Sarkar-e-Bansa Abdul Razzaq Banswi alias Syed Sahab, was born in 1630s. He was a born Wali (Mystic, Friend of GOD) during the reign of the emperor Shahjahan. His ancestors, during the reign of Babar, migrated from Badakshan Valley to Delhi via Multan. He followed the Spiritual Chain of Qadriyah in his lifetime. But he also used to have blessings in abundance from great Sufi Saints like Sultan ul Hind Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, Naseer Uddin Chiragh Dehlavi and Zinda Shah Madar. In his youth he used to earn his bread as Security Guard. Hence he was a Soldier and a fighter.
Sarkar-e-Bansa at the age of 53 retired from the worldly affairs and started an institution Khanqah at his hometown Bansa, which is still being managed by his progeny. The main purpose behind establishing this Khanqah was to instill the message of truth in the hearts of the people, those who seek to walk on the path of the search for the truth and was also to spread the message of peace, love and harmony and to provide support to the weaker sections of the society, irrespective of their cast, creed, skin, religion, region or language. Following the footsteps of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, the motto of his Khanqah was “Love towards all, malice towards none“.
The center of the spiritual activities of Abdul Razzaq Banswi, Bansa devotionally called Bansa Sharif in reference to the existence of the tomb and shrine of Sarkar-e-Bansa, is a village in Masauli Block in Barabanki District of Uttar Pradesh State, India. It belongs to Faizabad Division. It is located 18 KM towards East from District headquarter Barabanki, 4 KM from Masauli and 48 KM from State capital Lucknow. Bansa Pin code is 225204 and postal head office is Masauli. Zaidpur, Lucknow, Rudauli, Bahraich are the nearby cities to Bansa.
The blessings of Sarkar-e-Bansa persist for about three centuries through his biological and spiritual successors. Masses irrespective of their culture or religion visit his shrine. Interestingly, Syed Shah Abdur Razzaq was an ‘Ummi’ an Arabic word denoting to the person who does not know how to read and write, however he was so spiritually and intellectually blessed that Ulema of Firangi Mahal, Fazlur Rehman Ganj Moradabadi, Qazi Dahlan Makki, Mawlana Abdur Rahman Lucknowy, Haji Waris Ali, Iftikharul Haq Qadri, Baba Tajuddin had significance association with Razzaqiyah Qadriyah order. Hasrat Mohani also was highly devoted to him.
Sarkar-e- Bansa left this physical world and joined the legacy of the ever living saints at the age of 90 in 1724-25.
Pirzada Nasar Ahmad Razzaqui writes in his facebook post”
“Till this day oceans of people have benefitted from his spiritual blessings and huge masses keep visiting his blessed shrine on a monthly or weekly basis.”
Indeed, Sarkar-e-Bansa is one of those blessed mystics of the subcontinent who spread Islamic mission in this region of the earth and whose teachings and endeavors are still relevant for us. (Hamid Siddiqui)
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