16th Muharram: Birth of Shaykh Jamaluddin Al-Ghumuqi, 35th Grandshaykh of the Naqshbandi Golden Chain

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

The 16th of Muharram marks the blessed birth of Shaykh Jamaluddin Al-Ghumuqiق.

Heق was the 35th Grandshaykh of the Naqshbandi Golden Chain.

Shaykh Jamaluddin Al-Ghumuqiق was a Master of Masters, a Light of Lights, and a Knower among Knowers. A true guide of the Naqshbandi Order, he inherited his spiritual power both by blood and spirit.

His lineage traced back to the Prophet ﷺ through both Hasanر and Husaynر, and he received the spiritual transmission of the Order from the Prophet ﷺ through Abu Bakr as-Siddiqر and Sayyidina ʿAliر.

He was born in the district of Kubu, in Ghazikumuk, Daghestan, on Thursday, the 16th of Muharram in the year 1203 Hijri, corresponding to 1788 CE. From the moment of his birth, he was in a state of spiritual witnessing and lived his life in constant unveiling.

He was a scholar of both the outer and inner sciences. He was fluent in more than fifteen languages, including Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Pashto, Hindi, Russian, Turkish, several Daghestani and Circassian dialects, and Armenian. He memorized the entire Qur’an and over 775,000 Hadiths, both authentic and fabricated. He was an encyclopedic source in Hadith and a reference in Tafsir, the explanation of the Qur’an.

He mastered jurisprudence, logic, mathematics, and physics. He was also a respected homeopathic physician. No branch of knowledge known in his time was beyond his reach. A great Sufi Master, he authored Adab al-Murīdiyya fī Ṭarīqat an-Naqshbandiyya (The Rules of Conduct for Disciples in the Naqshbandi Path).

He was the Qutb of his time, holding this spiritual station for forty years. His Shaykh, Sayyidina Ismaʿil Shirwaniق, entrusted him with many hidden sciences essential for the training and raising of his followers.

Even during the lives of other prominent saints such as Sayyidina Khas Muhammadق and Shaykh Muhammad Effendi al-Yaraghiق, he was known to be the one carrying the central spiritual secret of the Naqshbandi Order. Only after Shaykh Yaraghi passed away was he formally given the role of Master of the Order.

He was tall and slender, with a very fair complexion, a long and wide beard, red eyes, and a soft, sweet voice. As a young man, he studied under scholars and Sufis in Daghestan. For a time, he served as the private secretary to the Governor of Ghazikumuk. However, he resigned, saying, “Allah gave me two special eyes, the ability to see through the Seven Heavens and into the depths of the Earth. I cannot serve an oppressor.”

He turned fully to the Naqshbandi Path, which at the time was mobilizing people against Russian occupation. As a Shaykh, he later became both advisor and father-in-law to Shaykh Shamilق, the leader of the armed resistance.

His knowledge and spiritual rank drew seekers from far and wide. When asked why he left his post, he repeated his statement about spiritual sight, and people were deeply moved. His fame spread quickly.

During the time of Shaykh Shamilق, a governor named Arlar Khan ordered him to accept the position of Mufti. He refused, saying, “I will not serve oppressors.” When the governor insisted and later commanded his execution, Shaykh Jamaluddinق stood with the noose around his neck. Just then, the governor ran to the balcony shouting, “Stop! Do not hang him!” He then threw himself off the balcony to his death. Shaykh Jamaluddinق was immediately released. This was one of his well-known miracles.

Later, he moved to Istanbul with his family and the family of Shaykh Shamilق. There, he spread the teachings of the Naqshbandi Sufi path throughout Turkey. At the time, houses were made of wood. One day a massive fire broke out in the district of Uskudar. People rushed to warn him to flee.

He calmly said, “I will not leave. This house was built from earnings that were pure and lawful. A house built on pure means will never burn.” Though the entire district was destroyed, his house remained untouched. It is preserved to this day and remains famous.

His manners with his family and mureeds were always perfect. He never reacted to objections or complaints. He never criticised anyone and always tried to bring joy to others.

One day, shortly before his death, he called his wife and daughter. He said, “Today I did a great work. It took all my strength and left me very weak. When you read the newspaper, you will learn that a great ship ran aground in the Bosphorus and that an unknown person saved all on board. That person was me.” The next day, his daughter read the newspaper and found the story just as he had said. That newspaper is still preserved by his descendants.

He passed away on the 5th of Shawwal, 1285 Hijri, corresponding to 1869 CE, at the age of 80. He was buried in Uskudar, near the family of Shaykh Shamilق.

Years later, the location of his grave was forgotten. Forty years after his passing, Shaykh Sharafuddinق, while in Rashadiya 150 miles from Istanbul, saw a vision. In the vision, he was brought to a cemetery in Uskudar where a man in a green cloak appeared and said, “I am Shaykh Jamaluddinق. You must reveal the location of my grave.”

When asked how to find it, the man pointed to a nearby grave and said, “This is the cemetery of Karaja Ahmadق, a saint buried here. Try your best to locate my grave.” Shaykh Sharafuddinق then wrote to people in Istanbul and instructed them where to dig. They uncovered the grave and found the headstone with his name on it.

Shaykh Jamaluddinق passed the secret of the Golden Chain of the Naqshbandi Order to Sayyidina Abu Ahmad as-Sughuriق.

Tonight, do send gifts of Surah Al-Fatiha and Yasin to our 35th Grandshaykh of the Golden Chain, Shaykh Jamaluddin Al-Ghumuqiق.

With Love, Al-Fatiha.

To learn more about the month of Muharram and the day of Ashura, please click here.

Wassalam.