When he reached an age to read his grandmother, a disciple of Hazrat Ameer Ali decided that
the Quran should be taught by him. He had a great liking for the child and kept telling others
that he would be a great spiritual leader of humanity with universal fame and his mane will be
on the lips of everyone. Thus he learnt Quran‐e‐Shareef from his uncle Hazrat Ameer Ali. Daily
he would attend lessons balancing precariously a big sized Quran‐e‐Shareef on his head much
to the perplexed anxiety of his uncle teacher. Infact his uncle commented “Mithan Mian, why
do you bring such a big sized Quran‐e‐Shareef?” but out of pure mischief Our Saint Carried, the
same Holy book. On returning home he would not open his book to revise his lessons. Later
seated in the lap of Nature, in the quiet stillness, would immerse in deep meditation. With the
aid of God‐given intellect, within two years he memorized the whole Quran and became a Hafiz
(one who learns the Quran by heart.)
It was the ambition of his grandmother to impart to him secular education also. Maulvi Imam
Ali Shah taught him primary text books with great sympathy and love, treating him as his
companion and joining in his plays including kite‐flying. Through the teacher was venerable
and an elderly person yet he treated Our Saint with great respect. Whenever Our Saint
protested that he was his student and deserves no respect from such an elderly person he
would say, “Young gentleman I am your teacher to mundane education but you will give
heart’s latent instruction to mankind.” The reason for respecting a young student was that he
was himself a Saint and could make out a man’s urgings for acquiring Divine Love.
The habits and actions of Our Saint were so strange that he often told his grandmother that her
grandson was a degree holder of the school of Love and is a divine teacher, teaching men such
lessons that are acquired without learning and without any teacher’s aid Thus he was not in
need of worldly education. He wanted to teach such lessons to others which were beyond the
comprehension of laymen. Any how his grandmother pleaded to teach secular education as far as it could he done, since
his ancestors were men of letters and highly educated. Therefore, Maulvi Sahib taught him
lessons carefully without any compulsion in a pleasing manner. Our Saint was also fond of
learning but due to the urge of temperament he could not continue it without break. The
ingredients of love which were hitherto latent came up to the surface, but being too intelligent,
he never forgot whatever was taught to him.
At the age of eight he was deprived of his grandmother and there was none except the Lord of
the Universe to look after him.
Ishq Aan Shalasth Kuchoon Bar Faroqth.
Har Chei Juz Mushuq baqi Jumla Sukhth.
Means: Love in such an all consuming Fire Except the Beloved it destroys everything.
Deva Shareef was found to be not congenial for his stay and so his brother‐in‐law Hazrat Haji
Syed Khadim Ali Shah Sahib a resident of Luckhnow took him under his supervision and
continued his education where he learnt under renowned savants.
But it is not clear, what was the benefit of this education imparted to him with such care and
concern and how far he continued his further education. Some are of opinion that he
completed his education but according to other versions he hardly could complete his text
books, the fervour of love made him uneasy and many a time he was deeply absorbed in
contemplation. Hence, he ceased his education and turned his attention to travel to Arabia.
Others say that after studying preliminary text books, severed his connection with the world
and in 1253 Hijrah desired to visit the two sanctuaries of Mecca and Medina. He travelled by
trekking, Sarkar would fondly recall: During my first lesson when Maulvi Sahib said, “Read Al
Kalima”, I said if Kalima is only one world then its study is useless. What will we do reading
one word?
From his sayings and particular circumstances it is quite clear hat he was proficient scholar of
literature and had a perfect knowledge of Quranic exegesis; besides these he was well up in the
knowledge of Divine Love.
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 