THE STORY OF JALAL UD DIN KHAWARAZM SHAHI AND SAID MITHA – A LAHORI CHAPTER 1219-1221 TO 1262 A.D ALIVE TO THIS DAY WELL

THE STORY OF JALAL UD DIN KHAWARAZM SHAHI AND SAID MITHA – A LAHORI CHAPTER 1219-1221 TO 1262 A.D ALIVE TO THIS DAY WELL

Jalaluddin Mingburnu

In 1206 Chengez Khan united the Mongols as one fighting force. Then there was no stopping them, as area by area fell under their might and spell. Khwarazm was no exception. The might of that empire crumpled. Sultan Muhammed with all his resources fled as refuge from his territory. His mother Terken Khatun was taken as a prisoner by Chengez Khan. His many sons too could not bear the brunt of the attack. Only one son Jalaluddin Khwarizmi stood against the might of the Mongols, but he too fled towards Hindustan. With him fled a Wali of Ghazni, namely Syed Jamaluddin Hussaini, and his young son Syed Moeenuddin Hussaini (Said Mitha). According to Mufti Ghulam Sarwar, Jalal uddin along with Wali Jamal uddin first came to Lahore, and then went to Delhi.  Then Jalaluddin took the route towards Sind through river Indus. Jamaluddin with his son remained in Lahore. I think one hardly knows that the great hero Jalal uddin was in Lahore once upon a time. An area in Lahore contains the Mohalla of Said Mitha, his mazar, and at this time even a hospital named after him.

Said Mitha died in 661 A.H, that is 1262 AD. By Hijri standards it is almost 800 years, and by Christian year it is 759 years. If Said Mitha came here even as a teenager in 1219-1221, it is many centuries here. If he was twenty at that time, he would be around eighty at the time of his death. His ancestral tree is given by Mufti Ghulam Sarwar as, Said Mitha, son of Syed Jamal uddin, son of Syed Muhammed, son of Syed Kareem uddin, son of Syed Nur uddin, son of Syed Adam, son of Syed Ali Jaffer, son of Syed Muhammed, son of Syed Yusuf, son of Syed Mahmood, son of Syed Ahmad, son of Syed Abdullah Ashfaree, son of Jaffer, son of Syed Muhammed Al-Jawad, son of Imam Ali Raza, son of Imam Musa Kazim, son of Imam Jaffer Sadiq, son of Imam Muhammed Baqir, son of Imam Zainul Abedeen, son of Imam Hussain, son of Ali Murtaza. And the good people of Lahore remain under his spell centuries later, for his piety, message and the sweetness of his attitude towards people. Today sweets are distributed at his Mazar. People are crazy enough to believe anything.

Around 1977 we visited the Mohalla of Said Mitha, in searching of ancient markers. The Mazar was in a room of a small lane, locked from outside, and we really could not judge its construction. In a lane nearby, we saw ancient wood work of Sultanate period, which were bought by Ahmad, an antique dealer of Lahore. We also saw ancient balconies, with parrots carved on them in the bazaar. Or perhaps peacocks. The politicians took over the Mazar later, and had it totally reconstructed on modern lines. But the structure still speaks of ancient construction. More probably Mughal times, but could be earlier. No photograph seems to be available, not even the Mazar in its present condition. We had it photographed for the internet. But certainly, eventually we may be able to trace its original condition. Our people love fantasy, not history. And spinning tales about Mazars, Sufis and Sarkars is national hobby. Some of these places in Lahore are really old, like Mazar of Ahmad Tokhta Tirmizi, Mazar of Salahuddin Hussain Balkhi in Kashmeeri Bazaar, and Ganj Shaheedah etc. Most with Mongol memories attached to them. Vague memories are replaced by fresh ideas of charlatans. And ends with financial exploitation of the innocent and naive citizens. No one advises the people to go back to the Quran, and do not seek solace in contrived ideas, of no historical worth. All Sufis are dead, only the Quran is the living thing. Rejoice in the Quran!

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