← Volver a la ficha del textoGreat Sufi Poets of the Punjab
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R.M. Chopra
GREAT
SUFI POETS
OF
THE PUNJAB
Foreward
by
Padmashri Dr. A.H. ABIDI
M.A., Ph.D, D.Litt (Teheran),
Professor Emeritus,
Department of Persian,
University of Delhi
2
Anuradha Prakashan
New Delhi
FROM IRAN SOCIETY
Sufism is a catholic development of a system of thought in Islam which, in
the medieval age, found special favour in India, in general, and in the Punjab,
in particular. The Sufis came to believe in pacifism and contentment, non-
violence and benevolence, the immanence of God and a simple life, intoxicated
with truth. The concept of Sufism flourished from Persia.
The whole system of Sufism centres round two questions : firstly, ‘How is man
to realise God in himself ?’ and, secondly, ‘What is God in relation to the
individual and the creation ?’ In answer to the first, Sufism shows path -
tarigat - and, in answer to the second, it imparts gnosis - ma’rifat - or knowledge
which describes God, both monistically as well as in all nature.
The super-structure of Sufism is built upon two corner stones, namely, (1)
teacher, pir or murshid, and (2) love. In order to be initiated into the Sufi cult,
one has to have implicit faith in his teacher whose commands are divine
oriented and who is considered supreme for his disciple. Sufi is expected to
possess abundant store of love. A Sufi’s love must not only be pure and
transparent but also selfless and voluntary for which he must not expect a
return. His love should be able to attract not only the creation, but also the
Creator.
Mr. Ravindra Mohan Chopra, M. A., LL. B., a worthy son inheriting literary
disposition from his talented father, the late Dr. Hira Lall Chopra M.A. (Punjab),
D. Litt. (Teheran), had a brilliant academic career culminating in his obtaining
First Class in M.A. in the Islamic History and Culture from Calcutta University
in 1956. His love for things Punjabi and fondness for Punjabiyat is proverbial.
He has not only contributed many articles to Indian and foreign journals on
topics of general interest but also has authored two learned works, THE
LEGACY OF THE PUNJAB and THE PUNJAB AND BENGAL. His writing is free-
flowing, deeply absorbing, eminently readable and a voyage of learning.
In this book, the GREAT SUFI POETS OF THE PUNJAB, Mr Chopra has
attempted to trace the history of philosophic development of Sufism before it
traversed to the Punjab and established its roots firmly there. He has also
expounded how Sufism led the vanguard of progress in. Punjabi language and
literature and was largely responsible for creating the composite culture of the
land of five rivers.
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By a skillful selection of highly spiritual and full of Love Divine verses of the
great Sufi poets of the Punjab, which are printed in the book in Persian,
Devnagari and Roman scripts, with translation into English, for easy
understanding even by those who are not acquainted with Punjabi language,
Mr. Chopra has rendered a commendable scholastic job for the benefit of all
those who cherish mysticism and seek Love Divine.
We, of the Iran Society, feel that this work ‘of Mr. R. M. Chopra will be a useful
addition to Sufi literatures and will benefit both the researchers and general
readers alike.
JUSTICE K. M. YUSUF
IRAN SOCIETY
CALCUTTA
Calcutta
November 2, 1999.
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PREFACE
Whenever I chanced upon to hear melodies of Punjabi Sufi poets sung by folk-
singers, qawwaals or other accomplished musicians, I was always fascinated
by their mysticism, their professed love for the Divine Beloved, their sincerity
of purpose, the simplicity of their language, down-to-earth similes, most
appropriate metaphors to drive home a point, and, some times, I wondered
how very rich these compositions were in content, which, in fact, spurred me
on to undertake study of Punjabi Sufi poetry in greater detail. During the
course of this study, I was pleasantly surprised when, in my search, I came
across a treasure-trove of Divine Knowledge and Spiritual Realisation of a
high order. It was also learnt that how these Sufi poets exercised a profound
influence in the lives of the people and were responsible to a great extent for
evolving a composite culture of the Punjab. They not only led the vanguard
of progress in Punjabi language and literature but also, by the nobility of their
pious feelings and rhythmic rendition, inspired the people to seek the Divine
Love.
The history of the Punjab from the thirteenth to the eighteenth centuries has
seen many storms and peaceful interludes. These vicissitudes are reflected
in the poetry of the Sufis. The Sufis, in the process, contributed a great deal
in maintaining mental equilibrium of diverse communities in troublous times
in the medieval ages. Their friendly and tolerant utterances retained the
favour of both the Hindus as well as the Muslims and influenced the people’s
thought and sent the message of peace, love, fellowship, understanding and
amity to every home and hamlet. They bestowed a remarkable legacy of
communal harmony for posterity.
I have tried to capture the essence of Sufi sayings and elaborate them into
this book with the hope that it may help others in understanding the great
Punjabi Sufi poets of yore and their contribution to bringing about a spirit of
solidarity amongst different communities. It is not in any way an exhaustive
study of the subject.
As the Punjabi poetry was written by the Sufis in Persian script and, to
maintain authenticity and originality, the verses of the Sufi poets in the book
have been printed in Persian, as also in Devnagari and Roman scripts for easy
comprehension and wider understanding. As regards the translations, or
transliterations as some would prefer to call them, I would like to mention
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that it is not possible to preserve in any translation or transliteration the
inherent depth, beauty and charm of the original, but for the benefit of those
‘who are not so well-acquainted with the Punjabi language it was considered
necessary that explanations in the form of translation should be given. So an
attempt has been made to give a sense atleast.
Another object which has prompted me in writing this book is that after
truncation of the Punjab, in the wake of partition of India into Bharat and
Pakistan in 1947 A.D., the original sources of information, regrettably, are fast
disappearing. I felt that I must explore, exploit and, where still possible, preserve
this information, before it is too late.
To me the study of poetry of the great Punjabi Sufi poets has been a source of
tremendous strength, happiness and satisfaction. In the pious, full of Love
Divine and rhythmic poetry of the Sufis of the Punjab, I have always found
gems of wisdom, high intellect, profound spiritualism, hidden advices, solace
and glory of the Divine Beloved, which brings peace and tranquillity upon mind
and spirit. I can only hope that this book will enable many others to derive the
same benefits.
A comprehensive glossary deals with the Sufistic terms to be found in the book.
I have prepared this glossary as a sort of Sufistic dictionary and attempted to
give various meanings of the words which, I believe, will be found useful in
allegorical interpretation of Sufistic terms.
I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude to Dr. Syed Amir
Hassan Abidi, Professor Emeritus, Department of Persian, University of Delhi,
for favouring me greatly by writing a valuable ‘Foreword’ to this book.
I am grateful to Iran Society of Calcutta, a premier literary society in eastern
India, for undertaking the onerous task of publication of this book which is
expected to be especially useful for all those who cherish and seek Love Divine.
4
R. M. CHOPRA
Calcutta
August 1999,
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om ae en ES ED OO Ee
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
GJ take this opportunity fo express my deep sense of gratitude lo
Padmashree Dr. S. A HF. Abidi, an eminent scholar, who has
favoured me greally by writing a valuable 'Foreword' to this book.
J am greatly indebled lo the Hlon'ble Wa. Fustice Ho AC Yusuf for
his kind advice, help and inspiration in completing this book.
I shall be failing in my duly if J do not acknowledge my indebledness
lo the Hon'ble Mr. Hashim Abdul Halim, Speaker of West Bengal
Legislative Assembly, who 1s also the President, Wr. A. B. Rabad
Urce-Fresident, and Tr. WM: A. Majid, Secretary, Fran Society,
who have helped me in this venture.
F cm “ako tndebled- Jo. Poof ManaliStals Aipiades® Dik NGBsa
Mix aAGe. Nycape, CCB Noman for thar tablion Yappact
aie epentiun aa Ue, TC B Wlholra, far aingabalopal
suggestions on some of the topics in the book.
‘Sincere thanks are due fo my wife Mrs. Adarsh Chopra, my
daughter Dr. Anu Dhawan and my son Shiv Rahul Chopra for
assisting me in compositions and proof reading.
-
R. M. CHOPRA
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While every effort has been made to
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and omissions, however caused.
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R. M. CHOPRA
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Dedicated
to the memory of my
father-in-law
late Jagdish Chandra Kapur
whose love for
Punjabi Sufiana Kalam
was unbounded.
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SCCHRBLO
: eDtiNeragh
VON RRA Adib’, sic!
Mets < es Seiten
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
SHEIKH FARIDUDDIN GAN/J-I-SHAKAR
MADHO LAL HUSAIN
SULTAN BAHU
BULLEH SHAH
SAYYID WARIS SHAH
SAYYID ALI HAIDAR
FARD FAQIR
. HASHIM SHAH
. EPILOGUE
. APPENDICES :
[-VEDANTA AND TASAWWUF
IL-STORY OF SOHNI AND MAHIWAL
III-STORY OF MIRZA AND SAHIBAN
. GLOSSARY
. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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DR. SYED AMIR HASSAN ABIDI, 7015, B-10, Vasant Kunj
M. A., Ph. D., D.Litt. (Teheran), New Delhi - 110 030
Professor Emeritus Department of Persian,
University of Delhi,
Padma Shri and receipient of
President’s Award in Persian. ©
FOREWORD
Mysticism is a constant and eternal phenomenon of the universal yearning of
human soul to have direct communion with the Creator. It is essentially the
same in all religions. Sufism is the name given to mysticism of Islam. The
central core of Sufism revolves round the strict Islamic principles, teachings
and code of conduct.
In the wake of conquesi of the Punjab by Mahmud Ghaznavi and, later, by
Shihabuddin Muhammad Ghori, Sufis started coming from Iran, Afghanistan
and other Islamic centres in Central Asia to the Punjab from the eleventh
century A.D., and settled there to preach. From the early thirteenth century, to
the middle of the nineteenth century, the Sufis exercised a profound influence
on the people of the Punjab. Their winsome personalities, friendly spirit, patience,
tolerance and humanitarian work endeared them to the people of all communities
who always thronged to listen to their words of wisdom and seek their blessings.
In order to reach the common people, the Sufis sang their love for the Divine
Beloved in the local dialects drawing imagery from country-life and local customs
prevalent in the Punjab so as to make themselves easily comprehensible to the
simple village folks. In the process, the Sufis not only enriched the Punjabi
language but also gave an abiding place to Sufi thought and verse in Punjabi
literature.
Punjabi Sufi poetry sings primarily of Love and God. Both these themes are
intertwined. In fact, Divine Knowledge and Spiritual Realisation are the ideals
pursued by it. Mysticism is more predominant than materialism in Punjabi Sufi
poets’ temperament which found expression in their verses.
Mr. R. M. Chopra has, in this treatise, presented the great Sufi poets of the
Punjab. It begins with the highly spiritual poetry of Baba Farid Ganj-i-Shakar
(1172-1267), and covers other renowned and great Sufi poets as Shah Husain,
1
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Sultan Bahu, Bulleh Shah, Waris Shah, Ali Haidar, Fard Faqir and ends with
the nineteenth century Sufi poet Hashim Shah (1752-1821).
The history of the Punjab from the thirteenth to nineteenth century has seen
turbulent times and peaceful interludes which are some times reflected in the
Sufi poetry of the period. During the turbulent times, the Sufis with their
spiritual knowledge, mystic utterances and inspiring verses containing sagacious
counsels attempted to create friendly feelings among different communities
and maintained the mental equilibrium and sent the message of peace, love,
fellowship and harmony to every nook and corner. They tried to infuse a
spirit of solidarity which has, in fact, created the composite culture of the land
of five rivers. The credit of actually sowing the seeds of secularism in the
Punjab goes to these Sufi poets.
By a judicious selection of extracts from the verses of the great Sufi poets of
the Punjab, which are printed in the book in Persian, Devnagari and Roman
scripts with transliterations in English for easy comprehension, Mr. R. M.
Chopra has done a commendable scholarly work with a view to preserving for
posterity this remarkable common heritage which may inspire the coming
generations to seek the Divine Love and re-establish moral and spiritual
values in the society.
S. A. H. ABIDI
New Delhi,
10th August, 1999
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GREAT SUFI POETS OF THE PUNJAB
INTRODUCTION
Pacifism and contentment, non-violence and benevolence, essential unity of
all religions, transmigration and eternality of soul, the immanence of God
and a simple life intoxicated with Truth were some of the principal tenets
of Sufism which established its roots deep in the fertile land of the Punjab
from the Thirteenth Century to the middle of the Nineteenth Century A.D.
