Shaykh al Islam Pir Sayyid Mehr Ali Shah Chishti Golravi [1275-1356 A.H/ 1859 -1937 C.E]
Shaykh al Islam
Pir Sayyid Mehr Ali Shah Chishti Golravi
[1275-1356 A.H/ 1859 -1937 C.E]
Shaykh al Islam, Shaykh al Tariqa Pir Sayyid Mehr Ali Shah Golravi bin Mawlana Pir Sayyid Nazaruddin Shahwas was born on 1st Ramadhan ul Mubarak 1275 A.H / 1859C.E at Golravah, Rawalpindi.
His genealogy reaches within 25 generations to Ghawth al A’zam Muhiyuaddin Sayyid Abdul Quadir Jilani and within 36 generation to Imam Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Talib [razi Allahu anh].
Islamic Education
After completing the Holy Quran, he studied Kafiya under Shaykh Ghulam Muhiyuddin Hazarvi and studied under Shaykh Muhammad Shafi Qurayshi some elementary books of Nahv, Usul and Mantiq. Apart from these Scholars he studied other Islamic books in Sargodha under Shaykh Sultan Mahmud Chishti [Murid of Shaykh Khawja Shams al Arifin Chishti Siyalvi].
He visited Kanpur, India and wanted to study under Shaykh al Ulama Ahmad Hasan Kanpuri, but the great Scholar was leaving for Hajj therefore he went to Shaykh al Kul Lutfullah Aligarhi and studied under him some books of ‘Ma’qul’ and ‘Riyazi’.
He studied the Sihah Sittah in Hadith literature under Shaykh Ahmad Ali Muhaddith Saharanpuri and acquired the Sanad of Hadith in 1295 A.H/ 1878 C.E. While studying Hadith under Muhaddith Saharanpuri Sayyid al Muhaddithin Pir Sayyid Didar Ali Shah Naqshbandi Quadri and Shaykh al Muhaddithin Wasi Ahmad Muhaddith Surati were his classmates.
Sayyid al Muhaddithin and Shaykh al Muhaddithin were among the closest aides of Imam al Akbar Mujaddid al A’zam Ahmad Raza Khan Muhaddith Quadri Barkati Bareilvi.
Baiyah and Khilafa
He took Baiyah in Chishti tariqa at the hands of Shaykh Khwaja Shams al Arifin Chishti Siyalvi and was soon awarded the Khilafa in this Tariqa. He was also the Khalifa of Shaykh al Mashaikh Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki in the Chishti Sabriya tariqa.
He was a strong supporter and promoter of Shaykh al Akbar Muhyuddin ibn Arabi Andulusi’s concept of Wahdat al Wajud. The famous Philosopher and poet Dr Iqbal once sent him a Questionnaire in order to clarify some doubts regarding it.
Haj and Ziyarah
In 1307 A.H /1890 C.E he visited Haramayn for Hajj and Ziyarah and met Shaykh Rahmathullah Muhajir Makki {the founder of Madrasa Sawlatiyya in Makkah al Mukarramah} who was impressed by his knowledge and piety. Shaykh Muhammad Ghazi, the Deputy lecturer at Madrasa Sawlatiyya was so much impressed that he accompanied Shaykh al Islam Pir Sayyid Mehr Ali Shah back to Golrava.
Shaykh al Islam met Shaykh al Mashaikh Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki when the later was delivering lectures explaining the Masnavi of Mawlana Rum. A man from the Audience wanted to clarify the meaning of a certain couplet, upon which Shaykh al Islam with the permission of Shaykh ul Mashaikh explained in such an excellent way that it led Shaykh al Mashaikh into the state of ‘Wajd’ [Ecstasy], afterwards Shaykh al Mashaikh gave him Ijaza and Khilafa in the Chishtiya Sabriya tariqa.
Shaykh al Islam and Fitnahs [Heresies]
>> The Fitnah of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani.
While staying in Makkah Shaykh ul Mashaikh informed Shaykh al Islam the looming fear of Fitnah [Heresy] in the Indian Sub continent.
Shaykh al Mashaikh Haji Imadadullah Muhajir Makki once said: “Soon, a Fitnah [Heresy] is going to rise in India, therefore you should return to your country India, even if you sit quietly in India, then that Fitnah will not spread”.
Shaykh al Islam used to say: “We with our confident thinking interpret this Kashf [Unveiling] of Haji Sahib to be the Fitnah of Mirza Qadiyani”.
In 1317 A.H/1899-1900 Shaykh al Islam wrote ‘Shams al Hadiya’ on the life of the Prophet Isa [Alayhis Salam] against Mirza Qadiyani. The Dajjal of Qadiyan could not answer the book and challenged for a debate. So, Shaykh al Islam and a group of Ahl us Sunnah Scholars reached Shahi Masjid in Lahore, but the Dajjal Mirza did not dare appear.
In the December of 1900 Shaykh al Islam published the Tafsir of Surah al Fatiha titled ‘Ayjaz al Masih’ in Arabic language.
In 1902 C.E, Shaykh al Islam wrote and published his Magnum Opus contribution to Islam and Ahl us Sunnah titled “Sayf al Chistiyai”.
Shaykh al Islam and the Fitnah of Wahhabiya
The Wahhabiya were one of the main reasons for the rise of Fitnah of Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani. The Wahhabi scholars Shaykh Abdul Ahad Khanpuri was very angry with Shaykh al Islam and disliked him because of his Anti Wahhabi stance and under estimating the scholarly calibre and strength of Shaykh al Islam, the Wahhabiya sent 10 questions to him, demanding an answer from him.
Shaykh al Islam refuted and answered these questions in the famous work titled “Al Futuhat al Samadiya” and asked the Wahhabi Scholar Shaykh Abdul Ahad Khanpuri to answer additional 12 questions which were forwarded by him. The Wahhabiya could not answer these questions until now.
Shaykh al Islam also wrote “Ila Kalimat ul Allah” in refutation of the Wahhabiya.
One of the main reasons for the Wahhabiya being angry and revengeful towards Shaykh al Islam was that he, while mentioning the ‘Claimants to Prophet hood’ in the book ‘Sayf al Chistiyai’ mentioned the name of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Najdi along with Musailma Kazzab and Mirzaz Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani.
The chief biographer of Shaykh al Islam Shaykh Fayz Ahmad Fayz writes:
“Hazrat declared Imkan al Kizb [Possibility of lying on part of Allah] to be impossible, Ilm al Ghayb [Knowledge of Unseen] and Sama al Mawta [Hearing of the Dead] to be true and declared Nida [calling] Ya RasulAllah, Ziyarat al Qubur [Visitation of Graves], Tawassul [Intermediation], Istimdad [Asking for Help] from Ambiya wa Awliya and Isal al Sawab [Conveying one’s Reward to the Dead] as permissible”.
Bibliography of Shaykh al Islam’s Works
1. Fatawa Mehriya.
2. Shams al Hadiya.
3. Tahqiq al Haq.
4. Ujala bard Wasila
5. Al Futuhat al Samadiya
6. Ila Kalimat ul Allah fi Bayan Ahl bi Ghayril Allah.
7. Sayf al Chistiyai
Demise
The Shaykh al Islam of Ahl us Sunnah passed away in 1356 A.H/ 1937 C.E and was buried in Golravah. A large dome was constructed upon his blessed grave.
Compiled and Edited by
Basharath Siddiqui Ashrafi
Hyderabad, India.