Sahib Husayni

**Sayyid Sāhib Ḥusayni**
Sayyid Sāhib Ḥusayni
	Portrait of Sayyid Sāhib Ḥusayni
Title	Qādiri ,
Personal
Born	1805 CE (1219 AH) in Tekmal
Died	9 January 1880 CE (26 Muharram 1297 AH) in Tekmal
Religion	Islam
Era	Islamic golden age
Jurisprudence	Sunni Sufi
Creed	Qadiriyyah
Main interest(s)	Sufism
Occupation	Sufi and Muslim Scholar
Muslim leader
	Influenced by Shah Muhammad Maroof Shahidullah Farooqui Chisti Qadiri;

Sayyid Sāhib Ḥusayni (1805–9 January 1880) was a famous Sufi saint from Hyderabad State, India and had a great influence over spiritual developments in the Deccan area. He belonged to Qadiri Order, and was a great proponent of the concept of Wahdat al-Shuhood.

Sahib Ḥusayni was a murid (disciple) of the noted Sufi saint of Hyderabad, Shah Muhammad Maroof Shahidullah Farooqui Chisti Qadiri, who also belonged to the Qadiri Order.

Biography

As per the family tree preserved in the family records, Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni was a direct descendant of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah and Ali ibn Abi Talib. The thirteenth in line from their descent was the famous Sufi Shaikh Abdul Qadir Gilani, who founded the Qadiri Order and Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni is his direct descendant. Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni belongs to the forty-first generation after Fatimah.^[1]

He was born Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni in Tekmal in 1805. His father was Sayyid Abdur Razzaq who was also initiated into the Qadiri Order. This was during the period of the Nizam Mir Akbar Ali Khan Sikander Jah, Asaf Jah III of Hyderabad State.

Sahib Ḥusayni moved to Hyderabad city at the age of 14 to pursue his higher education and remained there for five years despite financial pressures. He was determined to acquire the knowledge of religious and worldly sciences. In 1824, he was forced to return to Tekmal due to illness and death of his father. That is when he realised that he had not been able to acquire the knowledge of spiritual awareness from his father who was very advanced in these matters.

Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni lamented this for a long time. Eventually he claims to have had dreams in 1825 which his father appeared and advised him to become the disciple of Shah Muhammad Maroof Shahidullah Farooqui Chisti Qadiri, who was a famous Sufi of his times in Hyderabad. Therefore, he sought out this great Sufi, and became his disciple the following year in 1826. The same year, Shah Muhammad Maroof Shahidullah Farooqui Chisti Qadiri appointed Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni as his "khalifa" (successor). Having acquired this status, Sahib Husayni returned home to Tekmal.

During the upcoming years, Shah Muhammad Maroof Shahidullah Farooqui Chisti Qadiri visited his khalifah Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni a number of times in Tekmal. During one such visit in 1831, he also granted the title of "sajjadah" to Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni

In 1833, Shah Muhammad Maroof Shahidullah Farooqui Chisti Qadiri visited Tekmal again, and proclaimed that he would die in that town, and be buried there. A place for his grave was determined. He came again the following year in 1834 and expired and is buried in Tekmal according to his will. His death occurred on 2 Sha'aban 1249 Hijri.^[2] Twenty one years later in 1854, Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni had a mausoleum constructed over the tomb of his master.

Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni died in Tekmal in the year 1880 and his buried there. He left behind 5 sons and one daughter as follows:

Sayyid Ahmad Badshah Qadiri (who became his successor), 1833–1907
Sayyid Maroof Badshah Qadiri, died 1910
Sayyid Yasin Badshah Qadiri, died 1914
Sayyid Muhyi-uddin Badshah Qadiri
Sayyid Abdul Qadir Badshah Qadiri
Sahibni Bi (daughter) who was married to Khwaja Husayni

Development activities

Sayyid Sahib Husayni is remembered for the number of development works he initiated in and around Tekmal. Among the projects he undertook, the following ones are of key importance:

Establishment of Madrasah-e-Husayniya in 1827. This complex was funded out of his own money, and has continued to be the most important institution to impart education in Tekmal. This institution was considered to be one of the prime educational institutions in the State of Hyderabad, and its graduates were in great demand.
Establishment of the Tekmal Mosque in 1827. It is one of the largest mosques in the district.
Digging of sweet water wells in different parts of Tekmal region for the benefit of the common people.

His works

Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni wrote a number of books on aspects of Sufism.

His other famous works are the following books in Persian and Urdu languages:

Masnawi Shahid-ul-Askar – This book is a commentary on book Khatimah written by Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gesudaraz
Shawahid-i Husayni – This book covers a number of subjects. It has chapters on the Islamic creed, Islamic jurisprudence, issues of Sufism, guidance on the Sufi path, worship, day-to-day affairs, and methods of entering into the remembrance of Allah.
Shahid-ul-Wujud – This book was originally written in Persian and translated into Urdu by Prof. Syed Ataullah Husayni Karachi, 1986. It covers aspects of Sufi thought.
Nukat-i Shahid – This book covers answers to questions raised by his disciples among other subjects.
Maktub-i Husayni – This is a compilation of his letters.
Farhang-i Husayni – This is a primer on Persian grammar and language, and it has been used for decades in many parts of Hyderabad State for the teaching of Persian language. This was the first book he wrote. It was written during the years 1827 and 1831.

Ancestry

Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni is a direct descendant of Muhammad. His ancestors moved to India and eventually to Tekmal.

References

^ See History of Takemal Dargah by Syed Ahmed Quadri, Hyderabad, 1978, pp 4–5 for the complete list of ancestors of Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni .
^ Shajar Ghawsiya tekmal mein, by Syed Ahmed Quadri, Hyderabad, 1977, page 59.

Bibliography

Kazi Zulkader Siddiqui, Genealogy of Hyderabadi Families, 2020
Syed Ahmed Quadri, History of Takemal Dargah, Hyderabad, 1977
Syed Shah Azam Ali Soofi Quadri, Muqaddas Tekmal, Hyderabad, 1985
Syed Ahmed Quadri, Shajar-i Ghawsiya Tekmal mein, Hyderabad, 1977
Syed Ahmed Quadri, A New Lease of Life to Tekmal, Hyderabad, 1982
Syed Ahmed Quadri, Karamat o Halat, Hyderabad, 1978
Syed Maroof Badshah Quadri,Malfuz-e-Husayni, Hyderabad, c. 1890
Syed Maroof Badshah Quadri,Karamat-e-Husayni, Hyderabad, c. 1895
Syed Maroof Badshah Quadri,Asrar-e-Husayni, Hyderabad, c. 1898
Syed Ghulam Jilani Quadri (of Medak), Tadhkirah-e-Husayni, Hyderabad, c. 1890
Shah, Husayn Ali, Karamat-e-Husayni, Hyderabad, c. 1900

[1] See History of Takemal Dargah by Syed Ahmed Quadri, Hyderabad, 1978, pp 4–5 for the complete list of ancestors of Sayyid Sahib Ḥusayni .

[2] Shajar Ghawsiya tekmal mein, by Syed Ahmed Quadri, Hyderabad, 1977, page 59.

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