Qutb-e-Deccan, Calligrapher, Poet, Healer, Saint: Hazrat Yahiya Pasha Quadri Hyderabadi

By Syed Amjad Hussain, New Age Islam 9 August 2025 Hazrat Syed Shah Muhammad Yahiya Pasha Quadri, the humble Qutb-e-Deccan, devoted his life to faith, learning, healing, and service, leaving Hyderabad a legacy of spirituality, scholarship, and quiet leadership. Main Points: 1. Noble lineage linking Qadri and Shattari Sufi traditions. 2. Early education in Madina Sharif and the Deccan. 3. Scholar, poet, and master calligrapher defending Sunni beliefs. 4. Simple life of service, healing, and spiritual discipline. 5. Resting place in Misri Ganj, honoured through annual Urs celebrations. ----- Image credits: Maulana Ali Quadri Hyderabadi ----- Introduction Hyderabad, the pearl of the Deccan, has long been a cradle of Indo-Persian culture, Islamic scholarship, and the quiet radiance of Sufi spirituality. Its streets have echoed with the footsteps of saints, poets, and scholars whose lives were devoted to God, humanity, and the preservation of tradition. Among these luminaries shines the name of Qutb-e-Deccan Hazrat Syed Shah Muhammad Yahiya Pasha Quadri — a scholar, poet, calligrapher, and spiritual guide whose humility was his crown and whose service was his legacy. His life, spanning the closing years of the 19th century and the middle of the 20th, remains a living chapter in the spiritual history of the Deccan — a reminder that leadership in the path of God is never sought, but always bestowed. Birth and Noble Lineage Hazrat Syed Shah Muhammad Yahiya Pasha Quadri was born on 23 Safar 1303 Hijri (30 November 1885 CE) in Hyderabad. He was the second son of Qutb-ul-Aqtaab Hazrat Khwaja Syed Shah Muhammed Siddique alias Mahboobullah, one of the most eminent saints of his age. Through his mother, the daughter of Syed Shah Shaikun Ahmed Shattari, he was linked to another distinguished Sufi tradition — the Shattari order, itself an offshoot of the Suhrawardiyya Silsila. This union of two spiritual lineages was to shape his destiny from the earliest years. Under the loving guidance of his father, he received his first lessons not only in letters but in the inner discipline of the Sufi path. Journey to Madina al-Munawwara and Early Education The passing of his father brought an early change in the young Hazrat’s life. His mother, seeking both solace and blessing, resolved to migrate to the holy city of Madina al-Munawwara. The boy, still in the tender years of his life, thus found himself in the very heart of the Islamic world. For two years he studied at the Madrasa-e-Faqriya, absorbing knowledge in an atmosphere steeped in sanctity. Those formative days in the city of the Beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa Sallallahu Ta'aala Alayhi Wassallam left an indelible imprint on his heart. Returning to the Deccan, he continued his studies under some of the region’s most eminent scholars. His elder brother, Hazrat Syed Shah Muhammed Osman Hussaini alias Fayeq, himself a spiritual guide of high standing, mentored him in Ilm-e-Baatin (the knowledge of the heart) and conferred upon him Khilafat in the Qadri order, placing him in the unbroken chain of spiritual transmission. Scholarship and Formal Learning Hazrat Yahiya Pasha’s pursuit of learning was remarkable for its blend of deep traditional study and formal institutional education. He studied Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir) under Hazrat Maulana Syed Shah Muhammad Omer Hussaini, the celebrated author of Tafseer-e-Qadri. At Darul Uloom Hyderabad, he completed his early schooling and went on to obtain the degrees of Maulvi and Aalim from Punjab. His understanding of both the Qur’an and the Hadith Sharif was further refined under his cousin, Bahr-ul-Uloom Hazrat Allama Maulana Syed Shah Mohammed Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui. From him, Hazrat also learnt martial arts — a reminder that the Sufi discipline embraced both spiritual refinement and physical preparedness. The Calligrapher and the Poet A man of refined artistic taste, Hazrat Yahiya Pasha was a master calligrapher, skilled in both the Naskh and Nastaliq scripts — each demanding an almost meditative precision of hand and mind. His literary talents found expression in poetry, for which he adopted the pen-name (Takhallus) Haaziq. Under the guidance of Hazrat Fasahat Jung Jaleel and Hazrat Saquib Badayuni, he developed a style that merged devotional depth with elegance of expression. Defender of Sunni Orthodoxy The early 20th century saw