Kashf Al Mahjoob (Revelation of the Veiled) by Hazrat Ali Hajvairi Daata-Sahib

Hazrat Ali Hajvairi [Daata Saahib of Lahore] is regarded as one of the most revered Sufi Saints of Indian Subcontinent. Revered highly by Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs alike; his mausoleum in Lahore is a major pilgrim site attracting millions of visitors every year. Hazrat Ali Hajvairi  was a direct descended of Hazrat Ali R.A. His book Kashf-al-Majoob is one of the most testament and defines many important aspects of Tusawaf, Shariat, different schools of Fiqah in Islam, Khulfa-e-Rashideen, Alh-e-Bait and Imams.

 

BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF HAZRAT DATA GUNJ BAKHISH

The name of Hazrat Data Gunj Bakhsh is AH’ his kunniyat (Family name) is Abu Hasan and his birth place is the well known populous city Ghazni .

Ghazni had two localities (Muhalla) one of them was Jalab and the other was known Hajver. It is said in one locality was settled the family of his own grand parents and the other was the abode of his grand maternal parents.

The early years of Hazrat Data Gunj Bakhsh were spent in Jalab while some period of that age was spent at Hajver. That is the reason of his being related to these places is referred to as Jallabi as well as Hajveri by his biographers. But the majority of writers refer to him as Hajveri while some mention with both localities Jallabi summa Hajveri. In his book ‘Khshful Mahjoob he has himself written his name as. Ali bin Usman bin Ali Aljalabi summa Alhajveri.

 

FAMILY LINEAGE OF HAZRAT DATA GUNJ BAKHISH

His biographers have recorded his family Lineage (silsila-e-nasab) as under: (Hazrat) Ali (Hajveri) bin Usman bin Ali bin Abdur Rahman bin Shuja’a bin Abul Hasan Ali bin Ilasan Asghar bin Zaid bin (Hazrat Imam) Hasan bin (Imamul Auliya) Hazrat Ali ibne Abu Talib. This shows that he was Hashimi Syed a well as Hanafi.

 

FAMILY of OF HAZRAT DATA GUNJ BAKHISH

The family home of Hazrat Data Gunj Gakhsh was the central place of homage and respect by his devotees and admirers as well as his family members. His other was a lady of great devotion and attachment to religious worship and sympathetic attention for the betterment and welfare of the needy and the illness stricken. She belonged to Hussaini Syed Lineage, which in a sense meant, that she possessed the venturous spirit of the Hussaini perfectionism and the Hasani embellishment at one and the same time. His maternal uncle was reputed and respected as title bearer of “Tajul Auliya”.

Since his early life as a tender aged boy he was fond of acquiring knowledge in the extant branches of knowledge in Philosophy and Theosophy which later came to be known as religious spiritualism or Tasawwuf. He had an enlightened craze of paying homage to and acquiring knowledge from the well-known scholars and learned persons in his own native land and its vicinity. Then he crossed over the bounds of his native place and proceeded in travels to Syria, Iraq, Baghdad, Madam, Faras (Persia), Kohistan, Azar Baijan, Tabristan, Khu/istan, Khurasan, Mawara’un Nahr and offered himself as a zealous pupil at the doorsteps of the great and well-known scholars.

Islamic learning which inspired and instilled in him the quest of more and more knowledge in these fields. He spared no pains and endeavours in search of knowledge of Islam as a panacea of human ills and beacon light for the misguided and the deviators in this behalf. He cheerfully bore all the travails and tribulations that hurled themselves in the pathways of his quest, without diminishing in any measure the zeal for the knowledge. He himself writes at one place while describing his journeys in search of knowledge.

In Kashf Al-Mahjub (Revelation of the Veiled), Hazrat Ali Hajvairi, in a mystic tone, also outlines 11 Veils as below:

Veil 1: Maarifat Allah (Gnosis of God)Veil 2: Tawhid (Unity of God)

Veil 3: Iman (Faith)

Veil 4: Tahaarat (Purification from Foulness)

Veil 5: Salaat (Prayers)

Veil 6: Zakaat (Alms)

Veil 7: Sawn (Fasting)

Veil 8: Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Veil 9: Companionship, with rules and principles.

Veil 10: Definition of phrases of the Sufis and their ideas.

Veil 11: Sama (Spiritual Auditions)