19.

Hazrat Agah Mohammed Dawood Sahu Abu al-Alai

Ancestors His ancestors were famous and well known personalities from Iran. They were migrated from Iran to Deccan (South India) and were settled donw in Balkonda village of Nizambad district during the period of Golconda kingdom. The rulers of Hyderabad government also respected them greatly and granted them two villages and Rupees 250 as mansib (grant) as well as military awards to their pious personalities of their family members. Blessed birth. He was born in Balkonda village of Nizambad district in the year 1249 A.H. and his name is well known and famous as Agah Mohammed Dawood and his fathers name is Agah Mohammed Haider and who son of Agah Mohammed Quader. Childhood. Since his childhood he was much interested in the following things. 1. He was lover of fakirs. 2. He was lover of Sufism. From the early age he was not interested the relations of world and its people. Bayah (allegiance) Upon seeing his above condition, his father Agah Mohammed Haider who was disciple of Hazrat Shah Mohammed Hasan took him in the

company of his murshid (spiritual teacher) for his training and education there and Hazrat Mohammed Hasan took from Bayah (allegiance) from him and included him among his disciples. Due to this reason there was great change which appeared on him. Mystical exercises. Upon becoming his masters disciple his daily recital and practices were increased too much and also he adopted following things. 1. CONTENTMENT (QANAAT): 2.Tuwakal (trust on Allah). He always used to present in the company of his spiritual master day and night and used to busy in the recital and practices, meditation as per his instructions of his Sufi master. Caliphate and saintly dress. Upon watching his hard work and endeavours his spiritual master has awarded him caliphate and saintly dress. Upon death of Hazrat Mohammed Hasan his following two caliphs were become famous and well known. 1. Hazrat Agah Mohammed Dawood. 2. Hazrat Hafiz Mir Shams uddin Ali. In this matter the details of the event is as follows. That once on 12th Rabil Awwal the meeting was in progress and upon end of his speech Hazrat Mohammed Hasan has called Agah Mohammed Dawud and at that time he was at houz (water reservoir) so he has drawn attention of his disciples that he want to say something to them and in this matter and asked them are they all agree with him ? So all of them told him that they will abide his kind advice

in this matter. He was asked to bring kala (cap) of Hazrat Shah Mohammed Izzat ullah and awared the same to Agah Mohammed Dawood and also he has called Hafiz Shamsuddin and told that he is perfect personality as his is Hafiz ( one who knows the holy Quran by heart) as well as Syed (descendant of the holy prophet through his daughter Hazrat Fatima) and perfect person in Islamic (Shariat) law so for these reason I will award his kala (cap) to him. For this reason Hafiz Shams uddin was stood and began weeping and he told him that he is not eligible for this great honour. So he asked him to sit down and addressed the gathering as follows. From today onwards you all should accept these two persons as my heirs and successors and then he has shown them his palm and pointed them his finger of shahdat (first finger) and his center finger and like these two of his fingers are Agah Mohammed Dawood and Shams uddin Ali for me. Caliphate. Upon obtaining the caliphate from his spiritual master endeavours and practices were increased in the following things. 1.Darwashi (Sufism). 2.Love of Allah. For the above reason he used to like and live in the lonely places and he has lost his interest in the world and its people. His age was 16 or 17 years old and at that time due to passion he did not used to care for eating food and dress. He has spent 12 years while eating bread of Jawar (millet) and dal (split pulse) without salt and he never used to eat meat. He was great lover of his spiritual master and so he used to think services of his master most important and necessary thing. He used to presence in the company of master with great respect and honour. his

