The 13th-century preacher Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin Masud Gunja Shakar was a mystic and one of the most beloved and revered Muslim mystics of the medieval era. His teachings on love, peace and compassion remain the foundation of Islam today.
Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin
Hazrat Khwaja Fariddin Masud Gunj Shakar was born in Kothewal village, Punjab, Pakistan. He was the descendant of Farrukh Shah Kabuli, the king of Afghanistan who was killed by the Mongol hordes in Kabul. His grandfather fled Afghanistan to settle in Punjab in 1125.
His father, Hazrat Qutbuddin, r.a., gave him the task of performing “Chilla-e-Maakoos” for forty days. This was a tough test of faith, and one that Sufis rarely took on. However, he completed it in his steadfastness. The test involved hanging his feet from a sturdily rooted branch.
Hazrat Khwaja Fariddin had a deep admiration for Hazrat Sheikh Shahabuddin Suhrawardi. He was impressed by the angelic qualities of the holy man. The holy man also had a deep spiritual understanding and possessed an unmatched religious knowledge.
Hazrat Khwaja Fariddin Masud Gunj Shakar was an influential Sufi preacher. He was a member of the Chishti Order, which was founded in Chisht, Afghanistan, around 930 CE. He is regarded as one of the greatest Sufi poets in Punjab.
The great Hazrat Qutbuddin’s disciple, Hazrat Khwaja Farid Gunj Shakar, had the rare opportunity to travel widely throughout Islamic countries. His life was enriched by his association with Hazrat Khwaja Moin-ud-din.
His son Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki was his spiritual successor. In 1235, he went on a journey to Ajodhan, stopping in Faridkot, which is now known as Tilla Baba Farid. The Baba Farid Aagman Purb Mela is celebrated here each September.
Ganj Shakar
The relics of Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin Masud Gunj Shakar are found on the premises of the Dargah Masjid, Hansi. Besides his relics, the shrine has a large collection of artifacts. The collection includes relics of great saints and beggars, and a number of other valuable artifacts.
During his lifetime, Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin maintained a daily fast and a nightly devotional programme. Even when he was sick, he would complete two readings of the Holy Quran every day, including the day of Eid. He wept during each reading, out of fear for God, and performed many mujahedas.
Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin was the founder of the Chishti Sufi order in Pakistan, which is a subset of Islam. His lineage is dated back to the fourth Caliph Hazrat Ali ibn-e-talib.
He was known for his rigourous Mujahidas. In one of his Mujahedas, Khwaja Fariduddin was hung upside-down in a well, only being pulled up to perform salaah and ordinary devotions. These arduous Mujahidas helped him reach the highest spiritual heights.
Khwaja Fariduddin’s tomb was constructed under the supervision of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya. The tomb is open to pilgrims throughout the day. It is a popular pilgrimage site for hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year in Pak Pattan, Pakistan.
Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin Gunj Shakar’s tomb is located in the Pakpattan district of Punjab. It is important to note that women cannot visit the tomb. However, Benazir Bhutto, then Prime Minister of Pakistan, was permitted to visit the shrine. Another prominent pilgrim is Hajjah Kainz Hussain of Jhelum, the wife of the late Haji Manzoor Hussain. She was granted Chaddar for her visit.
In addition to his ‘Alums’, Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin was also known as a ‘Khilafat’, a turban which signifies recognition. He also wore white earrings to symbolize his devotion to Allah.
Once Baba Farid decided to take his mother to Ajodhan, he sent his younger brother to accompany him. The younger brother, Sheikh Najibuddin Mutawakkil, escorted his mother on horseback and later on foot. They placed her under a shady tree. Then, sheikh Najibuddin Mutawakkil returned to Ajodhan to find her, and she died in the process.
Hazrat Khwaja Farid-ud-Din Masood Gunj Shakar’s humble, yet charismatic manner of educating others won him the respect of many. He also cultivated social relations with non-muslim religious thinkers in the Subcontinent, which led to deep understanding between scholars of various disciplines. Ultimately, his humble, but persuading personality absorbed a number of tribes into Islam.
This town is a historical site. The town was first conquered by Sultan Ibrahim of Ghazni in 1079 AD/473 AH. It had a large Muslim population at that time. In the years following, Hazrat Baba Farid’s spiritual light transformed Ajodhan into a centre of Divine Knowledge. His Khanqah served as an Islamic university, and thousands of aspirants flocked to receive guidance from him. The town was later renamed Pakpattan by Emperor Akbar.
