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Hazrat Khawaja Bahauddin Naqashband Bukhari (Rehmatullah Elaih) is the founder and protagonist of Naqashband school of thought. He is the harbinger of the Prophet's (SAW) sunnah and the teachings of Allah’s Book, Quran. He is regarded as an ideal saint and leader of righteous-fellows of his time and the future.
Birthplace
His real name was Muhammad bin Bukhari and family (ancestral) lineage Bahauddin and title name was Shah-e-Naqashband. He was born on 4th Muharram-ul-Haram 718 Hijrah in Qasr-e-Arafan (Qasr-e-Hindustan), a territory near Bukhara (Samarqand) these days, a Russian Muslim majority province.
Early Biography
Hazrat Khawaja Muhammad Baba Samasi (RA), the champion of saints of his era made a blissful forecast before his birth and his bright future. He was taken under Baba Samasi’s spiritual pledge on third day of his birth and entrusted the charge of his education and training to his well-trained approved disciple, Hazrat Khawaja Syed Amir Kital (RA) for his ideal nourishment and upbringing physically, mentally, and spiritually. Hazrat Shah Naqashband had developed a very close heartly intimation with Sultan of Saints Hazrat Khawaja Abdul Khalique Ghajdawani (RA).
Spiritual Lineage
Khawaja Bahauddin Naqashband, Hazrat Syed Amir Kilal, Hazrat Muhammad Baba Samasi, Azizan Ramaitani, Hazrat Khawaja Mehmood Faghnavi, Hazrat Muhammad Arif Rawagari, Hazrat Khawaja Abdul Khalique Ghajdarani, Hazrat Khawaja Yousuf Hamdani, Hazrat Bu-Ali Farmadi, Hazrat Abu-ul-Hassan Khirqani, Hazrat Khawaja Ba-Yazeed Bustami, Hazrat Imam Jafar Saddiq, Hazrat Imam Qasim, Hazrat Suleman Farsi & Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique (RA).
Death & Tomb
On Monday, 3rd Rabiull Awal, on 791 Hijrah, he left for his heavenly abode. His grave (tomb) was made in his native town, Qasr-e-Arafan in Bukhar-o-Samarqand.
Services for Islam
Hazrat Shah Naqashband Bukhari Awaisi (RA) was a man of winsome manners and sincere devotee of Islam who brought about revolutionary healthy norms in spiritual sciences and practices. He spread the message of Quran-o-Sunnah all over the world with his matchless strenuous efforts. He enlightened the darkest hearts with Allah’s love and devotion. He extinguished the darkness of ignorance, sins, cruelty, and selfishness. He showed straight path of Islam to all astrayed-fellows of his time.
He was a practical Sufi who participated in all worldly affairs dedicatedly and purified the minds, hearts, and characters from laymen to religious scholars and Sufis of his time. He had developed close intimation with all governmental-officials and guided them to commandments of Allah and Holy Prophet (SAW).
Some of his famous remarks and pearls of wisdom are as follows:
1. I along with devotees and disciples have been taught Zikr-e-Khafi – secret remembrance of Allah in spite of a loud one. Enthusiastic pure love and heartly attraction to Allah shows me the close direction to my Lord.
2. My path in Sufism is the same path as was of reverend companions of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) e.g., company of Shaikh, affection of Shaikh, and service of Shaikh.
3. My method of teaching and training comprises non-pursuits of so-called spiritualists, but is completely dedication and attachment with Quran-o-Sunnah. My way is to infuse loyalty and attraction to Allah Almighty, first, and then adorations and Islamic practices.
4. Allah has enlisted the peak and summit of other Sufis in my first step to Sufism.
5. I never allow myself to stay away from social, economic, political, and worldly liabilities but to perform them accurately and in an ideal way under the umbrella of Islamic codes. He introduced eleven lessons for his devotees with rational elaboration e.g.
a. Khalwat Dar Anjuman (to enjoy the sweet company of the Lord among society and people).
b. Safar Dar Watan (to travel/journey to heavenly abode).
c. Hosh Dar Dum (to be vigilant about every entity/part of breath). It must be busy in Zikre Elahi.
d. Nazr Bar Qadam (to watch over every step on earth). It may not divert from the path of Allah.
e. Yaaddaasht (meditation for Allah).
f. Nigehdaasht (to control one’s sight of eyes, that may not be alluring).
g. Yaad-kard (to recite the holy name of Allah excessively and consistently).
h. Baazgasht (to have self-accountability).
i. Waqoof-e-Zamani (to evaluate every moment of his life to repair it).
j. Waqoof-e-Adadi (to recite the holy statement Kalimah Tayyaba with odd numbers).
k. Waqoof-e-Qalbi (to look deep into heart awaiting torch/blessings of Allah’s names and intimation).
6. I have been granted the moments of acknowledged supplication for thirty consecutive years of my life.
7. Allah Almighty has promised with me to enter my direct and indirect devotees into paradise (if they are steadfast in this way of Allah).
8. I have been bestowed upon bounties of Allah when I do Zikr of Allah, secretly.
Hazrat Khawaja Syed Amir Kilal, the spiritual guide of Shah-e-Naqashband Bukhari declared that we have been granted with four links to Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) which are as follows;
i. Through Hazrat Khawaja Kithar (AS)
ii. Hazrat Khawaja Junaid Bughdadi (RA)
iii. Hazrat Khawaja Ba-Yazeed Bustami (RA) and through,
iv. Hazrat Syedina Siddique-e-Akbar (RA)
So, in reality: my spiritual method is salt of saints (milk-ul-mashaikh). It means all types of blessings of Allah Almighty through Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) and four Righteous Caliphs of Islam have been beautifully and accurately accumulated and mustered up in my spiritual school of thought proportionately. This is the way of Shah-e-Naqashband.
He made a statement that remembrance of Allah Almighty is actually, to stay away from every type of ignorance and non-sensibility.
Conclusion
In short Hazrat Khawaja Naqashband Bukhari (RA) spent whole life for the cause of Allah. His spiritual school of thought produced countless servants of Islam and guides to show right path of Islam. Imam-e-Rabbani Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani (RA), Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah Dehlvi, Hazrat Shah Wali Ullah Dehlvi, Hazrat Mirza Mazhar Jane Jana Shaheed, Hazrat Qazi Sana Ullah Pani Patti, Hazrat Shah Khalid Kurdi and so on.
Hazrat Shaikh Bahauddin Bukhari (RA) was entitled Naqashband. It means a man who engraved the name of Allah at the heart of his devotee very silently and accurately.
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