Nizamuddin Auliya

Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya (Urdu: سید محمد نظام الدین اولیاء‎‎; sometimes spelled Awliya; 1238 – 3 April 1325), also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, and Mahbub-e-Ilahi (Urdu: lit. "Beloved of God") was an Indian Sunni Muslim scholar, Sufi saint of the Chishti Order, and is one of the most famous Sufis from the Indian Subcontinent. His predecessors were Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, and Moinuddin Chishti, who were the masters of the Chishti spiritual chain or silsila in the Indian subcontinent.

Quotes

• Influenced by the unorthodox, controversial doctrines and practices of famous Arab-Spanish Sufi ideologue Ibn Arabi (d. 1240), Moinuddin Chisti and Nizamuddin Auliya were the most unorthodox and liberal amongst India’s Sufis. Annoying the orthodox, they had adopted musical sessions (sama) and dancing (raqs) in their rituals. However, when it came to the real question of Islam, they never took a stand against classical orthodoxy; they always put the Ulema ahead of them in religious matters. To the question of whether dancing and playing of musical instruments, as had been adopted by Sufi dervishes, were permissible, Auliya said, ‘‘What is forbidden by Law (Sharia) is not acceptable.’’ On the question of whether the controversial Sufi devotional practices were permissible or not, he said, ‘‘Concerning this controversy at present, whatever the judge (orthodox Ulema) decrees will be upheld.’’
  • Sharma SS (2004) Caliphs and Sultans: Religious Ideology and Political Praxis, Rupa & Co, New Delhi, p 226. quoted in Khan, M. A. (2011). Islamic Jihad: A legacy of forced conversion, imperialism and slavery.Chapter IV

• The Sufis of India had no contradiction with the Ulema; both had a common goal—the interest of Islam, but to be achieved through different methods. Auliya used to say, ‘What the Ulema seekto achieve through speech, we achieve by our behavior.’ Jamal Qiwamu’d-din, a long-time associate of Auliya, never saw him miss a single Sunnah of the Prophet.
  • Nizami KA (1991a) The Life and Times of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya, New Delhi, p. 138 quoted in Khan, M. A. (2011). Islamic Jihad: A legacy of forced conversion, imperialism and slavery.Chapter IV

• Nizamuddin Auliya (1238–1325), toeing the orthodox line, condemned the Hindus to the fire of hell, saying: ‘The unbelievers at the time of death will experience punishment. At that moment, they will profess belief (Islam) but it will not be reckoned to them as belief because it will not be faith in the Unseen... the faith of (an) unbeliever at death remains unacceptable.’ He asserted that ‘On the day of Resurrection when unbelievers will face punishment and affliction, they will embrace faith but faith will not benefit them... They will also go to Hell, despite the fact that they will go there as believers.’
  • Sharma SS (2004) Caliphs and Sultans: Religious Ideology and Political Praxis, Sharma, p. 228–29, quoted in Khan, M. A. (2011). Islamic Jihad: A legacy of forced conversion, imperialism and slave

• In his khutba (sermon), Nizamuddin Auliya condemned the infidels as wicked, saying, ‘He (Allah) has created Paradise and Hell for believers and the infidels (respectively) in order to repay the wicked for what they have done.’
  • Nizami KA (1991a) The Life and Times of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya, New Delhi, Nizami (1991a), p. 185, quoted in Khan, M. A. (2011). Islamic Jihad: A legacy of forced conversion, imperialism and slave

• Auliya’s thought on Jihad against non-Muslims can be gleaned from his statement that Surah Fatihah, first chapter of the Quran, did not contain two of the ten cardinal articles of Islam, which were ‘‘warring with the unbelievers and observing the divine statutes...’’ He did not only believe in warring with the unbelievers or Jihad, he came to India with his followers to engage in it. He participated in a holy war commanded by Nasiruddin Qibacha in Multan. When Qibacha’s army was in distress facing defeat, Auliya rushed to him and gave him a magical arrow instructing: ‘‘Shoot this arrow at the direction of the infidel army.’ ...Qibacha did as he was told, and when daybreak came not one of the infidels was to be seen; they all had fled!’ 254 When Qazi Mughisuddin inquired about the prospect of victory in the Jihad launched in South India under the command of Malik Kafur, the Auliya uttered in effusive confidence: ‘What is this victory? I am waiting for further victories.’ 255
  • Nizami KA (1991a) The Life and Times of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya, New Delhi, p. 232, quoted in Khan, M. A. (2011). Islamic Jihad: A legacy of forced conversion, imperialism and slave

• The Auliya used to accept large gifts sent by Sultan Alauddin from the spoils plundered in Jihad expeditions and proudly displayed those at his khanqah (lodge).
  • Sharma SS (2004) Caliphs and Sultans: Religious Ideology and Political Praxis, Sharma, p. 200, quoted in Khan, M. A. (2011). Islamic Jihad: A legacy of forced conversion, imperialism and slave

• Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya (fourteenth century) at many places admits that Hindus “do not embrace Islam”, and that “the heart of these people is not changed through sermons”.
  • Amir Hasan Sijzi, Fawaid-ul-Fuad (Delhi, 1865), pp. 150, 195-97. quoted from K.S. Lal, Indian Muslims, who are they (2012)

• In Afzalul Favaid Nizimuddin Auliya has been cited as saying: “It would be the day of Resurrection (Qiamat) when women will ride horses or walk about in the streets... . Great harm would be done when women would get freedom’’.
  • Afzalul Favaid, Nizimuddin Auliya, 78 ff, quoted in K.S. Lal, Twilight of the Sultanate (1963) p. 270

• Shykh Nizãmu’d-Dîn Awliyã’s dargãh in Delhi continued to be and remains till today the most important centre of Islamic fundamentalism in India.
  • Shourie A. et al. (19901991). Hindu temples : what happened to them.