Shah Shahidullah Faridi
Encyclopedia
Shah Shahidullah Faridi (né John Gilbert Lennard) (1915–1978) was a notable Sufi Muslim
who was of German descent born to a Christian
family. He embraced Islam after reading "Kashf al-Mahjub" (The Unveiling of the Veiled), the classical treatise on Sufism written by the famous saint Hazrat Ali bin Uthman al Hujweri. Though having been born and raised in a wealthy English family he left his home in search of a Sufi shaikh. In India
, he eventually met the Chishti Sabri shaikh, Hazrat Maulana Syed Muhammad Zauqi Shah
and pledged allegiance to him. At forty years of age, the responsibilities of spiritual succession were entrusted to him. He lived in Karachi
for about thirty years until he died on Ramdhan 17th in 1978. He was well-known among the local population as a dedicated servant to the common people, and he died in relative obscurity except in the Sufi community in Pakistan. His followers built a moseluem (mazar) to honor his burial site which is located at Sakhi Hassan in Karachi. The mazar area also has a mosque and a graveyard in the complex. His work has attracted the attention recently of another English Muslim convert, Timothy Winter, a.k.a. Abdal Hakim Murad. Hazrat Shahidullah was fluent in many languages and his discourses appealed to various ethnic groups across Pakistan. Though the number of his followers are in the few hundreds they come from all four provinces of Pakistan. His successor is Hazrat Siraj Ali who continues the Sabri Chisti lineage in Karachi.
His brother, who had also read Kashf al-Mahjub and had accompanied him in his worldwide spiritual quest, also became a Muslim and followed Sufism.
Shah Shahidullah Faridi was a renowned writer on spiritual matters, and was regarded as having great clarity and insight. One of his most famous books is Inner Aspects of Faith.
He also compiled Part Two of "Tarbiatul Ushaq" ("The Training of Divine Lovers"), Syed Mohammad Zauqi Shah, 1425/2004, pub. A.S.Nordeen, Kuala Lumpur, ISBN 983065185-1
Main source: A brief biography of his, published recently in Urdu called "Talash e Haqq rudad." by Ahmed Ghazali Shaheedi,printed by M. Naeem Hashmi, Saudabad Malir Colony Karachi
The disciples of Hazrat Shahidullah Faridi continue to publish his works and those of other Masters of their Order. They also continue to hold Zikr sessions every Thursday. For details, you may contact Mr. Tariq Nazir, who is based in Karachi, at his Mobile : +92 300 8248217; Landline : +92 21 35308389
Related Books
-- Teachings of a Sufi saint : selected writings and correspondence of Hazrat Zauqi Shah (RA)
-- Moral message of God and His Prophet (SA) by Hazrat Shah Shadullah Faridi—Hajj-e-Zauqi, compiled by Hazrat Captain Wahid Bakhsh Sial (RA)
-- Vision for Seekers of the Truth by Hazrat Zauqi Shah (RA); published by Ferozesons Pvt Ltd—Sirr-e-Dilbaran ( Secrets of the Beloved ) by Hazrat Syed Zauqi Shah
All publications are available from
Mahfil-e-Zauqia, C-67, Sector 14-A, North Karachi, Pakistan.
Email : mahfilezauqia at gmail.com
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
who was of German descent born to a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
family. He embraced Islam after reading "Kashf al-Mahjub" (The Unveiling of the Veiled), the classical treatise on Sufism written by the famous saint Hazrat Ali bin Uthman al Hujweri. Though having been born and raised in a wealthy English family he left his home in search of a Sufi shaikh. In India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, he eventually met the Chishti Sabri shaikh, Hazrat Maulana Syed Muhammad Zauqi Shah
Maulana Syed Muhammad Zauqi Shah
Maulana Syed Muhammad Zauqi Shah was a Sufist scholar considered a Waliullah or Sufist saint. He graduated from Aligarh University in India...
and pledged allegiance to him. At forty years of age, the responsibilities of spiritual succession were entrusted to him. He lived in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
for about thirty years until he died on Ramdhan 17th in 1978. He was well-known among the local population as a dedicated servant to the common people, and he died in relative obscurity except in the Sufi community in Pakistan. His followers built a moseluem (mazar) to honor his burial site which is located at Sakhi Hassan in Karachi. The mazar area also has a mosque and a graveyard in the complex. His work has attracted the attention recently of another English Muslim convert, Timothy Winter, a.k.a. Abdal Hakim Murad. Hazrat Shahidullah was fluent in many languages and his discourses appealed to various ethnic groups across Pakistan. Though the number of his followers are in the few hundreds they come from all four provinces of Pakistan. His successor is Hazrat Siraj Ali who continues the Sabri Chisti lineage in Karachi.
His brother, who had also read Kashf al-Mahjub and had accompanied him in his worldwide spiritual quest, also became a Muslim and followed Sufism.
Shah Shahidullah Faridi was a renowned writer on spiritual matters, and was regarded as having great clarity and insight. One of his most famous books is Inner Aspects of Faith.
He also compiled Part Two of "Tarbiatul Ushaq" ("The Training of Divine Lovers"), Syed Mohammad Zauqi Shah, 1425/2004, pub. A.S.Nordeen, Kuala Lumpur, ISBN 983065185-1
Main source: A brief biography of his, published recently in Urdu called "Talash e Haqq rudad." by Ahmed Ghazali Shaheedi,printed by M. Naeem Hashmi, Saudabad Malir Colony Karachi
The disciples of Hazrat Shahidullah Faridi continue to publish his works and those of other Masters of their Order. They also continue to hold Zikr sessions every Thursday. For details, you may contact Mr. Tariq Nazir, who is based in Karachi, at his Mobile : +92 300 8248217; Landline : +92 21 35308389
Selected works
- _________ (1970) Everyday practice in Islam Sufi Publishers, Karachi, OCLC 246753, new edition (1979) Mahfil-e-Zauqia, Karachi, OCLC 12205889
- _________ (1976) Spirituality in religion OCLC 28858132
- _________ (1979) Inner aspects of faith Mehfil-e-Zauqia, Karachi, OCLC 7706353, new edition (1985) Nur Academy, Delhi, OCLC 59078626
- _________ (1981) Daglig praksis Da'wa, ISBN 8787728222
Related Books
-- Teachings of a Sufi saint : selected writings and correspondence of Hazrat Zauqi Shah (RA)
-- Moral message of God and His Prophet (SA) by Hazrat Shah Shadullah Faridi—Hajj-e-Zauqi, compiled by Hazrat Captain Wahid Bakhsh Sial (RA)
-- Vision for Seekers of the Truth by Hazrat Zauqi Shah (RA); published by Ferozesons Pvt Ltd—Sirr-e-Dilbaran ( Secrets of the Beloved ) by Hazrat Syed Zauqi Shah
All publications are available from
Mahfil-e-Zauqia, C-67, Sector 14-A, North Karachi, Pakistan.
Email : mahfilezauqia at gmail.com