بسم اللّٰهِ الرحمن الرحيم
Hadrat
Baba Farid al-Din Masud Ganj Shakar
(Rahimahullah) رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ
5 Muharram 664 AH
Baba Farid
Born in Khatwaal near Multan into a family whose lineage traced back to Hadrat Umar Farooq-e-A'zam (radi Allahu anhu). His father passed away in his childhood, and his pious mother raised him with exceptional devotion and care (569 AH or 571 AH / approximately 1175 AD) — Town of Khatwaal, Multan (in present-day Pakistan)
- ◈He was among the greatest leaders of the Chishtiyyah spiritual order — a chain through which countless souls were guided to Allah across the Indian subcontinent
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ◈Mastered Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Arabic, and Persian at the Madrassa of Maulana Minhaj-ud-Deen Tirmizi (rahmatullahi alayh) in Multan, completing recitation of the entire Quran daily
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ◈Received a pomegranate from Hadrat Shaykh Jalal-ud-Deen Tabrezi (rahmatullahi alayh) — one seed of which, when eaten, illuminated his entire being with spiritual light. His guide declared: 'All the blessings were in that one seed'
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ◈Endured eighty periods of intense starvation (chillah) — on each occasion picking up pebbles that would turn to brown sugar in his hand through divine grace
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ◈His intense dislike of fame and praise was such that if introduced with words of honour at any gathering, he would immediately leave and never return
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ◈Visited Baghdad for fifteen days under the companionship of Hadrat Shahaab-ud-Deen Umar Suharwardi (rahmatullahi alayh), who gifted him the book 'Awarif-ul-Ma'arif' with the blessed words: 'Satan will not control you'
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
Born in Khatwaal, Multan, into a lineage tracing back to Hadrat Umar Farooq-e-A'zam (radi Allahu anhu)
His father passed away in his childhood. His mother, a woman of exceptional piety, took on his upbringing and nurturing — like the mothers of Hadrat Qutb-ud-Deen Bakhtiyar Kaki (rahmatullahi alayh) and Hadrat Nizam-ud-Deen Awliya (rahmatullahi alayh), who were also raised by their mothers after losing their fathers in childhood
Childhood love of brown sugar — mother used it to motivate Salah
As a young child he loved brown sugar. His pious mother placed it beneath his prayer mat as a reward for performing Salah. As his devotion grew, he received it from the unseen even when his mother forgot to place it — a sign that divine grace had taken over
Arrived in Multan at age eighteen to pursue Islamic education
At age eighteen he enrolled in the Madrassa of Hadrat Maulana Minhaj-ud-Deen Tirmizi (rahmatullahi alayh) in Multan. There he mastered Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Arabic, and Persian, completing a full recitation of the Quran every single day
Received a blessed pomegranate from Hadrat Shaykh Jalal-ud-Deen Tabrezi (rahmatullahi alayh)
Hadrat Shaykh Jalal-ud-Deen Tabrezi (rahmatullahi alayh) gifted him a pomegranate. Inside was a single seed. When he ate it, a luminous light illuminated his entire being. His spiritual guide said: 'All the blessings were in that one seed'
First encounter with Sultan-ul-Mashaaikh Hadrat Khuwajah Qutb-ud-Deen Bakhtiyar Kaki (rahmatullahi alayh) at the Masjid in Multan
Seeing his future guide, he declared: 'The benefit will be from your graceful sight.' His guide told him to complete his religious sciences first, then come to Delhi — which he duly did, later becoming his devoted mureed and khalifah
Visit to Baghdad — fifteen days with Hadrat Shahaab-ud-Deen Umar Suharwardi (rahmatullahi alayh)
During his journey, he spent fifteen blessed days in the company of Hadrat Shahaab-ud-Deen Umar Suharwardi (rahmatullahi alayh) in Baghdad. He was gifted the renowned book 'Awarif-ul-Ma'arif' with the assurance: 'Satan will not control you'
The miracle of the sorcerer's repentance
Encountering an old woman carrying milk to an oppressive sorcerer, he consoled her. The sorcerer's accomplices were struck speechless. The sorcerer himself flew toward him on a deerskin — whereupon the blessed shoes of Hadrat Baba Farid (rahmatullahi alayh) flew up and struck the sorcerer's head repeatedly until he fell, repented, accepted Islam, and became known as 'Abdullah Bayabaani'
The miracle of Ganj Shakar — pebbles turned to sugar during eighty starvations
During eighty separate periods of spiritual starvation undertaken as devotional discipline, he would pick up pebbles from the earth. Each time, by the grace of Allah, the pebbles transformed into brown sugar in his hands — earning him the title Ganj Shakar: Treasury of Sugar
The miracle of merchants — sugar became salt, then returned to sugar
When merchants denied carrying his sugar, falsely claiming it was salt, it was transformed into salt. When they repented and admitted the truth, it was restored to sugar — a vivid demonstration of the connection between truthfulness, tawbah (repentance), and divine favour through the blessed intervention of a wali
Born in Khatwaal, Multan, into a lineage tracing back to Hadrat Umar Farooq-e-A'zam (radi Allahu anhu)
His father passed away in his childhood. His mother, a woman of exceptional piety, took on his upbringing and nurturing — like the mothers of Hadrat Qutb-ud-Deen Bakhtiyar Kaki (rahmatullahi alayh) and Hadrat Nizam-ud-Deen Awliya (rahmatullahi alayh), who were also raised by their mothers after losing their fathers in childhood
Childhood love of brown sugar — mother used it to motivate Salah
As a young child he loved brown sugar. His pious mother placed it beneath his prayer mat as a reward for performing Salah. As his devotion grew, he received it from the unseen even when his mother forgot to place it — a sign that divine grace had taken over
Arrived in Multan at age eighteen to pursue Islamic education
At age eighteen he enrolled in the Madrassa of Hadrat Maulana Minhaj-ud-Deen Tirmizi (rahmatullahi alayh) in Multan. There he mastered Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Arabic, and Persian, completing a full recitation of the Quran every single day
Received a blessed pomegranate from Hadrat Shaykh Jalal-ud-Deen Tabrezi (rahmatullahi alayh)
Hadrat Shaykh Jalal-ud-Deen Tabrezi (rahmatullahi alayh) gifted him a pomegranate. Inside was a single seed. When he ate it, a luminous light illuminated his entire being. His spiritual guide said: 'All the blessings were in that one seed'
First encounter with Sultan-ul-Mashaaikh Hadrat Khuwajah Qutb-ud-Deen Bakhtiyar Kaki (rahmatullahi alayh) at the Masjid in Multan
Seeing his future guide, he declared: 'The benefit will be from your graceful sight.' His guide told him to complete his religious sciences first, then come to Delhi — which he duly did, later becoming his devoted mureed and khalifah
Visit to Baghdad — fifteen days with Hadrat Shahaab-ud-Deen Umar Suharwardi (rahmatullahi alayh)
During his journey, he spent fifteen blessed days in the company of Hadrat Shahaab-ud-Deen Umar Suharwardi (rahmatullahi alayh) in Baghdad. He was gifted the renowned book 'Awarif-ul-Ma'arif' with the assurance: 'Satan will not control you'
The miracle of the sorcerer's repentance
Encountering an old woman carrying milk to an oppressive sorcerer, he consoled her. The sorcerer's accomplices were struck speechless. The sorcerer himself flew toward him on a deerskin — whereupon the blessed shoes of Hadrat Baba Farid (rahmatullahi alayh) flew up and struck the sorcerer's head repeatedly until he fell, repented, accepted Islam, and became known as 'Abdullah Bayabaani'
The miracle of Ganj Shakar — pebbles turned to sugar during eighty starvations
During eighty separate periods of spiritual starvation undertaken as devotional discipline, he would pick up pebbles from the earth. Each time, by the grace of Allah, the pebbles transformed into brown sugar in his hands — earning him the title Ganj Shakar: Treasury of Sugar
The miracle of merchants — sugar became salt, then returned to sugar
When merchants denied carrying his sugar, falsely claiming it was salt, it was transformed into salt. When they repented and admitted the truth, it was restored to sugar — a vivid demonstration of the connection between truthfulness, tawbah (repentance), and divine favour through the blessed intervention of a wali
Born in Khatwaal, Multan, into a lineage tracing back to Hadrat Umar Farooq-e-A'zam (radi Allahu anhu)
His father passed away in his childhood. His mother, a woman of exceptional piety, took on his upbringing and nurturing — like the mothers of Hadrat Qutb-ud-Deen Bakhtiyar Kaki (rahmatullahi alayh) and Hadrat Nizam-ud-Deen Awliya (rahmatullahi alayh), who were also raised by their mothers after losing their fathers in childhood
Childhood love of brown sugar — mother used it to motivate Salah
As a young child he loved brown sugar. His pious mother placed it beneath his prayer mat as a reward for performing Salah. As his devotion grew, he received it from the unseen even when his mother forgot to place it — a sign that divine grace had taken over
Arrived in Multan at age eighteen to pursue Islamic education
At age eighteen he enrolled in the Madrassa of Hadrat Maulana Minhaj-ud-Deen Tirmizi (rahmatullahi alayh) in Multan. There he mastered Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Arabic, and Persian, completing a full recitation of the Quran every single day
Received a blessed pomegranate from Hadrat Shaykh Jalal-ud-Deen Tabrezi (rahmatullahi alayh)
Hadrat Shaykh Jalal-ud-Deen Tabrezi (rahmatullahi alayh) gifted him a pomegranate. Inside was a single seed. When he ate it, a luminous light illuminated his entire being. His spiritual guide said: 'All the blessings were in that one seed'
First encounter with Sultan-ul-Mashaaikh Hadrat Khuwajah Qutb-ud-Deen Bakhtiyar Kaki (rahmatullahi alayh) at the Masjid in Multan
Seeing his future guide, he declared: 'The benefit will be from your graceful sight.' His guide told him to complete his religious sciences first, then come to Delhi — which he duly did, later becoming his devoted mureed and khalifah
