Sirre Haq Hazrat Shah Hasan Chishty
Hazrat Syed Shah Sufi Khawaja Abul Hasan Chishty Quadry Biabani Rehmatullahi Alaihi (1920 – 1986 CE) also known as Shah Hasan Chishty was an Imam and Spiritual Father of Chistia Hasania Silsila. He was an Islamic scholar and also a philosopher. He established a holy shrine in the name of “Khanka-e-Hasania” Darbar Sharif at Tarerpukur, situated at the center of Khulna city in the district of Khulna of Bangladesh, where he used to teach his disciples regarding the religion, the “Pure Islam”. Particularly, he taught the inner conception of the endless spiritualism, theosophy and his philosophy to his disciples. Hasan Chishty (R) wrote 733 Gazals in Bengali, Urdu & Hindi languages, where he also used Persian and Arabic languages. He also authored several spiritual books like “Rooh” (The Soul), “Mazhab-e-Sufi” (The Characteristics of Sufi), “Dhormer Nihita Tatther Sandhane” (In search of hidden truth of religion), “Ami Ke” (Who I Am), “Juger Dhormo O Manobota” (Periodical Religion & Humanity), “Addhyattic Totto-Kotha” (The theory of Spiritualism) etc. to preach the Sufism. But, except his disciples, most of the people didn’t know what a great Waliullah he was.
Biography of
Hazrat Syed Shah Sufi Khawaja Abul Hasan Chishty Quadry Biabani (R)
Holy Shrine of Hazrat Syed Shah Sufi Khawaja Abul Hasan Chishty Quadry Biabani (R) at Tarerpukur, Khulna Town, Bangladesh.
Early life and background
Shah Hasan Chishty (R) was born in 17 September 1920 CE, Friday (04 Muharram 1339 AH) at Titagarh, in the District 24 Pargana, under West Bengal of India. His Father was Moulavi Mohammad Hossain, who completed his learning from Jounpur Madrasa and later on deputed as Imam of Titagarh Jame Mosque. His Father was also respected as a saint by the people of his day as he was the 1st Caliph of Hazrat Abu Bakkar Siddique (R), Peer Shahib Quebla of Furfura Sharif, India. His Grand Father Janab Kashem-deen was the Magistrate of Barasat Court under West Bengal of India. His Father Moulavi Mohammad Hossain was a famous Spiritual Leader at Titagarh and had a lot of disciples. His mother’s name was Karimunnesa and she too was a pious woman. Among her three sons and three daughters, Hasan Chishty (R) was the youngest of the sons. At the very childhood of Hasan Chishty (R), his scholar father forecasted that once his younger son will be a Great Spiritual Leader. His father died when he was only eight (08) years old. In absence of his father, Hasan Chishty (R) got very little facilities for general education. He was different from other children and kept himself busy in prayers and learning Al-Quran and could recite (telawat) Al-Quran with a very melodious tune. At his boyhood, he bloomed with remarkable characteristics i.e. what he uttered or forecasted would happen. Day by day, he became thirsty in his mind to perceive the light of Sufism and impassionate for the attachment with Almighty Allah and then he thought of going out of his house for the search of Spiritual Teacher (Murshid).
Journeys/Travels
To find the Spiritual Teacher, Hasan Chishty (R) did a rigorous worship, fasted months after month and visited a lot of holy places like the Holy Rawza Mubarak of Shah Waris (R) at Titagarh, where he had been informed by the Caliph & Khadim Shah Ismail (R) that he will have to continue his searching of his Spiritual Teacher for his attainment in the way of Sufism and Almighty Allah has already selected that majestic Spiritual Teacher for him. Hasan Chishty (R) then again started searching with prayer and visited a lot of Holy Rawza Mubaraks like Holy Rawza Mubarak of Hazrat Anwar Kuli Haylabi (R), situated at Hoogly district, Holy Rawza Mubarak of Gora Peer at Bashirhat, Holy Rawza Mubarak of Hazi Waris Ali Shah Deva Sharif at Lukhnow etc. And in every visit, Hasan Chishty (R) got “Roohani Basharat” of each Saint (Aulia Allah), who laid into the Mazar Sharif. Once Hasan Chishty (R) became very absent minded and eagerly desired to visit Holy Ajmer Sharif. By the grace of Almighty, Hasan Chishty (R) reached at Ajmer Sharif, the Holy Rawza Mubarak of Garib-e-Newaz Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty (R). After passing the 1st day in prayer to Allah, Hasan Chishty (R) dreamt a holy dream at night that Garib-e-Newaz (R) came to him and said that “I am very pleased as you came here and don’t be disheartened, you will find your Spiritual Father (Murshid) very soon.” Suddenly he awakened, and paid his esteem homage to Garib-e-Newaz (R). On the way to Azmer Sharif, Hasan Chishty (R) also visited the Holy Rawza Mubarak of Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki Ushi (R), Holy Rawza Mubarak of Sultanul Mashayekh Hazrat Nizamuddin Zari-zarbaksh Mahbub-e Ilahi (R). In between time, on his own endeavor, Hasan Chishty (R) got vast knowledge on Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic & Persian language.
