A Critical Analysis of Persian Poetry of Shah Turab Ali Qalandar

Abstract

"Shah Turab Ali Qalander"Muslim Sufi ideology had been spread by the saints who came from various Islamic countries. The cultural and religious atmosphere of India was very favourable for Sufism which has a power to move the minds towards humanity and philanthropy. Quran teaches us that we must love God vehemently and the effect of which produces love for his creations. Sufis in their effort followed the commands of Almighty. They tried to come near all sorts of human beings and understood their agonies and yearnings. They had the power to absorb the sadness of others in them and infuse a spirit of joy so that a congenial society may be formed.The spiritual orders in which people enter through someone who has the capability of evoking conscience. They not only make men by nature human but they try to inculcate a spirit among all which they obtained from the teachings of Islam. They had been closely following the religion which was then prevailing over the society. They adopted the good aspects of other religions and amalgamated such views with their own ideology such kind of noble scheme brought the mankind near to each other. This became the basis of integration and communal harmony.Shah Mohammad Kazim Qalander established a shrine at Kakori about two hundred years ago to spread the message of humanity and to find out the solution of the problems of human beings around. It has captured the hearts so much so that even today the place is famous as a Solace where people gather and find the balm for their wounds and cure of their diseases which had penetrated not only body but the souls as well.Shah Kazim Qalander lit a candle which spread light of learning and kindled the inner self of those who came to him in quest of real knowledge. Shah Kazim Qalander made his eldest son as his spiritual heir and thus he acquired the holy seat of his father. Shah Turab Ali Qalander eldest son of Shah Qazim Qalander excelled in all spheres of Sufi system. He diffused the knowledge that he attained from his spiritual guide and from his father for a long time from this holy place and became famous almost throughout the world.Shah Turab Ali Qalander excelled in every aspect of the Sufi ideology his father so long established for which a separate article is needed.Then came Shah Haider Ali Qalander who was born in 1791 was a guide of the knowledge of the ultimate reality. Internally he was a reformer who showed the right path to the believers. No desire to be famous he sat in the corner as son fixed in the definite sphere and scatter splendour upon known and unknown universes. He attained tranquillity of soul due to the satisfaction after getting knowledge of God. After his father he lived for a short time of about 9 years but before his becoming the head of the Khanqah he accomplished so many by his light of learning. During the period of his headship his younger brother Shah Taqi Ali Qalander shouldered his responsibilities and imparted knowledge to those who had a desire to know the secrets of the universe and nature. He was a consummate scholar of mysticism.Shah Ali Akbar Qalander was the 3rd head of the system after Shah Mohammad Kazim Qalander who founded the monastery. Shah Ali Akbar Qalander due to attributes of universal appeal that he had attracted a large number of people and maintained the spiritual traditions up rightly. Following the Islamic law he brought into practice the mystic way into practice and blended it so happily that it became appealing to all.Shah Ali Anwar Qalander was succeeded by his father Shah Ali Akbar Qalander who headed the Khanqah for 30 years. He started educating the devotees of Khanqah even during the period of his father and achieved fame as a great Sufi and a scholar. He wrote number of books which became reference volumes as far as mysticism is concerned. No one had written so much and so valuable before him. His eminence even reached to the abroad and established the reputation of Khanqah-e-Kazimya.Shah Habeeb Haider Qalander,7th sajjadanashin of the Khanqah. The period of Shah Habeeb Haider Qalander can be called the Renaissance of the shine. He had all those qualities which a Sufi must possess such as humbleness, humanity, forbearance, mercy, love and concord. He was a glaring example of a perfect human being who devoted his whole life to the service of humanity. He was a picture of self denial. Shah Habeeb Haider Qalander was a very charming person as far as his physical appearance is concerned. People came closure to the system in large number after casting glance upon his enchanting face and became his follower. He lived for 54 years and remained the head of the shrine for 30 years during which he toiled hard to maintain the traditions and promote the spiritual system. Shah Habeeb Haider Qalander had no son to succeed him. He had a daughter but since a male member could only succeed the pious seat so after his demise his younger brother next to him Shah