Baiyah & Numerous Khilafahs of Shabiha Ghawth al Azam Sayyid Ali Husayn Ashrafi al Jilani

Baiyah & Numerous Khilafahs of Shabiha Ghawth al Azam Sayyid Ali Husayn Ashrafi al Jilani

In 1282 A.H, at the age of 16 years, Qudwat al Awliya gave the pledge of allegiance {‘Baiyah’} to his elder brother Imam al Urafa, Haji al Haramayn Ashraf al Mashaikh Pir Sayyid Abu Muhammad Ashraf Husayn Ashrafi al Jilani in the noble ‘Quadriya Chishtiya Ashrafiya’ tariqah. He was soon awarded ‘Ijaazah’ and ‘Khilafah’ in the tariqah at this young age.

He also took ‘Khilafah’ and ‘Ijaazah’ from the following great spiritual personalities:

Sayyid Imaaduddin Ashraf Ashrafi Kichochavi gave him ‘Ijaazah’ in ‘Shaghal Wajudiya’ and other special ‘Wazaif’.

Hazrat Shah Raaj Soondhi of Gudgaon gave him the ‘Khilafah’ and ‘Ijaazah’ in Quadriya and Zahidiya tariqah. He also received permission in ‘Sultan al Azkar’, ‘Shaghal Mahmudah’, and other special ‘Asghaal’.

Amir al Mashaikh Shah Muhammad Amir Quadri Kabuli gave him the ‘Khilafah’ and ‘Ijaazah’ of Quadriya Munawwariya tariqah at Balya, western Uttar Pradesh, India.

The Quadriya Munawwariya is the shortest tariqah of Tasawwuf with just 4 spiritual personalities till Ghawth al Azam Muhyuddin Abdul Quadir Jilani Baghdadi. The Spiritual chain is as follows:

Ala Hazrat Ali Husayn Ashrafi Miyan

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Amir al Mashaikh Shah Muhammad Amir Quadri Kabuli

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Mulla Akhwand Rampuri

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Hazrat Munawwar Quadri Allahabadi (whose age was 550 years!)

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Hazrat Shah Dawla Quadri

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Ghawth al Azam Mahbub al Subhani Muhyuddin Sayyid Abdul Quadir Jilani Baghdadi

vi. Allama Sayyid Shah Muhammad Hasan Ghazipuri gave him the ‘Khilafah’ and ‘Ijaazah’ in ‘Ashrafiya Owaysiya’ tariqah. This tariqah is known as ‘Owaysiya’ due to the fact that Mahbub al Yazdani Makdum al Awliya Sultan Sayyid Ashraf Jahangir Simnani had ‘Khilafah’ directly from Khayr al Tabayin Sayyiduna Oways al Qarni.

vii. Hazrat Hakim Sayyid Nawazish Rasul, the ‘Sajjadah’ of Baythu Sharif (Gaya, Bihar) gave him ‘Khilafah’ and ‘Ijaazah’ in ‘Dua e Hirz Yamani’, ‘Shaghal Jahr Isbat wa Nafi’, ‘Tariqah Raah e Qalbi’ like ‘Ganjina Adi’ya’ and other ‘Wazaifs’.

viii. Hazrat Sayyid Sa’adat Ali Muhaqqiqi who was from the children of Hazrat Sayyid Ahmad Muhaqqiqi – the Khalifa of Hazrat Shaykh Muhammad Ghawth Ahmad Shattari Gwaliori gave him the ‘Khilafah’ and ‘Ijaazah’ in ‘Hirz Yamani through the ‘Shattariya’ link.

ix. Hazrat Mawlana Abdul Qadeer Sayyid Aali Quadri Baghdadi gave him 'Ijazah' in the 'Hirz Yamani' through the Quadriya link in the year 1294 A.H during his first visit for Hajj.

x. Hazrat Mawlana Aziz Bakhsh whose Quadriya chain was through the Mashaikh and Awliya of Sudan gave him 'Ijazah' in 'Hirz Yamani', 'Dua e Sayfi' in the year 1329 A.H at Makkah al Mukarrama. Qudwat al Kubra completed the 'Wazaif' under his guidance in the 'Hateem' of Kaaba in one week, upon which the grand Shaykh awarded him 'Ijazah'.

xi. Hazrat Shah Maqbul Ahmad who was known as 'Akhwandji' of Delhi awarded Qudwat al Awliya 'Ijazah' in 'Hirz Yamani'. Among the Mashaikh of Quadriya tariqah, Hazrat Akhwandji had the great privelage that Sayyiduna Ghawth al Azam Abdul Quadir Jilani used to command him as to whom should be given 'Khilafah' and who should be rejected. Therefore, Hazrat Akhwandji used to give 'Khilafah' and 'Ijazah' only to those who were accepted by Ghawth al Azam are worthy heirs of his legacy in the Quadriya tariqah. When Qudwat al Awliya seeked 'Ijazah' from Hazrat Akhwandji, he said: "I do not give 'Khilafah' and 'Ijazah' with out the permit and command of Ghawth al Azam!" Qudwat al Awliya requested Ghawth al Azam through spiritual realms to grant him 'Khilafah' and 'Ijazah', and went to Hazrat Akhwandji the very next day. Hazrat Akhwandji said: "'Janab', regarding you Ghawth e Paak said: "He is my son, give him whatever 'A'maal' and 'Awraad' he is seeking from you!"

