Written by: Malik Muhammad Akbar Awan (Quetta)

Note: This article was drawn from selected writings in a forthcoming book by Malik Muhammad Akbar Awan (Quetta, Balochistan) on the family background and blessed biography of the Shahbaz-e-Aarifa’n Honourable Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz. The editorial compilation of this article was undertaken by M. Rahmat.

Father of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz, Sultan Fateh Muhammad, spent his life in the settlement of Samandri at the site of the old place of the shrine of Sultan Bahoo, and he continues to dwell there in eternal life, in the company of his younger son Sultan Muhammad Sharif, his elder brother Sultan Nur Muhammad, his nephew Sultan Muhammad Nawaz and other members of the blessed family. His lineage traces back to Sultan al-Arifeen Sultan Bahoo in the seventh generation, as follows:

Sultan Fateh Muhammad, son of Sultan Ghulam Rasool, son of Sultan Ghulam Miran, son of Sultan Wali Muhammad, son of Sultan Nur Muhammad, son of Sultan Muhammad Hussain, son of Sultan Wali Muhammad, son of Sultan al-Arifeen Sultan Bahoo.

The name of the father of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz was Sultan Fateh Muhammad. This name appears frequently among the lineage and spiritual elders of this noble household. The paternal grandfather of Sultan Bahoo was also named Fateh Muhammad. Similarly, the father of Sayyad Sultan Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah, who was the spiritual master of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz, is Sayyad Fateh Muhammad Shah Kazimi al-Mashhadi. The sixth of the eight sons of Sultan Bahoo also bore the name Sultan Fateh Muhammad, and he had no male children.

Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz, the beloved son and light of the eyes of Sultan Bahoo, his connection as the herald, reflection, and manifestation of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani and Sultan Bahoo invites a deeply satisfying observation regarding the parallels in this spiritual movement.

First: The blessed father of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani contracted a marriage in the closing years of his life with the noble Amat al-Jabbar Sayyadah Fatimah bint Sayyad Abdullah al-Sawma’i, his blessed age having already passed sixty years. It was in this spiritual and pure household, and at this elderly age, that Abdul Qadir Jilani was born.

Second: In precisely the same manner, carrying in his heart the longing for children, the blessed father of Sultan Bahoo contracted the marriage in the final stage of his outward life with the spiritual woman Bibi Rasti, and was granted the honour of being the parents of Sultan Bahoo, a gift of eternal divine destiny.

Third: In exactly the same way, within the household of Sultan Bahoo, the household of the treasury of spiritual excellence (faqr), the wait for the herald of that treasury continued for a long time, and his birth came precisely when his blessed father, Sultan Fateh Muhammad, had reached the closing stage of his years. Moreover, he arrived laden, like his great ancestor Sultan Bahoo, with the treasures of the inward and the inspired knowledge (‘ilm-e-ladunnī), becoming the living embodiment of his ancestor’s words:

گرچه نیست مارا علم ظاہر، از علمِ باطنی جاں گشته طاہر

“Although we possess no outward knowledge, through the inward knowledge the soul has been purified.”

Beyond this, Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz was not merely carrying the inward treasure of spiritual excellence (faqr), but his outward physical being was itself a supreme exemplar of human purity: he was born already circumcised, and his blessed navel cord required no human hand to attend to it, as would be the case with any ordinary newborn.

Sultan Fateh Muhammad was a spiritual personality and a praiseworthy descendant of Sultan Bahoo. As a long period passed without the birth of a male child in his home, concern grew among his disciples, and they began to supplicate to Allah Almighty through the intercession of Sultan Bahoo for a son. One of his disciples and companions, whom this humble author also saw in his old age, continued in the service of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz even after the passing of his master. His duty was to tend the she-camels and, during travel, to load the horses’ equipment onto the camels and follow behind the caravan. In the summer months, when Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz would travel to the Noshera valley of Soon Sakesar in what is now Khushab District, Baba Ahmad of Kari Khaisur, District Paharpur, Dera Ismail Khan, was always in company. He would take the she-camels out beyond the village to graze during the day, beneath the jujube and thorny trees that were the property of the author’s family, and we would come to him to talk. He was a man of few words, a quiet soul always absorbed in the remembrance of Allah Almighty.

