He was born on Friday 7, December 1804 A.D. (Ramadan 1219 A.H.), in U.P (India). He was a Syed, and descendant of Hazrat Adbul Qadir Jilani (Ghaus-al-Azam) with 7 links in the chain, and with 32 links with The Holy Prophet. His real name was Syed Khurshid Ali, and Abul-Hassan was his Kunyat, but he became famous with the name of Syed Ghaus Ali Shah.

His father's name was Syed Ahmed Hassan, who had three wives and Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was born from his 2nd wife. When Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was born, at that time his mother wasn't mentally well, Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah's grand father Syed Zahur-ul-Hassan prohibited her to feed Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, as he thought that this could have bad effect on the health of the newly born baby. In their nieghbourhood lived a Hindu Brahman Pundit "Ram Sanihi", whose wife also gave birth to a babygirl at that time, so Syed Zahur-ul-Hassan requested the Pundit to ask his wife to also feed her milk to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, as his mother is not well to feed him. The Pundit happily agreed, as he had many daughters, but not a son, so he was happy that he could have a son. Thus, Pundit Ram Sanihi's wife fed Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah.

At the age of 4, Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah's step-mother started to teach him the Holy Qur'an, and Pundit Ram Sanihi started to teach him "Shastar" (Holy literature of Hinduism). He also learned Farsi & Arabic from his step-mother, and Sanskrit from Pundit Ram Sanihi. Till the age of 10, he completed his primary education from both of them, and then left for Delhi, where his father was a high rank army officer (At that time India was a British colony). There he further educated by Maulvi Mohammad Ismail, Maulvi Shah Is'haq, and Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddis Dehlvi.

After completing the worldly education, he started to learn spiritual education. First he became desciple of his own father & learned basics of Sufism. Then his father took him to many other Sufis by himself for his better learnings. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was Khalifa (Spiritual Heir) in two Sufi orders, Qadriya & Naqshbandiya. In Qadriya Sufi Order, he was Bay't by Hazrat Mir Azam Ali Shah, who loved him very much. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah lived with him for some time & learned spiritual lessons of Qadiriya Sufi Order. After completing the spiritual lessons of Qadriya Sufi Order, Hazrat Mir Azam Ali Shah sent him in Meerut, to meet Hazrat Maulvi Habib-ullah Shah, a Sufi Master of Naqshbandiya Sufi Order. So Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah then went to Meerut & learned from Hazrat Maulvi Habib-ullah for 10 years, after that Hazrat Maulvi Habib-ullah made him Khalifa (Spiritual Heir). Besides both Sufi teachers of Qadriya & Naqshbandiya Sufi Orders, Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was Bay't by 19 other Spiritual Teachers, among them 11 were Muslims & 8 were Hindu Sanyasis.

Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah didn't marry whole life, and always kept searching of saints, mystics & God-intoxicated people. Also he never owned any home, and most of his life passed in travelling. He had a great sense of humour, was very loving by nature.

At the age of 18, when he was in Patyala (India) and studying from Fazal Imam, he saw a Majzub named Jafar Shah, he regularly went to him with one of his classmates. One day his classmate asked the Majzub to to grant him permission of Sultan-ul-Azkaar, at that time Jafar Shah was completely in Jazb (ecstasy), and he patted him by saying: "Go, you are permitted". Suddenly the student's condition changed, his whole body started to shiver, bleeding from different parts. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah understood the reason, so he ran away  towards the school & told his teacher Fazal Imam about the incident, Fazal Imam went there & tried to save that student's life, but he expired. Then, Fazal Imam asked Jafar Shah: "Look, what have you done to him!" Jafar Shah replied: "What else I could do? Your both students used to come to tease me regularly, today some words came out from my mouth, now take him". Fazal Imam asked him to at least do something to stop the trembling of the dead body of that student, as the dead body was still trembling & bleeding, even after death. Jafar Shah replied that his condition will remain the same till the Day of Judgment. That horrific event didn't make Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah fearing, he continued to visit Jafar Shah daily. Once, a Salik (Sufi student) asked Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah that is there any high spiritual Sufi in Patyla? Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah took him to Jafar Shah, and after reaching to him, he wshipered Jafar Shah: "Look, I've taken a new prey for you!". That Salik complained that his Lata'if (Chakras) are inactive. Jafar Shah raised his hand towards the Lata'if of that Salik & started to move his hand by saying "move you idiot, move". Suddenly the salik started to jerk. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah understood the circumstance & told Jafar Shah: "Would you also kill this guy?" Jafar Shah realized & stopped movong his hand, then he told to the Salik to daily visit him & sit before him quietly.

