BABA FARID JI

Baba Farid was born in 1188 or 1173 CE (584 Hijri) at Vill. Kothewal, 10 km away from Multan in the Punjab region of Pakistan, to Jamal-ud-din Suleman & Maryam (Qarsum Bibi), daughter of Sheikh Wajih-ud-din Khojendi . He was a descendant of Farrukh Shah Kabuli, the King of Afghanistan. According to brief description accompanying an illustration, it was his mother, who inspired young Farid towards prayer, by placing Shakar (sugar) under his mat when he sit for prayer, and when she didn't, Farid found the sugar nevertheless, this episode gave him an unmistakable spiritual fervor and later the name, Ganj-i-Shakar, meaning 'Treasure of Sweetness' (Shakar). Shaikh Shoaib was nephew of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi. Baba Farid taken his early education in Multan, which had become a centre for education; it was here that he met his master murshid, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, a noted Sufi saint, who was passing through Multan, from Bagdad who was going to  Delhi., Farid wanted to leave with him for Delhi immediately, but Kaki guide him to first complete his education. Thereafter, he left for Sistan, and Kandahar for his further studies. At 16, he also went to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage. Once his education was finished, He shifted to Delhi, where he practiced austerities, and learned the doctrine of his Master, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. But the bustling city of Delhi didn’t suit him well, and he decided to go to a quieter place, he chose, Hansi, Haryana, where he stayed for a while. Meanwhile, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki died in 1235, so he left Hansi, and assumed the role of spiritual successor of his Master, though he left Delhi again, this time for Ajodhan  (the present Pakpattan, Pakistan). On his way, his stopped at a place now called, Faridkot, and did penance for 40 days, near the fort of Prince ‘Mokhal’, then under construction. The king was so impressed by his presence that he named the city, after Baba Farid, instead of ‘Mokhalhar’, and the place is still called, ‘Tilla Baba Farid’, and ‘Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman Purb Mela’ is celebrated in September, each year, commemorating his arrival in the city. It was here that he met the 20-year old, Nizamuddin Auliya, who went on to become his disciple, and later his successor (khalifa). Soon the city, received the name, Baba Farid’s ‘Pak Pattan’, means Pure City, which in time became its present name, though some sources suggest, it comes from its another meaning, 'Holy Ferry'. Baba Farid married Hazabara, daughter of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud. He died on 5th of Muharram, Tuesday, 7th May 1266 CE (679 Hijri) during Namaz. His darbar is in Dera Pindi, and his name is Khawaja Shaikh Muhammad Paak Ghareeb Nawaz. "There is only one Farid, though much spring forth from the bud of the flower".

Baba Farid was a very pious and religious man, of impeccable character, humble and people's poet. He was poor and led a simple life. His piety and his character attracted people to Sufism. Amongst, famous people who visited his shrine over the centuries, are famous scholar-explorer, Ibn Battuta, who visited in 1334 , and Founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, who met then head of the shrine, Sheikh Ibrahim, twice, and his meeting lead to the incorporation of 122 verses, and four poems of Baba Farid, in Sikh Holy Book, Guru Granth Sahib, by the fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan Dev in 1604 .