# Muhibullah Allahabadi

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Sufi poet and scholar

Muhibullah Allahabadi Muhibbullah Allahabadi"s Mausoleum Born Muhibullah bin Mubariz 1587 Near Khairabad, Sitapur, Mughal Empire Died July 30, 1648(1648-07-30) (aged 60–61) Allahabad Resting place Dayra shah muhibullah, Allahabad Other name Shaikh-e-Kabeer Occupation Sufi scholar Known for Doctrine of Wahdat al-Wujud Predecessor Abu Said Gangohi Successor Qazi Ghasi, Mohammadi Fayyaz, Sayyid Muhammad Qanauji, Mohsin Fani Shah Saif Ullah Shah Muqarrab ullah

**Muhibullah Allahabadi**, or **Muhibb ullah Ilahabadi** ([Urdu](/source/Urdu_language): محب اللہ الہ آبادی; मुहिबउल्लाह इलाहाबादी 1587–30 July 1648) was a [Sufi](/source/Sufism) saint and scholar who was active in [Allahabad](/source/Allahabad) in northern India during the reign of the Mughul emperor [Shah Jahan](/source/Shah_Jahan). He is noted as a leading proponent of the Sufi doctrine of *[Wahdat al-Wujud](/source/Wahdat_al-Wujud)*, sometimes called "Oneness of Being".

## Life

**Shahi Masjid**

Muhibullah was born in 1587in India.[1] He was a descendant of [Fariduddin Ganjshakar](/source/Fariduddin_Ganjshakar).[2] His home was in Sadarpur in Awadh.[3] There he compiled a commentary in Arabic on Ibn Arabi's Fusus ul-Hikam.[4] He was initiated into the Sabiriya branch of the [Chishti Order](/source/Chishti_Order) of Sufis with the help of Shaikh Abu Said Gangohi, and visited major Chishti places of pilgrimage and centers before settling in Allahabad in 1628, where he spent the rest of his life.[3][2] He was active during the reign of the Mogul emperor [Shah Jahan](/source/Shah_Jahan) (r. 1628–58).[5][a] Muhibullah founded the Indo-Islamic literary culture in [Allahabad](/source/Allahabad), with his many writings on obscure Sufi topics in both Persian and Arabic.[7]

In Muhibullah's view social relationships should be guided by the unity of Being.[5] He was the [preceptor](/source/Preceptor) of [Shah Jahan](/source/Shah_Jahan)'s son, prince [Dara Shikoh](/source/Dara_Shikoh).[8] In response to an inquiry from the prince he wrote that the state should not make a distinction between Muslims and Hindus, since God did not discriminate between his creations. God had sent [Muhammad](/source/Muhammad) as *Rahmat al Alameen*, mercy for all of creation, not only for Muslims.[9] Many devotees visited Muhibullah's *[Khanqah](/source/Khanqah)*, including both Moslems and [Hindus](/source/Hindu).[10] Muhibullah thought that mystic knowledge could be obtained from Hindus, and quoted the Hindu theory of cosmogony in a letter, but seems to have had no more than a very superficial understanding of Hindu mysticism.[4]

Muhibullah followed the teachings of [Ibn Arabi](/source/Ibn_Arabi) (1165–1240), the great Sufi poet and mystic from [Andalusia](/source/Andalusia), and was himself called *Shaikh-e Kabir* (the great master).[8] Ibn Arabi had formulated the most advanced formulation of the *Tawhid wajudi* (*[Wahdat al-Wujud](/source/Wahdat_al-Wujud)*) doctrine, a fundamental Sufist doctrine. In the Sufi interpretation of the doctrine the face of God is seen everywhere, but that does not mean that everything that exists is an aspect of Divine unity.[11] Muhibullah Allahabadi strongly supported the *Tawhid wajudi* doctrine, and was called Sheikh Ibn Arabi II because of his depth of understanding of the doctrine.[8] Muhibullah wrote several books, most notably *Taswiyah*, in which he ardently defended the doctrine.[1] The doctrine was highly fashionable during [Akbar](/source/Akbar)'s reign (1556–1605), because Sheikh Tajuddin Zakaria Ajodhini used to talk of it privately to Akbar.[8]

Muhibullah considered that the works of Ibn Arabi should not be interpreted either literally or metaphysically, and had more respect for Ibn Arabi's critics such as Shaikh [Ala ud-Daula Simnani](/source/Ala_ud-Daula_Simnani) and Mir Saiyid Muhammad Gesu Daraz than for commentators who simply glossed over Ibn Arabi's work.[4] He was opposed by [Mulla Mahmud Jaunpuri](/source/Mulla_Mahmud_Jaunpuri) (of [Jaunpur](/source/Jaunpur%2C_Uttar_Pradesh)) and his followers who attacked Sufism in general and emphasized the importance of rational thought as opposed to dogma and mysticism.[4] Some *[ulama](/source/Ulama)* said that his views about Appearance and Reality were heretical, and Muhibullah should not be considered a Muslim.[7] A fatwa was issued for his execution, which was only averted with considerable difficulty.[12]