Physical features. He was best looking person with good height and wide broad forehead and his color of skin was mixed red and white and eyes were nashili (taxicated) and his beard was thick. He used to wear always simple dress of handloom cap on his head and handloom shirt and thick cloth thaband (colored sheet mean to cover lower part of body ). When he used to went outside then he used to wear Deccani (South Indian) dastar (turban) and angarkha (narrow sleeved coat) and short trouser and wear ordinary sleepers in his foot. Upon his fathers death there was renewal of estate grants and his seat was allocated in the kings court but he did not interested in all these things. But he was much interested in recital and practices of batini (innermost). Religious service. He was established one school which is well known and famous as Madrasa Yatami (orphan school) in which there was provision of free education and training by him. Whatever presents and donations received for the school education were spent for the welfare of orphan students for their dress and boarding expenses. He was used to perform the annual Urs (death anniversary) ceremony of his spiritual master on the grand scale. Character. His character is well known and famous for the following things. 1.Good manners. 2.Farg dil (generosity). 3.Maravat (politeness). 4.Large heartedness

5.Puntuality for congressional prayers. 6.Miracles and kashaf (revelation). 7.Lover of learned persons. 8.Lover of ecstacy. On his eating cloth there were used to present 10 to 20 poor and some guest persons always. There are large number of his disciples and devotees. He used to take allegiance from his disciples in chain of Naqashbandia and Quaderia. He was used to behave well with his disciples and devotees as friends. He was perfect person also in poetry and his poetic name was well known and famous as Sahu. In His poetry work is included about Sufism and Natiya (in praise of holy prophet) subjects. Miracle. His miracles and great events are well known and famous and among them one miracle is as follows. Once on the occasion of annual Urs (death) ceremony of Hazrat Shah Mohammed Hasan his disciple Mohamed Ibrahim Khan Sadiq Siddiqui came to see him after Morning Prayer and the sheikh was still inside of his room. Some other persons were also there to visit him. So for this reason the above disciple while thinking that still the sheikh is inside of his room so he should go to the shrine building for his visit there and also can come back there and visit the sheikh later . So for this reason he left from there and he has watched that one small boy of 5 years old was also walking by his side and when he was entered the shrine building and prostrated there and then he stood there and saw that his master Agah Dawood was there in his simple dress so that man kissed his foot so he was smiling there. Death.

He was left this world on 15th Rabil Awwal on Thursday in the year 1324 A.H.at the four o clock evening time. Next day the funeral prayers was arranged in Makkah mosque in which large number of peoples were present. The ruler of Hyderabad Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan was also attended his funeral prayer. After the funeral prayer he was buried in the shrine area of Hazrat Shah Mohammed Hasan in Agahpura street and he was buried in the mausoleum of his spiritual master. In the mausoleum there are 3 graves are there which belongs to his successors and among them in the middle grave he is resting in it. On eastern side of grave his son Agah Mohammed Hasan alias Miya Sahib and western side his grandsons grave is available. Steet Agaha Pura. The area around his mausoleum is well known and famous as Agha Pura street. On outside of way of shrine the following two structures were constructed by him. Badi Kaman ( big arch ) in the year 1304 A.H. Kaman (arch) Agaha Pura in the year 1322 A.H.
The Urs (death anniversary). Every year on the 14th Rabi Awwal to 16th Rabi Awwal the Urs ceremony is celebrated. On this occasion people from various walks of life, irrespective of caste and creed, assemble to celebrate the Urs (death anniversary) which takes place on the above dates of Muslim calendar at the famous mausoleum of Hazrat Agah Mohammed Dawood Sahu Abul Alai every year. During the Urs (death anniversary) the visitors in large number will visit the shrine for the fulfillment of their desires and wishes for the sake of Sheikhs name. In this way the above ceremony will be arranged on the grand scale and the visitors will visit the mausoleum from near and far away places.

His 1oo years Urs (death anniversary) ceremony was organized on 14,15,16 Rabil Awwal in the year 2003 A.D. ============ Reference book : Faizan Auliya Deccan by Mohammed Ali Khan Majdadi. ========================= Translated into English by Mohammed Abdul Hafeez, B.Com. Hyderabad, India. Email :hafeezanwar@yahoo.com