Early childhood
Pir Meher Ali Shah reported that he loved seclusion since childhood, feeling uncomfortable in the midst of throngs of people, and finding deserted places serene. Quite often, he said, he would quietly leave the house at night after everyone else had gone to bed, and spend much of the night wandering the nearby wooded ravines. As he grew, he started experiencing a feeling of such unusual heat within his body that he was sometimes compelled- even on cold winter nights- to bathe in the ice-cold water of the canal, and also rub pieces of ice on his body. When he left his room late at night after finishing his studies, he used to experience the same kind of comfort from contact with the cold mountain air that a thirsty person normally derives from cool water at the height of summer. Sufis believe such heat is generated due to excessive amounts of Zikr or Dhikr, an Islamic practice that focuses on the remembrance of God.
[edit]Early education
Mehr Ali received his early education of the Qur'an at his family khanqah (Sufi hospice) and was given classes in Urdu and Persian in the local madrasah. He completed his intermediate level religious education here. His stay in this madrasah was for about 2½ years.
After completing his education at Angah at the age of 15 from Mianwaddal family of Hafiz Rehmatullah, he decided to continue further studies in the United Provinces (U.P) of India. Therefore, Pir Meher Ali, in 1874 set out for higher education, to different parts of India such as Kanpur,Aligarh, and Saharanpur. His stay at Aligarh at the madrasah of Maulana Lutfullah of Aligarh was for 2½ years
[edit]Marriage
When Pir Meher Ali Shah returned home after completing his studies, his marriage took place with the daughter of Syed Charagh Ali Shah who belonged to his respected mother’s family living in the town of Hasan Abdal, a few miles away from Golra Sharif.
[edit]Works
- Tahqiq-ul-Haq Fi Kalima-tul-Haq (The Truth about Kalima-tul-Haq)
- Shamsul Hidayah
- Saif-e-Chishtiya
- I’la Kalimatillah Fi Bayan-e-Wa Ma Uhilla Bihi Legharillah
- AlFatuhat-us-Samadiyyah (Divine Bounties)
- Tasfiah Mabain Sunni Wa Shi’ah
- Fatawa-e-Mehria
- Mulfuzaat-e-Mehria (Sayings of Meher Ali Shah)
[edit]Poetry
| “ | 'کتھے مہر علی کتھے تیری ثنا Who is (the humble) Meher Ali to chant thy praises; | ” |
— | ||
Pir Meher Ali Shah was a famous sufi poet of Persian and Punjabi poems. Most of his writings in verse are in the Persian and the Punjabi languages, with a few poems and couplets written in Urdu to lend variety. The following verse is the most well-known of his writings. It's concluding verse in particular is unmatched in it's beauty and emotional appeal.
| Original Punjabi | English translation | |
|---|---|---|
اج سک متراں دی ودھیری اے کیوں دلڑی اداس گھنیری اے لوں لوں وچ شوق چنگیری اے اج نیناں لائیاں کیوں جھڑیاں الطیف سری من طلعتہ والشذ و بدی من وفرتہ فسکرت ھنا من نظرتہ نیناں دیاں فوجاں سر چڑھیاں مکھ چند بدر شعشانی اے متھے چمکدی لاٹ نورانی اے کالی زلف تے اکھ مستانی اے مخمور اکھیں ہن مدھ بھریاں دو ابرو قوس مثال دسن جیں تھیں نوک مژہ دے تیر چھٹن لباں سرخ آکھاں کہ لعل یمن چٹے دند موتی دیاں ہن لڑیاں اس صورت نوں میں جان آکھاں جانان کہ جان جہان آکھاں سچ آکھاں تے رب دی شان آکھاں جس شان تو شاناں سب بنیاں ایہہ صورت ہے بے صورت تھیں بے صورت ظاہر صورت تھیں بے رنگ دسے اس مورت تھیں وچ وحدت پھٹیاں جد گھڑیاں دسے صورت راہ بے صورت دا توبہ راہ کی عین حقیقت دا پر کم نہیں بے سوجھت دا کوئی ورلیاں موتی لے تریاں ایہا صورت شالا پیش نظر رہے وقت نزع تے روز حشر وچ قبر تے پل تھیں جد ہوسی گذر سب کھوٹیاں تھیں سن تد کھریاں یعطیک ربک داس تساں فترضی تھیں پوری آس اساں لج پال کریسی پاس اساں واشفع تشفع صحیح پڑھیاں لاہو مکھ تو مخطط برد یمن من بھانوری جھلک دکھلاو سجن اوہا مٹھیاں گالیں الاو مٹھن جو حمرا وادی سن کریاں حجرے توں مسجد آو ڈھولن نوری جھات دے کارن سارے سکن دو جگ اکھیاں راہ دا فرش کرن سب انس و ملک حوراں پریاں انہاں سکدیاں تے کرلاندیاں تے لکھ واری صدقے جاندیاں تے انہاں بردیاں مفت وکاندیاں تے شالا آون وت وی اوھ گھڑیاں سبحان اللہ ما اجملک ما احسنک ما اکملک کتھے مہر علی کتھے تیری ثنا گستاخ اکھیں کتھے جا اڑیاں |
