He is among the most senior khulafa of Hadhrat Shaikh Abdul Quddْs Gangohi. He is a descendent of Hadhrat Umar Bin Khattab (radhiyallahu anhu). His homeland was Balkh. His father, Qadhi Mahmْd was among the noted Ulama.

Apparently, Hadhrat Shaikh was born in the year 894 Hijri. At the age of 7 he had accomplished Hifz of the Qur’aan Shareef. By the age of 17, he had completed the acquisition of Zaahiri Uloom. He then became occupied in tadrees (teaching) and Iftaa (the issuance of rulings in matters of the Shariah). He was also involved in writing books.

Ibaadat, Taa-at (obedience to the Shariah), Wazaa-if and punctuality were his special characteristics. Obedience to the Sunnah was his second nature as it was of all the Chishti Masha-ikh. Once when he was bedridden with illness, medicine was presented to him. Although he could not even sit, he instructed those by him to lift him off the bed and place him on the ground. In obedience to his instruction this was done. After he was seated on the ground, he took the medicine and said:

“It is not confirmed that Rasulullah (صلى الله عايه وسالم) ate anything while sitting on a bed or chair.”

Abundance of riyaadhaat and mujaahaadat had physically emaciated him. He would remain lying down but at the time of Athaan he would gain strength and vigour wonderfully and would then perform his Namaaz with tranquillity, taking his time.

Hadhrat Shaikh Abdul Haq Quddْs Gangohi’s letters addressed to him contain wonderful Haqaa-iq (spiritual realities).

The story of his initial bay’t is interesting. Since he was an Imaam of Uloom-e-Zaahiriyyah, he taught at a Madrasah. Always there was a gathering of students with him. Hadhrat Shaikh Abdul Haq Quddْs Gangohi happened to visit some of his mureeds. Hadhrat Jalalud Deen (out of curiosity) also went there and said to the mureeds:

“I have heard that your peer (Shaikh) has come and that he also dances. Convey my salaams to him. Tell him when I find time I shall come to visit him.”

He had described Hadhrat Gangohi’s states of ecstasy as dancing.

The mureedeen conveyed the salaams and the message. After replying to the salaam, Hadhrat Gangohi said:

“Tell him, that the peer himself dances and causes others to dance as well.”

Sometime thereafter, Hadhrat Gangohi heard a voice saying:

“We have granted Maulana Jalal to you. Bring him into your circle.”

In obedience to this ghaibi instruction (i.e. from the celestial realm) Hadhrat Gangohi went to the Madrasah where a circle of students was sitting around Maulana Jalalud Deen. After completing the lesson, Maulana Jalalud Deen turning to Hadhrat Shaikh, said: “Which buzrug are you?” Hadhrat Gangohi said: “The same dancing peer.” So saying, Hadhrat Shaikh cast a powerful gaze of tawajjuh on Maulana Jalalud Deen. In consequence, his entire treasure of knowledge was effaced. Maulana then profusely apologised and pleaded. Hadhrat Shaikh then satisfied him and revealed to him the Knowledge of spiritual realities. After subjecting Maulana to several rounds of tawajjuh, Hadhrat instructed him in the observance of ashghaal, mujaahadah and solitude.

Some days thereafter, there settled over Maulana a state of obliviousness. He kept Hadhrat Gangohi informed of his condition and Hadhrat would guide him. The state of Istighraaq was dominant in him most of the time.

Hadhrat Jalalud Deen was a performer of karaamaat. Once it crossed the mind of a mureed that in former times there were men of such lofty spiritual accomplishment who could transform a man into a Saahib-e-Kamaal by a gaze. Hadhrat Shaikh becoming aware of this thought, said:

“Even now there are such persons.”

He then cast a sharp gaze at the mureed who fell unconscious and so he remained for three days. A few days thereafter he died. When the news of his death reached Hadhrat, he commented:

“Every man does not have the capability of bearing this weight. This poor man too lacked this capability.”

In Thaanesar an annual fair takes place. Hundreds of thousands of Hindus gather on this occasion. One day Hadhrat asked his khuddaam about the fair. He wanted to know the reason for so many Hindus assembling. He was told that although it was their religious festival, the main attraction and cause of the crowds attending was a yogi who was an expert in the performance of supernatural feats. He would dive into solid ground, penetrate deep and surface at another point. He would display this feat several times, each time diving into at a new point and emerging out of the earth at a different point. Hadhrat expressed the desire to see this demonstration. The people were surprised at this request of the Shaikh. They said: “Will Hadhrat Shaikh also attend this sport?”

But no one had the courage to say anything to Hadhrat Shaikh. He instructed them to take him to the fair. They took Hadhrat close to the spot where the yogi would be performing.

When the time arrived for the yogi to commence his act, he dived onto the ground which split open and he disappeared inside. Immediately, Hadhrat Shaikh swiftly placed his blessed foot on that spot. Now the yogi failed to emerge. The yogi remained and died there in the bowels of the earth.

Irshaadud Taalibeen is his book in which he says:

“People of (divine) love do not hanker after kashf and karaamaat. On the contrary, their entire concentration is on ibaadat, zuhd and taqwa. They never abandon these under any circumstances. In fact, they destroy their nafs and they die before death.”

This statement (i.e. the last sentence) refer to a Hadith of Rasulullah (صلى الله عايه وسالم) who said:

“Die before you die.”

Elsewhere in his book, he writes:

“Ignorant sufis who slip from the Road (i.e. Sulook) mislead people. The Sufi Masha-ikh said in this regard: ‘These jaahil sufis are deprived of Wusْl ilal-laah because they have abandoned the usْl (principle). The principle (for success) is to observe the pure and sacred Shariah.”

His Demise
Hadhrat Shaikh passed away on the 14th or 22nd or 25th Thil-Hajj in 980 or 989 Hijri, on a Friday at the age of 95 or 96 years.