Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) narrates the following incident in one of his discourses:
Khawaja Bakhtiyar Kaki quddus sirahu’s janazah was ready for the salah. The khadim-e-khas came forward and announced that according to the will of Khawaja the funeral prayer (salat-ul-janazah) is to be led by the person who fulfills these 3 requirements:
1. He should have never laid eyes on any unrelated women (non-mehram) after reaching puberty.
2. He should have never missed the 4 rakat of sunnah-prayer (ghair-muakkidah) before asr salah.
3. Because of the fear and awe of Allah, he never looked upwards towards heavens.
The huge crowd stood still. All the awliya of Dehli and Shaykh’s senior khulafa were there. No one came forward. Khadim repeatedly announced the requirements. But there was no response. A sense of impatience was being felt.
Finally, Sultan Shamusddin Altamash (Allah have mercy on him) stepped forwards. He remarked, “No one knew my secret, the respected Khawaja disclosed it. All praise is for Allah, I fullfil these criteria”. He then led the prayers.
Even after his demise Khawaja Bakhtiyar Kaki (Allah have mercy on him) taught a tremendous message:
To his khulafa and mureedeen he taught the lesson of humility (tawadhu’) and saved them from self admiration (u’jub). He motivated them to perform and be consistent with the supererogatory (mustehibat) acts of worship. Also, he taught them to never under estimate others and have a high opinion for them.
To the public who always complain that they are too busily involved in acquiring means for survival and can not spare time for essential worship lest for nawafil, he showed them the example of the king. Their ruler who had a huge responsibity, numerous tasks and varied commitments to attend to, but still he was steadfast even in praying the pre-asr ghair-muakkidah sunna. His modesty did not allow him to look at the unlawful. His fear of accountability to Allah was so pervasive that he did not dare look towards the heaven. Leaving us pondering:If a monarch can be like this why can not it be us?
ہرگز نہ میرد آنکہ دلش زندہ شد زعشق
ثبت ازبر جریدہء عالم دوام ما