Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fateh ( ; – ) was an eminent
Punjabi Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
saint from
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the List ...
in modern-day
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
who belonged to
Suhrawardiyya
The Suhrawardiyya ( ar, سهروردية, fa, سهروردیه) is a Sufi order founded by Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi (died 1168). Lacking a centralised structure, it eventually divided into various branches. The order was especially prominent in I ...
Sufi order.
[ He is commonly known by the title (Shah) Rukn-e-Alam ("Pillar of the World").
]
Biography
Shah Rukne Alam was the son of Pir Sadar-Al-Din Arif. He was born in Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the List ...
on 26 November 1251 and died 3 January 1335.[History of Multan (scroll down to read The Tomb Of Shah Rukn-e-Alam)](_blank)
Government of Pakistan website, Retrieved 18 March 2021 He was the grandson and successor of Sheikh Baha-ud-din Zakariya
Baha-ud-din Zakariya (Urdu and fa, بہاءُ الدین زکریا) (c.1170 – 1262), also spelled Bahauddin Zakariya, and also known as Baha-ul-Haq and Bahauddin Zakariya Multani, was a Sunni Muslim scholar saint and poet who establish ...
. He was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather, according to his own willbut later, his coffin was transferred to the present mausoleum. Shah Rukn-e-Alam conferred his spiritual succession on Sufi sheikh Sultan Ul Tareeqin Sheikh Hameed ud Din Shah Hakim Al-Qureshi Asadi Al-Hashmi Suhrawardi. He is buried at Mau Mubarak in Rahim Yar Khan
Rahim Yar Khan () is a city in Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the 9th largest city of Pakistan by population. It is the capital of the Rahim Yar Khan District and Rahim Yar Khan Tehsil. The administration of the city is subdivided into ni ...
. He was Shah Rukn e Alam's Ataleeq-e-Awwal, Khalifa
Khalifa or Khalifah (Arabic: خليفة) is a name or title which means "successor", "ruler" or "leader". It most commonly refers to the leader of a Caliphate, but is also used as a title among various Islamic religious groups and others. Khalif ...
-e-Awwal and was married to the daughter of Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Zakariya.
Mausoleum
The saint is still revered today and his tomb is the focus of the pilgrimage of over 100,000 pilgrims yearly from all over South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
.[Over 100,000 pilgrims yearly as visitors]
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage website, Published 30 January 2004, Retrieved 20 March 2021 Shah Mehmood Qureshi
Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi ( ur, ; born 22 June 1956) is a Pakistani politician who served as the 29th Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2022. He previously held the post from 2008 to 2011. He has been a member of the Nationa ...
is the current Sajjada Nashin and custodian of the Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e-Alam.
The tomb was built between 1320 and 1324 CE in the pre- Mughal architectural style. The tomb is said to have built by Ghias-ud-Din Tughlak (r.1320-1325 AD) during his governorship of Depalpur, between 1320 and 1324 CE and was given by his son, Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq (1290 – 20 March 1351) was the eighteenth Sultan of Delhi. He reigned from February 1325 until his death in 1351. The sultan was the eldest son of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq, founder of the Tughlaq dynasty. In 1321, the youn ...
to the descendants of Shah Rukn-e-Alam for the latter's burial in 1330. In the 1970s, the mausoleum was thoroughly repaired and renovated by the Auqaf Department. The entire glittering glazed interior is the result of new tiles and brickwork done by the Kashigars of Multan.
This tomb is on the tentative list as a UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.[
]
Memorandum
* Shah Rukan e Alam, named after the saint, is one of the autonomous towns of the city of Multan.
*A daily train service, Shah Rukn-e-Alam Express
''Shah Rukn-e-Alam Express''
( ur, ) was a daily express train service between Karachi and Multan in Pakistan. The train named after Rukn-e-Alam, Shah Rukn-e-Alam, was a saint who lived in Multan.
It had Economy, AC (Air-Conditioned) Lower and ...
, between Multan and Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
was named after him. It was suspended in February 2011 due to lack of locomotives.More trains may be suspended
Dawn (newspaper), Published 2 February 2011, Retrieved 18 March 2021
See also
*Baha-ud-din Zakariya
Baha-ud-din Zakariya (Urdu and fa, بہاءُ الدین زکریا) (c.1170 – 1262), also spelled Bahauddin Zakariya, and also known as Baha-ul-Haq and Bahauddin Zakariya Multani, was a Sunni Muslim scholar saint and poet who establish ...
* Qari Muhammad Muslehuddin Siddiqui
*Suhrawardiyya
The Suhrawardiyya ( ar, سهروردية, fa, سهروردیه) is a Sufi order founded by Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi (died 1168). Lacking a centralised structure, it eventually divided into various branches. The order was especially prominent in I ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rukn-E-Alam
Punjabi Sufis
People from Multan
1251 births
1335 deaths
Punjabi people