History

Hazrat Khawaja Syed Makhdoom Ashraf Jahangir Semnani was born in 708 AH (1308 AD) in Semnan, Iran, which had been the capital of the then governing authority for approximately 800 years.
His father, Hazrat Sultan Sayyad Ibrahim Noor Bakhshi Qutbuddin governed the region with utmost justice and sincerity for 20 years. Apart from being a noble and respected governor, he was also a proficient scholar of theology and inwardly inclined to tasuwwuf (mysticism). Approximately twelve thousand Islamic institutions functioned under his regime.
His mother, Bibi Khadija Begum, daughter of Khwaja Ahmad Yasavi who was a distinguished Sufi of his time and founder of The Yasaviyya order, was also from a lineage of notable mystics and saints. She was a very religious and pious lady and devoted most of her time in prayer and recitation of the holy Quran. She was renowned for fasting during the day and her punctuality in observing the tahajjud (late night) prayer.
Hazrat Ashraf Jahangir Semnani was a direct descendent of the Prophet Muhammad, his daughter Fatimah (ra), through her son Hazrat Imam Husain ibn Ali Ra.and his great grandson Hazrat Jafar Sadiq Ra.

Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf was blessed with immense ingenuity, intelligence and knowledge. He commenced his religious education at the age of 4 and a half with the memorisation of the Quran. 2 years and 8 months later, by the age of 7, he had memorised the entire Quran as well as each of the seven forms of qirat and particularly excelled in the study of tafsir (Quranic exegesis), hadith, fiqah (Islamic jurisprudence) etc. By the age of 14 years old, he had mastered all the subjects including theology and philosophy maturing into an extremely accomplished and proficient scholar. Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf had astounded even the greatest scholars and theologians from as far afield as Baghdad with his remarkable talent, which was noted in the form of a couplet in the famous Persian book Lataif-e-Ashrafi. After completing his education, Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf spent much of his time teaching. Amongst his pupils was his nephew Hazrat Abdul Razzaq Noor al-Ayn - the 11th direct descendant of the Great al-Ghawth al-A'zam, Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani.
Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf was only 15 years old when his father passed away and he was naturally crowned as his successor. He was proclaimed the sixth sultan of Semnan in a ceremony which took place around 733 AH. Ruling over Semnan with utmost integrity and impartiality for twelve years, he was embraced by the people as a just and sincere king. During his reign, he became a salik (traveller of the spiritual path) and became a seeker of marifa (inner knowledge gained through mystical means). It was in the pursuit of this knowledge that he would spend time in the company of holy men and mystics. As time progressed, his thirst for acquiring marifa increased and at the age of 25, on the 27th of Ramadan, Hazrat Khizr (as) once again appeared before Sultan Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf in a dream. He ordered Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf to abandon the throne and make way for India where his Pir (spiritual guide), Hazrat Sheikh Ala ul-Haq Pandwi, a famous Chishtiya saint and a disciple of Hazrat Sheikh Akhi Sirajuddin, was waiting for him.
When he awoke, he immediately notified his mother about his dream and seeked her permission to fulfill his his divinely commissioned task. Upon hearing this, his mother revealed that prior to his birth it was prophesied by Khwaja Ahmad Yasavi that a great saint would be born who would illuminate, inspire and guide those immersed in darkness. She gladly approved of his mission and with her blessings, he made preparations to travel towards India and appointed his younger brother Mohammad as successor to his throne.
Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf, on leaving his country, was seen off by thousands of soldiers. During this period Hazrat Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani became his companion. They visited all the important Sufi centres in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.
Then taking the route through Multan and Uch Sharif to India, he met Hazrat Makhdoom Jahanian Jahangasht Jalaluddin Bukhari, grandson of the renowned saint Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari. On receiving his spiritual blessings, he was told Hazrat Sheikh Ala ul-Haq Pandwi was anxiously waiting for his arrival in Pandua Sharif.
He then reached the shrine of the famous saint Hazrat Ali Hujwiri (Data Ganj Bakhsh) of Lahore where he derived spiritual blessings and guidance. Delhi was his next stop and there he met Hazrat Khwaja Bande Nawaz Gaisu Daraz.
Moving eastwards, Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf reached Maner in Bihar, where a great saint by the name of Hazrat Makhdoom Sharfuddin Ahmed Yahya Maneri had passed away the same day and was awaiting burial. Before his demise, he requested that his janazah (funeral) prayer should be performed by one travelling towards to the west who has renounced his throne, is a Hassani and Hussaini (a descendant of both Imam Hassan Ra.gif and Imam Hussain Ra., the grandsons of the Prophet ) and a Hafiz with knowledge of each of the seven forms of qirat. Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf was already aware of this beforehand by means of Kashf (relevation), hence his detour in Bihar. The disciples of Hazrat Makhdoom Sharfuddin eagerly awaited his arrival and although Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf did not want perform the funeral prayer out of humility, he conducted the service in accordance with the will of the saint.
Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf departed from Maner and made his way towards Bengal. After arriving in Malda in West Bengal, he was ready to make the final part of his journey and advanced towards Pandua Sharif where his Pir-o-Murshid was waiting for him in anticipation. s soon as Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf saw his Sheikh, he placed his head on his Pir-o-Murshid's feet and tears of joy flowed from his eyes. From this outskirts of Pandua Sharif, Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf was carried in the doli (carriage) to his Pir's Khanqah, accompanied by Hazrat Ala ul-Haq Pandwi and his disciples. As soon as they reached the Khanqah, Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf dismounted the carriage and placed his head at the door as mark of respect. He was then served with a meal by the sheikh himself who fed him four handfuls of boiled rice and paan (betel leaf). Shortly after, Hazrat Ala ul-Haq Pandwi initiated Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf as his mureed (disciple), receiving ijaza (permission) in the Chishti Nizami Order.
After a number of years in the service of Hazrat Ala ul-Haq Pandwi, he was granted Khilafat and instructed by his Murshid to leave for Jaunpur. Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf who had deep attachment to his mentor, was reluctant to leave his company, but on persuasion he set out for Jaunpur, accompanied by a large number of people.
Before he left, Sheikh Hazrat Ala ul-Haq Pandwi showed him in a vision (Kashf) where his tomb would lie. What Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf saw was a circular lake with a small hill within it, and he was told that he would be buried upon the hill.With his followers Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf travelled northwest through Awadh, but he did not find the place that he sought until he came to Bhadod. At Bhadod, a man named Malik Mahmud was the local landholder. He waited upon Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf and showed him much kindness, and he accompanied the Sheikh in his search for the place that he had seen in his vision.
Then there came into view a circular tank. When he saw it, the Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf said that this was the place that his Sheikh had revealed to him. Malik Mahmud suggested that though the situation was agreeable, as it had water on all four sides of it, there was a difficulty.
A Jogi resided in the place, and Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf could only settle there if he had the power to confront this Jogi. There was one man who on that very day had become a disciple of the Sheikh. He was called Hazrat Jamal al-Din Rawat. The Sheikh told Hazrat Jamal al-Din to go forth and give an answer to the Jogi's display of powers. When Jamal al-Din hesitated to do this, the Sheikh called him close and took some paan out of his own mouth and with his hand placed it in Hazrat Jamal al-Din's mouth. When Hazrat Jamal al-Din ate the pan he was overcome by a strange exaltation. Bravely he set out for battle. When the Jogi had exhausted his tricks, he said: "Take me to the Sheikh! I will become a believer."
Hazrat Jamal al-Din took the Jogi's hand and brought him and made him prostrate himself at the feet of the Sheikh; and the Sheikh instructed him in the words of the profession of faith in Islam. At the same time all the Jogi's disciples became Muslims and they made a bonfire of their religious books. The Sheikh gave the converted Jogis a place upon the banks of the lake, and he prescribed austerities and spiritual exercises for them according to his own path.
After this Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf commanded the dervishes to bring their baggage. He allotted places to all his followers so that each could build his separate cell (hujra). In the space of a few days Hazrat Malik Mahmud built a khanqah for the Sheikh, and he made his own children and servants profess themselves disciples of the Sheikh. The Sayyids of the neighbourhood also came to visit and gave their allegiance. Within three years the bare ground was transformed into a bed of roses.
The Sheikh gave the place the name of Ruhabad (Abode of the Spirit), and he gave to the khanqah the name of Kathratabad (Abode of Multiplicity).He prophesied that the place would be a great light in future ages, and that great men of their day, "Men of the Unseen" (rijal al-ghayb), and many saints of God would visit there and acquire merit.
In 800 AH, Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf's Pir-o-Murshid, Hazrat Sheikh Ala ul-Haq Pandwi passed away. Upon hearing the news, Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf returned to Pandua Sharif where Hazrat Mohammad Noor Qutb-e-Alam Pandwi, the eldest son of Hazrat Ala-ul-Haq Pandwi was made his spiritual successor. Hazrat Makhdoom Ashraf and Hazrat Noor Qutb-e-Alam were both fellow students and disciples of Hazrat Sheikh Ala ul-Haq Pandwi.

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