Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz Calls With (Shaan) Grace

Syed Salman Chishti(Middle)-Promoting Love,Peace and Through Sufi culture.  

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

“When Khwaja wants you, he calls you to Ajmer with grace,

Then, he blesses you for your presence at his last resting place,

At his shrine, you feel charisma of Spirituality and Chishtia Hospitality,

And your heart fills with love and a burning desire to serve humanity. “

The blogger has composed the above quadrate based on his conversation with young Sajjada Nasheen of Dargah Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz Haji Salman Chishti during my recent visit to Ajmer. Though I met Salman Bhai for the first time but the way he received and treated me was enough to prove as to why Chishtia hospitality is considered matchless. Salman Bhai had no information about my arrival as I was not known to him personally. On my way to Ajmer from Jaipur, I suddenly made a call to my Mumbai -based friend Sameer who looks after the activities of Madariya Sufi Foundation and has been ceaselessly working for developing a network of different Sufi orders. Upon coming to know about my Ajmer visit, a delighted Sameer asked me to meet his brother like friend Salman Bhai positively. He described him as a well read person and told me about his lectures on Sufism at the leading universities at the world. He immediately spoke to Salman Bhai, briefed about me and again called me up to let me know Salman was eagerly looking forward to my arrival. I felt touch of Chishtia hospitality when I received a call from Salman Bhai himself to find out how far I was from Ajmer and how many persons were accompanying me. On coming to know I was only a few Kms away, he asked me to SMS by vehicle’s registration number. A few minutes later I received SMS from him that my vehicle has been given security clearance and I can drive right up to Nizam Gate. He also personally spoke to the police official when a lady constable did not acknowledge the clearance due to some confusion.  

To be honest, I had not attached much importance to the entry of my vehicle up to the Nizam Gate. But I soon realized its significance the moment I passed an old gate to find the road leading to Nizam gate full of devotees. Due to congestion most of them were moving close to Nizam gate inch my inch. The moment Salman Bhai saw my car, he waived his hands with excitement from the steps of the majestic gate and immediately sent a youth to escort my group. The moment I thanked him for the trouble he took, he silenced me with a smile, saying “Khwaja Jab Bulate Hain, Badi Shaan Se Bulate Hain aur Phir Aap Ko Koi Aisa tohfa Bhi Zaroor Dete Hain. Sabse Pahle Aap Ziyarat Kijily aur Phir Chishtia Dastarkhwan Ka Maza Lijiye Jo Baise Taskeen-e-Rooh Hoga.” It were these words from his mouth that prompted me compose the quadrate to highlight that whatever Salman Bhai claimed was experienced by me in totality. Despite my unexpected arrival and his awfully busy schedule due to ongoing construction work of his library at Chishtia Manzil ,he remained with my group comprising of my wife Dr.Hena Zaheer, Cousin Meesum Rizvi and a part of my extended secular family Shashank Awasthi and Deepak Kelkar.

He personally took care of offerings to be made at the blessed shrine and then facilitated our stay near the holy grave of Khwaja Sahab in the most relaxed manner. His company allowed us to pay our heartfelt to the Sufi  whose only religion was love and service to humanity. As a descendant of holy Prophet’s family, Khwaja only preached love and strived to mitigate hardships of down trodden throughout his life. His shrine continues to be a source of livelihood to destitute and offers solution to the problems of those who flock to his door step in search of mental peace. Words can never describe the feeling of tranquility one experiences close to his Mazar-e-Aqdas despite huge crowd of devotees and hustle-bustle. My entire group felt the same way and a strange excitement enveloped all of us. Then, we experienced Chishtia hospitality at the house of Salman Bhai and more than the dishes, it was our host’s affectionate request to have more that filled not our stomachs but the heart with immense and unforgettable love for Khwaja and his Khadims who sincerely try to greet each devotee the way Khwaja treated in his life time. Salman Bhai who also showed us personally the attractions of Dargah,is surely carrying on Chishtia legacy and trying to offer love as the only solution to the terror-shattered modern world. It was he who really made me feel that Khwaja Sahab really summoned me to Ajmer. This was my fourth  visit to Ajmer with the first being in 1971 , followed by second in 1989 and third in 1992 when I could not perform Ziyarat due to riot at Ajmer. Since then, I repeatedly made plans to be at the shrine of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz but none materialized. Hence, when I found myself finally at the shrine I simply felt a long cherished dream turning into a reality. Then, the words of Salman Bhai removed all my apprehensions when he said ‘Khwaja calls with grace and bless. May Allah bless salman Bhai with a long life and grant success to his ongoing endeavors through Chishtia Foundation to show the true face of Islam . Ameen.