SHAYKH AMEER ABUL ULA QSA
The Naqshbandi Silsila is one of the most popular Sufi orders of the world and it is widespread in India by the efforts and influence of two great shuyukh. One chain is linked with Shaykh Ahmad Sirhind Mujaddid Alf Thaani QSA. The other is with Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA known as Naqshbandi Abul Ulai, which is one of the largest Sufi orders in the Indian subcontinent.
Shaykh Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA was born near Delhi, India in 990 AH. He was a direct descendant of the Prophet ﷺ (Ahlul Bayt). He was appointed as a governor by Emperor Akbar, but he left this post after he saw a dream where Hazrat Imam Ali, Hazrat Imam Hussain and Hazrat Imam Hasan Radhy Allahu Anhum ordered him to walk the spiritual path (Darweshi). He had taken bayyat with his uncle, Hazrat Ameer Abdullah QSA in the Naqshbandi Silsila.
Hazrat Shah Jahangir (II) Fakhrul Arefin Mawlana Abdul Hai (QSA) relates in Seerat Fakhrul Arefin that there was once a time when Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA became very worrisome and anxious. For this reason, he went to Ajmer Sharif, India and presented himself in the Darbar Sharif of Sultanul Hind Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti Gharib Nawaz QSA. Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA kindly requested to Hazrat Khawja Moinuddin Chisti QSA that my grandfather, Sayyidina Rasulullah ﷺ had chosen you and given you extraordinary spiritual gifts, can you please give me something too?
After some time when nothing had happened, Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA left the Darbar Sharif. While he was still on his journey back home, his soul suddenly got knowledge (ilm) that he was being called back. He then returned back to the Darbar Sharif and presented himself again, and then the spectacular ziyarat (visit) took place where Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti QSA himself told Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA that Sayyidina Rasulullah
ﷺ had given him something very precious (amanat) to give to him, so Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti QSA himself had been waiting for him. Then Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti QSA gave Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA great spiritual attention (tawajju) and spiritually gave him something which looked like the size of an egg and shined like diamonds. Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti QSA then told Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA that since you have received the spiritual gift, you have to take bayyat with me too so Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA was initiated into Silsila Aaaliya Chistiya also. After Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA left Ajmer Sharif, his Silsila became known as “Majma-Ul Bahrain” (Joining of the Two Seas). Hazrat Mawlana Abdul Hai Shah Jahangiri (II) explains that it is for this reason that this Silsila has more spiritual force and excitement because it is Majma-Ul Bahrain.
Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA spent his entire life in service of Islam and humanity, and passed ahead on 9 Safar, 1061 Hijri. His resting place is in Agra, India.
Silsila e Aaliya Khushhaliya is connected to Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA through Hazrat Makhdum Shah Muneem Pakbaz QSA who practiced the spiritual teachings of Naqshbandi Abul-Ulaiya for 10 years under the guidance of Khawaja Shah Muhammad Farhad QSA, who was the khaas (special) Khalifa of Hazrat Syedna Ameer Abul Ula QSA.
O’ my Sustainer, please arrange my fate,
For the sake of Hazar Ameer Abul Ula QSA
Ab Tho Bigri Ko Bana De Ay Merey Parwar Digaar,
Shaykh e Azam Shah Ameer Abul Ula Ke Wasthey
(Ref: Khanqah Munemia by Syed Faiz Ahmad Qadri Munawwari, pg. 13 / Seerat e Fakhrul Arefin, page 62).