Muhibullah Allahabadi died on 32 July 1648.[3]

Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Allahabad. 1968

## Legacy

Ancestry Muhibbullah Allahabadi

[Aurangzeb](/source/Aurangzeb) (r. 1658–1707) may have suspected the orthodoxy of the doctrine of *wahdat-ul wajud* propounded by Shah Muhibbullah.[7] Aurangzeb threatened to burn his book in which he called [Gabriel](/source/Gabriel) a hidden spiritual power in the Prophet rather than a winged angel.[13] It is said that Aurangzeb summoned Muhibbullah's disciple [Sayyid Muhammad Qannauji](/source/Sayyid_Muhammad_Qannauji), and asked him to explain how some of Muhibbullah's statements could be reconciled with *[Sharia](/source/Sharia)*. Qannauji replied that he could only explain Muhibbullah's words when he reached a similar spiritual status, which was far above his present condition. He also said that the emperor had enough fire in his kitchen and did not have to use a poor man's fire.[7]

The important shrine of Daira Shah Hujjatulla in Allahabad was founded by Muhibullah.[14] Sheikh [Mohsin Fani](/source/Mohsin_Fani) of [Kashmir](/source/Kashmir), a disciple of Molla Serf, celebrated Muhibullah in one of his poems. Muhibullah had invested Mohisan Fani in the sacred costume of the Dervish.[15] Muhibullah was considered an important saint by the Sabiriya order of Sufis, founded by [Alauddin Sabir Kaliyari](/source/Alauddin_Sabir_Kaliyari).[16] In the early 20th century the month of [Rajab](/source/Rajab) was treated as a time for holiness and festivities in Allahabad, since it was not just the month of the Prophet's ascension but also the month of Muhibullah's [urs](/source/Urs).[14]

## Followers

Prominent followers of Muhibullah included:

- Qazi Ghasi

- Mohammadi Fayyaz

- [Sayyid Muhammad Qanauji](/source/Sayyid_Muhammad_Qanauji)

- Abdul Rashid

- [Qazi Muhammad](/source/Qazi_Muhammad) Yusuf Salis Bilgrami

Qazi Mohammad Yusuf Salis Bilgrami (d. unknown) was a Sufi disciple of shiekh Muhibullah Ilahabadi, the friend of Mughal Royal Dara Shikoh. His father, Qazi Abul Makarim was a learned Man and served as a Qazi of Bilgram, his home- town in Awadh. Initially Qazi Muhammad Yusuf Salis was [Faujdar](/source/Faujdar) in the Province of Malwah, but later he renounced worldly career as it was incompatible with his Sufi way of life. Prince Dara Shikoh formulated sixteen questions of exploring fundamental nature exploring the entire discipline of Sufism and sent them to Shiekh Muhibullah Allahabadi. At his teacher’s indication, Qazi Muhammad Yusuf Salis drafted their answers for submission to the Prince, naming the work: Hadyat us Sultaniyah

- Ahmad

## Writings

Khanqah Hazrat Shah Muhibbullah Allahabadi Bahadurganj Allahabad

A great many of Muhibullah's letters have been preserved, including a letter from Dara Shikoh (1615–59) with a list of questions on esoteric Sufi questions, and the detailed reply from Muhibullah.[7] Surviving writings by Muhibullah include:[10]

- *Sharh-i-Fūsūs ul-Hikam*, an abstruse commentary in simple Persian on Ibn Arabi's *Fūsūs ul-Hikam*

- *Ibādat ul Khawāss*, code of prayers leading to spiritual discipline

- *Haft-Akhām*, discussion of the seven points leading to spiritual discipline

- *Ghāyat-ul-Ghāyāt*

- *Taswiyah (Equalization)*, defense of the doctrine of *Tawhid wajudi*

- *Miftāh ul-'ashiqin*, often quoted as the sayings of Nasīr ud-Din Mahmūd Chirāgh-i-Dehli.

Other surviving writings are:[13]

- *Tarjamat al-kitāb*, Sufi commentary on the Koran

- *Anfās al-khawāșș*, mystical theories based on the lives and sayings of prophets and saints

## Urs

Dargah of Muhibbullah Allahabadi

The Urs (death anniversary) of Shah Muhibbullah Allahabadi is celebrated at the Dargah shareef Kydganj Dargah And Bahadurganj Khanqah on the 8th-9th of Rajab.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** The emperor Shah Jahan once asked Muhibullah to visit him, quoting the saying "Obey God and obey the Prophet and all those among you who are in command". Muhibbullah wrote a letter of polite refusal in which he said "How can one reach the third stage when one is not able to fulfill the obligations needed for the first two stages?".[6]