Sultan Bahoo honoured him with a spiritual vision on two occasions and said,

“Mian Ahmad, your spiritual guide, Sultan Fateh Muhammad, remains silent and withdrawn. If he should wish it, I would make him my successor on the seat of guidance.”

On both occasions, when Baba Ahmad came before Sultan Fateh Muhammad with this message, he replied,

“Convey my respectful request to my revered grandfather that I have no desire for the worldly seat of succession. But if he would bless me with the heirship of the treasure of spiritual excellence (faqr), I would consider myself proud of my destiny.”

Sultan Fateh Muhammad stands as the personality within the family of Sultan Bahoo who was the first, and uniquely distinct from the rest of his descendants, to petition his great ancestor Sultan Bahoo for the treasure of spiritual excellence, and whose petition was accepted and honoured.

As the disciples grew despondent at the absence of a male child in the home of Sultan Fateh Muhammad, one of them came by night to the sacred shrine of Sultan Bahoo and presented his plea,

“Why, O Master? Will our own children now be compelled to knock on the doors of others for their spiritual initiation?”

In a dream that night he was blessed with a vision of Sultan Bahoo and received the glad tidings,

“Do not be anxious. Allah Almighty will bless your spiritual guide with two sons. One of them will arrive with the crown of inborn sainthood upon his head. He will be that rare and priceless jewel for whom my household has long been waiting. The other will be of royal and kingly bearing.”

The disciple conveyed the glad tidings of his dream to Sultan Fateh Muhammad, who found consolation in the knowledge that the prayers and longings for the treasure of spiritual excellence had been fulfilled. At last, that time arrived when both sons were born in the home of Sultan Fateh Muhammad, each on the appointed interval.

In the days when Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz was born, Sayyad Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah was residing at the shrine of Sultan Bahoo, engaged in receiving and transmitting spiritual blessings. After birth, the newborn Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz kept his eyes closed, and an entire week passed without opening them. Sultan Fateh Muhammad grew anxious, and when he visited the sacred shrine of his great ancestor and the spiritual guide of all creation, he encountered there Sayyad Sultan Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah, and told him of the child’s condition. He brought him home so that he might recite a spiritual prayer over the child. The moment Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah took the infant Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz into his arms, the child immediately opened his eyes and gazed upon the blessed face of his spiritual guide, Sayyad Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah. This was his first sight of this world.

This occurrence had its earliest precedent with his lineage ancestor, Honourable Ali ibn abi Talib (R.A.), who was born within the precincts of the sacred House of Allah during circumambulation, yet kept his eyes closed. When his mother, Honourable Fatimah bint Asad (R.A.), saw his condition, she was filled with anxiety and hurried with the newborn toward home. On the threshold of the house stood the Beloved of Allah Almighty the Exalted Prophet (ﷺ). He asked his aunt what the matter was and why she was troubled. His adopted mother and aunt, Honourable Fatimah bint Asad (R.A.), replied,

“My son, your uncle has been blessed by Allah Almighty with a son, but this child did not open his eyes.”

The moment the Exalted Prophet (ﷺ) took the newborn Ali ibn abi Talib (R.A.) from his aunt and held him in his blessed lap, those eyes that had been closed in the House of Allah immediately opened, seeking the sight of the sanctified face of the Exalted Prophet (ﷺ), and came to rest upon that radiant countenance.

From this narration it is obvious that Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz repeated, centuries later, the tradition of his revered ancestor, and upon coming into this world his very first sight was that of the great personality of the household of Banu Fatimah, his future benefactor, guardian and spiritual guide.

When Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz was born into the house of Sultan Fateh Muhammad, where the absence of a male child had long been felt, his birth as the heir to the treasury of spiritual excellence was as though the waves of the ocean of spiritual grace poured into the household of Sultan Bahoo and the wait for the return of the wealth of spiritual excellence began. We observe outwardly that Sultan Fateh Muhammad petitioned his great ancestor Sultan Bahoo for the treasure of spiritual excellence, presented his trusted disciple with that very petition twice before Sultan Bahoo, and ultimately succeeded in his request. The command to restore the wealth of spiritual excellence to the household of Sultan Bahoo had already been given to Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah, who had been shown the identity of the one who would receive this sacred trust and whose face he had already seen. As we shall see, the son born in Sultan Fateh Muhammad’s home became the beloved and desired of Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah after his initiation, the one entrusted with heralding the treasury of spiritual excellence, and this wealth became the distinguishing mark of that household.

