Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Uthman al-Jullabi al-Hujwiri (; -1072/77), known reverentially as Data Sahib (), was an

Islamic scholar In Islam, the ''ulama'' ( ; also spelled ''ulema''; ; singular ; feminine singular , plural ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam. "Ulama ...

and mystic who authored , the earliest treatise on

Sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

in the

Persian language Persian ( ), also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Farsi (, Fārsī ), is a Western Iranian languages, Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian subdivision ...

. Born in the

Ghaznavid Empire The Ghaznavid dynasty ( ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a Persianate Muslim dynasty of Turkic peoples, Turkic ''mamluk'' origin. It ruled the Ghaznavid Empire or the Empire of Ghazni from 977 to 1186, which at its greatest extent, extended from the Oxus ...

, al-Hujwiri is believed to have contributed "significantly" to the spread of

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

through his preaching. Al-Hujwiri is venerated as the primary

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

by the

Sufis Sufism ( or ) is a mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic purification, spirituality, ritualism, and asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are referred to as "Sufis" (from , ), and ...

of the area and his tomb-shrine, known as the

Data Darbar Data Darbar () is an Islamic shrine located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is the largest Sufi shrine in South Asia. It was built to house the remains of al-Hujwiri, commonly known as ''Data Ganj Baksh'' or more colloquially as ''Data Sahab'', ...

, is one of the most frequented shrines in

. Currently, it is Pakistan's largest shrine "in numbers of annual visitors and in the size of the shrine complex," and, having been nationalized in 1960, is managed today by the Department of Awqaf and Religious Affairs of the Punjab. The mystic himself remains a "household name" in the daily Islam of South Asia. In 2016, the

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan () (abbreviated as GoP), constitutionally known as the Federal Government, commonly known as the Centre, is the national authority of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a federal republic located in South Asia, con ...

declared 21 November to be a

public holiday A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year. Types Civic holiday A ''civic holiday'', also k ...

for the commemoration of the commencement of Ali Hujwiri's three-day

death anniversary A death anniversary (or deathday) is the anniversary of the death of a person. It is the opposite of birthday. It is a custom in several Asian cultures, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, China, Georgia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Myanmar ...

Background

He migrated to Punjab from

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

and transmitted

to a land where majority of the people were

Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

. Ali Hujwiri was born in

Ghazni Ghazni (, ), historically known as Ghaznayn () or Ghazna (), also transliterated as Ghuznee, and anciently known as Alexandria in Opiana (), is a city in southeastern Afghanistan with a population of around 190,000 people. The city is strategica ...

, in present-day

, in around 1009 to Uthman ibn Ali or Bu Ali. As is common with Sufi saints, his father was a direct descendant of Al-Imam

Hasan ibn Ali Hasan ibn Ali (; 2 April 670) was an Alids, Alid political and religious leader. The eldest son of Ali and Fatima and a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Hasan briefly ruled as Rashidun caliphate, Rashidun caliph from January 661 unt ...

. His genealogical chain supposedly goes back eight generations to Caliph

Ali Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib an ...

. According to the autobiographical information recorded in his own ''Kashf al-maḥjūb'', it is evident that Ali Hujwiri travelled "widely through the

and beyond, spending considerable time in

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

Nishapur Nishapur or Neyshabur (, also ) is a city in the Central District (Nishapur County), Central District of Nishapur County, Razavi Khorasan province, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Ni ...

, and

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

, where he met many of the pre-eminent Ṣūfīs of his time."Strothmann, Linus, "Dātā Ganj Bakhsh, Shrine of", in: ''Encyclopaedia of Islam'', THREE, Edited by: Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson; see also ʿAlī al-Hujwīrī, ''Kashf al-maḥjūb'', trans. Reynold A. Nicholson, Leiden 1911, intro. In matters of

jurisprudence Jurisprudence, also known as theory of law or philosophy of law, is the examination in a general perspective of what law is and what it ought to be. It investigates issues such as the definition of law; legal validity; legal norms and values ...

