Contents
1 Alagh Khan becoming king of Delhi
2 Dying Persons Are Revitalized
3 Dried Dates Turned into Gold Coins
4 Incurable Diseases Disappear
5 Dishonesty condoned
6 Traversing over Vast Distances
7 Poverty Turned into Prosperity
8 The Miracle of the Hair
9 Lost Son Rejoins his Mother
10 Brick Turns into Gold
11 Hazrat Baba Farid's Exemplary Contentment
12 A Mureed Saved from Bandits
13 Cure from a Snake Bite
14 Cure of a Maid Servant's Leprosy
Alagh Khan becoming king of Delhi
When Alagh Khan, who was the Wazeer of Sultan Naasiruddin Mahmud of Delhi, came to Hazrat Baba Farid, he made a personal request. He expressed that the Sultan had no male heir and that, after his death, there was danger of unrest and trouble in the kingdom. Therefore, Alagh Khan asked the saint to pray for his own succession to the throne of Delhi. In response, Hazrat Baba Farid gave him a predictive hint by reciting the following Persian couplets:
“Fardoon farrukh farishta nabaod,
Zeood-o-ze ambar sarishta nabood.
”
“The celebrated king Faredoon of Persia was not an angel,
and had no relation with 'ood and 'ambar (two popular incenses burnt in royal palaces).
”
“Ze daad-o-dehash yaaft aan nekoyee,
Toa daad-o-dehash kun Faredoon toyee.
”
“It was only his rule of justice that earned him public love and a reputation as a very just king.
You also carry out the same justice and earn public love, and you are Faredoon.
”
Alagh Khan was pleased with these predictive couplets and left Ajodhan in high hopes. After a few months, he did succeed King Naasiruddin to the throne of Delhi, assuming the name of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban. Hazrat Baba Farid's blessings and the predictive hint proved to be true. Balban ruled for 22 years and proved himself to be a very God-fearing and just ruler. He had many good qualities and, like Sultan Shamsudding Al-Tamish, was one of the most successful rulers of the Slave Dynasty at Delhi (664 to 686 A.H.).
Dying Person is Revitalized
One day a mureed named Mohammed Shah came to Hazrat Baba Farid in a most disturbed state of mind. When Baba Farid inquired about the reason, Mohammed Shah said that his brother was most dangerously ill and that he had left him in the state of a coma, only to come and plead to Hazrat Baba Farid for his blessing. Baba Farid said, "Your brother is healthy; you are worrying about nothing." When Mohammed Shah rushed back to his home, he was amazed to see his brother sitting and talking and, in fact, eating his food as if he had never been ill.
Dried Dates Turned into Gold Coins
One day some poor people came from Arabia to see Hazrat Baba Farid and told him that they were strangers to the land and were on a journey, but they had spent all their money before their journey's end. Hazrat Baba Farid gave them some dried dates that were lying in front of him at the moment and said, "Take them and go; your journey shall be completed by the grace of God." These persons were very disappointed with such an apparently "cheap gift" from a saint like Hazrat Baba Farid. After going out of the Khanqah, they wanted to throw the dates away. But, just as they were thinking so, the dates, to their great amazement, turned into gold. Regretting their miscalculation, these persons went away happily, uttering heartfelt gratitude and prayers for Baba Farid.
Incurable Disease Disappears
Once Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia recommended a person, who was suffering from an incurable disease, to see Hazrat Baba Farid for his blessings. The saint took a piece of paper, wrote upon it "Allah Kaafi Allah Shaafi," and gave it to the man, asking him to wear it around his neck. As soon as he wore it, he was completely cured of his ailment.
Dishonesty condoned
According to "Rahat-ul-Quloob," Sheikh Arif Sewastani was one of Hazrat Baba Farid's devoted mureeds who lived in Lahore. Once the governor of Lahore gave him 100 dinars' and sent him to Ajodhan to present the amount to Hazrat Baba Farid on his behalf as 'nazrana.' When Sheikh Arif reached Ajodhan, he presented only 50 'dinars' to Hazoor Baba Farid. The great saint smiled and told Sheikh Arif that he was presenting just half of the present. Upon this, the sheikh turned pale and was extremely upset. He at once laid the remaining 50 at Baba Farid's feet and apologized for his fault. Baba Farid then warned him and said,
“A dervish must always remain honest; otherwise, he would never attain perfection.”
After this warning, Hazrat Baba Farid presented the 100 dinars to Sheikh Arif and reinstated him as a mureed after a fresh oath of allegiance. (Any miscarriage of Sufi principles by a mureed nullifies his previous oath of allegiance, and he must make a fresh oath before his Pir-o-Murshid.). Afterwards he was offered the cloak of Khilafat and sent back to Lahore with a great lesson.
