ABDUL BABA
Abdul Baba was born in 1871 in Nanded, on the banks of the Tapti River in northern Maharashtra. His father's name was Sultan. As a child, his parents placed him in the care of a Sufi teacher named Amiruddin of Nanded. One day in 1889, Sai Baba appeared to Amiruddin in a dream, gave him two mangoes, and ordered Abdul to give them to him and send him to Shirdi. When he woke up he was shocked to see two mangoes next to each other. He then gave the mangoes to Abdul asking him to go immediately to Saibaba in Shirdi.
Abdul first came to Baba in 1889 when he was 19 years old. Even then Nanasaheb Chandorkar did not come to Baba. On seeing him Baba greeted him saying ‘My crow has come’ . Baba told him to dedicate himself completely to theservice. Since then, Abdul Baba has been engaged in activities such as serving, cleaning the streets of Shirdi, and reciting the Qur'an in the presence of Baba all night. Baba served him with great devotion for 30 years when he was alive and for 36 years when Baba took samadhi. This is the only Muslim devotee who has clung to Baba for such a long time. When his teacher sent him to meet Baba, he rushed into Baba's service.
Initially he lived near the mosque (after a while he moved into the house opposite the tent.) He was always in the service of Baba. He constantly fills the five lamps around Dwarakamai with oil, looking after the lamp lit by Baba in Lendibag, and cleaning the Dwarakamai and Chavadi every day. In addition, Baba would sweep the streets and pick up thrash. He used to put wood in Dhuni. Baba would fetch water from the river and clean the clothes. Thus the service he rendered to Baba without being bored was invaluable. In the early days Baba did not feed him and he lived by begging.
Baba affectionately called him "Halal Kur" (our scavenger). He was instrumental in giving him some advice and suggestions. Baba used to tell us not to fall asleep at night while reciting the Qur'an, not to read the Holy Qur'an and not to fall asleep. He also said, "Eat little, be satisfied with one thing, do not go for tastes, do not oversleep." "Who am I?" He also said that he was following Baba's instructions carefully.
Shirdi has a roadside lendi. Baba used to spend some time alone in it twice a day. Occasionally baba used to take Abdul with him. No one but Abdul was allowed inside Lendi around noon.
Abdul said: "Baba used to put a lamp in a ditch two feet deep somewhere in the grove. Baba could not see the lamp as he used to cover with tin sheet. I used to keep 2 pots of water.He sprinkled the water all over the place and walked a few feet in each direction and stared at it.
Abdul also said: “I prayed one night and sat with my face in the palms of my hands. Then Sai said, "What are you trying to see the moon?" Said. I fell asleep again for a while and fell on him. He lovingly patted my feet. I was thrilled to see a clear crescent moon in my palm when I took the water at 2pm the next afternoon. He said earlier that he was going to give that vision ”. "The way Baba used to bless me was strange. Sometimes their blessing was in the form of curses and blows. Baba used to curse me very badly. They even beat me and abuse! That was a blessing!"
One morning Baba sat in the booth and said to me, “You helped me cross the Bhavasagara. I turned the clay into gold. I built a huge building! ” He blessed me and left for the mosque. (The first two may have told Baba about his spiritual progress. The third was indicating his future. After Baba's samadhi, he would worship at Baba's tomb and live in a room in Butiwada.) Occasionally Baba would say, "Abdul lives in a mansion. He has a glorious time." Accordingly, Abdul lived in Butiwada for some time.
Abdul used to sit next to Baba in the mosque and recite the Qur'an. Occasionally Baba would take the book in his hands, open it and give it to him to read the verses on the page, sometimes reciting some verses from the Qur'an. On some occasions he would tell him about Islam and Sufism. They are related to the principles of Islam and Sufism with many quotations in Arabic. This means that Baba is well versed in Islam and Sufi traditions.
Feeling that the words of the sages were invaluable, Abdul wrote down the words of Baba in a book in Marathi or Modi script with great care. The same is the Qur'an for him. He considered it to be such a sacred book and read it with devotion . The book, which contained catchy words from Baba's lips, was called Baba's book of pronunciations. Such a wonderful gift was bestowed upon him by the grace of Srisai. That book is going to guide everyone was his complete confidence. When someone came to him to find out about the future or any problem, he would open the scripture and answer with great devotion and care. The answer from the open page was appropriate for the occasion and certainly solved the problem.
Consider two such examples. A well was dug in the temple premises once after Baba was buried. Devotees approached Abdul after salt water was in the well. He opened the book he had written for Baba's answer, in which he replied, "Fresh water comes from digging deeper." It was followed by another two feet of excavatation and fresh water was found.
