Hadrat Imam-i-Rabbani "quddisa sirruh"Imam-i Rabbani (Ahmad-i-Faruqi Sarhandi) 'quddisa sirruh', an acme for arifs, a guide for owners of haqiqat, a paragon for the Awliya-i-kiram, a darling of Allahu ta'ala, the revitalizer and illuminator of the second thousand (Islamic) years, a qibla for the hearts of those who advance in the way leading towards Allahu ta'ala, a peerless link in the Silsila-i-Zeheb, was fathered by Abd-ul-ahad. And this noble person, in his turn, was fathered by Zaynalabidin, whose father was Abd-ul-hayy, whose father was Muhammad, whose father was Habibullah, whose father was Rafiuddin, whose father was Khawaja Nur, whose father was Nasir-ud-din, whose father was Sulaiman, whose father was Yusuf, whose father was Shu'ayb, whose father was Ahmad, whose father was Yusuf, whose father was Shihab-ud-din (better known with the name Ferruh Shah), whose father was Nasir-ad-din, whose father was Mahmud, whose father was Sulaiman, whose father was Masud, whose father was Abdullah Wa'iz-i-esghar, whose father was Abdullah Wa'iz-i-Akbar, whose father was Nasir, whose father was Abdullah ibni 'Umar, and whose father, finally, was hadrat 'Umar ul-Faruq 'radi-allahu anhum ajmain'.

Each and every one of Imam-i-Rabbani's 'quddisa sirruh' fathers and grandfathers possessed 'ilm and ikhlas and was at the same time one of the Shaikhs and notables of his own time. All of them were extremely venerable persons and were among the Awliya-i-kiram.

Great Walis such as Mawlana Ahmad Namiqi Jami and Halilullah-i-Badahshi had foretold the advent of Imam-i-Rabbani 'quddisa sirruh'. In fact, our master, the Messenger of Allah 'sall-allahu alaihi WA sallam' had given the good news that he would come. The hadith ash-Sharif expressing this good news is written in the book Jam'ul jawami', by Imam-i-Suyuti, who quotes it from Ibni Masud Abd-ur-Rahman ibni Yazid, and who quotes it from hadrat Jabir 'radi-allahu anhum'. The hadith ash-Sharif purports: "From among my Ummat (Muslims), someone called Sila will appear. Many, many people will enter Paradise through his shafaat (intercession)." 'Sila' means 'conjoiner', 'uniter', 'unifier'. Later, he was called so on account of his unifying two branches of knowledge, i.e. Tasawwuf and Fiqh. Scholars contemporary with him addressed him with this nickname. As a matter of fact, in a letter he wrote to his son Muhammad Mathum 'quddisa sirruh', he says, "I pay my hamd (thanks, laud and praise) to my Rabb (Allahu ta'ala), who has made me a sila between two oceans."

He honored the world with his presence in the Hijri lunar year 971, and passed away on the twenty-ninth, Tuesday, of the month of Safar in 1034 [A.D. 1624].

He was only a child when lights of maturity, wilayat and hidayat shone on his blessed, pure forehead. As a small child he was honored with fruitful inspirations to the heart from Shah Kamal Kihtali-yi-Qadiri 'rahmatullahi alaih', who coincidingly inspired into him the nisbat-i- Qadariyya.

It took him only a short time to memorize the Qur'an al-karim. Then, acquiring knowledge from his father and from the time's greatest scholars, he became a great scholar. He derived great benefit from his father and attained marifats of Tawhid in his presence. He received the ijazat (certificate) of Irshad (guiding disciples in the way of Tasawwuf) in the paths of Cheshtiyya and Qadariyya. He became a substitute for his father. When he was seventeen years old he became a master in Zahiri and batini (pertaining to heart) knowledge. He began to publish his knowledge and educate disciples in the two great branches. He would read books written by great leaders of Naqshbendiyya order with great enthusiasm and looked forward to meeting one of the superiors of this order. He kept this yearning and zeal in his heart till he eventually attained the matchless sohbat and company of Khwaja Muhammad Baki 'quddisa sirruh', one of the greatest leaders of this order, an owner of irshad (guidance) and hidayat (guidance to and attainment of the right way), a corroborator of Islam, an owner of haqiqats.