An account that speaks to the greatness and station of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz is widely known among the disciples connected to his family from Dera Ismail Khan. The younger brother of his grandfather, Sultan Ghulam Rasool, namely Sultan Ghulam Nabi, would frequently visit the areas of Kari Khaisur, District Paharpur, in Dera Ismail Khan. On one such visit, when he camped at a certain place and performed his prayer, he experienced an intense spiritual state. Upon enquiring, he was told that Honourable Ali (R.A.) and several noble Companions (R.A.) had once come to that very spot, a fact confirmed by the presence of the graves of Companions there. Sultan Ghulam Nabi made a firm resolve to build a mosque at this blessed site for the benefit of the people, and the work of construction began.

Having laid the foundations of the mosque, he went in the evening to rest at the home of a nearby disciple. When he arrived the following morning with the craftsmen and labourers, he was astonished to find that all the previous day’s work had been undone and the walls of the mosque had been demolished. Concern arose in his heart, yet he gave the order for the work to begin again from the beginning. Coming the next day, he found once again that the construction had been demolished and the walls had fallen. Concluding that this might be the mischief of a spirit or unseen being (jinns), he summoned the chief of the jinns of that place and asked,

“Why are you doing this? What justification do you have for your jinns interfering in our work?”

The chief of the jinns replied with folded hands,

“My master, who are we to interfere in an act of goodness or to cause mischief? Please present this matter to your great ancestor, and he will certainly guide you with the right decision.”

Sultan Ghulam Nabi visited the blessed shrine of Sultan Bahoo and presented his grievance about the demolition of the mosque walls. In a dream, he was blessed with a vision of Sultan Bahoo, who said,

“One of the descendants of your elder brother will himself come to this place, and the mosque will be built by his hands.”

He was told the specific identifying marks of that person. Upon this, Sultan Ghulam Nabi wrote an amulet (ta’wīdh) and entrusted it to his appointed successor (khalīfah) in Kari Khaisur, Paharpur, Dera Ismail Khan, with the instruction that when the person bearing these marks would arrive, this amulet should be passed to him through his elders. This amulet eventually reached Lala Ahmad Khan Atthok, whom this author saw and met on several occasions. He handed the amulet to Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz, who bore every one of the identifying marks that had been described. Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz and his son Sultan Muhammad Safdar Ali oversaw the construction of the mosque at that site under their own supervision, and it stands there to this day.

After his outward initiation into the spiritual path, the relationship of Sultan Abdul Aziz with his spiritual guide was of such a nature as to leave the mind in wonder as to who was the seeker and who the sought. Sultan Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah showed him immense tenderness and affection, while Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz himself became wholly absorbed, heart and soul, in love for his guardian and spiritual guide. He could not endure even a single moment without his spiritual master.

Whenever he would come to his home in Basti Samandri at the old place of the shrine of Sultan Bahoo, he would set out the very next day once again toward Hasso Wali, Jhang District, making this journey without riding his horse. On one occasion when he arrived at Hasso Wali, he was informed that Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah had gone to Tender Wala. The servants there urged him to rest at Hasso Wali, but he insisted on travelling thirty kilometers further to Tender Wala. Using the excuse of a call of nature, he set his water vessel aside and set off toward his destination. His shoes were narrow and somewhat tight, and the hardship of the journey raised blisters on the soles of his feet. His spiritual guide, Sayyad Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah, came to know of those blisters through spiritual unveiling (kashf), prepared a healing ointment, and had a bed made ready for his rest. After his arrival, Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah personally lanced the blisters on his feet, forbade him from making any such journey in the future without riding a horse, and gave the order that whenever he came for a meeting he should come on horseback.

