A reference may be made to Amir Khusro
who died in the same year in which Ghazi Malik died. He was the greatest of all
the poets of India who have written in Persian. He was born in 1253 at Patial
and died at the age of 72. His father was a native of Kash in Turkistan but he
was driven from his native land by the Mongols and found shelter in India.
The original name of the poet was
Yamin-ud-Din Muhammad Hasan although he is commonly known as Amir Khusro. The
Young poet entered the service of Ala-ud-Din Khalji but when he became a
disciple of Shaikh Nizam-ud-Din Auliya, he gave up worldly ambitions and
retired from worldly life.
However, he continued to write poetry.
It is estimated that he wrote more than 4 lakhs of couplets. His couplets have
been divided into four classes. To the first class belong his youthful
effusions. to the second class belong poems of early middle age and those were
written when Amir Khusro was giving up childish things and turning his thoughts
towards religion.
To the third class belong those poems
which were written when Amir Khusro had attained the dignity of a religious
teacher. To the fourth class belong the poems of his old age. Each of the four
classes bears the impression of his views on this world and the next, in the
second class are to be found poems which were intended to please the Emperor.
The Historical Masnavis composed by Amir
Khusro are of the greatest importance for purpose of history. Qiran-us-Sa'dain
or "The Conjunctions of the Two Auspicious Stars" was written at the
request of Kaiqubad. It has for its main theme the quarrel and reconciliation
between Kaiqubad and Bughra Khan.
As Amir Khusro enjoyed the patronage of
both the father and son and was himself and observer of the incident described
by him, there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of his statements.
Miftah-ul-Futuh, a portion of the Ghurrat-ul-Kamal or The Key to Success deals
with the earlier successes of Jalal-ud-Din Firuz Khalji. The central theme of
Ashiqa is the romantic love of Khizr Khan, the eldest son of Ala-ud-Din Khalji
and Deval Devi.
It begins with the conquest of India by
the Muslims and proceeds to give a detailed account of the victories of
Ala-ud-Din in peace and war his successful campaigns against the Mongols, his
expeditions to the Deccan, his triumph in Gujarat and his regulations which
introduced peace and prosperity in the country.
Apart from its literary value, the
Ashiqa is perhaps the most important of Amir Khusro's works from the historical
point of view. Here we have a contemporary account of the reign of Ala-ud-Din
Khalji, written by a shrewed observer who personally knew all the principal
actors in the drama.
Nuth Sipihr or "the Nine
Skies" was written by Amir Khusro at the request of Mubarak Khalji to
celebrate the glory of his reign. Incidentally the poet throws much light on
the social and religious conditions prevalent in his age. Amir Khusro says that
India is far superior to Khorasan.
The Indians are very proficient in all
branches of philosophy and learning is widespread among them. While foreign
scholars very often come to India for study, the people of India are so
advanced that they never feel the need of going to other countries for the
purpose of adding to their knowledge.
In Ghurrat-ul-Kamal, Amir Khusro gives
us a very interesting discussion on the types and merits of poetry in general
and incidentally dwells upon the beauty of the language and poetry of India.
Tarikh-i-Alai or Khazain-ul-Futuh is a
short but very valuable History of the reign of Ala- ud-Din Khalji. The general
accuracy of Amir Khusro is beyond doubt, but no modern historian can accept in
full his estimate of the character and achievements of Ala-ud-Din. Amir Khusro
gives us many interesting details and if we can follow the very difficult
language in which the work is written, it will prove to be a veritable mine of
information.
In his five Diwans, viz.,
Tuhfat-us-Sighar, Wast-ul-Tayat, Ghurrat-ul-Kamal, Bakiya-i-Nakiya and
Nihayat-ul-Kamal, Amir Khusro often refers to incidents in his own carrer and
many of the poems are in praise of his numerous patrons.
Amir Khusro had great respect for poet
Sadi of Persia. When the latter visited India, he was very much entertained by
Amir Khusro and the result was that Sadi praised Amir Khusro before Ala-ud-Din
Khalji. In one of his verses, Amir Khusro admits the influence of Sadi in these
words: "The volume of my verse hath the binding of Shiraz."
According to Dr. A. C. Banerjee,
"There are very few literary men in medieval Indian history who can lay
claim to the wide personal knowledge of men and events during a period
extending ever half a century which it was the privilege of Amir Khusro to
possess.
Though he wisely confined his activities
to the sphere in which his genius shone with unrivalled brilliance and never
aspired after any direct participation in political affairs, yet his unique
experience must have made him an acute observer of events.
This consideration enhances the value of
his testimony with regard to the history of his times, because in dealing with
an age from which little contemporary evidence has survived, the best material
we can hope to seize is the version of an intelligent observer, who had access
to all court intrigues and himself lived in intimate contact with some of the
principal personages who controlled the destinies of the country."'
Yours sincerely
Dr. Syed Mohd. Yahya. Saba
Dept. of Urdu
Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi,
Delhi-110007
Mob: No: 09968244001
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/
http://kmcollege.academia.edu/MDYAHYASABA
Biography of Amir Khusro
Ab'ul Hasan Yamin al-Din Khusrow (Persian: / Urdu ابوالحسن یمینالدین
خسرو; Hindi: अबुल हसन यमीनुद्दीन ख़ुसरौ), better known as Amir Khusrow (or
Khusrau) Dehlawi was an Indian musician, scholar and poet. He was an iconic
figure in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent. A Sufi mystic and a
spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi, Amir Khusrow was not only a
notable poet but also a prolific and seminal musician. He wrote poetry
primarily in Persian, but also in Hindavi.
He is regarded as the "father of qawwali" (the devotional music of the Indian Sufis). He is also credited with enriching Hindustani classical music by introducing Persian and Arabic elements in it, and was the originator of the khayal and tarana styles of music.The invention of the tabla is also traditionally attributed to Amir Khusrow. Amir Khusrow used only 11 metrical schemes with 35 distinct divisions. He has written Ghazal, Masnavi, Qata, Rubai, Do-Beti and Tarkibhand.
A musician and a scholar, Amir Khusrow was as prolific in tender lyrics as in highly involved prose and could easily emulate all styles of Persian poetry which had developed in medieval Persia, from Khaqani's forceful qasidas to Nezami's khamsa. His contribution to the development of the ghazal, hitherto little used in India, is particularly significant.
Early Life and Background
Yaminuddin Abul Hasan Ameer Khusro was born in Patiali near Etah in northern India. His father, Amir Sayf ud-Din Mahmud, as a Turkic Officer and a member of the Lajin (Lachin) tribe of Transoxania, themselves belonging to the Kara-Khitais. His mother hailed from Delhi. Born of a Turkish Lajin (Lachin) later Saifuddin Shamsi, Amir Khusro eclipsed all his predecessors. His interests were kaleidoscopic and his genius versatile. But he enjoyed fame in the field of Persian poetry, in which his position is next to Saadi and can favorably be compared with Hafiz in lyrics.
He is regarded as the "father of qawwali" (the devotional music of the Indian Sufis). He is also credited with enriching Hindustani classical music by introducing Persian and Arabic elements in it, and was the originator of the khayal and tarana styles of music.The invention of the tabla is also traditionally attributed to Amir Khusrow. Amir Khusrow used only 11 metrical schemes with 35 distinct divisions. He has written Ghazal, Masnavi, Qata, Rubai, Do-Beti and Tarkibhand.
