The caretakers of the Dargah Ajmer Sharif have disowned the controversy that surrounded the world renowned Sufi shrine, clarifying that the “family dispute” between the two brothers has nothing to do with the Dargah Sharif.
The Gaddi-nashin at Dargah Ajmer Sharif, Haji Syed Salman Chishti, clarifying the “misinterpretation” of the dispute, told The Sunday Guardian, “It is important to understand that the Dewan of the dargah has no role in the spiritual activities at the dargah or even in its management. Dewan is a representational figure and not a spiritual leader.”
The gaddi-nashins at Dargah Ajmer Sharif belong to the family which looks after the sanctum sanctorum of the grave of Moinuddin Chishti. The gaddi-nashins have stayed in-charge of the grave’s management for the past 800 years and at present their 26th generation continues to serve at the dargah.
The rest of the compound surrounding the main grave is managed by the dargah committee, which is appointed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs as per the Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1955.
Salman told this reporter that the position of dewan was constituted by Emperor Akbar in the 15th century to preside over the Thursday qawwali sessions in the king’s absence. “But the dewan’s original descendants moved to Pakistan in 1947. Their closest of kin who stayed back in India, filed an affidavit in the court to prove that they are the nearest relatives of the original descendents of the dewan’s family. The court allowed them to take over the dewan’s position in exchange of a stipend of Rs 200 per month, but they were not allowed to posses any other property in the Dargah Sharif. The tradition of the dewan to preside over Thursday’s qawwali sessions has continued since. However, a week ago, the younger brother, Syed Alaudin Alimi, pushed away his elder brother Syed Zainul Abedin, the dewan of the dargah, amid the gathering during Thursday’s ceremonious qawalli session and claimed to sit on the dewan’s chair.”
“The whole episode was embarrassing for us as well, since their family dispute ruined an otherwise pious occasion. At present, Abedin will continue to be the dewan of the dargah and his younger brother will continue to sit on the chair next to him,” said Salman Chishti.
As far as the statements of Dewan Syed Zainul Abedin are concerned, Gaddi-nashin Salman Chishti said, “Abedin’s statement might be politically motivated. For the past 800 years, Ajmer dargah has served only vegetarian food at the langar, which feeds thousands of people. This tradition was established by our predecessors. The dargah has been a remarkable example of religious syncretism in India”.
Last week, Dewan Abedin was sacked by his younger brother because the dewan had supported the ban on instant triple talaq as well as on consumption of beef. Younger brother Alimi had dubbed the dewan as a “non-Muslim” for his remarks on the two topical issues. However, the dargah committee refuted Alimi’s claim on the dewan’s position and supported Abedin’s right to the hereditary claim over the dewan’s chair.