Shahbaz Qamar Fareedi is undoubtedly one of the leading present Sana Khwans around the world. He is loved across the world for his melodious voice and his unique style of reciting Naat Sharif to express the love of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Shahbaz Qamar Fareedi’s talent was recognised and brought forward to the public at a very little age.

Baba Fareed

Shahbaz Qamar Fareedi lives in a blessed city called Pakpatan. Pakpatan is known to be a sacred land as a great Sufi Saint Hazrat Baba Fareed has connections with this land. Shahbaz Qamar Fareedi's residence is situated just right next to Baba Fareed's shrine. He considers himself very luck and belives that Baba Fareed has a big hand in his success.

Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masood Ganjshakar, commonly known as Baba Farid(بابا فرید) was a 12-th century Sufi preacher and saint of Punjab. He is recognised as the first acclaimed poet of Punjabi language. Baba Farid is considered one of the highest, holiest and most pivot saints in Islam.

Baba Fareed was born in 1188 or 1173 CE (584 Hijri) at Kothewal village, 10 km from Multan in the Punjab region of Pakistan, to Jamal-ud-din Suleiman and Maryam Bibi (Qarsum Bibi), daughter of Sheikh Wajih-ud-din Khojendi. He was a descendant of Farrukh Shah Kabuli, the King of Afghanistan.

According to a legend, it was his mother, who inspired young Farid towards prayer, by placing Shakar (sugar) under his prayer mat, and when she didn't, Farid found the sugar nevertheless, this episode gave him an unmistakable spiritual fervour and later the name, Ganj-i-Shakar, meaning 'Treasure of Sweetness' (Shakar). Shaikh Shoaib was nephew of SultanMahmud Ghaznavi.

Baba Farid received his early education at Multan, which had become a centre for education; it was here that he met his master Murshid, Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, a noted Sufi saint, who was passing through Multan, from Baghdad on way to Delhi. Hazrat Farid wanted to leave with him for Delhi immediately, but Hazrat Kaki advised him to first finish his education. Thereafter, he left for Sistan, and Kandahar for his further studies. At 16, he also went to MAKKAH for the Hajj (pilgrimage). Once his education was over, he shifted to Delhi, where he practiced austerities, and learned the doctrine of his Master,Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. But the bustling city of Delhi didn’t suit him well, and he decided to move to a quieter place, he chose, Hansi, Haryana, where he stayed for a while.

Meanwhile, Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki died in 1235, so he left Hansi, and assumed the role of spiritual successor of his Master, though he left Delhi again, this time for Ajodhan (the present Pakpattan, Pakistan). On his way, his stopped at a place now called, Faridkot, and did penance for 40 days, near the fort of King ‘Mokhal’, then under construction. The king was so impressed by his presence that he named the city, after Baba Farid, instead of ‘Mokhalpur’, and the place is still called, ‘Tilla Baba Farid’, and ‘Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman Purb Mela’ is celebrated in September, each year, commemorating his arrival in the city.

It was here that he met the 20-year old, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, who went on to become his disciple, and later his successor (khalifa). Soon the city, received the name, Baba Farid’s ‘Pak Pattan’, meaning Pure City, which in time became its present name, though some sources suggest, it comes from its another meaning, 'Holy Ferry'.
Baba Farid married Hazabara, daughter of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud. He died on 5th of Muharram , Tuesday, 7th May 1266 CE (679 Hijri) during Namaz. His darbar is in Dera Pindi, and his name is Hazrat Khawaja Shaikh Muhammad Paak Ghareeb Nawaz. "There is only one Fareed, though many spring forth from the bud of the flower".

Hazrat Baba Farid was a very pious and religious man, of impeccable character, humble and people's poet. He was poor and led a simple life. His piety and his character attracted people to Sufism.
Amongst, famous people who visited his shrine over the centuries, are famous scholar-explorer, Ibn Battuta, who visited in 1334, and Founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, who met then head of the shrine, Sheikh Ibrahim, twice, and his meeting lead to the incorporation of 122 verses, and four poems of Baba Farid, in Sikh Holy Book, Guru Granth Sahib, by the fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan Dev in 1604.

His Shrine

His mazar (shrine) is the pride of Pakpattan. Hazrat Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia constructed his tomb. Mazar has two doors, namely Noori darwaza and Bahishti darwaza. Bahishti darwaza opens once a year and during the fair thousands of people pass through it. It (door) is made of silver and floral designs are laid in gold sheet. Thousands of devotees come to visit the shrine daily from within the country and from abroad. His URS (death anniversary) is celebrated every year on the 5th, 6th and 7th of Muharram.

He Himself is Master and Disciple

He was the spiritual master of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (who was the Master of Amir Khusro and Nasiruddin Chirag-e-Delhi), his sister's son Hazrat Alauddin Sabir Kaliyari(Master of Shamsuddin).

His descendants

His descendants, also known as Fareedi, Fareedies and Faridy, mostly carry the name Farooqi. They are all over India and can also be found all over the world including Pakistan and Australia. However those still looking after his shrine are better known as Diwans.