Great Saint - Ghulam Ali Shah alias Baba Sahib: Rulers paid salutes on his shrine & gained wishes

By: Inayat Magray

The tomb of sage Hazrat Syed Ghulam Ali Shah known as Ghulam Shah Badshah and Baba Sahib is the most significant one in Shahdara, Rajouri, the Indian-held state of Jammu-Kashmir.

He was born in the house of Idris Muhammad Shah and Ghulam Fatimah at Syed Kasraan in tehsil Gujar Khan of district Rawalpindi, Pakistan. His genealogy reaches to the 7th infallible Imam Hazrat Imam Moosa bin Jafar Al-Kazim (AS).

Baba Sahib attained spiritual ranks under the guidance of Hazrat Bari Shah Latif Al-Kazmi whose tomb is situated in Nurpur Shahan Islamabad, Pakistan, and who is from the progeny of Hazrat Imam Moosa Kazim (AS). Syed Ali Sher, whose lineage goes to the 7th Imam Moosa Kazim (AS) with some chains, had two sons: Syed Adam Shah and Syed Naseeruddin Shah. Hazrat Bari Shah Latif was from Syed Adam Shah’s progeny. Syed Naseeruddin Shah was the father of Syed Zainul Abideen known as Baba Shah Zain whose tomb is located at Ud’har Wal near Chakwal, Pakistan. Quaid-e-Millat-e-Jafariya who is also chief of only representative organization of Shiite school of thought in Pakistan - Tehreek Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafariya Pakistan (TNFJ) Agha Syed hamid Ali Shah Moosavi is from Baba Shah Zain’s descendants.

Miracles:

Once when Baba Sahib was quite young his father asked him to graze the animals in place of his brother. He probably had slept away due to which his animals ate the standing crop of a farmer causing him some losses. The farmer complained to his father threatening him of legal suit for damages. Saying, "We put you to work and you caused the damages," the father reprimanded him. Ghulam Ali Shah insisted that there was no loss but the farmer was adamant on his words. After many debates when he reached the site to make the assessment, Ghulam Ali Shah was proved right. The incident made him popular.

After the miracle he was ordered to migrate from his native place to Sina-darah. Some of his followers believed that his teacher guide asked him to migrate and was shown the place in a dream with some symptoms. Consequently he departed his native ground.

Moving about in search of Sina-darah, Ghulam Ali Shah stayed at various places and finally reached Shahdara where he discovered in 1186 all the symptoms. To settle down permanently here, he ordered to cut down the forest. When news reached the ruler Karam Ullah, he took exception to the action and ordered his officials to bring him to him. The ruler’s wife bade the officials to escort Ghulam Ali Shah in a palanquin with due honor. Shah Sahib went to the court grew angry, and cursed that his progeny would not last. The curse that Baba Sahib cast at Karam Ullah proved true. Both his sons died and he too died of dysentery.

When his two sons died and he too fell ill seriously of dysentery his queen, Bansi Maeli, realized the mistake and begged him to forgive her husband. Baba Sahib pardoned Karam Ullah and said, "You will give birth to a son who will have the mark of the lions paw on his back. Name him Ugar Khan. If he does justice, he will rule otherwise he will be removed." He ruled cruelly and so his rule ended.

Baba Sahib foretold Gulab Singh - an ordinary soldier in Ranjit Singh's army and a devotee of Baba Sahib - that he would become king. He never believed that he would be king one day. When Ugar Khan exceeded in cruelties Ranjit Singh attacked Kashmir; Ugar Khan fled and went underground. Ranjit Singh ordered for his arrest but no one could apprehend him. Gulab held him on Baba Sahib's clues. This raised the importance of Gulab in the eyes of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who promoted him to higher ranks till he became a commander. The English took over Kashmir from the Maharaja under the 1846 accord and auctioned it for seventy-five lakh rupees, Gulab bought it. Gulab thus became Maharaja Gulab Singh and Baba's prediction came true.

The Poonch ruler Rustam Khan was his devotee and respected him as well as his nephew Yahya Khan. Some of the courtiers led Rustam Khan believes that Yahya Khan intended to kill him in order to succeed him. Rustam Khan ordered his soldiers to kill Yahya. On the other side Baba Shah took a mental note of the situation. He exclaimed: "Yahya! Kill! Yahya! Kill." Yahya killed seven men even though his head was severed of. Baba Sahib ran into awesome state and said: "I will turn Poonch upside down." His awe resulted into a severe earthquake. People begged him with folded hands, and then only his anger subsided.

It is said that Baba Sahib made his tomb constructed by a mason of Multan in his lifetime. It is also said that the mason dreamed him ordering him to reach Shahdara, Kashmir. He proceeded to Shahdara in Pakistan instead. Baba again directed him with certain symbols to reach this Shahdara in his dream. He, accordingly, came to the place and undertook the construction of the tomb and completed the project in his lifetime. Baba Sahib died in the year 1156 Hijri and was buried in the tomb he had built in his lifetime.

A tree commonly known as the Sada-bahar stands by the tomb. Some people relate that a piece of wet wood while burning in the kitchen of the langar gave out pungent smoke disturbing the sage. Baba Shah overlooked it for some time then grew annoyed, removed the wood from the oven and planted it into the earth saying: "Remain here and be ever green." The wood turned into an evergreen tree. It bears fruit the year round. One sees non-ripe fruits, green fruits and some yellow-ripe fruits on the tree.

The devotees believe that the fruit reaches one whose wish is granted. Sada bahar's fruits do not rot, and can last for years. As for the taste, it is bitter.

Baba Shah's public eating place (langar) serve food to four thousand persons everyday and to ten thousand ones on special occasions. The langar remains open round the clock.

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