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[edit]Sufi of the Chishti Order
Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah Gilani Sahib was a disciple and Khalifa of Hazrat Shams-ud-din in the Silsila-e-Chishtia Nizamiyah.[3] In his biography, Meher-E-Muneer, records that he also received a Khilafat [i.e. was made a khalifa] by Hazrat Haji Imdadullah Muhaajir Makki, when he visited the latter in Mecca. Hajji Imdadullah Mahajir Makki advised him to return to India, where a great storm was about to rise against Islam, which Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah Gilani must crush. Haji Imdadullah Mahajir Makki was of course predicting the Qadiyani heresy.
- Imam-Ul-Anbiya Hazrat Muhammad
- Hazrat Ali Ibn-e-Abu Talib
- Hazrat Khwaja Hasan Basri
- Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Wahid bin Zaid
- Hazrat Khwaja Fuzeel Ibn-e-Ayaaz
- Hazrat Khwaja Sultan Ibrahim Adham
- Hazrat Khwaja Sadeed-ud-din
- Hazrat Khwaja Ameen-ud-din
- Hazrat Khwaja Mumshaad
- Hazrat Khwaja Abi Ishaq Shami Chishti
- Hazrat Khwaja Syed Abi Ahmad Abdal Chishti
- Hazrat Khwaja Syed Abi Muhammad Chishti
- Hazrat Khwaja Syed Nasir-ud-din Chishti
- Hazrat Khwaja Syed Qutb-ud-din Maudud Chishti
- Hazrat Khwaja Makhdum Haji Sharif
- Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni
- Hazrat Khwaja Syed Moin-ud-din Chishti of Ajmer Sharif
- Hazrat Khwaja Syed Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki
- Hazrat Khwaja Baba Fareed-ud-din Ganjshakar
- Hazrat Khwaja Syed Nizaam-ud-din Awlia
- Hazrat Khwaja Naseer-ud-din Charagh-e-Delhi
- Hazrat Khwaja Kamaal-ud-din
- Hazrat Khwaja Siraaj-ud-din
- Hazrat Khwaja I’lm-ud-din
- Hazrat Khwaja Mehmood Rajan
- Hazrat Khwaja Jamaal-ud-din Juman
- Hazrat Khwaja Jamaal-ud-din Hasan Muhammad Nuri
- Hazrat Khwaja Qutb Shams-ud-din Muhammad
- Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad
- Hazrat Khwaja Kaleem Ullah Jahanabadi
- Hazrat Khwaja Nizaam-ud-din Aurongabadi
- Hazrat Khwaja Fakhr-ud-din
- Hazrat Khwaja Nur Muhammad Mahaarvi
- Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Sulaiman Taunsvi
- Hazrat Khwaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi
- Hazrat Khwaja Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah Gilani
[edit]Supporter of Wahdat-ul-Wujood (Pantheism)
Pir Meher Ali Shah Sahib was a supporter of Ibn Arabi's ideology of Wahdat-ul-Wujood but he made a distinction between the creation and the creator (as did Ibn Arabi).[4] He also wrote a masterpiece explaining the Unity of Being doctrine of Ibn Arabi.
Like his comrade, Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad (died 1927), he was also an authority on Ibn Arabi, and his masterpiece The Meccan Illuminations (Al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya) in 37 volumes. The Meccan Illuminations (Al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya), the largest work of Ibn Arabi in 37 volumes originally published in 4 or 8 volumes in modern times, discussing a wide range of topics from mystical philosophy to Sufi practices and records of his dreams/visions.
