SUFI SAHIB

MAN, MYSTIC, MU’MIN

 

By G.R. SMITH

 

Much has been written about Sufi Sahib’s (r.a.) life and achievements. We now, through these extracts from an article by G.R. Smith, wish to take you on an exploration of Sufi Sahib’s (r.a.) miracles, his personality and teachings, and the doctrines that shaped his philosophy.

 

HIS MIRACLES

 

The working of a number of miracles and other extraordinary phenomena has been ascribed to Sufi Sahib (r.a.). Numerous examples of his ability to foretell the future are also cited.

 

In 1313 AH/1895, on the voyage from Bombay to Durban, an epidemic of dysentery broke out among those on board. It is claimed that this disease was eradicated when those affected drank water especially treated by Sufi Sahib (r.a.).

 

When Sufi Sahib (r.a.) first arrived in Durban all alone, he is said to have found his way to the Grey Street Mosque, From there, however, he was driven out by the over-enthusiastic muadhin, who was not content to leave this stranger, dressed in simple yellow garments, to rest and pass his time in the shelter of the mosque, The muadhin then went off to his bed to sleep, but found that as he lay down, the bed collapsed beneath him. He found it necessary to go to the Imam to complain of these bizarre happenings. The Imam inquired of him what wrong he had committed, to which the muadhin replied that he had merely chased a stranger dressed in yellow from the mosque. The Imam reminded the muadhin of the age-old custom of permitting strangers to take shelter in the mosque. Whether the yellow clothing, a mark of the Chistiyyah, also meant anything to the Imam is uncertain but he advised his muadhin to find the stranger, apologise and allow him the sanctuary of the mosque for his place of rest and temporary abode. Only when the muadhin had done this, was he able to sleep in peace with his bed intact!

 

When Sufi Sahib had settled in the Riverside District, he was soon to learn of a particularly ferocious python which inhabited a large boulder and terrorized the neighbourhood. Having clearly demonstrated that he was no ordinary man, he was approached by a Hindu priest with a view to getting rid of this python. He was shown the rock and, by merely asking the creature to leave, he was able to bring about its disappearance from the place.

 

HIS PERSONALITY AND TEACHING

 

Simplicity and humility were the hallmarks of the character of Sufi Sahib (r.a.). He always wore a simple, often patched garment, yellow in colour. The colour chosen by the Chistis was to represent the soil, thus a proof of the simplicity and humility of the wearer. He was generally extremely mild in nature, with a great fondness for children in particular. He thus took great pride in the orphanage which he had built in the immediate vicinity of the mosque and khanqah at Riverside, and where he always ate. He treated its inmates as his own children. Despite this mildness in nature, he was a strict disciplinarian, and was not averse to corporal punishment, particularly in obvious cases of transgression against the laws of Islam, or of any form of waste. It is also reported that he was ruthless in urging on his building projects.

 

To Sufi Sahib (r.a.) the laws of Islam were of paramount importance. He himself adhered to these laws very strictly. This adherence to the Shari’ah was the cornerstone of his teaching. His maxims were al-sawn wa’l salat (fasting and prayer) and al’jihad ala’l-nafs) (lit. striving against one’s self), i.e. a strict control over the self through fasting and prayer.

 

Finally may be mentioned his great love for his peer, Habib Ali Shah (r.a.). Even when he had left him and journeyed to South Africa, indeed even when his peer had passed away, this love never abated. He often addressed Habib Ali Shah (r.a.) in the most extravagant terms and his frequent sajd al-ta’zim to him has already been noted. Sufi Sahib’s (r.a.) nisba, Habibi, is derived from the name of his peer. No direct correspondence between Sufi Sahib (r.a.) and Habib Ali Shah (r.a.) existed while the former was in South Africa, Spiritual communication is, however, claimed to have existed between the two at all times.

 

To the ordinary man Sufi Sahib (r.a.) addressed the simple message of the strict adherence to the Shari’ah, the beliefs and laws of Islam. The Muslim community at the time was a somewhat motley assembly, the larger part of which was from south India and still Tamil in speech, culture and dress. Also forming a small minority in South Africa, they had mixed freely with the Hindus and were rapidly forgetting their obligatory Islamic practices. It was a measure of the success of Sufi Sahib (r.a.) that the Muslims were to be moulded gradually into a relatively homogeneous community. In this connection also, it should be stated that he championed the Urdu language. It was due to Sufi Sahib (r.a.) in the main that Urdu became the religious lingua franca of the Muslims. He laid great emphasis on education for generally illiterate or semi-literate people.

 

Wherever he went, he remained on the lookout for orphans or other children who might benefit by the education provided at the orphanage.

 

“In bed, one stretches the feet only as far as the blanket reaches” was his frequent comment, the meaning of which was that he determined to teach in a manner appropriate to the intellectual and spiritual capacity of his audience. There was no compulsion attached to the teaching of Sufism. Setting out on the Sufi path must be a voluntary step. It was also the privilege of an elite from among the imams and religious leaders of the community.

 

To those chosen few he taught the Chisti doctrines and practices with little deviation. However, Sufi Sahib’s (r.a.) acceptance of corporal punishment was not altogether in keeping the non-violence demanded in the writings of the Chistis. Also he did permit contact with the government authorities on one particular matter. In the case of a Muslim dying in prison, he made representations to the authorities to secure the body for a burial according to Muslim rites. It can be said, therefore, that his ideas were typical of the Chistiyyah as a whole, as recorded by Chisti writers.

 

Although Sufi Sahib (r.a.) did travel a great deal by horse and cart in order to teach and administer his outlying communities, the Chisti organization in southern Africa was to a large extent decentralized. He appointed khalifas who were responsible for teaching and the administration of the mosque, etc. in a particular town or area. The individual khalifa seems to have been permitted a large measure of autonomy.

 

The distinctive policy of Sufi Sahib (r.a.) in his teaching was to aid his community to become better Muslims, and to engage in missionary activities among the Hindus. Even among the latter, however, he was regarded as a man of extraordinary powers and ability. They came in great numbers to consult him, in trouble and in sickness. It is worthy of note that his dargah (shrine) is still visited to this day by many Hindus.

 

CONCLUDING REMARKS

 

It remains merely to reiterate the more important questions regarding the teaching of Sufi Sahib (r.a.) and to attempt an assessment of his impact on the Indian Muslim community in South Africa.

 

Full cognizance must be taken of his Chisti ideas and that he guided his chosen few along the Chisti path. Much more important for the Muslims as whole, however, was the fact that he was not only a Sufi but a great teacher, willing at all times to work for their spiritual and educational advancement.

 

It was in this latter role of teacher that his impact on the South African Indian Muslim can be seen. Allusion has already been made to the character of the early population, which included many people only half-converted from Hinduism who retained much of their earlier Hindu/Tamil culture, and these, in small minority, seeking to integrate themselves with the Hindu majority in South Africa. The task for him was surely not an easy one. Yet, endowed with sincere faith and great organizational ability, he threw himself into the work at hand. By choosing his assistants well and farming them out throughout most of Natal and other parts of southern Africa in the traditional Chisti manner, the simple message of strict adherence to the laws of Islam was brought to the people.

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