Shaikh Ahmad Khattu and his malfuz Tohfatul Majalis

Abstract

Malfuz writing is one of the most important literary innovations of medieval India. Through this type of literature, we can get a glimpse of the medieval society, particularly the moods and tensions of the the common man, the inner yearnings of their soul, the religious thouht at its higher and lower levels, the popular customs and manners and above all the problems of the people. Malfuz literature is one of the important treasures of Prsian literature of medieval India. It records the teachings of mystic or sufi saints. It can be defined as discourses, conversations and sermons delivered by the Sufis in the assemblies of learned persons and recorded by their disciples. These soures are of great importance for the reconstruction of medieval Indian history. Malfuz is an Arabic word meaning ' what has been said'. The term 'malfuzat' is the plural form of malfuz, a passive participial noun meaning 'uttered' or 'utterences'. Malfuzat are an independent genre in itself, each text focusing on a particular sufi whose teachings were recorded by one of his close and trusted murids or disciples. This genre was given a definite shape by Amir Hasan Sijzi who has compiled the sermons, narrations and teachings of Nizamuddin Auliya who was a chishti sufi saint of a highest order of late twelfth and early thirteenth century A.D. This text serves more as a guide than as a metaphysical and theosophical aspects. The saint's teachings weredisseminated through anecdotes. The devout murid tries to pen down the whole experience with the sheikh. It portrays shaikh's conducts and beliefs and practices. Besides their culinary practices, leisure activities, topography, these malfuzat also highlights social, economic and political conditions. Amir Hasan Sijzi, a scholar in Persian and Arabic languages decided in his life to compile a summary of what he heard from his murshid, Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya. The book Fawaid ul Fawad is the record of the conversations of his murshid, which is a didactic classic in the form of recorded conversations. Devoid of supernatural elements, it provides useful information about a large number of sufi saints and Ulamas. The historiography of medieval India was confined to political history or biographical memoirs and the social life of the populace which is an important aspect of historiography was either sidelined or ignored. The nonpolitical features of the time was documented as an alternative reinterpretation of political and social history through malfuzat. This genre of literature is idiosyncratic in spirit and treatment as they were confined to an individual. The devout murid, because of their close attachment with the sufi, has penned down what murshid has uttered. These utterances has become valuable sources know the socio-cultural aspects of the populace. Moved by Hasan Sijzi, devout followers of myriads of silsilas also started such practice. Mention may be made of Ain-i- Malfuzat by Allama Akhlaq Hussain Dehlavi, Qiwan ul Aqaid by Shaikh Qiwanuddin, Durar-i- Nizami by Maulana Ali bin Mahmud Jandar, Anees ul Arwah by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Serul Auliya by Syed Md Kirmani, Lataif-i- Ashrafi by Mir Syed Ashraf Jahangir Simnani, Khairul Majalis by Hamid Qalandar etc and this genre which has a beginning in the Indian subcontinent still holds its importance though Urdu has replaced Persian as a source of medium. In this article, an attempt is made to briefly present the importance of Tohfatul Majalis and the circumstances which led one of his dedicated disciples to compile this malfuz. The credit of compiling the sayings, narrations and sermons goes to Mahmood Irjee, a native of Iran. Tohfatul Majalis narrates the interesting incidence of Taimur's attack on India and its devastating impact. He says the utter failure of Sultan Mahmood's vision and lack of his leadership provided a great fillip to Taimur to attack and plunder India. Despite being a great and contemporary source os Taimur's invasion and its ramifications on Indian soil, not much attention has been paid by the Persian and Historical scholars to this literary piece. The reader of this malfuz will come across his life trek, beginnig from Delhi, where he was born and his disappearance from his brothers in the storm befallen Delhi and his reaching to Deendawaaneh and finally settling at Khattoo, it really seems a live narration wherein the devoted disciple painfully covers every aspects of his shaikh. Tohfatul Majalis also highlights the instances how a dervish, endowed with miracle powers, is able to foresee the onslaught of Amir Timur in the city of Delhi. As aresult, he goaded his devout adherent to move to a safer place to escape from the wrath of Timur. Held in captive by Timur's soldier, Shaikh Kahttoo was not only relased but had deloped a band of ardent followers. After a strenous sufi practice, he gained immense popularity. Rulers and amirs were also amongst his ardent followers who were very close to him and had great respect for the shaikh. Mohd. bin Tughlaq, Firuz shah Tughlaq and Sultan Mohd. bin Ahmad Shah were frequent visitors to his hospice. When Sultan Ahmad (846 A.H to 855 A.H), intended to lay the foundation of a acapital city in 813 A.H/ 1410 A.D besides Sultan Ahmad, Shaikh Ahmad, Qazi Ahmad and Ahmad Patni were present and Shaikh Ahmad emphasised this place to be the capital city because of its vibrant and strategic location.