Daily Times

Humanitarianism, love and peace today are only found either in the United Nations’ jargons or in the writings referring to the distant times when multiplicity and co-existence prevailed; time that is now lost in political histories; time which is a fascinating object of past preserved in the museum of fiction. Terrorism, target killing, ethnic violence, religious extremism and racial hatred is the new vocabulary that elucidates the aura of today’s world. However, mysticism is probably the only surviving memento of that time providing a parallel reality, and Sufi mystics are the only torch bearers of shared cultures, diverse communities and civilizational values.

A conference in New York organised by Auliya Council to celebrate the Urs of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishty Sahab Ghareeb Nawaz was one such effort to bring the spiritual, cultural civilizational richness, contributions and traditions of the Auliya of South Asia to North America.

The one-day event honoring Chishtiya Sufism and Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz reflected on various intellectual, cultural, social, spiritual and traditional aspects of Sufism where all these features were put together on one platform in the form of lectures, discussions, debates, performances and rituals in order to disseminate this rich and colourful uniting heritage in diaspora and other communities.

Conference started with the recitation of Quran followed by Dhruv Sangari’s live performance of ‘mast qalander’ and ‘man kuntu Maula’. Dr. Mehdi Kazmi gave the introductory remarks after which renowned Pakistani scholar and journalist Raza Rumi shared his personal experience of visiting Khwaja Sahab’s shrine in India and how he embarked on his spiritual journey.

The second speaker was the acclaimed Indian writer, activist and devotee Sadia Dehlvi who gave an insight into Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz’s contributions in South Asia and screened a documentary she has directed in Ajmer Sharif. The documentary was an excellent first-hand account of the annual Urs and different celebrations at Khawaja’s shrine that transported audiences to Ajmer especially those who never had a chance to visit the shrine were hugely benefited from the video.

Adding more to the soulful environment Syed Salman Chishty, the 26th generation Gaddi-Nashin of Dargah Ajmer Sharif and the chairman of Chishty Foundation- Ajmer Sharif, illuminated the gathering with the spirit of Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz’s teachings and the message of Sufism that only promotes love and peace. He also conducted a collective prayer in the end.

In a conversation Saadia Dehlv said, “It is now more important than ever before to highlight the message of peace and love through which Sufi Islam has benefited the humanity for centuries. Sufism is an answer to the extremist view of Islam which has unfortunately eclipsed the global perception of Islam as a religion in today’s world”. Dr. Mehdi Kazmi elaborated the role of Auliya Council which not only aims to revitalise the Sufi spirit among the South Asian community living in America but also to transport the universal Sufi message at the global level beyond any borders and territories.

The conference held on May 5th, 2018 hosted by Professor Tahira Naqvi at the Hagop Kevorkian Center of New York University was the second conference organised by Auliya Council of North America following the first two-day conference held in 2017 that was centered around Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar after a suicide attack at his blessed shrine in Pakistan.

Published in Daily Times, May 30^th 2018.