Makhdoom Sheikh Hamza, scholar and spiritual teacher was born to Baba Usman Raina of the Chandra-Vanish Rajput family in Tujar Shareef, a village in Kashmir, in 900 AH or 1494 CE.
His family tree ‘Shajra Nasb’ mentioned in Baharistan-i-Shahi is as: Shekh Hamza Makhdoom Raina s/o Usman Raina s/o Ahmad Raina s/o Zeeti Raina s/o Jahangir Raina s/o Abdal Raina s/o Daulat Raina s/o Rawan Raina-Kota Rani s/o Ram Chandar s/o Sangram Chandar s/o Balad Chandar s/o Kakah Chandar s/o Raja Susram Chandar -‘migrant’ s/o Malchandar-Raja of Nagar Kot -Kangra.
Makhdoom Sheikh Hamza, a hereditary landlord, is also said to have donated land and other property in social service. Sheikh once was playing instead of going to elementary school (maktab), his father happened to come there, grew angry, and beat him so severely that he fell ill. From the day he pledged that he would never play. With his Grand Father Zaiti-Raina, he went to see FatahUllah (son of Hazrat Baba Ismial) the spiritual teacher of the Rena tribe, and learnt the Qu’ran for a year in the monastery at Shamsi-Chak, here he was enrolled into the seminary of Baba Ismial Kabroi, as a student, for higher studies Dar- ush-Shifs' at the foot of the Kuh-i-Maran. One of his noted teachers was Akhund Mulla Lutfullah, other than Mulla Fathullah Haqqani, the son of Baba Isma'il Kabroi.
He studied the Jurisprudence, Tradition, Logic, Philosophy, Ethics, and Mysticism. As a great scholar, Sheikh Hamzah immensely contributed in spreading religious and spiritual knowledge. He continued preaching in Srinagar and the city outskirts. Makhdoom Sheikh Hamza followed the Sunni (Tradition) strictly not only in prayers but also in table manners, dress, manners, and etc. He scrupulously followed the Prophet and his love for him knew no bounds. The title Sultan-Ul-Arifeen indicates to serious efforts and painstaking prayers did. During his studies he meditated. Baba Davood opines that Hazrat Makhdoom did not rest during night for years but remained engaged in prayers.
Shaikh Hamza was instrumental in setting up a large number of masjids in the Valley. He had also acquired control over his breath which he could hold pretty long, this particularly enabled him to enjoy cold baths during snows, which relieved his headaches due to long hours of devotional meditation.
Shaikh Hamza generally used to meditate at place known as “Kustoor pend” other side of Kohi Maran keeping the buttons his his shirt opened even in winter facing towards todays “Hazratbal” when his disciples asked this , “he replied "I feel the essence of Prophet Mohammad ( PBUH) from this side” after almost above 200 years later in 1700 CE Moi-e-Muqqadas arrived Kashmir and was placed at Hazartbal the same place.
His greatest contribution was that he instructed the people to forsake superstitions and Un-Islamic activities through his speech and actions. Among the numerous instances one of the well-known instance refers as;
Two streams flowed in Nadi-hil, and there stood a bade tree between them. The blasphemous held it sacred and observed many rites. Nobody could go by it during night. If anyone did, he was stuck in superstitions and made offerings for his relief. When Sheikh reached the place he declared, "The Jins and Satins have fled." He ordered for the cleaning of the streams and building of bathrooms.
He relentlessly fought against such superstitions and practices, stayed at the, places to make the people fearless, built mosques there, cleansed the stream 'Bech-nag' at Karora and built a mosque there. Similar practices and superstitions were prevalent at Shinga-pal stream in village Barar; he too stayed there and built a mosque. He too built a mosque in village Aham. Wherever he observed people entangled in them, reached there, and removed their fears from his deeds.
Makhdoom Sahib (R.A) located on the southern side of Kohi Maran known as Hari Parbat Hill in Srinagar city. The mosque, built in the name of the Hazrat Sultan-Ul- Arifeen (R.A), is placed below the attractive Mughal Fort, the Hari Parbat Fort, is a structure with many pillars and thus a rare example of Mughal architectural style.
When Shaikh Hamza was a force in the land, he was deported by Ghazi Shah Chak, the Shi'a ruler of the time, from the city of Srinagar to a village called Biru (about 20 miles from Srinagar, via Magam in Tahsil Badgm). The Shaikh returned to the city only after Ghazi Shah's death.
A co-worker of Shaikh Hamza Makhdoom was Khwaja Tahir Rafiq Asha'i Suhraward1 of Srinagar. Khaja Tahir in his earlier days was a trader in cloth. He gave up trade after a period of 12 years and betook himself to the service of Islam. Pir Hasan Shah says that Ya'qub Shah Chak wanted to get rid of him but felt afraid to carry out his intention. Like Shaikh Hamza, Khwaja
Tahir Rafiq left Srinagar and passed nine years of his life in the hills of Mar-raj. Subsequently he stayed with Adar Suh, a leading Brahman of the Pargana Verinag Adar Suh embraced Islam.
Shaikh Hamza departed heavenly abode at the age of 84, in 984 A.H. (1576 A.0.), during the reign of 'Ali Shah Chak. Khwaja Tahir Rafiq led the jinaza prayer. The Shaikh rested at his favourite resort for meditation on a slope of the Kah-i-Maran. Nawab 'Inayatullah
Khan, Subadar during Mughul rule, built the mausoleum in 1125 A.H. (1713 A.0.). Shaikh Ghulam Muhy'd Din, Governor during Sikh rule, re-built it, and is himself buried in the eastern side of the enclosure.
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