Hazrat Allama Al-Haj Pir Mohamed Alauddin Siddiqui Sahib

ducation & discipline to the lives of thousands. One such spiritual leader, is Hazrat Khwaja Pir Ghulam Mohiuddin Ghaznavi Siddiqui whose mazaar is in Darbar-e-Aaliyah Nerian Sharif. He was one of the sons of the famous Islamic leader Khwaja Pir Mohammed Akber Khan. Khwaja Ghaznavi Sahib took his basic Islamic education from highly reputed scholars of the region and soon he was renowned in Tafseer-e-Quran and Ahadees-e-Mubarakah . Since his early childhood he was intelligent, brave and honest. His attitude towards his teachers and colleagues made him popular amongst all. After completing his basic education he involved himself in his family business and was soon successful in spreading it to the sub continent (Present day Pakistan). Once, while he was on a business trip to Azad Patan, Kashmir, he met a group of people on their way to visit Khwaja Pir Mohammed Qasim Mohrvi at Mohra Sharif. Khwaja Ghaznavi Sahib sent gifts for Pir Qasim Mohrvi Sahib with humble greetings. When the people presented his gifts to Pir Qasim Mohrvi Sahib, he said: "Let that business man know that I want him, and not his gifts." This message was delivered to Khwaja Ghaznavi Sahib and after a few months he decided to meet Pir Qasim Mohrvi Sahib. As soon as he met Pir Qasim Mohrvi Sahib, the life of Khwaja Ghaznavi Sahib underwent a complete change. He quit his business and decided to spend the rest of his life with his spiritual guide (murshid). Pir Qasim Mohrvi Sahib was a great Sufi who gave everything to his followers. Due to this, Khwaja Ghaznavi Sahib started progressing up the steps in spiritual training (tasawwuf). He spent 12 years with Pir Qasim Mohrvi Sahib serving in the famous langar khana (kitchen) for the visitors coming to pay their respects. Khwaja Ghaznavi Sahib spent the days serving and the nights doing the zikr of "Allahu". The sound of "Allahu" was from the depths of his heart and this made Pir Qasim Mohrvi Sahib command him: "Go and search for a large territory in Kashmir, far from population and spread this zikr." The son of Pir Qasim Mohrvi Sahib, Pir Mohammed Zaid Khan, asked Khwaja Ghaznavi Sahib to start preaching Islam in Danna Pothee Mir Khan district. This fact is notable as there was no population there, and it was covered with forests all over. The land was full of wild animals, but as this was an order, Khwaja Ghaznavi Sahib obeyed and settled there. He was accompanied by his younger brother Hazrat Pir Mohammed Durrab Khan Sahib (also known as Pir Saani Sahib). Due to the presence of this great Saint, this wild part of Kashmir started producing the sounds of "Allah" and "Allahu". Day by day, more and more people came to visit these servants of Allah, and they started learning about Islam. Soon the uninhabited land was converted in to Darbar-e-Aaliyah Nerian Sharif where every moment is spent in Zikr (remembrance) and Fikr (meditation). Thousands of people come here every day, seeking spiritual and mental satisfaction. The foundations laid down by Khwaja Ghazhavi Sahib were swiftly developed into a great project by his son and successor, Hazrat Pir Alauddin Siddiqui Sahib. Pir Siddiqui Sahib is an example of the phrase: "A great son of a great father." Pir Siddiqui Sahib obtained his basic religious education of Quran and Tafseer from Hazrat Allama Moulana Sardar Ahmed Sahib of Faisalabad. Pir Siddiqui Sahib has made this great Darbar into a centre of Islamic education where you can find students from nursery to PHD level. He has deeply involved himself in the construction of Mohiuddin Islamic University and Mohiuddin Medical College. All of this, in an area which is situated thousands of feet above sea level, where there are no transportation facilities and no one can imagine launching a project here - not even a government entity. The designing and paperwork was done by Pir Siddiqui Sahib himself and the entire project is a tribute to the excellence of art and tradition. This project both externally and internally meets high international standards and the education provided is famous throughout the world. Mohiuddin Islamic University was once a dream that has come true and we believe that the light of Islam will spread all over the world from this institution. The second ray of this light has already manifested itself in the shape of Mohiuddin Medical College and Hospital that is under construction these days. Pir Siddiqui Sahib also founded Al-Ehya Trust in 2004 and Noor TV which is fast becoming one of the best Islamic channels in the world. Pir Siddiqui Sahib travels all over the world spreading the true message of Islam, which is peace, love and unity. Recently, he visited Turkey and was present at the mazaar sharif of Hazrat Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi (Rahmatullah Alaih). He also visits the UK very often and his followers here are in their thousands. Pir Siddiqui Sahib is the greatest Sufi of our time and his devotion for Allah and our beloved Prophet (s.a.w) is of the highest degree. We pray to Allah (s.w.t) that Pir Siddiqui Sahib is blessed with a long life and good health, so that the Ummah can benefit from his knowledge, spirituality and light. Indeed, in these times of hardship for Muslims, Pir Siddiqui Sahib is our saviour. May Allah give us all the ability to follow this great dervish and clean our stained hearts.