Khwaja Ghulam Farid facts for kids

Khwaja Ghulam Farid (born around 1845, died July 24, 1901) was a famous poet and mystic from Bahawalpur, a region in what is now Pakistan. He lived in the 1800s, during a time when the British ruled parts of India. Khwaja Ghulam Farid used his poetry to speak out against British control. He is known as a Sufi poet, which means his poems often talked about spiritual love and connecting with God.

Early Life and Education

Khwaja Ghulam Farid was born into a Punjabi family around 1845. Sadly, his mother passed away when he was only four years old. He became an orphan at about eight years old when his father, Khwaja Khuda Bakhsh, also died.

After losing his parents, his older brother, Khwaja Fakhr-ud-Din, took care of him. His brother helped him grow up to be a smart scholar and writer. When Farid was eight, the local ruler, Nawab Sadeq Mohammad Khan III, invited him to his palace. There, Farid received a special religious education from a wise teacher.

Life in the Desert

When Farid was 28, his beloved brother, Fakhr-ud-Din, also passed away. After this, Farid decided to go to the Cholistan Desert, also known as Rohi. He lived there for 18 years in a spiritual retreat called a chilla.

Many of his poems talk about the amazing beauty of this desert. He felt very close to God and the Prophet Muhammad during his time there. In 1876, he also made a pilgrimage to Mecca, known as hajj.

His Writings and Poetry

Khwaja Ghulam Farid wrote many important works. His most famous collection of poems is called Diwan-e-Farid. He also wrote two books in Persian prose: Manaqabe Mehboobia and Fawaid Faridia.

In his poetry, Farid often used symbols from the desert. He wrote about how beautiful the desert was and how it made him feel connected to his faith. He also used his writing to touch on political issues. He was against the British rule in Bahawalpur and even wrote a letter to the Nawab of Bahawalpur about it. He also mentioned his opposition in some of his poems.

Lasting Impact

Khwaja Ghulam Farid's work continues to be important today.

• In the 1900s, a special field of study called Fareediyat developed. This field focuses on his life and his amazing poems.
• Many schools and colleges in Pakistan and India are named after him. For example, there's the Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology in Rahimyar Khan, Pakistan.
• An award called the Khwaja Ghulam Farid Award is given every year for great writing by the Pakistan Academy of Letters.
• In 2001, on the 100th anniversary of his death, Pakistan released a special stamp to honor him. This stamp was part of a series called "Poets of Pakistan."
• Sadiq Public School in Bahawalpur has a house named Fareed House for its students.
• One of the old, historic gates around the city of Bahawalpur is called Fareed Gate, named in his honor.
• His shrine in Rajanpur, Punjab, is one of the most visited holy places in Pakistan.

Images for kids

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  Tomb of Ghulam Farid at Mithankot

See also

• Fariduddin Ganjshakar
• Punjabi literature
• Qari Muhammad Muslehuddin Siddiqui
• Pathanay Khan
• Christopher Shackle