, he received training in the

Hanafi The Hanafi school or Hanafism is the oldest and largest Madhhab, school of Islamic jurisprudence out of the four schools within Sunni Islam. It developed from the teachings of the Faqīh, jurist and theologian Abu Hanifa (), who systemised the ...

rite Rite may refer to: Religion * Ritual, an established ceremonious act * Rite (Christianity), sacred rituals in the Christian religion * Ritual family, Christian liturgical traditions; often also called ''liturgical rites'' * Catholic particular ch ...

of orthodox Sunni law under various teachers.Hosain, Hidayet and Massé, H., "Hud̲j̲wīrī", in: ''Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition'', Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs: "Although he was a Sunni and a Hanafi...".Strothmann, Linus, "Dātā Ganj Bakhsh, Shrine of", in: ''Encyclopaedia of Islam'', THREE, Edited by: Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson: "Al-Hujwīrī followed the Ḥanafī school and is connected through his teacher, al-Khuttalī, to al-Husrī, al-Shiblī (d. 334/945), and al-Junayd (d. 297/910) of Baghdad (Knysh, 133)." As for his Sufic training, he was linked through his teacher al-Khuttalī to al-Husrī,

Abu Bakr al-Shibli Abu Bakr al-Shibli (; 861–946) was an important Sufi of Persian descent, and a disciple of Junayd al-Baghdadi. He followed the Maliki school of jurisprudence (''fiqh''). Biography Abu Bakr Shibli was born in Samarra, although his family was o ...

(), and

Junayd al-Baghdadi Junayd of Baghdad (; ) was a mystic and one of the most famous of the early Islamic saints. He is a central figure in the spiritual lineage of many Sufi orders. Junayd taught in Baghdad throughout his lifetime and was an important figure in t ...

(). For a short period, the mystic is believed to have lived in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

Hosain, Hidayet and Massé, H., "Hud̲j̲wīrī", in: ''Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition'', Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs His brief marriage during this period is said to have been unhappy. Eventually, Ali Hujwiri settled in

, where he died with the reputation of a renowned preacher and teacher. After his death, Ali Hujwiri was unanimously regarded as a great saint by popular acclaim.

Spiritual Lineage

# Habib al-Ajami #

Dawud al-Ta'i Abu Sulaiman Dawud ibn Nusair al-Tā'ī, () usually referred to as Dawud Tā'ī, (died between 776 and 783 CE) was an Islamic scholar and Sufi mystic. He resided in Kufa and was a prominent student of Abu Hanifa. His disciples included many inf ...

# Maruf al-Karkhi #

Sari al-Saqati Sari ibn al-Mughallis al-Saqati ( was one of the early Muslim Sufi saints of Baghdad. He was one of the most influential students of Maruf Karkhi and one of the first to present Sufism (tasawwuf) in a systematic way. He was also a friend of Bi ...

Abu Bakr Shibli Abu Bakr al-Shibli (; 861–946) was an important Sufi of Persian descent, and a disciple of Junayd al-Baghdadi. He followed the Maliki school of jurisprudence (''fiqh''). Biography Abu Bakr Shibli was born in Samarra, although his family was ...

# Ali Husri Husri # AbulFazal Khutli #Ali al-Hujwiri

Views

Companions of Muhammad

Abu Bakr

Ali Hujwiri described the first caliph of Islam

Abu Bakr Abd Allah ibn Abi Quhafa (23 August 634), better known by his ''Kunya (Arabic), kunya'' Abu Bakr, was a senior Sahaba, companion, the closest friend, and father-in-law of Muhammad. He served as the first caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruli ...

() as "the Greatest Truthful,"Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 31 and deemed him "the leader (''imām'') of all the folk of this

Path A path is a route for physical travel – see Trail. Path or PATH may also refer to: Physical paths of different types * Bicycle path * Bridle path, used by people on horseback * Course (navigation), the intended path of a vehicle * Desir ...

." Eulogizing Abu Bakr's piety, Ali Hujwiri praised him for how "he gave away all his wealth and his clients, and clad himself in a woolen garment, and came to the Messenger Muhammad " and stated elsewhere that he "is placed by the Sufi shaykhs at the head of those who have adopted the contemplative life." In conclusion, Ali Hujwiri stated: "The whole sect of Sufis has made him their patron in stripping themselvesan of worldly things, in fixity, in an eager desire for poverty, and in longing to renounce authority. He is the leader of the Muslims in general, and of the Sufis in particular."Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 72

Umar

Al-Hujwiri described the second caliph of Islam

Umar Umar ibn al-Khattab (; ), also spelled Omar, was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () and is regarded as a senior companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Mu ...

() as one "specially distinguished by sagacity and resolution," and said that "the Sufis make him their model in wearing a patched garment and rigorously performing the duties of religion." He further praised Umar for his "very exalted station" in combining a life of worldly duties with intense and consistent spiritual devotion.

