- Muhammad Qasim Sadiq
-
Muhammad Qasim Sadiq, also known as Baba Ji Sarkar was a Sufi saint who died at the town of Mohra Sharif, near the hill station Murree, now located in Pakistan. His urs is held at this location.[1]
Education
Baba Ji Sarkar acquired his elementary education at home according to the Islamic traditions.
From the very childhood he had established his inquisitive brilliance of mind and thought. For higher education in Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) and Sharia he underwent long journeys to various centres of Islamic learning at the time.
At the early age of twenty he had completed his education in various disciplines of Islam. After education attainments he devoted himself to prayers and preaching the message of Islam.
He also had laid foundation of the Masjid (Mosque) in Murree region where he was Imam of the mosque and used to teach children and deliver daily lectures on different subjects of the religion.
Soon he became famous as a man of great learning. Hundreds of truth-seekers would sit around him and would listen to his beautiful preachings. The light thus started spreading far and wide. His name became known as household name both near and far. This is the glory and fame he attained on the formal side of his education. But still a greater lasting fame was awaiting him. And that was his spiritual height he conquered during his lifetime.
Spiritual Enhancement
Baba Ji Sarkar was a professional wrestler before he became he received his higher Islamic education. He used to win all the competitions and was very famous wrestler. One day when he won the competition as he was coming out of the fighting ring, an old Saint was passing by who said to him "Allah has not created you for this, you have to serve a very big purpose". At this point in his life he stopped wrestling and went to receive his higher education as explained in "His Holiness Baba Ji Sarkar's Education" section.
He felt inside the spiritual thirst for which he travelled on foot many places in search for the spiritual guide. He met Baba Fazal Shah Kalyami of Kalyam Awan (a place near Rawat, Rawalpindi District in Pakistan), who was a Qalandar (Very high spiritual status among Sufis) of his time whose Namaz-e-Janaza (Funeral Prayer) was led by Qutb-al-Aqtab Ala-Hazrat Pir Mehr Ali Shah Sahib of Golra Sharif in Capital Islamabad of Pakistan. Baba Fazal Shah told him that his Bait is not at his hands, he should goto the mountains of Kashmir wher he will found his Murshid. Qalandar Baba Fazal Shah Kalyami also gave him the dried flower and told him to keep it safe whenever this flower will come back to life you will know that you found your Murshid.
Baba Ji Sarkar undertook onfoot journey and received spiritual inspiration from his Murshid (Guide) Ghous-e-Zaman Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia of Kahiyan Sharif in Neelam Valley, Kashmir. The Murshid acquainted his disciple with all the stages of spiritualism at a single glance. And after spending few days at the Dargah of Ghous-e-Zaman Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia, the Baba Ji Sarkar was bestowed with Khilafat and asked by his Murshid to take his sojourn at Mohra Shareef, Murree. At that time this place was not as it looks today. It was the habitat of savage wildlife like leopards, lions, etc.
The Baba Ji Sarkar according to the advice of his Murshid Paak undertook a 40-day spiritual ordeal (chillah). The stone slab on which the Baba Ji Sarkar sat for 40 days (day-and-night) is preserved even today as a relic (Taburrak) at Mohra Shareef. Who new at that time that Fortune was working silentl to bring brilliance and worldwide fame to Mohra Shareef.The place became a permanent abode of Khawaja afterwards. It was here that he spent the rest of his life. Millions of devotees assemble every year at this Centre to pay homage to the auspicious soul of His Highness the Khawaja of the East, Hazrat Pir Muhammad Sadiq (Baba Ji Sarkar) - The Lion of Allah and the Patron Saint of the East.
During his lifetime he brought thousands of Non-Muslims to Islam specially the region of Kashmir including Kotli who was largely inhabitant by Hindus at that time. It was Khawaja who brought these people to Islam.
References
Categories:- Sufi saints
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