Hamza Makhdoom


Hamza Makhdoom Kashmiri, popularly known as Makhdoom Sahib, was a Sufi mystic, spiritual teacher living in Kashmir. He is sometimes referred to as Mehboob-ul-Alam and Sultan-ul-Arifeen.

Early life

Hamza Makhdoom was born in the village of Tujjar near Sopore in Baramulla district. His father was called Baba Usman and came from a Chandravanshi Rajput family. According to tradition, teenage Hamza Makhdoom studied in the Shamsi Chak monastery for a year, and later studied jurisprudence, tradition, philosophy, logics, ethics and mysticism in a madrasa founded by Ismail Kubrawi.

Works

A prolific scholar and spiritual preacher, Hamza Makhdoom adhered to the tradition of Jalaluddin Bukhari. He directed his teachings specifically to the followers of Islam, and under his influence a part of Kashmir's population trully followed the Hanafi

Death

He died at an age of 82 in year 1576 in Srinagar. His shrine is, located on the southern slope of Hari Parbat Hill and popularly called Makhdoom Sahib or Hazrat Sultan-ul-Arifeen, is an important pilgrimage centre in Kashmir.