Both were disciples of Hazrat Khawaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi. Through the training received from Khwaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi, they learnt the fundamentals of sufism. The great Sufi introduced them to mystic way of life and granted to them the spiritual insights. They now came to see through illumination (Ishraq) what they had previously learnt theoretically from books. However, having reached both formal and spiritual perfection, his comrade returned to the world of books and Muslim jurisprudence. But he went ahead and had undergone or experienced mystic trances at highest level. He used to spent all summer and winter nights sitting on a slab of stone in the shape of a prayer mat, devoted to prayer and meditation. With this practice, onced his legs became unable to move.[5]
In his Anwar Shamsia, edition 1916[6], Maulvi Ameer Baksh says that when Hazrat Khawaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi died in 1883, his discipleQazi Mian Muhammad Amjad was so mourned and depressed that now with whom he would learned and discussed Sufism and Ibn Arabi philosophy. According to Maulvi Ameer Baksh, Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad was an ardent reader of Ibn Arabi book The Meccan Illuminations (Al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya), and was an authority on his teaching. The study of great Sufi, Ibn Arabi, and his masterpiece The Meccan Illuminations (Al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya) in 37 volumes[7] was his specialization. He died in 1927, leaving his younger comrade Pir Meher Ali Shah as the only authority on this subject in India. In 1933, Pir Meher Ali Shah was absorbed in in his mediation and mystic trances. In the same year the great philosopher, Sir Muhammad Iqbal had to give lecture on Cambridge University on Ibn Arabi concept of Space and Time. He wrote a letter to Pir Meher Ali Shah stating that now there was no body in whole Hindustan, to whom he could consulted in this matter, requesting him to tell about Ibn Arabi concept of Space and Time. In this letter Sir Muhammad Iqbal also stated with respect the he knew that the learned Pir was disturbed due to his mediation , but as his motive was service of Islam, therefore he dared to ask him a question. Pir Meher Ali shah, however due to his mediation, bad health, and old age could not replied.[8] He died in 1937. Next year, Sir Muhammad Iqbal also died.
[edit]Wahdat-ul-Wujood and the Quran
Before the evidence is presented, readers must note that evidence is of two guides:
- Explicit
- Indirect
The words, Wahdat-ul-Wujood, will not be in the quotations but the doctrine which these words express will be in the quoted verses.
- Sura An-Nur (Ayat an-Nur) {24} Verse 35: "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth."
- Sura Al-Baqara {2} Verse 115: "To Allah belong the east and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is all-Pervading, all-Knowing."
- Sura Al-Hadid {57} Verse 3: "He is the First (awal) and the Last (akhir), the Evident {zahir} and the Immanent {batin}: and He has full knowledge of all things."
The creation of Allah exists and the creation is not part of Allah nor Allah is part of creation because Allah says "lysaka misli shai" {there is nothing like Him}.
Allah's existence is absolute on who's existence all the creation exists and the real {haqiqi} existence is of Allah's.
If the '{haqiqi} existence' is defined as:
"Qul hu'wAllahu Aa'had, Allahu Samad, Lamya lid Wa lamyu'lad, Wa lamyaqulla'hu kufu'wan ahad. Hu wal aw'walu wal'akhiru wa'zahiru wal'batinu wahuwa bikulli shayin AAaleemun. Alhamdu lillahi rabil alameen ..."
Then its apparent that nothing exists as such, thus nothing fulfils the criteria being in existence other than Allah's Wahdat, Allah's Ahadi'at, (Allah's Unity, One'ness), and only He is the one who exists {as defined above} and all existence of creation does not exist when it is compared to Allah's existence {as defined above}.
Wahdat-ul-Wujood is the realisation of tawhid on a level which neither can be discovered by reading texts nor understood by listening to speeches, its source of knowledge is Shahood(witnessing) of tawhid, being witness to the One's One'ness. And when Witnessing His Holy Being, there can be no trace of creation in Him nor around Him, neither He co-exists in creation, nor creation co-exists with Him. One who witness's the Glory of Allah, He witness's Him as if there is no other creation in existence, cause Allah's Existence is Limitless, and its not possible to conceive when Witnessing the Limit-less (Allah) that Limited (Creation) ones do exist as well.
Seikh Muhi'ud Din Ibn Arabi rahimullah alayhi tallah, explained his spiritual journey, which lead to this realisation, and the realisation was based on Shahood, hence he described it in terms as he saw it.
