Hazrat Shah Janullah — Hazrat Syed Jan Muhammad Rahmatullah Alaih — is one of the most respected Sufi saints of the Deccan and the spiritual landmark of Jalna, Maharashtra. His given name was Jan Muhammad. His spiritual guide (murshid), Hazrat Shaikh Miranji Siddiqui Burhanpuri, gave him the title “Shah Jan Allah”, and it is by this name that he became known.
His family lineage traces back to Ghaus-e-Azam Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Radiallahu Anhu. He belonged to the Qadiriyya Sufi order, and his spiritual chain reaches Ghaus-e-Azam through twelve links.
- Given name: Syed Jan Muhammad
- Known as: Shah Jan Allah (Janullah Shah)
- Sufi order: Qadiriyya
- Murshid: Hazrat Shaikh Miranji Siddiqui Burhanpuri
- Years in Jalna: about 18
- Passed away (wisal): 1093 AH (around 1682 CE); buried in Jalna
Training Under His Murshid
He was a disciple (murid), a deputy (khalifa) and a ward of Hazrat Shaikh Miranji Siddiqui Burhanpuri, and held deep love and devotion for him. Some biographical accounts (tazkiras) also describe him as Shaikh Miranji’s grandson through his daughter (sibt-e-awsat).
Under his murshid’s supervision he learned the etiquette of the spiritual path, self-discipline (mujahada), remembrance and reflection (zikr and fikr) and purification of the inner self. He completed the stages of the path and was granted khilafat — permission to guide others.
Thirty Years of Night Prayer
It is narrated that Hazrat Shah Janullah stayed awake in worship from Isha to Fajr for thirty consecutive years. To keep sleep away, he tied a rope to a hook in the ceiling and placed it around his neck so that, if he began to doze, the pull of the rope would wake him.
At first he rested for about two hours after the Fajr prayer. When some people of the path told him that sleeping between Fajr and Ishraq was not proper, he gave up that rest, and his body began to weaken. Scholars then reminded him that the afternoon nap (qailula) is a Sunnah, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to rest at midday, and he resumed the qailula.
The aim of his devotion was never hardship for its own sake, but reforming the self (nafs), purifying the heart and seeking the pleasure of Allah.
The Fast of Shariah and the Fast of Tariqah
He observed Roza strictly according to the rules of the Shariah and broke his fast on time. Of whatever food came to him at Iftar, he kept half for himself and gave the other half to the poor and needy.
He taught that just as the Shariah fast means holding back from food and drink, the fast of the spiritual path (sawm-e-tariqat) means guarding the eyes from needless sights, the ears from improper talk, the tongue from worldly and useless speech, and the heart from thoughts of anything other than Allah. Its purpose is to purify a person both outwardly and inwardly.
Ten Parts of Worship: Nine of Silence, One of Solitude
He used to say that worship has ten parts — nine are silence and one is solitude (khalwat). In his view, silence helps a person take account of the self, keep the heart focused and avoid idle talk. According to a principle he taught, whoever keeps silence for forty days finds wisdom (hikmat) and spiritual insight (marifat) arising within.
Also read:
- Khuldabad, the Valley of Saints: Sufi Dargahs of Marathwada and Aurangzeb’s Tomb
- Khwaja Bande Nawaz Gesudaraz of Gulbarga: Life, Books and Urs
Mastery of Ilm-e-Taksir
Alongside spiritual knowledge, he was skilled in ilm-e-taksir, a traditional science of numbers and letter-squares. It is related that one of his disciples presented a numerical square; Hazrat pointed out its errors and explained the method: the first twelve cells were filled with numbers rising by one, the total was divided by twenty-one and the remainder placed in the thirteenth cell, and the sequence continued up to the nineteenth cell. Shaikh Ali Latif is mentioned in this exchange as having thanked Hazrat for his guidance.
The Khanqah in Jalna
Hazrat Shah Janullah lived in Jalna for about eighteen years, in a small room (hujra) on the left side of his khanqah (Sufi lodge). After leading the obligatory prayers in congregation he would return to his room and rarely came before the public, so most people saw him only when they came to the Masjid for Namaz.