Traversing over Vast Distances
Crossing or traversing over vast distances instantaneously is known as "Tayyal-Arz" in Sufi terminology. God most gracious grants this miraculous power to his beloved Awliya, and Hazrat Baba Farid enjoyed this amazing ability. According to "Rahat-ul-Quloob," one day Hazrat Baba Farid was sitting in his majlis when some foreign dervishes arrived from Jerusalem. Baba Farid welcomed them very affectionately and asked them to sit down. One of them began to look into Baba Farid's face again and again as if to remove some of his doubts. He wanted to speak his mind but dared not do so. At last, when he could not resist his curiosity any more, he ventured to ask, "O great saint of India, am I correct if I say that I have seen you sweeping the floors of Jerusalem?" Baba Farid replied, "You are perfectly right, but you have forgotten your promise that you would keep this as a secret between us." The poor dervish was awfully ashamed and offered his apology for breaking his promise. Upon this Hazrat Baba Farid said, "My dear brother, wherever the friends of God sit, He brings the 'kaaba' (Mecca), Arsh (divine throne), and the 'Kursi' before them and grants them such spiritual abilities that they can see everything within the whole universe." He then ordered the dervishes to close their eyes, and when they reopened them after a while, all of them gave out a violent 'nara' (shriek) and became unconscious. When they regained consciousness, they exclaimed, "God be praised. Whatever your honor had predicted, we saw all those things with our own eyes. Hazoor Baba Farid then presented them with both spiritual and worldly wealth and granted them robes of Khilafat too and sent them away towards Sistan to preach.
Likewise, once Sheikh Yusuf Hansvi returned home after a prolonged tour and came to see Hazrat Baba Farid, who inquired about his travels. He went on to the conditions of the various great Sufi dervishes he had met during his travels. Immediately Hazrat Baba Farid refreshed his wazoo (ablutions) and disappeared from Sheikh Yusuf's presence. He returned after some time and said, "Yusuf, after hearing your statement, I became too eager to meet those illustrious Awliya (saints) myself also, and so I had gone to see them." Sheikh Yusuf kissed the saint's feet out of overwhelming devotion and appreciation.
Poverty Turned into Prosperity
Shams Dabeer was one of the very learned poets of his day. He had received his education under Haroor Baba Farid's training. One day he read a 'Qaseeda' (a poetical composition in praise of some dignitary) before Baba Farid. One of the couplets in praise of God pleased the saint very much, and he asked Shams Dabeer if he had any wish to ask the Faqeer. Shams Dabeer, taking advantage of the happy moment, submitted, "Your honor, my mother is now too old, and she needs my help, but I am suffering with poverty and cannot do my duty to her." Hazrat Baba Farid then said, "All right, bring some 'shukrana’ (thanksgiving present in the name of God). Shams Dabeer ran home at once and brought back 50 'jeetals' (a coin of his time), which Hazrat Baba Farid immediately distributed among all. Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, who was also present, says, "I also received 4 jeetals from this shukrana as my share." After this, Hazrat Baba Farid prayed for the prosperity of Shams Dabeer, and after a few months, he got a very lucrative appointment under Sultan Naasiruddin Mahmood of Delhi and subsequently rose to the post of the Royal Treasurer. Also, during the reign of Sultan Balban (who succeeded Sultan Naasiruddin), Shams Dabeer held higher posts consecutively and flourished for the rest of his life with the blessings of Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin Masood Ganjshakar.
The Miracle of the Hair
Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya reports:
One day a hair fell down from the head of Hazrat Baba Farid, which I picked up, and, with his permission, I preserved it as a taweez (amulet). When I reached Delhi, I used to give this taweez temporarily for the benefit of various kinds of patients, and they used to regain their health by the grace of God. Over time, the reputation of the taweez spread all over the city. I had kept it safely in a particular niche of my house. One day, one of my old friends, Tajuddin Minai, came to get this taweez for his son, who was precariously ill. But when I wanted to give it to him, I was surprised to find that the taweez was not in its proper place in the niche; it had disappeared. I searched every nook and corner of the house minutely but failed to find it. Tajuddin Minai went away disappointed, and his son died.
Two days later, another patient came for the taweez. As I tried to search for it again, I was amazed to find it in the same place in the niche, and the patient recovered through its use. As Tajuddin's son was destined to die by the will of God, the taweez disappeared from its place.
Lost Son Rejoins His Mother
According to Rahat-ul-Quloob, one day an old lady came to Hazrat Baba Farid, and as she wept, she said, "Holy saint, my only son disappeared from my home 20 years ago. I do not know if he is alive or dead, but his separation from me has made me half dead." This story moved Hazrat Baba Farid, and he went into Muraqba (spiritual contemplation). After a little while, he told the lady, "Go, your son has come home." The old lady went back hastily, and while she was still on the way, she met her son. Both the mother and the son went home. The lady then inquired about the whereabouts of her son, who said, "I was 1500 miles away from here. Today suddenly I felt a deep impulse to meet you, though I had no hope of this at all. As I was standing at the bank of a river, a venerable face appeared before me suddenly and inquired about the reason for my despondency. When I explained my trouble, he said, "Suppose you reach your home?" But I did not trust him. He, however, asked me to close my eyes and place my hand in his hand, which I did rather half-heartedly. When I opened my eyes after a while, I found myself here."
