The Smiling Dervish: Current Sajjadansheen of Khanqah Chishtia Munamia

Syed Shah Sabahuddin Chishti Munami Atai

A descendant of Imam Muhammd Baqir and eighteenth Sajjadanasheen of Khanqah Chishtia Munamia Syed Shah Ghulam e Mustafa Chishti Munami(meaning Slave of Mustafa(S.A.W)) married a descendant of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(through the the lineage of Syedna Ameer Muhammad Qadri of Amjharsharif),  Syeda Atiyatur Rasul(meaning Gift of Prophet(S.A.W)). It was a perfect match as per the meaning of their names but hardly did they know that they will have to long for a son for over 12 years. Born as the eighth child Syed Shah Sabahuddin Chishti Munami has grown into one of the most sought after spiritual personalities in twenty first century India.

Just before his birth, the name Sabahuddin was suggested spiritually in a dream to his father. The dream was a clear sign that the wait for a successor is about to be over. He was born just after the sacred night of Shab e barat on the dawn of 15th Shaban. Within hours, his birth was announced on the loudspeakers of many mosques all over the city. Followers of Atai order thronged the Khanqah within hours and sweets were distributed among the masses. The Khanqah founded in 633 A.H/1236 A.D at Delhi by Khwaja Tajuddin Dehlavi(d. 691 A.H), a disciple of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti,  and the Khanqah founded by Syed Shah Jahangir Rizvi Danapuri(d. 1097 A.H) at Danapur finally got a heir. The first combined Sajjadansheen of these two Khanqahs was Syed Shah Yaseen Danapuri who got the successorship of the former from his father, Syed Shah Muhammad Basir(d. 1026 A.H) and latter from his maternal grandfather, Syed Shah Mahamid Rizvi Danapuri(d. 1030 A.H). The Khanqah moved from Danapur to Gaya, where it currently exists, under the patronage of his ancestor Syed Shah Ata Hussain Fani(d. 1311 A.H/1893 A.D, hereinafter Shah-e-ata).

As an excellent student he once wrote an answer sheet so perfectly that the examiner remarked as, "What marks to give and what to deduct?". He completed his academic career from Al-Jamiataul Ashrafia, Mubarakpur and Magadh University, Gaya. He first completed his Fazilat(the post graduate degree in the curriculum of a Madrasah, an Islamic school) in 1999 and went on to write his thesis under the supervision of Prof. Hussain ul Haq, who also happened to be one the Khalifas(not a mureed) of his father. The topic of his thesis was "Bihar ki khanqahon ki ilmi khidmaat".  

While pursuing his studies, whenever he was at home during vacations many people would come to test his knowledge because of his association with the ancestral Khanqah. A few of them used to ask him complex questions mainly because of their idealogical differences or some other rivalry. They had their intentions just to prove the future leader of the Khanqah to be inferior by tricking him. Although they were elderly people, mostly even double his age, he would shut them up with his scintillating answers even during his teens. His knowledge and wisdom had already made him very famous among the Muslim elite even before his Fazilat. He, just after completing his studies became the leading orator of Gaya and a famous scholar all over Bihar. 

Soon after the completion of Fazilat in 1999, he started his career in literary realm. His first endeavour was the publication of "Zikr-e-ata", a precise biography of his ancestor. This was a book published by his grandfather in 1936 with the title of "Tazkira-e-Fani". He added informative text and increased the content of this book by approximately fifty percent. He later composed the Malufuzat(sayings) of his grandfather, Syed Shah Hussainuddin(d 1939 A.D/1358 A.H) which were written by latter's disciple Dr Syed Rasheed Ahmad Atai. He added a brief biography of his grandfather and a very brief information of all his eighteen Khalifas. The book was published with the title "Kalamat".  He has also republished a book of his grandfather titled "Bihar mein Abulolai Faizan" which gives a compact history of the Abulolai order in Bihar. 