It was in this period that Sufism became a force to reckon with and led
the vanguard of progress in the Punjabi literature and was responsible for
creating many Sufi poets of exceptional talents and perception, the great
among them were Baba Farid Ganj-i-Shakar, Madho Lal Husain also known
as Shah Husain, Sultan Bahu, Bulleh Shah, Waris Shah, Ali Haidar, Fard
Faqir and Hashim Shah.
No account of Punjabi Sufism will be complete without a short sketch of
the origin and development of Sufism in Arabia and Persia. Punjabi
Sufism, essentially, is a branch of the great Sufi movement which originated
in Arabia in the 2nd Century A.H. (800 A.D.).’
It was born after the death of the Prophet and proceeded on orthodox
lines.2 The Sufis besides faithfully carrying out the common obligations of
Islam scrupulously avoided its prohibitions. The Prophet defined a basic
structure of religion obligatory for all men and women, visualised a variety
of ways which individuals could choose for their fulfilment of spiritual
ends according to their own aptitude, abilities, temperaments and social
situations. The Holy Quran refers to them as subul-al-salam, paths of
peace and well being. The Prophet refers to them as abwab-al-khayr,
gates or ways of excellence or abwab-al-Jannat, gates to the Paradise. The
Prophet has also laid down broad guiding principles for the pursuit and
realisation of the ideal. Any individual, rich or poor, layman or intellectual,
activist or contemplative, a devoted ascetic or a government functionary,
can rise upto spiritual heights by dint of his own efforts and by the grace
of the Almighty.
5
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
People who had ascetic tendencies led hard lives. Asceticism soon passed
into mysticism and the followers came to be known as Sufis.* This term
was given to them because they wore woollen garments. The term, /abis‘al-
suf, (03 ZAy-2§ ) meant ‘he clad himself in wool’ and applied to a person
who renounced the world and became an ascetic.*
It must be understood that mysticism is common to all religions as it is
the eternal yearning of the human soul to have a direct experience of the
Ultimate Reality. The mystic sentiment grows out of the human aspiration
for personal and direct experience of the Supreme Lord. When strong
spiritual emotion cannot be satisfied by the orthodox or formal approach
to the Supreme Being, the mystic ideals are cherished and cultivated.
These are unvarying phenomena of yearning of the human spirit for personal
communion with God. Sufism is the name given to the mysticism of
Islam.>
The central core of Islamic teaching is the doctrine that God is One; that
_ He has no partners or equals to share or contest His Omnipotence. A few
men have been called to be God's Prophets, whose duty from Adam to
Muhammad, was simply to call mankind to Him. They are the vehicles
of the Divine Message to humanity; otherwise the Prophets are men like
other men, except as God has willed them to be recipients of His special
Grace and Favours. The Prophet is not to be worshipped, for this would
constitute polytheism and infidelity ‘{ ie Kuff), though he must be revered
and imitated because he has been spoken to by God and chosen by Him
to be His messenger. For the Muslim God's Message is wholly contained
in the Quran and the chosen Messenger is Muhammad.®
Accordingly, it is to the Quran that the Muslim mystic looks for guidance and
justification and seeks to copy the example set by the Prophet Muhammad
and tries to live righteously and humbly in the sight of God and man. Therefore,
Sufi is bound to study the life of Mutiammad ( yi Sira) in order to
comprehend his code of conduct ( = Sunna) and he must be properly
acquainted with the Traditions ( <»”. Hadith), handed down from generation
to generation. The Hadith is the second most important pillar after the Quran
upon which he may draw enlightenment.’
The Sufis, therefore, tried to learn how the holy men of yore, who are
considered to be the friends of the Prophet, also known as Us! Auliya
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6
Introduction
(singular . J? Wali) conducted themselves in private and in public, committing
to mind and heart the words of wisdom and sanctity and the heavenly love.
These the Sufis took to be the third pillar. Finally, in the life of sincere
obedience to the Will of God, guided by the Word of God, the Life of His
Prophet, and the example set by his Auliyas, the Sufi may follow the path,
passing through the various states ( Jy! Ahwal) and _ stages
(<L& Magamat) of his spiritual pilgrimage, he encounters many proofs of
special relationship in which he stands to God, (LI Karamat) miracles
formed the fourth pillar of his edifice of righteousness.* Accordingly, the
Muslim mystic,hopes to win a glimpse of immortality in his mortal life by
passing away from Self ( [Us ana) into the consciousness of survival in
God ( (% Baga). After death he aspires to dwell for ever with angles and
prophets in the blissful presence of the Almighty.
"Poverty is my pride"? This saying of the Prophet, afterwards taken as
the watchward of many Sufi orders, reflects the generally accepted views
that the founder of Islam lived lowly and humbly all his life and even
when the riches came to him in later years he did not change the austerity
of his habits. Poverty brings out two virtues; namely, it encourages
abstemiousness and the eschewing of unlawful pleasure, and it stimulates
trust in God.
Sufism is a natural phenomenon that develops from the impact of external
forces with internal conditions. Hence, in a comprehensive view, all these
facts have to be taken into consideration, for it cannot be attributed to
any single influence.!° On the internal side the social, political and economic
conditions of the time and on the external side the presence of foreign
influences - Neo-Platonic, Persian and Indian, both Vedantic and Buddhist
- collectively favoured the growth of mystic tendencies.
The structure of Sufism is based on two bed-rocks, namely "Love of God"
and "personal contact with Him" which means Ma'rifat or Gnosis'', repeated
references to this have been made in the Holy Quran which, later on,
came to be known in Sufistic parlance as wasl or wasal (union with the
Lord).
if
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUFISTIC
IDEOLOGY
Sufism had to pass through different phases of development of the
movement in the first four centuries of Islam which were conditioned by
the challenges Muslim ~society had to confront at different times because
of political compulsions.
FIRST PHASE
According to Nicholson, the first phase in the development of Sufism can
be designated as the "Period of the Quietists".'2 This phase began from
the early part of the Eighth Century A.D. Because of rapid transformation
of political life, the establishment of monarchical institution and coming in
possession of enormous wealth in the wake of conquests in Asia, North
Africa’ and Europe and a general trend which set in towards worldly
possessions under the Umayyads, gave a rude shock to the sensibilities of
religiously conscious people.'* Those who had ascetic tendencies and
deeply religious bent of mind thought that Islam had not come simply to
establish empires. They looked with dismay at the spectacle of Muslims
drifting away from the high ideals of Islam and wallowing in sordid
materialism. The impious ways of the then ruling elite of the Muslims,
specially under the Umayyads, provoked disgust in the sensitive minds.
In this phase of development, the Quietists, who were represented by
persons like Hasan Basri (died 728 A.D.), Ibrahim b. Adham (died 777
A.D.), Abu Hashim Usman (died 776 A.D.) Rabi'a Basri (a woman from
Basra-died 801 A.D.) and others, laid emphasis on purification and discipline
of the individual and, according to tradition, redeemed and reformed many
a sinner. They also laid the objective of the mystic path. In this ascetic
form, the people were exhorted to remain self-contented, apathetic to all
enjoyments of this world and have the least feeling of want. They were
encouraged to dedicate their lives to the love and worship of God. Among
the other main features of Sufism in this phase were: preference for
solitude, retirement, self-restraint and contemplation; to be assiduous in
piety, to give up everything for God's sake, to turn away from worldly
gauds and vanities, to renounce pleasure, wealth and power which are the
common objects of human ambition, to abandon society and to live a
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8
Wie..s
Introduction
secluded life devoted to the service of God!*. This can also be construed
as a revolt against the luxury and worldliness prevalent during the tyrannical
rule of the Umayyads'*. The injustice, suffering and moral degeneration
that were rampant in the socio-political life of the time led a small but
an important section of the people to develop an attitude of other
worldliness. Centres of Sufism appeared in places like Kufa and Basra.
The first stepping stone in the mystic path was the Doctrine of Repentence
which is interpreted as a complete transformation of human personality.
"Repentence", says a mystic proverb, "means that you forget repentence”.
According to Goldziher'®, the two striking features of this phase were:
a) an exaggerated consciousness of sin, and
b) an overwhelming dread of divine retribution.
They feared God more than they loved Him and therefore submitted
unreservedly to His Will. This was the focal point in this phase.
SECOND PHASE
The second phase of development of Sufism began in the Nineth and the
Tenth Centuries A.D., when metaphysical and philosophical positions came
to be enunciated and determined. The Sufi thought developed under the
influence of Greek philosophy of Ashrakian'’ and Dionysius’*. Besides
philosophical ideas the ee borrowed from the Greeks the medical science
which they named ot 3. Yunani. Greek influences and Neoplatonism
developed intellectual tendencies among the Sufis. Neoplatonic thinkers
had been preaching the religion of Christianity recast in the light of Greek
philosophy. Most of them were Christian monks mystical in their attitude
of life. In the Nineth and the Tenth Centuries A.D., a large number of
them had been working in all parts of Arabia and Syria. Hence it led
credence to the belief that Islamic mysticism originated in an atmosphere
saturated with Greek philosophy which was supported by the western
writers. In fact, Islamic mysticism originated in Arabia out of Islamic
teachings and was profoundly influenced by Greek philosophy”.
Dry dogmas of the orthodox theologians, sLes Ulema, drove the intellectual
Sufis to scepticism?’. The orthodox theologians always look upon religion
as a set of dogmas, rituals and ceremonies and steep deeper down in
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
strict forms and formalities which, to them, appear uppermost. Whereas
mystics, at a higher level, believe in free-thinking. Therefore, the two are
poles apart, cannot come to terms and see eye-to-eye and strongly react
to the findings of each other. There is a constant conflict looming large
in their observations - the orthodox declaim the Sufis as heretics and the
mystics denounce the orthodox as narrow-minded, self-centred ignorants.
Soon a new school of Sufis was established which was greatly influenced
by Persian religion and Indian thought, both Hindu Vedantic and Buddhist?!.
Vedanta and Buddhistic Philosophy teach that this world is phenomenal,
transitory and illusory. This Indian attitude with ascetic way of life appealed
to the Sufis and resulted in the rise of ascetic tendencies. There are also
many points of resemblance between the Sufi doctrine of Fana and the
Buddhistic doctrine of Mrvana. Nicholson observes, "It may be said that
the method of Sufism, so far as it is one of ethical self-culture, ascetic
meditation and intellectual distraction, owes a great deal to Buddhism"?.
Sufism under the influence of Greek, Persian and Indian thought, both
Hindu and Buddhist, became a speculative and philosophical doctrine. In
this phase, it deviated widely from orthodox Islam. The key-note of the
new Sufism was Light, Knowledge and Love. It replaced transcendent God
by an immanent One who is present everywhere and whose throne is in
the human heart. More than this, the Sufis felt that man craves for
direct revelation of God to the soul. God was therefore concieved to be
both far and near, transcendant as well as immanent. The consciousness
of sin which haunted the minds of earlier Sufis gradually disappeared now
and they began to seek for direct knowledge and Love of God as well as
direct communion with Him. The main object of the life, ‘according to
Sufis of this phase, was to merge the individual soul with the Universal
Soul*. The disappearance of the consciousness of the individual self and
continuous existence in the being of the Divine Self became the goal of
Sufism”‘,
The followers of this new school were almost all of non-Semitic origin -
mostly Persians, Kurds and Afghans. It must be regarded as the reaction
of the Aryan mind against a Semitic religion imposed upon it by force.
There are resemblances between some Sufi doctrines in their most advanced
forms and the Vedanta. They have common origin which must be sought
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—_$_$_$_$_$_$_$_____—————_—_
in India. As early as the time of Khusrow I of the Sasanian dynasty in
Iran, generally known as Naushirwan, contacts were established and many
Vedantic treatises were translated into Persian. Even earlier than that
Buddhism swayed over Central Asia and Afghanistan and therefore exercised
a profound influence. (Also refer to Appendix I on Vedanta and Tasawwuf
in the book).
