Muhibullah Allahabadi

• Name — Muhibullah Allahabadi • Birth Name — Muhibullah bin Mubariz • Born — 1587 • Birthplace — Near Khairabad, Sitapur, Mughal Empire • Died — 30 July 1648 • Place of death — Allahabad • Resting Place — Dayra shah muhibullah, Allahabad • Other Names — Shaikh-e-Kabeer • Occupation — Sufi scholar • Known for — Doctrine of Wahdat al-Wujud • Predecessor — Abu Said Gangohi • Successor — Qazi Ghasi, Mohammadi Fayyaz, Sayyid Muhammad Qanauji, Mohsin Fani Shah Saif Ullah Shah Muqarrab ullah Muhibullah Allahabadi, or Muhibb ullah Ilahabadi (

• Illustration — Shahi Masjid Muhibullah was born in 1587in India. He was a descendant of Fariduddin Ganjshakar. His home was in Sadarpur in Awadh. There he compiled a commentary in Arabic on Ibn Arabi's Fusus ul-Hikam. He was initiated into the Sabiriya branch of the Chishti Order of Sufis with the help of Shaikh Abu Said Gangohi, and visited major Chishti places of pilgrimage and centers before settling in Allahabad in 1628, where he spent the rest of his life. He was active during the reign of the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628–58). Muhibullah founded the Indo-Islamic literary culture in Allahabad, with his many writings on obscure Sufi topics in both Persian and Arabic. In Muhibullah's view social relationships should be guided by the unity of Being. He was the preceptor of Shah Jahan's son, prince Dara Shikoh. In response to an inquiry from the prince he wrote that the state should not make a distinction between Muslims and Hindus, since God did not discriminate between his creations. God had sent Muhammad as Rahmat al Alameen, mercy for all of creation, not only for Muslims. Many devotees visited Muhibullah's Khanqah, including both Moslems and Hindus. Muhibullah thought that mystic knowledge could be obtained from Hindus, and quoted the Hindu theory of cosmogony in a letter, but seems to have had no more than a very superficial understanding of Hindu mysticism. Muhibullah followed the teachings of Ibn Arabi (1165–1240), the great Sufi poet and mystic from Andalusia, and was himself called Shaikh-e Kabir (the great master). Ibn Arabi had formulated the most advanced formulation of the Tawhid wajudi (Wahdat al-Wujud) doctrine, a fundamental Sufist doctrine. In the Sufi interpretation of the doctrine the face of God is seen everywhere, but that does not mean that everything that exists is an aspect of Divine unity. Muhibullah Allahabadi strongly supported the Tawhid wajudi doctrine, and was called Sheikh Ibn Arabi II because of his depth of understanding of the doctrine. Muhibullah wrote several books, most notably Taswiyah, in which he ardently defended the doctrine. The doctrine was highly fashionable during Akbar's reign (1556–1605), because Sheikh Tajuddin Zakaria Ajodhini used to talk of it privately to Akbar. Muhibullah considered that the works of Ibn Arabi should not be interpreted either literally or metaphysically, and had more respect for Ibn Arabi's critics such as Shaikh Ala ud-Daula Simnani and Mir Saiyid Muhammad Gesu Daraz than for commentators who simply glossed over Ibn Arabi's work. He was opposed by Mulla Mahmud Jaunpuri (of Jaunpur) and his followers who attacked Sufism in general and emphasized the importance of rational thought as opposed to dogma and mysticism. Some ulama said that his views about Appearance and Reality were heretical, and Muhibullah should not be considered a Muslim. A fatwa was issued for his execution, which was only averted with considerable difficulty. Muhibullah Allahabadi died on 32 July 1648. • Illustration — Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Allahabad. 1968

Prominent followers of Muhibullah included: • Qazi Ghasi • Mohammadi Fayyaz • Sayyid Muhammad Qanauji • Abdul Rashid • Qazi Muhammad Yusuf Salis Bilgrami Qazi Mohammad Yusuf Salis Bilgrami (d. unknown) was a Sufi disciple of shiekh Muhibullah Ilahabadi, the friend of Mughal Royal Dara Shikoh. His father, Qazi Abul Makarim was a learned Man and served as a Qazi of Bilgram, his home- town in Awadh. Initially Qazi Muhammad Yusuf Salis was Faujdar in the Province of Malwah, but later he renounced worldly career as it was incompatible with his Sufi way of life. Prince Dara Shikoh formulated sixteen questions of exploring fundamental nature exploring the entire discipline of Sufism and sent them to Shiekh Muhibullah Allahabadi. At his teacher’s indication, Qazi Muhammad Yusuf Salis drafted their answers for submission to the Prince, naming the work: Hadyat us Sultaniyah • Ahmad

• Illustration — Dargah of Muhibbullah Allahabadi The Urs (death anniversary) of Shah Muhibbullah Allahabadi is celebrated at the Dargah shareef Kydganj Dargah And Bahadurganj Khanqah on the 8th-9th of Rajab.