Hamza Makhdum

Who was Hamza Makhdum?

Hamza Makhdum, also called Mehboob-Ul-Alam, and Sultan-Ul-Arifeen, and popularly known as "Makdoom Sahib", was a sage born to Baba Usman, of the syed dynasty family hailing from Tujar Shareef in Kashmir. He was a hereditary landlord, a scholar and a mystic Sufi Muslim saint of high order.

Aie Aatishaie Faraqat Dil Ha kebab Karda Selab Ashtiyaqat Jaun Ha Kharab Kardah One of the most sacred shrines in Kashmir, Makhdoom Sahib Shrine is located on the southern side of Hari Parbat Hill in Srinagar. This mosque, in the name of the Sufi saint Makhdoom Sahib or Hazrat Sultan-Ul- Arifeen, placed below the attractive Mughal Fort alias the Hari Parbat Fort, is a structure with many pillars and is a rare example of Mughal architectural style. Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom, entitled Mehboob-Ul-Alam, and Sultan-Ul-Arifeen, was born to Baba Usman, at Tujar Sharief, a village in Kashmir of the Chandra-Vanshi Rajput family, a hereditary landlord, a scholar and a mystic saint of high order. According to Baba Dawood Khahi, his devotee. Hazrat Baba Dawood Khaki was one of the pious and renowned companions of Hazrat Sultan ul Arifeen Makhdoom Saheb Baba Dawood Khaki was the chief Qazi of Kashmir and a scholar of great repute. It is said that Shah Hamdan, the great saint of Hamdan offered prayers at the platform where now the present mosque of Baba Dawood Khaki stands. He writes that the father of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom was among the chiefs lone tribe and he was linked to a Kashmiri royal tribe namely ‘Chakoun’ and few relatives of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom were inhabitants of Kachi Hama, a village on the foot of a mountain far from Tujar. The title Sultan-Ul-Arifeen indicates to serious efforts and painstaking prayers did. During his studies he used to meditate a lot. Baba Davood opines that Hazrat Makhdoom did not rest during night for years but remained engaged in prayers. He inherited the mysticism, and from the very childhood was inclined to the company of holy men, and to the truth. Having read the holy Qu’ran in the village, he went to the institution of Sheikh Ismial Kabroi for higher studies. Once he was playing instead of going to elementary school His father happened to come there, grew angry, and beat him so severely that he fell ill. From the day he pledged that he would never play with his Grand Father Zaiti-Rena. He went to see Fatah Ullah the spiritual teacher of the Rena tribe, and learnt the Qu’Oran for a year in the monastery at Shamsi-Chak, he was enrolled into the seminary of Baba Ismial Kubrawi, as a student, for higher studies. He studied the Jurisprudence, Tradition, Logic, Philosophy, Ethics, and Mysticism. Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom came to Srinagar were he was nurture and raised to Higher Spiritual state. Sultan-Ul-Arifeen says, “I was directed to say the daroods, mention of the names, and prayers because of His kindness and whenever I sluggish in the conduct I was reprimanded. “Hard work and painstaking prayers in the early youth made him old before time” Hazrat Sultan-Ul- Arifeen, according to Baba Dawood used to heave a sigh and weep often while interpretation this verse: “ Sokhtam Chandaun Ki Bartan Nesiat Degar Jaie Daag Baidazien Khawhum Nihadin Daag Bar Balaie Daag”