AL QURA’AN : Beware ! Verily, the friends of Allah will not have any fear, nor will they grieve (10:62)

Imam Nawawi Radiallahu anhu and also Ibne Majaa Radiallahu anhu reports that when the Holy Prophet Swallalahu alaihi wa aalihi sallam was asked about the characteristics of Awliya, he declared, ‘Allah is remembered when they are seen.’ Hence, if one finds that the company of a pious person generates the thought and love of Allah in your heart, then he is certainly a Wali (caring friend of Allah).

When a true friend discards his qualities and existence for the majestic qualities and divine existence of Almighty Allah, then his links with the universe are severed and his heart never ever indulges in worldly thoughts and benefits. All these become non-existent for him and it’s only the sublime Lord and His attributive status that exists.

True to this description, the patron saint of Silsila e Aaliyah Sharafatiya Mujaddidiya Quadriyah, Hazrat Qiblah Shah Sharafat Ali Miyan Radiallahu anhu, through his valued teachings and radiance of uloom e zaahir o baatin, propagated the true meaning of Tasawwuf, which implies ultimate and definite belief in Allah and complete submission to His will.

Born on the 27th day of the sacred month of Ramadan in Hijri 1310, corresponding to 29th April, 1892, in the blessed moments of Adhahn e Saani of Jumuatul Wadaa, to a fasting, blessed, pious mother Hameeda Khatoon Rahmatullahi alaiha, our patron saint came to this world through a family that reached heights of piety, humbleness, devotion and closeness to Allah.

Being an educated and elite zamindar family of Kakrala, Badayun, this family were referred to for all problems and queries, and presided over arbitration for all issues in the locality. But the elite background was never an impediment to their utmost piety and devotion to Allah and His cause. The patron saint’s father Hazrat Gulam Mustafa Khan Rahmatullahi alaih was a sincere, humble, pious friend of Allah and extremely punctual on prescribed timings of worship. The patron saint’s maternal grandfather Hazrat Gulam Yaseen Khan was the Khatib and Imaam of the ancient Jame Masjid of Kakrala, and a person who never missed his takbeer e oola of Salaah in Jamaat nor did he ever missed his tahajjud prayers for forty years. Such was the pious nature of the family of our patron saint.

Upon completion of his preliminary/primary education at home, Shah Sharafat Ali Miyan Radiallahu anhu joined a local institution for further studies from where he passed out in the year 1911 with top grades and then began teaching in the same institute. His caring, humble nature and prideless attitude was evident from the fact that he made arrangements for ablution in the Masjid and served the worshippers.

His sincere and untiring efforts of Muhasiba, Mujahida, Muraqiba and Mushahida continued and then, his search for a true spiritual guide began. He was blessed by Allah Subhanahu Ta’ala to have a great saint of that era, Hazrat Qiblah Shah Muhammed Basheer Miyan Radiallahu anhu as his master and spiritual guide in June 1926 and the radiance of inner enlightenment began with the sense of Divine taste and satisfaction in his efforts. Hazrat Qiblah Shah Muhammed Basheer Miyan Radiallahu anhu was born in 1859 in Khurasan, Iran and travelled to erstwhile Hind for further enlightenment and later camped in Bareilly in his own Khanqaah. Hazrat Shah Sharafat Ali Miyan Radiallahu anhu then resigned from his teaching obligations in May 1935 and began spending his life in the sohbah of his master and spiritual guide in Bareilly, who in 1936, offered him Khilafah and Ijazah and also made him the Trustee of the Khanqaah. Hazrat Shah Muhammed Basheer Miyan Radiallahu anhu left this mortal world on 27th Jumadil Awwal, 1368 Hijri corresponding to 28th March, 1949 and his muqaam is in Gulabnagar, Bareilly.

Upon his Murshid’s demise, our patron saint established his own Khanqaah on 1st January, 1950 in Mohalla Shahbad, Bareilly. Amongst his personal attributes is that he never ate stomach-full throughout his life. Even from his master’s Khanqaah, he never touched grains or cereals in any form, and survived only on leftover skins of vegetables that were cooked at the langarkhana in the Khanqaah for devotees. He always instructed people of the path of sulook to eat and sleep, bare minimum to attain enlightenment.

His way of guidance was in line to the instruction in the Holy Qura’an of inviting towards the path of Allah with wisdom and refined exhortation in the most decent manner. People flocked from all over the subcontinent to Him to receive his benevolence. Those who led a life of sinfulness and impiety were rightly guided to the path of Allah. His morality, generosity, piety, noble nature influenced millions who became a part of his halaqah and were enriched with Divine blessings.

At the age of 65, he got engrossed and immersed completely into meditation, secluding himself from all worldly affairs. He stopped eating, drinking and talking for days. His face shone and enlightened with the radiance of his ibadah in such a way, that an ordinary vision couldn’t bear its sight for more than a few seconds. Finally, on Tuesday, after Eisha prayers, on the 10th of Rabi ul Awwal, 1389 Hijri corresponding to 27th May, 1969, he left this mortal world. His Urs is celebrated on the 9th, 10th and 11th of Rabi ul Awwal every year in Bareilly and all across the subcontinent. His legacy is being carried out with prompt and utmost care by his Khalifa and Custodian, Shaykh Muhammed Saqalain Miyan Qiblah Hafizahullah.

He has accorded Khilafat and Ijazah to the following fortunate persons :
1. His son, Maulana Sufi Shah Shujaat Ali Miyan Alaihirrahma, Kakrala
2. His grandson and Custodian, Shaykh Muhammed Saqalain Miyan Huzoor Qiblah
3. Haji Shah Abdul Gani Sharafati Alaihirrahma, Karachi
4. Hazrat Shah Imtiyaz Ali Alaihirrahma, Karachi
5. Maulvi Shah Wasiuddin Alaihirrahma, Sambhal
6. Hakeem Sajjad Hussain Alaihirrahma, Bareilly