Life
Shahbaz Qalandar (Syed Usman Marandi) was born in Maiwand, Afghanistan to a dervish, Syed Ibrahim Kabiruddin whose ancestors had migrated from Baghdad and settled in Mashhad, a center of learning and civilization, before migrating again to Marwand.
During his lifetime he witnessed the Ghaznavid and Ghurids rules in South Asia. A contemporary of Baha-ud-din Zakariya, Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari Surkh-posh of Uchch, Shams Tabrizi, Mehre Ali Shah Mast and Rumi, he travelled around the Muslim world and settled in Sehwan (Sindh, Pakistan) where he was eventually buried. Evidence shows that Shahbaz Qalander was in Sindh before 1196 when he met Pir Haji Ismail Panhwar of Paat. It is believed he arrived in Sehwan in 1251. He established a Khanqah there and taught in the Fuqhai Islam Madarrsah: during this period he wrote his treatises Mizna-e-Sart, Kism-e-Doyum, Aqd and Zubdah.
In Multan Lal Shahbaz met Bahauddin Zachariah Multani of the Suhrwardiyya, Baba Farid Ganjshakar of the Chishtiyya and Makhdoom Jahanian Surkh Bukhari. Their friendship became legendary: they were known as Chahar Yar (Hindi and Persian = the four friends). According to some historians the four friends visited various parts of Sindh and Punjab in present day Pakistan. Saints of Sindh including Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Makhdoom Bilawal and Sachal Sarmast were followers of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
His dedication to the knowledge of various religious disciplines enabled him to eventually become a profound scholar. He became fluent in many languages including Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Sindhi and Sanskrit. He often quoted the teachings of Maulana Jalal ad-Din Rumi. Lal Shahbaz lived a celibate life. He died in 1274 after living 97 years.
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