Hazrat Mohammed Khadim Hasan Shah, Nawab Gudri Shah Baba III

Hazrat Nawab Khadim Hasan Shah Gudri Shah Baba or Gudri Shah Baba III was born in Moradabad in the area known as Nawabpura. His grand father, Fida Ali Sahib who died on 12th June 1864, had developed the area. He was a very big landlord and owned thirty-seven villages. The date of Gudri Shah Baba III's birth is given as 15th. December 1894 / 4th Jamadi us Sani, 1312 AH.

Hazrat Fazrul Rehman (1208-1313 AH) of Ganj-Moradabad (different from the Moradabad which is famous for the brass works), the towering saint of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order gave him the name ''Khadim'', which means servant or caretaker, forecasting that many people would benefit from him. He also received blessings from the Sohrewardi Sufi Order as he was a direct descendant of Hazrat Makhdoom Sama Uddin Sohrewardi of Mehrauli, New Delhi (808 - 901 AH).

In Akhbar UI Akhyar, Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Haq Mohaddis Dehlvi (958 - 1051 A.H.) said:

"Shaikh Sama Uddin was complete in fear of God, in guarding himself from sin, in outer and inner knowledge. He possessed perfectly the power of attraction in the assembly. Moreover, the heart of any sick person he used to look at, graciously become cleaned from any spiritual disease and the purposes of any seeker he looked at, fulfilled."

When Gudri Shah Baba III came in contact with Gudri Shah Baba II, he became a changed man. The holy company transformed him, moulding him into the identity of his spiritual guide.

Hazrat Gudri Shah Baba III was renowned for his remarkable aristocratic personality. He was pious, polite, modest, formal when necessary but always courteous. He was always elegant and eloquent, showing kindness and hospitality to guests, compassion and mercy to the needy.

He was an author, a poet and a Sufi Saint. He wrote about eighty books in Urdu. His eleven volumes of Urdu Poetry constitute a unique gift to Mystical Culture. In his final days, he was in Agra. He called Hazrat Dr. Zahurul Hassan Sharib, Gudri Shah Baba IV to his bedside and instructed him thus:

"My son, never expect any thing from anyone except God. Human beings are fickle, like mosquitoes or ants. Respect all religions."

He ordered him to distribute some money amongst the poor. Then he blessed him and told him that after death, a Faqir (dervish) becomes eight times stronger. "I will help you. I will help you. Zahur my beloved". So saying he took his small finger and placed it into his mouth and sucked it gently. Begam Shakila Khatoon (the wife of Hazrat Zahurul Hassan Sharib) began to cry and then he said:

"Every soul shall have a taste of death".
(Quran: A'l-i-Imran - 185)

Thus, after making Sharib Gudri Shah Baba IV his substitute, in the Sufi language - Sajjadanashin, he passed away in Agra at 6 pm on the 28 th Ramzan, 1389 AH / 29th November, 1970.

His Urs is celebrated on the 28th and 29th Ramzan, each year in the traditional manner.

His teachings are mostly based on love. He often said:

The Journey of Ishq (love) can only be completed by love not by any abstinence, labour or worship.

Ishq (love) is a cure for all physical and spiritual desires of the heart but is itself independent.

Ishq (love) holds all creatures in thrall but nothing exceeds Ishq.