Muhammad Channan Shah Nuri

Tomb of Syed Muhammad Channan Shah in Allo Mahar, Pakistan.

Pir Syed Muhammad Channan Shah Nuri was a scholar, saint, and preacher of Islam in the South Asia. He founded the Aminia branch of the Sunni Naqshbandi order. He preached Islam in South Asia and brought non-Muslims into the fold of Islam. He loved Muhammad and modelled his own life and teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah. His adherents call themselves Naqshbandi mujadadi amini or Maharvi or just Naqshbandi, since Syed Channan Shah belonged to the Naqshbandi order.

Knowledge

He was highly gifted with the qualities of intelligence and memory. The books of religious history of his times tell us that he knew knowledge of Quran and Hadith. He was a dedicated Muslim and a great scholar. In obedience of the instructions of his spiritual guide he left the municipality of Allo Mahar to his descendants for serving the Islamic cause even more effectively. Knowledge was his passion and he kindled the same passion in the hearts of the others. This aspect of his thinking is clearly illustrated by his instructions to his son, when he set out to go to another town for acquiring knowledge. He told him that he should first give priority to his education and if he heard about his father’s death before completing his education he should not come back but pray for his salvation and continue to pursue his course of education.

Ancestors

It has been recorded that the first of the ancestors of Syed Muhammad Channan Shah, who came to the Allo Mahar Sharif, was Syed Muhammad Jewan Shah Naqvi, well known by the pen-name of Shair Sawar Sarkar. Sarkar came to the South Asia with a contingent of other religious Sufi leaders upon the establishment of Islamic rule in India from the Middle-East. He traces his roots to the first Arab Shaikhs descending from the Family of the Prophet through the lineage of Imam-al-Husayn and so he is a Sayyed. The term Shah present in his name is derived from the Persian root for leader which most members of the Prophet's family obtained upon propagating the message of Islam in Persia after his death.

Syed Muhammad Channan Shah was son of Syed Amir Shah Maharvi who was the son of Syed Sewan Shah. As a child, he showed a propensity towards spirituality.

Descendants (the successors to him) (Sajjada Nashinan e Allo Mahar Shrif)

After the death of Pir Syed Muhammad Channan Shah Nuri his son Pir Syed Amin Shah was the leader of Maharvis and was a saint of Allah. He instructed his son lead his life according to rules of Islam and later on the naqshbandia order of Syed Channan shah was named Naqshbandia Mujadadia Aminia after his son Syed Amin Shah due to his devotion to this order.Later on Syed Muhammad Amin Shah was succeeded by his son Syed Muhammad Hussain Shah,who was an honorary majastrate in Sialkot and was a great Islamic saint ofhis time.During his tenure, the Naqshbandi Amini chain flourished so much,his two famous caliph,s are famous world over,Khawja Rukn Udin Maharvi(Pir of Gujjranwala and Khawja Molvi Nor udin Pir of Gorala Shrif).

Syed Faiz Ul Hasan Shah(Pir Syed Muhammad Channan Shah,s great grand son)

After the untimely death of Pir Syed Muhammad Hussain Shah,his son,the prominent scholar of Islam,the greatest orator of Pakistan and India, Syed Faiz-ul Hassan Shah became the spiritual leader of Allo Mahar Sharif syed family and spiritual master of millions of murids of Allo Mahar shrif Dargah.He made hundreds of speech for the cause of separate homeland of Muslims in India,After Pakistan came into being, he argued for the establishment of Islamic laws there. He was given a Government award for his participation in the 1965 war.He was the President of Jamiat Ulamaye Pakistan, Pakistan for ten years, and of Jamiatul Mashaikh Pakistan until his death. He was also President of Anjman Naqshbandi Mujaddidi, Pakistan.After the death of Syed Faiz ul Hasan Shah,his son Pir Syed Khalid Hasan Shah became the Pir of Allo Mahar shrif.He served day and night for Sufism and traveled in every part of Pakistan for the preaching of Islam.Pir Syed Khalid Hasan Shah died in 1991 and Pir Syed Murtaza Amin Shah became the spiritual leader of Syed family of Allo Mahar Sharif.Sohabzada Pir Syed Murtaza Amin Shah was elected as member from Sialkot in the Pakistani general election, 2008.

Ijaza

He received Ijazah in Naqshbandi Islamic Disciplines from several Scholars and Pirs including Kawaja Pir Nur Muhammad Chorahi pir of CHURA shrief (Attak)) and Kawja Hadi Namdar Shah pir of Nathyal Sharif. He has been the instructor of numerous successful courses dealing with a wide range and variety of various subjects, including the Arabic language, tazkiyah, shariah. He was very obediente to his Pir and always tried his best to obey every order and every assignment that was assigned to him by his master, he used to visit his master regularly and with devotion.

Gravesite

The Holy grave of Pir Syed Channan Shah is situated in Allo Mahar Sharif, Tehsil Daska, district Sialkot, Pakistan. His burial place is open for any one to be visited. The part of land on which his grave has been buried, belongs to the territory of Allo Mahar Sharif. There his tomb was built. His death anniversary Urs is held at this place every year on March 23 and October 21. It starts from the morning of the twenty-third and lasts for two days. The main gathering is at night when there are lectures of scholars of Islam not only from Pakistan and India but also from the whole world.

References

• The Preaching of Islam by Sir Thomas Walker Arnold and Langue la literature Hindoustanies de 1850 à 1869 by M.J.H. Garcin de Tassy.

The most well-known treatises and reports, written by the authors of the early period are: