Malfuzat
The spiritual literature had been made from Prophet Muhammad’s period in Arabia, Turkey,
Iran and Central Asia. Sufi Saint’s Sufi philosophy reflected in their own books or Malfuzat
literature written by their disciples, for instance- Rumi’s Masanawi, Fihi Mafihi and Divan-I
Shams-I Tabrizi are the famous Sufi masterpiece of early Sufi literature in Medieval World
History.
The history of the beginning of Sufi practices in India dates back to thirteenth century A.D.
when Chishti order was introduced by Shaikh Muinuddin Chishti (1142-1236 A.D.). With the
advent Sufi order in India began the compilation of Sufi literatures which took the form of
Malfuzat. These religious documents didn’t only dealt with religious aspect of Sufi principles
but they can be counted on as a historical piece of work or an annal to decipher the history of
Sufism, its spread and influence among Indian masses and the anthropology of the social and
religious notions prevalent at that time.
‘Malfuzat’ literature resembles the Buddhist literatures like- Abhidharma Pitaka or Hindu
manuscripts which narrates not only the religious beliefs prevalent at that time but also recites
the societal structures, people’s beliefs and political setup of those times.
Contents of the Malfuzat:
- Prayer
- The virtues of the family of the Prophet
- Manners of initiation and discipleship
- Legal rulings on dietary issues
- Teaching of the Shaykh
1) Fawai’d al- Fu’ad: was composed as a day by day memoir of Nizam al-din Awliya’s
teaching sessions and this diary structure has continued to be the dominant format for
Malfuzat texts. Such diaries weren’t meant for publication but acted as source material
only.
2) Persian Malfuz literature in Marathwada:
Malfuz literally means, ‘words spoken’, in common language the term is used for the
conversations or table talks of a mystic teacher or Shaikh. Malfuz writing is one of the
most important literary achievements of medieval India.
Amir Hasan Sijzi, a famous poet of the Khalji period decided to write a summary of
what he heard from his master, Shaikh Nizamuddin Awliya. This decision was epoch-
making as it marked the beginning of a new type of mystic literature known as Malfuzat.
Amir Hasan’s work became a guide book for mystics anxious to get immersed in the
mystic journey.
Ziyauddin Barani said that it inspired others to render similar services to the master.
This literary tradition was followed by Saints of all Sufi Silsilas in South Asia or in
Indian Subcontinent and Deccan.
A systematic and careful study of the Malfuzat literature during medieval period
provides a peek into the life of a common man of that period.
3) Kashf al Mahjub: was the first Persian book in Indian sub-continent which gave the
information about the Sufis and Sufism in early period. Al- Ghaznawi, also known as
Daata Ganj Baksh which means, “The master who bestows treasures”, was a Persian
Sufi and scholar during the eleventh century. He significantly contributed to the
spreading of Islam in South Asia or Indian Subcontinent. This is one of the earliest and
most respected treatises of Sufism and debates Sufi doctrines of the past. This book
gives the information about the philosophy of Sufism, Prophet, Iman, Ma’rifat Allah
(concerning the Gnosis of God), Tawhid (concerning unification), Al Salat (Prayer), Al
Zakat (Alms), Hajj (pilgrimage), Sama (Audition) and Tariqah etc.
A number of poets produced works of merit under the patronage of Sultan Alauddin.
Amir Khusrau, Hassan Sijzi, Sadruddin Aali, Fakhruddin Qawas, Hameeduddin Raja,
Maulana Arif were the poets of the court.
Barani says about them that- every one of them has got a particular style and had got a
Diwan of his own. Ziyauddin Barani, Amir Hasan Sijzi and Amir Khusro were the best
friends and disciples of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi. Amir Hasan was the
founder of Indian Sufi Malfuzat literature tradition. He was the author of Fawa’id-ul-
fu’ad, in Persian at Khuldabad, Deccan. Amir khusrau was the famous personality in
Delhi who contributed a significant role within the development of Persian Sufi
literature in India.
Material retrieved from a lecture delivered at Delhi University
Malfuzat is a plural form of Malfuz literature. It represented the multiple concepts of
Pluralism, Hybridization and Cooperation.