The ignorant ones, of little intellectual ability, ones who have no knowledge of deen, neither those who have understood the Qur'anic verses have objected to this doctrine of Wahdat-ul-Wujood, but their objection demonstrates their lack of understanding tawhid e Wahdat-ul-Wujood.
Hazrat Molana Ali Muhammad Was The great Sufi And he was appointed as kaliph by qibla pir Mehr Ali Shah RH in Kalran Abbaspur Poonch.
[edit]Anti-Ahmadiyya preaching
Pir Meher Ali Shah Sahib got settled at Hijaz by the end of nineteenth century; Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki of Makkah appointed him to go back to the then India and to fight the new movement of Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadyan. So he came back and played a role among the people against the Ahmadiyya movement, writing books such as Saif e Chistiya against the Ahmadiyya movement. Pir Meher Ali Shah also challenged Mirza Ghulam Ahmed to a public debate in Lahore.Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had challenged him in writing a commentary of the Holy Quran
[edit]Relationship with the Deobandis
Pir Sahib also has written against the Deobandis. For example, he debated two Deobandis, Ahmad Ali Vabacharan and Ghulamullah Khan, and as per Mawlana Ghulam Mahmud Panpalawi, the student of Pir Meher Ali Shah, he endorsed Imam Ahmad Raza Khan's fatwa against the Deobandi school's four leaders (i.e. Ashraf `Ali al-Thanwi, Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi, Khalil al-Ambethawi al-Saharanpuri, and Qasim al-Nanautawi)[9]
Interestingly enough, the Deobandis still hold Pir Meher Ali Shah in high regard in spite of Pir Sahib's writing against him. They hold the claim that Pir Sahib did not write against the Deobandis, the opposite which is stated by Pir Meher Ali Shah's own grandson, The late Pir Abu Nizamuddin Mawlana Sayyid Nasiruddin Naseer Shah Golrawi, who states that he was told by Mawlana Abdus Shakur Hazarawi as well as Mawlana Muhib un-Nabi that he did not hold all Deobandis to be disbelievers unless they had committed acts of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad, which is an indirect reference towards Imam Ahmad Raza Khan's edict against the four Deobandis who had committed insults against the Prophet Muhammad[10]
However, the above contradicts the famous incident in Rawalpindi, narrated as follows:
It is narrated in Dharb-i-Shamshir that once in Salar Gah, Rawalpindi, an argument started between Molwi Bahadarudin [imam of local masjid] and Muhammad Ashraf Khan regarding the takfir of Ulama of Deoband. This argument led to a debate and both sides gathered on the fixed date for the debate. Right before the debate, elders of the town suggested that instead of debating both sides should accept Pir Mahr Ali Shah as the judge. Both sides agreed to this and went to Pir Mahr Ali Shah and presented the situation as follow,
Ashraf Khan says that if any imam of masjid doesn't consider these five individuals:
- Mawlana Shah Ismail Shahid
- Mawlana Qasim Nanotwi
- Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi
- Mawlana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri
- Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanwi
to be kafir, salah is not valid behind him.
Pir Mahr Ali Shah was angered by this statement and said:
"If these five mashaikh are not Muslim then there is no Muslim in the World and whoever does their takfir, salah is not valid behind him."
This was also written by Mufti Qari Ghulam Muhammad of Golra Sharif."
[Ulama-i-Ahl al-Sunnah, p.29]
[edit]Notes
- ^ Mehr Muneer Biography of Pir Meher Ali shah
- ^ http://www.thelightofgolrasharif.com/Website/TheLightofGolraSharif/main_page.htm
- ^ Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah's Official Website
- ^ Mulfuzaat -e- Mehrya by Pir Meher Ali Shah
- ^ "Mehr Muneer" a Biography of Pir Meher Ali shah by maulana Faiz Ahmed
- ^ Anwar Shamsia, a biography of Hazrat Khawaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi by Maulvi Ameer Baksh, Edition 1916
- ^ The Meccan Illuminations (Al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya), the largest work of Ibn Arabi in 37 volumes originally and published in 4 or 8 volumes in modern times in English language
- ^ "Mehr Muneer" a Biography of Pir Meher Ali shah by Maulana Faiz Ahmed
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfQ8G2qKGds
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RQ1IotNuLU
