Salam. As you have noticed I have posted a few articles from Shah Waliullah al-Dehlawi’s spiritual biography of his father named ‘Anfas al-Arifin’. I thought it may be of benefit to post something brief regarding Shah Waliullah’s father: Shaykh Abd al-Rahim al-Dehlawi. The following biography is extracted/adapted from Hakim Abd al-Hayy al-Hasani’s ‘Nuzhat al-Khawatir’ (p.747):
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The Shaykh, the great scholar, the gnostic, Abd al-Rahim bin Wajih al-Din al-Umari al-Dehlawi was from the major Naqshbandi Shaykhs. He was born and raised in Delhi and studied the small works of the curriculum with his older brother Abul Rida Muhammad al-Dehlawi, and the larger ones with Qadi Muhammad Zahid bin Muhammad Aslam al-Harawi.
He studied from ‘Sharh al-Aqaid’ with Shaykh Abdullah bin Abd al-Baqi al-Naqshbandi al-Dehlawi and benefitted greatly from him in terms of spiritual grace (fuyud). He wished to take allegiance with him but he refused and pointed him in the direction of Sayyid Abdullah al-Akbarabadi whom he took allegiance with and took the Naqshbandi path from, and kept his company for the length of his life.
He then kept the company of Shaykh Abu Qasim al-Akbarabadi, took from him and kept his company for a lengthy period of time.
He received the Chishti cloak (khirqah) from Shaykh Azmatullah bin Abd al-Latif bin Badr al-Din bin Jalal al-Din al-Mutawakkil al-Akbarabadi from his father from his grandfather from Shaykh Abd al-Aziz bin al-Hasan al-Dehlawi. There was agreement between the people of knowledge and gnosis regarding his complete excellence.
Shaykh Muhsin Bin Yahya al-Turhati said in ‘Al-Yani al-Janni’:
He was from the most distinguished of the scholars of Delhi and from their notables. His states are mentioned in the biographical works on the saints of India, and many of their details are recorded in the book ‘Anfas al-Arifin’ and likewise in the ‘Tabaqat al-Abrar’. And he had a large share of the Uwaisi [spiritual path].
Shaykh Abd al-Rahim al-Dehlawi passed away on Wednesday the 12th of Safar in the year 1131 at the age of 77 as mentioned in the ‘Anfas al-Arifin’.
