Who is Mirza Mazhar Jan-e Janaan? What kind of person Mirza Mazhar Jan-e Janaan? When did Mirza Mazhar Jan-e Janaan live?
Mirza Mazhar Jan-e Janaan [1701 – 1781]
Shamsuddin Habibullah Mirza Mazhar Jan-e Janaan (may Allah have mercy on him) was a sayyid. He was born in the hijri year 1113 (1701 AD).
His father gave great importance to his education and training, even from a very young age. From a young age he inculcated in him the value of one’s time and to use it wisely in order not to waste it. He ensured that he gained various skills, abilities and talents.
Jan-e Janaan studied under the various Islamic scholars of that time and after receiving his ijaza, he taught various subjects to other students. In addition, he would write poems of tasawwuf under the pen-name ‘Mazhar’. He has a collection of poems in Persian and Urdu[1].
He visited many great men of his time and sat with them and was given their attention. At a young age he heard of the perfection of Sayyid Nur Muhammad and he visited him and saw how meticulous he was in following the Sunnah, and how, as a true Friend of Allah, he had taken on the attributes of the Divine. He continued his spiritual training under him (may Allah have mercy on them both). When the time came, his teacher gave him his ijaza and he also presented him with his coat for the blessings it contained[2].
After leaving his teacher, he continued in the service of guiding the people, struggling selflessly.
The great scholar, Shah Waliyyullah Dahlawi (may Allah have mercy on him), said about him:
“In these times, there is none like Mirza Jan-e Janaan, in any place, in any city. Whoever wishes to journey in the degrees of tasawuuf should enter his presence”.
And so the students of Shah Waliyyullah Dahlawi, under the order of their teacher, went and affiliated themselves with Jan-e Janaan[3].
Those who sought togetherness with Allah would come from everywhere and rush to be in his presence. The scholars and the righteous desiring Divine prosperity would gather at his lodge.
Jan-e Janaan trained many successors and students. He also guided them with his letters. In these letters, he would answer any questions asked of him in regards to kalam, fiqh and tasawwuf[4].
Jan-e Janaan would shun extremes and also take the moderate way. He would take care that his every act was in accordance with the Sunnah of the prophet. In a display of great humility he would say:
“Let those who see any act of ours which is not in accordance with the rules of Islam warn us immediately”[5].
He would also caution his students as follows:
“The believer should strive to carry out the responsibilities of his servanthood. He should be ready for death at every instant. When the believer eradicates all desires of his nafs from his heart, death appears to him as a divine gift. For this state is a means for him to be reunited with Almighty Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)”[6].
Close to his death, Jan-e Janaan (may Allah have mercy on him) would increase his worship and say:
“Through his grace and favour, Allah Most High bestowed on this wretch all of his desires. Now I have no desire left, other than to become a martyr. Most of my ancestors were martyrs …”
One night in the hijri year 1195 (1781 AD) in the month of Muharram, some brigands knocked on his door. Three men entered and one of them attacked Jan-e Janaan and murdered him. They immediately called a physician. The rulers captured the brigands and tried to take revenge, but the shaykh, in a unique display of great virtue said:
“If Almighty Allah has willed me to recover, then this wound will heal. If that man is captured, then tell him that I have forgiven him and you too forgive him”.
He (may Allah have mercy on him) passed away three days later[7].
Words of Wisdom
- “Every act has its own characteristics. Salat (the ritual prayer) has gathered all of these characteristics within it. It includes the lights of recitation of the Holy Qur’an, praising Allah, invocation of blessings upon the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and seeking forgiveness. If the salat is performed in the manner required, the most correct and sound states resembling the Age of Bliss will arise from it”[8].
- “If the holy month of Ramadan is passed in a state of wakefulness and dhikr, then this beautiful state will continue for the rest of the year. If there is any fault or laxity in this month, then traces of this will be seen throughout the year”[9].
- “Friendship with sinners darkens the light of the heart”[10].
- “Harbouring love for the accepted and beloved servants of Allah is the strongest means for drawing nearer to Him”[11].
- “It is required to love the imams of the ahl al bayt and to show respect and reverence for the blessed Companions. This is the straight path. In the hereafter the sirat al mustaqim (the straight path) will manifest as a bridge. Those who did not stray from the straight path in this world will pass over that Bridge without straying or falling”[12].
- “Those on this path fear the attribute of conceit within themselves, even if they perform many good deeds. They see themselves as lacking and continually seek forgiveness. They consider a minor sin from themselves to be major and consider a small bounty from Allah to be something great and they constantly embrace gratitude and contentment with Allah”[13].
- “One should spend one’s time performing the outer deeds until they become well established. The light of righteous deeds is that the heart is ordered and in a constant state of dhikr and leads to peace and foresight”[14].
- “The science of hadith consists of the subtleties of tafsir, fiqh and tasawwuf. The light of faith is increased through the blessings of this science. As a result one is able to perform righteous deeds and breed good character”[15].
- “The solving of one’s problems sometimes appears by seeing the face of one’s guide in one’s dream. Sometimes that great person is aware of this and sometimes not. One time someone came to this wretched man and asked:
“How did you get back here from the Ka’bah?” I replied:
“I did not go to the Ka’bah”.
“I saw you in Mecca. You read to me some lines, which I cannot remember now, that guided me”, he said.
Such events should not be a cause for arrogance or pride, for we and you are only instruments in the hands of Allah. In reality the true agent of all affairs is Allah, Most High”[16].
[1]. Kanpur 1271/1855. [2]. Abdullah Dahlawi, Makamat-i Mazhariyya, p. 26, İstanbul 2002. [3]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 36. [4]. The 89th letter written in Persian as a means for guiding others was published under the name of Kalimat-i Tayyibat (Delhi 1309/1891). In the work by his student Abdullah Dahlawi called Makamat-i Mazhariyya, can be found 24 of his letters. All of his letters were translated into Urdu int the book Mirza Jan-e Janaan ki Hudud (pub. Khaliq Anjum, Delhi 1962).
[5]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. p. 43. [6]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 43. [7]. Abdullah Dehlevî, a.g.e, s. 82-83.
[8]. Abdullah Dehlevî, a.g.e, s. 73. [9]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 73-74. [10]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 24.
[11]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 43. [12]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p.. 45. [13]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 49.
[14]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 50. [15]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 52. [16]. Abdullah Dahlawi, ibid, p. 46.
Source: Osman Nuri Topbaş,The Golden Chain of Transmission Masters of the Naqshinandi Way, Erkam Publications
