[4] Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza was born into an illustrious Syed family of scholars and Sufi saints tracing its lineage back to Muhammad through both of his grandsons, Hasan and Husayn.
His father Khawaja Syed Abdul Malik was also an eminent scholar in his own right, and taught his son much from a young age.
Ghulam Murtaza headed the madrassa Jamia Kot Androon, which was the main institution of Kasur.
[4][1] Waris Shah had a great deal of reverence for his teacher, and it is well noted in his epic Heer Ranjha in which he states "Waris Shah is proud of being the pupil of great Makhdum, the Kasur's symbol"[6] When Waris Shah came to Ghulam Murtaza to present his epic Heer Ranjha and gain blessings from his spiritual teacher, Ghulam Murtaza is alleged to have said "I taught Bulleh Shah and he danced and sang playing a violin.
However, once having heard sections from the Heer from Waris Shah himself, Ghulam Murtaza is said to have been consoled and blessed Waris with a powerful remark, "You have strung priceless pearls into a rope".