A musician and a scholar, Amir Khusrow was as prolific in tender lyrics as in highly involved prose and could easily emulate all styles of Persian poetry which had developed in medieval Persia, from Khaqani's forceful qasidas to Nezami's khamsa. His contribution to the development of the ghazal, hitherto little used in India, is particularly significant.
Early Life and Background
Yaminuddin Abul Hasan Ameer Khusro was born in Patiali near Etah in northern India. His father, Amir Sayf ud-Din Mahmud, as a Turkic Officer and a member of the Lajin (Lachin) tribe of Transoxania, themselves belonging to the Kara-Khitais. His mother hailed from Delhi. Born of a Turkish Lajin (Lachin) later Saifuddin Shamsi, Amir Khusro eclipsed all his predecessors. His interests were kaleidoscopic and his genius versatile. But he enjoyed fame in the field of Persian poetry, in which his position is next to Saadi and can favorably be compared with Hafiz in lyrics.
The road to the well is much too difficult,
How to get my pot filled?
When I went to fill the water,
In the furore, I broke my pot.
Khusro has given his whole life to you, O Nizam.
Would you please take care of my veil (of self respect),
The road to the well is much too difficult.
Later Life
Amir Khusro served seven kings and three princes from the times of Sultan Balban to Mohammad Bin Tughlaq. His passion for his birthplace Delhi was ripped to the extent that when he was posted in Patiali, he not only lamented but completed a masanwi under the title ‘Shikayatnamah-e-Patiali’. Condemning Patiali and recalling the beauty and pleasure of his hometown Delhi, he compares himself with Joseph, who in separation from his home town Kan’an, feeling himself distressed, always pined for it.
"As Joseph, after having been taken away as a captive from his home town, Kan’an, used to sing the praise of his home town, so is the case with me. Though I happen to be faraway from my home town, yet I always sing of its beauty. My place was Quwat-ul-Islam (a title of Delhi) a qibla of the kings of seven climes (i.e. of the entire world). That place is Delhi, which is a twin sister of the holy paradise and true copy of Arsh (throne of God or a highest heaven) on the page of the earth."
Literary Life
Poetry was inherent in Ameer Khusro. The day he was born, his father took him
to a God absorbed darwesh, who said to his father, "You have brought one
who would go two steps ahead of khaqani (nightingale)."
In his early childhood, Khusro had developed a putting together in verse form worse of discordant meaning. Up to the age of sixteen, whichever book of verse he happened to lay his hand on, he tried to follow its author in the art of composition.
His adolescence ushered him under the guidance of both Mufti Muizzudin Gharifi and Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, his mentor. Both of them guided him to the path of following the style of Saddi and Kamal Isfahani. Even at that young age, he used to lambaste his contemporaries, including Hasan Dehlavi in qitah (quatrains).
"And occasionally I used to lambaste my contemporary poets, with the sword of my tongue in a qitah form." Ameer Khusro was quite indifferent in politics, he never indulged himself in the intrigues of courtiers. He is considered as the pioneer figure of the Indo-Muslim music. In fact, it was he who started the process of synthesizing Turko-Persian music with Indian music. He has credited three books on music just as three diwans of poetry.
"My verses have so far been collected in three diwans, would you believe, that if there were a system of notation for registering musical compositions, my performance in the field of music too, would have been collected in three registers" He invented number of ragas and raginis which include such novelties as Qaul, Qulbanah, Taranah. He also composed verses in Persian and Hindwi.
Royal Poet
On the one hand Sultan Aalauddin, for the sake of righteousness and expediency
of empire, stamped out all kinds of intoxicants, the prohibited things, the
wherewithals of disobedience, debauchery and wickedness with the use of
chastisement and and on the other side Ameer Khusro opened wide the gate of
discipleship and accepted all kinds of men as his murids, be they high or low,
wealthy or impecunious, noble or faqir, learned or ignorant, high born or low
born, urbane or rustic, soldier or warrior.
They all abstained from improper acts and if anyone would commit a sin, he would come and confess his guilt before Khusro and would indeed renew his discipleship. Men and women, young and old, merchants and ordinary men, slaves and servants and even young children began offering prayers regularly including the late morning prayers. Even the royal ameers, the armed acquirers, secretaries, clerks, sepoys and royal slaves, were particular about offering these supererogatory prayers. Owing to Khusro’s barakah (blessings), most people of the area including the high and low and irrespective of cast and creed became involved in prayers, tasawwuf (mysticism) and tark (renunciation) and turned to piety. During the last few years of Sultan Alauddin’s reign no person would talk of liquor, of beloveds, of debauchery and gambling, of obscenities and indecent life and no one would commit usury or usurp others’ rights.
Out of the teachings of Khusro, the shop people gave up lying and cheating and underweighing. Scholars visiting Khusro would talk of books on tasawwuf such as Fawaid-ul-Fuwad, Qut-ul-Qulub, Ihya-ul-Uloom, Kashif-ul-Mahjub, Awarif and Malfuzat of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. People visited the bookshops in search of the books on suluk (deportment and self-control). Owing to the increased demand among the Sufis for lota (water vessel used specially for ritual cleansing) and tasht (basin for washing hands), the prices of these articles had slightly gone up showing that most people bent towards spiritual Sufi lifestyle.
Ameer Khusro served as an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity in his time. His Hindu or Hindwi poetry for which he has been so popular among the school-going children as well as elderly generation. In his introduction to Ghurra-ul-Kamal, Khusro writes, "A few poems that I have composed in Hindwi, I have made a gift of them to my friends. I am a Hindustani Turk. I compose verses in Hindwi with the fluency of running water."
They all abstained from improper acts and if anyone would commit a sin, he would come and confess his guilt before Khusro and would indeed renew his discipleship. Men and women, young and old, merchants and ordinary men, slaves and servants and even young children began offering prayers regularly including the late morning prayers. Even the royal ameers, the armed acquirers, secretaries, clerks, sepoys and royal slaves, were particular about offering these supererogatory prayers. Owing to Khusro’s barakah (blessings), most people of the area including the high and low and irrespective of cast and creed became involved in prayers, tasawwuf (mysticism) and tark (renunciation) and turned to piety. During the last few years of Sultan Alauddin’s reign no person would talk of liquor, of beloveds, of debauchery and gambling, of obscenities and indecent life and no one would commit usury or usurp others’ rights.
Out of the teachings of Khusro, the shop people gave up lying and cheating and underweighing. Scholars visiting Khusro would talk of books on tasawwuf such as Fawaid-ul-Fuwad, Qut-ul-Qulub, Ihya-ul-Uloom, Kashif-ul-Mahjub, Awarif and Malfuzat of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. People visited the bookshops in search of the books on suluk (deportment and self-control). Owing to the increased demand among the Sufis for lota (water vessel used specially for ritual cleansing) and tasht (basin for washing hands), the prices of these articles had slightly gone up showing that most people bent towards spiritual Sufi lifestyle.
Ameer Khusro served as an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity in his time. His Hindu or Hindwi poetry for which he has been so popular among the school-going children as well as elderly generation. In his introduction to Ghurra-ul-Kamal, Khusro writes, "A few poems that I have composed in Hindwi, I have made a gift of them to my friends. I am a Hindustani Turk. I compose verses in Hindwi with the fluency of running water."
Parrot of India
It was he, who himself called Tuti-e-Hind’ (parrot of India). ‘To speak the truth, I am an Indian Parrot. If you want to listen from me some subtle verses, ask me then to recite some of my Hindwi poems." He himself did not collect and preserve his Hindwi poems but made a gift of them to his friends. His poem, Kaliq Bari is a lexicon composed of synonymous words, from four languages, Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Hindwi.