About this time a number of treatises were written on the subject in
Arabic on different aspects of Sufistic thought. Among many, the most
popular were written by Al-Muhasibi (died 837 A.D.) al-Ri'aya li-huquq
Allah and Kitab al-Twahhun in which he discussed problems related to
self-examination, death, final judgement and cosmic emotions. Al-Kharraz
(died 899 A.D.) wrote his Kitab al-Sidq in which he sought to explain that
the Sufis actually imitate the ways of the Prophets. Al-Hallaj wrote the
Kitab al-Tawasin which was another significant addition to Sufistic literature.
Then appeared the works of Abu Nasr al-Sarraj (died 988 A.D.), Abu Talib
Makki (died 996 A.D.) and Abu Bakr al-Kalabadhi (died 1000 A.D.). Each
of these treatises established some Sufistic idea or way in the face of
strong opposition from the orthodox.
The latest school of Sufism which felt Persian and Indian influences and
incorporated different glosses of Buddhism came in the forefront under
Bayazid Bistami whose actual name was Abu Yazid of Bistam (died 875
A.D.). Bistami's® system was based on Fana or complete annihilation in
the Divine?” and Baga, consciousness of survival in God.
God cannot be known by the senses, for He is immaterial; nor can He be
known by the intellect, for He is unthinkable. Human understanding with
its finite categories of knowledge cannot go beyond the range of the finites.
So the knowledge of God can only be attained by illumination, revelation
and inspiration. To know God one should know his own self. "Look into
your own heart," says the Sufi, "for the kingdom of God is within you".
He who knows himself, knows God. The heart is like a mirror in which
every Divine quality is reflected”.
The state of forgetting or losing self-consciousness in a state of ecstasy is
called Fana or passing away”. Fana thus involves a moral transformation
of the soul through the extinction of all its passions and desires. In Fana
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the mind withdraws from all its contents and concentrates its attention
upon the thought of God which means the cessation of all consciousness
other than that of God. The final stage of Fana marks the beginning of
Baga, the unitive state, in which the Sufi lives in the consciousness of
God**. Fana has an ethical aspect which means the extinction of the evil
qualities of the mind, followed by the continuance of good qualities. Fana
is therefore the culmination of the purgative life and Baga the beginning
of the illuminated life*!.
In Baga, the Sufi passes from the phenomenal self to the real self and in
his contemplation of the Divine essence, he discovers that it is one with
his own essence. He finds nothing but God and becomes one with Him
and does not feel the necessity of prayer, as prayer indicates a sort of
separateness and distance between God and man. His words become the
words of God and his knowledge the knowledge of God. But it is very
difficult to understand this process of transformation of the finite self into
the Infinite. It was held by Abu-Nasar al-Sarraj that Baga does not mean
infusion of Divine essence or identification of the Divine with human nature.
Truly speaking, Baga means the transition of human qualities to the
qualities of God, whereby the individual loses his own will and enters into
the Divine Will*?.
Bistami was captivated by the Vedantic conception of God. He was first
of the "intoxicated" Sufis, who transported upon the wings of mystical
fervour, found God within his soul and scandalised the orthodox by saying
"Glory to me! How great is My Majesty!"
There is another narrative attributed to Abu Yazid and quoted by Al-Sarraj
(died 988 A.D.) :
"Once He raised me up and stationed me before Him,
and said to me, 'O Abu Yazid, truly My creation
desire to see thee.' I said, 'Adorn me in Thy Unity,
and clothe me in Thy Selfhood, and raise me up to
Thy Oneness, so that when Thy creation see me they
will say, we have seen thee: and Thou wilt be That,
and I shall not be there at all".
Here we may observe fully developed the doctrine of passing away in God,
Fana (Nirvana of Buddhism), which from Abu Yazid's time onwards assumes
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Introduction
a central position in the structure of Sufi theory™. It was, after all, not
a difficult transition to make, and, in fact, more acceptable, from saying
that all else but God is nothing, to claiming that when self as well as the
world has been cast aside the mystic has passed away into God.
The classic definition of ,.7 9 tauhid given by al-Junaid of Baghdad (died
910 A.D.), and quoted by many later writers, is that it consists in "the
separation of the Eternal from that which was originated in time". Taking
as his point of departure the pre-eternal covenant sworn by man with God
and referred to (according to Sufi exegesis) in the Quran, he views the
entire course of history as the quest of man to fulfil that covenant and
return to "the state in which he was before he was".
Man's separate and individual existence in the universe, according to al-
Junaid, is the consequence of a deliberate act of God's Will, Who, at the
same time, desires to "overcome" man's existence by the outpouring of His
own Being.
In a definition he describes Sufism (99 tasawwuf) as meaning that "God
should cause thee to die from thyself and to live in Him"’’. By passing
away from self the mystic does not cease to exist, in the true sense of
existence, as an individual; "rather his individuality, which is an inalienable
gift from’ God, is perfected, transmuted and eternalised through God and
in God",
When al-Junaid in this way was succeeding to escape from the mortal
peril of preaching the apotheosis of man, his junior contemporary Mansur
al-Hallaj was not so fortunate in his reading of the riddle of existence, and
being condemned for blasphemy he was executed upon the cross in 922
A.D. According to al-Hallaj, man is essentially a reflection of the Divine,
for God created man in His own image. In man the manifestation of God
attains its zenith, for man is the highest and best of his creation®. He
did not claim Divinity for himself, though the utterance which led to his
execution, "I am the Truth” .~ Gj (Ana‘l-Haqq)*°, which is equivalent of
Aham Brahm of Vedanta, chened to his judges to have that implication.
In al-Hallaj we have the supreme example—even more extreme than Abu
Yazid—of the "intoxicated" Sufi; so complete was his absorption in serving
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the Will of God as he conceived it to be that he was utterly reckless of
the consequences, which in his case were certainly disastrous.
The century which produced al-Muhasibi, al-Junaid and al-Hallaj abounded
in Sufis of only comparatively less significance, each of whom made his
special contribution to building up the structure of Islamic mysticism.
Among them were al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi (circa 893 A.D.), Yahya bin Mu'adh
(died 871 A.D.), the latter was an associate of Abu Yazid and Husain al-
Nuri of Baghdad (died 907 A.D.).
The Sufis had been under the fire of the narrowly orthodox for some
considerable time, and scarcely any of their prominent teachers after al-
Muhasibi escaped the accusation of being S) oY / zindiq - "a convenient
portmanteau term of abuse used by the zealots to cover a multitude of
suspected heresies"'. Zindiq means a heretic. There was thus an urgent
need to rehabilitate the movement, if it was to survive in these less liberal
times and continue to be an effective force in the community. The need
produced the men, and the men produced the books eminently suitable
for the purpose.
The first to address himself to this labour was Abu Sa'id Ibn al-A'rabi, a
learned jurist and Traditionist, a disciple of al-Junaid, who died at Mecca
in 952 A.D. at the age of ninetyfour. His Tabaqaat al-Nussaak (Classes
of the Pious) has not survived but from quotations we can surmise that
the author gave a fairly good account of the lives and teachings of the
great Sufi masters.
The oldest surviving general account of Sufism, and in many respects the
most valuable, is the Kitab al-Luma' of Abu Nasr al-Sarraj (died 988 A.D.).
This great and fundamental book differs in character from the biographical
sketches of Ibn al-A'rabi (died 952 A.D.) and al-Khuldi (died 959 A.D.) as
being constructed, more after the pattern of theological treatises, in such
a fashion as to describe and analyse the doctrines and practices of the
Sufis.
The Kitab al-Luma' is extraordinarily well documented, and abounds in
quotations not only from the sayings and poems but also from the letters
of the mystics; its author was living at no great distance from the golden
age of al-Muhasibi and al-Junaid, and gives the impression of being as
honest as he is well-informed.
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By the end of the Tenth Century A.D., Sufism had become a fairly rigid
and clearly definable way of life and system of thought and the Eleventh
Century A.D. found Sufism firmly established and widespread throughout
all Islam‘*?.
When Sufism spread out towards the east, because of Buddhistic influences,
it evolved a cult of saints. Pilgrimage, another Buddhistic practice, was
also introduced. Sufism also borrowed the Tariga or Tarigat from Buddhism.
Before being Fana, the Sufi seeker must tread by slow stages (Maqamat)
the Tarigat or the mystic path to reach Haqiga or Hagiqat (gnosis), Reality
or the goal of Union**. The path comprised seven stages: repentance,
abstinence, renunciation, poverty, patience, trust in God and satisfaction.
Ma'rifat (gnosis) became the summum bonum of a mystic life.
The Sufis of Bayazid School were tolerant of all other religions and therefore
they were declared heretics (zindiq) and were often exiled or hanged**.
This alarmed the Sufis of new school and induced them to retrace their
steps and re-enter the fold of old Sufi School. The Sufis were not popular
with the powerful orthodox. To avoid reprisals from the orthodox and to
save their lives, henceforward, they recognised Muhammad as their ideal
and tried to deduce their thought from the Quran only.
THIRD PHASE
The third phase of development of Sufism commenced in the Eleventh
Century A.D., when Sufi groups (Garohs) were established. Sheikh Ali
Makhdum Hujwiri, generally known as Data Ganj Baksh, (died 1072 A.D.),
who followed the arms of Masa’'ud, son and successor of Mahmud Ghaznavi,
to Lahore where he settled down to preach, refers to about twelve different
Garohs, or Schools of thought, during his time. Among those the important
ones were - the Hululis, the Hallajis, the Taifuris, the Muhasibis, the Tustaris,
the Hakimis, the Nuris and the Junaidis. Each school laid stress on a
particular doctrine. The Taifuris considered rapture (shukr) superior to
sobriety (sahv), the Kharrazis propounded the doctrine of fana (annihilation)
and baga (survival in the consciousness of God); the Muhasibis laid down
precepts for taking stock of one's spiritual progress (muhasaba) and
categorized them under magams (stages) and hals (states); the Tustaris
drew attention to controlling the lower soul (nafs); the Hakimis affirmed
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the doctrine of sainthood (walayaf); the Nuris preferred sohbat (society) to
uzlat (seclusion) and the Junaidis emphasized the superiority of sobriety
(sahv) over rapture (shukr). The Hululis believed in transmigration of soul
and Hallajis in pantheism; these were condemned by Sheikh“Hujwiri. This
phase of development produced a lot of literature on Sufism and introduced
many new terms and connotations. Added to all this were the biographies
of earlier Sufis which served as models for the generations that followed.
As many Sufistic concepts were promulgated by different Garohs in the
third phase of development of Sufism, they remained isolated, disjointed
and uncoordinated. Then appear the Sufi philosophers in the fourth phase
who not only consolidated the isolated and disjointed concepts of earlier
generations, but also integrated and brought them within the parametres
of well-knit systems of thoughts.
FOURTH PHASE
The foremost among those philosophers was Abul Qasim al-Qushairi (died
1072 A.D.) who wrote a systematic account of Sufism. He also defined
various Sufistic terms and made a clear distinction between the ulema-i-
zahur (the scholars of external-self or the Ulema) and the ulema-i-batin (the
scholars of inner-self or the Sufis). According to al-Qushairi the former
established contact with the state; the latter abjured it completely.‘7 He
also gave coherence to the mystical concepts by integrating the Sufistic
movement.
Sufism had produced many men of conspicuous sincerity, holiness and
intuition during the first four centuries of its existence; but it never made
a greater impact than when Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali, the Hujjat
al-Islam ("Proof of Islam"), declared himself its champion. Born in 1058
A.D. at Tus in Khorasan, al-Ghazali lived his early years in this north
Persian province which had raised up sO many mystical geniuses. His
schooling was that of an orthodox theologian and lawyer, and he had
established himself as the leading Sunni scholar of his day when he was
appointed professor of divinity at the Nizamiya Madrassa, Baghdad, in
1091 A.D. He died in 1111 AD.
Al-Ghazali lived the simple life of a mystic, punctuated only by study and
the composition of a succession of books. In these he brought out various
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Introduction
—— ee SSSSSSSSSSSsSSss
aspects of the moral, metaphysical and mystical system in which he essayed
to reconcile Sufism with Muslim orthodoxy, and to prove that the Muslim
life of devotion to the One God could not be lived perfectly save by
following the Sufi way. While none of his shorter works is negligible, and
some of especial value and importance, his masterpiece, and in many
ways the greatest religious book composed by a Muslim, is the massive
Thya 'Ulum-al-Din (‘Revival of Religious Sciences').*®
The story of al-Ghazali's conversion to Sufism is a classic of its kind. In
his younger days he had been a sceptic. A mystical experience cured him
of this malady and caused him to devote all his powers to searching after
absolute truth. His study of philosophy and scholastic theology convinced
him that no light was to be found there. Then he turned his attention
to the mystic Way revealed in the writings of al-Muhasibi and other old
masters. He is reported to have experienced ecstasy and complete inward
transformation. It was al-Ghazali's personal experience of this truth that
inspired the great religious revival which his example more than his works
brought about.
