SUFI SAINT HAZRAT MIYAN MIR OF PUNJAB

                                                                   

HAZRAT MIYAN MIR

KARNI PARVAAN KYAA HINDU KYAA MUSALMAAN 

( in the path of God , There is no difference between a Hindu and a Musalmaan )

( Hazrat Miyan Mia )

HAZRAT MIYAN MIR ( 1550-1635 AD)

The glorious history of Sikhs shall be incomplete without the mention great Humanist and Sufi saint Hazrat Miyan Mir.

Here was a saint who pleaded with Mughal rulers to stop atrocities on Sikh Gurus . Here was a saint who openly sided with his pupil Dara Shikoh and earned the ire of the then Mughal Ruler . Here was a saint who visited his close friend Guru Arjun Dev ji in Lahore prison and sought his permission to take up his release with Mughal emperor Jahangir .

In an interview to SikhWiki , Makhdoom Syed Chan Pir Qadri, the present custodian (sajjada nashin) of the shrine (dargah) of Hazrat Miyan Mir Sahib ) informs us about this incident as under …

“ Hazrat Miyan Mir Sahib rushed to the Guru Sahib's rescue, saying, 'My friend, just give me one word and I shall cause the thrones of Delhi and Lahore to come crashing down'. But the Guru Sahib answered, 'This is the will of God and I must abide by His Will'. On Hazrat Miyan Mir Sahib's intervention, however, the torture was stopped but the damage was already done.”

A saint who blessed Sixth Six Guru Hargobind Ji ( son of Guru Arjun Dev ji ) and kept guiding him on various issues of the new faith.

A saint who laid the foundation stone of Harmandir sahib( Temple inside the Sarovar ) at Amritsar now known as Golden Temple .

Makhdoom Syed Chan Pir Qadri further informs …

“ When the Caravan of Miyan Mir sahib was moving from Lahore to Amritsar , it was attacked by some miscreants at the behest of One Ahmed Das. Many followers of Miyan Mir sahib were injured in this attack but the revered Sufi saint refused to be cowed down and went ahead to lay the foundation stone of Harmandir sahib. He told to his followers that People can be united only on the basis of the love for the one formless God. And Arjan Dev is doing this task in the best possible way , so he needs to be helped"

I have also seen a painting showing Hazrat Miyan Mir wearing Long woolen cloak and a conical cap and standing in a foggy morning of January 1588 AD with Guru Arjun Dev jI and other spiritual leaders for laying foundation stone of Harmandir sahib in Amritsar . This painting could be the work of noted painter Sobha Singh ;I am not sure .

The history of Sikhs also informs us that it was Hazrat Miyan Mir who personally intervened and requested Emperor Jahangir to release Guru Hargobind ji from Gwalior jail . He put forth a powerful argument that men of spirituality can not be kept in prison.

Jahangir once came to pay homage to Hazrat Mian Mir and requested the sufi saint to pray for the success of the fight which he intended to launch for the conquest of the Deccan. Meanwhile, a poor man entered and, bowing his head to Mian Mir, made an offering of a rupee before him. The Sufi asked the follower to give it to the poorest person in the gathering. The devotee went from one dervish to another but none accepted the rupee. The devotee returned to Miyan Mir with the rupee saying: "Master, none of the dervishes will accept the rupee. None is in need, it seems."

"Go and give this rupee to him," said the faqir, pointing to Jahangir. "He is the poorest and most needy of the lot. Not satisfied with a big empire he covets the kingdom of the Deccan. For that, he has come all the way from Delhi to beg. His hunger is like a fire that burns all the more furiously with more wood. It has made him needy, greedy and grim. Go and give the rupee to him."

Baba Sain Mir Mohammed popularly known as Mian Mir lived in lahore for most part of his life. Hazrat Miyan Mir is considered as the tallest Sufi saint of Punjab who opened the doors of Interfaith dialogue .The Pluralistic society of Lahore , that it remained for more than 300 years , owes its existence to a some Sufi saints like him . These Sufi saints preached tolerance , compassion and unity, rising much above their personal faiths and beliefs .

Hazrat Miyan Mir died at an advanced age and his funeral oration was read by young prince Dara shikoh ,who as per his will, was also buried near the Tomb of his spiritual master at Alamganj Lahore.

Under orders of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, extensive repairs and renovations were undertaken at the tomb with funds from the royal exchequer. The Maharaja used to attend the annual Urs every year and would make large contributions . 

This saint is revered by Muslims and Sikhs of the subcontinent .

Like sheikh Farid , Hazrat Miyan Mir too was a direct descendant of Caliph Umar Ibn Al Khattab of Mecca and belonged to Qadiri sect of sufi saints. He resided in Dharmpura area of Lahore cantonment whereat he arrived from Sivastan sindh at the age of 25 years . He is also reported to have stayed at Sirhind Punjab for some time .

( Autar Mota )

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