Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm
The 3rd of Rabi’ al-Awwal marks the blessed Urs of Imamul Tariqah, Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Baha’uddin Shah Naqshbandق, one of the most radiant stars in the sky of spiritual guidance. His life, filled with humility, deep remembrance of Allah ﷻ within the heart, and tireless service.
He is the 17th Grandshaykh of the Naqshbandi Golden Chain and is known as the reviver of the Dhikri kahfi (silent Dhikr). To remember him is not just to honour a great Saint, but to open ourselves to the fragrance of his teachings and example.
He was born in the village of Qasr al-Hinduvan near Bukhara in 717 AH. His birth was surrounded by signs of spiritual importance. Khwāja Muhammad Baba Sammasiق, a great Master of the time, passed through the village just days after Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق’s birth.
When the child was brought to him, Khwāja Baba Sammasiق said, “This child is our son. His secret is my secret. He is the one I have been preparing a place for.” From that moment, it was known that this child was destined for a path of deep spiritual responsibility.
Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق was raised under the close guidance of Khwāja Muhammad Baba as-Sammasiق, and after his passing, he continued his training with Khwāja Sayyid Amir Kulālق.
Despite his high station and knowledge, Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق would serve his teachers with absolute humility. One story recounts how he would even carry water and sweep the floors of the gatherings, often saying, “I was taught to polish my heart by polishing the shoes of the Friends of Allah.”
Even when tested harshly, his response was one of submission and respect. There is a well-known story where Khwāja Sayyid Amir Kulālق publicly rebuked him and told him to leave the mosque.
Instead of leaving angrily or with hurt feelings, Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق lowered himself to the ground, placed his head at the threshold of the mosque, and remained there all night, his forehead touching the snow.
When dawn came, his Shaykh came out, saw his condition, and lifted him up with tears in his eyes. “You have passed the test,” he said, and granted him full permission of the Naqshbandi Way.
Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق once said, “Our Way is association. Being in the company of the righteous brings more benefit than a hundred years of seclusion.” And this was how he lived. Though he practiced deep solitude of the heart, he lived among people.
He married, worked, served the poor, helped the sick, and showed the path of Allah ﷻ in the most natural and humble of ways. It was not uncommon to see him ploughing fields with his own hands, milling his own flour, and baking his own bread. He once said, “Eat from the work of your own hands. It will bring barakah in your body and nur to your heart.”
Perhaps one of the most striking features of his character was how he treated all living beings with compassion. For seven years, he lived among the sick and the neglected. He would feed the hungry, wash the wounds of the ill, and even care for stray dogs. People were shocked to see a man of his rank giving so much attention to animals 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.”
Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق was also a man of intense muraqabah, constantly watching his heart and keeping it filled with the remembrance of Allah ﷻ. He developed and taught the Eleven Principles of the Naqshbandi Way, which included awareness of breathing, constant remembrance, being watchful of one’s steps, and preserving the heart from heedlessness.
One of his most famous sayings is, “Dil ba yār, dast ba kār” which means, “The heart with the Beloved, the hand at work.” He taught that a person does not need to leave the world to reach Allah ﷻ, but rather to remain in the world with the heart constantly turned to Him ﷻ.
Despite his deep knowledge and spiritual stations, he never saw himself as superior. When people praised him, he would say, “Cover my faults with your love and do not make me what I am not.”
Many of his disciples wrote about his soft voice, his simple dressing, and his endless patience with all who came to him, even the most broken and sinful.
There was once a thief who came to test him, mocking the Way. Instead of rebuking him, Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق offered him food and a place to rest. The man stayed the night and was overwhelmed by the peaceful presence of the Shaykh. By morning, he repented, weeping at Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق’s feet, and became one of his most loyal mureeds.
He did not seek fame or followers. In fact, he often tried to conceal his spiritual rank. Once when he was overwhelmed by the number of people coming to him, he withdrew to the desert for forty days. When asked why, he said, “I feared the love of reputation more than I fear wild beasts.”
Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق also emphasized the importance of keeping the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ alive in all aspects. He said, “Every step not based on the Sunnah is a step away from the light.”
His gatherings were full of dhikr, adab, humility, and love. He taught that every act, no matter how small, should be done with sincerity, and that the real miracle (karāmah) was good character and steadfastness upon the Shariah.
In one of his final Sohbahs, Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق said, “Our Way is hidden, but our light is not. We hide so that others may shine. We erase ourselves, so only Allah ﷻ remains.”
These words reflect the spirit of a man who walked in this world yet was never bound by it, whose name and teachings continue to shine as a light for us on the Naqshbandi Way, and whose guidance still awakens the hearts of those who yearn for closeness to Allah ﷻ till this day.
In his final days, Mawlana Shaykh Shah Bahauddinق instructed his companions to recite Surah Yā Sīn. As the verses were being recited, he smiled, raised the index finger of his right hand, and softly recited the shahadah.
His soul left this world peacefully, and his maqam in Qasr al-Arifan remains a place of barakah for mureeds from every corner. It is said that those who visit his resting place with love in their hearts leave with their burdens lifted and their hearts illuminated.
He once said, “Whoever sits with us and does not change, has not truly sat with us.”
As his Urs draws near, let us not only share his stories or admire his lofty rank. Let us try instead to live a little of what he taught. His way was never one of display or loud claims. It was the way of hidden light, quiet strength, and deep sincerity.
In the time we live in, full of noise and ego, his legacy is a light we need more than ever.
May Allah ﷻ sanctify his secret, bless his soul, and let the light he carried continue to shine brightly, guiding hearts to love, humility, and nearness to Him ﷻ.
Al-Fatiha.
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