Who was baba Farid ud Deen Ganjshakar?

Answer 1

Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masood Ganjshakar (R.A) is recognised as the first acclaimed poet of Punjabi language born in 584 Hijri at Kothewal village, 10 km from Multan.

According to a legend, it was his mother, who inspired young Farid towards prayer, by placing shakar under his prayer mat, and when she didn't, Farid found the sugar nevertheless, this episode gave him an unmistakable spiritual fervour and later the name, Ganj-i-Shakar, meaning 'Treasure of Sweetness' (Shakar) .

Baba Farid received his early education at Multan, which had become a centre for education; it was here that he met his master murshid, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, a noted Sufi saint, who was passing through.

He died on 5th of Muharram 679 Hijri during Namaz.

Baba Farid was a very pious and religious man, of impeccable character, humble and people's poet. He was poor and led a simple life. His piety and his character attracted people to Sufism.

Amongst, famous people who visited his shrine over the centuries, are famous scholar-explorer, Ibn Battuta, who visited in 1334 , and Founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, who met then head of the shrine, Sheikh Ibrahim, twice, and his meeting lead to the incorporation of 122 verses, and four poems of Baba Farid, in Sikh Holy Book.

Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia constructed his tomb. Thousands of devotees come to visit the shrine daily from within the country and from abroad. His urs is celebrated every year on the 5th, 6th , 7th 8th and 9th of Muharram.