Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki: Spiritual Heads and Their Effects on the Idea of India
By Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
28 May 2021
Khwaja
Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, the Spiritual Successor of Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri
(RA) – A True Representative of Indian Pluralistic Culture
Main
Points:
1. ‘Idea of
India’ is based on the universality of the mix of religious, cultural and
social ethos.
2. Freedom of
religion is a unique identity of India from the ancient days to this modern
times.
3. Khwaja
Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki brought India together by culturally mixing all the
religions through the festivals like Phool Walon Ki Sair
4. Mahatma
Gandhi was one of the famous visitors at Dargah of Qutub Sahib asking his favour.
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Spiritualism
and Its Effect on the Idea of India
‘Idea of
India’ is based on the universality of the mix of religious, cultural and
social ethos. In other words, India belongs to every religion and its followers
who reside here. The religious, cultural and social identity of the citizens of
India is the identity of India. India has always welcomed every religion and
sects and has created opportunities for them to get mixed in its cultural
milieu. Freedom of religion is a unique identity of India from the ancient days
to this modern times.
Indian
history is full of spiritual teachings of pluralism, brotherhood and cultural
mix by religious leaders of almost every faith and religion. India is taken as
a spiritual destination for its lessons in spiritualism. India’s 'unity in
diversity attracts the world population because it is the soul of Indian
secularism that is based on equality, a basic lesson of spiritualism.
The unseen
power of spiritualism spread all over the Indian environment is the shield that
looks after its boundaries and the citizens, it seems. To date, India faced
various kinds of political and social upheavals and came out victorious and
stronger than before. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist and Jain mystics
are spread in all the nook and corner of the country. Their spiritual teachings
may differ in language and style but the message has been the same – that of
love, compassion, truth, honesty and benevolence. Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar
Kaki (RA) was one such Sufi mystic who was adorned by all the communities
alike.
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (RA)
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Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (RA) Made India His Home
In Osh,
Kyrgyzstan was born a child who introduced India to the ethos of religious and
social pluralism and helped bring it together culturally mixing the festivals
of all the religions through the festivals like Phool Walon Ki Sair (a festival
of flower-sellers) in autumn. It has taken the form of annual festivities where
people of every religion, caste and creed gather to rejoice. Phool Walon Ki
Sair is famous in various countries as an exclusive interfaith festival
celebrated in the national capital of India. The name of this modest and poor
child is Qutb ul Aqtab Khwaja Sayyid Muhammad Bakhtiyar AlHussaini Qutbuddin
Bakhtiar Kaki (Urdu قطب الدین محمد بختیار کاکی). Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (RA) left for his heavenly
abode in 1235 (aged 61–62) in Dehli,
Delhi Sultanate.
The soulful
demise of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (RA) a Sunni Muslim Sufi mystic,
saint and scholar of the Chishti Order left a void in the Sufi world that was
filled by none other than Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj Shakar (RA), his student and
spiritual successor, adored by Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus of the Punjab Region.
Khwaja
Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki and His Miracle
Khwaja
Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (RA) got his name ‘Kaki’ through an spiritual legendry
story of his poverty. Kaki (RA) and his family were so poor that his wife had
to sometimes borrow bread from a baker for their livelihood. It is said that he
never liked his wife taking credit for livelihood. One day when the baker
refused to oblige and discourteously turned his wife away and when this
incident came to the notice of Hazrat Kaki (RA) he miraculously created bread
(Kaki) to feed his family. He asked his wife to go to a particular corner of
his house and take bread from there whenever need. As we know miracles normally
disappear once it is told to anyone else. So happened with this miracle also.
When for several days Kaki (RA)’s wife did not go to the baker, he thought that
Khwaja is angry with him. He got worried and went to his home to know the
reason. On pleading to let him know the reason, Kaki (RA)’s wife told him of
the miracle. From that day ‘the Kaki’ stopped appearing but Khwaja Qutbuddin
Bakhtiyar Kaki (RA) got the title of ‘Kaki’.
Khwaja
Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki and
Spiritualism of India
Before
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki’s advent to Delhi Sufism in India was limited
to Ajmer Sharif and Nagaur. Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki spread mysticism
and spiritualism of his spiritual master Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri (RA)
in India establishing his base in Mehrauli, Delhi. His spiritual master Khwaja
of Ajmer to this date is adored by people of every religion residing all over
the world. Those who know Khwaja of Ajmer know Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki
(RA) as well. Hazrat Kaki (RA)’s importance in the linage of Sufism can be
gauged from the fact that according to custom everyone who visits Ajmer has to
first visits Qutub Sahib, as Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (RA) is popularly known.
After that, the visitor to Ajmer Sharif is required to visit Hazrat Nizamuddin
Aulia (RA) at Nizamuddin Basti located in South Delhi.
Dargah of
Qutub Sahib is considered the oldest Dargah in Delhi. This Dargah is visited
every day by his inter-religious followers in large numbers to seek his
blessings for worldly gains and spiritual awakening. The Urs held at his Dargah
adjacent to Zafar Mahal in Mehrauli located in South Delhi still witnesses the
followers of every religion and faith asking for his favour by tying a thread
near his grave. As the story goes, the wish-seeker has to come back again after
his wish is fulfilled and untie the thread he had tied. Countless colourful
threads tied near the grave presents an unexplainable scene of the spiritual
leaning of the people.
Qutbuddin
Bakhtiyar Kaki (RA)’s universal appeal of pluralism, brotherhood and love for
the poor and needy opened unknown chapters of Islam that introduced the power
of spiritualism, in India. His teachings started a Sufi movement that attracted
people of every religion and faith undermining the discrimination of every kind
present in the society.
Dargah
of Qutub Sahib and Its Famous Visitors
The annual
congregation (Urs) held at his Dargah was visited by the rulers of Delhi like Qutbuddin
Aibak, Shamshuddin Iltutmish, Sher Shah Suri and Bahadur Shah I in the
past. Lodhi dynasty (1451 to 1526) also held Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar
Kaki (RA) in high esteem as their favourite saint.
Father of
the Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi, popularly known as Bapu also visited
the Dargah of Qutub Sahib on 18 January 1948, nine days after he broke his last
fast and perhaps asking Khawaja Saheb to bring sanity in Delhi which was
burning in the hatred of religiosity.
People of
every religion like Hindus, Christians and Sikhs, etc. visit his Dargah almost
every day and receive his blessings, like before. His teachings of respect and love for the
human being irrespective of his religious and faith following is not limited to
India only rather the whole world preaches and practices it to strengthen its
spiritual understanding and power.
Since we
all know ignorance is the root of all societal evils and knowledge is its cure,
we should consider what Qutub Saheb said on the importance of knowledge:
If people were to understand the importance of
Knowledge they leave all other work and seek knowledge. Since Knowledge is like
a cloud that rains mercy, one who gets to this cloud is purified of all sins.
Hazrat Khawaja Syed Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki
(RA)
And
Allah knows the best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/bakhtiyar-kaki-spiritual-idea-india/d/124896
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