Mujaddid Alif Sani (Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi) belonged to Sirhind Sharif (present-day Fatehgarh Sahib district, Punjab, India).Because of this, he is known as “Imam Rabbani, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi” and also as “Mujaddid Alif Sani Sirhindi.
Hazrat Ahmed Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alif Sani holds a very high rank among the masters of Sufism. Although Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah (RA) was his spiritual guide, he held him in such high esteem that whenever Hazrat Khawaja's gathering was in session, Hazrat Mujaddid was made the leader of the circle, and Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah would sit in the gathering like a disciple. He was a true spiritual guide and also a scholar who acted upon his knowledge. He strictly abstained from sama' (audition of spiritual music) throughout his life and never engaged in any activity contrary to Sharia. His spiritual effulgences have illuminated not only Punjab but all of North India to this day.
Birth of Mujaddid Alif Sani
Hazrat Sheikh Ahmed Mujaddid Alf Sani was born on the 14th of Shawwal, 971 Hijri, in Sirhind during the reign of Emperor Akbar. His revered father's name was Makhdoom Sheikh Abdul Ahad Farooqi, who was counted among the influential scholars of Sirhind.
A Saint's Gaze Upon Mujaddid Alf Sani
A story exists in books that when he was a small child, a saint named Shah Ahmed Kathili came to his house to meet his father. Seeing him, he picked him up in his lap. His father asked the saint to pray for him, and the saint put his finger in his mouth. He continued to suck on it for a long time. Afterwards, the saint said, "Enough, my son, now leave some for our children too." This incident instilled a deep love for the people of Sufism in him from childhood.
Education and Training of Mujaddid Alf Sani
Since Hazrat Mujaddid's esteemed father, Hazrat Makhdoom, was a great scholar himself, he made his son a Hafiz of the Quran at a young age and thoroughly acquainted him with external sciences. This was a time when Sialkot had become a major center of knowledge and art due to Maulana Kamal Kashmiri. Therefore, after giving him initial education, his father Makhdoom sent him to Sialkot to achieve perfection in external sciences. He attained mastery in external sciences from Maulana Kamal Kashmiri. Along with this, he also acquired considerable knowledge from Hazrat Yaqub Kashmiri, who was unique in the art of Hadith, and he became perfect in the art of Hadith as well. After completing other sciences, with the permission of Maulana Kamal and Sheikh Yaqub, he began teaching at the age of just 17.
Arrival in Agra from Sialkot
Later, he moved from Sialkot to Agra. This was the era of Akbar's rule. Due to the Mughal government, Agra was a constant gathering place for scholars and intellectuals. Upon his arrival, his fame grew so much that seekers of knowledge and art constantly surrounded him. Consequently, he continued his usual teaching activities here, and it reached a point where the famous scholars and Faizi of Akbar's court also joined the circle of his devotees.
From Agra to His Region, Sirhind
After some time, his father, Hazrat Makhdoom, came to Agra and took him back to Sirhind.
When he was going to Sirhind, he stayed at Thanesar. During his stay in Thanesar, Sheikh Sultan, the famous chief of Thanesar, presented himself to Hazrat Makhdoom and said that he had received a good tiding that he should marry his daughter to him. He married his daughter, after which his financial situation improved greatly, and he no longer needed anything. After the marriage, he returned to Sirhind with his father. Upon reaching Sirhind, his father bestowed upon him the cloak of caliphate and passed away a short time later. At that time, he was approximately 37 years old.
Pledge of Allegiance and Spiritual Benefit from Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah
After the passing of Hazrat Makhdoom, Hazrat Mujaddid set out with the intention of visiting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. When he reached Delhi, he stayed with his beloved Maulvi Hasan Kashmiri. Maulana Hasan Kashmiri was one of the special devotees of Khawaja Baqi Billah. When Maulana Hasan Kashmiri described the qualities and perfections of Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah to Hazrat Mujaddid, Hazrat Mujaddid, who was a lover of saints, also developed a desire to visit Hazrat Khawaja and presented himself to Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah along with Maulana Hasan Kashmiri.
Hazrat Mujaddid was immensely pleased after meeting Hazrat Khawaja. During the meeting, Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah asked Hazrat Mujaddid about his intention for coming to Delhi. Hazrat Mujaddid replied that he had come there with the desire to visit the Kaaba. Hazrat Khawaja said, "It is a blessed intention, but there is no harm if you stay here for a few days in the company of fakirs." Therefore, he stayed there for some days.
He had spent only a few days in the company of Hazrat Khawaja when he forgot everything. The reason for this was that he had been searching for a spiritual guide for years, and he saw a glimpse of that in Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah. He also thanked Maulana Hasan Kashmiri very much for fulfilling his long-cherished desire. After that, he continued to receive spiritual benefit from Khawaja Baqi Billah for three consecutive months.
