CHAPTER I

SHAIKH ABDULLAH SHATTARI AND SSTABLISHMSNT OF THE

SILSILAH IH INDIA

The S h a t t a r i s i l s i l a h was introduced in India e a r l y i n

the f i f t e e n t h centary by Shaikh 'Abdullah S h a t t a r i . As the
pioneer - s a i n t of a mystic movementi he ranks among such
eminent p e r s o n a l i t i e s as Khwajah Mu'in-u'd-din Chishti of Ajmer
Cob. 1236) euid Shaikh Baha-u'd-dinjhakariyya of Multan (ob.1262
A.D.)» though his s i l s i l a h could not a t t a i n that widespread
popularity and influence which the Chishti or the Suhrawardi
s i l s i l a h s have enjoyed through the ages.

Shaikh 'Abdullah was a native of KhurisSn. He claimed

h i s descent from the great mystic teacher of the 13th century,
Shaikh Shihab u ' d - d i n 'Umar Suhrawardi. Nothing i s known about

1. Shaikh Shihab-u'd-din Suhrawardi (1145-1234 A.D.) was an

eminent saint of the Suhrawardi order which was founded by
h i s uncle Shaikh Najib-u'd-din Abd al-Qahir Suhrawardi
(ob. 1169 A.D.}. His best known works are the ' A w a r i f - u ' l -
Ma'arif and the Kashf-u'1-Nasa'ih-u'l-Imaniyah wa-Kashf"
u ' l - ? a d a * i h - u * l Yunaniyah. For b r i e f biographical account
see Nafahat u'l-Uns p. 420.
Shaikh 'Abdullah was r e l a t e d to him as follows: Shaikh
•Abdullah S h a t t a r i b . Shaikh Husam-u*d-din b^ Hashid-u'd-
din bi^ Dia u' d-din B7 Najm u' d-din b^ Jamal u' d-din To*_
Shihab-u'd-din 'Umar Suhrawardi. This genealogy i s given
i n the following works. Lata*if-i-Ghaibiyah (MS.) f . 7 ;
Ma'adin u'1-Asrar (MS.) f. 8; Gulzar-i-AbraT (HG.) f. 101;
Ma'arij-u'1-Wdlayat (HS.) Vol. I I p. 542.
 - 2 -

his early life or his activities before he came to India. We

know only this much that he had received spiritual training
from Shaikh Muhamaad 'Arif, Shaikh Muzaffar Kitani of Nishapur^

and Sayyid 'Ali Muwahid of Azerbaijani all of whom were

very well-known figures in their respective regions. Shaikh
Kitani was an erudite scholar and a pious mystic of Nishaour.
He had the reputation of initiating a novice in the intricacies
of mystic discipline within a few days. He lived in a mountain-
cave completely cut off from society. Undeterred by the hazards
of a long mountaneous journey* Shaikh 'Abdullah somehow reached
Shaikh Muzaffar and insisted on receiving spiritual training
froai him. His stay with him was* however, very short, though
his spiritual progress was closely watched by the Shaikh.
Somehow Shaikh 'Abdullah could not develop permanent attachment