Brick Turns into Gold
One day Hazrat Baba Farid's 'Qawwal,' Hasan, prayed for some financial help to meet the expenses of his daughter's marriage. Hazoor Baba Farid said, "Hasan, you know, I am a poor dervish, and dervishes have no worldly wealth." But Hasan would not leave him and insisted upon something being granted. A brick was lying in front of Baba Farid. Drawing Hasan's attention to it, he said, "All right, take that brick away." No sooner did Hasan touch the brick than it turned into solid gold, to his amazement. He took it up happily and went away, offering his most grateful prayers for Hazrat Baba Farid's health and long life.
Hazrat Baba Farid's Exemplary Contentment
Sultan Ghyasuddin Balban of Delhi sent 2 big trays full of dinars to Hazrat Baba Farid, who asked Maulana Badruddin Ishaq, "How much do you need for today's langar (food)?" The Maulana said, "We need only one 'tanka' for the kitchen and one tanka for miscellaneous expenses." Baba Farid then ordered him to keep only two tankas for langar and distribute all the rest to the poor. But while lighting the lamp in the evening, Maulana Badruddin found one more tanka lying on the floor of the Khanqah, which had apparently fallen down from the tray of money without anyone noticing it. Maulana Badruddin Ishaq picked it up and wrapped it in his garment with the idea of using it for langar the next day.
At the time of Isha prayers (9 p.m.), when Hazrat Baba Farid stood up to conduct the Namaz, he unexpectedly gave it up after reciting a few 'ayats of "Alhamd" Sharif"—the opening verse of the Holy Quran. Starting again and after reciting a few ayats, Baba Farid once again gave up Namaz and, turning to Maulana Badruddin, asked, "What is the matter? I do not enjoy my Namaz today. Is there anything left from the king's money received this morning?" Maulana Badruddin, who stood in the next row of Namaz, replied, "Your honor, as ordered by you, all the money was distributed to the poor except, of course, 2 tankas you accepted for the kitchen, but while lighting the chiragh (lamp) in the evening, one more tanka was found lying on the floor, which had apparently fallen down from a tray, and I picked it up, and it is here tucked up in my garment for tomorrow's langar."
Upon this explanation, Baba Farid said, "My dear, dervishes never care for the morrow. Please throw away that one tanka at once. It is disturbing my Namaz, and I am not enjoying it today." Maulana Badruddin untied the knot of his dress, took out the tanka, and threw it away. Hazrat Baba Farid then conducted the Namaz with due enjoyment.
A Mureed Saved from Bandits
One of the devotees of Hazrat Baba Farid, Mohammed Neshapuri, lived in Gujarat and was coming to Delhi with 3 other companions, and on their way, in a jungle, they were encountered by bandits. Mohammed Neshapuri and his companions had no arms to defend themselves. In such a helpless state, Mohammed Neshapuri remembered his pir, Hazrat Baba Farid, and also offered prayers seeking Almighty God's help in their predicament. Surprisingly, the bandits threw away their arms, offered an apology to the party, and went away.
Cure for a Snake Bite
Once Hazrat Baba Farid was travelling to Baghdad in the company of Hazrat Khwaja Bahauddin Zakariya of Multan and some other dervishes. On the way in a jungle, Hazrat Bahauddin was bitten by a snake on his foot. He swooned with the terrible pain, and there was no time to obtain 'Tiryaq,' an efficacious remedy for snakebite in Iraq. Hazrat Baba Farid picked up a fistful of dust, and reciting 'Bismillah Shariff (In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate), smeared the dust on the foot of Khwaja Bahauddin. By the grace of God, the snake's poisonous effect disappeared, and Khwaja Bahauddin quickly recovered.
Cure of a Maidservant's Leprosy
Once Hazrat Baba Farid went to Multan to see Hazrat Khwaja Bahauddin Zakariya and stayed with him for some time. Hazrat Khwaja Bahauddin had a very beautiful maidservant, but she had a very nasty scar resulting from leprosy on her forehead, which marred her beauty. Many times the Khwaja Saheb had prayed for the removal of this scar, but every time the Divine command declared that "the time for the removal of the scar had not yet come." During the stay of Hazrat Baba Farid, Khwaja Bahauddin deputed the maidservant to assist Baba Farid in his 'wazoo' (ablutions). One day, while she was in attendance, Baba Farid noticed the scar of leprosy upon the forehead of the maid and felt sympathy. He at once prayed for the removal of the scar, and, this time, by the grace of God, the scar disappeared instantly. When Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya saw the maid, he was happy about the miracle and said:
'How could Farid's prayer have gone unheard? After all, God most gracious has been pleased to promise him that He would grant his every wish.'