The literal meaning of the phrase is; ”to atone when young, is the haul mark of Messengers”. This saying in Persian is overwhelming.
The most vulnerable time to go astray in one’s life is prime age. To some the prime age begins with the start of teens and lasts upto early twenties.
This is the time when one starts to explore about himself in particular and the world in general. It is at this time when timely intervention by the knowledgeable and righteous people can play the role of a mentor.
Khanqah has been defined; “A khanqah or khaniqah, also known as a ribat – among other terms – is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood, or tariqa, and is a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation.
In the past, and to a lesser extent nowadays, they often served as hospices for Sufi travelers and Islamic students. Khanqahs are very often situated adjecnt to dargahs, mosques and madrasas.
They are found throughout the Persian-influenced Islamic world, especially Iran, Central Asia and South Asia. In the Arab world, especially North Africa, similar buildings are also found, known in Arabic as zawiyya.
In Turkey and other formerly Ottoman areas like Albania and Bosnia, they are locally referred to as tekije. In South Asia, the words khanqah and dargah are used interchangeably for Sufi shrines. Khanqahs later spread across the Islamic world, from Morocco to Indonesia.
In short, khanqah is a place where Sufi saints lived or live, and held or continue to hold their assemblies in their hospices with devotees of all description including members of nobility and ordinary people.
People flock there to discuss spiritual matters and seek blessings and guidance of the Saints in solving their spiritual and worldly problems. Mostly these places have been a combination of living facilities, schools, medical help, congregation, mosques, etc. They also provide free food, known as ‘Lunger’ in the sub continent.
In the sub-continent, the famous and most revered khanqahs are located in Ajmer, Dehli, Kaliar, Multan, Pakpatan, Golra, Lahore and many more places. Over a period of time these places, apparently, went in the back ground due to anti sufism propaganda, uneducated heirs, imposters claiming to be spirtual leaders.
Still hundreds of thousands of people visit shrines Saints like Hazrat Ali Hajveri, Hazrat Khawaja Moin ud Din Chishti, Khawaja Qutab ud Din Bakhtiar Kaki, Hazrat Baba Fareed ud Din Masood, Hazrat Makhdoom Sabir, Hazrat Khawaja Nizam ud Din, Hazrat Baha ud Din Zakria, Hazrat Pir Maher Ali Shah and very recently, from 1991 onwards Hazrat Syed Mohammad Wajeeh us Seema Irfani.
Despite all negative propaganda, these saints and their abodes are revered by millions of people all over the globe.
I will make a specific reference here to Hazrat Syed Mohammad Wajeeh us Seema Irfani. I had the honor to meet him, attend his Mahafil, listen to him and learn a great deal from him.
He was a man of letters. An erudite. He was an authority on many languages including Arabic, English, Persian and others. He was an accomplished broadcaster, writer, orator, translator, journalist .
He translated Holy Quran in forty days, which is first of its kind, from the translation point of view. It was recorded by Shalimar Recording Company in 1978 by the name Irfan ul Quran. It is the first ever such recording of the Holy Book which is in the voice of the translator itself.
Majority of the attendees of his mahafil (spiritual gatherings) were young people. Discipline was haul mark and adherence to time was important. He was always immaculately dressed. He insisted on asking questions of doubt or clarification, may they related to Quran, Hadees, or any general topics.
Character building was the main aim. He would insist the students to pay attention to their studies. He would advise them to study sciences, as it forms basis of progress of any nation.
He was a true patriot and a big admirer of Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He would insist attendees of his mahafil to respect the sovereignty of the nation, Pakistan.
He was against the pseudo intellectuals and hyper religiosity. He was averse to the word ‘sufi’. He used to quote Hazrat Khawaja Nizam ud Din Aulia saying; “Sufi aan bawad k na bawad”.
He was a philanthropist and an accomplished educator who was filled with love and respect for the Holy Prophet Peace Be Upon Him.
Apart from the translation of Holy Quran, he wrote three books of poetry, Mairaiy Hazoor(collection of Naat), Husn e Jamal, Khawaja hi Khawaja and a translation of Dua Arafa from Arabic to Urdu by the name Dua e Imam us Shuhda( Hazrat Imam Hussain AS). Collection of his write ups that he wrote for Radio Pakistan, Pakistan Television, etc has also been compiled and published in the shape of different books.
He breathed his last on 22 February 1991. He chose his own place of burial, 32 kms from Lahore, on the bank of Lahore Canal, at Sunder Sharif.
His able son and heir, Hazrat Syed Mohammad Habib Irfani Chishti, took it up from where it was left by Hazrat Syed Mohammad Wajeeh us Seema Irfani. Anyone interested in seeing the actual Khanqahi system must visit the place.
A school was established in 1997 in the basement of the building, now has a custom made school building along with a hostel. The school is co-education upto class 5. Senior school is for boys at present. Girls senior school will be added soon.
This school has repeatedly achieved best results for 9th and 10th grade students in the Lahore Board among the rural belt schools of Lahore. The students from this school are now engineers, doctors, lawyers, managers, teachers.
Apart from the regular curriculum as laid down by the Government of Punjab, the students are taught a specially designed designed religious curriculum which encompasses the salient points of Shariah, fiqah, and day to day religious duties that a responsible Muslim must know and perform. There are Hafz e Quran classes too. All such students live in hostel along with the students from different cities. By now hundreds of students have completed Hafz e Quran classes successfully alongside matriculation.
A medical center under a qualified doctor remains a good source of providing medical treatment to the adjacent population. Free medicine is provided to the patients. Apart from that, on the last Sunday of every month, a medical camp is organized. The specialist doctors of heart, medicine, eye, and surgery are part of camp. Minor cases are treated there, whereas the patients requiring specialized treatment are referred to the hospital.
A registered Non Government Organization, by the name of Al Akhyar Foundation looks after all such activities. Under the banner of ‘Mending Hearts”, this organization has helped hundreds of needy children requiring heart surgery. All funds are generated by the Wabastagan Sunder Sharif. The organization has its medical centers in Faisalabad, Multan, and Rawalpindi.
The organization has donated trucks loads of eatables, bedding, clothes, etc during earthquake in Azad Kashmir and floods in Punjab. Organization has rebuilt a Government Girls High School in Kot Addu, which was destroyed due to floods, from its funds and handed it over to Government of Punjab. The Foundation helps the needy in marriage of their daughters and sponsors the needy students.
‘Luger’ is distributed to all for lunch and dinner who so ever they may be and present at the Dargah Sharif.
The mahafils are mostly attended younger people. Apart from attending personal problems of the individuals, every Sunday is earmarked for questions from Quran, Hadees, and general topics. Parameters of discipline are strictly adhered to. Five times of prayers at the specified time are a must.
In all retrospect, it is the true reflection of title of this article, “Der jawani Tauba kerdand shaiywa e payumberi ra”. This is the true ‘Khanqahi Nizam’.
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