Having attained this blessed company, which draws one towards Allahu ta'ala and lifts one up to very high ranks, he joined the order of these great people. Holding fast to their services and strictly observing the adab (subtle standards) of sohbat, he attained nisbat-i- Naqshbandi in two months plus a few days. Showers of knowledge and marifat, like April rain, began to pour into his blessed heart. His master, Khwaja Baki-billah 'qaddas- Allahu sirrahul'aziz' frequently said about him, "Ahmad is one of the Murads and Mahbubs." This was the reason for his rapid progress. He became like a sun illuminating the whole world. His master gave him the good news that he had attained very high ranks and would be able to make others attain these ranks, that he was very close to Allahu ta'ala, and said, "On my way back to India after having received my ijazat from my master Emkenghi 'quddisa sirruh', I came to the city of Serhend where you were. I had a dream, wherein they told me I was in the vicinity of a qutb (a person who occupies the highest rank) and showed a vision of that high person. You are that high person (whose vision I saw in my dream). It was during another of my travels through Serhend when I saw a torch extending up to heavens and illuminating the whole world from the farthest east to the remotest points in the west. I beheld that the light coming from the torch became brighter and brighter and crowds of people lit their own candles from the torch. I know this dream as good news, a harbinger of your coming to the world."

As Khwaja Baki-billah 'quddisa sirruh' sent Imam-i-Rabbani 'qaddas-Allahu sirrahul 'aziz' with ijazat-i-mutlaq (full authorization) to the city of Serhend, he withdrew from his own position and trusted the business of educating and training his disciples, including his sons, to him, and said, "Ahmad is a sun outshining thousands of stars like us. There have been only one or two like him in this Ummat. And today there is next to no one like him under the celestial dome. I look on myself as one of his satellites [pupils]. All his marifats are correct and approved by Prophets 'alaihimus-salam'." In fact, his master as well as his disciples would attend his sohbat in order to receive fayd and nur from him.

Having attained high grades and unequalled ranks, Imam-i-Rabbani came to Serhend and set about educating people who yearned for attaining love of Allahu ta'ala. Echoes of guidance spread throughout the world. Calls of hidayat inspired spring weather into hearts, producing many a renovation and green foliage. The drum of Qutb-ul-aqtab was beaten in his name. A mere compliment received from him would suffice for one to attain high grades of Wilayat. Abdals and Awtads ran for his company. His lights of Wilayat, his barakats of karamat are too occult to express in words or writing.

People who were stranded in the desert of aberration and bewilderment attained hidayat in his sohbat. People who were about to drown in the sea of remoteness reached the shore of closeness through his favor. Pursuers of haqiqat and marifat crowded around him like ants. Sultans, commanders, governors shone with the light emanating from this source of Hidayat. The fayd pouring like April rain on the disciples in his presence was an object of envy for angels in the seven skies. Upon hearing about his greatness and karamats, learned and eminent people far and near hastened to rub their faces on his threshold, which radiated Wilayat. Owing to his fruitful tawajjuh and attention, which attracted one towards Allahu ta'ala, they attained spiritual peace and nur and tawhid without any mushahada or effort, without taking pains. Without having to dive into the sea of Wahdat, it became possible for them to disappear into the ocean of Ahadiyyat without any toil. Slightest care on his part would result in the mushahada of Wahdat in the kathrat, jazbas (raptures) of love and marifats of heart. The nisbat (order) of Ahrariyya became strong again, so that it spread throughout the world owing to his fruitful efforts. Other nisbats beyond the already known suluk and jazba were discovered. Self-abnegations, such as fasting without making iftar (eating at the time of breaking fast), subjecting oneself to mortifications for forty days, doing without food and drink, keeping away from people, methods commonly used by people preceding him, were no longer things to be aspired after for people matured in his company. These arduous methods left their places to moderation such as being temperate in worships and observing the Sunnat strictly in prayers and deeds. Perfections that would normally cost years' mortifications would be attained in a moment owing to his barakat and tawajjuh. His blessed person 'rahmatullahi ta'ala alaih' became a great gift from Allahu ta'ala and a representative of His Messenger 'sall-allahu alaihi WA sallam'. He was entrusted with the duty of guidance and leadership of unending paths. He became the mujaddid of the second thousand years. Thus, any sort of fayd and barakat coming to anyone till the end of the world will be coming through him. With his quite new teachings, unheard - of marifats, secrets that had never been revealed by anyone before him, and extraordinary kashfs which no one else had attained, he started a new trend; this fact is as obvious as the sun.

