History
Hazrat Baba Farid was the grandson of Shaykh Shoaib who was the grandson of Farooq Shah Kabuli, the king of Kabul and Ghazni, who was the grandson of Saint Ibrahim bin Adham who was the descendant of second Calipah Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab.
Hazrat Baba Fariduddin was born on the 29th Shaban in 569 A.H. in Khotwal, a village near Lahore, Pakistan.
After he had completed his early religious education at the age of 7 in Khotwal, his mother sent him for higher education to Multan. Here he stayed in a masjid [mosque] where he learnt the Holy Qur'an by heart and studied Hadith, Fiqh, Philosophy and Logic under the tutorship of Maulana Minhajuddin.
During his studies, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Baktiar Kaki R.A. of Delhi visited Multan where Hazrat Baba Farid R.A. became his Murid (disciple) in the Chishtiyya Silsila. Upon the instructions of his Pir-o-Murshid, he undertook a tour of Islamic countries, for about 18 years from 593 A.H. to 611 A.H. he traveled to Ghazni, Baghdad Sharif, Jerusalem, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Mecca and Medina meeting many great saints and Sufis. After the demise of Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin R.A. the mantle of spiritual leadership in the Chishtia Silsila fell on the shoulders of Hazrat Baba Farid R.A. when Khwaja Qutbuddin R.A.nominated him to be his Khalifa or spiritual successor.
It is narrated that when Hazrat Baba Farid R.A.visited Medina Sharif he was spiritually commanded by the Holy Prophet S.A.W. to visit Baghdad Sharif and meet Hazrat Abdul Wahab, son of Hazrat Ghaus-al-Azam Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani R.A. He was to receive some sacred relics from him. Accordingly, when he reached Baghdad Sharif, he received a box from Hazrat Abdul Wahab R.A. which contained the following holy relics: Two flag-poles which were used by the Holy Prophet S.A.W. in some of the battles fought by him; one wooden bowl in which the Prophet S.A.W. used to eat from; one pair of scissors and one turban which was used by the holy Prophet S.A.W.
Because of political upheavals in Delhi, he was obliged to shift the centre of the Chishtiyya mission from Delhi to Ajodhan now known as "Pak Patan". The Khanqah of Baba Farid R.A., with his patronage, became a great university of "moral and spiritual training." Thousands of aspirants, scholars, dervishes and Sufis reaped benefit from this spiritual university. Hazrat Baba Farid R.A. reached the pinnacle of spiritual glory through extremely hard Mujahidas (spiritual striving) to gain mastery over the Nafs.
Baba Farid made Pak Pattan a great center of Sufi Thoughts. People from all over India and Middle east would come to see him. He always used his language, that was Punjabi spoken by common people, even though he was highly learned and educated in Arabic, Persian, etc. His all couplets are written in Punjabi, with Persian script. He generally rejected offerings of money, but would accept gifts of food, etc for public kitchen. Baba Farid went to Delhi again and was received with a most hospitable reception. Emperor Nasir-ul-Din Balban introduced him to his family. Baba Farid looked to Emperor’s daughter Hazabara and asked Emperor to marry her to him. Thus Hazabra was married to Baba Farid , but only after Emperor Balban promised not to give any costly gifts, Baba Farid distributed all her jewels, etc to Faqirs.
Baba Farid ji died of Pneumonia on the fifth day of Month of Muharrim, A.D. 1266. On the 5th of Muharram, during the Isha prayer [evening prayer] ] while in the act of Sajdah, [prostration during prayer] he uttered "Ya Hayo Ya Qayum" [O Self-Subsisting, O Eternal -- two names of God] and with these words on his lips his soul disappeared into the eternal bliss of his beloved Allah. Immediately a "Nida" or Divine Voice declared: "Dost ba Dost Pewast" - Friend has merged into the unity of "Friend" (Allah).
His Mazar Sharif [noble shrine] is in Pak Patan, Pakistan. Hazrat Sabir Pak, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Hazrat Jamaluddin Hansi rehmatulla alaihim [may Allah have mercy upon them] are among his favourite Murids and Khalifas. It is generally recognized that he had three wives and many children. Hazrat Baba Farid R.A. was indeed one of the most brilliant stars of the Chishtia Silsila and is held in high esteem by one and all.
Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia constructed his tomb. Mazar has two doors, namely Noori darwaza and Bahishti darwaza. Bahishti darwaza opens once a year and during the fair thousands of people pass through it. It (door) is made of silver and floral designs are laid in gold sheet. Thousands of devotees come to visit the shrine daily from within the country and from abroad. His urs (death anniversary) is celebrated every year on the 5th, 6th and 7th of Muharram. His verses have been collected in GURU GRANTH SAHIB under the chapter Farid's Sayings by GURU NANAK DEV JI.
An old woman that was one of the devotees of the Saint presented a piece of cloth for the kaffan [shroud] of Hazrat Baba Farid R.A..
There are various explanations of why Baba Farid was given the title Shakar Ganj. One legend says his mother used to encourage the young Baba Farid to pray by placing sugar under his prayer mat. Once, when she forgot, the young Baba Farid found the sugar anyway, an experience that gave him more spiritual fervour and led to his being given the name.
descendants, also known as Fareedi, Fareedies or Faridy, mostly carry the name Faruqi, and can be found in Pakistan, India and the diaspora. Fariduddin Ganjshakar's descendants include the Sufi saint Salim Chishti, whose daughter was the Emperor Jehangir's foster mother. Their descendants settled in Sheikhupura, Badaun and the remains of a fort they built can still be found.