Khalifatullah Mehdi AS

Siddiq-e-Akbar - Hazrath Sani Mahdi^RZ

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Siddiq-e-Akbar

Dilband-e-Pidar, Bibi Ilahditi^RZ ka Jaya¹

By
Hazrat Syed Ibrahim Bichpadi

English Translation by
Hazrat Syed Ziaullah Yadullahi

"The remembrance of the Prophets is the ibadat [worship] of God and where and when the Virtuous are remembered the Mercy of God descends on the speakers and the listeners or the writers and readers, and such remembrances become the expiation of the sins."

This is the sacred utterance of our Leader and our Apostle, Hazrat Prophet Muhammad Mustafa^SLM, reported by his august companion, Hazrat Ma'az bin Jabal^RZ.

The author of Tarikh-e-Sulaimani writes: "The Perfect among the Pious, Second only to the Seal of the Saints, Lord of the Virtues and Morals of the Sainthood, Revealer and Explorer of Much More than the Guidance, Admired by the Loving Lord [God], the Truthful and Successor of Hazrat Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS, Hazrat Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ, known as Sani-e-Mahdi^RZ was born in the city of Jaunpur when Hazrat Imam^AS was 20 or 22. The age of the Mother of the Truthful, Hazrat Bibi Ilahditi^RZ was 14 years. The year of the birth of Hazrat Syed Mahmood^RZ was 867 AH according to one narrative. According to another narrative, it was 869 AH.

History is witness to the fact that after the birth of Hazrat Sani-e-Mahdi^RZ Allah Most High commanded Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS thus:

"O Syed Muhammad! The name of Our Friend [Prophet Muhammad^SLM] is Mahmood in the Empyrean [or the Highest Heaven]. Hence, We have bestowed the same name to the newborn. Name him, therefore, as Mahmood." In obedience to the divine command, Hazrat Imam Syed Muhammad Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS named the newborn as 'Syed Mahmood' and after the demise of the Imam^AS, his title became 'Sani-e-Mahdi'. Details of this will follow in due course.

A poet of the community has said in an eulogy:

When the earth concealed a sacred body,
Sani-e-Mahdi came to be seen in place of Mahdi
The Sani-e-Mahdi, whose father is the Mahdi
The 'fascinating of the father' and son of Bibi Ilahditi [the mother].

Hazrat Imam Syed Muhammad Mahdi^AS migrated from Jaunpur and camped at Danapur. At this place the Mother of the Truthful, Hazrat Bibi Ilahditi^RZ received a divine inspiration [ilham], "Your husband is the Promised Mahdi² , the Vice-Regent of Allah³ and the Seal of Sainthood of Prophet Muhammad^SLM."⁴

The Bibi^RZ told the details of the divine inspiration to the Imam^AS. Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS said, "It is true. I too get similar divine command. But the time of its manifestation is yet to come." The Imam^AS also said, "When the ecstasy of the Truth had descanted on me and the first manifestation [tajalli] of God occurred, the glad tidings [bisharat] of what you are now saying." Immediately after this, the Bibi^RZ performed the tasdiq [affirmed and confirmed] of the Mahdiat of the Imam^AS.

Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ and Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ attentively heard the conversation between the Imam^AS and the Bibi^RZ. Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ went into a divine ecstasy immediately thereafter. And simultaneously, a divine command came to Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS. The details of this narrative of the Tarkh-e-Sulaimani are as under: The divine command said, "O Syed Muhammad! Our banda [servant] has perished into Our zath [essence, nature] and become unconscious. Go and bring him [into the tent]."

Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS brought Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ into the tent holding his arms. Then supporting the son, the Imam^AS told the Bibi^RZ, "See. The bones, the flesh, the skin and every hair of Brother Syed Mahmood have become 'La ilaha illa Llah'.

The Imam^AS took the hand of the Bibi^RZ in his own hand and placed it on his own chest and then he placed the hand on the chest of Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ and said: "Whatever has been placed in here⁵ has also been placed there."⁶ The Imam^AS repeated this thrice. When Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ regained consciousness, the Imam^AS performed the talqin of Zikr-e-khafi⁷ . Then, Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ performed the tasdiq [affirming and confirming] of Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS being the Mahdi al-Mau'ood.