Worship & Attainment
After an untiring & endless worship, Almighty Allah accepted his appeal and one fine morning, at the age of 22 suddenly Hasan Chishty (R) saw an enlightened man very near his home and found him as his Spiritual teacher by the grace of Allah. The name of thy was Hazrat Shah Faizur Rahman Chishty Quadry Biabani (R), who was the disciple of Hazrat Golam Afzal Biabani (R) of Kazipet Sharif, Hyderabad. During the first looking to each other, Hazrat Shah Faizur Rahman Chishty Quadry Biabani (R) ascertained that this is that young boy, who will be his disciple, as he got intimation earlier from Almighty Allah, Hasan Chishty (R) also realized that the enlightened man, whom he is looking for will be his Spiritual Teacher. Then Hazrat Shah Faizur Rahman Chishty Quadry Biabani (R) asks Hasan Chishty (R)’s name and after hearing the name, said that “I will call you only Hasan” and this is the intimation I got from Almighty Allah. After that, Hazrat Shah Faizur Rahman Chishty Quadry Biabani (R) accepted Hasan Chishty (R) as his disciple and started his teaching. Under the guidance of Murshid Moula, Hasan Chishty (R) started rigorous worship. Upon instruction of Murshid Moula, Hasan Chishty (R) engaged himself for a Chilla (worship) for 41 days almost without rest and food. After that, he spent a part of his life in the worship of Allah at the deep forest of Hazaribag, at Jharkhand of India. After completion of worship at the jungle, Hasan Chishty (R) had been blessed by his Murshid Moula and designated with Biabani title from the Almighty Allah. After few days, again Hasan Chishty (R) got instruction from his Murshid Moula to go to hill for the worship of Allah. Then, Hasan Chishty (R) went to Rajgir hill at Bihar of India and chose a free area near the peak point of hill for the worship of Allah and spent a part of his life there. In these ways, Hasan Chishty (R) spent years after years for the worship of Almighty Allah and later on devoted himself for fulltime to obey the Murshid Moula’s teaching and instruction to get attainment of his worship as well as to get vicinity of Almighty Allah through Murshid Moula.
After a rigorous worship done by Hasan Chishty (R) for a couple of years, his Murshid Moula Hazrat Shah Faizur Rahman Chishty Quadry Biabani (R) became very pleased and embraced Hasan Chishty (R) with blessings and after that, he fixed his turban on the head top of Hasan Chishty (R), which Hazrat Shah Faizur Rahman Chishty Quadry Biabani (R) obtained from his Murshid Moula Hazrat Golam Afzal Biabani (R).At the age of 30, Hasan Chishty(R) got Caliphate from his Murshid Moula and received instruction to move to East Bengal permanently to transmit the teachings of his Murshid Moula through his disciples leading to the widespread proliferation of his Silsila (ideology & philosophy) in the southern part of Bangladesh.
Journey/Travel to Bangladesh
Hasan Chishty (R) then turned towards Bangladesh in 1950, repeatedly after a dream in which his Murshid Moula apprised him to do so. After a brief stay in India, he reached Bangladesh forever along with his wife, a daughter and a son to outspread the light of Sufism and Spiritualism and later on settled down in the city of Khulna at the south part of Bangladesh.
Hasan Chishty (R) started the new chapter of his life here. He struggled at day time to feed his family and spent the whole night in the worship of Allah. Other than these, Hasan Chishty (R) also established the five times fixed Prayers (Salat) as a farz pray along with Esrak, Chast, Awabin & Tahajjat Salat and at the morning, engaged himself in the recital of Al-Quran with his engaging tune. In this way, Hasan Chishty (R) passed years after years. In between time, on 21 Muharram, 1373 AH (1953 CE), Hasan Chishty (R) got the most tragic news i.e. decease of his Murshid Moula and he started to faint again and again. After that Hasan Chishty (R) started for Titagarh to reach at the Tomb of his Murshid Moula. And spent there a few days with deep mourn and remembrance. Once again, Hasan Chishty (R) got Roohani instruction from his Murshid Moula to go back to Khulna, Bangladesh and accordingly Hasan Chishty (R) followed and started going back.