Al-Ghazali succeeded in assuring the mystical or introspective attitude a
place within official Islam stde by side with the legalism of the lawyers
and the intellectualism of the theologians. By virtue of his profound
learning in the accepted religious sciences, al-Ghazali commanded the
respect of all except the narrowest of the orthodox. His legal and theological
training qualified him to bring to his constructive work on Sufism an
intellect acute and sensitive, a mind ingenious and inventive.
Al-Ghazali by his erudition and constructive work on Sufism perfected the
work which Abu Talib al-Makki (died 996 A.D.), Abu Bakr al-Kalabadhi
(died 1000 A.D.) and Abul Qasim al-Qushairi (died 1072 A.D.) had all
striven so hard to accomplish. Henceforth Sufism, at least of the 'sober'
type, was accepted as a Muslim science and a laudable way of life*?.
Muhiuddin Ibn al-Arabi (1165-1240 A.D.) who was born in Murcia, Spain
(Europe) and died in 1240 A.D. at Damascus (Asia), was initiated into
Sufism at Tunis (Africa), authored many important books, made Sufism a
speculative system full of comprehensive philosophical ideas. He gave a
new doctrine named agen w73 Wahdatal Wajud, the Unity of Existence®.
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ne
He holds that all things pre-exist as ideas in the knowledge of God. God
is a percept, the world is a concept. While every phenomenon reveals
some attributes of Reality, man is the microcosm in which all the attributes
are united, and in man alone does God become fully conscious of Himself*!,
This doctrine occupies the central theme in Ibn al-Arabi's system and
fuses together elements derived from Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Christianity?
and Vedanta. The being of all things is God: there is nothing except Him.
God's object in creating this world was to make Himself known and thus
He created the world.
This is the awakening of His attributes and is the dawn of four relations,
namely, Wajud (essence), Jlm (knowledge of self), Noor (light) and Shahud
(observation of self). At this stage He becomes conscious of His own self.
His essence is His being; His knowing is His knowledge and Light is His
consciousness, that is, His ego®. When he became conscious of Himself
He observed Himself, and this is Shahud.
The entire process of manifestation can be described, in short, as follows :
Before manifestation every name was in the knowledge of God and when
manifested jt became an individual thing. But before it was manifested,
it had to pass through the world of spirit and the world of form. The
spirit grew into form and the form developed into matter. When spirit
displayed weight and cohesion, it became mineral; and when mineral
displayed the faculty of growth, it became vegetable possessing the quality
of absorption, assimilation, colouration, etc. When vegetable displayed
locomotion, it became animal, in which stage it showed anger and other
qualities necessary for self-preservation. And when animal displayed
understanding, it became man, possessing moral and spiritual qualities.
Thus there are three stages - spirit, form and matter. The world of form
is a partition between the spheres of spirit and matter. Both are
manifestations of one and the same essence. Man is thus the microcosm™.
The being of all things is God; there is nothing except Him. All things
reveal an essential unity; every part of the world is the whole .of it. So
man is a unity in essence, but multiplicity in individuality. . To attain
perfection man has to annihilate his self or realise that his self is non-
existent, while the self of God alone is existent. To realise this truth man
has to pass through the thorny path of "dying before death". According
to Shahudiya school of thought the world is a reflection and the attributes
of God can either be manifest or hidden®. However, according to the
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Introduction
Ee
Wajudiya school, wherever there is an attribute there is essence. The ego
of man is the ego of God within limitation; and unless man dies before his
death and annihilates or merges his self into the universal Self, he is
responsible for his action®. So long as this duality remains, good and bad
actions will have their effects on the nature of man. He shall have to
enjoy or suffer the consequences of his actions either in this world or in
the world to come. Man is composed of three elements, namely, spirit,
form and matter. In this life matter is predominent and in the next spirit
and form. When at death the soul is free from the bondage of the body
it recollects its past with good doings and wrong doings. For the good
doings, it is rewarded and for wrong doings it is punished until the human
ego is merged in the Super Ego of which it is a limitation*’.
Of course every man has to live in this world for sometime, but he should
never be engrossed in éarthly things.
The perfect man is he who realises God and feels that he is a point in
His consciousness. Every man is a finite reproduction of Infinite
Consciousness. To attain perfection man has to annihilate his self. The
doctrine advanced by Ibn al-Arabi was subsequently developed by Jalaluddin
Rumi and Abdul Karim Jili.
Arberry says about Ibn al-Arabi that, "He gathered into the comprehensive
range of his meditation the entire learning of Islam, and was perfectly
familiar not only with the writings and teachings of the orthodox Sunni
theologians, lawyers and philosophers, and of the Sufis from the earliest
times to his own day, but also with the schismatic and heretical movements
like the Mu'-tazilites, Carmathians and Ismalilis. His system, vast ahd
widely ranging as it is, embraces the speculations and terminologies of all
his widely various sources; so that the problem of abstruse reference is
complicated by the further constant difficulty of an inconsistent technical
vocabulary".
Ibn al-Arabi marks a turning-point in the history of speculative Sufism.
Though he was violently attacked for his pantheistic teachings and for his
extravagant claims, no mystic who came after him was free of his influence,
and he has left his mark on all subsequent mystical literature.
To see how long are the shadows cast by these great figures of mediaeval
Islamic mysticism, we may notice that the late Sir Muhammad Iqbal (died
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1938 A.D.), who had made a detailed study of Sufi thought, appears to
have derived his special theory of Higher Selfhood in part out of the Sufi
doctrine of the Perfect Man ( Se Wigs! Insan al-Kamil), expounded by Ibn
al-Arabi and in part from the Superman of German philosophy culminating
in Nietzche.
Sufism reached the zenith of its glory in the fertile land of Iran and
captured the imagination of Persians. "When Sufism gripped the mind and
soul of Iran, and the abounding poetic imagination of the Persians discovered
this new theatre to display itself, Islamic mysticism developed aesthetically
in a manner soaring high above the ranges of pure speculation. Classical
Persian poetry is to a very large extent Sufi in content and inspiration
The first Persian author to write an extensive poem elaborating the doctrines
of Sufism was Sana'i, whose literary activities cover the first half of the
Twelfth Century A.D.
Farid ud-Din ‘Attar, who flourished some sixty years after Sana'i, was an
even more productive author; not only did he compose easily in all the
categories of verse, but he also wrote a valuable and highly esteemed
treatise on the biographies of Muslim saints and mystics ( sls He, Nir Tazkrat
al-Auliya). His +l¢#\ Mahinama (Divine Book) is on mystical love. His
(3 Mantiq ul-Tair (Speech of Birds) is a splendid allegory portraying
the mystic’s progress towards Union with God.
The unsurpassable summit in this form of composition was reached by the
illustrious Jalal ud-Din Rumi (died 1273 A.D.), a native of Balkh who
migrated with his father to Qonia in Asia Minor and there became the
founder of the Maulavi (Turkish Mevlevi) Order of derveshes. As Ibn al-
Arabi summed up and gathered into a single system all that had been said
on mysticism in Arabic before him, so Rumi in his immortal $s“ Mathnawi
performed a like service in Persian. This Mathnawi has been acclaimed as
the complete scripture of Sufism and comprises of twentysix thousand
verses divided into six books. This vast poem ranges over the entire field
of Sufi speculation; the anecdotes that intersperse the discourses are
brilliantly told, abounding in wisdom and humour. In Sufism, in Persia,
the language of human love was used freely to describe the relations
between the mystic and his Divine Beloved. The best known of many
poems on this subject is the Yusuf Zulaikha of Jami (died 1492 A.D.). The
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Introduction
same prolific writer spiritualised other familiar love-stories, such as the
desert tragedy of Laila and her mad lover-poet, Majnun and others.
It was above all in Lyric JAF (Ghazal) that Persian mysticism found
its highest expression, and there are hardly any poets who have not
contributed something to this form. The imagery used by the mystical
poets in these compositions refer to the a? oF Ishq-t-Haqiqi (Love Divine)
in the veil of sil¢ 3<Ishqi-Majazi (worldly love). For the interpretation of
their technical vocabulary, reference to the Glossary in the book may be
made.
It is against the background of this allegory of love and worship of
faithlessness and shame, that the lyrics of Sana'i, Attar, Rumi, Iraqi,
Maghribi, Amir Khusrau, Sa'di, Hafiz, Jami and many another Persian poet
must be read.
Rumi says, "the names 'Princehood', Min, 'Vizierate'’, Vaziri, and 'Kingship',
Shahi, are enticing, but hidden beneath them is death and pain giving up
the ghost. Be a slave of God and walk on the earth like a horse under
the rider, and not like a bier which is carried on the necks of the
bearers."©| Writing in 1258 A.D., his contemporary, Sa'di (died 1291 or
1292 A.D.), whose tomb near Shiraz Ibn-i-Battuta was to visit some forty
years later,©? makes the same point in this form. "One of the saints saw
in a dream a King in Paradise and a holy man in Hell. He asked, ‘What
is the cause of this man's degradation and that man's exaltation? For men
believed the contrary of this’. A voice came, The King is come to Paradise
because ‘he had a love for Derveshes, the holy man to Hell because he
sought the favour of Kings'."®
The allegory of wine was also freely used. There are those who take every
reference to the crimson cup as intending spiritual intoxication. The
Persian Sufi poets referred to wine both as a literal so also as a
metaphorical drunkenness.
While the language of love and wine is common to all the Persian mystical
poets, Rumi stands out supreme in this convention and technique too, for
inventiveness of imagery and fertility of allusion. He superimposes upon
the general foundation of Sufi metaphor several new ranges of comparison,
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for example, dancing and music and whirling movements of derveshes,
among others, all of which have their special mystic meanings.
Rumi epitomised the entire history of the phenomenal world, as seen by
the Sufi - the progress of man out of God, into the universe, and back
again to God.
The philosophy of Rumi can be summed up, briefly, as follows : Reality
is one; all phenomena are aspects of the same Reality. All beings proceed
from the Ultimate Reality, into the universe and back again to the same
original source - Reality. Real knowledge cannot be obtained through logic
only; perceptual experience is preferred than reason alone. The real aim
of life is that one should perceive Reality through spiritual experience, so
that it should again become one into Reality. The spiritual perception is
called Love. Knowledge of Reality is inherent in Love. This Love is the
main spring of all religions and higher morality. Without Love, religion
and morality become mere formal and mechanical. Reason without Love
remains in utter darkness.
"Rumi considers the -whole universe as emanating from one
God and his pantheistic attitude declares that all that exists is God. Our
soul is but a ray of His light, which has been severed from its real source
and fallen into the engrossment of this base and physical world and is
continuously striving to regain its fountainhead and for this passionate
yearning to see the Beloved, the soul desires to tear off the intervening
curtain of the physical body so that it once again becomes one with its
source.®5"
Rumi opens his famous Mathnawi with the "Song of the Reed" in his own
inimitable way using the imagery of the reed-pipe and explains the mystic's
cry to God —
Hearken to this Reed forlorn
Breathing, ever since ‘twas torn
From its rushy~ bed, a strain’
Of impassioned love and pain.
The secret of my song, though near,
None can see and none can hear.
Oh, for a friend to know the sign
And mingle all his soul with mine!
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‘Tis the flame of Love that fired me,
‘Tis the wine of Love inspired me.
Wouldst thou learn how lovers bleed,
Hearken, hearken to the Reed !%
In his quatrains, Rumi has drawn images of surprising beauty out of his
own spiritual consciousness and has told the whole story of the soul's quest
for God in such an exquisite manner, as for example in the following -
I sought a soul in the sea,
And found a coral there;
Beneath the foam for me
An ocean was all laid bare.
