A Brief Biography of *Hazrat Syed Shah Sheykh Ali Hussaini Rifai Al Qadri RA,* popularly known as *Sangde Sultan Mushkil Aasaan Al Qandhari RA,* Kandhar Sharif, Nanded, Maharashtra, India
The area of *Deccan* was the centre of knowledge & Sufism since the olden times. *Qandhar* which is taluka place of *Nanded* district in *Maharashtra* no doubt was the centre of the knowledge.
His holy name is *Hazrat Syed Shah Sheykh Ali Sangde Sultan* Rahmatullah Alaih. During the last period of the 8th century Hijri, in the *770* Hijri, he was born at the place of *Qandhar Sharif.* Hazrat Sangde Sultan’s *Genealogical link* connected with the *13th Generation of Qutbul Aqtab, Sultan ul Aarifeen Hazrat Syed Ahmed Kabeer Rifai Mashooq Allah* Rahmatullah Alaih, the founder of *Rifai* silsila in *the Middle East Asia, Basra in Iraq.* He belongs to the member of *Saadat* (Holy Prophet’s descendants through his daughter *Hazrat Syeda Fatima* Radi Allah Ta’ala Anha), i.e. *Hussaini family.*
*Munshi Amir Hamza* had mentioned in his book the *Genealogy* of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA, in which he had traced the lineage of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA to the *Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ* through *33 blood descendants*.
His Great Grandfather *Hazrat Syed Sheikh Ibrahim Rifai* Rahmatullah Alaih is a *Sipahsaalar* (Chief of Army) & *Hazrat Haji Sayyah Sarware Makhdoom* Rahmatullah Alaih who came to the *Deccan Region (Daulatabad)* in *725 Hijri* along with the army of *the Sultan of Delhi Muhammad Tughlaq* after the wisal (Death) of *Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin auliya* Rahmatullah Alaih of Delhi. Due to the love & friendship between Hazrat Haji Sayyah Sarware Makhdoom Rahmatullah Alaih & Hazrat Syed Sheikh Ibrahim Rifai Rahmatullah Alaih both of them were settled down in *Qandhar Sharif* and spread the islam & it’s teachings. His Great Grandfather was stayed long time with Hazrat Haji Sayyah Sarware Makhdoom Rahmatullah Alaih. Thus Hazrat Syed Ibrahim Rahmatullah Alaih also benefitted from both *Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya Rahmatullah Alaih* & *Hazrat Haji Sayyah Sarware Makhdoom Qandhari Rahmatullah Alaih.*
After spending some time in Qandhar, *Hazrat Syed Sheikh Ibrahim Rifai Rahmatullah Alaih* went to *Kalyani Paragana (Now Chitguppa)* in Karnataka where he passed away.
He Had a son *Hazrat Syed Shah Sheikh Muhammad Zakaria Rifai* Rahmatullah Alaih who was a noble person & always busy in the prayers (ibadat) and zikr. *Hazrat Haji Sayyah Sarware Makhdoom Rahmatullah Alaih* given him the title (Laqab) of *Zakariya*. He was *Grandfather* of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA. He had a son named *Hazrat Syed Shah Sheikh Ahmad Rifai* Rahmatullah Alaih who was the the *father* of Hazrat Sangde Sultan. Hazrat Sangde Sultan took *bait (spiritual oath)* at the hands of his father in *Rifai, Qadri, Chishti and Suharwardi* sufi orders (Silsila), continued to live on the banks of the lake at Qandhar Sharif.
Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA dargah which is famous even today. Allah almighty solves all the problems of a person who visits his dargah. Several thousand of devotees from near & far, irrespective of religion & beliefs, gather there to seek blessings. Hazrat Sangde Sultan who was great *Aalim* (Scholar/Learned Person) of his time as well as he was the best *Author* of his time. But it is very sad to know that due to destruction & ruin his books which were written by him have vanished away from this world in the long running of time. He passed away on *8th Safar* in the year *856* Hijri islamic year (29 February,1452 A.D.) & was burried in Qandhar Sharif near his house. His mausoleum place is well known as *Rouza e Khurd*. The Shrine (dargah) has a dome on its square architecture inside. There is a Mosque & Khanqah also present which was built by his disciple (Murid) *Ibrahim Tajeer* (a merchant).
“Hazrat Maulana Shah Rafiuddin Qandhari (RA), wrote in one of his book & praised about Hazrat Sangde Sultan Mushkil Aasaan (RA) as:
“He was a great scholar of both the external knowledge (religious knowledge) and inner knowledge (spiritual knowledge) and his shrine is an important place for the acceptance of prayers and the descent of blessings.”
➡️ Story Behind the *”Shaykh”* title of *Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA* :
*Shaykh Ali Sangde Sultan Mushkil Aasaan* is his title (Laqab) & inseperable part, which is *more famous* than his real name *Hazrat Syed Shah Ali Hussaini* Rahmatullah Aliah. To his Great Grandfather Hazrat Syed Ibrahim Rifai Rahmatullah Alaih was given the tittle of *Shaykh* two times from the court of *Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya* Rahmatullah Alaih of Delhi by his favour of his kindness, affection & due to respect and admiration he was used this tittle *Shaykh* before his name. This tradition was followed by his lineage & till it was reached to Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA & he also used this *Shaykh* tittle in the tradition of his Great Grandfather.