Establishing the Sufism in South Bengal
Initially, in 1954 CE, Hasan Chishty (R) started his effort to outspread the Sufism at the city of Khulna and established a Tailoring house named “Globe Tailors” to maintain his family, where he also established a Khanka Sharif temporarily to exercise the Sufism with those persons, who only wants to find Allah, who is the Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient. Day by day, devotees and followers were attracted by his deliberation and discussion and appealed to accept them as his disciples. Hasan Chishty (R) accepted them as his disciples and started teaching of Sufism among them.
In 1959 CE, Hasan Chishty (R) established “Khanka-e-Hasania” Darbar Sharif at Tarerpukur in the center of Khulna city of Bangladesh, where he continued teaching his philosophy & theosophy to his Disciples and thus was the beginning of “Hasania Silsila”.
Later in, Hasan Chishty (R) faced tremendous obstacles from the local people, as they were totally unfamiliar with Sufism and Spiritualism, what Hasan Chishty (R) tried to promote understanding at those days between all Muslims, Non-Muslims, irrespective of religion and caste. Gradually, Hasan Chishty (R) had overcome the situations and attracted a lot of substantial followers and gaining the respect of the residents of the city.
Hasan Chishty (R)’s philosophy was “sacrifice of egotism through the love to Almighty Allah”. Other than that, Hasan Chishty (R) established the regime of self-discipline and taught about tolerance and respect for all religions. He also established a ritual of “Sama” (Gazal or Spiritual song) at every Thursday night as a legitimate means to spiritual transformation. To sing his composed Gazals (Sufi songs) for the disciples, Hasan Chishty (R) assigned a Darbari Qawal (Sufi song singer) named Ustad Abdul Malek Chishty for his Khanka-e Hasania Darbar Sharif, who was his disciple and was engaged to out spread the philosophy of Hasan Chishty (R) through the composed Gazals of Hasan Chishty (R).
He, in other words, interpreted religion in terms of human service and exhorted his disciples “to love Almighty Allah only to get the vicinity, without the desire of heaven and fear of hell”. The highest form of devotion, according to him, was “sacrifice of egotism through the love to Almighty Allah”.
To proclaim the Sufism and spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real harmony and peace in mind, Hasan Chishty (R) authored several books named “Rooh” (The Soul), “Mazhab-e-Sufi” (The Characteristics of Sufi), “Dhormer Nihita Tatther Sandhane” ( In search of hidden truth of religion), “Ami Ke” (Who I Am), “Juger Dhormo O Manobota” (Periodical Religion & Humanity), “Addhyattic Totto-Kotha” (The theory of Spiritualism) etc. In these books, Hasan Chishty (R) discussed elaborately about the Cosmology (The theory of Creation) & Theosophy, difference in Panentheism & Pantheism, how to get attainment through the way of Sufism, the way to get the vicinity of Almighty Allah etc. In these whole compositions, somewhere, Hasan Chishty (R) revealed himself in a pseudonym “Sirr-e-Haq”, means “Who knows the mystery of creation”.
Hasan Chishty (R) also established a regular class of “Holy Dhikr” (Arabic: ذِکْر ḏikr; meaning “remembrance“) at every evening after Maghrib prayer (Salat) at his Darbar Sharif “Khanka-e-Hasania. The words of Holy Dhikr were “Mera Allah” which means “Allah is mine”, which is still followed by his disciples to obtain the proximity of Almighty Allah. Other than that, at every Saturday afternoon, Hasan Chishty (R) also met with his wise disciples for a special discussion regarding various special topics on Cosmology, Theology, the relation in between Science & Al-Qur’an, the virtues of Al-Qur’an etc.
To spread the light of Sufism and to realization of spiritualism, Hasan Chishty (R) has written 733 nos. of Gazals (Sufi song) in Bengali, Urdu and Hindi Languages, where he used Persian and Arabic languages as well. The Gazals were written on different thoughts like Theology, Cosmology, Somatic theory (Theory of material body), Sufism, Mystical nature etc. Hasan Chishty (R) had also written a lot of “Naat-e Rasul (Pbuh)” and Gazals on “Shan-e-Ghaus-ul- Azam” & “Shan-e- Garib Newaz”. The words of those Gazals are very mind blowing and eternal, which enthralls the mind. Hasan Chishty (R) was also a very harmonious Sufi Singer and sung a lot of Gazals after being composed, which have been still preserved by his disciples for listening as well as to develop their spiritual knowledge.