Uthman

Regarding the third of the

Rightly Guided Caliphs The Rashidun () are the first four caliphs () who led the Muslim community following the death of Muhammad: Abu Bakr (), Umar (), Uthman (), and Ali (). The reign of these caliphs, called the Rashidun Caliphate (632–661), is considered in S ...

of the early Islamic community,

Uthman Uthman ibn Affan (17 June 656) was the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruling from 644 until his assassination in 656. Uthman, a second cousin, son-in-law, and notable companion of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, played a major role ...

(), al-Hujwiri stated that the "Sufis take Uthman as their exemplar in sacrificing life and property, in resigning their affairs to God, and in sincere devotion."Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 74

Ali

With respect to the fourth of the Rightly Guided Caliphs of Islam,

(), al-Hujwiri stated: "His renown and rank in this

were very high. He explained the principles of Divine Truth with exceeding subtlety.... Ali is a model for the Sufis in respect to the truths of outward expressions and the subtleties of inward meanings, the stripping of one's self of all property either of this world or of the next, and consideration of the Divine Providence." He also approvingly cited

Junayd of Baghdad Junayd of Baghdad (; ) was a mystic and one of the most famous of the early wali, Islamic saints. He is a central figure in the spiritual lineage of many tariqa, Sufi orders. Junayd taught in Baghdad throughout his lifetime and was an important ...

's saying: "Ali is our Shaykh as regards the principles and as regards the endurance of affliction."

Family of Muḥammad (صلی اللہ علیہ و سلم)

Hasan

Regarding the grandson of

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

and son of

(d. 670), Ali Hujwiri described him as one "profoundly versed in piritual truths and as one of "the true saints and shaykhs" of the Islamic community.Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 76

Husayn

With respect to the younger grandson of

and son of

Husayn ibn Ali Husayn ibn Ali (; 11 January 626 – 10 October 680 Common Era, CE) was a social, political and religious leader in early medieval Arabia. The grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and an Alids, Alid (the son of Ali ibn Abu Talib ibn Abd a ...

(d. 680), Ali Hujwiri emphatically declared: "He is the martyr of

Karbala Karbala is a major city in central Iraq. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate. With an estimated population of 691,100 people in 2024, Karbala is the second largest city in central Iraq, after Baghdad. The city is located about southwest ...

and all Sufis are agreed that he was in the right. So long as the Truth was apparent, he followed it; but when it was lost, he drew the sword and never rested until he sacrificed his dear life for God's sake."

Jafar al-Sadiq

Ali Hujwiri described

Jafar al-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq (; –765) was a Muslim hadith transmitter and the last agreed-upon Shia Imam between the Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq ("The Truthful"), Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Islamic ...

(d. 765), the great-grandson of Husayn, as one "celebrated among the Sufi shaykhs for the subtlety of discourse and his acquaintance with spiritual truths."

Muhammad al-Baqir

Regarding the grandson of Husayn,

Muhammad al-Baqir Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (; ) was a descendant of the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad and the fifth of the Twelve Imams, twelve Shia imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Sajjad, and succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sad ...

(d. 733), Ali Hujwiri stated: "He was distinguished for his knowledge of the abstruse science and for his subtle indications as to the meaning of the

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

Zayn al-Abidin

Ali Hujwiri praised Zayn al-Abidin (d. 713), the son of Husayn, for being of "the character of those who have attained perfect rectitude."

Doctors of law

Abu Hanifa

Regarding

Abu Hanifa Abu Hanifa (; September 699 CE – 767 CE) was a Muslim scholar, jurist, theologian, ascetic,Pakatchi, Ahmad and Umar, Suheyl, "Abū Ḥanīfa", in: ''Encyclopaedia Islamica'', Editors-in-Chief: Wilferd Madelung and, Farhad Daftary. and epony ...

(d. 767), the traditionally recognized founder of the

school of orthodox Sunni jurisprudence, Ali Hujwiri stated: "He is the Imām of Imāms () and the exemplar of the

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

s."

Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Regarding

Ahmad ibn Hanbal Ahmad ibn Hanbal (; (164-241 AH; 780 – 855 CE) was an Arab Muslim scholar, jurist, theologian, traditionist, ascetic and eponym of the Hanbali school of Islamic jurisprudence—one of the four major orthodox legal schools of Sunni Islam. T ...

