‘Diwan Hazuri’. The Chief Minister at the time, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif issued orders to change the name of Bishundour Sharif to Diwan Hazuri in May 1988. In May 1990 after the inauguration ceremony of Suhawa Tehsil Complex the Senior Members of the Cabinet attended a ceremony to pay homage to Hazrat Diwan Hazuri and also announced a special grant for the welfare of the village.
This incident, Jaha Ara Begum narrates in detail in her works and writes that I appeared before Syed Kabiruddin Shahdola Daryai Gujrati and he gave me some teachings. I then appeared before Dewan Huzuri and saw that he had made the Quran, Hadith sermons and advice the purpose of his life and in his spare time he used to make and sell prayer mats to earn legitimate income. He showed great compassion to me and my brother Dara Shikow and granted other teachings along with two pieces of pearl millet bread to me.
She then wrote, I had eaten one piece of this bread and she stated in the Farsi language that as I ate this I attained the virtue of light and closeness to Allah Almighty. I kept the rest of the bread for two days and later distributed it amongst my courtiers.
According to the tradition of verbal transmission of history, Darashkoh had also built a beautiful mosque and library there, which were later set on fire by those conspiring against Muslims and were consequently destroyed.
Even during the lifetime of Hazrat Abdulla and after his departure from this world, scholars of righteousness, nobles, and key members of governance continued to visit his abode; amongst them was a great Sufi Poet known to the world as Hazrat Miah Mohammad Bakhsh who visited a number of times. He also wrote poems in the honour of Diwan Hazuri. Two such poems gained great popularity and are mentioned in the book ‘Tofa Merah’. According to another tradition of verbal transmission of history, Tajdar Gollra who defeated Qadian referred to Bishundour as ‘Baghdad Sagheer’ because the darling of Ghous-Al Azam had his resting abode there. This information has continued to be conveyed by scholars of knowledge. With the passage of time, the names of countless villages, towns, and cities in the country of Pakistan, which had been named after non-Muslims were changed to Muslim names. Keeping this trend in mind, the people of the area and the descendants of Diwan Hazuri commenced a movement to change the name of this village to ‘Diwan Hazuri’. The Chief Minister at the time, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif issued orders to change the name of Bishundour Sharif to Diwan Hazuri in May 1988. In May 1990 after the inauguration ceremony of Suhawa Tehsil Complex the Senior Members of the Cabinet attended a ceremony to pay homage to Hazrat Diwan Hazuri and also announced a special grant for the welfare of the village.
We sincerely thank all the friends who have contributed in this regard and we pray that Allah Almighty bestows his blessings on them and grants them intercession of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the day of reckoning. Now 400 hundred years later, the lineage of Hazrat Diwan Hazuri continues to serve Islam and the public. Devotees continue to attain blessings. The annual Urs is celebrated with utmost respect on 19th-21st of Shawwal-ul-Mukarram. Further, people of Hazrat Abdulla’s lineage and devotees arrange various events in his remembrance all over the world.
In this regard, those of dervish characteristics of Astana Aliya Hazrat Diwan Hazuri including the main custodian Sahibzada Irfan Ahmad Shah, Shahzad Ahmad Shah, in addition to the Holy Urs ceremonies, also arrange and oversee a ceremony on the eleventh month of the Islamic Calendar and the annual Urs Khadime Ghous Peer Abdul Majeed Shah Qadri (May Allah be pleased with him). In addition, they arrange various other Islamic programmes throughout the year, which
include marking of special Islamic dates and events. Such events consist of prominent scholars giving a special address in the light of Quran and Hadith.
Every year in the United Kingdom, the main event of Urs is held in Coventry under the patronage of Sahibzada Irfan Ahmad Shah, which is attended by scholars, people of knowledge and key public figures. People from all walks of life participate in large numbers. The propagation of Islam, which was started 1400 years ago by Mustafa Kareem (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), was followed by the Caliphs, Companions, Martyrs of Islam, and the Saints and their descendants. May Allah preserve the preaching of the religion of Islam until the morning of the Day of Resurrection, Ameen. The life conditions of Hazrat Dewan Huzuri have been presented in this article in a very concise and clear language so that it is easy for the friends to read and understand. In this regard, more research is also done from time to time, God willing. The lovers of Dewan Huzuri are encouraged to attend events to learn more about the life and teachings of Dewan Huzuri.
Translation contributed by Barrister Waqas Rashid.