1. Our information about the early life of the founder of the

Chishti order in India, Shaikh Mu'in-u'd-din Sijzi, is
equally scanty and whatever is available in later accounts
is mostly based on legends and fictions.
2. Manba*»u'l-Ansab, (MS.)i Majalis-u'l-Ushshaq, (MS.) f.9j ,
Hisalah-i-Halat-i-Qalandariyah, (MS.) f.13; Usul-u'l-Magsud,
(MS.) f.27.
Chahar t>ir-wa--Chahardeh Khanwadeh (MS.) f.9; Tazkirat-
u'1-guqara p.39» In Ma'arij-u'1-WAlayat (MS. Vol.II,p|?. 542-
543) his spiritual genealogy is given as follows: Shaikh
f^.uhammad Taifur, Shaikh Muhammad 'Ashiq, Shaikh Khuda Quli
of Transoxiana, Xhwajah Abul Hasan Khirqani, Khwajah Abul
Muzaffar Maulana Turk Tusi, Khwajah Abu Yazid 'Isjiqi, Khwajah
Muhammad Ma^ribi, Ba Yazid Bistami, Imam Ja'far Sadiq. The
table given by Qulzar-i-Abrar (f.101) does not contain the
name of S h a i ^ Muhammad Taifur.
3. Shaikh Muzaffar was a spiritual descendant of g^^aikh Najm-
u'd-din Kubra (ob.1226 A.D.). His spiritual genealogy is as
follows: Shaikh Ibrahim 'IgJaqabadi, Sayyid NizSa u'd-din
Husain, Shaikh Muhammad Khilwati, giiaikh Najm-ii'd-din Kubra.
Lata'if-i-Ghaibiyah (MS.Ff-IO; GulzSr-i-AbrSr (RG.) f.101.

4. Ma'adin-u'1-Asrar (MS.) f. 55«

 - 3-

with Shaikh Kitani and returned to his old master, Shaikh'Arif.

Later he visited Shaikh Muwahid who was an eminent

7 - 1
khalifah of Shaikh Zain-u» d-din Abu Bakr Khwafi and was known
for his knowledge of the esoteric discipline as well as his
mastery over theflhadith literature (Traditions of the Prophet).
He stayed with him for a long time and took lessons from him in
2
mysticism. Subsequently he obtained his permission to return
to Shaikh 'Arif and receive his advanced instructions in mys-
ticism from him.

Shaikh 'Arif was lavishly endowed by nature with what

the mystics call nafs-i-gira, intuitive intelligence which could
oomprehend, control and direct the spiritual talent of the
disciples. He discerned in Shaikh 'Abdullah a person who could
effectively organise an spiritual order and popularize its
teachings within a short time. He conferred upon him the title
Shattar and asked hiia to undertake travels in different lands
and announce by the beat of drums at every place he happened
to visit.

^•UM« l4i- H O* ^^ "^^ ^"^ "^^ o-^^l

(If there is any seeker of Allah, he may come to me.
I will guide him to Allah).

1. Lata*if«i»GhaibiySh (MS.) f.14j Qulzar-i-Abrar (RG.) f.101.

For short biographical account of Shaikh Zain-u*d-din Khwafi,
see Nafahat-u' l-Uns pp. 44I-.4.44,
2. Lata*if-i-Qhaibiyah (MS.) f.14j Qulzar-i-Abrar (RG.) f.101.
3. Ma*adin-tt'l-Asrar (MS.) f.55; Hisalah-i-Ibrahlmi (MS.) f.26t
Mir'at~u'l-Asrar (MS.) f.72j Akhbar-u'l-Akhyar p. 171
Muhaaaad Ghautjii writes that Shaikh 'Abdullah used to
announce at every place he happened to visit: "If any one
knows the meaning of Kalimah-i-T»uhid (Islaaio formula of
faith) better than myself, he should teach it to me; if not,
he should oome and learn it from ae." GuIzEr-i-AbrSr (RG.)f.102
 - 4-

Following trie instrjctions of his master, ^aikh

'Abdiillah undertook extensive travels in Huslim lands. He
roaaed all over 'Iraq., Xhurasan, Azerbaijan and other iaportant
centres of fuslia culture and ca^ne Into contact with nen of
different tyoes and te'i^oeraments and acquired intlnate knowledge
of the condition of laslin societ^^ in the fifteenth century.

He differed froa the contenporary :iiystics in many respects.

While the fuslira nystics generally believed in living a life
of penury and penitence, Shaikh 'Abdullah lived with great pomp
and eclat. Shaikh 'Abdul Haqq luhaddith DChlawi writes about
hia:

(He possessed both external and internal

j^randeur and aajesty).

