Thursday, 19 April 2018
Hazrat Fariduddin Masud Gunj Shakar, affectionately known as Baba Farid or Fariduddin Ganj Shakar, was a prominent 12th-century Muslim preacher and mystic. Born in 1179 AD in the village of Kothewal, Multan, to Jamal-ud-din Suleiman, he became one of the founding fathers of the Chishti Sufi order. His early education took place in Multan, which had emerged as a center for Islamic learning, where he had the fortune of meeting his teacher, Qutab-ud-Din Bakhtiar Kaki, a renowned Sufi saint.
After completing his education, Baba Farid moved to Delhi, where he deepened his understanding of Islamic teachings under the guidance of his master, Qutab-ud-Din Bakhtiar Kaki. When his spiritual mentor passed away in 1235 AD, Farid succeeded him as the spiritual heir and settled in Ajodhan (present-day Pakpattan). During his journey to Ajodhan, he encountered Nizam-ud-Din Auliya, who later became his disciple and eventually his successor as a Sufi Khalifah.
Baba Farid was married to three wives and blessed with eight children, comprising five sons and three daughters. One of his wives, Hazabara, was the daughter of Sultan Nasir-ud-din Mahmud. Notably, the renowned Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited this revered Sufi saint and reported that Fariduddin Gunj Shakar was the spiritual guide of the Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate. According to Ibn Battuta, the Sultan had granted him the village of Ajodhan. During his visit, Ibn Battuta also had the opportunity to meet two of Baba Farid's sons.
The descendants of Hazrat Baba Farid, known as Fareedi, Fareedies, or Faridy, predominantly carry the surname Faruqi. The shrine of Fariduddin Gunj Shakar is situated in Pakpattan, Punjab. One of Baba Farid's significant contributions to Punjabi literature was his development of the language for literary purposes. Prior to Farid, Punjabi poetry was limited, and most of the existing works consisted of traditional anonymous ballads. By utilizing Punjabi as a medium for poetic expression, Farid laid the foundation for the growth of vernacular Punjabi literature in the future.
There are several explanations for why Hazrat Baba Farid earned the title Shakar Gunj, meaning 'Treasure of Sugar.' According to one legend, his mother used to motivate the young Farid to pray by placing sugar under his prayer mat. Once, when she forgot to do so, Farid discovered sugar beneath his prayer mat, an experience that deepened his spiritual fervor and led to the bestowal of this name upon him.
The shrine of Hazrat Baba Farid is a small structure made of white marble, featuring two doors. The eastern entrance, known as the "Nuri Darwaza" or Gate of Light, and the northern entrance, called the "Bahishti Darwaza" or Gate of Paradise. Inside the tomb, two marble graves can be found—one belongs to Baba Farid, and the other to his elder son. The shrine continues to attract devotees and serves as a place of reverence and spiritual solace for many.
