Shamsuddin Habib Allah, also known as Mirza Zanzana, was a Sufi Saint of India. He was the successor of Nur Muhammad al-Badawani of the Naqshbandi Order and was a contemporary of Bulleh Shah. Shamsuddin Habib Allah He was born in 1701 AD. His father was in the service of Emperor Aurangzeb, but later he joined the Qadiri Order of Sufism. He was a poet and used the pen name `Mazhar`. The moment he heard the name of Shaikh Nur Muhammad he became so impatient that immediately he set out to meet him. Shaikh Nur Muhammad also adopted him at once and in the first meeting itself all of his spiritual chakras (energy centres- the essence of the Naqshbandi way of practice) were energized and activated. When he reached back home and saw in the mirror, he saw the face of his Master Shaikh Nur Muhammad in place of his own face. In four years he was fully accomplished and was conferred the status of Satguru.
Mirza Zanzana`s father was a senior officer but he was detached from worldly affairs. Mirza Zanzana was taught arts, science, warfare and other branches of learning in his early age and he had acquired competence in all these branches. He was very polite and patient and a great swordsman too who could fight a number of persons simultaneously. He used to say that sheer constant remembrance of the Master fills up one`s heart fully with divine light and spirituality. He stood fast in serving his Shaikh with complete truthfulness. He continued to progress by entering into seclusions in the desert and in the jungle on the orders of his Shaikh. His only food used to be grass and leaves of trees. He used to wear only what would cover his nakedness. One day, after many of these seclusions when he looked in the mirror, he saw his Shaikh in place of himself.
When his Master passed away, he continued to visit his grave until his Shaikh directed him to visit some of the other Saints of his time, Shaikh Muhammad Afzal and Shaikh Muhammad Abid. He used to attend the sessions of Shaikh Muhammad Afzal, one of the Khalifas of Shaikh Saifuddin. He also benefited from the company of Shaikh Shah Kalshan and Shaikh Muhammad az-Zubair. He accompanied these Shaikhs for twenty years. He progressed further and further until he became an Ocean of Knowledge, Qutub of his time, shining like the Sun at high noon.
Mirza Zanzana was a Master of the four Tariqats: Naqshbandia, Qadiria, Suhrawardia and Chishtia Orders. He said that he received the secrets and knowledge of these orders from his Shaikh, Sayyid Nur Muhammad Badawani, who lifted him from the Ibrahamic Stage to the Muhammadan Stage. He also said that he saw the Prophet Muhammad sitting in his place, while he was sitting in place of the Prophet. He then disappeared and saw the Prophet sitting in the two places. Then he saw the Prophet disappearing and himself sitting in both places.
Many miracles are associated with him. It is reported that once he travelled with some of his followers without any food or provision. When they needed food he would call them and say, `this food is for you,` and tables of food would appear in front of them. One day during the trip there was terrible storm. It was freezing making everyone shiver because of the cold. Their situation worsened until it appeared that they were going to die in that frozen desert. Mirza Zanzana then raised his hands in prayer to the Almighty. Immediately the clouds lifted from around them, and though the freezing rain continued to fall a little away, the temperature around them rose to a comfortable level.
Mirza Zanzana said that existence is an Attribute of the Almighty alone. According to him the world is merely a shadow of realities that exist in Divine presence. It is the action of the Divine that is responsible for all the creations. Moreover, Mirza Zanzana is reported to have acknowledged in one of his letters addressed to a disciple the existence of the Vedas as Divine creation and that there were prophets in the country of Hindus also. It is apparent that they had attained high and perfect position and that the Divine Mercy did not leave out, for the good of His Creatures, even this vast country.
During his last days, numerous seekers entered into the Sufi way. He had predicted his death and shortly before his death he was in a state of great emotion and intense love of God. He said that the Almighty had fulfilled all his desires and had accomplished him fully. He was so desperate to meet his beloved, the Almighty, and to be in His Presence continuously that he wanted `to go to Him today, before tomorrow`. He, however, wanted to go to Him not as an ordinary person but as a martyr, who is always alive as Allah described in the Holy Quran.
On the fateful day of the seventh of Muharram, in the year 1195 Hijri (1781 AD) his servant came to him and informed him of three visitors seeking to meet him. He asked them to be brought in. One of them took a knife out of his pocket and stabbed him in the back, piercing his kidney. He fell to the ground. The King sent him a doctor but he sent him back saying, `I do not need him. As for the men who stabbed me, I forgive them, because I am glad to die as a martyr and they came as an answer to my prayer.` His mausoleum is situated near Jama Masjid in old Delhi and is known as `Shahid Sahab ki Mazar` or the mausoleum of the Martyr.