From very early age to the last day of his life, Hasan Chishty (R) showed a lot of miracles, but according to Hasan Chishty (R) to make an individual into a Pure Human was his miracle, who will only sought the vicinity of Allah without the desire of heaven and fear of hell. And that is what he did since 1954 CE to till end of his life. Hasan Chishty (R) had a lot of disciples around the world, out of which, 7 nos. of his disciples promoted themselves and got Caliphate from him, those who were later transmitting the teaching & philosophy of Hasan Chishty (R) through their disciples at the various district of Bangladesh and also in India.In fact, Hasan Chishty(R) was the spiritual teacher of both Ilm-e-Tasawwuf (تصوف علم), Ilm -e-Ma’arfath معرفاته)(علم, Ilm -e-Khidr (رخض علم) and Ilm -e-Sina (سينا علم), which he exposed very nicely in his authored Books and composed Gazals. For his composed Gazals, Hasan Chishty(R) has always chosen the Indian classical tune like the tune of Raga Malkaush, Raga Bhopali, Raga Darbari-Kannada, Raga Bhimpalasri etc. But, his most favorite tune was Raga Malkaush, which is a seriously meditative raga and the best time for this raga is late night. The effect of this raga is soothing and intoxicating. Other than these, Hasan Chishty(R) also loved and used Persian conventional Fakiri tunes.
Decease and Burial
After a long 36 years of proclamation of Sufism & Spiritualism, on 21 March 1986 CE, (Friday, 9th Rajab 1406 AH) Hasan Chishty (R) left this material world forever suddenly at 8:30 PM, while he along with his disciples were overwhelmed in Holy Dhikr “Mera Allah” after Maghrib Prayer. All of his disciples became very shocked and speechless for this heart breaking fact and was also amazed. After passing few hours, the disciples decided to entomb their Murshid Moula’s holy body inside his Darbar Sharif “Khanka-e-Hasania, in that very place, where he spent last 32 years of his life for the worship of Almighty Allah.After the entombment of Hasan Chishty(R), the fundamentalists and extremists started a propaganda against Hasan Chishty(R)’s philosophy and teaching and spread a rumor that Hasan Chishty(R) left the city at night and there is none inside the tomb. Day by day, they became larger in number and they were determined to destroy the holy tomb. Then the Local Government decided to re-excavate the tomb of Hasan Chishty(R) to discover the reality. And on 12 April 1986 CE, after 21 days of entombment, the tomb of Hasan Chishty(R) had been re-excavated in the presence of Local Government representative and they became amazed and astonished to see that, it seemed like the Holy body had been buried just a moment ago and as per them, it was also a miracle of Hasan Chishty(R). Then the Local Government Authority condemned the fundamentalists and extremists and covered the holy tomb and sanctioned the land in the name of “Tomb of Shah Hasan Chishty (R)” as well as they built a structure on the holy tomb at that place, which is still known as the Holy Rawza Sharif of Shah Hasan Chishty (R) to those, who love and want to find only Allah.
Impact and legacy
Every year, Hasan Chishty (R)’s disciples would get together at his mausoleum from different country of the world for the celebration of his birth and death anniversary. The celebration starts at the early morning with Gazals composed by Hasan Chishty (R) and also finished at the end of night with prayer to get attainment and vicinity of Almighty Allah after listening and perceiving the Ilm-e-Mouseki (موسيقي علم) for a whole night. At the end of celebration, disciples pay esteem homage to their Murshid Moula with the great pain of estrangement. In between time, the whole day is passed with recitation (Telawat) from the Holy Qur’an. At the evening, a Holy Fateha Sharif is rendered at the Holy Rawza Sharif of Shah Hasan Chishty (R) and then Shirni is distributed among the disciples and participants.
Since 1986 CE, when the Hasan Chishty (R) left this material world to till date, his disciples are remembering their Murshid Moula in many ways. As well as to get attainment, some are singing his Gazals with deep remembrance, some are reading Hasan Chishty (R) authored spiritual books, some are plunged in worship and some are engaged to disclose the mysterious life of Hasan Chishty (R). In this way, a lot of holy books have already been published till now by his disciples related to Hasan Chishty (R)‘s mysterious life, impressive Gazals and authored spiritual books.
For a deeper understanding of spiritualism, Hasan Chishty (R)‘s Gazals collection had already been chosen as an article of research by the Authority of Dhaka University of Bangladesh and some of his disciples already started to research on this topic to obtain the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) degree.On the other hand, to spread out the philosophy of Hasan Chishty(R) all over the world, some of his disciples are ambitious to translate the spiritual books authored by Hasan Chishty(R) in English language, as for the future generation, these will be the treasures of Spiritualism, Cosmology and Theology.
Holy Shrine of Hazrat Syed Shah Sufi Khawaja Abul Hasan Chishty Quadry Biabani (R) at Tarerpukur, Khulna Town, Bangladesh.
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