{{Short description|Muslim saint (1729–1793)}} {{Infobox religious biography | name = Noor Muhammad Maharvi | native_name = {{lang|pa|{{nq|نور محمد مہاروی}}}} | other_names = | title = | image = KhawajaNoor.jpg | alt = | caption = Shrine of Nūr Muhammad Maharvi at Chishtian | religion = [[Islam]] | denomination = [[Sunni]] | jurisprudence = [[Hanafi]] | order = [[Chishti order]] | predecessor = Maulana Fakhruddin | birth_name = Bahbal | birth_date = 2 April 1729 | birth_place = Chhotala village, [[Chishtian]], [[Subah of Lahore]], [[Mughal Empire]] | death_date = 3 August 1790 | death_place = Mahar Sharif, [[Chishtian]], [[Kingdom of Bahawalpur]] | known_for = | resting_place = Shrine of Nūr Muhammad, [[Chishtian]] | mother = Aaqil Bibi | father = Hindaal | occupation = }}
[[Khawaja]] '''Nūr Muhammad Maharvi''' ({{langx|pa|{{nq|خواجہ نور محمد مہاروی}}}}; born 2 April 1729/1730, died 3 August 1790) was a [[Punjabi Muslims|Punjabi]] [[Sufi]] saint<ref name=":1" /> of [[Chishti Order]] from [[Chishtian]], [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]], Pakistan.
==Early life and education==
Maharvi was born in 1729 or 1730 at Chhotala near [[Bahawalnagar]] in a [[Punjabi Muslim]] family of [[Kharal]] tribe.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Umar |first=Muhammad |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Islam_in_Northern_India_During_the_Eight/R8TXAAAAMAAJ?hl=en |title=Islam in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century |date=1993 |publisher=[[Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers]] |isbn=978-81-215-0549-9 |location=New Delhi |pages=138 |language=en |chapter=Chapter II: Sufism}}</ref> His birth name was Bahbal; he was given name Noor Muhammad by Shah Fakhruddin.<ref name=":3" /> He started his early education in the small village of Mahar at the age of 4 under the supervision of [[Hafiz (Quran)|''hafiz'']] Muhammad Masʽud, located near Chishtian.<ref name=":3" /> He later pursued his education in [[Delhi]] in the [[Madrasa Ghaziuddin Khan|''madrasa'' of Ghaziuddin Khan]] under Shah Fakhruddin.<ref>{{Cite book |editor-last=Singh |editor-first=Surinder |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781032668741 |title=Sufism in Punjab: Mystics, Literature and Shrines |editor-last2=Dayal Gaur |editor-first2=Ishwar |author= Malik, Zahir Uddin |date=2023 |publisher=Routledge |pages=173|isbn=978-1-032-66874-1 |edition=1 |location=London |language=en |chapter=Role of Sufis and Bhaktas in North-Western India during the Eighteenth Century |doi=10.4324/9781032668741}}</ref> Noor Muhammad pledged his allegiance to Shah Fakhruddin on February 1752,<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Javed |first1=Muhammad Tazeem |last2=Shafiq |first2=Muhammad |last3=Ilyas |first3=Moazam |date=7 June 2024 |title=Exploring Khawaja Noor Muhammad Maharvi's Role in Spreading Islam and Spiritual Advancement in Bahawalpur Region |url=https://submissions.qlantic.com/index.php/qjssh/article/view/428 |journal=Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities |language=en |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=212–222 |doi=10.55737/qjssh.691107428 |issn=2791-0229 |doi-access=free |archive-date=15 September 2024 |access-date=24 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915074723/https://submissions.qlantic.com/index.php/qjssh/article/view/428 |url-status=dead }}</ref> who made him a [[Tariqa|''khalifa'']] of the Fakhri branch of Chishti Order.<ref name=":3" /> In the same year, he arrived at [[Pakpattan]] together with [[Mawlānā|''maulana'']] Fakhruddin, which marked the end of his education. Fakhruddin then instructed Maharvi to return to Mahar Sharif and preach to the public.<ref name=":0" /> Maharvi died in 1790 and was buried at [[Chishtian|Taj Sarowar]], 3 miles away from Mahar.<ref name=":3" />
== Teachings == Maharvi is well-known in the region of Bahawalpur, especially after Bahawal Khan Abbasi II, ruler of Bahawalpur, became associated with him.<ref name=":0" /> The Sufi poet [[Khwaja Ghulam Farid]] also considered Nur Muhammad his [[Murshid|spiritual guide]], and wrote a ''[[kafi]]'' about him:<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Farid |first=Khwaja Ghulam |url=http://archive.org/details/00544maqabeesulmajalisur3 |title=Maqabees Ul Majalis |date= |publisher=al-Faisal Publishers |publication-date=1942 |pages=68, 271 |language=Ur}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Khwaja Ghulam |first=Farid |title=Divan-e-Farid |date=1959 |publisher=Cambridge Printing Press |location=Lahore |pages=12 |language=Urdu |chapter=Kafi number 9}}</ref>
''Arab vi teḍi, ʿAjam vi teḍi''
''Sīnd, Panjāb da raja''
"You are in possession of [[Arabia]] and [[Ajam]] [and your status is as of the] [[raja]] of [[Sindh]] and [[Punjab]]."
Maharvi's teachings influenced conversion to Islam of many native tribes in Punjab and [[Sindh]]. Maharvi had over 40 disciples, including [[Suleman Taunsvi]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name="jang-21oct22">{{cite news |last1=Jeelani |first1=Khalid Iqbal |date=21 October 2022 |title=حضرت شاہ سلیمان تونسوی چشتی |url=https://jang.com.pk/news/1149453 |work=[[Daily Jang]] |language=Ur}}</ref>
== Family == [[File:DescendantsofNoorMuhammadMaharvi.webp|thumb|300x300px|Family Tree of Descendants of Noor Muhammad Maharvi]]Noor Muhammad Maharvi had three sons (Noor us-Samad, Noor Ahmad, and Noor Hassan) and two daughters.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kharal |first=Mufti Muhammad Iqbal |url=http://archive.org/details/KhawajaNoorMuhammadMaharviHalatOWaqiat |title=Khawaja Noor Muhammad Maharvi Halat O Waqiat |publisher=Akbar Book Sellers |publication-date=2005 |language=Ur}}</ref>
== Death == His [[Dargah|''dargah'']] is located in Chishtian where his ''[[urs]]'' (death anniversary) is observed every year on the 1–3 day of the month [[Dhu al-Hijjah|Dhul al-Hijjah]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Sohail |date=1 November 2012 |title=A tribute to Khawaja Noor Maharvi |url=https://nation.com.pk/02-Nov-2012/a-tribute-to-khawaja-noor-maharvi |access-date=24 June 2024 |website=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Shrine === The shrine of Maharvi was built shortly after his death. His disciple Suleman Taunsvi bought an acre of land surrounding his tomb and started the construction of the shrine. Later works were managed by his disciple Muhammad Aqil, who took responsibility for constructing the shrine's dome, and Muhammad Jamal Multani who played a major role in erecting the outer walls. Shelter for pilgrims are located on the right side of the courtyard, which was constructed by his descendants.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Sufism}}{{Reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maharvi, Muhammad}} [[Category:1746 births]] [[Category:1793 deaths]] [[Category:Punjabi Sufi saints]] [[Category:People from Bahawalnagar District]] [[Category:Sufi mystics]] [[Category:Sufi poets]] [[Category:Chishtis]] [[Category:Indian Sufi saints]]