Into my hearts. night
Along a marrow way
I groped; and lo ! the light,
An infinite land of day.®
Love, according to Rumi, is the greatest force in human life. It is
indescribable in any language and any attempt to describe it merely makes
it more baffling. Love presents a paradox inasmuch as in it by giving,
we take, and by dying we live. With the help of this unadulterated Love,
the soul transcends through all barriers and sees the One Reality coming
out in bold relief from every created object.®
Sufism of Rumi is not the Sufism of a fatalist, who shuns action and
depends only on the Will of God resigning himself to it. A Sufi must
endeavour hard and work incessantly for the achievement of his ideal and
after putting in all efforts, he should depend on the Will of God. Rumi
preaches a life of ceaseless activity and endless struggle to achieve freedom
and immortality. According to him even a useless effort is better than
passivity.° He has his definite views in favour of the following —
a) Perfect or Ideal Man.
b) Love.
c) Relationship between the finite ego and the Infinite Ego.
d) Achievement of immortality.
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= es
The dynamic Sufism of Rumi delivered a message of great importance
which pertained to three epoch-making theories of philosophy, namely,
1. The Theory of Evolution.
2. The Eternality of the Soul.
3. The Transmigration of Soul.7°
Rumi cared little for logical contradictions in the expression of his thoughts
and sentiments. He used many, and contradictory opinions, current before
him, as his raw materials and conceived a new structure where the outlines
and features were entirely his own.
Rumi's Sufism and Vedanta have a lot in common and both teach that all
differences which apparently are far from conciliation, in reality do not
exist. The clashes which occur everyday in the world are the result of
ignorance and when ignorance is removed, clashes disappear and unity is
experienced in diversity. Truth is the same everywhere, though it is
known by different names in different languages. Uh Ua fam geen data
-"Truth is One, sages call it variously". The entire universe is the
manifestation of one Divinity and the method of elimination as enunciated
in Vedanta by “fa Afi Neti Neti (not this) or by J Ja (not this) in Sufism,
the seeker realises it. The seeker finds that the difference lies only in
non-essentials. It is the removal of ignorance which is accomplished by
different methods of knowldge (S44 Jnan or ra llam) devotion (Hf Bhakti
or (+f Ishq) and action (@4 Karma or i Amal). When the goal is one,
it is immaterial whether one reaches it one way or the other’!.
When a modern thinker such as Sir Muhammad Iqbal desired to popularise
his ideas of Man and Superman, he not only turned back to Rumi and
the medieval mystics to discover antecedents within Islam for the system
for which he sought acceptance but he also cast his thoughts in the
mould of Sufi allegory of Persian poetry. Such has been the effect of
Rumi and other medieval mystics on the subsequent generations of thinkers.
Thus it will be seen that Al-Ghazali (1058 - 1111 A.D.), Ibn al-Arabi (1165
- 1240 A.D.) and Jalal ud-Din Rumi (died 1273 A.D.) formed the illustrious
trinity of Sufism before it traversed and came to establish itself firmly in
India.
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Oy Te
Introduction
— EE
SUFISTIC IDEOLOGY
Before Sufism came to India certain ideas had already taken deep root in
its philosophical development. Some of the main ideas thus developed are
briefly enumerated here. In Sufism, greater significance is attached to the
activities of the inner self than to the observance of outward religious
practices.
GOD THE ONLY BEING
The whole system of Sufism centres round two questions : 'How is man
to realise God in himself ?' and ‘What is God in relation to the individual
and the creation?’ Sufism shows tarigat or path comprising of, generally
acknowledged, seven stages, in answer to the first, and imparts ma’rifat or
knowledge which describes God, both pantheistically and monistically, in
answer to the second.
To Sufis, God is pure Being and absolute Beauty. He is everywhere and
in everything. According to them, God is 'closer to us than even our
neck-vein (Habl-al-warid)'. Purification, devotion and deification are the
main stages for realisation.
The keynote of Sufism is love of God and a disinterested, selfless devotion
to Him. The Sufis try to establish an intimate connection of love between
God and man. Sufis believe that ‘Everything of this world is perishable
and the only eternal being is God.' 'He is the First (awwal) and the Last
(akher) ---- the Apparent (zahir) and the Real (batin) and He knows
everything’. Therefore, the Sufis hold that every man is to seek knowledge
and the light of the Supreme Being in this world which is regarded as a
place for soul-making where one prepares himself for initiation into the
higher mode of existence in the next world. It is also held that everything
of this world is a non-entity in essence: God alone is eternal and the true
existence. In the Holy Quran God says - "I was a hidden treasure and I
desired to be known and so I created the world and all that is in it to
: know myself".
The Sufis also believe that God is the only Being and that He is the only
real agent. Since God is the only Being, other beings are mere appearances;
and He is the one single source of all the increasing activity. The so-called
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a
self, after all, is nothing but an appearance and the continuity of the self
is only one of the many appearances in the world of continued existence
of the same thing, when in reality, everything about it is new, except the
name of the appearance at all those spots where His action is immediate
and complete.
SOUL
Sufis believe in the survival and continuity of the soul after physical
death. They also believe in the immortality of the soul and that it is a
command of God. The essence of man is the soul and the soul of man
is the spirit of God.
Men differ from one another, for there are different gradations in the
development of the soul. A man whose soul is at the lowest stage of
development is satisfied with the knowledge of sensible things of the world.
But those who want to rise higher up have to read the arguments against
philosophy. At the highest stage of perfection however, man develops an
intuitive faculty; and in a state of ecstasy or rapture, he can have direct
vision of the Divine Illumination (Noor-t-Ilahi). It is this stage that the soul
rises above the world of shadows and reflections and soars up into the
world of reality. The Sufis have a conviction that they can rise upto this
stage wherefrom they can see the manifestation of God in everything of
Nature, just as they see Him best in their own souls. The soul in its
consciousness of union with God attains the highest bliss. All things then
become one in love.
LOVE: HUMAN AND DIVINE
God is the universal, spiritual organism, according to Sufis, in whom man
should try to get assimilated. The force that drives this evolution through
universal struggle is Love. All the processes of assimilation and growth are
manifestations of Love. Without Love there would have been no movement
in the universe. Love is held to be a cosmic force which operates universally
in Nature. It moves towards Beauty which is identical with Goodness and
Truth. Beauty is the most perfect as well as the highest Idea. Love is also
the principle of unification and assimilation. It is the force of attraction in
every atom by which one form of life merges into another and thereby
causes growth. Love is considered higher than reason, for it is the principle
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Introduction
SSS a
of unification. Sufis hold that reason differentiates and separates, whereas
Love binds and assimilates the heterogeneous and makes it homogeneous.
If Love for God visits an individual, all doubts depart and the realisation
becomes considerably quicker. Sufis, therefore, think very highly of Love.
Because the ordinary love for human. beings removes fear of conventions
and conquers prestige, enables one to discard the normal scale of values,
even if it be for a short time and it secures freedom from the harassing
considerations of duty, Sufis welcome even worldly love. Jami, a great lyric
poet of Persia, has beautifully described in his Yusuf Zulaikha:
"I heard a seeker went to a pir,
That he might receive aid in his company.
(The pir) said, "If your foot hasn't moved on the path of love,
Go, become a lover and then come to me."
It is also generally believed by the Sufis that God plays hide and seek
with His lovers. "He vivifies a form and makes it more beautiful than the
rest; we are drawn to it; but, by the time we are there, He leaves it and
goes to vivify another. And so the game goes on. Form after form He
makes us pursue in search of Himself, till by chance, in our desolation,
we get a glimpse of the very spring of Beauty".
Another point about Love that the Sufis believe, and is known to be true,
is that Love comes when it likes and goes when it likes. There is no
knowing when and how it will come. No preparation can be determined for
it, for Love is God and is as free as He. It has been explained by a fine
parable. It is said that a person asked Sadiq, a well-known Sufi, to fill
him with the love for God. Sadiq sent for the potter of the place and
asked him in the presence of that person if he himself chose the clay
for the pots, or the clay insisted on being chosen for the purpose. The
potter, of course, replied that he was the sole judge in the matter. Even
so, Sadiq said, has God the sole choice in this matter. It is often observed
that a Sufi saint showers blessing on the persons, if he be pleased, thus:
"May God grant you His Love! May God make you His own!"
A Sufi is expected to possess an abundant store of Love, and all beings,
coming into contact with him, must of necessity be charged with his Love.
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— SK esesesesessFsSSsssssssse
His love should not only be pure and transparent, but also voluntary and
selfless, not expecting any return. A Sufi's love should be able to attract
not only the creation, but also the Creator. The lover and the beloved
have to identify themselves with each other. The lover is to become the
beloved, and the beloved the lover, thus forging a complete fusion of the
two into one.
ANNIHILATION OF THE SELF
Renunciation of worldly enjoyment and poverty are not virtues in themselves,
but they are expressions of one's selfless devotion to God. The Sufis
practised self-abnegation, sacrificing vulgar passions for the sake of truth.
In this way, they experienced death which comes before death. This death
is called Fana-fillah (annihilation in God) which results in Baga-billah
(permanent existence in God). It was in this strain of thought that Mansur
al-Hallaj said Ana'l-Hagq -'I am the Truth: I am merged in the thought
of the Absolute and have forgotton my separate existence.'
The annihilation of the self, gnosis or ma’rifat, consists merely in the
progressive removal of the obstruction in the way of complete action, in
killing the alleged considerations that produce hesitation before a move is
made, and increases - it does not decrease - our cheerfulness and joy.
This is known to those who, by experience, have had their sympathies
enlarged, and who, entering into other people's lives, become quick and
effective in their action. Even in our own lives, several of us, besides, do
undergo many extinctions, when our outlook changes so totally that we
become dead to our former selves.
A Sufi who is always anxious for the knowledge and love of God, is ready
to undergo any amount of hardship to remove the curtain that veils him
from God. In a state of ecstasy, he sees reality in everything around him.
He tries to lose the consciousness of individual things and of the self, to
be absorbed in universal consciousness and love of God. Through ecstasy
the heart can communicate with Him and can become one with Him. This
state is called Fana or passing away. In Fana the mind withdraws from
all other consciousness and concentrates its attention upon the thought of
God and God alone. The final stage of Fana marks the beginning of Baga,
the unitive state, in which the Sufi lives in the consciousness of God.
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THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
By accepting the idea that God is the only Being and that He is the only
real agent inherent therein is the problem of the origin of evil. In accepting
God as the only real agent, we have also to accept that evil emanates
from Him. Since evil is evil, we find it impossible to attribute that to Him.
The problem of evil was, initially, considered to be insoluble. But the
Sufis, with their extraordinary knowledge and perception, opined that evil
is a not-being which is the privation and absence of being. Hence there is
nothing evil in this world. Everything is ultimately good. So evil is purely
subjective having no objective existence.
Sufis give a beautiful illustration of how evil can become transformed. It
is explained by them that a pool of standing water becomes dirty when
dirt is thrown into it, and remains so. It takes the colour of whatever it
comes in contact with, and retains it. But if it can get connected with a
perennially flowing stream, it becomes, sooner or later, purified. So long
as an individual remains an individual and considers himself responsible
for the activities that appear to flow from him, these activities leave their
traces on him. But if, somehow, he is able to become one with the
Universal Life, the activities become those of the Universal Life and cease
to have a moral colouring.
Furthermore, evil can be turned into good by the righteous activities of
man. The world is the manifestation of a single principle: it is a perfect
whole where every suffering, pain and evil has got its place. The world
is the place for soul-making, and, for this purpose, evil is a necessity as
the soul can develop and perfect itself only by struggling with evils. The
creation of good out of evil is the main function of human souls in this
world.
THE FACT OF PAIN
. The last of the ideas which were established was the idea of pain. Why
did God create this real thing, pain ? As long as it lasts, it is certainly
more real than anything else. But even this pain, according to Sufi belief,
is not quite as real as it appears to be. When we are in pain, it is
possible for many of us to shift and ally ourselves with something deeper
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and be free from it. Even then the question remains: Why did He create
pain at all ? Could there not be a universe without it ? The answer is:
no, certainly not, unless it be a universe without a relish. No risks, no
struggles, no failures, and no pain—it is unthinkable. Pain took the
manifestation of separation of the Soul from the Universal Soul and its
constant yearing to have direct communion with the Creator.
THE MURSHIDS
The relationship of murshid (teacher) and talib (disciple) is indeed a corner-
stone in Sufism. Talib literally means a seeker, and murshid is the person
who is able to satisfy the seeking impulse. Of all the relationships known
to the human mind, this is the best, happiest, and most perfect.