Once Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah went to visit the tomb of Hazrat Sabir Kalayri, he stayed there for two days & he had nothing to eat there. When the hunger became out of control, he complained to the tomb: "Hazrat, you lived your whole life by holding the branch of the tree, ate nothing, but why do you want to kill me by hunger?" When he said that, a huge black cobra appeared over the tomb, and few moments later one person came to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah & brought meal for him, he also apologized that he forgot to give him meal for two days.

Later from Kalayr, Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah went to the Urs (death aniversary celebration) of Hazrat Abdul Quddus Gangohi. There he found no one, but a Majzub named "Kafir Shah". At that time he was ill & had motions, he told Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah that it is the last day of his life, so take him to the pound & wash him. Hazrat did so, he washed him & also his cloths. After Maghrib prayer, Kafir Shah covered himself with the sheet & said "Assalaam-o-Alaikum" to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, and then died. As it was the jungle, and no one else was there, so Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah started to wait for some other people, so that he could peform his "Janaza" prayer & then bury him. But no one came till Isha. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah thought that if he would leave the dead body to perform his Isha prayer, then some wild animal could harm the dead body, and if he would sit near the dead body, then his prayer would be missed. He was thoughtful about that, suddenly the dead body of Kafir Shah sat on the floor by saying "Ill-Allah" (means: Nothing, but Allah). Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah thought that some evil spirit has entered into the dead body, so he took a thick stick by intending to hit him. Kafir Shah said: "O Ghaus, beware, I'm not any Jinn or evil spirit, I'm Kafir Shah! Because you were thoughtful about your prayer, so I came on earth on a leave, so that you could perform your prayer". He also said that: "I will die again tomorrow at noon, and some Sufis will reach here soon after my death, you should perform my Janaza prayer with them & then bury me." So Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah performed his Isha prayer & on the next day at noon Kafir Shah laid on the floor, and said to Ghaus Ali Shah: "Right now my soul has left my feet, now left my waist, now chest, now throat, Ok Goodbye." After saying that he died. Soon some Sufis came there & Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah buried him after performing his janaza prayer with those Sufis.

On his another visit to Kalayr, he met a Sufi named "Ghulam Farid" (A famous sufi poet), who had many disciples, and he used to take so many hard works from them. He was a descedent of Hazrat Baba Farid (Ganj Shakar). Once a disciple of him, whose duty was to look after & feed Ghulam Farid's horse, fell ill & was unable to feed his horse. Ghulam Farid got enraged on him, expelled him from his discipleship & said: "I am expelling you from 14 Sufi orders". The desciple cried after listening to that, he apologized, but Ghulam Farid didn't forgive him. At last he went to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah & told him whole story. Hazrat Ghaus Ali said: "Your Murshid (Spiritual Teacher) was heir of 14 Sufi orders, and he expelled you from all of them. But I'm heir of 36 Sufi orders, come, I'll make you my disciple & admit you in the 15th Sufi order". The disciple was pleased to know that. Then Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah sent him to Ghulam Farid, by teaching him to say to Ghulam Farid: "Hazrat, you admitted me in 14 Sufi orders, but I didn't become any prince or saint after that, I didn't feel any change in myself, but only now I'm free from the hard work of feeding your horse whole day!" Ghulam Farid asked him: "From where did you learn these words?" He replied: "I've been admitted in the 15th Sufi Order, and these words are the Bismillah (start) of that Sufi order". Ghulam Farid became silent.

Once Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah visited a Sufi, Miyan Fida Hussain, who was a drunkard & also all of his disciples were drunkards. Miyan Fida Hussain told all of his disciples to not  present wine to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah. But one disciple of Fida Hussain presented a glass of wine to him. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah said: "I will drink wine only on one condition, that the intoxication of the wine would last on the Day of Judgment, not before that." Fida Hussain said to that disciple: "I told you earlier that don't present him wine. Now if you have such power, then let him drink." But that disciple was speeachless after listening to the words of Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah.

