The Book Of Nizamuddin Aulia
Author: Mehru Jaffer
Publisher: Penguin, Rs 250
It's a thorough account of the life and times of Nizamuddin Aulia who evokes love and reverence even after 700 years of his death. The book, however, says PRAMOD PATHAK, could have been more crisply written
India has been known as the land of sufis and sanyasins. Its rich heritage owes a lot to these holy men who held aloft the flag of spiritualism amid a flurry of materialistic pursuits.
Delhi may be the capital city of India, the seat of political power, but to many who know ‘Dilli’, it is the darul aulia, or the home of sufis. This great city has seen many pious souls, whose remains still enlighten people. The dargah of Nizamuddin Aulia is one such place which attracts visitors from far and wide.
The present work, The Book of Nizamuddin Aulia, is the story of the 14th century sage who continues to evoke awe and inspiration, love and reverence in human hearts hundreds of years after his death. The dargah of the mystic saint is a huge draw for men and women cutting across religions. The author, Mehru Jaffer, has certainly done yeomen service by writing this absorbing account of the sufi saint in her easy-to-read style of writing. This biographical account does well to spread the ideas of love, compassion, devotion and spirituality of the enigmatic Nizamuddin Aulia.
Hazrat Sheikh Khwaja Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Aulia was a famous saint of the Chisti order. He was born in the year 1238, though some scholars give a slightly different date of the year of his birth. The 13th century was a period of great upheaval in not only South Asia, but the entire continent at large. Indian subcontinent in particular was a witness to countless wars of supremacy. Interestingly, the the era was not just known for the exploits of Islamic military strategists but also for the presence of great Islamic scholars. The author has handled the historical account of the period rather meticulously in his prologue to the book. But what is really illuminating is her detailed treatment of the basic tenets of Nizamuddin Aulia’s teachings.
Aulia transformed the mystical movement in Delhi into a mass humanitarian activity that could help human souls overcome the challenges of life — anger, pain and sufferings. The moral and spiritual tenets practised and advocated by him formed the backbone of countless Chisti cloisters spread all over the country. The author has very succinctly summarised the spiritual principles of Nizamuddin Aulia. He quotes: “Service to humankind is the only rational of religion. Sublimate ordinary desires into cosmic emotions. Nurse an attitude that rejects the wasting of life in petty material pursuits. Acts of violence create more problems than they solve. Place absolute trust in the will of God.”
The description of Aulia’s conversation with himself is an interesting feature of the book and forms the bedrock of the sufi saint’s mystic philosophy. Some of the anecdotes from his life are quite touching. For instance, the story of his encounter with his friend, Khwaja Abdul Rahim, who brought some pomegranates for the saint knowing that he often fasted throughout the day. Aulia picked up one seed of a pomegranate and chewed on it. When asked to eat some more, he replied: “So many poor and destitute people are sleeping in the corners of mosques and on the platforms of shops! They have nothing to eat, how can this food go down my throatIJ”
Nizamuddin Aulia was known for his love for the poor. This often invited the ire of the rulers of Delhi. The author has described several encounters of thesufi saint with the Delhi sultans rather absorbingly in the book. It’s a thorough account of the life and times of Aulia and will provide an interesting reading to the spiritual-minded people. However, the account could have been more crisply written.