It is narrated that when Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ saw that both Hazrat Bibi Ilahditi^RZ and Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ had performed the tasdiq of Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS, he too followed suit the same day. But Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ continued to remain in the divine ecstasy thereafter.

It will be recalled that the first among the women to repose faith in Prophet Muhammad^SLM was Hazrat Bibi Khadija-tal-Kubra^RZ, the first among the aged men was Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq^RZ and the first among the members of the family was Syedna Ali al-Murtaza^RZ. In the same manner, the first among the women to repose faith in Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS was the Mother of the Truthful, Hazrat Bibi Ilahditi^RZ, the first among the members of the family was Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ and the first among the companions of the Imam^AS was Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ.

When this incident occurred, the age of Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ was about 18 years. After this, he remained in the company of the Imam^AS continuously throughout the latter's migratory journey.

However, Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ, who was in deep divine ecstasy, was not capable of continuing the journey. Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS left him at the mosque of Duraj in Danapur. He also left one of his companions by name Dur Raj as the caretaker of Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ at Danapur.

According to the narratives, Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ remained in the divine ecstasy for about sixteen years. After that, he was conscious intermittently. In that semiconscious state, Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ, felt the scent of the body of the Imam^AS and, following the scent, Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar^RZ left Danapur and arrived in the august presence of the Imam^AS at Ahmadabad.

During the stay of Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS at the city of Nahrvala [Patan Sharif in Gujarat], Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ asked the Imam^AS, "Miranji! a person is a seeker of Allah from his childhood and another person gives up the world [performs the Tark-e-Dunya] after earning [by his efforts]. What is the difference between these two persons?" The Imam^AS said, "There is great difference between them, like that between the earth and the sky!" The Imam^AS further said, "The person who earns a livelihood and gives up the wealth becomes entitled to more [divine] rewards than what he leaves when he gives up the world and becomes the seeker of Allah. And this is afzal [more excellent].

After listening to the Imam^AS, Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ sought the permission of the Imam^AS to earn [by efforts]. Granting the permission to earn, the Imam^AS said, "You may go. Wherever you are, be in the remembrance of Allah." After this, Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ went to Chapanir.

In those days, during the reign of Sultan Mahmud Be-gadha, Chapanir was the capital of Gujarat and the Sultan was a devotee of Hazrat Imam Syed Muhammad Mahdi^AS. Malik Usman Bariwal, who was one of the special murid [disciple] of the Imam^AS, was one of the ministers of the Sultan. When he heard that Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ had come to Chapanir with the intention of earning [a livelihood], he gave a befitting reception to the Miran^RZ. He arranged a meeting between Hazrat Miran^RZ and the Sultan.

The author of the Tarikh-e-Sulaimani writes: "He [Malik Usman] informed the Sultan of the arrival of Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ and personally took the Miran^RZ to meet the Sultan. The Sultan allocated a sum of one hundred thousand tinkas [local coins] for the expenses of the Miran^RZ. The Sultan was greatly impressed by the handsome personality and the exalted character of the Miran^RZ. According to another narrative, the Sultan gave the position of the [commander of] two hundred mounted soldiers and the fiefdom [jagir] of two divisions of Biramgaon and Sanchur.

It is Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ's great benevolence on the members of the Mahdavia community that he enquired from Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS about the question of earning a livelihood, sought the permission to eke out a living and was himself an earner [kasib] for more than six years. Then he gave up the world and returned to the Imam^AS.

The members of our community should learn a lesson from this incident that earning is permitted [jaiz]. Keeping this in view, they should earn a living in accordance with the Shariat and without transgressing its limits and the obligations [Faraiz] of Vilayat [Sainthood]. They should not remain in the love of the worldly wealth throughout their lives. They should not abandon the giving up of the world [tark-e-dunya] and repentance [tauba]. They should not be neglectful and heedless of Allah till they reach their deathbeds.

The virtues, excellences and merits of Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ are many but in view of the length of this tract, only a few of them are being mentioned here as a benediction and blessing. It has been reported in the narratives that when Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ was in Chapanir Hazrat Miyan Syed Salamullah^RZ, who is the real maternal uncle of the Miran^RZ and who remained a companion of the Imam^AS in the life-long migratory journey of Hazrat Imam Syed Muhammad of Jaunpur Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS from its beginning, wrote a letter to Hazrat Sani-e-Mahdi^RZ at Thatta, the capital of Sindh.