Sufism was a socio-religious phenomenon that occurred in medieval times. The figure of a sufi
master or the Pir was the fulcrum of sufi beliefs. Sufi master was widely viewed during and
after his lifetime as a saint, one of the awliya or friends of God. Thus, the written texts were a
strategy to preserve Shaykh’s teachings for the guidance of present and future generations.
During thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, many great Sufi Shaykhs composed significant
prose, treatises or poetical works. In this genre comes Malfuzat, Tadhkiras, Premakhyans and
many more.
Tadhkiras: were memorials or compendia of biographical notices of saints (an important source
of information).
Malfuzat is an Arabic word which literally means, “what has been said” and refers to texts
written mostly in Persian, by the disciple of a Sufi Shaykh recording as much as possible the
conversations, activities and teaching of the Shaykh. It can be perceived as a cautious
development of the twin Islamic traditions of biography and collection of testaments initiated
in the early centuries of the Islamic era to preserve the life and teachings of the Prophet
Muhammad in the forms of Sira and Hadith.
Examples; a) Abd-al-Rahman al-Sulami’s -Tabaqat al-Sufiya (biographical dictionary)
b) Abu Yazid Bistami’s work
c) Monographs recording the oral teachings and teaching sessions of individual Sufi
masters, such as Abu Sa’id ibn Abi al- Khayr.
Malfuzat are an invaluable source of information on social, political and economic history.
Popular works by Indian authors on Malfuzat:
a) Maktub and Malfuz literature as a source of socio-political history by S.H. Askari
b) Malfuz literature as a source of Political, Social and Cultural History of Gujarat and
Rajasthan by Z.A. Desai.
c) Some Aspects of Religion and Politics in India during the 13th century by Khaliq A.
Nizami.
These authors have liberally used the Malfuzat to explore often neglected issues of the social
life such as- culinary habits, economic habits, vernacular languages, topography and even past
times of particular periods and localities. At a time when court history writing was in vogue,
these Malfuzat reflected upon an entirely different aspect of the Indo-Muslim society as it
contained even the miniscule details of the day-to-day lives of the People.
Malfuzat are a collaborative project spoken by the master but written by the disciple with
editorial input from both. The words of the Shaykh make up the greater portion of the most
Malfuzat texts. In some cases, the master might involve himself in the shaping of the written
text by suggesting specific points that the disciple should include, such as- choice quotes,
verses or prayers with correct spelling or formulation. Sometimes the pupil used to record his
own religious contemplation. Malfuzat included- actual teaching sessions, including informal
conversation, textual explanation, mini-lectures and other interactions between the Shaykh and
the audience, master’s recollection of events from his own life.
Despite the polyphonic (having two or more independent harmonic melodies; or of a text which
is capable of being read in more than one way) character of Malfuzat/multiplicity of voices in
the Malfuzat they are all used to support coherent and unified doctrinal points.
Malfuzat are narratives of life stories, biography, hagiography (study of saints and the
documentation of their lives), and autobiography. On the other hand, they can be considered as
textbooks and anthologies summarizing Islamic doctrines, legal rules and Sufi practice. The
doctrinal sections are fragmented, disorganized, interrupted and often arranged by order of
explanation rather than by logical development. Malfuzat attempted to reproduce the presence
of Shaykh for those who cannot or aren’t endowed with the blessing of Shaykh’s comradeship
or to be in his coherence. There is no description of Physical appearance of Saints in Malfuzat.
- Bruce Lawrence has said of Fawa’id al Fu’ad representation of Nizam al-din Awliya;
“we hear him crying and laughing and praying.”
- Marcia K. Hermansen: “Religious Literature and the Inscription of Identity: The Sufi
Tadhkira Tradition in Muslim South Asia”, he commented that the focus of the
comparison between Malfuzat and tombs is in their preservation of the spiritual
function of the Saint as guide and teacher. But, there is a marked difference between
the two- while the tomb might be an ongoing source of miraculous power, the Malfuzat
is the place to learn what a Shaykh had to teach.
