3rd Rabi’ al-Awwal: Urs of Imamul Tariqah Muhammad Baha’uddin Shah Naqshband, 17th Grandshaykh of the Golden Chain

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

The 3rd of Rabi’ al-Awwal marks the blessed Urs of Imamul Tariqah, Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddin Shah Naqshbandق, the 17th Grandshaykh of the Naqshbandi Golden Chain.

He is one of the most radiant stars in the sky of spiritual guidance, and through him the Naqshbandi Way came to bear his noble name. The fragrance of his life has never ceased to perfume the path of seekers, and every generation continues to draw strength, hope, and light from his example.

Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddin Shah Naqshbandق was born in the village of Qasr al-Hinduvan, later known as Qasr al-‘Arifan, near Bukhara in the year 718 Hijri (1318 CE).

From the very beginning, his life was touched with barakah. His noble lineage traced back to the Holy Prophet ﷺ, and both of his parents were known for their piety. He was given the name Muhammad Baha’uddin, but later his title “Naqshband,” meaning the one who engraves the pattern upon the heart, became the symbol of his mission.

From his earliest years, he showed signs of extraordinary discipline and restraint. Unlike other children, he did not seek play or idle talk. His heart was always inclined toward Allah ﷻ. It is narrated that his mother once saw the Holy Prophet ﷺ in a dream, who gave her glad tidings that her son would be a qutb, a pole of guidance for the Ummah.

Even as a boy, he spent hours in solitude and reflection, as if his soul already knew the path awaiting him.

The first to lay the foundations of his training was Khwāja Muhammad Baba as-Samasiق. When Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق was still a child, Khwāja Baba as-Samasiق passed by his village and stopped.

Khwāja Muhammad Baba as-Samasiق turned to his companions and said, “From this place a great Saint will arise whose light will shine upon the whole world.” He instructed his khalifah, Khwāja Sayyid Amir Kulalق, to take special care of the boy and to guide him when the time came.

Thus the trust of Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق’s soul was sealed even before his training began.

Under Khwāja Amir Kulalق, Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق learned the way of remembrance and purification. His Shaykh tested him with severe discipline.

At times he sent him into long seclusions, at other times he placed him in constant service. He was asked to sweep streets, tend to animals, clean the shoes of dervishes, and carry water for the poor. Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق accepted them all with patience, never questioning, never resisting. He once said, “The foundation of this path is adab, and without adab not even one step can be taken.”

Even when tested harshly, his response was one of submission and respect. There is a well-known story where Khwāja Amir Kulalق publicly rebuked him and told him to leave the mosque.

Instead of leaving angrily or with hurt feelings, Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق lowered himself to the ground, placed his head at the threshold of the mosque, and remained there all night, his forehead pressed into the snow.

At dawn, when Khwāja Amir Kulalق saw his condition, he lifted him up with tears in his eyes and said, “You have passed the test.” From that moment, he entrusted Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق with the full secrets of the Naqshbandi Way.

In another story, Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق was ordered to care for the animals of the village. He tended them day and night with complete dedication, never seeing himself as above the task. When asked why a Sayyid of noble lineage would spend his time cleaning after animals, he replied, “It is through serving creation that one learns to serve the Creator.”

For seven years, Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق lived among the sick and the neglected, feeding the hungry, washing the wounds of the ill, and even caring for stray dogs that others shunned.

When questioned about this, he said, “In them I see sincerity and lack of pretension. They do not hide what is in their nature. I benefit more from their company than from the company of those filled with pride.” These years of humble service were part of the polishing of his soul until it reflected only light.

After the passing of Khwāja Amir Kulalق, Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق was guided spiritually by Sayyidina Khidr (AS). Through unseen companionship and visions, he was instructed in the principles that later became the foundation of the Naqshbandi Way.

Among them were the famous Eleven Principles, such as Hosh dar dam (awareness of every breath), Nazar bar qadam (watching over one’s steps), Khalwat dar anjuman (solitude in the crowd), and Yad kard (constant remembrance).

These principles were not theories but living realities that Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق embodied. Through them, he showed how a seeker could live in society, fulfill daily duties, and yet remain in uninterrupted presence with Allah ﷻ.

He taught that dhikr was most powerful when silent, engraved upon the heart. His gatherings were filled with the fragrance of remembrance, but he avoided outward display, emphasizing sincerity over form. His karamat were many, though he never displayed them openly.

During a time of drought, when the people begged him to pray for rain, he lifted his hands, and before he had finished his du‘a the clouds gathered and rain poured upon the land.

He faced opposition at times from those who questioned his emphasis on silent dhikr or who envied his station. Yet he answered criticism with patience, never harshness. His silence and humility softened hearts more than argument could. Many who opposed him later became his closest companions.

Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق summed up the essence of his way in a single saying, “Our Way is the Way of Companionship. To be with the people and to carry their burdens.”

This was the secret of the Naqshbandi Order, a path not of escape from the world but of living among people, serving them quietly, and keeping the heart always with Allah ﷻ.

Toward the end of his life, Mawlana Shaykh Baha’uddinق had become the beacon of spiritual authority of his time. Thousands of seekers were guided through him.

On the 3rd of Rabi’ al-Awwal in the year 791 Hijri (1389 CE), he returned to his Lord in his birthplace, Qasr al-‘Arifan. His blessed maqam remains there, visited by lovers from around the world who come to draw from his spiritual presence.

His teachings live on through our Naqshbandi Way, which bears his name. He engraved the remembrance of Allah ﷻ upon the hearts of his followers, and that engraving continues unbroken in the Golden Chain until today.

To remember him is to be reminded that sainthood is hidden constancy, that true greatness lies in humble service, and that the heart finds its perfection in silent remembrance.

May Allah ﷻ keep us connected to the soul of Khwaja Bahāuddin Naqshbandق.

May his light illuminate our path, may his teachings shape our actions, and may his dhikr engrave itself upon our hearts until we meet him in the eternal presence.

Al-Fatiha.