Miraj-ul-Arifeen (Manuscript) of Haji Ibrahim: A Reseach Study

Abstract

Haji Ibrahim was the son of Mullah Syed Wali Dad and was born at the beginning of the 11th century AH. His ancestor, Syed Safar Paranda (also known as Pir Paranda), migrated from Damascus, the capital of Syria, around the beginning of the 8th century AH. After first settling in India, he eventually moved to the region of Yousafzai, where he established a permanent residence and actively engaged in teaching and spiritual guidance. Due to his extensive travels, he became popularly known by the titles “Safar Paranda” and “Pir Paranda.” In the 13th generation of his descendants comes Haji Ibrahim, a renowned scholar of his time, a practicing Sufi, a distinguished poet of unique style and an exceptional prose writer. He was a devoted disciple and follower of Mian Yar Muhammad Papini, the spiritual successor of Syed Adam Banuri, in the Naqshbandiyya-Mujaddidiyya-Banuriya Sufi order. His poetic and prose works clearly reflect the stylistic influence of Akhund Darweza. In Pashto, Haji Ibrahim authored two poetic books: “The Tale of King Zaqqum” and “The Tale of Saif-ul-Muluk”. In addition to these, he left behind a voluminous manuscript titled “Miraj-ul-Arifeen”, which comprises a rich collection of scholarly and literary treatises. At the end of two treatises within the manuscript, the years of composition are recorded as 1075 AH and 1078 AH. While the majority of these treatises are written in Arabic and Persian, the manuscript also includes notable samples of Pashto poetry and prose.