Haji Huud

Haji Huud (1025–1141) was a prominent Muslim saint who migrated to India and settled there for propagation of Islam.

Haji Huud was born in 416 Hijri/ 1025 A. D. in Syria in an area called Khanfur near Damascus. His father Sultan Saiyad Avvana Subhani Abdullah received a message from Ahmed Mujtaba Mohammmad Mustafa about his dream that he was to have pious son in his house. He was advised to name him Huud. His ancestry was through Hazrat Imam Mohammmad Bakr and originating from Imam Hussain ibn Ali.

He grew up as a very intelligent boy and was able to be a Hafiz Quran at the age of 14 and was a good Qaari. He grew also very learned in all the sciences and advanced in politics so brilliantly that at the age of 14, in the year 430 Hijri, he became the Sultan of Samarkand.

Even at a young age Haji Huud was excelled in the administration of Samarkand and became very popular with his subjects. He was fully responsible for all the duties as the king but his most of the time was spent in Ibaadat. In 444 Hijri, Huzur appeared to him in a dream and told him to leave the kingdom and spend the rest of his life in the path of Islamic devotion, and with that he left the throne at the age of 28 and went to Mecca along with his associates.

He lived in Mecca for 36 years and went for Hajj 36 times as mentioned in "Pirnama". His days in Mecca and then in Medina were spent in constant Ibadat and Riyazat. It is mentioned in the old text "Muqasifat e Mohammadiya" that once in Medina, near the shrine of the prophet, Haji Huud was reciting the Durood and spontaneously words came out from his mouth-Ya Jaddi ( O Grandfather). In reply a sound came from the tomb- Ya Waldi ( O Son). Since then he acquired a Mehboobiyat and got divine inspiration to go to India for tableegh of Islam.

From Medina, Haji Huud went to a city in Persia called Chist after going through Yemen. It was a prominent religious learning center of its time. Here he met Hazrat Khwaja Abu Yusuf Nasiruddin Chisti and learned a lot from him. Hazrat peersahib took him under his Iradat. Haji Huud's spiritual capabilities increased tremendously during this time. He got acquainted with the hidden aspects of spiritual knowledge. Once Peersahib summoned him and praised him. He was then given the "Khilafat" from the Peer along with gifts such as a prayer mat, asa mubarak, naalain and is given the title of "Qutub". Peersahib asked him then to go and to settle in a city called Patan in India.

Before he came to Patan, he went to Samarkand and got the titles of Abul Barakat, Shere Sani, Kutbul Aktaab and he was joined by 200 others in his travel to Patan. Among others he was accompanied by his son Ismail Kadri, his Vazier Haji Hussain, Ruum and the prince of Syria. Patan was then the capital of Gujarat and ruled by Karandev Solanki. He with his associates were the first Muslims to arrive in Patan.

" Shud Musalmani Bina Zaate Paakash Dar Patan Deene Ahmed Gashta Roshan Badare Aalam Shah Huud"

He camped in a big open area. In front of it was a big and famous temple. There were idols in the temple that were decorated with precious diamonds and pearls along with a storage of gold and silver. There was a tiger kept to guard the temple. Every evening the tiger was set loose in the area, so everyone used to avoid going near the temple near sunset as the tiger used to attack anyone coming then.

Haji Huud and his associated arrived there right at Asar time. They prayed the Asar prayer and as soon as they were done, the tiger started running to them. Everyone there was scared, but Haji Huud reassured everyone that the tiger was going to come to him only and he will kill it. Then, when the tiger did attack, Haji Huud got hold of its jaws and tore the animal in two pieces. The priests if the temple watching this ran to the king Karandev and narrated the incident to him. They told him that some foreigners have arrived to our land and they are very strong, good looking and very wise. They have killed our temple's tiger and if these people are allowed to stay, they will take over our kingdom. Hearing this Karandev was furious and ordered his army to arrest the visitors.

As the army started approaching Haji Huud and his accomplices, the soldiers started sinking into the ground. Some went as deep as their chests. They were unable to come out of the ground and gave up. They started requesting Haji Huud for help. On hearing their plea, he asked the earth to release the soldiers. He told them, "I have not come to take something form you, but to show you the straight path ( siratal mustakim ). Allah is one and only the one worthy of worship. Hazrat Mohammad Mustafa is his prophet". These words were so effective that the whole army of Rajputs accepted Islam.

" Sabne padha Kalma, kufar toda, hue sab Musalmeen, Unko nikale kaidse, bujo tume kar kar yakeen, Hai Chavde, Rathod, Solanki, Padhiyar jo, Kai tarahke hai gee so jata hai asav Rajputyo"

When the king Karandev heard about this, he was really amazed. It was said that anyone who saw the holy man, could see a noor in his eyes and could see the kalme tauheed on one eye and shamshire tauheed in the other. They would instantly become his devotee. Raja Karandev arrived there to see him. Haji Huud asked him "Who do your worship?". The king replied, "Our God is in that temple". He then took Haji Huud to the temple and showed him all kinds of idols, and the most prominent and decorated one of them was his main God. Then Haji Huud pointed his finger to that idol and said "So this is your God". With that said, the idol fell to the ground and crumbled to pieces. Seeing this miracle, Karadev was impressed and started to respect the holy man. He gave permission for them to settle down in Patan and gave all the assistance to do that. He accepted Islam and built the first mosque in Patan called Masjid Karana.

"Deed chun Raja Karan aan Shah ra shud moatked az dilo jaan shud Musalmeen sadare aalam Shah Huud" -Hazrat Haji Hussain .

Haji Huud stayed in Patan for 51 years. Thousands accepted Islam under his influence. Thereby he earned the title of Mublige Azam. He is one of the pioneer peers to spread Islam in Gujarat. Others being Hazrat Baba Reyhan, Hazrat Saiyad Sharfuddin Mohammad (peer Faluda), Peer Shahbuddin Ibne Saiyad Zahiruddin and Hazrat Sultan Saiyad Haji Huud from Bharuch, Surat, Patan and Kathiawad respectively.

Hazrat Haji Huud's son Hazrat Ismail got khilafat from Hazrat Ghaus-e-azam Pirane peer dastagir. There were several notable scholars among the descendants of Haji Huud. One of the four Ahmeds after whom Ahmedabad is named, Hazrat Makhdum Kazi Ahmed Juud and Hazrat Ghaus ul Vara Hasan Fakih were among them.

At the age of 116 years, on 15th Rajjab 536 Hijri, (1141 A.D.) Haju Huud died. His mazaar is in Patan near the Khan Sarovar.