R
oop RESHI THE HIDDEN
ASCETIC
Behold! Verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve;
[Chapter 10: Verse 62]
باتن مکتبہ چوں یک شبے سیاح بود
رہنمائے ُروپ ریشی بر کو ِہ اُولر شد است
Translation:
"While traveling with a physical body in the night for his sake, guided Roop Rishi on the hillock of mountain Ular (Wasturwan foothills)”:- {Virdul-Murideen, Baba Dawood Khaki RA}
The valley of Kashmir is known as valley of saints or valley of sages (Peer Waar or Reshi Waar). History is witness that this land has given birth to high- ranking saints, great spiritual guides, honourable Sufis, incomparable scholars and eloquent poets of Persian language. In reality the region is best place for spiritual retreat and seeking God due to its location this is the reason why there is no place in all over the Kashmir valley where the traces of some saints are not present. Reshis preached in every nook and corner of the valley and propagated Islam, spirituality and monasticism and taught people all golden principles. The famous well known saints of the valley are Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamadani popularly known by the name Shah e Hamadan Hazrat Ameer Kabir , Hazrat Sheikh-ul Alam Sheikh Noor-din Noorani RA, Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi Kashmiri etc. As far as Sheikh Hamza makhdoomi is concerned it is said that he was a born saint guided spiritually by the prophet and his noble companions. Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi is known by the name Mehboob ul Aalam (the beloved of the world) among the common Kashmiri people. He opened a religious institution in the main Srinagar city which was popular by the name Makhdoom Mandaw where countless students, disciples, of Sheikh Hamza learnt tasawaf, spirituality and mysticism . He had countless disciples and some of his famous disciples were Hazrat Baba Dawood Khaki, Hazrat Baba Hardi Reshi, Hazrat Khawaja Ishaq qari, Hazrat Baba Hyder Tulmuli, and Hazrat Baba Roopi Reshi etc.
They are the beloved of the Divine Court, the accepted ones of the Eternal Court, and those close to the Merciful Court, among whom is the Qutb-e-Rabbani (Lordly Pole), Ghous-e
Daurani (Helper of the Era), Aarif-e-Yazdani (Knower of the Divine), and Wasil-e Haqqani (United with the Truth), Hazrat Baba Rupi Reshi Sahib. Devotees remember him with the titles of ‘Reshi Padshah' or 'Reshi Sahib'. Hazrat Sheikh Baba Rupi Reshi ignited such a lamp of guidance through his faith, the light of which illuminated and enlightened the hearts of millions of people. As long as the world exists, this lamp of guidance will continue to serve as a beacon for travellers on the path of Sharia and Tariqa (spiritual path). His name was Hazrat Sheikh Baba Fareed Rupi Reshi, he was born in 877H in the region known as Pargana Ular
(administrative division) as mentioned in Tareekh Hassan, present name (SYEDABAD ,PASTANA ). Hazrat sheikh Rupi Reshi was six years old when his father left this temporary world. Very little is known about his childhood, he was very pious person right from the early childhood , his total blessed age was 120 years, during this period he kept fasting almost 109 years in the foothills of Wasturwan mountain ( Koh e Ular). Hazrat Rupi Reshi was a devotee of God since childhood, during his early days signs of divine guidance were visible on his forehead , with a total disinterest in worldly pleasures and natural inclination toward spiritual attraction and asceticism, he begin to wage a great holy war(jihad) against the ego(nafas) and dedicated himself to divine pleasure. It is said that at the age of five when his father left this temporary world, the divine fire of truthful love begin to burn in his heart. He preferred to live in solitude in the caves of Wasturwan Mountain. He stayed there for almost half of his life, spending his days and nights in remembrance and staying awake. He used to eat wild vegetables and bitter grass as his food. Similarly for many years he continued his intense worship, but no one came to pledge his allegiance. Finally he was honoured with the bay’ah (oath of allegiance) and spiritual guidance from Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom (Sultan of Gnostics). Hazrat Roop Reshi was not acquainted with Hazrat Sultan and was an ascetic doing very tedious mystic exercises in the jungle. One night near the foothills of Wasturwan, he came out of his hut to do ablution, his blessed eyes captured a beautiful glittering luminous body on a horseback. He was surprised to see such a man during the night. He went to him and wished him with the Islamic greetings and Hazrat Sultan ul Aarifeen wished him back. Hazrat Roop Reshi wanted to be a disciple of Makhdoom sahib. He told him that he should came to Srinagar and enquire about mullah Hamza. The same was done by the Roop Reshi and he was guided by the pir and became his true disciple. Hazrat sheikh Hamza introduced him in the Makhdoom Mandaw (religious seminary) and he was given a separate room by the Sheikh Hamza Makhdomi himself because he lived in seclusion in the foothills of wasturwan. One