xii. Khatim al Akabir Hazrat Mawlana Allama Sayyid Shah Aaaley Rasul Husayni Zaydi Quadri Barkari Marharwi, the grand Shaykh and Sajjadah Nashin of Khanqah e Barkatiya, Marharwa gave him 'Khilafah' and 'Ijazah' in 'Hirz Yamani' and all the other 'A'maal', 'Awraad' and 'Wazaif' which he possessed. Qudwat al Awliya Sayyid Ali Husayn Ashrafi al Jilani came to be known as 'Khatim al Khulafa' of Hazrat Aaley Rasul Miyan Barkati. It must be known to our readers that Khatim al Akabir Sayyid Aaley Rasul Barkati was the Pir wa Murshid of Mujaddid al Azam Imam al Akbar Ahmad Raza Khan Quadri Barkati Bareilvi! We shall provide details as to how Khatim al Akabir Sayyid Aaley Rasul granted and awarded Qudwat al Awliya with his 'Khilafa' and 'Ijazah' under another chapter. Insha-Allah.

xiii. Shaykh al Mashaikh Allama Haji Imdadullah Faruqi Chishti Sabri Muhajir Makki, who was one of the great spiritual and scholarly personalities of the Indian sub-continent and a Staunch Sunni Anti Wahhabi Shaykh granted Qudwat al Awliya Sayyid Ali Husayn Ashrafi al Jilani the 'Ijazah' and 'Khilafah' in 'Qasida Burdah', 'Hizb al Bahr', 'Hizb al Azam', 'Dalail al Khayrat' and other spiritual and scholarly 'Fuyuz wa Barakat'. Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki is the Murshid of giant Indian Sunni scholars like 'Ala Hazrat Pir Mehr Ali Shah Chishti Golravi, Imam Mufti Anwarullah Faruqi Chishti Hyderabadi (the founder of Jamiya Nizamiya, Hyderabad), Allama Mufti Abdul Sami Baydil Rampuri, etc.

A section of Deonandi grand scholars like Mawlvi Qasim Nanotvi, Mawlvi Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, Mawliv Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, and Mawlvi Ashraf Ali Thanvi are also the 'Murids' of Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki and but became astray and deviated from the path of their Pir!

xiv. Hazrat Shaykh Allama Abul Ahya Muhammad Nayim Farangi Mahali, one of the last Sunni giants of 'Madrasa Farangi Mahal', Lukhnow granted the elder brother and Pir wa Murshid of Qudwat al Awliya - Hazrath Sayyid Ashraf Husayn Ashrafi al Jilani 'Ijazah' and 'Khilafa' in 'Dalail al Khayrat'. Qudwat al Awliya received this blessed 'Sanad' from his elder brother.

xv. Allama Mawlana Sayyid Shah Abdul Ghani Baythvi also granted Qudwat al Awliya 'Ijazah' in 'Dalail al Khayrat'.

xvi. Allama Sayyid Muhammad Rizwan Madani also bestowed Qudwat al Awliya with the 'Ijazah' in 'Dalail al Khayrat'.

Among the Awliya and Mashaikh of his age, Qudwat al Awliya had the most number of 'Khilafah' and 'Ijazah' in almost all the major tariqahs of the world.

According to one report the grand Naqshbandi Shaykh of his time in the Indian Sub-continent - Hazrat Allama Fazl al Rahman Naqshabndi Ganj-Muradabadi also bestowed Qudwat al Awliya with his 'Khilafa' and 'Ijazah'. According to another report he also had 'Khilafah' and 'Ijazah' in the Warsiya tariqah from its founder - Sufi ba Safa Sarkar Sayyid Waris Ali Shah Chishti!

It is a known fact that most of the Sufi Mashaikh of his time took pride in giving and mentioning Qudwat al Awliya among their Khulafa, and seeked his blessings by awarding him 'Khilafah' and 'Ijazah'. This was for numerous reasons:

Because he was from the Ahl al Bayt.

Because he was from the family of Ghawth al Azam.

Because he was the Scion of Ashrafi tariqah and reviver of Makhdum Ashraf Jahangir's scholarly and spiritual legacy.

Because he was Shabiha Ghawth al Azam, that is, he resembeled Ghawth al Azam. This was acknowledged by Ala Hazrat Taj al Fuhul Imam Abdul Quadir Usmani Quadri Badayuni, Imam al Akbar Ahmad Raza Khan Quadri, Hujjat al Islam Mufti Hamid Raza Khan Quadri Bareilvi, and thousands of other Awliya and Ulama.

Because he himself was a great Scholar of Islam and Tasawwuf in particular.

This why Qudwat al Awliya is known as 'Majma al Bahrayn', that is the Combination of Two Oceans of Knowledge - Shariyah & Tariqah.