His khanqah was far more than a place of zikr. It fed the poor, helped the needy, offered religious education and training, and hosted gatherings of scholars and poets. He cared for people’s social and economic needs as well as their faith and character.
Emperor Aurangzeb and the Land Grant of Qadirabad
When the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir was staying in Aurangabad, he attended Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid every week. During this period he met Hazrat Shah Janullah and corresponded with him. The emperor held him in great respect and visited him in Jalna as well.
According to tradition, Aurangzeb granted Hazrat 705 regla of land in Jalna, then in Aurangabad district, and issued a formal deed (sanad) for it. On one occasion Hazrat told the emperor that it was not fitting for the Khalifa of the Muslims to show such reverence to faqirs. Aurangzeb replied that he felt both awe and respect for him.
On this land Hazrat laid the foundation of Qadirabad. He arranged housing and basic facilities and turned an unpopulated tract into a settlement — still remembered as an example of his foresight and service to people.
The 1679 Maratha Raid on Jalna
In November 1679 Jalna was attacked by the forces of Shivaji. Local residents took their families and valuables to Hazrat’s khanqah for safety. When the raiders advanced on the khanqah, Hazrat tried to calm the situation; tension arose between the Marathas and the khanqah’s attendants, though the matter was later resolved. The episode is also recorded in the Wikipedia entry on Jan Muhammad of Jalna.
Writings and the Mir’at-ul-Jamal
To spread knowledge and the message of Islam, Hazrat ran a permanent department for writing and compiling books, through which several works by him and his students appeared. Works attributed to him include “Ilahiyat”, “Haqiqa”, “Talab-e-Haq”, “Manazil-e-Ruhi”, “Falak-ul-Buruj” and “Mahal”. His khalifa Shah Muhammad Ali wrote a book on ilm-e-dawat.
After his passing, Aman Allah compiled his life, sayings and teachings in Persian. The book, known as Mir’at-ul-Jamal, was completed in 1198 AH and remains the most important source on Hazrat Shah Janullah.
Special Statement
A Call to Publish His Persian Tafsir and Translation
“About 400 years ago, Hazrat wrote a tafsir of the Holy Quran in Persian. It is a very great work for our country and a great treasure of Islam.”
According to Syed Jameel Maulana, those responsible for the dargah should bring Hazrat’s tafsir and his Persian translation of the Quran before the public, which he said would be the greatest service to Hazrat’s mission.
— Syed Jameel Maulana
Mutawalli (custodian), Dargah of Hazrat Syed Ahmed Sher Sawar, Jalna
Wisal and the Dargah
Hazrat Shah Janullah spent his life in obedience to the Shariah, worship, inner purification, service to people and spiritual training. He passed away in 1093 AH. His dargah stands in Jalna and is visited by large numbers of devotees to this day.
Sources
- Muntakhab-ul-Lubab — Hashim Ali Khani, Khan Nizam-ul-Mulk
- Tarikh-e-Dilkasha — Bhimsen Saxena
- Tarikh wa Mashahir Jalna — Ibrahim Siddiqui
- Halat Hazrat Jan Allah — Muhammad Abdul Wahab Andalib
- Tarikh Jalna — Muhammad Abdul Muhi
- Farman of Shah Alam Bahadur Shah Ghazi
- Inscriptions of the Masjid and tomb of Hazrat Jan Muhammad
- Manuscript of the Holy Quran in the hand of Hazrat Jan Muhammad
- A Short History of Maharashtra — Parvez Alam
- Tarikh Qadirabad — Muhammad Rahmat Khan Vakil, Mazhar Irfani
- Mir’at-ul-Jamal — Aman Allah, Persian, 1198 AH
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Hazrat Shah Janullah?
He was Syed Jan Muhammad, a Qadiri Sufi saint of Jalna in Maharashtra, India, whose lineage traces to Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani.
Why is he called Shah Jan Allah?
His murshid, Hazrat Shaikh Miranji Siddiqui Burhanpuri, gave him the title “Shah Jan Allah”.
Where is his dargah?
His dargah is in Jalna, Maharashtra. He passed away in 1093 AH.
Read this article in Hindi: हज़रत जानुल्लाह शाह: जालना के सूफी संत
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