Syed Zain ud din Davud (*
Hijri 701/1302 CE, † Hijri 771/1370 CE) was born at
Shiraz and went to
Delhi by way of
Mecca. He studied under Maulana Kamaluddin of Samana, and came with him to
Daulatabad. The author of the "Mayrat-al Walayeh" mentions that Zainuddin, on his arrival at Daulatabad, disapproved of the singing and dancing in the convent of
Burhan uddin; but when he visited the
tekkieh, he was perfectly satisfied, and he and his companions were initiated in the
Chishtia order. Syed Zainuddin held the office of "
kazi" at Daulatabad, and in H. 737 (1336 CE) was invested with the mantle of the
kaliphat, but did not actually succeed till after
Burhan ud din's death in H. 741 (1340 CE). Syed Husain has recorded all the sayings of Zainuddin in his "Hidayat ul Kalul", and mentions that in H. 747 (1346 CE), sultan
Muhammad bin Tughluq (H.699-H.752/1300-1351 CE) directed him to leave for
Delhi with the other inhabitants. After the death of the sultan, his successor
Firoz Shah permitted the saint to return to
Daulatabad. Zainuddin was greatly respected by the
Bahmani king sultan Mahmud, who was first reproved by the saint for misgovernment. Malik raja the founder of the
Faruki dynasty of Khandesh became one of Zainuddin's disciples, and when the next sovereign Nasir ud din Nasir Khan Faruki captured
Asirgarh in H.801 / 1399 CE, Zainuddin went expressly from Daulatabad to Asirgarh, to tender his congratulations. It was to commemorate this visit that the town of
Zainabad, on the left bank of the
Tapti, was founded after him; and
Burhanpur on the opposite bank was founded about the same time in honour of
Burhan ud din. Zainuddin died in H. 771 / 1370 CE, and a handsome mausoleum was erected over his tomb at
Roza, which is visited by devout Musalmans of the
Dakhan. The relics of the "parahan" (the robe of the
prophet) and "taj" given to Burhan ud din on succeeding to the kalifat, are carefully preserved in a wooden box placed in one of the apartments of Zainuddin's
dargah. Every year on the 12th
Rabi-ul-awal, the sacred hair of the
prophet is first shown to visitors, and then the "parahan", the "taj", and a few likenesses of some of the most sacred personages among the
Muslims are exhibited. The tombs of
Azam Shah, of his
Begum, and of a Muslim saint, are in a small enclosure to the east of Zainuddin's mausoleum; while
Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb's tomb lies to the west. Opposite this last is a large quadrangular courtyard, having open-fronted buildings on all sides, and a "
naqqar khana" or musical drum hall at the east end. The west end is used as a school where the Qur'an is taught, and gives access to an inner courtyard which contains a number of graves. Facing the entrance is the shrine of
Burhan ud din; and a little to the right is the last resting-place of
Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I, the founder of the
Hyderabad dynasty and of one of his consorts. To the left is the tomb of
Nasir Jang, the son of Asaf Jah, who at one time contemplated rebellion against his father, but overcome by contrition for his conduct, performed penance at the tomb of saint Zainuddin. The Dargah in
Khuldabad attracts thousands of pilgrims each year from 12th
Rabi-ul-awal, for the Urs of the saint. ==Malfoozat (
sayings) of Zainuddin Shirazi==