Hazrat Ubaidullah Ahrar (Q)

Tashkent,Uzbekistan
Khwaja Ubaidullah Ahrar (Q) was born in the village of Shash in Ramadan, 806 AH., or March 1403 A.D. His father was a prominent dervish. He was brought up in Tashkent by his uncle Ibrahim Shashi, a great scholar of his time who gave him early education. When he graduated in the worldly sciences, his uncle sent him to Samarqand for acquiring heavenly knowledge.The signs of sainthood were visible in him since his childhood. Khwaja Ahrar (Q) used to say: "from the age of three years, I was in the Presence of Allah. When I studied the Qur'an with my teacher my heart was in God's Presence. I used to think that all people were like that."Initially, he joined the disciples of Nizamuddin Khamush in Samarqand who was a prominent saint of his time and deputy of Khwaja Ahrar. At the age of 22, he went to Bukhara and outside Bukhara the city met Shaikh Sirajuddin Birmisi. After a brief stay with Shaikh Birmisi, he continued his journey to Bukhara.Here he found the favourable tutelage of Shaikh Alauddin Ghajdwani. Khwaja Ghajdwani was an excellent and exceptional orator. When Khwaja Ahrar met Khwaja Ghajdwani, he was 90, then. Khwaja Ghajdwani, despite of being old age, never discontinued the recitation, nor he refrained from making his auspicious company with his disciples and pupils. Khwaja Ahrar received the spiritual mass from Khwaja Ghajdwani, while both were busy in meditation at the grave of Shah Naqshband.Later on, he went to Khurasan via Merv. He reached Herat and stayed over there for four years with Syed Kasim Tabrizi, In Herat, he heard praise of Khwaja Yaqoob Charkhi (Q). He decided to benefit from him and started journey to Hulaftu and subordinated to him.Service to the humankind, physically or spiritually, was his motto. There were numerous instances of his benevolence. He used to say: "To help and serve people is better than recitation and meditation. Some people think that to do the supererogatory Sunnah is better than serving and helping those in need. It is our view, however, that to take care of people and to help them and to show them love is better than anything else." "...I didn't take this Tariqah from books, but I pursued this Tariqah by serving people." " I entered this Spiritual Order through the door of service." "...Sufism requires you to carry everyone's burdens and not to put yours on anyone."Khwaja Ahrar (Q) authored many books on Sufism and the knowledge relating to seeking closeness of Allah. Besides, he also established a big school and mosque which are still a centre of learning.Khwaja Ubaidullah Ahrar (Q) died on Saturday, Rabi ul-Awwal 29, 895 AH,. or February 20, 1490 A.D., in Samarqand after Isha prayer. His funeral attracted all and sundry. King Ahmad of Samarqand along with his troops also attended the funeral. The sultan carried his coffin. He was laid to rest in Samarqand.He gave the Noor of The Naqshbandia order to Shaikh Muhammad Zahid Qadi Samarqandi (Q).----Courtesy:Lauri Sharif http://www.luarisharif.net/hahrar.htm