The sufis of the middle ages looked upon itineracy as an integral

2
p a r t of the s p i r i t u a l education of the t r a v e l l e r himself. But
Shaikh 'Abdullah did not t r a v e l for the sake of h i s own s p i r i t u a l
perfection. His t r a v e l s were intended to educate o t h e r s .
Another i n t e r e s t i n g feature which distin^juished him froin a l l
o t h e r mystics was that he doned himself i n the royal d r e s s ,
while h i s d i s c i p l e s who followed him on h i s /aystic i t i n e r a r i e s
put on -ailitary uniform.*^ This army of murids marched with
banners and drums. No other s a i n t of any Muslim mystic order

1. Akhbar-u*1-Akhyar, p . 169.
2. Misbah-u*1-Hidayah, p. 204.
3. Risalah"i-Qadin S h a t t a r , (MS.) f. 6}
Gulzar-i-AbrSr, (RG.) f^ 102.
 - 5-

is knovn to have lived and moved in this manner* Another unusual

practice of the saint was that before delivering discourses he
c 1
ordered all disbellvers to quit his audience* Whenever anybody
approached him with the request to admit him into his discipline!
he ordered food to be served and then he watched the visitor's
actions carefully* Those who finished the bread and the gravy
simultaneously were blessed with favours, the rest were treated
as unwise and were ignored* It was after a severe test of the
mfntal and moral calibre of a visitor that he initiated him in
2
his mystic discipline*

Shaikh 'Abdullah arrived in India at a time when the

Sultanate of Delhi was fast declining and centrifugal tendencies
were working not only in the political but in the spiritual
sphere also* The mystic orders tod ceased to function as all-
India institutions and kimngahs of provincial and often of local
importance had taken the place of the khanqahs of country-wide
fame and importance. The Chishti order of mystics which had
a highly integrated central structure lost its former position
and provincial khanqahs were set up in provincial towns, indepen-
dent of all central control* Old ideologies and traditions were
found embarrasing in the new circumstances and were thrown
overboard*

1» Risalah-i-Qidin«Shattart (MS.) f. 6;
Akhbar-u»l-Akhy5r, p* 169*

2. Ria£l>h-i-Qadin Shattar, (MS.) f. 6|

Akhbar-tt* 1-Akhy5r, p."T69; Akhbar-u'l-Asfiya, (MS.) f. 65.
 - 6 -

1* The comfortable theory was expounded tlmt mystics

should consort with kings* governors and high officers
in order to influence them for ^ood. State endowments
were accepted andf in retumi spiritual blessings and
moral support was given to the founders of the new
provincial dynasties*

2* The principle of hereditary succession was introduced

in the mystic sphere* It sapped the vitality of the
mystic organizations and injected the virus of heredi*
tary conflicts and tensions in spiritual life*

3* Early mystics had enjoined firmness of faith in one

spiritual master (yak dar geer wa muhkam gir : Hold
one door and hold it fast), but in the 13th century
a mystic was never satisfied with one master* He
would frequently change his masters and bend his knees
at as many doors as possible* This divided spiritual
allegiance cramped the growth of integrated spiritual
personalities and, as was natural, the mystic organi-
zations came to be controlled by men of smaller stature*

4* In the earlier period no spiritual teacher owned

allegiance to more than one spiritual order and he
trained and tutored his disciples according to the
ideology of that particular school, but in the 15th
and the 16th centuries the same Shaikh used to train
disciples according to different ideologies and
claimed to possess authority to admit disciples into
different silsilahs* This was an impossible task as
 - 7 -

the Ideologies of the rarlous s i l s l l a h s were different

and the ssme Shaikh could not demonstrate to his
followers the working of contradictory . principles
in his l i f e . This innovation reduced mystic discip-
line to a dead formality nay, apart from i n t e -
grating one's thought, i t disintegrated i t a l l the
more. When Shaikh *Ahdullah introduced the Shattari
order in India there was widespread religious anarchy
in the country* Viewed from one angle i t was an age
of "intellectual anarchy" and looked at from »iother
i t was an age of "intellectual freedom*" There was
a mushroom growth of new sects, new philosophies and
new schools, of thought. The old moorings were d i s -
carded and adventures were made in new realms of
thought* This was the age of the Raushanyahs, the
MehdSvis and the Shattaris*

No detailed account of Shaikh 'Abdullah's travel in India

i s available* He i s f i r s t introduced to us at Jaunpur* How
he was received a t Hultan, Lahore, Delhi or other important
mystic centres of northern India - which he must have visited
on his way to Jaunpur - i s not stated in contemporary or even
l a t e r accounts. However, he was cordially received at Jaunpur
and large number of people joined his order* Gradually his
reputation reached the ears of Sultan Ibrahim Sharqi (I4OI-I44O).