At the beginning of every hundred years a Mujaddid(person to reconsolidate, to restore Islam) will come. However, there is a great difference between mujaddids coming every hundred years and those who come every thousand years. Difference between these two kinds of mujaddids is equal to and even more than the difference between a hundred and a thousand.

Mujaddid is the person who serves as the medium for all sorts of fayd and barakat coming to people in his time. Even those lucky people called Qutb, Awtad, Budala and Nujaba 'qaddas-Allahu ta'ala asrarahum-ul-'aziz' receive their fayd through him.

The time of Imam-i-Ahmad Rabbani 'quddisa sirruh' can be described as follows: During the earlier dispensations, whenever an Ummat degenerated and the earth was covered with zulmat, a new great Prophet called Ulul'azm would come and a new religion would be revealed to him. The most useful Ummat is the Ummat of Muhammad 'alaihis-salam'. And the Prophet of this Ummat is the finality of all Prophets 'alaihim-us-salawatu wattaslimat'. Scholars among this Ummat are like the Prophets of Bani Israil (Children of Israel). This fact is stated in a hadith ash-Sharif. It was decided (by Allahu ta'ala) that existence of scholars in this Ummat would be sufficient (for Muslims). Therefore, one thousand years after our master the Prophet 'sall-allahu alaihi WA sallam', a noble person with perfect marifat, knowledge and wisdom would be necessary to take the place of one of the past Prophets called Ulul'azm. For the latest period of the Muslim dispensation would begin one thousand years after our master the Prophet's 'sall-allahu alaihi WA sallam' death. Elapse of one thousand years is a matter of paramount importance and it is a major factor in the changing of situations. Since there would not be any change in this Ummat and in this religion, it would, beyond doubt, be necessary that the standard of spirituality and the firmness of guidance possessed by the earlier Muslims be reinstated in the later generations. Thus, Imam-i-Ahmad Rabbani's 'quddisa sirruh' blessed person was equipped with all the perfections peculiar to prophethood and messengership and distinguished from others. People who observe his astoundingly unusual information, his marifats pertaining to the Zat-i-ilahi (Person of Allahu ta'ala), his purely beautiful moral quality and his oral and written statements describing hals, mawajids, tajallis and zuhurs, will see this fact well. For these things are the essentials of the Islamic religion and make up an epitome of the teachings pertaining to Allahu ta'ala, His Person and Attributes. Innumerous secrets and meanings, the haqiqat (the essence, the real inner meaning) of Kaba al-muazzama, the haqiqat of Qur'an al-karim, the haqiqat) of namaz, mabudiyyat-i- sirfa, degrees of muhabbat (love) called hillat, muhibbiyyat and mahbubiyyat, the grades termed ta'ayyun-i-wujudi, ta'ayyun-i-hubbee, la-ta'ayyun, the zuhur (manifestation) of properties called mabda-i-ta'ayyun in creatures, mabda-i-ta'ayyyuns belonging to Prophets and angels, to which of the Divine Attributes or Names the idiosyncratic talents of each of his disciples were related, to what Prophet each of the Awliya was related as a result of natural identity (mashrab), e.g. Muhammadi-ul-mashrab, Ibrahim-ul-mashrab, etc., their own wilayat related to muhibbiyyat and mahbubiyyat-i-zatiyya, their inner natures and peculiarities, the haqiqat of being a qayyum, secrets of sabahat and malahat and combination of these two graces, and many other secrets and meanings were bestowed on him by Allahu ta'ala. None of the Awliya 'rah-matullahi ta'ala alaihim ajmain' had mentioned these values. A summary of these values is written in his three books titled Maktubat and in his other seven pamphlets.

The Imam 'quddisa sirruh' had innumerous kashfs and karamats. We will write a few of them in order to become blessed:

1- One of the Imam's disciples wrote a letter to him, asking, "Did the Ashab al-kiram attain these ranks which you have been telling about? If so, did it occur at once or gradually?" The Imam said that a question of this sort could be answered only in a sohbat (by being together). The questioner visited him for his sohbat. The imam made tawajjuh to him (turned his attention towards him), bestowing on him all the nisbats he possessed, and said, "What did you see?" Upon this the person threw himself down to hadrat Imam's feet and said, "Now I know that the Ashab al-kiram 'alaihim-ur-ridwan' attained all the ranks of wilayat with only one sohbat with Rasulullah 'sall-allahu alaihi WA sallam'."