To be initiated into the Sufi cult, one is required to have an implicit faith
in his teacher, who is considered in no way less than God Himself. His
commands are divine, and the path shown by him, the straightest.
The murshid is the intercessor who gets divine powers delegated to his
disciple from the Unseen. All actions done according to his instructions
are necessarily good, even though apparently they may appear to be
otherwise. Without his help, it is impossible to get on to the right path.
Perfect devotion to the teacher ensures speedy realisation of the Truth.
The murshid acts as a perfect administrator. He arranges circumstances
for his disciple's growth, for the development of the seeds he has thrown
into his soil. The weaknesses of his disciples are made to expose themselves
to their view and then drop off; and this is done, not by a word of mouth,
but by the circumstances arranged for that purpose.
The Sufi knows that "The only good man is he who goes with every bad
one” (Khalil Gibran), and so, if he wants his disciple to realise it, he does
not say that to him. But, in His name, there are sent to his disciples
persons of all sorts, good, bad, and indifferent with whom the disciple
must go, to do them service. And slowly but surely, without an effort and
without a struggle, there is developed in the disciple a feeling that all are
alike.
The murshids say very little. Whatever they say implies always that the
disciple must place others above himself. "Become your enemy's friend," is
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a common advice. So is the following: "They rebuke you;
you must not
speak in return" (Shah Latif).
The murshids never argue. No proof is ever advanced. But they give the
disciples wonderful illustrations and beautiful parables to fix in them what
they wish to. The conviction comes to the disciples direct from their heart;
these parables and illustrations probably help in the rearrangement of the
mind with which the disciples are hampered.
If a seeker adopts of his own accord a course of conduct involving more
of control and sacrifice, there is always some feeling of hesitation and
uncertainty about his actions. But if, after sometime, a word on the point
from the mouth of the murshid reaches the ears of the seeker, things
appear to get settled. It is not merely a case of a sanction received or of
faith, "He says it; it must be so". Some walls appear to have been broken,
obstructions removed; and there is an access of power. Till the murshid
speaks, it is a business of an individual; a case of control of his desires.
After he speaks, it becomes God's affair and the very seeds of desire seem
to disappear.
The love of the murshid for the seeker is said to be greater than that of
the seeker for his murshid. His love is the very essence of love, and so,
tremendous in intensity. But he releases only as much as the seeker can
bear. He attends to all the details of his life, outer as well as inner;
sometimes he has to wait and watch from afar; but his irressistible love
draws, and keeps drawing, till the seeker, whom he has chosen to make
his own, accepts the murshid consciously.
BRIEF HISTORY OF SUFISM IN INDIA
After the Muslim conquest of Northern India, Sufis began to pour into the
country and this new ideology spread like wild-fire. This was the only
peaceful, tolerant and friendly element of Islam. The Islam professed by
aggressive Ulema and Qazis could not impress the Hindus. But the Islam
represented by the Sufis appealed to them and almost all the willing
conversions were no doubt the result of Sufi preaching.
In the beginning the Sufis in India were preachers and often joined hands
with the rulers to establish their power and convert people. to Islam.
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Their patience, tolerance, friendly spirit brought them followers from lower
grades of Hindus who were neglected by the higher classes. To this
category of Sufis belonged Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar, Ali Makhdum Hujwiri,
generally known as Data Ganj Baksh, who followed the arms of Masa'ud,
son and successor of Mahmud Ghaznavi, to Lahore, where the settled
down to preach.
But, later on, many Sufis gave up missionary work’?. Sufism came to
differ a great deal, in detail, from the original on account of its having
been subjected to many innovations and modifications under the influence
of both Buddhist and Hindu religious and philosophic thought. A long
residence in India, a sincere study of Indian religions and philosophies,
and a political environment had weakened the proselytising zeal of the
Sufis’. Mian Mir, Abul Fazl, Fayzi and Prince Dara Shikoh, who wrote
Majma-al-Bahrain where he sought to reconcile theory of Sufism with the
Vedanta, belonged to this category of Sufis. Sufis thrived during the
benign reigns of Emperors Akbar and his son, Jahangir, whose fondness
for religious men and especially for the Sufis was proverbial. The Sufis,
during the reign of Shah Jahan under the patronage of Prince Dara Shikoh,
had absorbed a good deal of Hindu Vedantic thought but they remained,
except for a few rare exceptions, within the limit of their own religion.
A remarkable change, however, occurred in Sufism towards the end of the
Seventeenth Century. Aurangzeb's antipathy against Hinduism so much
affected the intellectual Sufis that they were more than ever driven towards
Hinduism. Hindu Vedantic philosophy captured their minds and the Bhakti
movement enunciated by Chaitanya, Guru Nanak, Namdeo, Tulsidas and
Kabir, influenced their ideas to a considerable extent. The result was that
this change had surprising effect and the Sufis began to hold the view
that except God there was no Reality. To them everything else was
illusion or Hindu Maya.”
HINDU INFLUENCES
Hinduism exercised considerable influence on the Sufis. The doctrines of
transmigration and reincarnation were soon adopted and were afterwards
Supplemented by the theory of Karma.” The doctrine of Karma is, in fact,
alien to Sufism but now it became one of its doctrines. Th condemnation
of idols, which had not been very vehement even in the Sixteenth Century,
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SS. Bulleh Shah, Sayyid Waris Shah, Fard Fagir, Hashim Shah among others.
Introduction
ee .
ceased altogether now. Muslim mystics accepted them as another way of
adoring the Universal Lord.”© The principle of religious tolerance was
advocated by many of them who denounced fanaticism and admitted freedom
of religious beliefs.”
Abdul Qadir in The Legacy of India writes that, "In the words of a recent
writer this movement (Bhakti Movement) recognized no difference between
Ram and Rahim, Kaaba and Kailash, Quran and Puran and inculcated
that Karma is Dharma. The preachers of this creed, Ramananda, Kabir,
Dadu, Ramdas, Nanak, Chaitanya, who flourished in different parts of
India and preached the principles of Unity of God, were immensely
influenced by Islam."7® Mutual intercourse led to mutual understanding.
This mutuality spurred on the effort to seek a new life which led to the
development of a new culture—this was Hindu-Muslim culture.
CLASSIFICATION OF SUFIS
The above were the new developments in Sufism on Indian soil. These
were, however, not necessarily the chief characteristics of every Sufi
teachings but they help in the classifications of Sufis in three schools of
thought -
1. THE ORTHODOX SCHOOL - The Sufis of this School believed in the
conversion from one religion to another. Although they tolerated other
religions yet their main theme was Islam to be the only true creed, Quran
to be the best book revealed and Muhammad to be the greatest Prophet
of God on earth.7”? To this class of Sufis belonged Baba Farid, Sultan
Bahu, Ali Haidar and others.
2. THE PHILOSOPHIC SCHOOL - The Sufis of this School were thinkers.
They had absorbed the essence of Vedanta and to them differences in
religion, country, sect were immaterial. The Advaita conception of God -
this highly intellectual and clear conception of the Divine was possible to
the few of the great mystics who experienced that cosmopolitan joy which
knows no limits and divisions. They believed in pantheistic Sufism, ignored
conversions and were mainly responsible for establishing unity amongst
the followers of different religions and maintained communal harmony.”
To this school belonged Mian Mir, Shah Husain, Dara Shikoh, Sarmad,
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3. THE POPULAR SCHOOL - The followers of this school were of little or
no education. They often believed in superstitions of different creeds and
practised them. Muhammad continued to be their only Prophet, and the
Quran the best revelation. To such Sufis mysticism was nothing more
than the few dogmas. They were popular with the lower classes of both
Muslims and Hindus.*! They were apt to change with the times and
conditions and therefore less reliable.
THE SUFI ORDERS IN INDIA
In the 11th Century A.D. (5th Century A.H.), when Sufism was firmly
established and widespread throughout the Islamic world, comes the
foundation of Sufi Orders. The Sufis wanted to be linked up in a wide-
spread brotherhood of mystics acknowledging a common master and using
a common discipline and ritual. With the advent of Sufism in India, the
following main Sufi orders were founded :
1. CHISHTIYA SUFI ORDER (Silsila) - The first of the Sufi orders
established in India was the creation of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti Sanjari
(1141-1236 A.D.). Chisht is a village on the river Hari, some hundred
kilometers east of Herat in Afghanistan. He came to India with Sultan
Shahabuddin Ghori and settled in Ajmer. This order was founded by
Khawaja Abu Ishaq of Syria (died 940 A.D.) and it produced saints like
Abu Ahmed b. Farashafa, Abu Yusuf, Haji Sharif Zindani and Khawaja
Usman Harwani,®? before Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti established it in India.
Khawaja had said "A mystic is like the sun, who shines on the whole
world equally." He gave the following three characteristics of a mystic:
i) A-mystic is one who keeps his heart free from both the worlds,
throws out all the things which are other than God from his heart,
and becomes one as his friend (God) is one.
z
—
The mystic is quiet and melancholy. He obeys and fears God, is
in love with death, renounces the comforts and absorbs himself in
the remembrances of God.
ii) The man who possesses the qualities of charity like the charity of
_the river, kindness like the kindness of the sun, and humility like
the humility of the earth is the true friend of God.83
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a a,
Thus the qualities of charity, kindness and humility are necessary for a
mystic.
According to this order, the highest form of devotion is "to redress the
misery of those in distress; to fulfil the needs of the helpless and to feed
the hungry."
Sheikh Qutabuddin Bakhtiar Kaki (1186 - 1236 A.D.), Sheikh Fariduddin
Ganj-i-Shakar (Baba Farid) (1172 - 1267 A.D.) of Pak Pattan (Ajodhan),
Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya (1238 - 1325 A.D.) of Delhi among others,
belonged to this Order. Baba Farid initiated Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya in
1257 A.D. and showered many blessings on him and said, "I have given
you both the worlds. Go and take the kingdom of Hindustan." Baba Farid
also gave the following blessings to Nizamuddin: "You will be a tree under
whose shadow the people will find rest."*
In 1325 A.D. the Sultan (Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq), when returning from a
successful expedition in Bengal, had sent word to Nizamuddin to quit
Delhi. The saint on receiving the royal command gave expression to the
words :—~” lag da ix ("Hanoz Dilli dur ast’) "Delhi is still far off - a Persian
saying which has become popular. The Sultan, however, was not destined
to enter Delhi, and so could not summon the saint to his court."®>
Sheikh Farid in the Punjab and Sheikh Nizamuddin in Delhi made Sufism
a mass movement.
2. QADARIYA SUFI ORDER (Silsila) - This Order was the creation of
Mohiuddin Abdul Qadir born at Jilan in Persia in 1078 A.D. (471 A.H.).
He migrated to Baghdad at the age of seventeen to study Hanbali
jurisprudence. He was an erudite scholar, a powerful speaker and a saint
with rare intuitive intelligence. His sermons had tremendous effect on the
masses. He began to preach in 1127 A.D. on the holy life. It is said
many flocked to hear his sermons as because he was said to perform
many miracles. By his death in 1166 A.D., his influence had become so
great that many Khanqahs ol;/ (convents) recognized his authority and
Sufis there called themselves Qadaris after his name. The Qadariya Order
has been very strong and powerful in many Islamic countries which spread
from Turkey to India and its influence in India, in the Punjab in particular,
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is wide-spread to the present day.®° The initiation of Ibn-al-Arabi into
Qadariya Order has made all Qadariyas (followers of this Order) staunch
supporters of his Wahdatal-Wajud philosophy. Mian Mir, Shah Husain,
Dara Shikoh, Sarmad, Sultan Bahu, Bulleh Shah, Waris Shah and Ali
Haidar also belonged to this Order. Most of the Sufi poets of the Punjab
belonged to this order.
