Urs of Mujaddid Alf Sani

Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad al-Faruqi al-Sirhindi R.H (971–1034 AH / 1564–1624 CE), honored with the title "Mujaddid Alf Thani" (Reviver of the Second Millennium of Islam), was the most influential Islamic reformer and spiritual master of the Mughal era — the man who single-handedly reversed the religious deviations of Emperor Akbar's court and restored orthodox Sunni Islam in the Indian subcontinent. He was born in Sirhind, Punjab (modern Fatehgarh Sahib, India) into a family tracing descent from Hazrat Umar al-Faruq R.A — hence his title "al-Faruqi." He was a child prodigy who completed the Quran and major Islamic texts by age 17. He joined the Naqshbandi Sufi order under Hazrat Khawaja Baqi Billah R.H in Delhi and achieved spiritual perfection in an extraordinarily short time — his master declared him his successor after only a few months of training.

His greatest contribution was his opposition to Emperor Akbar's "Din-e-Ilahi" — a syncretic religion that mixed Islam with Hinduism and other faiths. Through his letters to Mughal nobles and his fearless preaching, he systematically dismantled these deviations and restored Islamic orthodoxy at the highest levels of power. Emperor Jahangir imprisoned him in Gwalior Fort for his refusal to bow before the emperor — he spent over two years in prison but used the time to spiritually transform his fellow prisoners, many of whom became his devoted followers.

His "Maktubat" (Collected Letters) — 536 letters in three volumes — are among the most profound works of Islamic spirituality ever written. They address theology, Sufism, Shariah, and the relationship between spiritual experience and orthodox practice with unmatched depth and clarity. He introduced the concept of "Wahdat al-Shuhud" (Unity of Witnessing) as a correction to the misunderstood "Wahdat al-Wujud" (Unity of Being) — a theological contribution that influenced all subsequent Islamic thought in the subcontinent.

His reforms through the Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi order spread across the Muslim world — from India to Turkey to the Caucasus to Southeast Asia — making him one of the most globally influential Muslim figures of the second millennium. He passed away on 28th Safar 1034 AH in Sirhind. His dargah "Rauza Sharif" in Sirhind is a major pilgrimage site, and his spiritual legacy flows through the Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi chain that continues to guide millions worldwide.