Taqi Haider Qalander had succeed his elder brother. The custom was for the time being changed as his own elder son was under age and just started the prescribed syllabus of the shrine. Shah Taqi Haider Qalander was so knowledgeable that he was titled as ocean of knowledge. He compiled, authored and modified so many books of high order on Sufi ideologydespite his prolonged illness and so many physical problems. He gave his valuable time to only learning and gaining spiritual perfection and educating people the mystic practices which were hard to follow but he made it comprehensive for a common man. After five years of his tenure he also left for his heavenly abode. Still his son had to complete his studies and still his age was less than required. So Shah Ali Haider Qalander the youngest brother of Shah Habeeb Haider Qalander became Sajjadanashin and educated his nephews. Shah Ali Haider Qalander was an expert of Genealogy and his book “Tazkira-e-mashaheer-e-Kakori” earned fame for him. He was a great admirer of the family of Prophet and wrote volumes on Hazrat Ali [the cousin, companion and son in law of Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.] with authentic references from the history of Islam. Shah Ali Haider Qalander left a will in which he restored the custom that the eldest son will be the head of spiritual system and ‘Mutawalli’ to manage the affairs of Khanqah. According to that will Shah Mustafa Haider Qalander followed the commands of his uncle and became Sajjadanashin. He continued to be the same for 56 years. He left the world in October 2003. During his lifetime his eldest son Shah Ainul Haider alias Zia mian finished the prescribed course and learnt well the spiritual practices. Seeing his abilities his father in 1971 declared him as his spiritual heir and proclaimed him as his great vicegerent. He also had clad him in holy dress belonged to his sacred predecessors. This was told by Dr. Abrar Ahmed of Kanpur who was witness and present there at that point of time. Zia Mian inherited the endurance from him father and it was put to test after he became the head of the spiritual establishment. Patience and total dependence on God is that opulence which can be   ascertained by those who do not have it and who do not have inner satisfaction. Despite having enough wealth to live, people are not satisfied for they are not internally peaceful. They do not get tranquility which satisfaction of soul provides.Reverse to this situation, some godly persons due to their self-denial, true worship to God, philanthropy, truthfulness, virtues, get the power to not only attain that intrinsic pleasure, but they are competent enough to infuse this spirit into the within of others. Moreover, because of which they have large crowd around them.However, sometimes they live in wilderness yet people come to them and that wilderness becomes an abode of such people. They are called Sufis and their heart throbs just to serve humanity. The more they render their services to humanity the more they rise high spiritually.Hazrat Shah Mohammad Kazim Qalander who after attaining perfection from his spiritual guide settled in a graveyard at Kakori district Lucknow, and started spreading the message of humanity, the place is now called Takiya Sharif Kazmia, Kakori.All Sufis firmly believe and preach Quranic verses in which God instructs Prophet to declare that let them be on their faith and believers should stick to their faith, which clearly means Islam allows no clash based on faith.Since Sufis are broad minded and loving therefore the people of different beliefs come to them. In Kakori Hindus visit in large number due to the loving and humanitarian approach and all embracing ideology. This Khanqah is a pride of a democratic and secular nation. All heads of this pious institution presented the real picture of Islam, which is a religion of love, concord and kindness, and never allows oppressing the faith of others. The divine favours are for everyone, for Allah is a creator and preserver of the world known and unknown. This ideology of integration has been successfully practices and implemented by Sufis, who conjoin all with one thread of love.Maharaja Tikait Rai a disciple of Shah Kazim Qalander, was a minister in the court of Nawab Asif-ud-daula of Awadh, laid the foundation stone of this monastery and below the ground level of this Khanqah (monastery) intense devotion of a Hindu eternally found place.The founder of Kakori monastery Shah Kazim Qalander and his son Shah Turab Ali Qalander composed marvels in poetry, in praise of Lord Krishna. Aesthetic perfection of his personality stands revealed in their words. Krishna who playfully showered the colours of ultimate reality through his flute and through his lovable actions with his mates and implied the justification of the pleasant union with the loved one and at the same time separation with the object lie deep in the heart. He is a symbol of selflessness and perfection of love. While in Bhagwad Gita we see the flow