Amer Afzal Bhatti
One dark night, around midnight, the most powerful ‘steel-man’ of Pakistan,
along with the first lady, silently walked through streets of Chah Sultan
Rawalpindi and knocked at the door of MianAbulGhafoor – then a not very well
known spiritualist. The man who opened the door got stunnedto see President
ZiaulHaq standing at the door. The guests came in, and stayed there for long.The
room Mian G called his hujra was without chairs, so the President and Begum
Shafiqa Zia had to sit on the floor. They left at 3am, to visit again. Mian G
was invited at Aiwan-e-Sadr but he gracefully declined.
Gen Zia was a man of steel. His colleagues used to call him Pakistan Army’s Gen
Rommel. He had won the ‘Desert Fox’ title during the Armored Corps maneuvers in
Egypt. He knew how to remain cool in odd circumstances. The ever smiling face
was his most lethal weapon – for the friends and foes alike. But that day he
seemed a bit disturbed; believably he shared his concerns, and sought spiritual
guidance. He offered Mian G to do anything he could, but the spiritualist
respectfully said, “Sadr sahib He Who made you President takes care of me too.”
Mian G was a man of integrity and self-respect; he was a true Ashiq-e-Rasool.
His credentials were not that of a mystic Sufi; he was a thorough gentleman, a
learned individual and practical healer. Hundreds of his fans, including the
elite and commoners, visited him every day, especially to participate in his
weekly arranged Mehfil-e-Darood.
Very few know who Mian G actually was? President Zia probably knew Risaldar
Abdul Ghafoor from his days of WW-II which he fought as a Royal Indian Army
soldier in Malaya. Chakwal is known to be the land of valiant warriors and the
Chohan Rajput clan he belonged to was considered the best sought after breed of
inductees. The strong-built broad-chested Ghafoor’s oath-taking, at the
passing-out parade, became a tough issue whichalso echoed in the Royal Palace of
Britain. Every time he was asked to say “MalkakaWafadurRahun Ga”, Ghafoor
pronounced “Makkah KaWafadarRahun Ga”. As a result, he was to face the Court
Martial trial but the wise British officers preferred to hush up the matter for
fear of its spread to other Muslim soldiers, mostly from the same gallant Rajput
clans of Chakwal. His ‘Makkah Oath’ was silently accepted.
Probably this was the reason that the love for Makkah and Madina was spiritually
injected into his veins and soul. His posting was directly ordered by Royal
Palace for England and Scotland respectively, where during the Germans’ attack,
his passenger ship was drowned but he with his utmost courage rescued most of
his colleagues and swam them to the shore, alone. For this act of bravery, he
was awarded with two medals of courage. Later he was relieved of his active
service. The oath he took ‘of Makkah’ was rightly interpreted into saving the
humanity. When RisaldarGhafoor returned to his native village Khokhar Dir, Post
Master Noor Ahmed, his father’s friend, took him to his own house which the
villagers thronged within minutes. They lifted him up on the shoulders and
raised slogans of cheers for him.
This was the time when All India Muslim League had got united under the
leadership of Quaid-i-Azam. Ghafoor had the honour of meeting Allama Iqbal
during his young age, and therefore was very well aware of Iqbal’s message. So
as ‘Iqbal’s Shaheen’ he participated in Pakistan Movement. After Pakistan came
into being, he got a government job and retired in 1957. His spiritual journey
started when he met Haji Hafiz Abdul Karim, who took him toQiblaLasani sahib in
Rawalpindi. This gave a spur to his curious love for the Prophet (PBUH); within
a short time, Abdul Ghafoor completed all spiritual processes and started
benefiting the people from his Astana NooriaHabibia he himself founded at
DhokKaku Shah.
Although Mian G died, on November 25, 2008 at the age of 86, yet the mehfil
didn’t stop, which still continues as a shining legacy under his son Abid Ali
Gohar – a law graduate from the Islamic University, a Grade-19 officer
(Director), now retired, from the Higher Education Commission. He has also been
associated with the Foundation University as Advisor.Gohar is the true meaning
of his name; he is a gem of a person, a persona of love, affection and
dedication. His is not just stretching upon the legacy his father had left, but
he is furthering it with an added spirit and love for the Prophet of God and
Allah Almighty. To Mian G, Gohar’s birth was a direct spiritual prediction from
Hazrat Ali; for the visitors his personality amazes them the most. He seems like
knowing all. Darood and Zikr Allah are a gift one takes from his astana.
It is very difficult for Gohar sahib to translate him into an accurate prophecy
because alone, without a final guidance, it can be misguiding. He firmly
believes that the final authority is Quran; he calls the Prophet (PBUH)
as“Sarkar-e-Kul Alam” – the leader all universes. As a lawyer, he has learnt to
reasonably and arguably through knowledge and spiritual experience,
which a common man cannot apparently understand unless he himself goes through
the same. He does not believe in spellcasting, only urges recitation of Darood
Sharif, which is “the fundamental of our being and panacea of life.” This year’s
death anniversary of Mian G Abdul Ghafoor coincides with 12 RabiulAwal, so the
Mehfil cum Urs of the great spiritualist is being held on Friday November 23,
2018, near ChandniChowk adjacent to Shahbaz Sharif Park Rawalpindi, which is
scheduled to be participated by a large number of people from all over Pakistan.
One has witnessed people thronging every Friday from unknown destinations to
come and recite Naat-e-Rasool-e-Maqbool and Salam-o-Darood. Astana NooriaHabibia
is no doubt a centre of excellence, one in the lifetime should not miss visiting
it.