Allama Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah Muddazillahul Ali’s Short Life History
Hazratul Allama Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah Syedzada, an extraordinary scholar and virtuous person, above all very rich in spirituality and foresight. He is currently a member of the provincial council and senator of his homeland. He has established himself as a patriot, social worker and ideal politician. An incident of this popular and renowned personality entering the political arena is also known. He graduated from Abbottabad College in his homeland, completed a diploma in Arabic literature and Islamic studies and a master’s degree in Islamic Sharia from the International Islamic University of Islamabad. Then he appeared before his respected father Hazratul Allama Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah Rahmatullahi Ta’ala Alayhi to seek permission to enter Al-Azhar University in Egypt for the purpose of acquiring higher knowledge. It was a Friday. There was also a local crowd. He went out to see what was happening there. When he went there, he found that a meeting was being held locally to nominate an election candidate. His father Huzur Qibla Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah was also present at that meeting. Seeing him, the people present exclaimed in unison, “This is the one who will be the election candidate.”
This incident of Hazrat Allama Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah Muddazilluhul Ali happened in 1985. Since then, a new chapter in his political life has begun and he has been elected with a huge vote almost every time. His victory in the elections amidst various political adversities proves that he is a loyal attendant of the country, nation, society, religion and school of thought. He is a competent and ideal politician. As a result, he became the provincial chief minister of Pakistan in 1993, and was an advisor to the Prime Minister of that country in 1997 and 1999. At present, where spiritual practice is dying among the politicians of Muslim countries, his emergence and successful activities in the political arena have breathed new life into them. He is the inspiration of honest and competent politicians, the flag bearer of truth, a terrible storm for the corrupt and the nocturnal, the courage of the helpless, the close friend of the lost and the heartbeat of the Sunni people. He is widely popular in the political arena and the use of the word ‘Pir’ with his name is quite noticeable. In fact, he is the bearer of all the qualities of lineage and ancestry. He remains steadfast in any adverse environmental situation. This is his natural characteristic. When he was 4/5 years old, he suddenly fell from the high hill of Sirikot; yet he did not cry, did not even feel scared; rather, he stood up naturally, brushing off the dust that had stuck to his body.
On observing this scene, his grandfather Allama Syed Ahmad Shah Sirikoti Rahmatullahi Ta’ala Alaihi declared:
سابر شاه ملك بنجال کا پیر هوگا
(Sabir Shah will be Pir of Bangladesh) | From that day he is known as ‘Pir Sabir Shah’
This 40th descendant of Huzur-e-Ikram (peace be upon him) was born in 1955 in Sirikot, North-West Frontier Province Pakistan and in 1976, he inherited the caliphate from his father along with his respected elder brother Allama Syed Muhammad Taher Shah Muddazilluhul Ali; yet this renowned descendant of the Prophet has been seen to be like a disciple in front of his elder brother. Therefore, the status of being a saint is innate in his mother’s womb and spiritual practice is innate in him. Strong faith in Allah and His Messenger is his foundation, the Prophet is his model. Love for the Messenger is his material, Sunnah is his adornment, Sunnah is his ideology, his practice in Hanafi Fiqh, family education, initiation and supervision are the sources of all this and his spiritual and modern thinking is the crop of all this. Therefore, the modern Islamic educational institution ‘Tayyabul Uloom Education Complex’, known as ‘Jamea Tayyabiya’ for short, built near his house, will forever be a witness to all this for future generations. Of course, his respected elder brother is patronaging the construction of this institution.
Allama Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah Muddazilluhul Ali traveled to various countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East on both official and unofficial. It is also seen that when he takes food at any function in his house, the poor and needy and the poor class of the society also take food with him in the same bowl. Just as he reached the peak of progress through political wisdom, foresight and sharpness, he has also achieved excellence through prayer and discipline. The impact of his spirituality is truly amazing. In this regard, the late Ayyub Ali Chowdhury, the Khadim of his father Allama Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah Rahmatullahi Ta’ala Alayhi, said, “Allama Sabir Shah came to the East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) with his father in 1967 as a child. Then we got into a car to go to a Mahfil. Allama Azizul Haq Sher-e-Bangla Rahmatullahi Ta’ala Alayhi was also in that car with us and Huzur Qibla Allama Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah Rahmatullahi Ta’ala Alayhi was sitting in the front seat of the car. After getting down from the car, Sher-e-Bangla Rahmatullahi Ta’ala Alayhi pointed towards Allama Sabir Shah Muddazilluhul Ali and said to me, “Ayub Ali! This Pirzada is a saint of an unusually high stature!” May Allah grant him long life. May his presence bless us. Amen.