Before death, Pundit Ram Sanihi commanded Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah to go to Ganga river ( a sanctified river of Hindus), and perform "Marham Gatri" (A religious practice, which Hindu Brahman perform in Hirdwara). Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah went to Hirdwara, made his appearance like a Hindu Brahman by wearing a "Dhoti" (Loin Cloth), and making lines on his forehead like Pundit, he went to Ganga river for "Ashnaan" (holy bath). One Hindu Pundit asked him: "Who are you?" He repleid: "Brahman". Pundit asked: "Which kind of Brahman?" He said: "Qanujiye" Pundit asked: "Where is your Choti (hair-knot)? He replied: "Since I had been admitted in the Mitali Sanyas, I've had cut my choti (hair-knot)." That Pundit became satisfied & left. But when Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was taking bath into the river, one Pundit of "Babri" (a place in India) recognized him, and became surprised. When Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah finished the Ashnaan (holy bath), the Pundit took him to a corner & asked: "Is there any difference in your religion & ours that you've come here for Ashnaan? God is same everywhere, in every religion, but we call him with different names"? Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah told him that he came here for Ashnaan on behalf of his late father Pundit Ram Sanihi.

After leaving Hirdwara, he passed through a jungle, there he met a Muslim pious man, and lived with him for few days. The diet of that man contained boiled rice & milk of wild goats. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah also ate the same meal for two days, then he became sick of that simple diet, so on the 3rd day he went out to find some other diet in the jungle, he found some eggs of a duck. He took the eggs to the pious man, they both ate the eggs after frying. The pious man liked the diet, so from next day, he daily went out to find ducks' eggs & stopped to have his earlier simple diet. After few days Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah told him: "Why are you living in the jungle? It is the place of dervishes to live, and you haven't become a dervish yet. I've offered you fried eggs to eat only once, and you've vanished all the eggs from the jungle, thanks God that I didn't offer a roasted duck to you, otherwise till now you the duck's species must has been vanished from the jungle because of you!" After saying this, Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah left.

After having a long journey from Hirdwara, Sri-Nagar, Meerut, Panipat, Khorja, Muadabad, Bareli, Lacknow & Banaras, he went to Nepal & stayed there for few days. After leaving Nepal He reached to Ali Garh, there he went to visit a Sufi "Mohammad Shah". There he came to know by some people, that Mohammad Shah has coloured his face black, wearing a chaplet of shoes & sitting on a donkey, and many children were following him by loudly calling him "Pimp". Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was surprised to know that, and he went to look for him, soon he found him in the market. He told all children to be quiet & asked Mohammad Shah: "Whose Pimp you are? If you are Pimp of God, then take me to Him; and if you are Pimp of the Prophet then take me to him; and if you are Pimp of some Prostitute, then take me to her. And if you are not a Pimp of any of them, then stop this drama & go home." Mohammad Shah stepped down from donkey quietly!

Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah then left for Makkah to perform Hajj (pilgrimage). He also went to Yemen & visited the tomb of Hazrat Awais Qarni, there he had the opportunity to watch & touch the Jubba (cloak) of Hazrat Awais Qarni, which originally belonged to the Holy Prophet Mohammad & he sent it to Hazrat Awais Qarni through Hazrat Umar & Hazrat Ali. After watching & touching that Jubba (cloak), Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah kissed it & put it over his head. By doing so, his shadow disappeared, and according to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, from that time till his death, his shadow remained invisible.

Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was a Qalandar, a knower of the Divine Secrets. He gave us many clues about the Divine Secrets in his sayings. His favored disciple Hazrat Gul Hassan Shah Qadri compiled all of his sayings, inluding his biography in the book "Takzakara-e-Ghausia". That book is in Urdu language, and is one of the best Sufi scriptures that ever been written. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah's quotes contain great secrets hidden in them. For example, he said that: "Man dies in the same faculty, in which he has perfection. That's why Dhantar Baid (A famous snake-catcher) died from snake-bite; Aristotle died from ulceration of lungs; Plato died from paralysis; Luqman (A physician) died from delirium; Galen died from motions." Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah also said: "The person who loves anything, will die in its apprehension. That's why Qaroon died for the love of wealth; Majnu died for the love of Laila; In the same way a God-devoted person or Sufi always dies in love to meet his Beloved (God). And no one is empty from the love of anything, every one has love or apprihension for something."