1. Ri»alalfi»Q»din Shattar (MS.) f . 7 ;

Ri»>lali»l-Ibrahiffii (MsT) f* 177*
 » 8 -

But his military outfit created suspicion in the mind of the

Sultan who had to defend his throne against many enemies open
and secret. To permit a 8emi->military group of religious men
to settle permanently in Jaunpur vras to court a danger for which
he was not prepared. Once the Sultan met Shaikh 'Abdullah and
insisted that he should give evidence of his spiritual powers
hy performing some miracles. Shaikh 'Abdullah felt insulted
at this request and decided to leave Jaunpur. He migrated to
Surhurpur where a local qalandar of great influence* Shaikh
Da'udf joined the circle of his disciples. From there he pro-

ceeded to Manikpuri but could not achieve any appreciable

4. . 5
success there. Shaikh Husam-u'd-diUt Baji Hamid Shah and
Shah Sayyid three influential saints of Manikpur were

1. Risalab-i-Qadin Shattar (MS.) f. 7;

Risalah-i-Ibrahimi (MST) f. 179, Ma*arij-u*1-VAlayat (MS.)
Vol. II p. 545.
2. Surhurpilr is a parganah in the Akbarpur Tahsil of the Fyzabad
district. The place which gives its name to the parganah
is a village of no great size* lying in latitude 26" 15'
north and longitude 80" 40* east on the southern boundary of
the district. The place is built on the banks of the Majhoi
river and through it runs the road from Fyzabad to Jaunpur.
District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
(Fyzabad) Vol. xtltl pp. m , m ,
3* Manikpur is at a distance of six miles from Daranagar in the
Sirathu Tahsil. United Provinces Gazetteers, Vol. XXIII
(D) (Allahabad District) page XXX, X i, x lii. Aopendix p.
xlvii.
4* Shaikh Husaa-u*d-din was an eminent disciple and khalifah
o"f ghaikh Nur 9utb-i-Alam, a distinguished Chishti saint of
Pandwa in Bengal. For biographical account, see Akhbar-u'1-
Akhyar, pp. 169,170,171; Gulzar-i-Abrar, (RG.)ff. 63,64.
5. He was a disciple and khalifah of glvaikh Husam-u'd-din
Manikpuri. See Akhbar-u'1-Akhyar, pp. 186, 187.
6. His original^nanie was Shah Saidu but he became known as
Sayyid Walilm. lie was a disciple of Shaikhi Uu^sam-u'd-din
Manikauri. See Akhbar-u*1-Akh^ar p. 186.
 - 9-

particularly invited by bi A to 3eet his but they received the

invitation when they were busy in an audition ;arty (Sama*).
They were so deeply overT)owered by emotions at that moment that
they had even given their clothes to the musicians. When they
received the invitation of a traveller-saint they discussed the
desirability of accenting it. After so'm deliberation and hesi-
tation they decided tn pay a visit to Shaikh 'Abdullah. A dis-
ciple brought a bed-cover for Shaikh Husam-u' d-din who cut it
into three piaces and lave one niece each to his two discinles
who covered their bodies with it. While on his way to the house
of Jhaikh •Xbdullah a disciple oresented a basket of betel leaves
to Shaikh husam-u'd-din who out it on his head in order to
oresent it to Shaikh 'Abdullah. When Shaikh 'Abdullah heard
about the arrival of these distlnjxiished saints, he came out to
receive them. Xhey sat under a cluster of trees and discussed

various religious problems, ^aikh 'Abdullah, however, failed

2
to impress Shaikh Husam-u'd-din.