In that letter, he said, "You are sitting at Chapanir with tranquility and peace of mind! And the situation here is that 84 seekers of Allah have laid down their lives. Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS has awarded them the glad tidings of the lofty positions of Hazrat Esa^AS and Hazrat Musa^AS. The bounty [faizan] of Sainthood [Vilayat] is being distributed among the relatives and strangers. What is the good in your being away and deprived of this bounty!"

When this letter was read out to Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS, he smiled and said, "What is all this that you have written in this letter! Tear it. And write like this 'Miran Syed Mahmood is in Thatta and Syed Muhammad is in Chapanir.' Miyan Salamullah^RZ asked, 'How can the Sydan [Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ] become Muranji? The Khundkar⁸ is Mahdi al-Mau'ood [Promised Mahdi]."

According to the narrative, the Imam^AS replied, "Syed Salamullah! Even though this banda [servant] is the Mahdi al-Mau'ood, the first [awwal] Miran is Syed Mahmood. He is the lord of my house. You should not have written to him like that. Write to him, 'Do not take notice of the manifest distance. You are not away from us and we are not away from you. I am where you are. We are not separate from each other. Do not be disturbed on this count.'"

When Hazrat Imam Syed Muhammad Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS got the news at Farah Mubarak that his son Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ is arriving and had come very near, the Imam^AS was extremely happy and was strolling in the yard of the daira impatiently. His wife asked, "Today Miranji is very happy! Does the Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS too is so happy at the arrival of his son?" In reply, the Imam^AS said, "Why not? The poot [son] is coming after becoming a poot [son]." Explaining, the Imam^AS said, "They call as poot a son who is equal to his father."

Hazrat Imam Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS has given the glad tidings that Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ has a stroll [sair] in the sacred zath [essence, nature] of Hazrat Prophet Muhammad Mustafa^SLM and to Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Shah Khundmir^RZ, he gave the glad tidings of a sair in his [the Imam^AS'] own zath.

According to a narrative, Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS said during the bayan [discourse] of Quran one day, "Allah Most High is commanding me thus: 'O Syed Muhammad! We have granted Our nearness to both the Syedain [Syeds] who are present to your right and left. They are receiving our bounty [faiz] from our dargahi [door] without a medium."

Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS has explained this in the following manner: Hazrat Sani-e-Mahdi^RZ asked the Imam^AS on one occasion, "Miranji! The nobility [that is, the quality of being noble] of the Mahdi al-Mau'ood is such that the prophets and apostles have expressed their ardent desire to remain in the august company of the Mahdi al-Mau'ood. And you say that the bounty [faiz] of Allah reaches us without a medium. Please do not deprive us of being the medium [between us and Allah]."

In reply, the Imam^AS said, "Do not grieve! Allah Most High has granted this rank of 'no medium' [be-wastagi] only through the medium of this banda. And you have become be-wasta through the wasta of this banda."

This narrative too is well known that Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS has said in favour of Hazrat Sani-e-Mahdi^RZ, "Wherever this banda places his foot, Bhai Syed Mahmood^RZ too places his foot there. His foot is in our footstep. There is no difference between Bhai Syed Mahmood^RZ, and us except that this banda is called Mahdi al-Mau'ood and he is not called [by that epithet]."

In another narrative, it is stated that there were two doors of the hujra [room] of Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS. On one occasion, Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS is narrated to have told his son, Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ, "If this banda comes and goes through this door, you come and go through the other door as there cannot be two kings in one country [or state] and two swords in one sheath. And two zath cannot remain in one place."

Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS has given the glad tidings of being the 'Musalman from head to foot' to both the Syedain-o-Salihin that only these two zath are such that they would not deviate in following [ittiba'] of Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS even to the extent of the breadth of a hair [sar-e-mu farq].

Hazrat Shah Burhanuddin^RA quotes Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS in a narrative as saying, "If Allah Most High were to ask this banda on the Day of Resurrection. 'O Syed Muhammad! We made you the Mahdi al-Mau'ood and the Seal of the Sainthood of Prophet Muhammad^SLM. What have you brought as a gift for Us.'

Then this banda will respectfully say in reply, "O Allah the Exalted! You are the Omnipotent, the Mighty and the Avenger [Qahhar-o-Jabbar]! What gift would be worth submitting before You! But I have brought in Your Presence these two young men after making them perfect Musalman." Then again he said, "The two are brother Syed Mahmood and brother Syed Khundmir."

Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS has given superiority and singularity to the Syedain-o-Salihin over all his companions, as stated by Hazrat Shah Burhanuddin^RA in a narrative. The narrative quotes Imam Mahdi^AS as saying, "As Hazrat Jibrail^AS and Hazrat Mikail^AS have superiority over all the angels, the two Siddiqs, namely, Hazrat Syed Mahmood and Hazrat Syed Khundmir have superiority among the companions of the Mahdi^AS.

Further, the author of Tarikh-e-Sulaimani writes: Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS compared his companions with the coals in the furnace of a goldsmith in which some of the coals are quarter lit, some are half lit or three-fourths lit. Some of them are fully burning. Some of them are such that they have just about to be lit. Similarly, some of the companions of Hazrat Imam^AS have received the bounty [faiz of Vilayat] to the fullest extent. Some have received it to some extent and yet some others have received it to some other extent. Insha Allah, they all will receive the bounty to the fuller extent in the company of Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ. In short, bandey ke adhurey Bhai Syed Mahmood ke purey [those that are imperfect during the period of Hazrat Imam Syed Muhammad Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS will become perfect during the period of Hazrat Syed Mahmood^RZ].

The greatest superiority of Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ is that he became exactly like the Imam^AS immediately after the latter's funeral. The narrative says: On the day of the demise of Hazrat Imam Syed Muhammad Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS, Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ entered the grave of the Imam^AS with a chadar [piece of cloth] tied around his waist and laid to rest the body of the Imam^AS in the grave and closed it. Incidentally, Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Syed Khundmir^RZ chanced to glance at the face of Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ. What he saw is that Hazrat Syed Mahmood^RZ had become exactly like Hazrat Miran Syed Muhammad Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS. His face from the head, its complexion, his height, his gait, his beard and all his features had become exactly like those of the Imam^AS. The complexion of Hazrat Imam^AS was wheatish [like the colour of wheat] while that of Hazrat Syed Mahmood^RZ was whitish. Immediately, the complexion of Hazrat Syed Mahmood^RZ became wheatish. There remained no difference between the personalities of the father and the son. Then Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Syed Khundmir^RZ, Siddiq-e-Vilayat, announced in a loud voice to the [funeral] congregation, "Our Mahdi is standing among us. He is present here. We have not buried our Mahdi." His reference was to Hazrat Syed Mahmood^RZ. Everybody turned his eyes to Hazrat Syed Mahmood^RZ and they all shouted, "This is Sani-e-Mahdi [The Second Mahdi]." They all came forward to receive the bounty [faiz] of the Sani-e-Mahdi^RZ. At the time, the age of Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ was 41. His ranks and virtues are many and the pen is incapable of writing them all.

After the demise of Hazrat Imam Syed Muhammad Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS, Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Syed Khundmir^RZ left Farah Mubarak and came to Gujarat on the tenth day ceremony [daswan] of the Imam^AS at the latter's instance. However, Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ stayed back at Farah for almost a year. He continued the work of the propagation of the religion by his sermons and discourses and the distribution of the bounty [faiz] of Hazrat Mahdi al-Mau'ood^AS among the people. When he too got a hint to migrate from Farah from the soul of the Imam^AS, he migrated to Gujarat and set up his daira at Bhelot.

The incidents of the golden period [of his khilafat] and his martyrdom cannot be written down without going into the details and there is no room for the details in this short account.

Finally, Hazrat Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood^RZ breathed his last from the poison in the wounds on his legs caused by the heavy chains and shackles during his forty-day incarceration in the forenoon on Monday, the 4th of Ramazan, 918 AH.

Lo! We are Allah's and lo! Unto Him we are returning⁹ .

It means 'fascinating of the father' and son of Bibi Ilahditi^RZ, the mother.
Mahdi al-Mau'ood
Khalifatullah
Khatam-e-Vilayat-e Muhammadia
That is, in the chest of Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS.
That is, in the chest of Hazrat Syed Mahmood^RZ.
That is, the Imam^AS initiated his son in performing the hidden remembrance of Allah.
Khundkar is a title to respectfully address a revered elderly person or a murshid [preceptor].
Quran, S. 2: 156 MMP.