The shrine (dargah) of the Mother and Sister of the Saint i previously mentioned - Hazrat Nizamuddin - lies 15 minutes from where we live (and the Shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin himself).
It was a place that emanated vibes of serenity, peace and calmness. The beggars, the smell of rose petals and jasmine flowers, the distinct voice of a middle-aged singer singing our version of hymns, and the uninterrupted melody created by the Harmonium amidst the whispering of someone weeping, will greet you at this holy ground.
At the Dargah, you will find stalls like these, selling the cloth (with holy messages sewn or printed on them), incense sticks as well as rose petals to be sprinkled, scattered and strewn over the grave itself. Beautiful colours your eyes can't miss.
And so, i was told that Salmi Chacha and his family are direct descendants of the Nizamuddin family. Nizamuddin Auliya was never married. And so, Salmi Chacha's family is a direct descendant of Nizamuddin's sister. They make the 19th generation from that of Nizamuddin's sister. And Nizamuddin and his sister both make the 39th generation from the Muslim Prophet - Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w.). The initials in brackets simply mean (peace be upon him) - a way of showing our respect for the messenger of Allah.
It's really interesting because in Singapore, such shrines though in existence are few in numbers and not as many people place much importance on them as they do here. Well, my family for one believes in it though not in extremity. What is believed is that because they are Saints, they are much closer to Allah and so by asking for whatever it is you want or need through them to God, your prayers are heard much faster. Well, this isn't the be-all and end-all but a huge population of Muslims here do attribute some truth to this belief.
There are some practices that we don't particularly share. For instance, the people here bow down and prostrate to the shrines at the entrance; or they kiss the floor before entering the shrine; or when they bow down and ensure their foreheads rest against the shrine itself. These are things that my family don't practice. And so amidst the similarity in beliefs, there is a divergence in practice.
That said, i still found it a very beautiful place to be in. I have yet to visit the one 2 minutes from my place.
It's really interesting because in Singapore, such shrines though in existence are few in numbers and not as many people place much importance on them as they do here. Well, my family for one believes in it though not in extremity. What is believed is that because they are Saints, they are much closer to Allah and so by asking for whatever it is you want or need through them to God, your prayers are heard much faster. Well, this isn't the be-all and end-all but a huge population of Muslims here do attribute some truth to this belief.
There are some practices that we don't particularly share. For instance, the people here bow down and prostrate to the shrines at the entrance; or they kiss the floor before entering the shrine; or when they bow down and ensure their foreheads rest against the shrine itself. These are things that my family don't practice. And so amidst the similarity in beliefs, there is a divergence in practice.
That said, i still found it a very beautiful place to be in. I have yet to visit the one 2 minutes from my place.
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