Later, when Sayyad Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah moved his residence from Hasso Wali to Basti Farid Mahmood Kathia, Tehsil Shorkot, Jhang District, Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz continued to present himself before his spiritual guide with the same regularity. Because Bahadur Ali Shah was among those who had received the grace of Sultan Bahoo, he held Sultan Abdul Aziz in the highest regard as a member of that spiritual household and would not permit him to undertake any form of personal service. Yet during those two years, Sultan Abdul Aziz continuously sought to carry out for himself the individual tasks of Bahadur Ali Shah’s residence. He would even awake in the night and clean the hay used as fodder for Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah’s mares, doing so while avoiding the notice of Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah and his disciples. Word spread among people that the hay of Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah’s mares was being sifted and cleaned by jinns at night. Sultan Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah assigned a trusted person to find out who was responsible, and he observed Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz at work. Despite being urgently requested not to tell Sultan Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah, the man informed him the following day, upon which Sultan Sayyad Bahadur Ali Shah forbade him from undertaking that task any further.

When the love of his spiritual guide had taken complete possession of his heart and mind, these words arose upon his blessed tongue,

اج ملے سوہنا پیر مینوں اکھیں ویکھن کارن بے قرار ہویاں

سوہنا پیر ویکھن تاں قرار پاون اے تاں ہردم وچ انتظار ہویاں

سلطان بہادر شاہ دی صورت ویکھن کارن ہر وقت طرف دربار ہویاں

سلطان عزیز دا یار بہادر شاہ ہویااکھیں اس جہان کنوں بیزار ہویاں

“Today I have met the beautiful spiritual master for whose sight my eyes have become restless. To see the beautiful spiritual master brings peace, for every moment has been spent in waiting for him. For the sight of Sultan Bahadur Shah’s blessed face, every moment I turn toward the shrine. Sultan Aziz has found his friend in Bahadur Shah, and now the eyes have grown weary of this world.”

The care and tenderness that Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz received from his spiritual guide was no less remarkable from the other side. Many years after the passing of Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah from this mortal world, on one occasion when Sultan Abdul Aziz was travelling toward Jhelum, the ropes securing the equipment loaded on the she-camel of his servant Baba Ahmad came loose on a mountain bend between the villages of Chakuha and Dhalar. Reloading the equipment onto the she-camel and tying the ropes tightly was not something Baba Ahmad could manage alone. He stood in a state of bewilderment, wondering what to do, when he saw Sayyad Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah appearing before him. Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah helped Baba Ahmad fully with the task of reorganising the equipment on the camel and tightening the ropes, and then disappeared from that spot.

When Baba Ahmad finally caught up with the caravan of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz along with the she-camel, Sultan Abdul Aziz asked,

“What happened, Baba Ahmad? You have reached us after a very long time.”

Baba Ahmad replied,

“When there is work of yours to be done, Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah pays attention. Otherwise, I would still be standing where the ropes came loose, and you too would have had to wait for me.”

After his initiation, the visible connection in the outward world between Sayyad Sultan Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah and Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz can truly be described as exemplary, not only in his own case but also in that of his descendants. He would remain at Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah’s court for several days, and present himself at Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah’s court before setting out on any journey or upon returning from one remained his unwavering practice for the rest of his life. All matters of religion and worldly affairs were equally referred to Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah’s court for guidance and permission.

The love of Sayyad Sultan Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah was utterly unique. He would guide not only his disciple and appointed successor Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz and his family through spiritual unveiling, but the devoted and sincere disciples of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz also continue to receive such blessings. An example of this is the account of his disciple from Kari Khaisur, Paharpur, Dera Ismail Khan District, whose family had enmity with another group and who feared harm to his life at the hands of his enemies. When he was present in the court of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz while the latter was visiting Sayyad Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah’s shrine, he presented the entire matter to him. Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz reassured him and said,

“You have now come, through the support of Allah Almighty, under the protection of my spiritual guide, Sayyad Sultan Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah. Allah Almighty will make things right and good will prevail.”

At Bahadur Ali Shah’s instruction, he travelled to Dera Ismail Khan and reconciled the two groups. Despite this, the hostile group broke their agreement, attacked the people of Lala Ahmad Khan and fired upon them. When Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz next came to the shrine of the Bahadur Ali Shah, Sayyad Sultan Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah handed to him the ten bullets that the enemies had fired, which the Bahadur Ali Shah had taken in his own hands, and the disciples of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz had remained entirely safe and protected.