Once Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah visited the home of famous Urdu poet "Mirza Ghalib". Ghalib became very much pleased to see him. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah asked him: "Do you love some one?" He replied: "Yes, I love Hazrat Ali (The 2nd Caliph)" Then Ghalib asked Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah the same question, and he replied: "You belong to a Mughal family & love Hazrat Ali, but I'm the descendent of Hazrat Ali, then how I could not love him!" Ghalib daily visited Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah until he stayed in Delhi.

In Sonipat a childless person visited Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah & requested him to give him an amulet so that he could have a child by it's blessing. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah gave him an amulet. After many years, a young boy visited Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah's Hujra (Closet) when he was not there at that moment. His favored disciple Hazrat Gul Hassan was sitting there, the boy told him that his parents were childless & he was born after Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah gave an amulet to his father in Sonipat. Then he complained that he is jobless and needs Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah's spiritual help to get a job. Hazrat Gul Hassan taught him that when Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah would come here, he should say these words to him: "By making me a boy instead of a girl, you have put me in a great problem! If I was a girl, I could marry a man & could live with him as a housewife, without having any grief. I could have meal without having a job. Now, you should help me to get a job, or give me the address of the dervish, by whose amulet I was born, so that he could make me a girl!" When Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah arrived, that boy told him the same words, and after listening to him, Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah laughed. Then he sent him to the Commissioner of Delhi with his reference, where he got a good job.

From 1279 A.H till his death, he permanantly lived in a Hujra (closet) before the tomb of Hazrat Bu-Ali Shah Qalandar, in Panipat. On 1st Ramadan 1296 A.H., he called his favored disciple Hazrat Gul Hassan, and said: "Earlier during a Chilla (Spiritual Contemplation) at the tomb of Hazrat Bu-Ali Shah, I saw a Majzub, whose hair were curly & he had dark skin, he said to me, 'come to me, I'll teach you'. At the same time another dervish appeared, who was white, having white beard, wearing green cloak & holding a staff in his hand, he said, 'This insane man can do nothing & couldn't teach you at all.' I asked him that he should advise me what to do. The dervish replied to me that nor the Majzub can do anything for me, niether he himself, but only God. He said to me that I should vanish all livings & deads from my heart. He also said to me, 'you are a lover of God and only He himself will guide you, and whatever would happen, it will happen in 3,4,5,6, and then you will die'."

Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah then said: "I've counted all of the numbers which that dervish told me, their sum is 18. I thought that I'll die after 18 days, but when 18 days passed & I didn't die, then I thought it would be 18 months, and when 18 months passed, I didin't die, then I was sure that it would be 18 years. And now the 18th year is in progress, and before the end of this year I'll die." After that, he lived alone most of the time, by closing the door of his Hujra (closet), and soon he fell ill, and died on Rabi-al-Awwal 26, 1297 A.H. (7 March 1880 A.D.). He is buried in Panipat (India).

• Once a person visited Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, along with his son, he was very angry and was beating his son, he asked Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah: "Advise this owlet, he is not interested in his studies." Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah replied: "You sit down, I'll advise both owl & owlet!" All people there smiled, but that person didn't understand what Hazrat meant!

• In Lucknow, Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was listening to some Qawwals (sufi musicians), an old woman came to him and said: "I am a barren, my husband doesn't love me & he is going to marry another woman, you may give me an amulet, so that he could not marry another woman." At that time the Qawwals were singing the words:

Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah told his desciple to write down these words & then give it to the old woman. After few days, she came again, was happy & brought many gifts for Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, and told him that er husband has dropped the idea of 2nd marriage, now he loves her so much & always obeys her.