Visit to Baghdad — fifteen days with Hadrat Shahaab-ud-Deen Umar Suharwardi (rahmatullahi alayh)
During his journey, he spent fifteen blessed days in the company of Hadrat Shahaab-ud-Deen Umar Suharwardi (rahmatullahi alayh) in Baghdad. He was gifted the renowned book 'Awarif-ul-Ma'arif' with the assurance: 'Satan will not control you'
The miracle of the sorcerer's repentance
Encountering an old woman carrying milk to an oppressive sorcerer, he consoled her. The sorcerer's accomplices were struck speechless. The sorcerer himself flew toward him on a deerskin — whereupon the blessed shoes of Hadrat Baba Farid (rahmatullahi alayh) flew up and struck the sorcerer's head repeatedly until he fell, repented, accepted Islam, and became known as 'Abdullah Bayabaani'
The miracle of Ganj Shakar — pebbles turned to sugar during eighty starvations
During eighty separate periods of spiritual starvation undertaken as devotional discipline, he would pick up pebbles from the earth. Each time, by the grace of Allah, the pebbles transformed into brown sugar in his hands — earning him the title Ganj Shakar: Treasury of Sugar
The miracle of merchants — sugar became salt, then returned to sugar
When merchants denied carrying his sugar, falsely claiming it was salt, it was transformed into salt. When they repented and admitted the truth, it was restored to sugar — a vivid demonstration of the connection between truthfulness, tawbah (repentance), and divine favour through the blessed intervention of a wali
- ♥Completed recitation of the entire Quran every single day during his years of study in Multan — a daily Khatm that reflected his boundless love for the Book of Allah
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ♥Endured eighty separate periods of severe starvation in spiritual discipline — on each occasion, when he picked up pebbles from the earth, Allah transformed them into brown sugar for him
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ♥As a young child, his mother placed brown sugar beneath his prayer mat as a reward for performing Salah. Over time, when his mother forgot, he continued to receive it from the unseen — a sign that his worship had been accepted and rewarded directly by Allah
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ♥When merchants falsely claimed their cargo of sugar was salt, it became salt; when they repented and spoke the truth, it became sugar again — a miracle that bears witness to the power of truth and the rank of Hadrat Baba Farid (rahmatullahi alayh)
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
- ♥Confronted an oppressive sorcerer who flew upon a deerskin. His blessed shoes rose into the air and struck the sorcerer's head repeatedly until the sorcerer surrendered, repented, and accepted Islam — taking the name 'Abdullah Bayabaani'. He consoled the old woman being exploited by this sorcerer, and rendered the sorcerer's accomplices utterly speechless
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
Jamal-ud-Deen Suleiman — passed away during Baba Farid's childhood
A woman of outstanding piety who raised him alone after his father's passing — her devotion and wisdom shaped his early love of worship and Salah
Traces back to Hadrat Umar Farooq-e-A'zam (radi Allahu anhu), the second Caliph of Islam
Among the great leaders of the Chishtiyyah — Hadrat Qutb-ud-Deen Bakhtiyar Kaki (rahmatullahi alayh), Hadrat Fareed-ud-Deen Ganj Shakar (rahmatullahi alayh), and Hadrat Nizam-ud-Deen Awliya (rahmatullahi alayh) — all three lost their fathers in childhood and were raised by their pious mothers
5th Muharram-ul-Haraam
“The benefit will be from your graceful sight.”
seerat-baba-farid — Maktaba tul Madina
“Do not harm another with your tongue or hands and do not speak ill of them. Protect your outer, protect your eyes and tongue, and use them for the sake of Allah Almighty. Keep the remembrance of Allah Almighty in your heart, always keep your tongue moist with dhikr and recitation of the noble Quran, and safeguard your heart from the whispers of Satan.”
40 Statements of the Righteous Elders, p.35 — Maktaba tul Madina
- 🌟Hadrat Baba Farid (rahmatullahi alayh) got his famous title 'Ganj Shakar' — which means Treasury of Sugar — because Allah would turn pebbles into brown sugar in his hands!
- 🌟When he was a little boy, his mother put brown sugar under his prayer mat to encourage him to pray. Eventually he got it from the unseen even when his mum forgot — because Allah was rewarding him directly!
- 🌟He used to read the entire Quran — all 30 parts — every single day when he was studying in Multan!
- 🌟He once caused an oppressive flying sorcerer to crash down and accept Islam through the power Allah gave him — and the sorcerer became a good Muslim named Abdullah Bayabaani!
- 🌟His blessed family lineage goes all the way back to Hadrat Umar Farooq-e-A'zam (radi Allahu anhu), one of the greatest Companions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)!
