MULTAN: The three-day 703rd Urs of Hazrat Shah Rukn-i-Alam(RA) began at his shrine at Qila Kuhna Qasim Bagh on Tuesday.
The ceremonies started with traditional ‘ghusl’ of the shrine with rose water by former foreign minister and aleader of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi (caretaker of the shrine).
Thousands of devotees from all over the country, especially interior Sindh, flocked to the shrine to pay homage to the saint.A delegation of Indian devotees reached here today
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) and other security measures have been taken to ensure security at the venue.
Mr Qureshi said the saints had spread the message of peace and harmonious living.
He said the Muslims should follow in the footsteps of the saints and make efforts to promote peace.Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fateh (Persian: رکن الدین ابوالفتح), commonly known by the title (Shah) Rukn-e-Alam ("Pillar of the World") (1251–1335), was an eminent Sufi saint from Multan in modern-day Pakistan who belonged to Suhrawardiyya Sufi order.Shah Rukn-e-Alam was the son of Pir Sadar-Al-Din Arif. He was born in Multan on Friday, the 9th of Ramadan 649 Hijri (26 November 1251).He was the grandson and successor of Sheikh Baha-ud-din Zakariya.Shah Rukn-e-Alam died on Friday, the 7th of Jumada al-awwal 735 Hijri (3 January 1335). He was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather, according to his own will. After sometime, however, his coffin was transferred to the present mausoleum. Shah Rukn-e-Alam conferred his spiritual succession to Sheikh Hameed ud Din al Hakim, buried at Mau Mubarak in Rahim Yar Khan, who was his Ataleeq-e-Awwal, Khalifa-e-Awwal and was married to his aunt, the daughter of Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Zakariya.The saint is still revered today and his tomb is the focus of the pilgrimage of over 100,000 pilgrims from all over South Asia. Shah Mehmood Qureshi current Sajjada Nashin and custodian of the Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e-Alam. The tomb was built between 1320 and 1324 CE in the pre-Mughal architectural style. The tomb is said to have built by Ghias-ud-Din Tughlak (r.1320-1325 AD) during his governorship of Depalpur, between 1320 and 1324 CE and was given by his son, Muhammad bin Tughluq to the descendants of Shah Rukn-e-Alam for the latter’s burial in 1330. In the 1970s, the mausoleum was thoroughly repaired and renovated by the Auqaf Department. The entire glittering glazed interior is the result of new tiles and brickwork done by the Kashigars of Multan
