By SADIA DEHLVI
For me, a trip to Mumbai is never complete without visiting the dargah of Makhdoom Sahab in Mahim. The spiritual ranking of this 14th century Sufi is much higher than that of Haji Ali, the popular Sufi of Mumbai, who is said to belong to a later period.
Makhdoom Sahab’s dargah with its green dome is a landmark just off the coast of Mahim. Every Thursday the dargah looks festive, with both non-Muslim and Muslim devotees. During tribulations in the city, Mumbaikars have sought refuge and blessings at Makhdoom Sahab’s dargah.
Shaykh Makhdoom Ali is an Uwaisi, the order that gets its name from the 7th century mystic Uwais of Quran, known for his love for Prophet Muhammad. Upon hearing that the Prophet had lost two of his teeth in the Battle of Uhud, Uwais broke all his teeth, for he did not know which of the Prophet’s teeth had been martyred. The Messenger called him the best of the Taabeen, successors of the Prophet’s Companions, and advised his followers, ‘Get Uwais Qarni to pray for your forgiveness.’
Uwais’s duty to his blind and ailing mother prevented him from visiting Muhammad in Madinah. He wrote to the Prophet of his longing to meet him and cited the reasons preventing the journey. The Messenger wrote back saying that one’s duty to his mother remained more important than an audience with Him. Uwais was guided solely by Divine grace without the mediation of a living Master. Since then, Sufis, who achieve mystic illumination outside the regulated discipline of Sufi orders, are known as Uwaisis.
The Sufi from Konkan, Makhdoom Ali Mahimi, is acknowledged for his scholarly contribution and humanist ideals. He came from a family of Arab travellers, who in the 9th century settled in the island of Mahim, one of the seven islands that later formed the city of Bombay, the present day Mumbai.
His father, Shaykh Ahmad Quddus Sirrahul Aziz, was a successful merchant and a religious scholar. His mother Fatima bint -e -Nakhuda Hussain came from an aristocratic Central Asian family. She became a widow when her son was just nine years old. Like Uwais of Quran, Makhdoom Sahab’s devotion to his mother is legendary.
Shaykh Makhdoom is called an Uwaisi for he did not have a living spiritual Master, acquiring mystic knowledge from Khidr, the immortal friend of God mentioned in the Quran. The Shaykh had many names including Ali, Alauddin and Abul Hasan. He later came to be known as Makhdoom Ali Mahimi.
Due to a large following of people living on the Konkan coast, he is also referred to as Qutub- e – Konkan. The Sultan Ahmad Shah of Gujarat had appointed him Qazi for the Muslims of Thana district, for both civil and criminal cases.
Thana, Mahim and the neighbouring districts had come under Muslim rule in 1318 AD, when the Khiljis of Delhi dominated Gujarat. Delhi soon lost control over its provinces under the weak rulers that followed Sultan Firuz Shah and Timur’s devastation of the capital city. In the beginning of the 15th century, Gujrat declared independence from Delhi’s central control. By then, Mahim had acquired fame as important port on the Western coast of India where a large number of traders and immigrants from Arabia had settled.
Makhdoom Ali Mahimi was well versed in Islamic sciences including jurisprudence, mysticism, theology and philosophy. He left a large body of religious and literary manuals. He became one of the first Sufi scholars to write a commentary on the Quran, Al Tafsirar Rahmani, commenting on both its mystic and non-mystic content.
His other books include commentaries on Ibn al Arabis’s controversial doctrine of wahdat ul wajood, Oneness of God, and on Shihabuddin Suharwardi’s Awariful Marif. The scholar quoted liberally from other famous Sufi philosophers such as Razi, Qushairi, Sulami and Makki. Later Islamic scholars and Sufis studied Shaykh Makhdoom’s writings. Many of the original manuscripts are available in important museums in India and abroad.
Makhdoom Sahab died on 13 Shawwal 834/1431 AD. The only known name amongst his spiritual successors is that of Shaykh Muhammad Sayed Konkani. Once upon a time, the dargah was known for its valuable library but unfortunately it does not exist anymore.
Since the early 20th century, special arrangements continue to be made for the annual Urs festivities. An important annual event at the dargah is the display of Makhdoom Sahab’s handwritten copy of the Quran. It takes place on the 29th of Ramadan, the Lailat ul Qadr, Night of Power.
The Sufi scholar continues to be remembered for his scholarship, piety and benevolence. He epitomises the inclusive, humanist character of Sufism, as Abdus Sattar Dalvi, scholar and Director of . Makhdoom Ali Mahimi Memorial Oriental Research Institute and Library, says.