2- Mawlana Yusuf was ill. It seemed that he was to die soon. Imam-i-Rabbani visited him. Mawlana Yusuf requested tawajjuh and himmat. So the Imam 'quddisa sirruh' went in muraqaba (contemplation, profound meditation) and made him attain the grades of Fana and Baqa. Upon this, the latter, badly ill as he was, informed with the realized improvements taking place in his heart. As soon as his progress reached its zenith he attained Allahu ta'ala (passed away).

3- Some of the Imam's disciples expressed their wish to visit the Ghaws-ul-azam Abd-ul- qadir-i-Geilani 'quddisa sirruh'. The Imam remained silent and made tawajjuh towards the soul of the Ghaws-ul-azam 'radi-allahu anhuma'. Hadrat Abd-ul-qadir-i-Geilani's blessed soul appeared and he and some of his senior disciples honored the place with their presence. Those disciples of the Imam's who were present at the place visited the guests and received fayd from them.

4- Someone suffering from leprosy begged the Imam to pray for the restoration of his health. When the Imam made tawajjuh the person regained his health completely.

5- A hafid whose duty was to recite Qur'an al-karim in the circle became badly ill. Everybody was hopeless. Imam-i-Rabbani said, "I have admitted him under my protection." The person recovered immediately.

6- He was on a safar (voyage, travel). The weather was unbearably hot and heavy. Exhausted, his companions and disciples begged him to intercede for mercy. The Imam 'quddisa sirruh' trusted himself to Allahu ta'ala. Presently, a cloud appeared and poured some light rain. It was no longer hot. Nor was there any dust left.

7- Some of his adherents found a Hindu idol temple empty at a remote place and broke the idols. They had hardly finished doing this when they found themselves surrounded by fully armed idolaters awaiting them with their swords drawn. The adherents sought asylum with the Imam, begging him for help. Imam-i-Rabbani 'qaddas-Allahu ta'ala sirrah-ul-'aziz' appeared at the place and said, "Don't worry! You will soon be receiving help from the unknown." A number of horsemen came into sight and protected the beloved born servants from the unbelievers.

8- One of his disciples met a lion in the country. There was no place to shelter. He sought asylum with the Imam and begged for help. The Imam appeared with a walking stick in his hand and hit the fierce animal hard. The lion ran away and the disciple was saved.

9- A pious person living in a far away country heard about the Imam's fame and came to the city of Serhend. Someone invited him to his house to spend the night there. When he said that he was there to receive fayd from the Imam and that he was very happy because he was going to be blessed with the honor of joining his disciples, the host began to vituperate hadrat Imam, using filthy language about him. Deeply saddened and embarrassed, the pious person committed himself to the Imam's soul and begged him through his heart: "I am here only with the intention of serving you for Allah's sake. This person wants to deprive me of this happiness." Imam-i-Rabbani appeared, exasperated and with his sword drawn, and cutting the denier to pieces he left the house. When the pious person was blessed with the Imam's presence the following morning and attempted to relate the previous night's event, the Imam preferred to conceal his karamat, saying, "Do not relate by day what happened at night."

10- One of the Imam's 'quddisa sirruh' deniers invited one of the Imam's disciples to his home. Putting something to eat in front of the guest, the host began to speak ill of Imam-i- Rabbani 'rahmatullahi ta'ala alaih'. The disciple was vexed and wished to go back to the Imam's place. This stirred the Ghayrat-i-ilahi, whereupon all the limbs of the denier's body broke and the body was torn to pieces. Terrified, the disciple left the house and made for the Imam's place. The Imam was standing at the door, as it was his blessed habit. Holding his disciple by the hand, he took him to the denier's house. They entered the house. The Imam supplicated to Allahu ta'ala for the resuscitation of the dead person. Allahu ta'ala accepted his supplication. When they stood up some time later, he said to his disciple, "Don't tell anyone about this event as long as I am alive."

11- One day ten of the Imam's disciples invited him to have (the dinner called) Iftar with them and all the ten invitations happened to be for the same evening. Accepting all the invitations, he had Iftar with all the ten families at the same time in the same evening.

12- He said one day, "The desire I had had to visit the Kaba al-muazzama became so overwhelming that it was all but impossible for me to endure it any longer. By the grace of Allahu ta'ala, this zeal and devotion generated so powerful an attraction that I found the Kaba al-muazzama by my side and was honored with tawaf (visiting the Kaba)."

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