Sayings of a Dervish

The Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA): A Message of Service to Humanity

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri (RA), known as Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA), was one of the greatest Sufi saints of the Subcontinent and the founder of the Chishti Order. He devoted his entire life to spreading divine love, tolerance, and service to humanity. Every year, his blessed Urs is observed with devotion and reverence, during which millions of devotees from around the world gather at Ajmer Sharif to pay homage.

The purpose of the Urs is not merely a ceremony; rather, it is a renewal of remembrance of the teachings of Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA) and a recommitment to practicing them. His message was: love for all, hatred for none. On the occasion of the Urs, arrangements are made for langar (free communal meals), remembrance of Allah, gatherings of naat, and the recitation of durood and salaam—practical examples of equality and brotherhood.

The Urs of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA) teaches us that if we wish to establish peace, love, and mutual respect in society, we must adopt the teachings of the Sufi saints. This is the true spirit and the real message of the Urs.

In the Holy Qur’an, Allah Almighty says:
“Indeed, the friends of Allah—there will be no fear upon them, nor will they grieve.”

This means that those special servants of Allah who are perfect in faith and piety neither fear this world nor grieve over the Hereafter. The friends of Allah remain content with His pleasure in every condition and make the service of Allah’s creation their way of life. Among these great saints, the name of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA) stands out prominently.

The teachings of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA) did not remain confined to Ajmer alone; through his spiritually blessed successors, they spread across the entire Subcontinent. His illustrious successor, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki (RA), laid strong foundations for the Chishti Order in Delhi, while his spiritual heir, Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Ganj Shakar (RA), turned the land of Pakpattan into a center of divine knowledge and love.

Traditions narrate that Hazrat Baba Farid (RA) underwent prolonged spiritual discipline in the service of Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki (RA). In the gatherings of these elders, there was an atmosphere of few words, patience, and silent spiritual training that transformed hearts. This was the spiritual nurturing that made the Chishti Order not merely a monastic system, but the voice of the people’s hearts. The mutual companionship and spiritual bond of these pure souls further illuminated the lamp of the Chishti Order in the Subcontinent and passed it on from generation to generation.

After the passing of Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Ganj Shakar (RA), his successor and spiritual heir, Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya, Mahboob-e-Ilahi (RA), appeared in Delhi and carried this spiritual chain forward with complete grace and beauty.
The Urs of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA) teaches us that true sainthood lies in service to humanity, humility, and love. One who becomes a source of ease for the servants of Allah is truly called a friend of Allah. This is why, even today, the shrine of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA) remains a symbol of hope, prayer, and peace for suffering humanity.

Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (RA) is that radiant lamp whose light still transforms the darkness of hearts into illumination. His noble being is not confined to one city, one nation, or one era; rather, he is an eternal symbol of love, patience, and service to humanity, whose fragrance draws every heart toward itself. The soil of Ajmer embraced him, but his generosity embraced the entire world.

He spread religion not through words, but through character. He fed the hungry, supported the broken-hearted, and guided the lost to the right path. That is why he was called Gharib Nawaz—the benefactor of the poor—because no one ever returned empty-handed from his threshold. Whoever came found peace; whoever bowed found elevation.

Even today, at his Urs, this truth is renewed: love never dies. The message of Khwaja (RA) still calls out:
“Love humanity—this is the path that leads to God.”
This is the message that conquers hearts, and this is the true identity of Khwaja (RA). The lives of the friends of Allah teach us that true devotion alone is the path to peace of the heart and salvation.