night Roop reshi was busy in meditation and prayer, suddenly a leopard came and started growling, out of fear “ya sheikh Hamza help”! slipped from his lips. When sheikh Hamza heard this voice he came out and asked him that it is my residence not your Wasturwan where these lions visit every night. Hazrat Sheikh Hamza asked him that it was not a lion but an angel for you so that he could serve you and teach you, but you are not able to tolerate this, go back again into wasturwan foothills to strengthen yourself, Roop reshi accepted the order of his master and did the same, after a brief period of time Hazrat Roop reshi finally became a miraculous saint. Sheikh baba Fareed Roop reshi preached as per the directions of his sheikh i.e., Hazrat Makhdoom sahib in the valley. It is mentioned in the famous book Tazkirah tul Aarifeen that Hazrat Roop reshi spiritually met Hazrat Owais Qarani RA. Hazrat Khawaja Ishaq qari , Hazrat Khawaja Meeram Bazaz RA these famous saints of Kashmir mention about his spiritual life, elegance and ardour . They say that his standard of worshiping was different from others he was lonely mediating in the jungles of the valley. The famous Sufi saint of the valley viz. Hazrat Baba Naseeb din Ghazi writes about his friend Hazrat Rupi Reshi that his total age was 120 in which he kept fasting for 109 years and never broke it , in addition to this he refrained from eating any kind of meat and other delicious dishes, he was busy in mediation continuously and that is why he also remained a bachelor during his whole lifetime. There are countless saintly miracles ( Karamah) of Hazrat Roop Reshi which are reported in the authentic books written by various popular saints of Kashmir (Auliya e Kashmir). It is said that during his era a breatharian was very famous in the region and something strange was reported about him that he was living in a cave without eating anything else for whole day and night ,when Hazrat Roop Reshi heard about this ,he started thinking about the person and decided to meet him personally. Upon meeting him he asked him how it is possible! The person acted as devil’s advocate by pointing out unnecessary things. Hazrat Roop reshi said to him that It is a satanic delusion and you must chicken out this practice and do as I recommend you. He did the same, when the night came a group of unknown people offered a sweet confection to this person he recalled what the Hazrat Roop Reshi had said to him and did exactly the same, the entire sweet confection turned into a dirty poop and he started weeping and rushed to Roop Reshi where he did repentance in presence of Roop Reshi and thanked him later for saving his faith. It is said that he become his disciple later. Hazrat Mir Baba Hyder Tulmuli states that when Hazrat Roop Reshi arrived at the perfection of devotion after being in company of Hazrat sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi he found his service such that one day Hazrat Roop Reshi came to me for stroll and recreation , hazrat sheikh Hamza was alive at that time . jinab Reshi said this to me that Hazrat peer kamil has sent brother Khawaja
Ishaq Qari to find me bu tim busy with work here . therefore I should go home. I said o Reshi I have always seen you in many places at the same time , Roop reshi ws present in front of Hazrat baba Hyder tulmuli and at the same time he was also present in makhdoom mandaw in front of his peer kamil. These are the saintly miracles which are performed by the friends of Allah and they are proven from Quran and hadith. Some hadith are being presented in front of you which mention the benefits people gain because of the pious ones and grades among awliya.. it is reported by Hazrat Ubada :- The abdal in my community are thirty. By them the earth is established and by them you are sent rain, and by them you are granted help and victory { recorded by Tabrani in Mujam al kabir , Ibn Asakir (1;277, 298), al Bazzar and others. Another hadith from Tabarani , Haythami Majma, imam Suyuti’s Jami sagir states on the authority of ibn Umar RA “ Allah repels calamities from 100 households due to the presence of one of the righteous muslim amongst them” . Among its proofs found in the Quran is the story of a companion of Solomon PBUH who said “I will bring it (the throne of Bilqis) to thee, before even thy glance returns to thee” {Chapter 27, verse 40). This is a reference to the Quranic encounter between Solomon and Bilqis , during which a person Asaf bin barkhya in Solomon’s court offers to miraculously transfer the throne of Bilqis to Solomon’s palace. One day during the blessed month of Ramadan Roop reshi committed to a forty day seclusion and instructed the companions that for forty days no one should disturb me. After the appointed time passed, Roop reshi opened the door of the noble chamber, those who were present there saw his radiant, sun like face and as a result of the alchemical effect of his gaze nine men attained the rank of Wilayah the extreme sainthood. Hazrat Roop reshi endured severe hardship and fasting from the beginning of his life, therefore in the beginning he used to break his fast after three days and always consumed mountain vegetables or wild grass upon breaking the fast , then he used to break his fast after one week, similarly he used to break his fast after 21 days or after forty days. Such was the level of his spirituality. Hazrat sheikh Rupi Reshi used only one Khirqa (robe) in his entire blessed life and never wore a new garment. The great Muhadith of Kashmir hazrat Allama Baba Dawood Mishkati states that he saw the blessed robe of reshi , it was a woollen robe that was worn by the sick and those suffering from any severe illness would be cured by it (source; Asrarul abrar/ page; 430). The Divine Love of Janab Reshi: Janab Reshi arrived in zenith (Kamal) and was in the service of Hazrat Mehboob-e-Alam. During this time, he received a directive from the blessed mouth of Hazrat Peer, stating that a true seeker (Wasil-e-Kamil) is one who annihilates themselves and becomes one with the Truth, just as a drop becomes part of the ocean. Their physical existence should also be dissolved like a drop in the ocean so that not even the slightest trace of their individual
being remains. After this, they should remain outwardly present but inwardly complete in that ocean of unity. This indication was aimed at Hazrat Reshi because he had truly attained such a state; despite his existence, he was absorbed, and after a period, he returned to his original self. When he returned from this ocean of unity, Hazrat Reshi’s blessed being was like a mirror, through whose clarity the hearts of those present would be illuminated and shine like the sun. There was no movement or gesture indicating the direction of his head or his blessed feet. Then, when Hazrat Reshi returned to his own self, Hazrat Mehboob-e-Alam bestowed upon him a blessed cloak, a blessed cap, and a blessed waist-band (kamar-band), and granted him permission to guide seekers before bidding him farewell. The passing of Hazrat Rupi Reshi ; Janab Reshi raised the flag of Islam through the invitation of truth (Dawat-e-Haq) and the propagation of religion, and with his spiritual strength and inner perfections, he became a fountain of guidance for those engulfed in the darkness of ignorance. He was one who observed fasting perpetually and stood in prayer throughout the night. At the time of his passing, he was offered a drink, but he did not consume it, stating that he had made a covenant with the Lord of the Worlds that he would meet Him while fasting, and that he would remain a poor man (faqir) so that nothing would be left behind after his passing except for the patched cloak (khirqa) that was on his body. Janab Reshi passed away from this world while in a state of fasting. He was 120 years old and had been fasting for 109 years. He passed away in 897 AH on 17th of Muharam (the first holy month in Islam) , after the Isha prayer on the night of Friday, and is buried in Habbakadal. His blessed shrine is a place of pilgrimage for both the elite and the common people. Although Janab Reshi has seemingly departed from us, in reality, Hazrat Reshi was alive yesterday and is alive today as well, and by the will of Allah, his spiritual blessings (faiz) will continue until the Day of Judgment.
His shrine is located on the banks of river Jhelum in Habba kadal Srinagar along with his two famous deciples viz; Hazratt Khawaja Sharif Daar Reshi RA and Hazrat Sulaiman Kanji reshi RA, and his second shrine where he used to pray and mediate almost his entire life is located in Syedabad on the foothills of Wasturwan. Some important relics of Hazrat Baba Farid Sheikh Roopi Reshi still exist today. These include the blessed stick, and a blessed bowl from which he used to drink water, etc., and a tail of an ox (dand loot) which was gifted to him personally by Sultan-ul-Arifeen Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom. It has been heard that in past, a display of these relics was also held on the occasion of the Urs-e-Mubarak. There may be other relics as well, but no concrete evidence could be provided regarding them. However, the blessed stick, the blessed bowl, and the tail of the ox still exist today. It would have been better if all these relics were present inside the Ziyarat Sharif of Hazrat Reshi, but the usurpers and deceitful people of the time hid these relics and refused to hand over to the concerned shrine. May
Allah bless us with the love and affection of pious people in this era of tribulation where some people are busy in defaming the image of the saints of Kashmir and spreading negativity every day and night against them. Almighty Allah says in the holy Quran “Believers! Have fear of allah and stand with those who are true.”[ 9:119].
MAJID AHMAD RATHER
PG ZOOLOGY GRADUATE,
UNIVERSITY OF KASHMIR
�� rathermajd77@gmail.com
