Hazrat Sayyid Ali Miran Datar was born near Lucknow in 1426.  From his childhood he was very spiritual, but at the age of eighteen he joined the army of the Sultan, and died in battle ‘defending Islam.’  He is, therefore, a martyr, but he is particularly revered for his power to drive out obsessing spirits.  His tomb lies in the Indian state of Gujarat, about two hundred kilometres north of Baroda, the family home of Hazrat Inayat Khan, not in Ujjain as stated below, and is regularly visited by thousands of people offering respect and seeking help.  Here is Hazrat Inayat’s own recollection of a visit to the dargah of Miran Datar.

Many people who are obsessed go to Ujjain in central India to be healed at the tomb of a Sufi, Miran Datar, a saint who in his lifetime cured cases of obsession, and continued doing so even after death.

I once visited this place. On the steps of the tomb a man was sitting who seemed to be a quiet and thoughtful person. He was praying. If I had known that he was obsessed, I would not have spoken to him, but I did not know it, so I asked him, “Why are you here?”

He said, “Do not ask me such a question.”

I said, “Why not?”

He said, “Because I am afraid. Now that I am near this holy tomb I have a little strength to answer you; if I were not here I could not even do that.”

He told me that he had been a storekeeper on some British liner going back and forth between Bombay and London. One day at sea he had a strange feeling, as if some power were taking hold of him, and he was not able to do anything. After that this power would often take hold of him, and he could not do what he wanted to do. At times he wanted to eat but could not; at other times, when he did not want to eat, he had to go and eat. He became quite weak.  He told the ship’s doctor, but the doctor could do nothing for him. Then he went to see many other doctors, but none of them could help hm. At last he went to the tomb of Miran Datar to see if he could find some relief.

While I was at the tomb of Miran Datar, the prince of Kerala came to it, a very handsome boy of twelve or thirteen accompanied by aides-de-camp and attendants.  He was brought there to be cured.  A conversation began of which we could hear only the part spoken by the prince, whose words were really those of the spirit that obsessed him.  He said, “I will not leave him.  I like him so much. He was in the forest, shooting, and he came near the tree on which I was sitting. Don’t whip me, Miran, I am his guardian. I will not leave him. Miran, don’t whip me.”

The prince began to run, leaving high into the air, and showed every sign of being severely whipped. He ran round and round the tomb, leaping every time that the invisible whip struck the spirit.  At last he fell down exhausted, and his attendants at once lifted hm up and carried him away.