Religious Life
Ameer Khusro was a devout Muslim. He was a friend and disciple of Hazrat
Nizamuddin Aulia. He was a profound expounder of ethics and strict observant of
Sharia. Sharia acquires meaning when it maintains a close relation with reality
partaking the essence of reality-love of God. If Sharia is lacking in that or
in other words if it is without ain (the alphabet meaning the essence of
God-love) it becomes shar (evil). Like Shah Waliullah of the subsequent year,
his attitude towards the Sufis of hypocrisy was very critical.
"Ah! what a shameful scene this band of the ‘pretenders to abstinence. They wear short sleeves (pose as fakirs) but keep their hands stretched in begging. They pretend abstinence but they are always in pursuit of money. They have commercialized faqiri (begging). How can one love God at the same time? As God’s unity is without any shadow of duality, he does not like dualism in the path of His love.
Ameer Khusro’s spiritualism, in fact, consisted in his philosophy of love, which he shared with all the Sufis. The depth of humanism in his poetry springs from that source of ‘Divine love’. He has composed as many as 99 works and four lac lyrics, which cover almost every aspect of life. He was a living legend. He was more of a qalandar (a free soul), though not less of a Sufi, Khusro’s humanism transcended all barriers of cast, colour and creed. In an autocratic age, when the king’s wilful actions were unrestricted, Khusro had the courage and the intrepidity to speak before the king, of the value of the equality of the man.
"Though my value may be, a little less, than that of yours yet, if your veins were to be cut open, our blood will come out of the same colour."
Death
Khusro not only upheld the values of equality and dignity of labour but also the principles of social justice. His love and respect for Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia reached the apogee that when he heard about his death at Lakhnawati, he immediately arrived and went to his grave, where he blackened his face and rolled over in dust in utter grief, tearing his garments. Six months after that event, he died on Friday 29th Ziq’ad 725AH/1325. His death is not a death in the literal sense of the world for, he would always remain one of the very few unforgettable legends of literature.
"Ah! what a shameful scene this band of the ‘pretenders to abstinence. They wear short sleeves (pose as fakirs) but keep their hands stretched in begging. They pretend abstinence but they are always in pursuit of money. They have commercialized faqiri (begging). How can one love God at the same time? As God’s unity is without any shadow of duality, he does not like dualism in the path of His love.
Ameer Khusro’s spiritualism, in fact, consisted in his philosophy of love, which he shared with all the Sufis. The depth of humanism in his poetry springs from that source of ‘Divine love’. He has composed as many as 99 works and four lac lyrics, which cover almost every aspect of life. He was a living legend. He was more of a qalandar (a free soul), though not less of a Sufi, Khusro’s humanism transcended all barriers of cast, colour and creed. In an autocratic age, when the king’s wilful actions were unrestricted, Khusro had the courage and the intrepidity to speak before the king, of the value of the equality of the man.
"Though my value may be, a little less, than that of yours yet, if your veins were to be cut open, our blood will come out of the same colour."
Death
Khusro not only upheld the values of equality and dignity of labour but also the principles of social justice. His love and respect for Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia reached the apogee that when he heard about his death at Lakhnawati, he immediately arrived and went to his grave, where he blackened his face and rolled over in dust in utter grief, tearing his garments. Six months after that event, he died on Friday 29th Ziq’ad 725AH/1325. His death is not a death in the literal sense of the world for, he would always remain one of the very few unforgettable legends of literature.
Amir Khusro's Works:
Tuhfa-tus-Sighr (Offering of a Minor) his first divan, contains poems composed
between the age of 16 and 19
Wastul-Hayat (The Middle of Life) his second divan, contains poems composed at the peak of his poetic career
Ghurratul-Kamaal (The Prime of Perfection) poems composed between the age of 34 and 43
Baqia-Naqia (The Rest/The Miscellany) compiled at the age of 64
Qissa Chahar Darvesh The Tale of the Four Dervishes
Nihayatul-Kamaal (The Height of Wonders) compiled probably a few weeks before his death.
Qiran-us-Sa’dain (Meeting of the Two Auspicious Stars) Mathnavi about the historic meeting of Bughra Khan and his son Kyqbad after long enmity (1289)
Miftah-ul-Futooh (Key to the Victories) in praise of the victories of Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji (1291)
Ishqia/Mathnavi Duval Rani-Khizr Khan (Romance of Duval Rani and Khizr Khan) a tragic love poem about Gujarat’s princess Duval and Alauddin’s son Khizr (1316)
Noh Sepehr Mathnavi. (Mathnavi of the Nine Skies) Khusrau’s perceptions of India and its culture (1318)
Tarikh-i-Alai ('Times of Alai'- Alauddin Khilji)
Tughluq Nama (Book of the Tughluqs) in prose (1320)
Khamsa-e-Nizami (Khamsa-e-Khusrau) five classical romances: Hasht-Bahisht, Matlaul-Anwar, Sheerin-Khusrau, Majnun-Laila and Aaina-Sikandari
Ejaaz-e-Khusrovi (The Miracles of Khusrau) an assortment of prose compiled by himself
Khazain-ul-Futooh (The Treasures of Victories) one of his more controversial books, in prose (1311–12)
Afzal-ul-Fawaid utterances of Nizamuddin Auliya
?haliq Bari a versified glossary of Persian, Arabic, and Hindawi words and phrases attributed to Amir Khusrau, but most probably written in 1622 in Gwalior by ?iya ud-Din ?husrau
Jawahar-e- Khusrovi often dubbed as the Hindawi divan of Khusrau
Wastul-Hayat (The Middle of Life) his second divan, contains poems composed at the peak of his poetic career
Ghurratul-Kamaal (The Prime of Perfection) poems composed between the age of 34 and 43
Baqia-Naqia (The Rest/The Miscellany) compiled at the age of 64
Qissa Chahar Darvesh The Tale of the Four Dervishes
Nihayatul-Kamaal (The Height of Wonders) compiled probably a few weeks before his death.
Qiran-us-Sa’dain (Meeting of the Two Auspicious Stars) Mathnavi about the historic meeting of Bughra Khan and his son Kyqbad after long enmity (1289)
Miftah-ul-Futooh (Key to the Victories) in praise of the victories of Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji (1291)
Ishqia/Mathnavi Duval Rani-Khizr Khan (Romance of Duval Rani and Khizr Khan) a tragic love poem about Gujarat’s princess Duval and Alauddin’s son Khizr (1316)
Noh Sepehr Mathnavi. (Mathnavi of the Nine Skies) Khusrau’s perceptions of India and its culture (1318)
Tarikh-i-Alai ('Times of Alai'- Alauddin Khilji)
Tughluq Nama (Book of the Tughluqs) in prose (1320)
Khamsa-e-Nizami (Khamsa-e-Khusrau) five classical romances: Hasht-Bahisht, Matlaul-Anwar, Sheerin-Khusrau, Majnun-Laila and Aaina-Sikandari
Ejaaz-e-Khusrovi (The Miracles of Khusrau) an assortment of prose compiled by himself
Khazain-ul-Futooh (The Treasures of Victories) one of his more controversial books, in prose (1311–12)
Afzal-ul-Fawaid utterances of Nizamuddin Auliya
?haliq Bari a versified glossary of Persian, Arabic, and Hindawi words and phrases attributed to Amir Khusrau, but most probably written in 1622 in Gwalior by ?iya ud-Din ?husrau
Jawahar-e- Khusrovi often dubbed as the Hindawi divan of Khusrau
Yours sincerely
Dr. Syed Mohd. Yahya. Saba
Dept. of Urdu
Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi,
Delhi-110007
Mob: No: 09968244001
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/
http://kmcollege.academia.edu/MDYAHYASABA
HAZRAT KHWAJA ABUL HASSAN
AMIR KHUSRO: (R.A)
(1253 A.D. to 1325 A.D.) (The Parrot of Hind)
AMIR KHUSRO: (R.A)
(1253 A.D. to 1325 A.D.) (The Parrot of Hind)
"Love to Allah (God) is the destination of success.