The spiritual authority (taṣarruf) of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz himself was truly astonishing. On one occasion he went to Khohar, Gujrat district (formerly in Jhelum), where one of his disciples came to him with the concern that his son, who lived in South Africa, whenever he came home and was asked to take the pledge of initiation, would put the matter off and say,

“If any spiritual master has true authority, he will initiate me there in Africa itself. I do not need to go anywhere. Whoever initiates me in Africa, I will accept as my spiritual guide.”

He instructed his disciple, whose name was Ghulam Yasin, to perform fresh ablution, had him sit beside him, formally took a spiritual oath (bay’at) from him, and then offered him congratulations, saying,

“We have taken the spiritual oath (bay’at) of your son in Africa.”

He had his caliph, Sayyad Wilayat Shah, note down the day and time. Some days later, the son of his disciple, whose name was Ghulam Muhammad, wrote a letter in which he described the event of his oath in full and noted down the physical appearance and other distinguishing features of his spiritual guide. He wrote that he had been sitting in a troubled and sad state of mind when the thought came to him that he should rise, perform ablution and offer his prayer. He went to the mosque, and when he had finished his prayer, there before him was a luminous face, of a beauty and captivating quality such as he had never seen anywhere before. The elder came and sat close beside him, formally initiated him, imparted the practice of contemplating the Personal Name of Allah (Ism Allah Dhāt) and then departed. He enquired in the letter who this person could be, as he had never seen such a captivating face.

When he later came to Pakistan, his parents brought him to the shrine of Sultan Bahoo for a visit. In order to establish his spiritual oath and to have him identify his spiritual guide, his family members deliberately took him first to the residences of the remaining sons of Sultan Bahoo. When he would see the nobles present there, he would shake his head in the negative and say,

“These are not the one.”

Finally, they brought him to the residence of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz. The moment his eyes fell upon that luminous face, he cried out,

“Yes, this is the very person who administered my oath.”

After kissing his feet, his visits became a regular feature of his life.

On one occasion when Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz was at Bahadur Ali Shah’s shrine, this same disciple from Africa, Ghulam Muhammad, began to plead,

“My master, there is a great need for the dissemination of the true faith in Africa. Please come there yourself, and if that is not possible, please send one of your successors for a visit.”

He kept repeating his request, and when his insistence grew, Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz replied,

“Very well, we shall see tomorrow.”

When Ghulam Muhammad presented himself the following day and all those at the court were wondering whose assignment it would be, he addressed Ghulam Muhammad himself and said,

“Come after performing a fresh ablution.”

When he presented himself after the ablution, he formally administered his oath, since his oath from Pakistan to Africa had been spiritual. After the initiation, he further graced him by conferring upon him the mantle of spiritual deputyship (khilāfat).

Among his astute, perceptive, and brilliant disciples was also a very simple dervish whose name was Ghulam Muhammad, but whom people affectionately called Dhoto Faqir, and who remained in his service for a long period. He was also from Jhang District, and he used to compose simple, light poetic verses.

On one occasion when Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz was at Bara Talian, he instructed Dhoto Faqir to bring the horse’s saddle from the shrine. Dhoto Faqir came to the old shrine at Samandri, placed the horse’s saddle on his head and set off on foot toward Bara Talian. When he reached the bridge over the River Chenab, his difficulty multiplied, for the bridge of boats was nowhere to be found, there was no boat on the far bank of the river to bring across, and the flood in the river was so fierce that swimming across seemed impossible. Dhoto Faqir’s anxiety grew with every passing moment, and the darkness of the night was deepening. At last, he could bear it no longer. With the horse’s saddle on his head, he resolved to swim the river and leapt into the water, but the furious waves overcame him and, facing the real danger of drowning, he came back to the bank. Now the call of duty stirred the resolve within him again, and with the determination that whether death or sleep, he would certainly continue his journey, he stepped into the water once more. This time the river relented, and he walked through knee-deep water to reach the far bank, where he arrived at his destination and finally drew breath.

The moment Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz saw him, he said,

“Dhoto, had you simply walked in the first time, you would not have been in danger of drowning, and there would have been no need to come back out of the river.”