F a i l i n g to achieve any g r e a t success a t Manikpur, Shaik^i

'Abdullah proceeded towards Bengal. One of the prominent f i g u r e s
of that region a t t h a t time was Muhammad 'Ala Qadiln» Shaikh
'Abdullah, a s was h i s p r a c t i c e , i n v i t e d hiai to join h i s o r d e r .
Muhamnad A l a declined the i n v i t a t i o n with the contemptuous
remark: "Cheats cone froa Khurasan very o f t e n . " Shaikh 'Abdullah

1. Hisalah-i-Qadin S h a t t a r , (MS.) f. 7l M i r a t - u ' l - A s r a r ,

U S . ) f. 354; i i i s a l a h ^ i - I b r i h i m i , (MS.) ff. 1t1,17S.

2. Hisalah-i-Qadin S h a t t a r , (MS.) f. 8j M i r ' a t - u ' l - A s r a r ,

(MS.) f. 334; R i s a l a g d - I b r a h i m i , (MSTfT; TTsT
 - 10 -

naturally felt insulted and humiliated at this arrogant remark.

"Search for a mystic-guide would one day bring him to my door,"

he remarked with great confidence*

Shaikh 'Abdullah later on reached Ekdalah and started

his mission there. Here too he did not achieve any success.
He now decided to go to Malwah. When he reached Chittor in
circa 846 A.H./1442 A.D.• he found Sultan Mahmud Khalji and his
son, GhiyatJ-u'd-din, besieging the fortress of Chittor.
Interpreting the arrival of a saint as a happy omen, the Sultan
extended a warm welcome to him. Fortunately the Sultan succeeded
in his campaign. He attributed this to the presence of the
^aikh and developed great faith in him.

^aikh 'Abdullah who had not been able to attract the

attention of the Sharq.i Sultans succeeded in establishing inti-
mate relations with the rulers of Malwah and set up the first
Shattari klmnqah in Mandu. tike most of the provincial kingdoms
of the fifteenth century, each of which had a patron-saint, the
rulers of Malwah also attached themselves with the Shattari
silsilah. Muhammad Ghauthi informs us that the saint had deve-
loped so great regard for Sultan Ghiyath-u'd-din Khalji that he

1. Riaialah-i-Qadin Shattar, (MS.) f.8; Mir'at-u'1-Asrir,

(MS.) f.354; Ris^ah-^Ibrahimi. (MS.) f. 178.
The author of Risalah-i-Gulzar-i-Ibrahimi makes an incorrect
statement when he says that ghaikh 'Abdullah met Shaikh Qadin
at Jaunpur. Ma'adin-u'l-Asrar, (MS.) f. 37.
2. Mu'in-u'd-din 'Abdullah says that Shaikh 'Abdullah had pro-
ceedtd to Malwah from Jaunpur (Ma'arij-u*1-WAlayat« MS.Vol.
II p. 546). But this is not correct. ?ros Jaunpur Shaikh
'Abdullah went to Manikpur and from there to EXdalaFas the
Ma*adin-u'1-Asrar, (MS. f. 37) saya.
 - 11 -

even dedicated him risalah. Lata' if-'i^Ghaibiyahy to him. This

was of mutual benefit,.. The saint gave moral support and bless-
ings to the ruler who, in return, relieved the saint of all
material worries and proM.ded such conditions that he passed
the closing years of his life in affluent circumstances.

Shaikh 'Abdullah died in Mandu in 890 AH./U85 A . D J

and was hurried near the tombs of the Khalji rulers of Malwah.
Early in the 17th century a dome was constructed over his grave
„ 2
at the order of Jahangir who had visited it along with Shah Pir
of Meerut.

The Ilm-i-Shattar:

A detailed account of the teachings of the Shattari

silsilah is given in a separate chapter. Here a brief reference
may be made to some of the mystic principles and ideas of ghaikh
'Abdullah as the whole ideological structure of the Shattari
silsilah was built on these principles.