3. SUHRAWARDIYA SUFI ORDER (Silsila) - It was so named after Sheikh
Abu Najib Abdul Qahir Suhrawardy (died 1168 A.D.), a distinguished Sufi,
jurist and reformer. He was well versed in almost all the branches of
Muslim learning. He had served as Principal of the famous Nizamiya
Madrassa in Baghdad. Many of his spiritual descendants became founders
of new silsilas such as Kubrawiya, Shattariya and Firdausia. However, his
nephew, Shihabuddin Umar al-Suhrawardy (1144-1234 A.D.), stuck to the
main line of the Silsila. He was a model of orthodox moderation and
enjoyed the confidence and patronage of the high and mighty of his times
who came to hear him preach. It was his uncle who initiated him to
Sufism. He was a vigorous preacher with zeal. He wrote many books
and the most famous being the Awarif al-Ma'arif (The Gifts of Divine
Knowledge) became the fundamental text book of the Order.®’ His teachings
were brought to India by Bahauddin Zakaria of Multan (1182 - 1262 A.D.)
and found immediate acceptance. Bahauddin Zakaria propagated in living
a normal, balanced life - a life in which both the body and spirit received
equal care. Neither he himself fasted perpetually nor did he recommend
a life of starvation and self-mortification to those associated with him. He
was a contemporary of Farid-ud-Din Ganj-i-Shakar. This Order exercised
profound and great influence in Multan (Punjab) and Uchch (Sindh) and,
later on, in Bengal, among other places. This was considered to be an
Order of the elite and was not very popular with the common people.
4. NAQSHBANDIYA SUFI ORDER (Silsila) - This Order was founded by
Khawaja Bahauddin Naqshbandi (died in 1389 A.D.) who belonged to Central
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Ahrar (died 1490 A.D.), a saint of great eminence, who exercised immense
influence over the Timurid princes.*® Jami was one of the outstanding
members of this order. Later it was established by Sheikh Ahmad Mujaddad
Alf Sani of Sarhind (1563 - 1624 A.D.). The Nagqshbandiya Silsila avoided
musical sessions ( &l~ Sama, dervesh dances and 43 Zikr with loud
voice). Moderation in food, drink, sleep and dress was preached. According
to this Order, "there is no stage higher than the stage of servanthood."®
Ahmad Sarhindi® and three of his immediate successors were given the
title of Qayyum.%! Naqshbandiya teachings did not influence Punjabi society,
though his tomb is revered by the Muslims in Sarhind.
Besides the above, there are some minor Orders which are as follows :
S. MALAMATIYA ORDER - The word ‘Malamat' means blame. Sufis of
this Order are known as blames-worthy. The Malamatiya is ready to be
despised by men so that he may lose himself in God. According to him,
true worship of God is best proved by the contempt in which the devotee
is held by his fellow-men. He does not parade his inward way nor
indulge in public zikr gatherings.°? Annemarie Schimmal writes, "The ideal
of the Malamatiya developed out of a stress on UP Ur Ikhlas ‘perfect
sincerity'....Thus, the Malamatiyas deliberately tried to draw the contempt
of the world upon themselves by committing unseemly, even unlawful,
actions, but they preserved perfect purity of heart and loved God without
second thought."%
6. QALANDARIS - The Qalandariyas should possess qualities of “humility,
lowliness, selflessness, asceticism and renunciation."* But they reduced
themselves to the miserable state of beggars. According to Al-Maqrisi,
they first appeared in Damascus. The Qalandari Order was introduced
into India by Sayyid Najmuddin Ghaus Qalandar who was first a disciple
of Nizamuddin Auliya and, on the latter's suggestion, became a disciple of
Khizr Rumi. Rumi appointed him his vicegerent and sent him back to
India. He died in 1518 A.D., reportedly, at the age of 145.° Sharfuddin
Qalandar of Panipat also belonged to this Order whose name is still
venerated all over North India.
7. MADARI ORDER - The founder of this Order was Shah Madar whose
real name was Sheikh Badiuddin. His shrine is at Makanpur in Kanpur.
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Shah Madar was a jew, tracing descent from Aaron, brother of Moses.
He went to Mecca and Medina where he accepted Islam. "He is said to
have remarked that he spent thirtyfive years of his life in Syria, forty in
Mecca, Medina and Najaf and fifty in India."%’
The Madaris wore no garments, smeared their bodies with ashes and
occasionally wore only black head gear. The most perfect among them
even went naked in such cold countries as Kashmir and Kabul. Dam
Madar (Madar is life) is the religious call of Madaris. According to them
God was Spirit, Muhammad His Body, the Four Caliphs His two arms and
feet; to them Dam Madar meant that everything depended on dam and
nafs and both words can be translated as "breath."
Shah Madar is the patron of jugglers, acrobats and bazigars.
"It was in the Punjab", says K. A. Nizami, "that at least four of the major
Sufi Orders the country has known, the Chishtiya, the Suhrawardiya, the
Qadariya and the Naqshbandiya reached the meridian of their glory."
SPIRITUAL METHODOLOGY
Ma'rifat (gnosis) being the summum bonum of a mystic's life, search was
made and methods were explored by which wasl or wasal (union with the
Lord) was possible. Qalb, that is heart, was considered as the medium
through which finite could be tuned in with the Infinite. Consequently,
every silsila developed its own method for attuning the heart. Saints of
different silsilas, while developing their methods, took into consideration
the temperament of the people living in particular regions. When a person
desired to be initiated into a particular Sufistic order he gave his hand in
the hands of his preceptor (murshid) as a gesture of repentence for his
past sins (tauba) and promised to lead a chaste life in future. It was
followed sometimes by shaving the head of the shagird or by simply placing
a cap on his head. The disciple was also asked to adhere to the following
methods so as to control his feelings and emotions -
i) to recite the name of Allah loudly, sitting in a prescribed posture;
li) to recite the name of Allah silently;
ili) to regulate the breath;
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iv) by absorption in mystic contemplation, and
v) by observing Chillah for forty days during which a mystic confines
himself to a lonely corner or cell and devotes himself to
contemplation.” There are many variations in the observance
of Chillahs,
Some Sufis stressed on the efficacy of music and sama (mystical dance).
According to them music generated love of God and inspired sacred
sentiments and feelings. Music is considered to have magic power which
clears the mind and brings devotee's heart close to the Lord. Al-Ghazali
has said, "The purpose of music, considered in relation to God, is to
arouse longing for Him and passionate love towards Him and to produce
states in which He reveals Himself and shows His favour, which are
beyond description and are known only by experience, and, by the Sufis
these states are called ‘ecstasy.
The Sama (mystical dance accompanied by music) became the most widely
known expression of mystical life in Islam. Sama or Qawwaali became
one of the popular institutions of medieval Sufism and is even now very
popular at the shrines of Sufi saints.!
It must be understood that if metaphysics attracted the higher intellects,
the Sufi ceremonials - sama, urs, dervesh dances - drew the common man
to its fold. The Sufis made a considerable contribution by removing the
contradictions between static theology and the rapidly changing conditions
of life. It was indeed through Sufism that dynamic and progressive elements
entered the social structure of Islam and other religions which co-existed
as in the Indian sub-continent.
CLASSES OF SUFIS
There are seven classes of Sufis generally recognized in India, namely,
i) Saints (Auliya *W2! singular Wali (js)
ii) Chiefs (Naqgba L» vl
iii) Nobles (Bakhba |.y. )
iv) Transformed One (Abdal (jl )-
v) Pillars (Amad To Fae e
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vi) Axis of World Greatness (Qutab YY )
vii) Succourer of Universe (Ghous —~4¥» )
It was the credulous belief of the masses and the adherents of Sufis that
the Sufis could perform different types of miracles to help the faithful in
many ways which are classified as follows -
a) Miracles (Mojza ,-5* )
b) Favours (Karamat Ll‘ )
c) Help (Makhumat ~'.*), and
d) Black Magic or Deception (Isstidaraaj Ob! )
THE DECAY OF SUFISM
The age: of Baba Farid, Shah Hasain, Sultan Bahu, Bulleh Shah, and
Waris Shah represents the climax of Sufi achievement in the Punjab, both
theoratically and artistically. The Sufis often dissociated themselves from
the established centres of Muslim orthodoxy as they believed that the
Ulema misinterpreted the Holy Quran. The Sufis were convinced that the
Ulema, by combining religious and political policy and co-operating with
the Sultanate, were deviating from the original democratic, and egalitarian
principles of the Holy Quran. The Ulema, in turn, denounced the Sufis
for their liberal ideas. The existence of recluses living apart from their
fellows was quite prevalent in India from ancient times and many Sufis
started living life of recluses and thus became a part of an established
tradition.
It is indeed a fact that the Islamic stress on equality was respected by the
Sufis far more than by the Ulema and this brought the Sufis into direct
contact with the cultivators and artisans. Thus the Sufis became more
effective religious leaders than the Ulema for the peasants and others
belonging to the lower strata of the society. The Sufis often reflected the
non-conformist elements and the rationalist forces. Many Sufis opted out
of society in order to pursue knowledge based on empirical studies when
they felt that the more established tradition of rational thought had become
So entangled with the rigid doctrines of the orthodox.
It is unfortunate that the Sufis, who in early crucial years were the most |
effective original thinkers in the spheres of both politics and religion,
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should have detached themselves from social frarhe-work. Herein lies the
genesis of decline in Sufism.
Although the influence of Sufi thought became wide-spread, the signs of
decay became quite discernible. The cult of saints, legends of miracles
and the blind faith of credulous masses in them indirectly promoted
ignorance and superstition which hastened the process of decay in Sufism
in the Punjab.
The Sufis who received inspiration from personal spiritual experience and
acquired knowledge by assiduous study of religions and philosophies had
begun to disappear by the end of the Eighteenth Century. The two main
causes were -
1. Political changes, eventually followed new outlook on life; and
2. The selfishness of the gaddi-nashins and the ignorance of the Sufis,
The well-to-do and intelligent people got engaged in new activities. Sufism
became the sole property of the gaddi-nashins and the lower classes. The
gaddi-nashins found no charm in Sufi thought. If they clung to it, it was
not for love of mysticism but because it had become a means of earning
a livelihood. They did not care to what low state of moral and spiritual
degradation it sank, as long as they could amass wealth.!°' Mental
concentration, meditation, and intelligent study, which formerly occupied
the major part of a Sufi's time, were forsaken. Consequently, the seats
of Sufi culture were soon plunged into deep ignorance.
Music and dancing, which were looked upon as means of revelation attained
through ecstasy, and were often patronized and parctised by the former
Sufis were relpaced by \Z mujra’ and Jy hals. In ancient mysticism
hal was a mental state or condition obtained through Divine Grace, but in
later mysticism it is a sort of ecstasy mingled with frenzy. The hal is
played by the followers at the Sufi shrines. The person who plays it is
believed to be possessed by some holy spirit and makes prophecies regarding
the future. "The natural sequel to this ignorance and degeneration was
an utter mental sterility."!°
With the decay having set in in Sufism, the natural corollory was that the
influence of the Sufis on the people also gradually diminished. Had the
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Sufis continued to contribute from within the society, their impact would
have been more direct and they could have mobilised support of a less
purely religious nature. Since the Sufi Pirs were as much revered by the
Hindus as by the Muslims, communal harmony, even against heavy odds,
would have been maintained and, in my opinion, the catastrophic happening
in the wake of the partition of the country in 1947 A.D., could have been
prevented.
THE IDEAL OF THE PUNJABI SUFI
A Sufi, who is guided by the will of God, passes through the various
stages Ll (magamaf) and the states jl{| (ahwal) of the spiritual
pilgrimage, encounters many proofs of special relationship in which he
stands to God. He regards God as Pure Being.’ Sufism is a spiritualistic
pantheism which sees in the universe nothing but dim reflection of the
Infinite Attributes of God. "Show what God is not and I will show you
what He is." Thus philosophically God is Pure Being; mystically and
devotionally He is Absolute Beauty. He is all Beautiful and the whole
universe is the mirror of His Beauty.!°° The doctrine of mystical trinity
of Love, Lover and Beloved took deep roots.!%
Absolute Being changes from Objective reality to one having identity with
himself and with the universe. There is no God but Allah, no object of
worship but Allah, and there is no existence save Allah (Wahdatal Wajud).'”
According ‘to al-Ghazali in his Mishkat-al-Anwar, translated into English as
The Niche For Lights, "Allah hath seventy thousand veils of Light and
Darkness; were He to withdraw their curtains, then would the splendours
of His Aspect surely consume everyone who apprehend Him with his sight".
The Sufi on his spiritual pilgrimage along inward path tries to break
through these veils to have a glimpse of the Almighty, to behold Him and
have union with Him. It would be pertinent to mention here that reliance
on miracles js one of the "veils" which hinder the elect from penetrating
to the inmost shrine of the Truth, yet no Sufi in the world could be
termed a saint unless he performed miracles which had become a part of
his attributes.
