Biography of Syed Abul Hassan (Data Ganj Bakash)and his shrine | داتا گنج بخش اور ان کا مزار

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Biography of Syed Abul Hassan (Data Ganj Bakash)and his shrine

Asslamoalaikum sisters brothers friends and elders, we are describing Biography of Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri Hanafi, about and his shrine.

His name is Ali, his Kunniyat (patronym) is Abul Hasan and his father’s name is Uthman ibn Ali or Bu Ali. His regional link is al-Jalabi sum al-Hujwiri. Jalab and Hujwayr are two areas in the region of Ghazni in modern day Afghanistan.

He is a direct descendant of Sayyiduna Imam Hasan ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). His genealogical chain goes back eight generations to Sayyiduna Mawla Ali (Karramallah wajhu).
1 Hazrat Sayyid Ali ibn
2 Hazrat Sayyid Uthman ibn Ali
3 Hazrat Sayyid Ali
4 Hazrat Sayyid Abdur Rahman
5 Hazrat Sayyid Shah Shujaa
6 Hazrat Sayyid Abul Hasan Ali
7 Hazrat Sayyid Hussain Asghar
8 Hazrat Sayyid Zayd Shaheed
9 Hazrat Sayyiduna Imam Hasan (Radi Allahu Anhu)
10 Hazrat Ali al-Murtaza (Karramullah wajhu)
May Allah be pleased with them all

Most historians are of the opinion that he was born at the start of the fifth Islamic century, in the year 400 AH/1010 CE.
Place of birth His father was from Jalab and his mother from Hujwayr. When his father passed away he then moved to Hujwayr his mother’s home town hence why he is known as Jalabi sum al-Hujwiri. His father is buried next to Daata Sahib’s maternal uncle Taaj ul Awliyaa (may Allah shower His mercy upon him). His family was well known for its asceticism and piety. Dr. Mawlana
Muhammad Shafi writes that the grave can be found in Ghazni today.

His Murshid or spiritual guide was Hazrat Abul Fazl Muhammad ibn al Hasan al-Khuttali (may Allah shower His mercy upon him). His chain reaches Sayyiduna Mawla Ali (Karramallah wajhu) through nine personalities. They are:
1 Hazrat Sayyid Ali Hujwiri
2 Hazrat Abul Fazl Muhammad ibn al Hasan al-Khuttali
3 Shaykh Abul Hasan Hisri
4 Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli
5 Shaykh Junaid Baghdadi
6 Shaykh Siri Saqti
7 Shaykh Mahroof Karki
8 Shaykh Dawood Ta’i
9 Shaykh Habib Ajami
10 Shaykh Hasan al-Basri
11 Hazrat Mawla Ali (Karamullah wajhu)
May Allah be pleased with them all.

His guide’s spiritual chain was Junaidiya and Daata Sahib was proud of being of that chain. Professor Schukovski writes that the Junaidiya chain’s school of thought was that of sobriety
(Sakr) as is in opposition to that of Shaykh Bayazid Bistami’s position of intoxication (Sahv).

His famous title is Daata Ganj Baksh. Some are of the opinion that this title was given to him five centuries after his demise i.e. in the ninth Islamic Century. Others have commented that
according to his book Kashful Asrar this title became popular during his lifetime. The truth of the matter is that with his arrival in Lahore he was already well known and acquainted with
the title of Daata Ganj Baksh and this remains true till this very day centuries after his passing away from this mortal world. The words of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1141-
1230CE) which is known throughout the world professes to this title Ganj baksh faiz e aalam mazhar e noor e khuda Naakisara peer e kamil kamila ra rahnuma The 'treasure of forgiveness', whose blessing is all over the world, is a manifestation of the
Light of Allah

He is the perfect master for the spiritually destitute; the guide of the perfect! His journeys, education and spiritual training and upbringing He gained knowledge and spiritual training from the following people:

Hazrat Abul Fazl Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Khuttali
Shaykh Abul Qasim Abdul Karim ibn Hawazin al-Qushayri
Imam Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Ashqani
Shaykh Abu Sa’id al-Khayr
Shaykh Abu Ahmad al-Muzaffar ibn Ahmad ibn Hamdan
Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Qassab
Shaykh Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn al-Misbah al-Saydalani
Shaykh Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ali al-Dastani
Shaykh Abul Qasim ibn Ali ibn Abdullah Gurgani
May Allah be pleased with them all

He spent most of his life journeying in pursuit of knowledge and spiritual enhancement. He travelled extensively and his journeying is mentioned in his classic Kashful Mahjub. The
places he visited include modern day Iraq, Syria, Iran, Azerbaijan, the Holy Hijaz and many of the current central Asian states. In Khurasan alone he met three hundred shaykhs. He was
particularly influenced by Hazrat Shaykh Abul Hasan ibn Saliba, Shaykh Abu Ishaq Shahriyar, Khwaja Ahmad Hamadi Sarkisi and Shaykh Ahmad Najjar, may Allah be pleased with them all.

The political climate during the times of Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh The Abbasid Caliphate was ruling from Baghdad during the time of Sayyid Daata Ganj Baksh Ali Hujwiri.

