Makhdoom Sharfuddin Ahmed Yahya Maneri
| Hazrat Makhdum Sheikh Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri | |
|---|---|
 A picture of Badi Dargah | |
| Born |
September 16, 724 A.H Maner, Bihar |
| Died | August 782 A.H |
| Resting place |
Badi Dargah, Maner, Bihar Dargah 25°10′49″N 85°31′10″E / 25.18028°N 85.51944°E[1] |
| Known for | Sufi Saint |
| Home town | Maner, Bihar |
Hazrat Makhdum Sheikh Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri popularly known as Hazrat Makhdum-ul Mulk Bihari[2] or Makhdum-e-Jahan for his spiritual status[3] One of the most Prominent Sufi Saint. His father Makhdoom Yahya Maneri was a great Sufi saint of Maner in Patna district. His maternal grandfather Makhdoom Shahabuddin Pir Jagjot was also a revered Sufi, whose tomb is located at Kachchi Dargah near Fatuha in Patna district.
Biogragraphy
Born on September 16, 724 A.H at Maner, Sheikh Sharfuddîn was the son of Makhdoom Yahya Maneri bin Taj Faqeeh from Al-Khaleel (Palestine). His birthplace is Maner Sharif or Maner, a village near Patna in Bihar. In his early childhood, love for knowledge, religious life, and signs of spiritual greatness, were found. at the age of 12, He left Maner to gain traditional knowledge of Arabic, Persian, logic, philosophy and religion under Ashraf-ud-dîn Abu Towama(a famous professor) Bokharaei in Sonargaon near Narainganj now in Dhaka, Bangladesh where he spent 24 years in his company. At first he refused to marry, but when being ill, he was advised by the physician to take to marriage as the remedy for his disease. He married his teacher's daughter BiBi Badaam. He left home after the birth of a son, named Zakiuddin in 1289 who lived and died in Bengal.[4]
After completing his education he left for Delhi where he met with Hazrat Nizamuddin and a number of other Sufis. there he became a disciple of Sheikh Najeebuddin Firdausi of Nerauli and got the title of Firdausi. To shun material comforts, Sheikh Yahya went into the forest of Bihiya(about 15 miles west of Maner). He later went on to Rajgir (about 75 miles east of Maner) where he chose to do ascetic exercises in the hills. A hot spring, near to a place where he often prayed in Rajgir, is named Mukhdoom Kund, to perpetuate his memory.
At least 30 years in the forests, Sheikh Sharfuddin finally settled at Bihar Sharif. Later Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq had a Khanqah built for him where he taught and trained disciples in Sufism – tasawwuf.
Bibliography
He devoted his entire life to teaching and writing. The collection of his letters (maktoobat) and sermons (Malfoozat) had received wide acclaim. His maktoobat is regarded as a ‘working manual’ amongst the highest in Sufi circles.[5]
- Maktubat-i-Sadî, a 'Series of a Hundred Letters' (or rather essays on definite subjects) addressed to his disciple Qazi Shamsuddîn in 747 Hijra.
- Maktubat-i-Bist-o-hasht, a 'Series of 28 Letters', being replies to the correspondence of his senior disciple, Mozaffar, the prince of Balkh.
- Fawaed-i-Ruknî, a number of brief Notes prepared for the use of his disciple Rukn-ud-dîn.
Death
He died on Thursday, the 6th of Shawwâl, 782 Hijra, in the opening years of the 15th Century A. D. The funeral prayer was said according to his will.
His Tomb lies at Badi Dargah (Bihar Sharif Nalanda), in a mosque to the east of a large tank, with masonry walls and ghats, and pillared porticos, which is connected with the old bed of the Son River by a tunnel, 400 feet long. The tomb is situated in an enclosure half filled with graves and ancient tress, on the north and west of which are three domed mosque and some quaint little cloisters build by Ibrahim Khan. His tomb at Bihar Sharif is still resorted to as a place of sanctity by a large number of devout Muslims and a five day Urs is celebrated every year from 13 August with traditional zeal at Biharsharif.