➡️ *Reasons behind the famous tittle (Laqab) “Hazrat Sangde Sultan Mushkil Aasaan RA”*:
Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA travelled so many times in his life in different parts of the world including the regions like *Khorasan (Iran), Arab, Punjab, Sindh & Daulatabad, etc.*
There are various explanations of this particular name had been offered to *Hazrat Sangde Sultan Mushkil Aasan RA*
1) *Sangad* was area near the border of *Sindh* Province in *Punjab*. The people there were greatly influenced by the speech of Sultan about spiritual honesty, worship practices as well as by miracles (Karamats) performed by him. After seeing these specialties thousands of people of sindh accepted islam & took bait (spiritual oath) on his hands & became Murids (Disciples) of him at the time of Sindh tour of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA.
2) This tittle (Laqab) had been referred for his honesty & his murids belief that whenever they took waseela of him, Allah almighty solved their problems. So he became more popular thus *his murids* began calling him as *Sangde Sultan Mushkil Aasan*
3) *Sang* (Bhala/Barchi) is a long spear, Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA had *mastery* in fighting with a spear in the battle. There were no person near him in this art of fighting by using the spear as a weapon at his time. The two long spear is still present in his shrine (dargah).
4) Another famous theory state that there was a *Sangad named magician* in the *Daulatabad* who troubled so much to the people at that time there. After hearing this, Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA went to Daulatabad, stayed there, performed a *Chilla* (meditation) & eventually defeated Sangad Magician. This Chilla is present even today also on the platform above the subterranean passage in the *Daulatabad fort*.
➡️ *Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA Family:*
Hazrat Sangde Sultan had two wives named *Hazrat Jamal Bibi Saheba* & *Hazrat Tara Bibi Saheba*. Hazrat Tara Bibi saheba was childless, but Hazrat Jamal Bibi Saheba had three sons.
1) Hazrat Syed Shah Azeemuddin Rifai Rahmatullah Alaih
2) Hazrat Syed Shah Ahmad Manjhle Chilledar Rifai Rahmatullah Alaih
3) Hazrat Syed Shah Moinuddin Rifai Rahmatullah Alaih
Hazrat Sangde Sultan had given his Khilafat & Spiritual Power to his second son Hazrat Syed Shah Ahmad Manjhle Chilledar Rahmatullah Alaih.The title (Laqab) of *Chilledar* due to he was performed lots of Chilla (Busy in meditation) during his life. So he was *first Khalifa* and *first Sajjadanasheen* of Hazrat Sangde Sultan. His shrine (Dargah) also within the same place in Qandhar. Hazrat Sangde Sultan’s family lineage was continued from his second son Hazrat Syed Shah Ahmad Manjhle Chilledar Rifai Rahmatullah Alaih. First son & third son are popularly known as *Shah Dhadak* & *Shah Kadak*. The Shrine (dargah) both of them is on distance of 2 Km away from Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA dargah at the west side in Kandhar. The Urs of both of them is celebrated on *10th Safar* after the Urs of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA.
➡️ *Hazrat Syed Shah Ziauddin Biyabani* Rahmatullah Alaih was a *Great Sufi* whose dargah is at *Ambad* taluka near Jalna district of Maharashtra & he was a nephew of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA. Hazrat Sangde Sultan’s RA sister married to *Hazrat Syed Abdul Kareem Biyabani Rahmatullah Alaih* who was the father of *Hazrat Syed Ziauddin Biyabani Rahmatullah Alaih*. Hazrat Syed Ziauddin Biyabani Rahmatullah Alaih was the *Khalifah* (Spiritual Successor) of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA. He had collected all the letters in his Persian book *Matlub-ut-Talibeen* which were written by his Sheykh Hazrat Sangde Sultan Rahmatullah Alaih to him.
➡️ *The Urs Celebration of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA:*
Peoples of various walks of life, irrespective castes and creeds gather to celebrate the *Urs of Hazrat Sangde Sultan RA* which takes place on *8th Safar* of Muslim Calendar month at his famous Shrine (Dargah) in Qandhar Sharif every year. In this year 2025, his *591 Urs* celebrated with great respect under the leadership & guidance of *Sajjadanasheen, Peer e Tariqat, Rahbar e Shariyat, Taqaddus Maab, Sufi Ba Safa Hazrat Shaykh Syed Shah Moulana Anwar Ullah Hussaini Rifai Al Qadri Da’amat Barkatuhu.*
_*(18th Descendants of Hazrat Syed Shah Ali Hussaini Ar-Rifai Al-Qadri Almaroof Sangde Sultan Mushkil Aasaan RA, Kandhar Sharif, Nanded, Maharashtra).*_
*Talib e Dua* : _*Shaikh Anees Ahemad Rifai Al Qadri, Nanded, Maharastra.*
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 