Such blessings upon his disciples were a matter of course for him. He would also occasionally indulge in a light exchange of humour with such disciples. Yet otherwise, there was a gravity about him so profound that those present in his gathering would seek for him simply to speak with them. He was at all times absorbed in the contemplation of the Personal Name of Allah and in the remembrance of Allah Almighty.

He left the ancestral home of Basti Samandri, the old shrine of Sultan Bahoo, and established his residence at the present site where his blessed shrine now draws countless visitors from everywhere. In the beginning, the dwellings here were simple thatched and hut-like structures, which gradually gave way to permanent buildings. Later, his accomplished descendants not only constructed his distinctive, beautiful and graceful shrine, but also built a magnificent mosque, an outstanding seminary for teaching and learning, a charitable kitchen (langar), residential quarters, the headquarters of the Islahee Jamaat (Edifying Movement), assembly halls, stables for horses and facilities for ritual purity. In this way they have made this sacred precinct not only a heaven of spiritual peace but also provided its visitors with an abundance of outward beauty and comfortable accommodation. No visitor to the court feels as though he is in an unfamiliar place, and the spiritual authority of its custodian redoubles this outward and inward beauty.

He was extremely disciplined about time, and even the slightest deviation from schedule was burdensome to his blessed nature. In the early hours before dawn, he would perform fresh ablution, take his tea, offer the pre-dawn prayer (ṣalāt al-tahajjud) and engage in his devotional practices, remaining absorbed in these until the arrival of the dawn prayer (ṣalāt al-fajr). After the dawn prayer, he would spend one hour in the contemplation of the Personal Name of Allah. At half past ten, he would eat and rest. He would rise before the midday prayer (ṣalāt al-zuhr), perform ablution and come to the mosque for the congregational prayer. After completing the morning contemplation, he would impart instruction and guidance to his disciples and those present, whom he called desirous (ṭālibīn). He preferred to drink cold water from a clay pot (maṭkā), and he liked his tea strong and hot. The greater part of his time was spent in the contemplation of the Personal Name of Allah. He was also greatly fond of walking in the mornings and evenings. If his meal was even slightly late from its appointed time, he would leave it entirely for that day and not eat. The faithful observance of each hour, combined with his religious duties such as congregational prayer and daily devotional practices, was itself no less than a miracle.

In the army of the Emperor of Hindustan, Khurram Shah Jahan, the ancestor of Sultan Abdul Aziz and the father of Sultan Bahoo, Hafiz Bazaid Muhammad, known as Awan, fought his last battle mounted on his beloved mare ‘Son Pari.’ He rode alone into the fort of the Hindu Raja of Marot, struck off the Raja’s head, placed it in the saddlebag of his mare, leapt the walls of the fort on Son Pari, and presented it to the Governor of Multan.

Then came the time for the naked swords to return to their sheaths, for the next stage was the conquest of hearts through the power of the spiritual gaze. Beginning with Sultan Bahoo and opening the door of spiritual excellence through his beloved son, Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz, the family moved from the lesser outward struggle to the beginning of the greater inward one. If we look at the material world, it has passed through many stages and now reached a point where it stands at the brink of destruction through weapons of mass devastation. The age in which countries and populations were conquered by force of the sword has passed, and doing so in today’s world would be tantamount to destroying the world itself.

Today is the age of conquering hearts, and for this, the sacred souls who carry the wealth of spiritual excellence (faqr) are those whose hearts are illuminated by the light of the Personal Name of Allah (Ism Allah Dhāt) and whose speech holds the rank of the Sword of the All-Merciful (Sayf al-Raḥmān). This work has been begun by the lineage and spiritual heirs of Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz under the banner of the Islahee Jamaat  wa Aalmi Tanzeem al-Arifeen (Edifying Movement), leaving an indelible impression of which it may be said:

مشک آن است کے خود ببوئید ناکہ عطار بگوئید

“True fragrance is that which spreads its own scent, not that which is only praised by the one who sells it.”

 

---

This article was originally published in Urdu in the Monthly Mirrat ul Arifeen International Magazine. To cite the original article: https://www.mirrat.com/article/32/633

To cite the original article:

Malik Muhammad Akbar Awan, “Cherished Memories of a Perfect Spiritual Master,” Monthly Mirrat ul Arifeen International Magazine, April 2015.