(d. 855), the traditionally recognized founder of the

Hanbali The Hanbali school or Hanbalism is one of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence, belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It is named after and based on the teachings of the 9th-century scholar, jurist and tradit ...

school of orthodox Sunni jurisprudence, Ali Hujwiri stated: "He was distinguished by devoutness and piety, and was the guardian of the Traditions of the Messenger. Sufis of all sects regard him as blessed. He associated with great shaykhs ... his miracles were manifest and his intelligence sound. The doctrines attributed to him today by certain anthropomorphists are inventions and forgeries; he is to be acquitted of all notions of that sort. He had a firm belief in the principles of religion, and his creed was approved by all the theologians.... He is clear of all he slanderthat is alleged against him."

Law and jurisprudence

As a

Sunni Muslim Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...

, Ali Hujwiri believed it was a spiritual necessity to follow one of the orthodox schools of religious law, being himself a staunch follower of the

school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...

of orthodox Sunni jurisprudence. As such, Ali Hujwiri condemned as "heretics" all those who espoused mystical doctrines without following all the precepts of the

religious law Religious law includes ethical and moral codes taught by religious traditions. Examples of religiously derived legal codes include Christian canon law (applicable within a wider theological conception in the church, but in modern times distin ...

(''sharīʿah'').Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 383 He further denounced all those "who held that ... when the Truth is revealed the Law is abolished". For Ali Hujwiri, then, all true and orthodox mystical activities needed to take place within the boundaries of the religious law.

Dancing

According to Ali Hujwiri, purely secular

dancing Dance is an art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire of movements or ...

"has no foundation either in the religious law of Islam or in the path of Sufism, because all reasonable men agree that it is a diversion when it is in earnest, and an impropriety when it is in jest".Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 416 As such, he censured "all the traditions cited in its favour" as "worthless". As for the legitimate ecstatic experiences of some Sufis, whose bodies convulsed when their "heart hrobbedwith exhilaration and rapture" on account of their intense

love of God Love of God can mean either love for God or love by God. Love for God (''philotheia'') is associated with the concepts of worship, and devotions towards God. The Greek term ''theophilia'' means the love or favour of God, and ''theophilos'' mea ...

, Ali Hujwiri declared that these movements only outwardly resembled dancing and opined that "those who call it 'dancing' are utterly wrong. It is a state that cannot be explained in words: 'without experience no knowledge'."

Poetry

Ali Hujwiri deemed it lawful to listen to virtuous

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

, saying: "It is permissible to hear poetry. The

Messenger Messenger, Messengers, The Messenger or The Messengers may refer to: People * Courier, a person or company that delivers messages, packages, or mail * Messenger (surname) * Bicycle messenger, a bicyclist who transports packages through cities * M ...

heard it, and the Companions not only heard it but also spoke it."See Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 397 Due to these reasons, he censured those who "declare that it is unlawful to listen to any poetry whatever, and pass their lives in defaming their brother Muslims." Regarding the hearing of secular poetry, however, Ali Hujwiri's opinion was far stricter, and he deemed it "unlawful" to hear poetry or love-songs that enticed the hearer to

carnal In psychology, libido (; ) is psychic drive or energy, usually conceived of as sexual in nature, but sometimes conceived of as including other forms of desire. The term ''libido'' was originally developed by Sigmund Freud, the pioneering origin ...

desires through detailed descriptions "of the face and hair and mole of the beloved."See Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 398 In conclusion, he stated that those who regarded the hearing of such poetry "as absolutely lawful must also regard looking and touching as lawful, which is infidelity and heresy."

Saints

Ali Hujwiri supported the orthodox belief in the existence of

saints In Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Anglican, Oriental Orth ...

.See Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. 210 As such, he stated: "You must know that the principle and foundation of Sufism and Knowledge of God rests on sainthood, the reality of which is unanimously affirmed by all the teachers, though every one has expressed himself in a different language." Elsewhere, he said: "God has saints whom He has specially distinguished by His Friendship and whom He has chosen to be the governors of His Kingdom and has marked out to manifest by His Actions and has peculiarly favored with diverse kinds of miracles and has purged of natural corruptions and has delivered from subjection to their lower soul and passion, so that all their thoughts are of Him and their intimacy is with Him alone. Such have been in past ages, and are now, and shall be hereafter until the

Day of Resurrection In Islam, "the promise and threat" () of Judgement Day ( or ), is when "all bodies will be resurrected" from the dead, and "all people" are "called to account" for their deeds and their faith during their life on Earth. It has been called "the do ...

, because God exalted this community above all others and has promised to preserve the religion of Muhammad.... The visible proof [of

] is to be found among the saints and the elect of God."