Romance is the road of this righteous Path.
The Captain of the ship is no other, but His Grace.
Oh, traveller tie up your belongings,
Board in it and sail in the Ocean."
Romance is the road of this righteous Path.
The Captain of the ship is no other, but His Grace.
Oh, traveller tie up your belongings,
Board in it and sail in the Ocean."
"Men do not mirror themselves in running water –
they mirror themselves in still water. Only what
is still can still the stillness of other things."
they mirror themselves in still water. Only what
is still can still the stillness of other things."
"Love is not like a cup of wine, given to the
indiscreet.
Tears are not like rubies gifted to worthless one."
Tears are not like rubies gifted to worthless one."
"Love is greater than religion.
Love is the essence of all creeds!
Love beautifies the soul and beauty of
the soul resides in the love of humanity.
Love is the essence of all creeds!
Love beautifies the soul and beauty of
the soul resides in the love of humanity.
"Man, in truth, is himself a sacrifice.
Hazrat Amir Khusro was a great Sufi, a wealthy
merchant who once exchanged all his wealth for a pair of His Holiness
Sultan-ul-Mashaikh shoes, an intellectual gaint of many languages, an artist, a
prolific author, a genius musician who invented the ‘sitar’, a versatile
composer and a true devoted "mureed" of His Holiness. He was
"All-in-One" type of highly amazing mixture of Divine gifts.
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) was the son of Amir
Alachin a Turk from Laccheen. His actual name was Saifuddin Mahmood Shamsi. At
the invasion of Gengiz Khan he migrated from his native place Kesh near
Samarkand to Balkh. Saifuddin was the chieftan of Hazara. Shamsuddin Iltamish
the King of Delhi welcomed them to his capital. He provided shelter to the
dislodged princes artisans, scholars and rich nobles. Saifuddin was among them.
It was around 626/ 360 A.H/1226 A.D. In 1230 A.D he was granted afief in the
district of Patiali (in Etah District-Uttar Pradesh). He married to BiBi Daulat
Naz, who bore him three sons and one daughter. Yaminuddin (Khusro) was one
among them born at Patiali, presently known as Hazrat Amir Khusro Nagar in
District Etah (U.P.) in the year 652-653 A.H/1252-53 A.D. Yaminuddin’s (Khusro)
father Saifuddin was mostly engaged in battles, and was killed in 660 A.H/1260
A.D. Yaminuddin or Khusro was an intelligent child. Poetry came to him at the
early age of eight.
Later, Khusro reflects on his father’s bravery
as:
"My father
Saifuddin Mahmood Shamsi, the renowned breaker of enemies ranks, possessed
might, enough to conquer the world with all the merits of his inner self, he
never spoke about his inherent goodness and behaved like an Angel. He was a
military commander and a saint. Although he was highly educated and cultured.
He loved martyrdom from the beginning and he drank ultimately the
Sharbate-Shahadat."
After the death of his father, he came to Delhi
to his grand father’s (maternal) Imadul Mulk (Rawat Arz) house. He grew under
his grand father’s guardianship. When Amir Khusro was twenty years, his grand
father who was 113 years old in 670-71 A.H when he left the world. He was
disturbed and was looking for an established career. He joined as a soldier in
the Army of Malik Chajju - a nephew of Balban. But his poetry brought him in
the Assembly of the Royal Court where he was highly honoured. The devoted
mother brought him up and little is known about his modest mother Hazrat BiBi
Daulat Naz. He grew up as a soldier and a poet.
When he was forty seven years old (698 A.H/1298
A.D.) his mother and brother died. He cried like a child and said:
"A double radiance left my star this year
Gone are my brother and my mother,
My two full moons have set and ceased to Shine
In one short week through this ill-luck of mine."
Gone are my brother and my mother,
My two full moons have set and ceased to Shine
In one short week through this ill-luck of mine."
Khusro’s homage to his mother on death was:
"Where ever the
dust of your (mother) feet is found it is like a relic of Paradise for
me."
Once, Bughra Khan son of Balban was invited to
listen Amir Khusro. He was so enchanted that he bestowed countless gold coins.
The prize impaired the relations with his master Chajju Khan. Khusro left him
and went to Bughra Khan, where he served for four years and came to fame. In
677 A.H/1277 A.D. Bughra Khan marched towards Bengal to crush the coup and Amir
Khusro accompanied him. Bughra Khan was then appointed ruler of Bengal but
however Amir Khusro came back to Delhi.
The eldest son Khan Mohd of Balban (who was in
Multan) came to Delhi. When he heard about Amir Khusro he invited him to his
court. Finally Amir Khusro accompanied him to Multan in 679 A.H/1279 A.D.
Multan at that period was the gateway to Hind and a centre place of knowledge
and learning. The caravans of scholars, tradesmen and emissaries transited from
Baghdad, Arab, Iran to Delhi via Multan. Amir Khusro says that:
"I tied the belt of
service on my waist and put on the cap of companionship for another five years.
I imparted lustre to the water of Multan from the ocean of my wits and
pleasantries."
Amir Khusro and Amir Hassan Sijzi were happy
under his patronage.
Amir Hasan Sijzi was younger to Amir Khusro by
two years. Both were in the company of the celebrated historian Hazrat Moulana
Ziauddin Barni the writer of "Tareekh-e-Ferozshahi" who completed it
after thirty one years of Amir Khusro’s death. His Shrine lies south to Hazrat
Amir Khusro’s (R.A) Shrine.
In the year 683A.H./1283A.D Jinar Khan a Mongol,
invaded India. Khan Mohd along with many soldiers were killed in a fierceful
battles and Amir Khusro came back to Delhi and describes as follows:
"In the furnace of
torture, I too fell a prey to the heathens; one of the tied me by a rope to the
saddle of his horse and made me run in front of his horse. What a torture it
was."
But Allah Tala (God) saved him and managed to release from
captivity. He immediately left the city of torture (Multan) and rushed to Delhi
to see his anxious mother. As soon as she saw her son-motherly instinct aroused
with love. He enjoyed the motherly great care and love.
The deep grief of brave Prince Khan Mohd remained in his heart
forever. He wrote the two elegy (sorrowful poems) of Prince Khan Mohd
describing him the most generous, brave and good human being. At the old age of
eighty, King Balban called his second son Bughra Khan from Bengal, but he
refused to come back to Delhi. After King Balban’s death his grandson Kikabad
was made the King of Delhi who was 17 years of age. Khusro remained in his
service for two years (686 A.H to 687 A.H/1286 to 1287 A.D.).
After the death of Kikabad, a turk soldier Jalaluddin Khilji took
power and became the King. He was a poet and loved poets. Khusro was highly
honoured and respected in his Darbar and was known as "AMIR KHUSRO".
