hazrat khwaja garib nawaz

Hazrat Khwaja Garibnawaz (Allah's Mercy be on him) began to preach and propagate Islam at Ajmer. His teachings were listened to with reverence and rapt attention. His simplicity and loving nature made people flock up to him. People began to embrace Islam as it now came to them as a message of hope and deliverance. But this mass scale conversion and ever growing popularity of Hazrat Khwaja Sahib displeased the ruler Rai Pathora i.e. Prithviraj Chauhan. He was always seeking an opportunity to harass Hazrat Khwaja Sahib.

When Hazrat Khwaja Sahib and his companions came to Ajmer they camped at a shady grove of trees (now Alamgiri mosque). The Raja’s camel keepers objected as it was the resting place of their camels. They complained to the Raja and the royal sepoys forced Hazrat Khwaja Sahib and his companions to quit. Hazrat Khwaja Sahib went away saying, “Now the camels shall sit here.” The next day, when the camel drivers tried to raise the camels they failed to do so. The camel drivers realized their mistake and apologized to Hazrat Khwaja Sahib, who forgave them and said, “Now the cales will get up. “When the camel drivers returned they were surprised to see the camels standing. This news reached Pritviraj Chauhan and he was very much perturbed.

From the camel’s resting place, Hazrat Khwaja Sahib and others shifted to Ana Sagar lake and settled there. They used the water for their ablution and for dwelling purposes. The non-Muslims and Brahmins thought that Muslims had made the water imputer by their touch. They would not allow the Muslims to take water and tried to put many restrictions and also complained to Pritviraj Chauhan. The Raja poasted military around Ana Sagar and ordered that Muslims should not be allowed to take water.

The next day the companions came back with out water and complained to Hazrat Khwaja Sahib of the sepoys’ rude behaviour. Hazrat Khwaja Sahib then himself went tot eh lake to fetch water in his dowl (kooza or kaasa). When the soldiers tried to stop him, he just looked at them with his piercing eyes and they could no nothing. As soon as the bowl was full, the water in the lake began to recede and there was shortage of water in the whole city. The public panicked and demanded Pritviraj Chauhan to do something. Pritviraj Chauhan tried in vain to restore water. People complained and demanded that he realize his mistake. At last Pritviraj Chauhan himself went to Hazrat Khwaja Sahib and apologized and promised not to ban water on any human being. Hazrat Khwaja Sahib prayed to Allah and emptied the bowl in the lake. By the Grace of Allah, the water in the Ana Sagar lake swelled up. This miracle made many people embrace Islam and respect Hazrat Khwaja Sahib.

A Rajput chief in the court of Pritviraj Chauhan got converted to Islam and this irritated Pritviraj Chauhan. Also, a devotee of Hazrat Khwaja Sahib one day praised Hazrat Khwaja Sahib in the court. This enraged Pritviraj Chauhan and he harassed him. The rajput courtier sought the help of Hazrat Khwaja Sahib. When everything failed, Pritviraj Chauhan sent his active supporters Sadi Deva (Chief Priest) and Ajai pal (his spiritual guru) to fight Hazrat Khwaja Sahib with their magical powers. Their magical attacks proved futile against Hazrat Khwaja Sahib’s divine powers. At last they repented and embraced Islam and this was a blow to the power and prestige to Pritviraj Chauhan. With the support f Ajai Pal (named Abdullah Bayabani) and Sadi Deva, Hazrat Khwaja Sahib’s missionary work flourished. Hazrat Khwaja Sahib once again extended his cordial invitation to Pritviraj Chauhan to accept Islam but Pritviraj Chauhan refused.

Pritviraj Chauhan’s mother was a wise and learned woman. Through astronomy and astrology, she ahd come to know the future of her son. It was predicted that his downfall would occur by the displeasure of a holy pious person, a mendicant (faqir). Pritviraj Chauhan was warned by his mother and told not to harass Hazrat Khwaja Sahib. But he was intoxicated with power and paid no heed to the grave warning and acted very rashly.

Pritviraj Chauhan incurred the displeasure of Hazrat Khwaja Sahib after the first battle of Tarain in 1191 AD. His victory over Muhammed Shahabuddin Ghori turned his head and he ill-treated Hazrat Khwaja Sahib, his copanions and his followers. Pritviraj Chauhan called Hazrat Khwaja Sahib an ordinary faqir and retorted in his durbar that the faqir should get out of Ajmer. This newsreached Hazrat Khwaja Sahib who simply remarked, “We have captured Pritviraj Chauhan alive and handed him over to Muslim army.”

Depressed and weary Shahabuddin Ghori retired to bed and he dreamt that an old pious man advised him to march to India. He was instructed to attack Pritviraj Chauhan again and that he would be victorious. When he awoke, he mobilized his army and attacked Pritviraj Chauhan. In the second battle of Tarain 1192 AD

Pritviraj Chauhan was defeated, captured and killed. His mother’s prophecy proved true. The Sultan installed Pritviraj Chauhan’s son on the throne on the payment of conditional annual payment. Shahabuddin Ghori went to Ajmer and paid his repects to Hazrat Khwaja Sahib, whom he recognized as the same person in his dream who had instructed him to fight and win a crowning victory.

With the fall of Pritviraj Chauhan, Hazrat Khwaja Sahib Freely set his head quarters in Ajmer. He sent forth his disciples to all parts of the country to preach and spread Islam. His main aim was to root out ignorance, superstition and oppression.

Islam came as a message of hope and deliverance from the tyranny of the higher castes. Hazrat Khwaja Sahib’s sympathy was universal and he spent his life in the service of Allah and humanity. He lived a humble saintly life praying and preaching and performing many miracles by the Grace of Allah.


Hazrat Khwaja Garibnawaz passed through many cities and countries. He met many holy and paid his respects to them. He used to pray the Qur’aan twice daily and sleep in the masque or graveyards. His fame spread before him and was always surrounded by crowds. At Lahore, he learnt Sanskrit and Prakit languages. At lat from Lahore he came to Delhi and from there to Ajmer in 1193 A.D. He had about forty followers with him.

It is written in Sijrul Arifeen, Saiyarul Aktab and Aktibasul Awar, that when Hazrat Khwaja Garibnawaz took leave of his spiritual preceptor, he was 52 years old. He had received the Khirqai Khilaafat from him in 582 A.H. and reached Ajmer in 587-588 A.H