Works

''Kashf al-maḥjūb''

Ali Hujwiri is perhaps most famous for writing what has been described as "the earliest formal treatise on Ṣūfism in Persian,"Strothmann, Linus, "Dātā Ganj Bakhsh, Shrine of", in: ''Encyclopaedia of Islam'', THREE, Edited by: Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. the '' Kashf al-maḥjūb'' ('' Unveiling of the Hidden''). The work presents itself as an introduction to the various aspects of orthodox Sufism and also provides biographies of the greatest saints of the Islamic community. The ''Kashf al-maḥjūb'' is the only work of Ali Hujwiri that has remained until today.Hosain, Hidayet and Massé, H., "Hud̲j̲wīrī", in: ''Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition'', Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Egyptian Sufi scholar Abul Azaem has translated this work into Arabic.

Other works

Reynold Alleyne Nicholson Reynold Alleyne Nicholson, FBA (18 August 1868 – 27 August 1945), or R. A. Nicholson, was an eminent English orientalist, scholar of both Islamic literature and Islamic mysticism, and widely regarded as one of the greatest Rumi (Mevla ...

provided a short list of Ali Hujwiri's writings (all of which are lost aside from the ''Kashf al-maḥjūb''), which included, amongst others, the following unpreserved works: # ''Dīwān'' (''Songs of Hujwirī''), a collection of the saint's poems.Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. vii # ''Minhāj al-Dīn'' (''The Way of the Religion''), a work containing: (i) a detailed account of those

companions of Muhammad Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

whom Ali Hujwiri deemed the precursors of the Sufis; and (ii) a full biography of the executed 10th-century mystic

Mansur al-Hallaj Mansour al-Hallaj () or Mansour Hallaj () ( 26 March 922) ( Hijri 309 AH) was a Persian HanbaliChristopher Melchert, "The Ḥanābila and the Early Sufis," ''Arabica'', T. 48, Fasc. 3 (2001), p. 352 mystic, poet, and teacher of Sufism. He ...

(d. 922). # ''Asrār al-khiraq wa 'l-ma'ūnāt, a work on the woolen, patched garments worn by the Sufis of his time.Hujwiri, ''Kashf al-Mahjub'', trans. R. A. Nicholson (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2007), p. viii # An untitled work explaining the meaning behind the mystical sayings of Mansur al-Hallaj. # ''Kitāb al-bayān li-ahl al-'iyān'', a treatise on the orthodox interpretation of the Sufic ideal of Fana. Of other books written by Sheikh Ali Hujwiri: # ''Kashf al-Asrār'', a short Persian treatise on how to fully adopt the path of Tasawwuf, translated with in-depth commentary by El-Sheikh Syed Mubarik Ali Shah El-Gillani.

Assessment and legacy

Mu'in al-Din Chishti Mu'in al-Din Hasan Chishti Sijzi (; February 1143 – March 1236), known reverentially as Khawaja Gharib Nawaz (), was a Persian Islamic scholar and mystic from Sistan, who eventually ended up settling in the Indian subcontinent in the early ...

stayed at al-Hujwiri's mausoleum and quoted a tribute to him as a narration; ''Ganj Bakhsh-e-Faiz-e-Alam Mazhar-e-Nur-e-Khuda, Na Qasaan-ra Pir-i Kamil, Kamilaan-ra Rahnuma.'' Al-Hujwiri is believed to have contributed "significantly" to the spread of

through his preaching, with one historian describing him as "one of the most important figures to have spread Islam in the Indian subcontinent." In the present day, al-Hujwiri is venerated as the main

,Marcia Hermansen, "Ali ibn Uthman al-Hujwiri," in ''Holy People of the World: A Cross Cultural Encyclopedia'', ed. Phyllis G. Jestice (ABC-CLIO, 2004), p. 381

by the traditional

s of the area. He is, moreover, one of the most widely venerated

in the entire

, and his tomb-shrine in Lahore, popularly known as

, is one of the most frequented shrines in

. At present, it is Pakistan's largest shrine "in numbers of annual visitors and in the size of the shrine complex," and, having been nationalized in 1960, is managed today by the Department of Awqaf and Religious Affairs of the Punjab. The mystic himself remains a "household name" in the daily Islam of South Asia. In 2016, the

declared 21 November to be a

for the commemoration of the commencement of al-Hujwiri's three-day

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hujwiri, Ali Sufi mystics Punjabi Sufi saints 11th-century Iranian people 1000s births 1072 deaths Hasanids Hashemite people Mystic poets Sufi poets Hanafis Maturidis 11th-century jurists Scholars from Lahore