He was made secretary to the King "Mushaf-Dar". His status was raised
to ‘Amarat’; and was given the insigma of a Silver belt and 1200 Tankas
annually in lien of his services. The darbar life made Amir Khusro focus more
on literary works. Barni writes, Khusro’s Ghazals which he composed in quick
succession at that time was set to music and were sung by singing girls every
night before King Jalaluddin Khilji. Amir Khusro was rewarded beyond
expectations and was acknowledged in a following verse.
"The King of the world Jalale-Din, in
reward for my infinite pain which I undertook in composing verses, bestowed
upon me an unimaginable treasure of wealth."
King Khilji was a brave soldier and an able administrator. He
expanded his Empire and won four battles in a year. He ruled for 6 years from
689A.H/1289A.D to 695A.H/1295A.D. He was murdered by the men of Allauddin
Khilji, his nephew and son-in-law. Allauddin Khilji then ascended the throne of
Delhi on 22nd Zilhaj
695A.H/1295A.D.
Amir Khusro wrote a short auto-biographical Masnavi called
"Shah Name mun"—of Allauddin’s life. Amir Khusro was the few notables
who blessed Allauddin Khilji.
Allauddin Khilji was one of the great ruler of India in early
Muslim empire. He was a strong man, hard in nature, brave and intelligent
soldier. He expanded his Empire to Deccan in South and far to East and west of
India. He ruled for twenty one years. Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) enjoyed his
patronage and developed much of his works. Amir Khusro in his book
"Khazinatul-Futuh" (the treasures of victory) penned down Allauddin’s
construction works, wars, peace and security, administrative services. Further
in another poetical work Masnavi "Matta-ul-Anwaar" (Fountain of
light) consisted of 3310 verses (completed in 15 days) had the theme of
"Love of God". The second masnavi, "Shireen" consisted of
4000 verses. The third Masnavi "Laila Majnu" story of Laila and Majnu
and their romance. The fourth voluminous Masnavi was
"Aina-e-Sikandari" had 4500 verses relating to the heroic deeds of
Alexander the Great. The fifth Masnavi was "Hasht Bahisht" related to
the events of King Bahram Gaur.
All these works made Amir Khusro a leading luminary in the
poetical world. The King Allauddin Khilji was highly pleased by his works and
rewarded him handsomely.
After Allauddin Khilji death his son Qutubuddin Mukarak Shah
became the King. Amir Khusro wrote a Masnavi on Mubarak Shah as "Nahsi
Pahar" (Nine Skies), a historical poetry relating the events of Mubarak
Shah. He classified his poetry in nine chapters, each part is considered as a
sky. In the third chapter he wrote about India and its environment, the
atmosphere and seasons, flowers their varieties beauty and the fragrances, the
chirping of birds and their colourful gaiety the animals world, education and
sciences, ideology and religions of India, languages spoken and their zones
etc. This shows how patriotic Khusro was to his motherland and had deep
knowledge of it. He wrote another voluminious book in the period of Qutubuddin
Mubarak Shah by name "Ejaze Khusravi", the book consisted of five
volumes. Thus it reflected Amir Khusro’s ocean of knowledge and scholarship.
After Mubarak Shah, Ghyasuddin Tughlaq came to the throne. Amir
Khusro wrote a historic Masnavi "Tughlaq Name" on him. Thus all Kings
of their period, honoured Amir Khusro as the jewel of their crown. They felt
proud of his writing. Thus Amir Khusro served seven Sultans, saw seven
Sultanates in his life time. He was also an astronomer and an astrologer. When
Qutubuddin Mubarak Shah son was born, he prepared the horoscope of child where
certain predictions, were made. This horoscope is included in the Masnavi
"Saqiana"
(2) A Great Secular Scholar and Patriotic Poet
There is no country in the World whose cultural
heritage is so much blended with Divine touch. In Punjabi, Baba Farid and Nanak
spoke in poem – thus the beginning of Punjabi literacy heritage. In Gujarat,
Narsi Mehta and Meera Bai sang songs of the glory of Ranchchodji – thus the
beginning of Gujarati Literature. In Kashmir, Lalleshwari and Nand Rishi
(Sheikh Nurudedin) sang to the glory of God – thus the beginning of Kashmiri
language Urdu, (the rich langaue of India) was also born in the same fashon.
His Holiness showed keen interest in the promotion of mutual love and goodwill
among all classes of people. When His Holiness found that languages and
dialectic obstacles clogged this harmony and hindered the understanding amongst
the Afghans, the Iranians and the Turks and others, His Holiness ordered Hazrat
Amir Khusro to invent a "new language" so as to facilitate
inter-communication and homogenous oneness amongst the people of India. Hazrat
Amir Khusro mixed the Persian with local Brij Bhasha (native language of the
North) and this mixture laid the foundation of Urdu. With the passage of time
and by its usage it developed into more refined Urdu cultural.
Delhi is proud of His Holiness and Hazrat
Khusro. Delhi is proud of Urdu. It was in Delhi that Urdu was born, nourished
and flourished. Hazrat Khusro is the father of Modern Urdu Literature. He
composed the first poem in Hindi too. He is the pioneer of Hindustani Literature.
He was a great scholar in Persian. He introduced Sitar, the five string
instrument. He was a pioneer of Indian Classical music.
Hazrat Amir Khusro was not only a talented and
highly learned poet of India having full command over Turkish, Persian, Arabic,
Hindi and Sanskrit languages but he was a distinguished Sufi by virtue of his
initiation and closeness to His Holiness. His poetical composition, specially
the Persian-Hindi blending were aimed at cementing the bonds of culture and
friendship between the Hindus and Muslims.
Amir Khusro was a leading poet in Persian and
Hindi languages. In his introduction to ‘Ghurratul Kamal’ Khusro wrote that,
"a few poems that I have composed in Hindi I have made a gift to my
friends." He was a Hindustani Turk. In another famous verse he said,
"To speak the truth, I am an Indian parrot. If you want to listen from me
some subtle verses, ask me then to recite some of my Hindi poems".
Amir Khusro says that the Hindus are Mushrik,
(i.e. pluralist in their belief of God) as under:
"Though Hindus are
not men of our faith, yet on certain points they hold concurrent ideas in
respect of our faith. They affirm that life is one and eternal and that God
created everything."
He was the monarch in the field of prose and
poetry. His Holiness, Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A) says, "He is our
Khusro not Nasiri Khusro, May God help my Khusro". Amir Khusro remained
wedded to truth, love and humanity.
(3) Path of Sufism
Amir Khusro was very promising child. He became a scholar of
philosophy and science in short time. At the age of twenty, he became a famous
poet. He was a man of soaring imagination. The greatness lies in his breaking
the mistrust and isolation in the then existing various culture groups and thus
paving the way for reconciliation at the social and ideological levels. Such
conciliation and concord amongst them was a moral and intellectual demand
besides being an urgent social necessity. Khusro rose to a high status because
of his connections in political circles and had opportunities of observing many
important events from close quarters. He was a man of learning and helped the
growth of Hindustani literary societies. His genius unfolded itself in poetry,
music and prose.
