Sayyad 'Ali bin Uthman al-Hujweri, [d.469H/1077CE] 'alayhi al-rahmah wa'l-ridwan

Hadrat Sayyad Ali bin Uthman al-Hujweri, Data Ganj Bakhsh (Bestower of Spiritual Treasures) belonged to a place called Hujwer in the town of Ghazna, Afghanistan. He lived during the 5th century A.H. (11th century C.E.) and was well versed in all the Islamic sciences such as Tafsir (exegesis) of the Qur'an, Hadith (Traditions of the Prophet), Fiqh (Muslim Law) and dogmatic theology (Ilmu Kalam). Al-Hujweri's spiritual lineage traces back to JUNAID AL-BAGHDADI through the three intermediaries al-Husri, an-Nasrabi, and Shibli.

 
In the course of his spiritual journey to God, he journeyed physically to many countries, often alone and with hardship. These places included Turkestan, Transoxania, Iran, Iraq, and Syria where he met innumerable Sufi shaykhs, many of whom he has mentioned in his book 'Kashful Mahjub.' He went to Lahore in the later part of this life to spread Islam, converting large numbers of Hindus into Muslims. He passed away in Lahore in 469 A.H. (1077 C.E.) where his maqam currently stands, visited by people of all walks of life, from near and far. Also popularly known as 'Data Sahib'.

The Kashf al-Mahjub : by Sayyad Ali bin Uthman al-Hujweri Allah be pleased with him 
 Paperback -  446 pages       [ Translated by Prof Reynold Nicholson - Printed in India ]

Shaykh Abu al-Hasan 'Ali ibn 'Uthman al-Hujwiri al-Ghaznawi Allah be pleased with him was born in a small town in Afghanistan near Ghazni. He came to Lahore in 1039 during the reign of Sultan Mas'ud, son of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. In Lahore he would stay until his death in 1073, and such was the gratitude of the people of Lahore for his spiritual gifts that they called him by the simple name of "Data" (meaning "the giver") or else "Data Ganj Bakhsh" ("the giver who bestows treasure"). Few details are known of the life of this man, though he came to exert a significant influence on Muslim spiritual life through his writings, above all the famous Kashf al-Mahjub (The Unveiling of the Concealed).

Kashf al-Mahjub was the first comprehensive book written in Persian about Sufism, at a time when Arabic was still the dominant language for expressing Islamic religious thought. 

Kashf al-Mahjub is not simply a literary production, however, for it is an exposition of practical Sufism summarizing a wide tradition of centuries of reflection; the author wrote it at the request of a fellow-Sufi from his hometown of Hujwir. Kashf al-Mahjub is still one of the best descriptions of the Sufi path. It has been said that those who seek a guide in Sufism should do three things: pray for guidance, visit the tombs of the great shaykhs, and read Kashf al-Mahjub. Shaykh al-Hujwiri Allah be pleased with him traveled widely and met most of the leading Sufis of his day. Accounts of his personal experiences in Iran, Central Asia, and the Middle East enliven his learned discussion of mysticism. He drew upon writings of well-known Sufis such as Sarraj, Qushayri, and Ansari, and he also had access to many early Sufi writings that no longer exist.

 
Our Price £14.95                     FREE UK DELIVERY

 
Revelation of the Mystery    by al-Hujweri

Paperback - 472 pages 

Like Rumi, Hafiz and Attar, al-Hujwiri Allah be pleased with them all was one of the great saints of Sufism. Revelation of the Mystery, or Kashf al-mahjub, has been revered by students of Sufism for nine centuries. This classic text contains biographies of the saints, including Fudayl Allah be pleased with him, the brigand who became a great spiritual teacher; Ibrahim Adham Allah be pleased with him, the prince who renounced everything when he received the divine call; and al-Hallaj, the great Sufi martyr. Sayyid 'Ali ibn 'Uthman al-Hujwiri Allah be pleased with him, also offers the spiritual seeker universal and timeless advice on many subjects, such as contemplation, generosity, spiritual courtesy, prayer, love and distinguishing false spirituality and false teachers from the real, a discernment just as important today as then.

"It has been said that those who seek a guide in Sufism should do three things: pray for guidance, visit the tombs of the great shaykhs, and read [Revelation of the Mystery]." ---Carl W. Ernst

 
Our Price £19.95                         FREE UK DELIVERY