Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya (RA), Multan

Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya (RA) also known as "Baha-ul-Haq" was a prominent Sufi saint. He was born around 1170 AD in Kot Kehror (now known as Karor Lal Esan), a town near Multan. His grandfather, Shah Kamal-ud-Din Ali Shah Qureshi (RA) arrived in Multan from Makkah. Bahauddin Zakariya descended from the lineage of Asad Ibn Hashim, and was hence a Hashmi.

The renowned Sufi saint Hazrat Shahab-ud-Din Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi (RA) of Baghdad awarded Hazrat Zakariya (RA) the spiritual title Caliph in Baghdad, and then assigned him back to the Multan region. For fifteen years, Hazrat Zakariya (RA) travelled to different cities in southern Punjab, where the order was able to attract large numbers of converts from Hinduism. He finally settled in Multan in 1222 (RA). Under his influence, Multan became known as "Baghdad of the East".

He became a vocal critic of Multan's ruler at the time, Nasir-ud-Din Qabacha, and sided with Iltutmish, the Mamluk Sultan of Delhi when he overthrew Qabacha in 1228 (RA). Zakariya's support was crucial for Iltutmish's victory and so he was awarded the title Shaikh-ul-Islam by Iltutmish to oversee the state's spiritual matters in gratitude for his support. He was also granted official state patronage by the Sultan.

During his lifetime, Zakariya befriended Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA), a widely revered Sufi saint from Sindh and founder of the Qalandariyya order. Hazrat Baha-ul-din Zakariya (RA), Shahbaz Qalandar(R.A), Baba Fariduddin Gunj Shakar (RA) and Syed Jalalauddin Bukhari (RA) became part of the legendary Haq Char Yaar, or "Four Friends" group, which is highly revered among South Asian Muslims. Zakariya's tariqat, or Sufi philosophical orientation, was to the renowned Sufi saint Hazrat Shahab-ud-Din Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi of Baghdad (RA).

Zakariya's teachings spread widely throughout southern Punjab and Sindh, and drew large numbers of converts from Hinduism. His successors continued to exert strong influences over southern Punjab for the next several centuries, while his order spread further east into regions of northern India, especially in Gujarat and Bengal.

Bahauddin Zakariya (RA) died in 1268 (AD) and his mausoleum (Darbar) is located in Multan. The mausoleum is a square of 51 ft. 9 inches (15.77 m), measured internally. Above this is an octagon, about half the height of the square, which is surmounted by a hemispherical dome.