Every Muslim at some time or the other comes across moulanas and a pir O murshid. This article gives a brief insight into the history of both and the role that they play in Islamic society.
With the Name of Allah, most Beneficial, always Merciful..
During the lifetime of the Prophet (SAW), his Companions (RA) became the learned men simply by associating or serving him. This method of teaching continued with the Tabien and the Tab Tabien. After the period of the tab Tabien there gradually emerged a split in the way that Islamic knowledge was perceived due to the emphasis that each group placed.
One group concentrated on the laws or outer actions (or sharia) pertaining to the various teachings of Islam and they concentrated on recording Islamic teachings and organizing it so that it could be better understood and transmitted to future generations.
During the first 250 years after the tab tabien this group was known by the term Imaam and they set about gathering and recording the hadith of the Prophet (SAW). Hadith kitabs such as Sahih Bukahari, Shaih Muslim, Muatta etc. were written in this period.
During the next three hundred years the scholars in this group shifted their focus to writing books where the Quraan and the Hadith were quoted together in order to explain and discuss a particular topic.
This period is also noted for the emergence of the Darul Uloom. Imaam Ghazzali studied in and later became the principal of Al Nazamya maddressa in Bagdad (1066 AD).
Al Azhar in Cairo was established in 975 AD. The end of this period also saw the collapse of the Caliphate and the end of Islam controlled by the state.
The end of the Caliphate ushered in our present era where Islamic Organizations and individuals set up darul ulooms and the alims\moulanas (as they are known today) from these ulooms influence the thought of the Muslim masses.
Different darul ulooms developed different teachings and sometimes, conflicting teachings led to the Muslim ummah being split.
The second group of scholars continued the same principle of teaching as the Prophet (SAW), the Sahaba Ikraam, the Tabien and the tab tabien. A learned, pious person taught his pupils and then selected one of them to continue his work. They were known by terms such as Pir O Murshid, Wali Allah, Aulia Allah, Sufi Sheiks etc.
Instead of transmitting knowledge by books they concentrated on teaching, training and finally preparing people to carry the message to future generations. They concentrated not on outer actions but inner thoughts and feelings which are associated with our spirituality.
The first step in this process of learning is where the disciple pledges allegiance (“baith”) to the teacher or Pir O Murshid to follow an Islamic way of life.
“Verily those who pledged their allegiance to you do no less than pledge their allegiance to Allah: the Hand of Allah is over their hands:….” Al Quraan 48:10.
After the Prophet Salallahu Alayhe wasallam, Muslims pledged allegiance to Hazrath Abu Bakar RA and Hazrath Ali RA. The spiritual head is so important that Imaam Hussein AS sacrificed his family and life but he did not give Yazid the title of pir which would then allow the Muslims to pledge allegiance to him. It is from this point that the spiritual and political heads of Islam was separated.
Our Pir O Murshid RA, Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib RA, said that taking baith is ‘farad ul Ain” which means a very important compulsory duty of every Muslim. And, why should it not be, for the verse above states that it amounts to making a pledge to Allah SWT.
Also pledges and vows helps to motivate one to keep on the path.
Whenever there were more than one person chosen to continue the work then each developed separately and became a branch. The most popular branches or the Sufi orders are The Quadria Sufi order, The Chistia Sufi order, the Shorwardie Sufi order and the Naqshabandi order.
The first three can be traced back to Hazrath Ali (RA) and the last one to Hazrath Abu Bakar (RA) but all four are common when it comes to the Prophet (SAW).
Although there are different Sufi orders they accept and recognize each other. Instead of universities or darul Ulooms the sufi masters established “khankas” from which they taught.
Although from time to time there were some books written by students of the Sufi orders they are few, far more concise and styled differently to those written by the moulanas.
The first type of book is called “malfoozaath” or discourses of the sheik which were normally recorded by the disciples. It is a more informal way of writing in that it records the sayings of the author’s pir O murshid. Hadis and Quranic verses are quoted without references.
Other types of books common to Sufism are poetry books and biographies. The Mathnawi by Jalaludin Rumi RA is one such great work. Although these books exist the students of this category do not depend on these for their religion but instead get their religion directly from their spiritual master.
Another reason for their different modus operandi is that both groups focused on different areas. While the moulanas\alims focused on the outer laws pertaining to the different aspects of life the spiritual masters concentrated on spiritualism (what’s inside us).
Spiritualism cannot be thought by way of books but it is best thought by the disciple interacting with the spiritual master.
As an example to illustrate this. A person studies a manual on how to build a nuclear reactor and then teaches it to others. Its complex. Another person that has practically built a nuclear reactor is now teaching someone else to build a nuclear reactor. He stands a good chance because of his practical experience. So a Pir O Murshid is supposed to be that person that has actually perfected his spirituality and through his enlightened spirit has grown himself to be close to Allah SWT.
You see, the goal of Islam is to grow our ’emaan’ (faith) which amounts to realising our Creator. The better we know our Creator the stronger will be our ’emaan’. Knowing our Creator is not about using our brains and physical senses but it is through our spirituality. This is what the Pir O Murshid is all about, teaching spirituality.
Another important difference is LOVE. Growing to love the Pir O Murshid is an essential step in this process of spirituality. Our Pir O Murshid, Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib RA said: ‘pir dill mae uterna, ye hae sub se bari baath” (put your pir into your heart, this is the greatest achievement)
Both groups of learned men are recognized – the first group for their books and the second group for inspiring and training the Sufi Masters that are still amongst us today. Sufi shrines attract thousands of people each year.
The different ways in which the knowledge of Islam was spread cannot be put into water tight compartments. Scholars such as Imaam Ghazzali (RA) and Moula e Rumi after having been through the formal education of books also learnt under Sufi masters and became disciples of them.
Imam Ghazzali’s book Ihya Ulm Deed is a book that bridges the gap between formal Islamic education and Sufism. Many moulanas/alims have pirs or spiritual guides and some of them become spiritual guides as well. End.
Peace and salutations be upon Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam.
First published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi in 2009, this is an edited version in 2025.
Author: Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor (WhatsApp +27 84 910 1486).
Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi was founded by Dr/Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah RA, (lovingly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib RA).