Shaikh 'Abdullah has explained his mystic thought in his

book. Lata'if-i-Ghaibiyah, a small tract comprising seventeen
chapters dealing with such topics as nafs, suluk, tauba,DI>ikr
fana fil Shaikh etc.

^* Gulzar-i-Abrar, (RG.) f.102j TabacLat-i-Shahjahani, (MS.)

p. 174; MaaCl!Err-tt'l-Umara, Vol. 11 p. 58^.
2. For his biographical account see Chapter IV.
3» Ma'arij-u«1-Vdlayat, (MS.) Vol. II p. 546?
Risalah-i>Xtofthlai. (MS.) f. 179.
4. Lata'if-i-Qhajbiyah, (MS.) f. 2a.
 - 12 -

Shaikh »AMuHah believed that the goal of all mystics

vnatever their spiritual affiliation was the saast i*e> to attain
gnosis (ma*rifat)» but their methods to achiere it were different.
There werot acoording to him,-three principal seekers after
Truth - the Akhyart the Abrar and the Shattars* They had their
own aashrabs (ways of attaining the objective). The path adopted
— 2
by the ShSttars was the shortest and the quickest because it
made a msm*s soul responsive to divine messages* As he intended
to write a small brochure> he did not deal with the disciplines
and methods of the Akhyar and the Abrar and confined his dis-
cussion to the *ilm-i-Shattara alone* According to him the
special features of the mashrab-i-Shattar were the following:

(1) The Shattari mashrab made the attainment of spiritual

objective easier by simplifying the course of mystic
discipline* It did not recommend penitences or
- 3 4
mujahidat. He, therefore, calls it J[;JaJlv«Ji
(easiest of tariqahs)*

(2) The Shattari discipline emphasized, the cultivation

of cosmic emotion (*ishq) which made mushahidah
(vision of God) possible within a short spsufi of time*

(3) It attached greater importance to esoteric conditions

(ahwal) than to external practices (a*map*

1» Lata'if-i«Ghaibiyaht (MS.) f. 2a.

2. Lata'if-i-Ghaibiyah. (MS.) f. 2b.
3. Lata'if-i-fthaibiyah, (MS.) f. 4a.
4. Lata'if-i-Ghaibiyah, (MS.) f. 6b.
 - 13 -

(4) Ko spiritual progress was possible without the active

help and intercession of the pir. Hence a seeker had
to merge his individuality into the personality of
the ^aikh (fana fil Shaikh). Implicit faith in the
Shaikh and complete obedience to his orders was,
therefore, the first condition of the mystic disci-
pline.

(5) Another very important and significant aspect of the

mystic thought of ghalkh *Abdullah was his hatred of
exclusiveness. He inculcated liberal thinking in
his disciples and advised them to follow the Shiattari
path strictly and sincerely but not to develop con-
temptuous attitude towards other mystic cults and
silsilahs. As a Muslim who shows disrespect to any
prophet, he used to say, becomes a sinner of shari'at,
one who shows disrespect to raystics of other cults
becomes a sinner of tarigat. Besides, the Shaikh
refrained from raaking any discriminations between
people on the basis of faith. Discarding the pre-
valent terminology of Muslim and Mushrik, or mumin
and kafir, he divided all men into salik-1-Halik

and s&lik-i~wasil. Under the first category he placed

all those who worshipped symbols, like stone, water,
sun or moon. Those who loved Reality and did not
worship the phenomena of nature in any form or shape

1. Lata*lf-i-Gh>ibiyah, (MS.) f. 6b.

 -u -

were designated as salik^l^Wasil. He believed that

since both aimed at the same goal, mere difference of
ways did not matter. This catholicity in the outlook
of the Shaikh influenced the later generations of the
silsilah so deeply that they developed cordial relations
with all non-!4uslims.

Spiritual descendants of
Shaikh 'Abdullah.

Shaikh 'Abdullah Shatjiari appointed two principal succ-

essors to continue the work of propagating the teachings of the
- ~ 1 ?
Shattari silsilah - Shaikh Hafiz of Jaunpur and Shaikh Muhammad
2
•Ala' of Bengal. Very little is known about the life or acti-
vities of Shaikh Hafiz. His disciple and Khalifah, Shaikh
Buddhan Shattari, was, however, a very popular figure during
the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodi (U89-1517). The author of
Akhbar-u'1-Akhylr informs us that he was a descendant of Shaikh
4
'Abdullah Shattari. No hagiological work supplies any detailed
information about him but his eminence may be estimated from the
fact that an eminent scholar and historian like Shaikh Rizq Ullah

1. Gulz'ar-i-Abrar, (RG.) f. 131.

2* See the next Chapter.
3. Akhbar-u'1-Akhyar, p. 191; Waqi'at-i-Mushtaqi, (RG.)f. 99;
Gulzar-i-AbrSr, (RG.) f. 131; Ma'arij-u'1-Wd.layat. (MS.)
Vol. II pp. 569, 570; Tabaqat-i-Shah.1ahSni, CMS.) p. 2 U .
4. Akhbar-u'l»Akhyar, pp. 194 - 195.
 - 15 -

^ - 1
Mushtaql was one of his devoted disciples.

Shaikh Rizq Ullah was born in 897 A.H./U91 A.D. He

was the imcle of the celebrated traditionist of Delhif Shaikh
•Abdul Haqq (ob. 1051 A.H./1641 A.D.)• In his early years he
was associated with Shaikh Muhammad Mangan^^ but later on he
4
joined the circle of Shaikh Buddhan's disciples.

^aikh Rizq. Ullah was known for his vast erudition. He

was well-versed in 'Arabic» Persian and Sanskrit. The author
of Subh-i-Gulshan says that he had even acquired mastery over
5
the sciences of the Hindus. This knowledge of the Hindu Science
was in keeping with the traditions of his silsilah. Besides^ he
was a fulgent poet and composed verses in Hindi under the nomfc
de plume of Ranjan and in Persian under the nome de plume of
Mushtaqi. His two Hindi works - Paiman and .jot Niranjan

1 • For his biographical account see the following books:

Vagi'at-i-MushtSqi, (RG.); AkhbSr-u*l~Akhyar, pp. 167, 168;
Subh-i»GulshMi, CMS.) p. 413; Zubdat-al»Tawarikh, (MS.);
kalimat-u'T^diqin. (MS.) p.39; Riyad-al-Auliya; Sawati-
u'l-AnwSr; H»yat-i-'»Abdul Haqq, pp. 59, 60, 61.
2. Akhbar^u*1-Akhyar, p. 168.
3* He was an em;^nent Chishti saint and lived at Mai iwab^near
Qannauj. Hiji spiritual mentor Shah Jalal Gujrati was asso-
ciated with the order of Sayyid Muhammad Gisu Daraz of Oulbar-
gah. Shaik^/*Abdul Haqq says that due to his piety he had
become knoww as Mis.bSh-u'l-'Ashigin (Lamp or guide of the
lovers). For brief biographical account see Akhbar-u*1-Akhyar,
pp. 168-169. See also Subh-i-GulshJan, (MS.) p. 413»
4. Akhbar-u'l-A]chySr, p. 191; Subh-i-GulshSn, (MS.) p. 413;
HayHt-i-»Abdulj Haqq, p. 60.

Subh-i-Gulshyo» p. 413.
 - 16 -

hav« bten particularly noted by Shaikh *Abdul Haqq but they

are not available now. His collection of historical aneedotes»
Wac^i*at~i-MushtSq.i> is a very informative work on the Afghan
and the Mughal rulers of the period. Rizq Ullah died on 20th
Rab. I in 989 A.H./1581 A.D.

1. Akhbar-u'l^Akhyar. p. 167.
2. Akhbar^u*l»Akhyar» p. 168.