Hazrat Khaja Banda Nawaz Gesu Daraz 1321-1422 AD

Introduction:

          Hazrath  Gesudaraz occupies unique places in the history of the Chishti silsilah on account of his contribution to the elucidation and exposition on Muslim religious thought. He gave a new filling to religious studies in the Deccan. One of the most prominent figure in the early history of Islamic mystic in the Deccan

            Khaja Banda Nawaz Sadruddin Abul Fateh Syed Muhammad Hussaini popularly known as Gesu Dararaz born on 30^th July 1321 AD / 4^th Rajab 721 AH.

His ancestors in Khurasan were popularly known as the “Sayyids with long locks”. Thus he retained his surname of Gesudaraz (literally long locks) in India also.

 Hazrat also known as Bandanawaz (one who comforts other human  beings).

When Muhammad bin Tughluq transferred his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in the year 1327 A.D. Gesudaraz was also taken to Daulatabad at the age of 7 years and brought there.

His father Sayyid Yusuf Husayni died in the year 1330 AD / 731 AH when Hazrat Gesudaraz was only 10 years old. After some time he returned to Delhi along with his family.

 Hazrat Gesudaraz became a disciple of Shaikh Nasiruddin Mahmud Charag -i- Delhi. In 757 AH / 1356 AD the Khaja Banda Nawaz at the age of 36 years old Shaikh Nasiruddin Mahmud bestowed on him the permission to maintain his own circle of disciples (Khalifa). At the same year Hazrat Shaikh Nasiruddin fell seriously ill and died on 14^th September 1356 AD.

At the age of fourty Khaja Banda Nawaz got married to Bi Bi Raza Khatun. He had has two sons and three daughters. Elder son Sayid Akbar Husayni and elder son Asgar Husayni. In 1398 AD Hazrat and his family reached to Daulatabad. When Sultan Firozshah Bahmani heard Gesudaraz arrival at Daualatabad. Tajuddin Ferozshah invited him to Gulbarga. Khaja Bandanawaz arrived Gulbarga in 1400 AD and lived for a period of 22 years. Firoz Shah Bahmani received him warmly and assigned a few villages for the expenses of his khanqah.

 

Khaja Gesudaraz was a scholar and poet..

Gesudaraz’s work can generally be divided into four categories.

a.       Commentaries b,

b.      Independent

c.       Discourse literature

d.      Miscellaneous

He wrote approximately more than 100 books, among them few famous works are mentioned below:

1.      Tafsir- al Multaqat

2.      Asmar -al- Asar

3.      Haja -ir- al – Quds

4.      Jawami -al- Kalim

5.      Anis -ul- Ushshaq

6.      Maktubat

7.      Mirajul Ashiqin

8.      Shikhar Nama

9.      Chakki Nama

 

It was at the Gulbarga that the first composition of old urdu were made by the great muslim saint of his time..

      The most outstanding Chishti Shaikh Nasirduddin Charag who had boldly defined the orders of Muhammad bin Tughlaq to migrate to Daulatabad and was spending his time in imparting moral and spiritual education to people who thronged to his Khanqah in large numbers. Gesudaraz also decided to join his spiritual discipline immediately after completing his education in external sciences (Ulum -i- Zahir) for years he served his master with single minded devotion and imbided from him the spirit of the Chishti Silsilah and a consuming concern for the moral and spiritual uplift of humanity.

The Khaja died at Gulbarga in 1422 AD of the several prose work and poems attributed to him the most important is Mirajul Ashiqeen a prose treature on mysticism.