By Dr. Sardar Muhammad Tahir Tabassum
Kashmir is called the land of saints. Saints and great scholars conquered the hearts of the people and created such an innovation in the propagation and spread of Islam that the times recognized it.
History is witness that Hazrat Abdul Rehman Bulbul Shah, Hazrat Shah Hamdan, Hazrat Makhdoom Hamza and Hazrat Nooruddin Rishi, Hazrat Sain Soheili Sarkar, Hazrat Mian Muhammad Bakhsh and Hazrat Mian Barkatullah Jhagvi and their enlightened son Hazrat Mian Muhammad Shafi Baji (may Allah have mercy on him) not only continued this mission but also gave it immense strength.
The existence of these renowned and great personalities is undoubtedly no less than a great blessing for South Asia, the state of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.
Hazrat Mian Muhammad Shafi Jhagvi was an all-round scholar, spiritual, religious and social personality and a perfect man, a great scholar of religion and a very humble, poor, broken-hearted and broad-minded dervish who held the rank of Ghaus of his time.
He received his early education and training under the guardianship of his great father Majid Ghaus of the time, Hazrat Sarkar Jhagvi, who was a renowned scholar of religion and a sea of resources of his time and was the founder of the establishment of Sharia courts in this century and an important pioneer of social reform.
Many books have been published on his active role, services and many religious, scientific and spiritual services. Undoubtedly, his miraculous personality has left such magical impressions and effects in the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan and the countries of South Asia that will continue to remind us of him forever.
Hazrat Mian Muhammad Shafi Jhagvi (RA) was a graduate of the country’s renowned Darul Uloom Islamia Rahmania Haripur Hazara. Along with being adorned with the jewels of religious and worldly education, he was also blessed with spiritual training from his father Majid Hazrat Sarkar Jhagvi and he benefited from the special attention and grace of many renowned saints Hazrat Mian Alif Din Baji Rian Sharif, Sahibzada Tayyab-ur-Rehman Chohar Sharif, Hazrat Baba Syed Tajuddin Nagpur India, Hazrat Khwaja Al Habib Ali Khan Ajmer Sharif and many renowned Sufis and Sahib Nazar Kamleen.
Above all, he was blessed by the grace and blessings of his own grandfather, Mian Muhammad Habibullah, and his great father, Hazrat Mian Barkatullah. Hazrat Mian Muhammad Shafi Jhagvi ruled the hearts of millions of people in poverty, humility, trust and asceticism and dedicated his life to others. He made the service of suffering humanity the cover and bed of his life.
Due to such talented individuals, peace and harmony, love and brotherhood, tolerance, endurance and forgiveness are encouraged and taught in the society and there is a stir in the darkness of darkness. And with the light of character, the candles of faith and conviction are lit in dark hearts – Hazrat Jhagvi patronized the establishment of mosques and madrasas and their construction in many towns and villages with his own help.
He resolved disputes over social relations, marriage, and land and property through wisdom, good manners, and influence. His role in instilling in the hearts and minds of the new generation the truthfulness of monotheism, the truthfulness of the Prophethood, and adherence to the Sunnah, Sharia, and love for the Prophet will be remembered by our future generations.
He cultivated the love for the Prophet in every alley and market of Kashmir and in the high and mountainous areas. For the past decade, the vibrant and active organization Anjuman Muhibban Mustafa, under his patronage, has made great efforts to expand this pure mission and is still active with the same sincere spirit. The credit for organizing and promoting Milad gatherings goes to him.
Every program of the annual Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) conference is a manifestation of memorable history. He would leave his various activities and reach every program of Ishq Mustafa ﷺ and Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ along with all his disciples. Hazrat Mian Muhammad Shafi Baji’s life was devoted to spirituality, knowledge, remembrance and thought, and service to humanity. Every moment of his life was spent in remembrance of Allah, duties and remembrances, true love and knowledge of the Prophet.
Hazrat Sahib always gave importance to the mission of service but kept his spiritual position and status hidden. Despite this, people would cling to him like crazy and would also perform his rituals. He did immense work for the rehabilitation of the areas affected by the earthquake and flood and for helping the victims. And he reached every affected family. Reaching the homes of those martyred and injured by the firing of the Indian army is tantamount to risking your life, but you reached these affected families after a long and arduous journey on foot.
The Jamia Masjid Lawat and the market were destroyed by the Indian firing. This mosque was built by Sarkar Jhagvi himself and it was his long-standing wish that the Jama Masjid be rebuilt but due to the intensity of Indian firing, this could not happen. Mian Shafi Baji rebuilt it.
He always worked hard for the resettlement of the refugees who migrated to Azad Kashmir from occupied Kashmir in 1989 and played a full role in the establishment of mosques and madrasas in the camps. There are many aspects of his life and each aspect has its own complexity, which requires research to write about.
