MYSTICISM OF RAHMAN BABA AND ITS EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS Presented to: Department of Social Sciences Qurtuba University Peshawar (Pakistan) In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education ____________________ By Hanifullah Khan Ph.D Education, Research Scholar 2009 _____________________________________ Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar NWFP. (Pakistan) ii CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL DOCTORAL DISSERTATION This is to certify that the Doctoral Dissertation of Mr. Hanifullah Khan Entitled Mysticism of Rahman Baba and Its Educational Implications Has been examined and approved for the requirement of Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Education (Supervisor and Dean of Social Sciences) Signature: ---------------------- Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem (Co – Supervisor) Signature: ---------------------- Prof. Dr. Parvez Mahjoor Examiners 1. Prof. Dr. Saeed Anwar Signature: --------------- Chairman, Education Department, Hazara University 2. Name: ---------------------------------- Signature:---------------- External Examiner, (Foreign Based) 3. Name: ---------------------------------- Signature:---------------- External Examiner, (Foreign Based) iii ABSTRACT Islam has produced great scholars, philosophers and mystics, who were / are the custodians and promoters of the Islamic culture and its values in the world. The teachings of all these legends are capable of pulling our own and our succeeding generations from the inferiority complexes and put them on the path to God. Rahman Baba is one amongst them and the reason for my selection of the Mysticism of Rahman Baba and Its Educational Implications for my Ph. D research study is that I have studied this mystic poet of Pashto literature and can say that his poetry is an introduction to the fundamentals of human nature. He addresses to man irrespective of his origin. He makes an irresistible appeal to all, irrespective of their caste, colour and creed. His ideas are ever fresh and new and are a guiding light for seekers of the truth. Baba is a Mystic who leads life according to Islamic Shariah. To study him is helpful in understanding the aim of life and the true meanings of Islam. God made man superior to the entire creature but he does not know his true self and behaves like animals. Man should have tolerance in his self; should be kind and compassionate to others as this is the best way to get nearness to God. Man is naturally the lover of God. To love God means to obey His commands and serve the humanity without expecting any financial reward. Real richness is the richness of heart, which comes through the remembrance of God. Man is a humble slave of God and by stretching hand before the slaves; man becomes slave of the slaves, which is quite astonishing and Baba dislikes it. He is of the opinion that man should have the knowledge of his own self, his Creator, the universe that surrounds him and the aim for which he has been created. He advises the ulama (the scholars) to become practical because the scholar (A'alim) is not scholar until he is practical. Knowledge turned into practice opens the eyes of man and introduces him to God and man starts to obey His commands without any hesitation. Baba lays stress on the character building of the individuals in order to make them capable of facing the hardships that may come in his way while following the injunctions of God and His Prophet (S A W). The teachings of Rahman Baba can purify man's heart from the evils & can bring him closer to God and when man gets closer to God, he gets courage to fight against the evils both inside him and outside him i.e. in the society. There will be justice everywhere iv and this will bring peace in the surroundings and the society will become a truly human society. Baba addresses to men and wants them to be true human beings, something that is becoming a rarity in modern days. Baba's teachings are about all the aspects of human life and are based on "To enjoin Good and forbid Evil and eventually work for the establishment of a just socio - moral order in the world." He strongly advocates justice and considers it necessary for peace and unity. His courage and conviction and his humanity are exemplary. He is God fearing and knows the art of living on the earth as a true human being. In short, the researcher, after studying Rahman Baba, is of the opinion that the teachings of Baba can help us to build an exemplary society and if we apply his teachings in our education, we can prepare morally and religiously strong & well-rounded individuals, which is an urgent need of our society. v ACKNOWLEDGMENT All praise to the Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient who bestowed upon me moral courage and sustained patience to undertake and conclude this study. I am indebted to the advisor of the dissertation and Dean of Social Sciences, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, who spared time for me in spite of his prior commitments and multifarious assignments. His kind co-operation and guidance helped me in completing this gigantic project. I am obliged to the co-advisor Prof. Dr. Parvez Mahjoor Pashto Academy, who constantly guided me during the course of this study. I am thankful to all those professors and scholars who provided me their valuable assistance regarding information about Rahman Baba while conducting this research. Thanks are due to my class fellow, Niaz Muhammad Aajiz, who helped me in understanding the spirit of Pashtu literature. vi DEDICATION Dedicated to those who obey the Commands of God and serve the humanity with out expecting any worldly reward. vii Table of Contents S. No: List of Contents Page Numbers CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL -------------------------------------- ii ABSTRACT --------------------------------------------------------------- iii ACKNOWLEDGMENT------------------------------------------------- iv 1. INTRODUCTION ---------------------------------------------------------- 1- 16 Functional features of the traditional Muslim Education --------- 2 Education ----------------------------------------------------------------- 6 Objectives of the study ------------------------------------------------- 11 Importance of the Topic ----------------------------------------------- 12 Limitations of the Study ------------------------------------------------ 14 Delimitations of the Study---------------------------------------------- 14 Statement of the Problem----------------------------------------------- 15 Research Methodology------------------------------------------------- 15 2. Chapter - 1 BRIEF LIFE HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF RAHMAN BABA ------------------------------------------------------------ 17 - 33 Family Background ------------------------------------------------------ 17 Education of Rahman Baba--------------------------------------------- 18 Life and Poetry of Rahman Baba -------------------------------------- 19 Rahman Baba according to some renowned personalities ---------- 21 Diwan of Abdur Rahman Baba------------------------------------------ 22 Mysticism ----------------------------------------------------------------- 23 Islamic Mysticism (Sufism) and Tawhid------------------------------ 25 Mysticism & its Educational Elements-------------------------------- 28 Mysticism (Sufism) of Rahman Baba---------------------------------- 29 3. Chapter - 2 RAHMAN BABA AND AL-GHAZZALI ON MYSTICISM ---------34 – 63 Al-Ghazzali ---------------------------------------------------------------- 34 Rahaman Baba and Al-Ghazzali on Mysticism ----------------------- 42 Knowledge of God -------------------------------------------------------- 43 Love-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 46 viii World ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 50 Morality --------------------------------------------------------------------- 55 Knowledge of Self --------------------------------------------------- 57 Religion with Practice ------------------------------------------------------- 58 Educational Implications.--------------------------------------------------- 61 4. Chapter - 3 RAHMAN BABA'S CONCEPT OF KHUDI --------------------------- 64-90 Concept of Khudi------------------------------------------------------------- 65 Rahman Baba on Khudi ------------------------------------------------- 67 Allama Muhammad Iqbal on Khudi ----------------------------------- 81 Similaraties between these two. (Rahman Baba and M.Iqbal) ----- 84 Educational Implications. ----------------------------------------------- 87 5. Chapter - 4 RAHMAN BABA'S APPROACH TO GOD ---------------------------- 91 - 118 Various Concepts of God------------------------------------------------- 92 Islamic Concept of God--------------------------------------------------- 94 Mystics' (Sufis') Approach to God ------------------------------------- 96 Sayings of Some of the Eminent Personalities about Rahman Baba's Approach to God ----------------------------------------------- --- 100 Rahman Baba's Approach to God ---------------------------------------- 101 Rahman Baba as a Lover of God------------------------------------------- 107 Rahman Baba to Beloved ------------------------------------------------ 110 Educational Implications-------------------------------------------------- 116 6. Chapter - 5 RAHMAN BABA'S CONCEPT OF LOVE & BEAUTY--------------119 - 146 Love or Ishq --------------------------------------------------------------- 121 Love and wisdom---------------------------------------------------------- 122