Syedi Sheikh Qutub bin Mulla Sulaimanjee QR was born in Burhanpur on 21st Jumadil Ukhra, 1163 H (27th May 1750AD), during the era of al-Dai al-Ajal Syedna Ibrahim Wajihuddin RA. He was named after al-Dai al-Ajal Syedna Qutbuddin Shaheed RA, as his chatti (naming ceremony) coincided with his urs mubarak.
At a young age, along with versing himself in matters of faith, Sheikh Qutub QR also started learning Urdu and Farsi, after having attained proficiency in Gujarati, Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. He had already established himself as a highly intelligent and committed individual; with a buoyant nature despite his youth. Sheikh Qutub QR had a particular fondness for history, in which he excelled. He was also a great poet and was known as Umdato She’r (the support of poety). When he was 29, Syedna al-Moiayyed Fi al-Deen RA bestowed him with mafsuhiyat, in Burhanpur in 1192 H (1778 AD).
Sheikh Qutub QR was well known amongst the people for his exceptional conduct. The 42nd Dai Syedna Yusuf Najmuddin RA took Sheikh Qutub QR with him on his travels to Jamnagar in 1201 H. It was during this trip that Sheikh Qutub QR began writing the first volume of his outstanding contribution to Fatemi history: Muntaza´ al-Akhbaar. From Jamnagar, Syedna Yusuf RA proceeded to Ahmedabad where Sheikh Qutub QR assisted in the restoration of the mausoleums and graves damaged and destroyed by adversaries.
In 1214 H, he sent Sheikh Qutub QR, along with Mulla Noor bhai QR, to assist Sheikh Hebatullah bin Sheikh Wali Mohammed QR to contain Majdu’s fitnat in Aurangabad. Here Sheikh Qutub QR catalogued all of Masjdu’s misdeeds and personally presented them to the Nizam. When Majdu denied committing these felonies, Sheikh Qutub QR presented the corresponding evidence which the Nizam accepted. Upon viewing the evidence, the Nizam ordered Majdu to be imprisoned. He also permitted Sheikh Qutub QR & Sheikh Hebatullah to QR take Majdu to Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin RA as a prisoner.
As a result of this khidmat, Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin RA bestowed Sheikh Qutub QR with haddiyat on 19th Shehrullah al-Moazzam, 1214 H (13th February 1800 AD). Syedna RA further graced Sheikh Qutub QR by writing about him in that year’s risaalah sharifah. Syedna RA mentioned both Sheikh Qutub, his forefathers and the khidmat rendered by them. Sheikh Qutub’s QR lineage is as follows:
Sheikh Qutub bin (son of) Mulla Sulaimanjee bin Mulla Laar Mohammed bin Maulaya Abd al-Rusool Shaheed (Banswara) bin Mulla Noor bhai.
Sheikh Qutub QR was a scholar and a man of piety. He had memorised the entire Quran and also taught it to others. He would recite the entire Surah al-Kahf in fajar namaaz every Friday. His discourses were scholarly, and he was an expert in astronomy. He would observe rozah during the months of Rajab al-Asab, Shaaban al-Kareem and Shehrullah al- Moazzam. He would observe Saum-e-Dawood over the other nine months of the year. He would always pray all five namaaz daily at Saifee Masjid, Pune.
Sheikh Qutub QR twice wrote the khazaanah of Dawat and completed the second volume of Muntaza´ al-Akhbaar in 1231 AH. It took him approximately 30 years to write both volumes completing them during Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin’s RA era. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA writes in his risaalah shareefah Silsilat Ne´mat Uzmaa that through his endeavour of writing Muntaza´ al-Akhbaar he attained great proximity to Du´at Mutlaqeen. The first volume recounts the history of Aimmat Tahereen AS, and the second volume the history of Du´at Mutlaqeen RA up to the time of Syedna Tayyib Zainuddin RA.
Sheikh Qutub was appointed the Aamil of Mumbai in 1232 AH, after being the Aamil of Pune for 10 years. He served five Du´at Mutlaqeen RA, and was blessed with the deedaar of seven Du´at Mutlaqeen RA in his lifetime. At the age of 80, he passed away on 24th Shawwal al-Mukarram, 1243 AH (8th May, 1828 AD), during the time of al-Dai al-Ajal Syedna Tayyib Zainuddin RA in Pune.