After his father’s death, he migrated along with his mother to
Delhi where he was brought up by his maternal grandfather Imadul Mulk Rawat
Arz. Mir Khurd writes that His Holiness Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A) came
to Delhi at the age of sixteen for the purpose of his higher education in the
profession of Qazi. By a strange turn of fortune he stayed in the same locality
where Amir Khusro lived i.e. in Namak Sarai. After some time His Holiness
Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A) shifted to Rawat Arz house on the
recommendation of Hazrat Amir Khusro. He further writes that when Amir Khusro
reached his adolescence he became "Iradat Kash" of His Holiness
Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A). Amir Khusro writes in the preface to his
"Diwan" "Wastful Hayat" that he was sixteen years
old when he found His Holiness Hazrat Syed Nizamudddin Aulia (R.A) as his
spiritual mentor, along with Mufti Moizuddin Gharifi. Both of them guided him
to the path of following the style of Shaikh Sadi and Ispahani.
He and His Holiness Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A) shared the
same passion for music. Amir Khusro was a noble man, Sufi Saint and a Faqir. He
was the founder of many musical instruments and Urdu. According to Mir Khurd,
that all the Qawwals of the city used to come at his Jamat Khana and in his
guidance they raised music to the height of a sublime art. They gave new
flavour and vitality to the ghazals. Thus they raised the art of music to the
level of a spiritual discipline.
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) became His Holiness favourite disciple
and wrote about his teachings. He followed the middle path; never abandoned his
courtly life; but moved towards practices of tasawwuf (Sufism). He spent most
of the time in writing Khamsa.
The first of this series of Masnavi called
"Khamsa-e-Khusrawi" is his Matla-ul-Anwar. This Masnavi was composed
by Amir Khusro in 697 A.H/1297 A.D written within two weeks. In this Masnavi,
Amir Khusro has expounded his views and attitudes towards Shariat, Tareeqat and
Haqeeqat. According to him "Shara" acquires meaning when it maintains
a close relation with reality i.e. when it partakes the essence of reality-love
of God! If Shara is taking in or in other words if it is without
"Ain" (i.e. the essence of God love) it becomes Shar (evil).
Similarly his attitude towards the Sufis, of his time was very critical. It is
worth quoting in this connection a few lines from his Masnavi,
"Matla-ul-Anwar."
"Ah! What a
shameful scene this band of pretenders to abstinence, present. They wear short
sleeves (pose as Fakirs) but keep their hands stretched in begging. They pretend
to obstinate but they are always in pursuit of money. They are commercialised
Fakirs. How can one love God and Mammon both at one time. As God is without any
shadow of dualism and does not like dualism in the path of love."
In another way he described ascent to the
sanctuary of God, in a nocturnal dream in the Masnavi, as under:
"It was on account of my spiritual exercises which were free
from hypocrisy, Allah Tala (God) in the middle of night blessed my eyes with
immortality."
"My spiritual exercises received the cash of hope. As soon as I pocketed that cash from the heaven. Echoed loudly a voice of welcome from the invincible world!"
His spiritualism was in the philosophy of love,
which he shared with all the Sufis. The depth of humanity in his poetry comes
from the "Divine love–which is infinite and covers the entire
cosmos."
In the Masnavi, Khusro expresses in general the
life of heat, which burns like a candle in love of beauty "What is the
life of a heart? It lies in its burning with the passion of love and sorrows.
If a lamp ceases to burn or does not burn at all it is called a dead lamp. A
heart which is captivated by a beautiful face, however hard may be, it will
grow soft or melt like wax. Like most of the Sufis of his time, he opined the
origin of man. The spirit of man was from God’s spirit and man was moulded in
the nature of God with regard to his potential or ideal development. In a
"Qaseedah", Khusro exhorts man to "swim across the ocean of
firmament from end to end like the sun, and not to behave like the particles of
dust dancing in the wind."
He was the man of courage and strength and spoke
before the King about the value of equality of all human beings. In a verse, he
observes:
"Though my value
may be a little less, than that of yours, yet, if your veins were to be cut
open, our blood will be of the same colour."
His different reflection of the same thought
written in a prose is as under:
"Oh, Brahmin, can’t
you take me into your fold, this one who rejected by Islam for no other fault
but for his worship of the idol (beloved) or is it so that for a person like me
who is misled. There is no access even to the presence of that idol."
Amir Khusro was free from prejudice, bigotry and
fanaticism. He loved people of every religion and every country and was
sympathetic towards all the creations of God. This was the common attitude
amongst the Sufis who preached toleration in religious affairs and loved
mankind. Love of God is identical with the lover of humanity. A love of God,
according to the Sufi is that, one who loves all the creations of God and loves
all human beings irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
He says, "men of insight know that
man is blind and undoubtedly blind. He calls himself a lover but does not
regard a Negro worth his love or devotion…….
Love is deep rooted in
human nature and inclination towards another soul. Love in fact beautifies the
soul and beauty of the soul resides in the love of humanity!"
Love, the Sufis believe is greater than
religion, "love is the essence of all creeds." No
religion is more sublime than the religion of love and longing for God. Every
worshipper worships God out of love, love enslaves him. The true mystic
welcomes love in any disguise. One who has a perfect insight beholds God in
every thing, though one worships Him through some medium.
Animosity and aggression are against the spirit of Quran which is
as follows:
"Oh, people of the book! Do not
transgress the bounds of your religion. Speak nothing but the truth about Allah
Tala (God)."(Quran: 4-171)
"There shall be no compulsion in
religion, for the right way is clearly distinguishable from the wrong
way." (Quran)
"Invite people to the way of Thy Lord
in a suitable manner and with tender exhortation, and discuss things with them
in an agreeable style. Thy Lord Knoweth best who hath strayed from His path and
knoweth best who is guide a right…(Quran)".
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) has said:
"Love of the Beloved takes us to Kaba
and to the temple of idols."
"Lovers of the Friend (God) do not
consider what infidelity and faith is!"
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) states that the Hindus also believe in
Oneness of God and he says:
"They confess the Oneness, the
Existence and the Eternity of God. His power to create, all, after death and
one existence. Love is not like a cup of wine, given to the indiscreet. Tears
are not like rubies gifted to worthless one."
The Sufis believe that God reveals His secrets to His lovers. His
Holiness, Mehboob-e-Elahi says: "God
gives insight to His lovers, so that they understand the reality of the whole
Universe".
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) holds that, an intellectual even after
thinking deeply and diligently cannot comprehend the mysteries of spiritual
life, and his mental effort to, understanding them gives him headache.
"Wisdom at last becomes headache, consequently the Gnostics choice is
madness of love."
Love of God gradually makes man,–"God-intoxicated" and
he renounces his animal self and tendencies (vasanas). The lover of God should
first subjugate his own self and renounce every thing except God.
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) further says:
"Put one step on your soul, the other
one in His love.
No other way suits those who follow the
path of love."
Amir Khusro regrets on the hostile attitude of people towards the
lovers of God and says, "One who laughs at the affairs of lovers should
weep at his own condition." If love is crime and if people call me an
infidel because of it let them do so. I am not going to utter words in
repentance as:
"Be a slave of love, O’Khusro and put
your head beneath the sword."
He addressed the lovers and exclaims as under:
"Ye who have loving hearts be ready
first to sacrifice your life at the onset. If at all ye wish to behold the
countenance of thy Beloved."
The colour of Sufism and the flavour of His Holiness, Hazrat
Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A) had intoxicated Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A). It was
Qutubuddin Mubarak Shah called Khusro when he ascended the throne in 716
A.H./1316 A.D. Amir Khusro said good bye to merry making parties and withdrawn
himself and said:
"My heart is now satisfied with all
sorts of pleasures and my mind has grown averse to haughtiness. My ears do not
now respond to the call of Saqi to have a goblet of wine."
"Nor do I respond now to the bows
(salams) of long necked flasks. My intellect has grown ripe in the fire of my
old age. No longer do I entertain any greed or avarice in my heart."
Reflecting in the love of His Holiness
Mehboob-e-Elahi, Amir Khusro said:
"Love of anything,
except God, makes death difficult and painful, where as death is easier and
agreeable to the lover of God, who is dearer to Him than anything else, his
death is a change for the better which makes him immortal and lovable in the
eyes of men and of God. Death overcomes man but the lover of God overcomes
death."
He further states, "the lovers when want to
behold thee, have got to suffer in hundred ways, but only one consolation they
have, their death becomes easy for them".
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) was a mild,
sympathetic, benevolent, righteous and God-fearing Sufi. He was not proud and
haughty. He disliked flattery which is written in his Odes (Qaasid). He
regularly wrote Odes (Qasaid) to earn his livelihood. In his "Bahrul
Abrar" he says:
"Kings drum is empty and all its noise a headache. Whoever is
contented with dry and wet (morsel) is like a king of lands and water."
"Man hidden in rugs
is like a king of the world.
Whatever he earned, he gave all of it in charity
and lived a simple life. Thus the mystics and Sufis taught mankind to have a
simple and good life. They preferred poverty to wealth, pomp, luxury and
sensuality. Prophet Muhammed (P.B.U.H.) was proud of his poverty and said,
"Poverty is my pride." This saying of His was taken as the watch word
of all Sufi Orders. The Prophet also said:
"Poverty is glorious to those who are
worthy of it."
"Hazrat Ali (R.A) advises, "let not poverty and
misfortune distress you. For as gold is tried in the fire, the believer is
exposed to trials. More over riches and poverty are not the factors that
determine man’s satisfaction and happiness. It all depend on man’s inner
feelings and love for God".
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) reminds us of the danger and evil
consequences of being rich and pleasure loving and says:
"If you want to be far from countless sorrows.
Be happy and contended with your meagre fortunes.
Blessed one the souls that passed away and were
clean like the sun. And who did not cast even their shadow on the wealth of the
world. Life is always full of ups and downs, inconsistency and instability, the
superior becomes inferior, the powerful becomes powerless, and the lively
becomes lifeless."
Hazrat Amir Khusro once said:
"The monarchs who were once the crowns in the heads of the
people, see what remains of them now just the dust on the feet of people!"
"Heads of all the kings who are now concealed under the
ground were the heads which were once raised up high in sky. You cannot earn
wealth and status by worshipping the king like a dog. Be at the service of a
dervish for this is a more respectable way of reaching glory!"
"Man with an insight even if he is covered in rugs rules the
world, the sword may be sheathed and yet it protects the country."
"The egoism (Nafs) eats dust when the Radiance sheds lustre
upon you, the shadow falls under the feet when the sunshines over the
head."
"Oh, God bestow your favour upon me
throughout the life. To enable me perform my duties toward God and the
Prophet."
His Holiness’s own life was a living example of
the mystic experience. Mystic traditions were inherited from saints and poets
into the whole being of Amir Khusro (R.A). It can rightly be said that Khusro
was the very soul of His Holiness. As once said by His Holiness that if it were
permissible by Islamic law he would have willed that Khusro be buried in the
same grave.
The moral teachings found in the writings of
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) and the feeling of fraternity found in his behavior
towards the common man is an ample proof of the characteristics of the Chishti
Order which he so deeply imbibed at the feet of His Holiness.
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) was a great poet,
writer and a Sufi fakir till his last breath. The end came suddenly between the
Master and the disciple. Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) was in Lakhnawti. Upon news
of his illness, Hazrat Amir Khusro came back to Delhi but in vain to find that
the Light was put off. He stood there seeing his Beloved Master who had left
him alone. With his tearful eyes and heavy mournful heart he broke down and
uttered a loveable memorable couplet:
"Gori sove sej per
mukh per dare kes
chal Khusro ghar apne, ren bhayi chahun des."
chal Khusro ghar apne, ren bhayi chahun des."
("O, handsome you are sleeping on a nice
bed covering your face with the hair, when every where is darkness, so Khusro
you leave this world.")
Hazrat Amir Khurd (R.A) writes in ‘Siyarul
Aulia’: that "Immediately when Khusro arrived to Delhi he went to the
grave of His Holiness Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A), where he blackend his
face and rolled over in dust in utter grief tearing his garments." Six
months after the event in the same year on 18th shawwal
725H/1325 A.D. on the same day His Holiness broken-hearted disciple Hazrat Amir
Khusro (R.A) left this enchanting world of colours and conflicts.
(4) Son of an Indian Soil
A legend is there that when Hazrat Amir Khusro’s
first saw His Holiness Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A). It is said that
young Amir Khusro went to His Holiness khanqah, but did not entered and
remained at the door by remarking, "I shall select my "Peer"
myself, and if it is bestowed with Divine Power he will converse with me even
from distance." Thus sitting at the door he composed:
Tu
an Shah-e-ke bar aiwan-e-qasrat.
Kabutar gar nashinad baz garded.
Gharib-e mustanande baradar amad.
Be ayat andar un ya baz gardad.
Kabutar gar nashinad baz garded.
Gharib-e mustanande baradar amad.
Be ayat andar un ya baz gardad.
(You are such a mighty King that if a pigeon
sits on your palace, it turns into a hawk. An outsider and a needy person has
come at your door, please let him know whether he should come in, or go
away).His Holiness who had supernatural powers sent him the following verse in
reply:
"Biya yet andarun
marde haqiqat,
Kibama yak nafas hamraz gardad,
Agar ablah buwad an mard nadan,
Azan rahe ki amad baz gardad."
Kibama yak nafas hamraz gardad,
Agar ablah buwad an mard nadan,
Azan rahe ki amad baz gardad."
(The person who knows the truth may come inside
so that we may exchange divine secrets between us for a moment. If that person
is ignorant, then he should return on the same path from where he has come
here.)
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) immediately got up and
ran to His Holiness and fell on his feet and wept! His Holiness accepted him as
his disciple (murid) and gradually the two became inseparable and attached to
each other.
Love is deep rooted in human nature. Every Soul
has a natural inclination towards another soul. Love in fact, –beautifies the
soul, and beauty of the soul resides in love for humanity. Love, the Sufis
believe is greater than religion. Love is the essence of all creeds. Every
worshiper worships God out of Love. Love enslaves him. The true majestic
welcomes love whatever its guise. One who has a perfect insight beholds God in
everything.
God is both transcendent and immanent. He is the
essence of all existence. The whole universe is a manifestation of Allah Tala
(God). His Oneness appear in diversity. Quran points out:
"Which ever way you turn, to God belongs the east and the
west there is the face of Allah Tala. He is Omnipresent and All Knowing (Quran
2:115)."
"Are they still in doubt as to their beholding the countenance of God? Do they not realise that God encompasseth all things? (Quran 41:54)."
"When my servants question you about Me, tell them that I am near (with them)." (Quran 2:186)
"Quran Sharif also points out "God is
nearer to man than to any other thing."
Man himself is a mysterious being. His soul,
spiritual powers, insights, intuitive faculties, contact with ultimate Reality
and several other things have made him an enigma.
The Holy Prophet says:
"I am creating man
from dry clay from black moulded loam. When I have fashioned him and breathed
My spirit into him…" Quran (15:29).
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) says:
"Ashiqui um kah gar
a waz dahi jane mera
Dost az seenah um awaz bar arad kah manam."
Dost az seenah um awaz bar arad kah manam."
