Ajmer Dargah wants to stop funds collection in Pak

A world famous religious shrine in India has told diplomats in the country and Pakistan to refrain from collecting donations, both in cash and kinds.

The Ajmer Dargah committee has appealed to the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi and Indian embassy in Islamabad to stop collection of funds in the name of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti by some Pakistan-based trusts, said committee member Ahmed Raja.

Raja, a nazim (administrator) of the Shufi shrine, said he had spoken to the embassy officials of the two countries in this regard ( not to collect donations).

His move comes following reports that many Pakistani trusts collect donations from the followers of the Khwaja in Pakistan.

Requests seeking donations also appear on certain private TV channels.

For example, the Ajmer Dargah administration was intrigued by an ongoing telecast on QTV seeking donation from viewers in the name of Khwaja.

“We have details of an Islamabad-based trust which advertises that devotees could contact them for donations. It is being advertised regularly on QTV in India. This is wrong,” Raza said.

According to the Dargah Act 1955, the right to take monetary contribution in the name of Khwaja rests with the Dargah committee of Ajmer.

The Ajmer sharif is an important religious institution which for centuries has been attracting pilgrims from all over the world, irrespective of caste and creed.

It is a symbol of humanity, national and emotional integration in the whole world.

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty(R.A) occupies a prominent place among the spiritual Healers of the world.

Popularly know as Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A.), he was born in 1142 A.D. in Sanjar (Iran).

His paternal genealogy is related to Hazrat lmam Hussain (A.S.) and that of his matemal to Hazrat Imam Hassan (A. S.), and thus, he is a direct descendant of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.).

Ajmer sharif officials said the Pakistan-based Khwaja Garib Nawaj Welfare targets moderate Muslims in East Asia.

They have registered the trust in Pakistan and are collecting crores of rupees,” the nazim said.

The Dargah committee wrote to the embassies saying, “We have identified the maulvis running the trust… their names are mentioned in the letter.”

Raza said, “The MEA was informed about the advertisement when it first appeared on a TV channel on Nov 23.”