This was a time of relevant political and spiritual calm despite the presence of the Buwayids, Fatamids, and Karamta’s. As we have seen this was a time of spiritual renewal and Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh in Khurasan alone met three hundred Shaykhs. Sultan Mahmood of Ghazna raided India several times through Lahore but never included it within his empire. In 412 AH, Lahore’s Raja Inderpal was defeated and Sultan Mahmood included the city within his realm and gave the city a governor. The rulers of the Ghaznawi Empire during the lifetime of Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh were Sultan Mahmud Ghaznawi, Masud Maudood; Masud II, Ali, Abdul Rashid Tugrul and Farkzaad Ibrahim. The governors of Lahore in this timer period were Malik Ayaz, al-Yaruk and Ahmad Nayaal Takeen. Qazi Abul Hasan Ali Shirazi was Qazi of the time.
His propagation of Islam and his sayings Prior to Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (may Allah shower His mercy upon him) Shaykh Ismail
Lahori (d.448 AH) was spreading the Islamic faith to the people of Lahore but the personality that spread the message of Islam to the whole of the Indian Subcontinent from Lahore was
without doubt Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh. He settled in Lahore where we now find his resting place and with his own money brought the adjoining land to build a mosque. From there he
would teach people and propagate the Islamic faith to the Lahoris. He kept himself busy in teaching the Qur’an and Hadith to his disciples and followers. His propagation was helped by
his kindness and humanity to everyone that came to see him. As a result many people converted to Islam. Thousands of ignoramus people became scholars and morally corrupt people became beacons of light and humanity within their own right. Rai Raju (the Governor of Lahore when Daata Sahib first appeared in Lahore) became a Muslim at his blessed hands and devoted the remainder of his life at his footsteps. He was given the title of Shaykh Hindi.

It is said that at the Mizar Sharif (shrine) of Daata Sahib, the Mujawireen (constant attendees of a shrine) are Shaykh Hindi’s descendants. The message of Daata Sahib reached far and
wide initially from Lahore to the rest of the Punjab and to the Indian subcontinent as a whole. The truth of the matter is that his shrine is the biggest and most significant Mizar in the whole of the Indian Subcontinent (i.e. Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh). This is because some of the leading and well known Awliya of his time and thereafter have paid homage and due respect to him. These personalities include no other than Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri Sanjari, Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masud Ganj Shakar and Hazrat Mujadid Alfe-Saani Shaykh Ahmed al-Sirhindi (may Allah shower His mercy upon them). If Lahore is known today and is associated by something it is by Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh. Lahore is famously known as Daata ki Nagri.

The historians disagree about the marital status of Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (may Allah shower His mercy upon him). Some observers say that his parents got him married twice. After the death of his first wife he remained single for 11 years. He married a second time but she died a year later. Much is not known in detail about the life of Hazrat Daata Ganj Baskh.In Kashful Mahjub, the sections about his marriage and separation are very brief so it is hard to ascertain how his life was spent.

Historians have also differed on the issue of Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh’s year of passing. According to Safina tul Awliya it was 454 or 464 AH. In Samaratul Qudus it is given as 456AH. In Khazinatul Asfiya it is 464 or 466 AH. R A Nicholson says it was 465 or 469 AH but on his Mizar Sharif, Jaami Lahori (may Allah shower His mercy upon him) has written 465AH. According to Doctor Maulvi Muhammad Shafi, who has researched the names and
biographies of those mentioned in Kashful Mahjub, Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh was still alive in 479 AH. Abdul Hayy Habibi goes even further and says that he died between 481 and 500AH. His Urs is marked on 19th Safar every year in Lahore with great devotion from people not only from Pakistan but across the world.

He passed away in Lahore and is buried where he spent his entire Lahori life in the propagation of Islam. His Mizar Sharif is found on the Western side of the old fortified part of
this historic city. The Ghaznawi ruler Sultan Ibrahim Masud Ghaznawi (451/1059-492/1099) was the first to build a shrine over his grave. Since then countless changes, renovations,
extensions have taken place on his blessed Mizar and the adjoining mosque. In recent times the Awqaaf of the Punjab Government have taken steps to renovate and beautify even further this holy site. As a result of the Daata Darbar Complex (Phase II), the mosque and Mizar Sharif perimeters reach till the Lower Mall. The complex is adorned and decorated in rich
calligraphy of Allah Almighty’s Holy names, the names of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and many other verses and sayings. The Daata Darbar Complex can accommodate over 50,000 worshippers at a time. The complex is now well equipped to meet the needs of worshippers and visitors with ample space and facilities. The Markaz Marif Awliya and Jamia Hujwiriya are part of the Daata Darbar Complex where
various religious, spiritual and moral activities take place in various forms, including seminars that take place in a purpose built hall. The University of Punjab have established an “Ali
Hujwiri Chair” in honour of his teachings and works. There is a Sayyid Ali Hujwiri

He was a scholar and expert of Tasawwuf and not a person of Silsila per se hence why he did not initiate his own Silsila. In Kashful Mahjub when he talks about wrong and misguided Sufi
groups, he says that he wouldn’t like for people after him to do wrong things and attach and associate it with him and thus blame him, a clear reason why his Silsila is not in existence
today. Shaykh Hindi and his companions Hazrat Abu Sa’id Hujwiri and Hammad Sarksari (may Allah be pleased with them) are his successors and Khalifas. Great Shaykhs like Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti, Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masud Ganj Shakr and Mujadid Alfe-eSaani Shaykh Ahmad al-Sirhindi (may Allah be pleased with them all) by virtue of their visitations and presence at Daata Sahib’s Darbar made them his successors.

Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh was a great writer and poet. His famous works include: Kashful Mahjub, Diwan-e-She'r, Kitab Fana Wa Baqa, Israrul Kharq Wal-Mauniyat, Birri'ayat Be-Huqooq-Ullah, Al-Bayan Lahal- Al-Ayan Behrul Quloob Minhajuddin, Sharah-e-Kalam, Kashful Asrar,Of these books only Kashful Mahjub and Kashful Asrar are obtainable.

Allah Hafiz
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