Khawaja Faridudin Masood Gunj Shakkar Pakpatan

Khawaja
Faridudin Masood Gunj Shakkar

(May
Allah have Mercy on Him)
Birth:
575 A.H, (1179 A.D.)    Death: 664 A.H,
(1265 A.D.)

Anecdote:

A tradesman
was passing by oxen laden with bags of sugar. Sheikh Fariduddin Gunj Shakar
asked him for some sugar. But he said the bags did not contain sugar but salt. Upon
this, the Sheikh said, “All right. So be it.”

When
the tradesman reached his destination he found that all the sugar had turned
into salt. He hurried back to the Sheikh and told him that what he, in fact,
had in the bags was sugar. He said, “All right. So be it.” The tradesman came
back and found that it was sugar, indeed.

Introduction
early life:

Sheikh
Fariduddin Gunj Shakar’s lineage goes back with Hazrat Umer Farooq (May Allah
be pleased with him). He completed the study of all disciplines of knowledge
and the arts at Multan and it was there that he met Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar
Kaki, who recognized his talent potential and took him to Delhi where he
attained the highest pinnacle of sainthood through his association with his
guide. 

He became
a disciple of Khawaja Bakhtiar Kaki in 590 A.H, and then, in 595 A.H, also in
Delhi, he got from his spiritual guide his lieutenancy as well as permission to
make his own disciples.

Thereafter,
he went to Pakpatan where he stayed permanently. He had a meeting with Khawaja
Moinuddin Chishti as well. Rulers of his time presented themselves before him.

Sultan
Nasirudddin met him during his visit to Ooch and Multan. Sultan Ghayasuddin Balbun
ascended the throne because of his blessings. Several spiritual leaders and
saints became his disciples.

He was
an embodiment of nobility of character. Throughout his life, he remained an
ascetic. He used to give away whatever he received in Alla’s way. But with all
his asceticism he ruled over the hearts of people.

His
grave, in Pakpatan (Punjab-Pakistan), is a place of pilgrimage for the elite as
we as the common man.