• Once in Babri, a person declared himself as God, many people were angry on him. One day he visited Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah & said "I'm God", Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah replied: "For you I left my home, my family, my city, and I had been searching for you in many places, but you've come to me by yourself!" Then Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah presented him meal, which contained few dried & stale breads and some stale grams. When that person took a morsel to eat, the morsel stuck in his throat, he looked at Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah with anger. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah said: "Why are you angry? you are God, whatever you gave me, I presented you". Later at night Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah asked him about the hidden meaning of one Quranic Aya't, but he was unable to reply. Hazrat Ghaus Ali said: "What kind of God you are! You have revealed Qur'an & even don't know its meaning?" That person was ashamed & apologized, and said that he will never declare himself "God".

• Once an old man came to visit him, after somewhile he said: "I'd heard that you are a great saint, but after meeting you, I see that there is nothing in you." Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah replied: "Till today I wasn't able to know that if there is something in me or not, I've met many dervishes, but no one told me about that, thanks to you that you've made me realized about that." After listening to these words, the old men left, and went to the tomb of Hazrat Bu-Ali Shah. Few moments later he came again & was crying, he fell on the feet of Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah & apologized.

• One day Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah's favored disciple Hazrat Gul Hassan asked him about the "Tawajja" (spiritual attention), he said that the spiritual teacher & student sit before each other, and the teacher strikes "Allah-hu" on the heart of the student, and that time a holy light comes out from the heart of the teacher & would be absorbed in student's heart. Hazrat Gul Hassan said: "Hazrat, I'm not asking you about the Tawajja that is written in books, but the real one". Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah didn't reply it. On the same night Hazrat Gul Hassan had a dream that he was sitting at the tomb of a Sufi Saint, Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah was sitting on one side, and on the other side was sitting a Majzub whose colour was dark, with curly hair with beard, and Both of them were performing meditation. Hazrat Gul Hassan went to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah & saluted him, he told him to go to the Majzub. When he went to Majzub, the Majzub said to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah: "You first." And when Hazrat Gul Hassan went to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, he told the Majzub: "You first." It happened several times that they both sent Hazrat Gul Hassan to each other. And finally Majzub called him, he sat before him. Majzub gave him Tawajja (spiritual attention) with the strike of "Hoo", Hazrat Gul Hassan felt spark in his eyes & then fell in unconsciousness. After some while when he came to his senses, he said: "Sir, I'm not satisfied." Majzub sent him to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, he looked at him, and Hazrat Gul Hassan fell in unconsciousness again. After coming into his senses, Hazrat Gul Hassan again said: "I'm not satisfied", Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah looked at him again, and he fell into unconsciousness. After somewhile he came into his senses and again said: "I'm not satisfied". Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah replied: "It's enough, otherwise your heart would burst". Hazrat Gul Hassan woke up, and felt strange change in him, his inner eyes were opened & he was able to see everything. In the morning when he went to Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah, he smiled to see him, and said: "You must have seen me in your dream!"

• One person "Badaruddin" always insisted Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah to pray for him, and in reply Hazrat always recited the Hadith of the Holy Prophet: "There is a particular time fixed for everything to be done". One day Badaruddin came & said: "Hazrat, today you must pray for me." Hazrat replied: "Nowadays my pray has an opposite effect". But Badaruddin insisted, Hazrat said: "Okay, today I'll pray for you." At the same moment a person quickly entered into the room & said to Badaruddin: "Your wife has fallen into the well." Badaruddin ran towards the well, after reaching there he saw that the people saved her after tough efforts & brought her out from the well. People asked his wife that how did you fall into the well? She replied that "Badaruddin" pushed her into the well. Police arrested Badaruddin & his case went to the court. Badaruddin was amazed over his wife. Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah advised Badaruddin: "During the court session, you mentally concentration towards me". During the court session the lawyer asked his wife four times that who pushed her into the well, she named "Badaruddin" all the time. Then Badaruddin started to concentrate his mind towards Hazrat Ghaus Ali Shah. Suddenly Badaruddin's wife started to act like a mad person, she said to the lawyer that Badaruddin also has put three bears over her head. The lawyer asked that where are those bears? She showed her hair to him & said look they are walking here. The judge then declared her as mentally ill, and ordered the police to free Badaruddin immediately. After finishing of the court session, she became quite well & normal, and she inquired Badaruddin that why did he take her to the court? He became surprised & told her whole story.