Shaban 21- Bahr-e-Aam Hz Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat RZ Shaheed (By Bhai Taher Mohammed Saheb)
Shaban 22- Urs Hz Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat RZ Shaheed
3rd Khalifa of Imamuna Mehdi-E-Maoud Alaihis Salam (935H, Logadh Shareef, Poona).
It is narrated that in Solah Santej the salty water of a well became sweet by the effect of the paskhurda [sanctified leftover] of Hz Imam Mahdi AS, as had happened at Daulatabad near the tomb of Hz Syed Muhammad Arif RA. Besides, it was here that Hz Shah Ne’mat RZ met Hz Imam Mahdi AS and he performed the tasdiq of the Imam AS.
Hz Shah Ne’mat RZ was born in 874 Hijri and martyred on 22 Shaban 935 Hijri in the Daira at Logadh Sharif. He was among the nobles of Gujarat and belonged to the tribe of the Baniyanis. He was the only son of a noble of Gujarat Miyan Malik Bade. Owning to undue love and affection of the parents he had turned up into a spoilt child. As his father died at a young age there was none to attend to his education and training. Therefore It was presumed that he was unfit to succeed the Jagir of his father. Miyan Nia’mat RZ was very much annoyed at such a decision of the king. He along with a few of his friends became outlaws in and around Ahmedabad. He was very strong and a well trained warrior, but was very short tempered and used to get annoyed at the smallest provocation and became very belligerent, given to bloodshed. Everybody was afraid of him.
One day he murdered the son of a Negro. The Negro complained to the king and told him all the earlier crimes of the Shah. The king sent his soldiers to arrest him. When this news came, Hz Shah Ne’mat RZ took some 25 mounted armed men with him and fled. The king’s soldiers chased them. When Miyan Shah Ne’mat RZ came near Sola Santej, he heard the azan [prayer-call] from the daira of Hz Imam Mahdi AS. He told his companions, “The prayer-call has been sounded. We should say our prayers.” His companions said, “The king’s soldiers are chasing us to arrest us. We should run away from here at the earliest.” The Shah RZ dismounted and started saying his ritual prayers [namaz]. The king’s soldiers too arrived about the same time. But Allah Most High had changed the complexion and bodily shape in such a manner, that the soldiers could not recognize him. Then they went ahead. Miyan Nemat RZ asked the villagers about who had given the prayer-call. They told him, “A group of fuqara who trust in Allah has come here [and camping here].”
The Shah RZ then went to meet Hz Imam Mahdi AS. Without asking his name, Hz Imam Mahdi AS said, “Come Miyan Ne’mat! You are full of Favours “Ne’mat!” Hz Shah Ne’mat RZ immediately became a disciple of Hz Imam Mahdi AS. He gave up the world and became a seeker of Allah. He gave all his belongings whatever he had in charity in the name of Allah. He repented all his sins and joined the company of the Imam AS. Then he told the Imam AS about all his past sins. The Imam AS told him, “Allah will forgive all the sins that are against Him. Allah is Much Forgiving, the Merciful. But the sins that you have committed against the khalq [the mankind], you will have to get forgiven by the people.” Immediately, Shah Ne’mat RZ went in accordance with the pleasure of Allah Most High to meet the people he had sinned against.
He first went to the door of the Negro whose son he had murdered. Shah Ne’mat RZ told him, “Take revenge for the murder of your son.” The Negro saw that the condition of Shah Ne’mat RZ had completely changed. Tears flooded the eyes of the Negro. His heart too started burning in the fire of the Love of Allah Most High. He said, “You are not the Ne’mat from whom I can collect the blood-money. When you have assigned your zath [nature, essence] to the pleasure of Allah Almighty, I too forgive you for the pleasure of Allah Most High.
Hazrat Shah Ne’mat RZ took leave of the Negro and went to every person he had wronged and offered himself for the reprisals. But Allah Most High made everybody utter the words of forgiving in favour of him. Then Hazrat Shah Ne’mat RZ came to Hazrat Imam Mahdi AS and remained in his company thereafter and the Imam AS conferred many glad tidings on him.
It is narrated that Hazrat Imamuna AS gave the title of the Miqraz-e-Bid’at [Scissors to cut Innovations] in accordance with the command of Allah Most high. Further, Hz Imam AS used to call him Mard-e-Qallash
Further, it is narrated that Hz Imam Mahdi AS gave the glad tidings to Hz Shah Ne’mat RZ by quoting a Hindi couplet: “Whether you like me or not, I like you”.
Further, it is narrated that Hz Imam Mahdi AS, a little before his death, took his cap away from his own head and gave it to Bandagi Miyan Shah Ne’mat RZ.