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFarooqi1999231_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFarooqi1999231_1-1) [Farooqi 1999](#CITEREFFarooqi1999), p. 231.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchimmel198098_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchimmel198098_2-1) [Schimmel 1980](#CITEREFSchimmel1980), p. 98.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMohammada2007124_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMohammada2007124_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMohammada2007124_3-2) [Mohammada 2007](#CITEREFMohammada2007), p. 124.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMohammada2007125_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMohammada2007125_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMohammada2007125_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMohammada2007125_4-3) [Mohammada 2007](#CITEREFMohammada2007), p. 125.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEClarke200271_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEClarke200271_5-1) [Clarke 2002](#CITEREFClarke2002), p. 71.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMohammada2007126_6-0)** [Mohammada 2007](#CITEREFMohammada2007), p. 126.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFaruqi2007_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFaruqi2007_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFaruqi2007_8-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFaruqi2007_8-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFaruqi2007_8-4) [Faruqi 2007](#CITEREFFaruqi2007).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERafiabadi2005230_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERafiabadi2005230_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERafiabadi2005230_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERafiabadi2005230_9-3) [Rafiabadi 2005](#CITEREFRafiabadi2005), p. 230.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDehlvi2012141_10-0)** [Dehlvi 2012](#CITEREFDehlvi2012), p. 141.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHadi1995427_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHadi1995427_11-1) [Hadi 1995](#CITEREFHadi1995), p. 427.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBrill1990_12-0)** [Brill 1990](#CITEREFBrill1990).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFarooqui2011209_13-0)** [Farooqui 2011](#CITEREFFarooqui2011), p. 209.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchimmel198099_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchimmel198099_14-1) [Schimmel 1980](#CITEREFSchimmel1980), p. 99.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGooptu2001251_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGooptu2001251_15-1) [Gooptu 2001](#CITEREFGooptu2001), p. 251.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOuseley1845408_16-0)** [Ouseley 1845](#CITEREFOuseley1845), p. 408.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDalal2010314-315_17-0)** [Dalal 2010](#CITEREFDalal2010), p. 314-315.

## Sources

- Brill, E.J. (1990). "Wahdat al-Wujud: a fundamental doctrine in Sufism". [*The Encyclopaedia of Islam*](http://www.stevenmasood.org/articles/Wahdat.html). Vol. 10 "Tasawwaf". Leiden: Luzac & Co. Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Clarke, Peter (2002-06-01). [*The World's Religions: Islam*](https://books.google.com/books?id=wPeJAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA71). Routledge. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-134-93195-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-134-93195-8). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Dalal, Roshen (2010). [*The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths*](https://books.google.com/books?id=pNmfdAKFpkQC&pg=PA314). Penguin Books India. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-14-341517-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-14-341517-6). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Dehlvi, Sadia (2012-09-05). [*Sufism: Heart of Islam*](https://books.google.com/books?id=zw_Q2Rbh7yIC&pg=PT141). HarperCollins Publishers. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-93-5029-448-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-93-5029-448-2). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Farooqi, F. U. (1999). [*Lucknow: A Centre of Arabic and Islamic Studies During the Nineteenth Century*](https://books.google.com/books?id=RsPXAAAAMAAJ). Falāḥ-E-Dārain Trust, Publication Wing. p. 231.

- Farooqui, Salma Ahmed (2011). [*A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: From Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century*](https://books.google.com/books?id=sxhAtCflwOMC&pg=PA209). Pearson Education India. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-81-317-3202-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-81-317-3202-1). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Gooptu, Nandini (2001-07-05). [*The Politics of the Urban Poor in Early Twentieth-Century India*](https://books.google.com/books?id=wZTLEEGmZfQC&pg=PA251). Cambridge University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-521-44366-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-44366-1). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Hadi, Nabi (1995). ["Muhhibb ullah Ilahabadi, Shaikh"](https://books.google.com/books?id=qjJmzdJFOHwC&pg=PA427). *Dictionary of Indo-Persian Literature*. Abhinav Publications. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-81-7017-311-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-81-7017-311-3). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Mohammada, Malika (2007-01-01). [*The Foundations of the Composite Culture in India*](https://books.google.com/books?id=dwzbYvQszf4C&pg=PA125). Aakar Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-81-89833-18-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-81-89833-18-3). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Ouseley, Gore (1845). ["Note sur le veritable auteur du Dabistan"](https://books.google.com/books?id=DtHJ6RGtV9kC&pg=PA408). *Journal asiatique* (in French). Société asiatique. Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem (2005-01-01). [*Saints and Saviours of Islam*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ysB4DTRgh5sC&pg=PA230). Sarup & Sons. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-81-7625-555-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-81-7625-555-4). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

- Faruqi, Shamsur Rahman (September 2007). ["Urdu and Persian Literature in Allahabad"](http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00fwp/srf/txt_allahabad.html). Columbia.edu. Retrieved 8 November 2014.

- Schimmel, Annemarie (1980). [*Islam in the Indian Subcontinent*](https://books.google.com/books?id=TYImm1TnemwC&pg=PA98). BRILL. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [90-04-06117-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/90-04-06117-7). Retrieved 2014-11-10.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Muhibullah Allahabadi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhibullah_Allahabadi) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhibullah_Allahabadi?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.