Shrine of Mian Mir.
Baba Sain Mir Mohammed Sahib (c. 1550 - 22 August 1635), popularly known as Mian Mir or Miyan Mir, was a famous Sufi Muslim saint who resided in Lahore, specifically in the town of Dharampura (in present-day Pakistan). He was a direct descendant of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab. He belonged to the Qadiri order of Sufism. He is famous for being a spiritual instructor of Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. He is identified as the founder of the Mian Khel branch of the Qadiri order. His younger sister Bibi Jamal Khatun was a disciple of his & a notable Sufi saint in her own right.
Once, Jahangir, the Mughal emperor, with all his retinue came to pay homage to the great faqir. He came with all the pomp & show that befitted an emperor. Mian Mir's sentinels however, stopped the emperor at the gate & requested him to wait until their master had given permission to enter. Jahangir felt slighted. No one had ever dared delay or question his entry to any place in his kingdom. Yet he controlled his temper & composed himself. He waited for permission. After a while, he was ushered into Mian Mir's presence. Unable to hide his wounded vanity, Jahangir, as soon as he entered, told Mian Mir in Persian: Ba dar-e-darvis darbane naa-bayd ("On the doorstep of a faqir, there should be no sentry"). The reply from Mian Mir was, "Babayd keh sage dunia na ayad" (So that selfish men may not enter).
The emperor was embarrassed & asked for forgiveness. Then, with folded hands, Jahangir requested Mian Mir to pray for the success of the campaign which he intended to launch for the conquest of the Deccan. Meanwhile, a poor man entered & bowing his head to Mian Mir, made an offering of a rupee before him. The Sufi asked the devotee to pick up the rupee & give it to the poorest, neediest person in the audience. The devotee went from one dervish to another but none accepted the rupee. The devotee returned to Mian Mir with the rupee saying: "Master, none of the dervishes will accept the rupee. None is in need, it seems."
"Go & give this rupee to him," said the faqir, pointing to Jahangir. "He is the poorest & most needy of the lot. Not content with a big kingdom, he covets the kingdom of the Deccan. For that, he has come all the way from Delhi to beg. His hunger is like a fire that burns all the more furiously with more wood. It has made him needy, greedy & grim. Go & give the rupee to him."
However, this legend is unsubstantiated by historical evidence. Sakinat al-aulia, a 17th century biography of Mian Mir compiled by Dara Shikoh, does not mention this account. It appears only in the later accounts & may have been invented to strengthen the Sikh-Muslim relationship.
After having lived a long life of piety & virtuosity, Mian Mir died on 22 August 1635 (7 Rabi' al-awwal, 1045 according to the Islamic Calendar). He was eighty-eight years old.
His funeral oration was read by Mughal prince Dara Shikoh, who was a highly devoted disciple of the Saint. There is a hospital named after him in his hometown Lahore, called Mian Mir Hospital.
Inside view of Mian Mir's Mausoleum in Lahore.
No comments:
Post a Comment