Allah said “We have given Miyan Nemat (RZ) three eminences (buzurgian-Sar-Andaz, Janbaz and Sarfaraz)”.
Imam Mahdi (AS) is narrated to have said in respect of Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat (RZ) that he is a miqraz-e-bid’at (the scissors of innovation).
Imam Mahdi (AS) is narrated to have described Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat (RZ) as Qallash (friendless). (By that expression, he meant that the Shah (RZ) had perished in Allah and what was remaining was Allah — fani fillah, baqi billah).
Imam Mahdi (AS) is narrated to have said,
“Miyan Nemat (RZ) is the Omar (RZ) of Vilayat (sainthood).”
Imam Mahdi (AS) is narrated to have recited a dohra (regarding Miyan Nemat RZ in Farah):
“Whether you like me or not, I am the one who likes you.”
It is narrated that time of the demise of Imam Mahdi (AS) was nearing. Miyan Nemat (RZ) started lamenting. The Imam (AS) asked, “Who is it?” The Shah (RZ) said, “It is this banda.” The Imam (AS) asked, “Which banda?” The Shah (RZ) said, “This banda is Nemat (RZ).” The Imam (AS) placed his cap on the head of the Shah (RZ) and said, “Allah Most High has forgiven Miyan Nemat (RZ) and the members of his family.” Miyan Nemat (RZ) said, “The members of my family are the fuqara as they emulate me. They are members of my family. One who does not emulate me is not a member of my family.”
It is narrated that some of the women of the daira came to the house of Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat (RZ) on a Friday. The Shah’s wife did not get up to receive the guests. The Shah (RZ) came to know of the incident. He asked her why she did not get up to receive them. The Bibi (RZ) said, “I was nursing the baby at that time. Hence, I did not get up.” Shah Nemat (RZ) said, “Allah will take away the baby.” The baby died the next week.
The inmates of the daira are narrated to have told Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat (RZ): “New people have come to the daira. Please make your sermons and explanations of Quran a little mild.” The Shah (RZ) replied: “This servant’s beard has grown grey in the company of Imam Mahdi (AS). And you are trying to teach me now. If the seeker of the world comes to me, in one blow the matter is finished. If he (the new comer) stays, it is his good fortune. If he goes away, it is good-riddance. This servant (banda) will not make himself subservient to the wishes of the worldly people. People do not like the Truth (Haq). But the duty of this servant is to tell the Truth.”
Bandagi Miyan Syed Khundmir (RZ) and Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat (RZ) used to say; “We would hold accountable on the Day of Resurrection a person who sees anything in us opposed to Imam Mahdi (AS) and does not warn us about or lapses here (in this world).”
Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat (RZ) is narrated to have had no slave girl (bandi) in his house because even Imam Mahdi (AS) too did not have a slave girl. The Shah (RZ) was a perfect follower of the Imam (AS).
It is narrated that Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat (RZ) had no clothes except an old lungi (a piece of cloth wrapped round the lower part of the body). Wrapped in the lungi, the Shah (RZ) was in the ‘Zikr’ remembrance of Allah near the hujra of Imam Mahdi (AS). The Imam (AS) came near him. Because of the shortness of the lungi, the Shah (RZ) stood in the posture of a ruku’. The Imam (AS) saw this and went to his house, and told the Bibi (RZ), “I regretted seeing Miyan Nemat today.” The Bibi (RZ) said, “Miranji (AS), Give him something.” At the same time, Allah’s command arrived, “O Syed Muhammad, Go and give the glad tidings of faith (iman) to Miyan Nemat (RZ).” Immediately, the Imam (AS) came near the Shah (RZ) and woke him up. The Shah (RZ) looked up and said, “Miranjee (AS), you are the zath of Allah. Nemat is in the mushahida (observance) of Allah. Imam Mahdi (AS) told the Shah (RZ), “I give you the glad tidings of faith (iman).” Miyan Nemat (RZ) said, “Please bless me with the iman of Khundkar (AS) (your eminence).” The Imam (AS) said, “Nobody is allowed the iman of the Prophet (SLM) and the Imam (AS). But a seeker should always have such a desire. I give you the glad tidings of the iman.” Then Imam Mahdi (AS) patted on the back of Bandagi Miyan Shah Nemat (RZ) and said, “Miyan Nemat is a He-man (mard-e-mardana).”
Imam Mahdi (AS) is narrated to have said, “We and Miyan Nemat (RZ) rode the horses on the field of tawakkal (trust in Allah). There was no difference except for two ears.”
Khaksar-O-Khadim, Groh-E-Mehdavia,
Taher Md. Saheb
Dammam, K.S.A.
