M.P.

HARINY (22/HIS/19)
Chisti mystic records of the sultanate period (P.no – 456-465)
- Muhammad Habib

FABRICATED WORKS:
Fabricate:to invent or produce something false in order to deceive someone
Throughout history, a substantial body of literature concerning the Chishti
and other Indo-Muslim mystics has endured, originating from relatively early
times. Despite its wide circulation and acceptance, we are compelled to
categorize this corpus as fabricated. Such a conclusion arises from three
primary considerations.
 this fabricated literature propagates principles that diverge from the
teachings of esteemed figures like Shaikh Nizam-ud-din Auliya and
Shaikh Nasir-ud-din Mahmud, as elucidated in their authentic works such
as the Fawaid- ul-Fuad and the Khair-ul-Majalis.
 the authors of these fabricated texts display evident errors regarding well-
established facts and dates in Indian history, mistakes inconceivable for
the Chishti Shaikhs to have made.
 bolstering this internal evidence, external sources provide unequivocal
confirmation of the fabrication. While only the printed and more popular
of these fabricated works are examined herein, it must be noted that
numerous others remain unpublished. To advance the cause of medieval
Indian scholarship, it is imperative that the inquiry initiated here is
pursued further by subsequent researchers.
1. Shaikh Nasir-ud-din emphasizes that neither Shaikh Nizam-ud-din Auliya nor
any other Shaikhs in the Chishti Silsilah had any written works. He quotes
Shaikh Nizam-ud-din Auliya directly, with Hamid pointing out a corroborative
statement in the Fawaid-ul-Fuwad.
2. The reference is found in the Anis-ul-Arwah, a book where Shaikh Mu‘in-ud-
din Ajmeri allegedly recorded events of Shaikh ‘Usman Harant's life and
teachings in Baghdad. Despite Shaikh Nasir-ud-din's condemnation,
manuscripts of this book are easily available and have been printed. Shaikh
Nasir-ud-din criticizes it as a fake and not in line with Chishti teachings.
3. In a structured Silsilah like the Chishtis, the absence of written works could
lead to attempts to fill the void. If fake books could be attributed to Shaikh
Nizam-ud-din Auliya while he was alive, it's not surprising that books were
written and attributed to him and other Chishti mystics after their death.
4. Many libraries house a fabricated manuscript on mysticism, supposedly
written by Shaikh Mu‘in-ud-din. Writing on mystic principles was no easy task,
as evident by the complexity of the subject. Amir Hasan Sijzi paved the way for
a new genre of mystic literature, making it easier for others to follow suit. The
fabricated works often took the form of malfazat or recorded conversations,
lacking depth and accuracy.
5. The malfuzat, or recorded conversations, attributed to Shaikh Mu‘in-ud-din
can be found in various libraries. Writing on mystic principles was a
challenging endeavor, leading many to imitate Amir Hasan Sijzi's work instead.
The fabricated works often lacked depth and accuracy, showing a limited
understanding of the original texts and history.
(Shaikh Nasir-ud-din protest against sort of wild talk about ‘the sight of the
Divine Throne’ and ‘the curtain of the Highest’ being put into the mouth of the
founder of his silsilah in India.)
(Amir Khurd tells us on good authority that none of the Chishti shaikhs
performed the Haj pilgrimage.” Shaikh Mu'‘in-ud-din’s pilgrimage to Mecca
and Medina is a creation of the anonymous writer’s imagination. (I had added
these paragraph because this might corrolate with previous topic before me )

6. In many libraries, a fabricated manuscript on mysticism, falsely attributed to

Shaikh Mu‘in-ud-din, can be found. Writing on mystic principles was a difficult
task, prompting many to imitate the work of Amir Hasan Sijzi. The fabricated
works often lacked depth and accuracy, revealing the fabricators' limited
knowledge of the subject and history.
7.The Anis-ul-Arnwah is a collection of conversations between Shaikh ‘Usman
Haruni and Shaikh Mu‘in-ud-din of Ajmer. These conversations, recorded in the
Anis-ul-Arwah, are brief but cover a wide range of topics. They discuss rules of
faith, the repentance of Adam, the nawiz-drink, earning a livelihood, long
sleeves, the folds of trousers (shahwar), and the practice of sending lamps to
mosques.
8.The Anis-ul-Anwah refers to several books, including a Figh and a Risala by
Shaikh Yusuf Chishti. However, according to Shaikh Nasir-ud-din, these books
could not have existed. The anonymous fabricator of the conversations reveals
himself by mentioning Ahmad Ma’shuq, a mystic who flourished in the
following century according to Shaikh Nizam-ud-din Auliya. Additionally, the
fabricator has Shaikh ‘Usman quoting from the Mashariq-ul-Anwar, which was
written at least a generation after his death.
 FEW IMPORTANT SOURCE FOR FABRICATED WORKS :
 The book Fawa'id-ul-Fu'ad, attributed to Shaikh Nizam-ud-din Auliya, is
considered authentic. However, there have been different versions
circulating over time, some of which may contain fabrications. This could
be due to individuals trying to associate their writings with Shaikh
Nizam-ud-din Auliya, leading to potential fabrications.

 Similar to Fawa'id-ul-Fu'ad, the work Khair-ul-Majalis is attributed to

Shaikh Nizam-ud-din Auliya and contains his teachings. However, due to
its revered status, there is a possibility of fabricated additions or
alternative versions being circulated, making it challenging for scholars to
determine the authenticity of all content.

 Anis al-Arwah, originally authored by Shaykh Abu Abdullah Muhammad

bin Alauddin Attar, contains spiritual anecdotes and teachings. However,
as it gained popularity, some individuals may have added fabricated
stories or falsely attributed material to Chisti mystics, making it difficult
to distinguish between genuine and fabricated content.

 Malfuzat-e-Timuri, compiled by Amir Hasan 'Sijzi', records the sayings

and teachings of Shaikh Nizam-ud-din Auliya. While the core content is
believed to be authentic, there may be instances of fabrications or later
interpolations by scribes or copyists seeking to enhance the text.

(FOR REFERENCE)