Once a severe dispute arose regarding Prophet Muhammad(S.A.W)'s knowledge of the unseen in Gaya. He instantly wrote the book "Ilm e Ghaib ka bayan" which was a befitting reply to the agitators. The non-Hanafis of gaya once started advocating the practice of eight Raka'at of Tarawih during Ramadan. Both the group of Hanafis, his idealogical supporters and adversaries looked towards him for a fitting response. He again wrote a book "Tarawih ki bees rakaatein" as an astonishing reply for the proponents of eight Raka'at Tarawih. He has also authored two other works titled "Zikr e elahi" and "Ar-roqa". They explain the practise of Zikr and Taweeznavisi respectively.

He also started the work of translation during the initial years of his literary career. As of now, he has successfully translated many works in Urdu from Persian and Arabic, mostly belonging to his ancestors and also a few by others such as a book by Fariduddin Attar(d. 1220 A.D). Some of his translations are as follows:

1. Kaifyat ul Aarfeen, the most authentic & voluminous work on Abulolai and Munami sufis till now. Completed in 1259 A.H/1843 A.D,  it was originally written in Persian and was first published by his grandfather along with an additional appendix and informative footnotes in 1351 A.H/1932 A.D. It contains the hagiographies of about 300 sufis. It was one of the first books written by Shah-e-ata.

2. Mazhar e Israrat, another stupendous piece of literature by Shah-e-ata. The book is a collection of all Wazaefs that a person could possibly read in his lifetime. The book covers different wazaefs for all days of the week, separate for all months of the year and all other important Islamic dates as well as Wazaefs one can need for all possible purpose in a lifetime. Originally written in Persian around 1874 A.D by Shah-e-ata, this book has not yet been published in either the original or translated form.

3. Mamulat e Ashraf, this was a book exclusively written by Shah e Ata for his loved disciple Mir Syed Shah Ashraf Ali Hussain Gulshanabadi(d 1323 A.H, Mumbai). This book is mainly on Sufism.

4. Kanz ul Ansaab, this is a book written by Shah e ata on genealogy of many spiritual families of Bihar. This was the second book published during the life of Shah e ata and one of the most authentic and sought after works of the author.

5. Haqiqat us Salat, this book was written by Shah e ata on the topic of Nemaz.

6. Latafatus Sema, this book by Shah e ata was written on the practice of Sema in Chishti order.

7. Kitab us Soam, this book was authored by Shah e ata on the topic of fasting in general.

8. Malfuzat e Atai, Syed Shah Nudrat Hussain Burdawani was a loved disciple of Shah e ata who lived with his mentor for 16 long years. During these years he recorded the sayings of Shah e ata in 40 lessons and got it thoroughly checked by the master. This has now been translated by Syed Shah Sabahuddin Chishti Munami Atai in Urdu from Persian.

He also writes poetry as a part time hobby with the pseudonym of "Sabah". His has written on many genres of Urdu poetry. All his work has a clear touch of Sufism in it.

He started assisting his father since a very early age in all the daily activities of Khanqah. He completely started looking over the administration since January 2003 when his father met a sudden accident during the pilgrimage of Hajj. After the sad demise of his father in the year 2012 amongst the assemblage of official heads and representatives of over two dozen Khanqahs he was officially enthroned as the 19th Sajjadansheen of his ancestral Khanqah of Tajuddin Dehlavi(d. 691 A.H) and as the 10th Sajjadanasheen of another ancestral Khanqah of Syed Shah Jahangir Rizvi Danapuri(d 1097 A.H).

He married a descendant of Imam Hassan Askari in 2009 and has two kids, a son and a daughter. Heir apparent to the Sajjadasheen, his son is named Ata Hussain after his famous ancestor Shah-e-ata.

He stands tall as the torchbearer of an eight centuries old Chishti Khanqah and the spiritual leader of Chishti, Nezami, Abulolai, Munami and Atai order. His followers are spread all over India specially in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Delhi and Maharashtra. He currently lives as the most famous spiritual leader of Gaya, a very sought after orator, an author and an Islamic scholar who has successfully represented & defended Islam & Sufism and continues to do so.

By: Syed Muhammad Ata Munam