Hyderabad, like much of India, grappling with sectarian currents. The Wahhabi movement, in particular, sought to undermine traditional Sunni practices, branding them as innovations or even acts of disbelief. Hazrat Yahiya Pasha rose to this challenge with his pen. His treatise, Noor-e-Hidayat, became a beacon of clarity, defending Sunni belief with scholarly precision and reasoned argument. In doing so, he safeguarded the spiritual identity of countless Muslims in the Deccan. Reluctant Leader – The Mantle of Sajjada Nasheen In 1332 Hijri, the death of his elder brother Hazrat Fayeq brought a turning point. With no direct male heir in the family, the responsibility of Sajjada Nasheen, custodian of the Khanqah and its affairs, naturally fell to Hazrat Yahiya Pasha. True to the Sufi spirit, he was reluctant to accept the position. Yet, once he did, he embraced it wholly, guiding disciples, preserving the traditions of his ancestors, and keeping the Khanqah a centre of learning and spiritual refuge. Simplicity, Service, and Spiritual Healing Hazrat Yahiya Pasha’s life was the very definition of simplicity. He avoided the company of the powerful, never sought material gain, and was known to quietly visit the poor and the sick, offering help without expectation of return. Gifted in spiritual healing, he treated patients through prayers, Taweez (amulets), and traditional mystical remedies, never charging a fee. His daily routine was austere: he spoke little, ate frugally, and spent much of the night in prayer. Twice he performed the Hajj, visiting Madina Sharif on both occasions. Final Days and Resting Place On 4 Safar 1373 Hijri (12 October 1953 CE), at the age of 70, Hazrat Yahiya Pasha departed from this world at his residence in Qazipura, Hyderabad. He was laid to rest outside Fatah Darwaza in Misri Ganj, within a sacred enclosure known as Riyad Jannah. The complex contains gardens, a well, the shrine buildings, and a Sama Khana for devotional gatherings. At its heart stands a striking Chaukhandi, an open-topped structure with twelve carved stone pillars, its yellow sandstone recalling the artistry of Makli Necropolis. Within it lies his marble and stone grave, the only burial in the Chaukhandi, measuring 8 feet 6 inches by 5 feet 6 inches, raised on a square platform of over 23 feet. Family and Present Custodianship Hazrat Yahiya Pasha was blessed with four sons — Syed Shah Muhammad Mohiuddin, Syed Shah Muhammad Ibraheem, Syed Shah Muhammad Usman, and Syed Shah Muhammad — and a daughter, Syeda Safiya Qamarunnisa, who married Meer Akram Ali Khan, grandson of Nawab Farkhanda Yar Jung. Today, his eldest son Hazrat Syed Shah Mohiuddin Hussaini Quadri serves as Sajjada Nasheen, continuing the family’s work in education and spiritual guidance, as recorded in Guldasta-e-Tajlliyat Hazrat Khwaja Mahboobullah (p. 235). The Annual Urs Every year, from 3 to 5 Safar al-Muzaffar, devotees from across the region gather for Hazrat’s Urs. The shrine is adorned with lights and flowers; arrangements are made for food, water, and hospitality. In the Sama Khana, devotional music and recitations fill the air, while outside, the fair-like atmosphere blends the sacred and the communal in a uniquely Hyderabadi way. Legacy Hazrat Syed Shah Muhammad Yahiya Pasha Quadri Hyderabadi remains, in memory and in spirit, the embodiment of the Qadri ideal, humility before God, service to His creation, steadfastness in the defence of faith, and scholarship anchored in love for the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa Sallallahu Ta'aala Alayhi Wassallam. His Chaukhandi in Misri Ganj is more than a tomb; it is a sanctuary where history, art, and spirituality meet. To this day, hearts are drawn to it — to remember the saint who asked for nothing, gave everything, and quietly shaped the spiritual landscape of the Deccan. References: Syed Mohiuddin Quadri Hussaini “Guldasta-e-Tajlliyat Hazrat Khwaja Mahboobullah” Syed Mohiuddin Quadri Hussaini “Mazhar-e-Anwaar Haalaat Hazrat Yahiya Pasha” Syed Muraad Ali Tale “Tazkira Auliya-e-Hyderabad” ----- Syed Amjad Hussain is an author and Independent research scholar on Sufism and Islam. He is the author of 'Bihar Aur Sufivad', a research book based on the history of Sufism in Bihar. Note: This is the first-ever article available about Syed Shah Muhammad Yahiya Pasha Quadri Hyderabadi on the Internet. URl: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/qutb-deccan-calligrapher-poet-healer-saint-pasha-quadri/d/136444 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism