Chilla-e-Makoos

Once Hadrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho ordered Hadrat Baba Farid Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho to perform the "Chilla-e-Maakoos" for 40 days. This chilla was seldom undertaken by Sufis and was one of the most difficult tests of Hadrat Khwaja Baba Farid's Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho faith and courage. It was to be performed in a well by hanging himself in a reverse or headlong position with his feet tied up by a rope to a sturdy branch of a treetop.

Once, due to utter weakness, Hadrat Baba Farid Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho helped himself to walk with the aid of a staff. But after a few steps, the colour of his face suddenly became purple, as if he was under heavy punishment. He threw away the staff. When Hadrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, who was escorting him, enquired the reason for this, Hadrat Baba Farid Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho replied, “I wanted to take help of the staff, but Allah’s Displeasure frowned upon me for depending on other’s help instead of His. I, therefore, threw away the staff and felt highly ashamed of this weakness in my faith in Rabb, the Almighty.”