In 1974, Shaykh ul Aalam’s father, may Allah’s Mercy be upon him, became fatally ill. Khwaja Shaykh Ghulam Mohiuddin Ghaznavi had dedicated his entire life to serving the Way of Allah & His Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. In fact, from his early 20’s until he departed from this world, he remained at the sanctuary of Darbar Nerian Sharif where he and his brother spent day and night strengthening the people’s love for Allah, counselling them and inviting them to righteousness. Thus, his entire life was dedicated to the Way of Islam.
Shaykh ul Aalam Khwaja Alauddin Siddiqui was 36 years of age when his father passed away, and had been propagating Islam in England. He immediately returned to Kashmir upon hearing about the deteriorating health of his father and murshid. All the sahibzadagaan (sons and successors) and murideen (followers) agreed unanimously that Shaykh ul Aalam was to be the main successor of Khwaja Ghulam Mohiuddin Ghaznavi and the inheritor of his role (sajjada nasheen).
As a result of this life-changing turn of events, all of Shaykh ul Aalam’s projects in England were put on hold. For the foreseeable future, he was to remain in Pakistan to oversee the spiritual mission of Nerian Sharif, which was of the utmost importance especially at such a crucial and sensitive time. The people in Europe felt his absence, for the Shaykh is a man of immense seen and Unseen qualities. His incredible dedication, extraordinary personality and eloquent speech ensured that a special place was reserved deeply for him in every heart.
By the Grace of Allah, without doubt, Shaykh ul Aalam is a perfect example of the term, “A great son of a great father”. Khwaja Ghulam Mohiuddin Ghaznavi was a truly noble and kind-hearted man, famous for his generous spirit and love towards all for the Sake of Allah. This character is reflected perfectly in his beloved son who – with his way of love, kindness, gentle counsel and warm affectionate hospitality – has inspired and uplifted hundreds of thousands of hearts all over the world, from countless backgrounds, purely to strengthen their personal bond with Allah & His Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.
In this way, Khwaja Ghulam Mohiuddin Ghaznavi’s propagation of Islam and spiritual mission, as well as the honour and status of Darbar Nerian Sharif, has been greatly elevated. In the famous words of Khwaja Qasim Mohrvi to his khalifa, Khwaja Ghaznavi: “Go, my son! By Allah’s Grace and Generosity, your store will attract customers from East and West.”