After that, he returned to Sirhind and became engaged in teaching. But he constantly remembered his spiritual guide. In short, after a few days, he left all his work and returned to Delhi to serve Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah. Hazrat Khawaja was very happy to see this. After that, Hazrat Mujaddid continued to be enriched with inner blessings from Hazrat Khawaja in Delhi.
Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah met him with great affection and love, and he, too, out of respect for his spiritual guide, never even raised his eyes in his presence.
Last Meeting with Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah
After spending some time with Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah, he returned to his region, Sirhind. He had spent only a short time here when he received two consecutive letters from Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah. In the letters, he was called to Delhi. He immediately set off for Delhi and presented himself to Khawaja Baqi Billah. During the conversation, Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah told him, "My sons are still young; take care of them. This is our last time." Saying this, he called his sons and placed them in Hazrat Mujaddid's lap. This was Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah's last meeting with Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani.
On the 25th of Jumada al-Thani, 2012 Hijri, when Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah passed away, he was in Lahore at that time. The news of Hazrat Khawaja's demise spread like wildfire. He also immediately reached Delhi and visited the tomb of his spiritual guide.
Imprisonment of Mujaddid Alf Sani
Due to his scholarly fame, his contemporary scholars became quite envious of him and spread false rumors about him. For example, they spread among the people that he considered himself superior even to Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq. This was the era of Emperor Jahangir. Therefore, these mullahs and scholars somehow convinced the emperor that Mujaddid Alf Sani considered himself a very great religious personality. Emperor Jahangir's soldiers brought him from Agra to Delhi. The emperor imprisoned him, but he continued his teaching work even in prison.
Although his followers turned against the emperor, he exhorted them to be patient.
Later, the emperor realized that he had believed the false statements of the lying scholars. Therefore, he released him from prison with great honor and respect, apologized, and also became his disciple. He also made his son, Prince Khurram, his disciple. He remained with Jahangir for eight years and rendered great Islamic services on the subcontinent through the emperor.
Miracles and Incidents of Mujaddid Alf Sani
At a time when people had a misunderstanding about him that he considered himself superior even to Abu Bakr, a person came to him with these doubts and thought in his heart that if he was truly a man of spiritual states, he would remove his doubts, tell him the names of his ancestors, and feed him sweet rice. When Mujaddid Alf Sani saw him and knew the state of his heart through spiritual insight, he said, "We even doubt the Islam of a person who considers himself superior to others." After that, he told the person the names of his parents and also fed him sweet rice. He was greatly astonished to see all this and fell at his feet, and all his doubts disappeared.
Once, he went out for a stroll with his companions, and there was a lot of sun and dust outside. Due to the excessive dust, his companions were in great distress. After a while, seeing the distress of his companions, he said, "It seems that my friends are suffering greatly from the heat and dust." Saying this, he looked up at the sky, and it immediately started raining. After that, the intensity of the sun also ended, and so did the dust.
Temperament of Mujaddid Alf Sani
He was a very generous man, distributing immense wealth among the poor and needy. He was accustomed to eating little and used to say that man is angelic by nature; it is only the fire of the stomach that makes him human. He abstained from dancing and sama' and was against worldly scholars. Regarding renunciation of the world, he used to say that true renunciation of the world is not available to anyone, nor is it necessary, nor is it permitted in Islam. Islam says to live in the world and also practice religion. The true purpose of renunciation of the world is to abandon the abominations of the world, and adhering to the Sharia is the essence of Islam.
Demise of Mujaddid Alf Sani
He was 64 years old when he fell ill and passed away on the 29th of Safar, 1034 Hijri, on a Sunday. He was born during the reign of Emperor Akbar, and his demise occurred during the reign of Emperor Jahangir. His blessed tomb is in Sirhind Sharif, where thousands of lovers of saints are always present and visit his blessed grave.
He had 10 children, three daughters and seven sons; two daughters passed away in childhood. His son, Khawaja Muhammad Masoom, gained great fame and, after achieving perfection in external and internal knowledge, became the successor to his father.
Hazrat Sheikh Mujaddid alif Sani Urs Date ( Death anniversary of Sheikh Mujaddid Alif Sani )
The Urs (death anniversary) of Hazrat Sheikh Mujaddid al- if Sani (also known as Imam Rabbani, Hazrat Ahmad Sirhindi) is commemorated on the 28th of Safar in the Islamic (Hijri) calendar. I
At his shrine (darbar / Rauza Sharif in Sirhind, India) the Urs is observed over three days with large gatherings of devotees from across the subcontinent. During this period, the faithful assemble to recite Qur’an, hold majalis (spiritual discourses), perform collective dhikr (remembrance of Allah), and offer special prayers and supplications (du’a) seeking blessings and intercession.