He was the disciple of Shaikh uhūr and Ḥājī Ḥuzūr, other­wise known as Ḥājī Ḥamīd, and his spiritual descent could be traced back, through the line of the Shaārī order of ascetics to Shaikh Bāyazīd of Busām,* the prince of knowers of God. (May God sanctify his soul!) When entering on the religious life he spent twelve years on the lower slopes of the hills of Canār* and the adjoining country, practising the most severe austerities, having his dwelling in caves and subsisting on the leaves of trees. He was an acknowledged master in the science of exorcism,* he possessed supernatural power, and was drawn in a mysterious manner towards God.* He obtained leave to practise this science (scil. exorcism) from his elder brother, Shaikh Buhlūl,* who was a worker of miracles and wonders. His late Majesty, the Emperor Humāyūn, on whom God's mercy has descended, had the greatest faith in and attachment to these two saints, so much so that there were very few that ranked with them in his estimation. From these venerable men he learnt the science of exorcism. After the rebellion in India, when Shīr ^5. Shāh began to oppress Shaikh Muḥammad, he betook himself to Gujarāt where also he brought princes and rulers under the yoke of subjection to him and* belief in his teaching, so that all alike were ready to do him service. Shaikh Wajīhu-'d-Dīn too, a knower and a* doer of the things that belong to God, a profound thinker and a teacher, drew upon his shoulders the saddle-cloth of obedience to Shaikh Muḥammad. All these things are an indication of the Shaikh's perfections and of his power of working miracles. Many other great and famous holy men in Dihlī, Gujarāt, and Bangāl have risen from the fringe of his robe,* and memorials of his perfection still remain in Hindūstān. One day in the year H. 966 (A.D. 1558-9) I saw him from afar off, riding along in the market place at Āgra, a throng of the common people surrounding and preceding him, so that no one could pass through the crowd. In his courteous humility his head was never for one moment still, as he returned the salutations of the people on either side of him, bowing continually down to his saddle-bow. It was in this year that he came from Gujarāt to Āgra, and with much exhortation and persuasion, availing him­self of the influence of those about the Court, enrolled the Emperor Akbar, then a youth, among his disciples, but the Emperor soon rejected his teaching, and since Shaikh Muḥam-mad's companionship was distasteful to the Khān-i-Khānān, Bairam Khān,* and to Shaikh Gadāī,* he withdrew, ill pleased, to Gwāliyār, where he spent his time in perfecting his disciples, and, having built an hospice, occupied himself with the ecstatic dances of darvīshes,* chanting, and giving way to transports of religious ecstasy.* He himself also wrote books on these subjects. Clad in the garments of poverty he held a high and majestic position, and possessed a subsistence allowance of a karor of tankas.* Whomsoever he saw, were he a beggar even, he treated with great honour, standing before him. For this reason some few from among those who were vowed to poverty blamed him, and denied (that he was a true ascetic).* But God alone knows what his motives were in this matter.

Couplet.

Since God in His omniscience alone knows whether a soul is
to be rejected or accepted,
“Judge not lest thou be judged.” ^6.*

In the year H. 970 (A.D. 1562-3), after completing his eightieth year, he died in Āgra, leaving this world for the next, and was buried in Gwāliyār. He was generous to a degree, and it is said that the word “I” never passed his lips, and that he always referred to himself as “this humble one.” So particular was he in this matter that even when giving away corn in charity he would say “Mīm and Nūn,* give this much corn to such an one,” in order to avoid the necessity of saying “I.” May God shower his mercy plenteously upon him!