Another incident: Barrister Gadgil asked, 'Will my son return from England? Or settle there? ' He Wanted to know. When Abdul was contacted about the matter, he was told by the book, "He will be back." Also he returned with his English wife and children.
As Abdul's words came true, people started calling him 'Abdul Baba'. Abdul could look a woman in the face and tell her things like whether she would get married, or and have children. Everything he said came true many times. He says that it all happened by the grace of Baba.
Marianne Warren and V.B. The Khers translated a book of Baba's utterances written by Abdul Baba into English. In that endeavor they came to know Baba's wonderful knowledge of Islam and Sufism.
Shortly afterwards Abdul first teacher Shirdi came and asked him to come back with him. Abdul replied, "I can not do anything without Baba's permission." Baba did not give permission and his teacher walked back from Shirdi.
Abdul's wife and son lived in Nanded. His son Abdul Pathan was born in 1901. Abdul's mother started looking for a marriage relationship when the boy reached puberty. When he went to see a relationship the owner of that house told the son of a fakir that he did not want to marry his daughter. Frustrated with it she came to Baba and complained and asked for his help. Then Baba consoled her, "Do not worry, the boy will find a good bride. Everything will go smoothly at the right time." A few days later the boy and his grandmother went to a place to meet some friends and relatives. There was a man who was interested in marrying his daughter to the boy together. Then the boy's grandmother said, "The boy's father is a fakir." But he did not pay much attention to the matter. Although his eldest daughter was not married over and over, he was very interested in putting his youngest daughter in this boy's arms. As a result of Baba's words, the marriage was solemnized and enjoyed by all.
Baba summoned Abdul some time before his mahasamadhi. But he said he would come after a while. Baba smiled when he heard that. Abdul was deeply saddened by his misfortune to see Baba samadhi when he arrived. After Baba's tomb, Abdul Udi showed great faith in Abdul Baba and offered Baba Udi to many people. Thus he helped many to cure their diseases and to achieve other desires.
After Baba's burial, Abdul remained in the room to the left of the samadhi mandir until 1922, cleaning the mandir, anointing Baba's tomb, adorning it with cloths and flowers, and making a grand offering. He makes his living from a portion of the offerings made to Baba, given by the devotees. Still his descendants are offering flowers to Baba in the morning.
In 1922, Baba Dikshit Dixit sought permission from the Ahmednagar District Court to set up a public trust. But Abdul, inspired by some of his admirers, approached the court challenging the establishment of the trust, saying that he was the legal heir to Sai Baba and therefore had a right to maintain the tomb. However, the court ruled that "Abdul could not claim that the samadhi mandir was a monastery or an ashram, that Saibaba had no heirs, and that he was Saibaba's heir." This prevented him from having any involvement in the management of the tomb. In addition, he was asked to discontinue his daily free food and to vacate the room where he was staying in the tomb. Shortly afterwards by the grace of Baba the Sansthan relaxed some of those severe restrictions and allowed him to manage the mandir. From then until his death on April 2, 1954, Abdul served Baba with great devotion, participating in Sai Baba's samadhi mandir ceremonies. Thus Abdul was a great devotee who devoted his life to the service of Baba till his death.
Baba had been protecting Abdul even before they were buried. After Radhakrishnamai's death, Abdul lived in the mud house where she lived. The house was in a state of disarray as it was very old. About 1927, while Abdul was sitting in the house reciting the Qur'an, the house suddenly collapsed. He was almost stranded in the rubble. However, thanks to Baba, he was not injured at all.
He died on August 16, 1954. His body was buried near Lendibagh in the courtyard of the cemetery. Devotees can visit the tomb of Abdul Baba on the right side of the hill. Opposite the chavadi, the main room of the house where he was staying was turned into a monument to Abdul Baba and placed for the visit of the devotees. Devotees visiting the hut can see the original photographs of Baba hanging on the wall on the left, and the chimta used by Baba. Baba himself gave him that chimta. Abdul hid them safely and worshiped them with incense every day. After Baba's mahasamadhi, Abdul used this tweezers to cure the pains and ailments of the devotees. Baba also gave him sataka and tin pot.
Abadul's wife's name is Umranrao.b. Their son was Abdul Pathan (Ghanibhai). He was born in 1901 and died on December 14, 1984. Abdul had five grandchildren - Ibrahim, Aziz, Rehman, Rahim and Hamid; And two grandchildren - Shamshad.B and Irshad.B. Currently only Raheem and Hamid are alive. Abdul was followed by his successor Ghanibhai who had the honor of cleaning Baba’s tomb and decorating it with flowers every morning at 10am. Abdul's grandson Hamid continues his legacy to this day
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