Ali Usman Baig Blogspot (Documenting Pakistan)
Shaik-ul Islam Rukn-i-Alam
Shaik-ul Islam Rukn-i-Alam was the grandson of Hazrat Bahaul Huq Zakriya, the great Suharwardy teacher. He was the son and successor of Sadruddin Muhammad Arif. He was born in the year 649/1251 and was brought up under the direct supervision of the great spiritual leader of the time - his grandfather. In his childhood he was lovingly called Shah Jalula. In 1309 he succeeded to the Suharwardy Silsila and was appointed as Shaikh ul Islam by Ala-uddin Khilji – a position which he maintained throughout the Khilji Dynasty as well as the Tughlaq period. He enjoyed a very privileged position in the imperial circles and had very cordial and friendly relation with his contemporary saints and scholars and officers of the court. Beside the khanqah which he inherited, he also established a madrassa called Madrassa-i-Bahaiya. Shaikh Rukn-i-Alam died at the age of 86 in the year 735/1335 and, according to his own desire, was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather. But later on his coffin was transferred to the present site, where, according to a popular belief, this beautiful building had already been built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq during his governorship of Depalpur. It was gifted by Firuz Shah Tughlaq to the successors of the saint for latter’s burial. Dr. Ahmad Nabi Khan (p.217) however, does not agree with this popular assertion. On the contrary he believes that the tomb was constructed by the Saint himself but when he died, the construction work was not yet complete. According to the tenants of Islam he was buried in the tomb of his grandfather temporarily and later on, when the building was ready; his coffin was exhumed and brought to its present place as permitted in Islam. The exact date of construction of this colossal and most original building has not been recorded. But, it is certain that the building was completed a little after the death of the saint in 735/1334-35 and that should be considered the date of its construction. It might have taken 10 to 15 years to complete a building of such a colossal scale
Shaik-ul Islam Rukn-i-Alam
Shaik-ul Islam Rukn-i-Alam was the grandson of Hazrat Bahaul Huq Zakriya, the great Suharwardy teacher. He was the son and successor of Sadruddin Muhammad Arif. He was born in the year 649/1251 and was brought up under the direct supervision of the great spiritual leader of the time - his grandfather. In his childhood he was lovingly called Shah Jalula. In 1309 he succeeded to the Suharwardy Silsila and was appointed as Shaikh ul Islam by Ala-uddin Khilji – a position which he maintained throughout the Khilji Dynasty as well as the Tughlaq period. He enjoyed a very privileged position in the imperial circles and had very cordial and friendly relation with his contemporary saints and scholars and officers of the court. Beside the khanqah which he inherited, he also established a madrassa called Madrassa-i-Bahaiya. Shaikh Rukn-i-Alam died at the age of 86 in the year 735/1335 and, according to his own desire, was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather. But later on his coffin was transferred to the present site, where, according to a popular belief, this beautiful building had already been built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq during his governorship of Depalpur. It was gifted by Firuz Shah Tughlaq to the successors of the saint for latter’s burial. Dr. Ahmad Nabi Khan (p.217) however, does not agree with this popular assertion. On the contrary he believes that the tomb was constructed by the Saint himself but when he died, the construction work was not yet complete. According to the tenants of Islam he was buried in the tomb of his grandfather temporarily and later on, when the building was ready; his coffin was exhumed and brought to its present place as permitted in Islam. The exact date of construction of this colossal and most original building has not been recorded. But, it is certain that the building was completed a little after the death of the saint in 735/1334-35 and that should be considered the date of its construction. It might have taken 10 to 15 years to complete a building of such a colossal scale