(I am a lover, if any one calls my Soul)
My beloved responds from inside my breast saying
it is ‘I’.
He also believes that his beloved God is
omnipresent in his essence:
Hasti man rafat va
qayalish ba mamand,
In kah tu beeni nah manam balkeh oost.
In kah tu beeni nah manam balkeh oost.
(My entity has disappeared, now I think only of
Him. That which you actually see is not me but He.)
Allah Tala (God) is the most important Being for
the mystics to contemplate on. They hold that it is beyond the limits of human
mind to apprehend God and to circumscribe Him. Hazrat Amir Khusro argues that
even with the help of mental and intellectual faculties it is not possible to
apprehend Allah Tala (God):
"Dar niyai bih
fahm aliman
Darnah gan ji bih wahm admiyan."
Darnah gan ji bih wahm admiyan."
(Thou cannot be
comprehended by worldly people. Thou cannot be confined to the imagination of
man.)
Man himself is a mysterious universe unto
himself with all his mental powers he cannot understand his own self. How can
it be possible to understand Allah Tala?Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) states:
"Ankh khud
rashanaqat nah tu aanad,
A free nandah ra kuja danad."
A free nandah ra kuja danad."
(A man who cannot conceive his own self, can he ever be able to
conceive his Creator?)Thus, said the Prophet (S.A.W.):
Man
Arafa Nafsa hu
Faqad Arafa Rabba hu
Faqad Arafa Rabba hu
(Those who realised himself has realised the
Allah Tala (God)).
Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Ganj Shakar (R.A) advises
that:
"Do not insult a
man by a bad word. For in everyone genuine Lord lives."
Hazrat Abu Sayeed Abul Khair (R.A) says:"I
went to the the church of the Christians and the place of the Jews. And saw that
both are facing you.
The desire to meet You took to me to the temple of Idols (Hindus)
And I heard the idols singing Your love songs."
The desire to meet You took to me to the temple of Idols (Hindus)
And I heard the idols singing Your love songs."
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A) though he was
distinguished in Suluk, and Tariqat (Way of God) and was also a great patriot
to his mother land. He used to quote a saying of Prophet (PBUH):
"Love of country is
like Love of religion."
This is according to the Tradition (Hadees):
"Oh, group of
believers! Love of the country is certainly like the real faith (in
religion)."Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A)
believed, India with its beauty - is a Paradise on the earth!.He said:
"Kishwere Hind
Ast Bahashti Bih Zameen".India is a country like Paradise on the
earth."Falak az u jumla amad hindustan bar tar guft har chah az ameen
kishwer amad."(The heavens said that all the countries which have come
of the earth. Among them all only Hindustan (India) has come up to the height
of excellence.)He himself refers indirectly and said:"Singing like a
parrot, in the ancient bower (dwelling),
Is the lot of Khusro blessed with Almighty Power."
Is the lot of Khusro blessed with Almighty Power."
Hazrat Abul Hassan said that Amir Khusro heart
was equally capable of responding with all the swirl and glow of passion, to
the love of the Infinite. It is the cosmic emotion that vibrated through all
his mystical ghazals, and they seem to have emerged out of the souls encounter
with the Absolute.
(5) Writings and Works:
Works of Khusro can be classified into four
categories–Diwan work, romantic work, historical work and prose works. Khusro
was well conversant in Arabic Persian and Hindi. He was proud of it. He is also
famous for many verse-riddles, sayings, puzzles and ghazals. His Persian–Hindi
dictionary entitled Khalikbari is also a famous work. He is
considered a symbol of the integrated culture of India.
I. Diwans (Collection of ghazals, lyrical poems,
panegerics elegies, etc.)
1. Tohfat-us-Sighar (Gift of Youth) poem written between the 16th and
19th year of his age. Compiled in 672 A.H./1272 A.D.
2. Wasthul Hayath (Meridian of life): Poems written between 19th and
24th year of his age. compiled in 683 A.H./1283 A.D.
3. Ghurrathul – Kamal (Prime of perfection): The most
important of the five Diwans containing poems written between the 34th and
43rd year of his age. compiled in 694 A.H./1294 A.D.
4. Baqiya Naqiya (Remnants of Purity): Compiled in his 64th year
of his age in 716 A.H./1316 A.D
5. Nihayatul Kamal (Pinacle of Perfection): The last
collection of poems compiled in 725 A.H./1325 A.D
II. Masnawis: The five masnawis modelled on the Khamsa
(five masnawis) of Ilyas bin Yusuf Nizami Ganjavi (541 A.H./602 A.H./1114
A.D./1202 A.D.) and consisting of:
1. Matlaul - Anwar (Dawn of lights) on ethics and morals.
2. Khusro - Shirin, a legendary love story.
3. Majnun-o-Laila, also legendary love story.
4. Aina-e-Sikandari (Mirror of Alexander) on events in the
life of Alexander the great.
5. Hasht Behisth (Eight Paradises) Stories told by Princesses with an
introduction.
The first three of these Masnawis were compiled
in 699 A.H./1299 A.D. and the last two in 701 A.H./1301 A.D. and 702 A.H./1302
A.D. respectively.
III. Historical Masnawis:
1. Qiran-us-Sadain (conjuction of two auspicious stars)
composed at the request of Moizuddin Kaiqabad (687 A.H./1287-690 A.H./1290
A.D.) After the poets return from Awadh, the main theme being the encounter of
kaiqabad and his father, Bughra Khan, Governor of Lakhnawti their meeting and
final reconciliation. Compiled in 689 A.H./1289 A.D.
2. Mifta-ul-Futuh (Key of victories): Describes the four victories
of Jalaluddin Firoze Khilji (690 A.H./1290 A.D.-695 A.H./1295 A.D) in of one year.
Compiled in 691 A.H./1291 A.D
3. Ashiqe (Duval Rani And Khizer Khan): Story of love of Khizer Khan for
Duval Rani and its tragic end, completed in 715 A.H./1315 A.D. but with a
chapter added later.
4. Nuh Sipehr (Nine Skies): Panegyrics to Mubarak Shah Khilji
(716 A.H./1316 A.D.-720 A.H./1320 A.D.) divided into nine parts of unequal
lengths, each called a sipehr, and describing the buildings constructed by
Mubarak Shah. Compiled in 718 A.H./1318 A.D.
5. Tughlaq Nama: Accounts of the victories of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
and a short history of his reign. Compiled in 725 A.H./1325 A.D.
IV. Prose Works:
1. Khazainul-Futuh (Treasuries of Victories): Contains s short
history of reign of the Allauddin Khilji in which the events that took place
between 695 A.H./1295 A.D. and 711 A.H./1311 A.D. are recorded. Compiled in 711
A.H./1311 A.D.
2.
Afzalul
Fawaed (Greatest of Blessings): Containing the teachings of His
Holiness Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A.) (637 A.H./1237 A.D.-725 A.H./1325 A.D.)
with dates of his meetings with the master between 714 A.H./1314 A.D and 719
A.H./1319 A.D.
3. Ejaz-e-Khusravi (Inspiration
of Khusro): Containing five manuals on the art of writing prose and poetry and
including some of his early letters to his friends. The first four manuals were
compiled in 683 A.H./1283 A.D. and the last in 720
A.H./1320 A.D.
Yours sincerely
Dr. Syed Mohd. Yahya. Saba
Dept. of Urdu
Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi,
Delhi-110007
Mob: No: 09968244001
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/
http://kmcollege.academia.edu/MDYAHYASABA
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