The ideal of the Punjabi Sufi is to reach the highest goal. The goal may
be the realisation of highest Truth, Goodness and Beauty. It may be
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conquering the mind and desires and acquiring some spiritual powers
through concentration, but for most of the Sufis the goal is to find God
in all His creation and thus attain union with Him. This union or
annihilation in God is to be fully achieved after death, but in some cases
it was gained while living. A Sufi hopes to win a glimpse of immortality
in this mortal life by passing away from self (fana) into the consciousness
of survival in God (baqa).'%
Union gained while living is of two natures: partial and complete. A
partial union is possible when the Sufi is in a state of supreme ecstasy.
The complete union is obtained (in extremely rare cases) when all
consciousness of self is lost and the mystic lives ever after in and with
the Universal Self.
In the process of achieving union with God, a Sufi has to pass through
the various stages (maqamat) and states (ahwal). A fundamental distinction
is drawn between maqamat (stages) and ahwal (states); briefly, maqamat
are stages of spiritual attainment on the pilgrim's progress to God which
are the result of the mystic's personal efforts and endeavours, whereas the
ahwal are spiritual moods (states) depending not upon the mystic but
upon God. Al-Qushairi has beautifully defined: "The states are gifts; the
stages are earnings."!°°
Abu Nasr al-Sarraj enumerated,'!® which are generally accepted, seven
stages and ten states,''' although some Sufis tend to extend the list of
stages and states.
The seven stages (maqamat) are -
1. Conversion - Tauba dla ~ 3
2. Abstinence - Wara a1 \19
3. Renunciation - Zuhd wee bs
4. Poverty - Fagr Par »
5. Patience - Sabr Way se
6. Trust in God - Tawakkul daa . fy
7. Satisfaction - Rida Yor le,
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The ten states (ahwal) are -
1. Meditation - Tafakkur TPR : G&
2. Nearness of God - Muragaba or ARIA wl
Qurb od as
3. Love - Mahabba or Fea oF
Ishq g°H Ps
4. Fear - Khauf . wip 397
5: Hope - Raja Yor bs
6. Longing - Shauq BIC ae
7. Intimacy . - Uns oa ol
8. Tranquillity - Itminan Sd4trt shar 16 a
9. Contemplation - Muragaba and ART] ed Pe
Self Examination -
Muhasaba Fea | wl
10. Certainty - Yagin : abl oe
This union or annihilation in God by passing through various stages and
states is the ideal of the Punjabi Sufis. They refer to the stories of perfect
love such as Yusuf Zulaikha, Hir Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal, Sassi Punnu, Laila
Majnun, Mirza Sahiban and others, which have a Spiritual significance for
them. The heroines, in these tales, stand for the Sufi (the Soul) and the
heroes for God (the Beloved Sought).!!2
Mystical verse played an important part in the Sufi life.113 Many anecdotes
of the early Sufis relate how fond they were of quoting love poetry, often
in the first place of a purely human character, which they interpreted
allegorically to accord with their own passionate spiritualism.!14 It is
necessary to bear in mind how fundamental in Sufi thought is this allegory
of love, and how readily in their minds human and Divine imagery is
interchanged. In languages and on themes, in -metaphors and similies
easily understood by the people, the Sufis composed poems songs and
hymns praising the Beloved, describing the pain and sorrow inflicted by
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separation, and ultimately the joy, peace and tranquillity attained in the
union.!!§
The Punjab has been fortunate enough to have a very good number of
Sufi shrines. Every two or three kilometres there are one or two of them.
Every shrine possesses some traditional verse of its own composed by the
saint. -The qawwaals sing these verses of the saints in the presence of
admirers and worshippers of the saints. In this manner, the Punjabis are
lucky to have noble pious and sweet poetry which inspires them even
today to seek the Divine Love.
INFLUENCE OF SUFIS ON PUNJABI LITERATURE
The influence of Sufi thought and verse on Punjabi literature has been
tremendous. There is hardly any poet or writer who remained free from
this influence. Even the writers of purely romance have absorbed so
much of mystic ideas that people often think them to be Sufis.!!*
The mystic idea that love is supreme and beyond all religious and social
barriers has also passed on into the entire Punjabi literature.'” The
following example is quite appropriate to show the extent of Sufi influence
on Punjabi literature, in general -
SSRIS 7 eh
OL yrs ulcd un
GA ly FLW
Cl U2) ELS! —
wy L g- AN
by Pie tt
vive a Neral
CE MF bro lF
weal Erp cl Od Up ATel
ae aienret a awed a
Vb Wd Herd A YS al ¥g
v sq Qa oral wet. |
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BH WH veld A wa a ¢g
Tel Gel GPX gueH wi |
SM ga a ay 8 aNd Ff
we Wa ed we ferent !!
Kehinda ishq di zaat safaat nahin
Nahin ashkaan da mazhab din rani.
Ishq zaat kuzaat na puchh da ee
Eh ishq di baat acharj rani.
Ishq paak paleet na samajh da ee
Nahin jan da kufr islam rani.
Amam Baksh na khauf hai ashgaan nun
Khah maut hove khah zindgaani.''8
(Says he, for love exists no race and qualities, nor have
religion and creed, Rani. Love asks not high or low caste,
the tale of this love is strange, Rani. The Lover
understands not pure and impure, nor recognises
heathenism and Islam, Rani. Amam Baksh! the lovers
have no fear whether death occurs or life remains.)
The instability of the creation and the deception played by many illusions
of this world (borrowed from Hinduism), and believed by the Sufis, took
deep and firm roots in the Punjabi literature which continued to surface
in some or the other form with remarkable regularity, as will be seen in
Shah Muhammad's following composition.
Sis or lyy tT 1 oy
OPE lo» buf ly Wil £,
eb ahi
Ub yz Jour le | |
LISP Oy, Ly be
Ub usubyzu"le
Livy 2 her ple L
Oates lege
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a ai & va Ari |
Wal Ael cart a ta AM
Wal Fel VI aa ae Ari !
Wal Fel VU ced wa aes
Wal ael Gufs ca Arai !
we Fee Wal a wy shai
Ethe ayan nun duniyan moh laindi,
Daghe baazi da dhaar ke bhes, miyan.
Sada nahin jawani te aish mape,
Sada nahin je baal waras, miyan.
Sada nahin je daulatan fil ghore,
Sada nahin je rajian des, miyan.
Shah Muhammad sada na roop duniyan,
Sada rehan na kalde kes, miyan.'!®
(Here human beings are deluded by the world, by wearing
the guise of deceivers, Miyan. Youth, pleasure and parents
are not for ever, nor is for ever childhood, Miyan. The
treasures, elephants and horses are not for ever, nor are
kingdoms for ever possessed by the kings, Miyan. Shah
Muhammad ! Beauty is not for ever in the world, nor are
hair black for ever, Miyan.)
The Sufiana Kalam or the Sufi Kaviya Dhara, as the poetry of Punjabi Sufi
poets has come to be known, has profoundly influenced poets of modern
times beginning from Bhai Vir Singh (1878-1957 A.D.), generally
acknowledged to be the father of modern Punjabi literature, Dhani Ram
Chatrak (1876-1954 A.D.), known as 'Maha Kavi' because of his enormous
literary output, Dr. Mohan Singh Diwana (1899-1984 A.D.), Dr. Faqir
Muhammad Fagir (1900-1983 A.D.), Mohan Singh Mahir (1905-1978 A.D.)
and ending with Shiv Batalvi (1936-1973 A.D.), among others. The Sufistic
stream of poetry is now so firmly entrenched and intertwined in Punjabi
language and literature that it is continuing to inspire and illuminate even
the writers and poets of pure romance who have absorbed so much of the
mystic ideas that they are often thought to be Sufis.
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ROLE OF THE SUFIS IN MAINTAINING
COMMUNAL HARMONY
The Sufis who came to the Punjab with the object of leading the people
to the Beloved by Muhammad's path, did creditable work for some years.
Then the old Punjabi vigour asserted itself and in its turn influenced the
Sufi beliefs. The Punjabi Sufis, therefore, absorbed the best of Islam and
Hinduism!” and developed a new sort of Sufi thought more Punjabi than
foreign in character.
It is also significant to note that in the early days of Muslim settlements
in the Punjab, there existed widespread misgivings between the foreign
Muslims settled and the neo-Muslims (newly converted ones), between the
Muslims and the non-Muslims, between the rulers and the ruled, the
Sufis with their enlightened and liberal approach acted as mediators. The
liberal and enlightened Islam represented by the Sufis not only removed
misunderstandings between classes and sections of the community but
also forged bonds of mutual understanding and friendship and fostered
Hindu-Muslim unity in the Punjab. As time passed by, under the guidance
of Sufis, attempts were made to synthesize the two alien cultures which
led to a composite culture drawing all that was good both from Hinduism
and Islam and made it into a Hindu - Muslim culture. This composite
culture evolved was the outcome of extensive interaction between the Hindus
and the Muslims. It was, in fact, this understanding which led to the
opening of doors for further exploration in the synchronisation of two
different beliefs in the subsequent years.
The Sufis opened the way for a mutual appreciation of aesthetic values
which revolutionised the whole cultural attitude of the Hindus and the
Muslims in the medieval period. Because of their liberal thinking and
practical approach, a significant role was played by the Sufis in the
synthesis of Hindu and Islamic culture in the Punjab. This hybrid culture
which emerged in the form of a composite culture drew nectar from both
Hinduism and Islam. The real fusion could be possible only in the
Fifteenth Century A.D., and thereafter when Bhakti movement gained
currency and Guru Nanak Dev formed a new faith, Sikhism. Guru Nanak
Dev was greatly influenced by the Sufis and in forming the new faith he
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not only tried to reconcile the two traditional religions in a harmonious
way but also gave a new direction for universal ideas of humanity, moral
upliftment, justice and pursuit of godliness, principles which form the real
religion of man for all times.
The Muslims who came lived surrounded by the Hindu people and a state
of perennial hostility with them was impossible. Mutual intercourse led to
mutual understanding. Many who had changed their faith differed little
from those whom they had left. Thus after the first shock of conquest
was over, the Hindus and Muslims prepared to find a via-media whereby
to live as neighbours. The effort to seek a new life led to the development
of a new culture which was neither exclusively Hindu nor purely Muslim.
It was Muslim-Hindu culture.!?!
Under the Sultans of Delhi and early Mughals, who, by and large, held
Sufis in high esteem and great veneration, Sufism thrived and became
wide-spread. "From the 13th Century", remarks Professor Gibb, "Sufism
increasingly attracted the creative social and intellectual emerges within
the community to become bearer or instrument of a social and cultural
revolution. Perhaps in no other country were the effects of this social and
cultural revolution so marked and so far reaching as in India."!2? This is
very true particularly in respect of the Punjab.
Till the reign of Aurangzeb, there was general stablility in the country.
Inspite of Aurangzeb's known antipathy against Hinduism, the Sufis did a
commendable work in spiritual attainments and bringing different
communities closer together by propagating tolerance, freedom of thought,
love, fellow feeling and understanding. '!*
Since the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 A.D., Punjab had been a stage for
dissensions and disruptions and from 1738 A.D. to the end of the
Eighteenth Century, it witnessed no peace at all.'** The invasion of Nadir
Shah in 1739 A.D., the successive umpteen raids of Ahmed Shah Abdali,
the first of which began in 1748 A.D., and in the wake of disintegration
of the Mughal Empire, the desire of the Provincial rulers to become
independent, contributed to create trouble and confusion. This greatly
affected the feelings and tolerance amongst members of various
communities.'!?5 In these troublous times, all the Sufis, in general, and of
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the philosophic school, in particular, maintained with their preachings the
mental balance of the different communities. A good number of them
made attempts to create friendly feelings by harmonizing the opposing
systems. Their friendly and tolerant utterances retained the favour of both
Hindus and Muslims and circulated among the masses in the form of
allegorical poems, songs, proverbs and hymns. As tolerance was their
motto, they influenced the people's thought and sent the message of peace,
love, fellowship, understanding, amity and unity to every nook and corner. !76
In times of turmoil, Sufis were chiefly responsible for maintaining communal
harmony and infused a spirit of solidarity amongst different communities
and bestowed a remarkeable legacy for posterity. !?’
To sum up it can be stated that Sufism, which was, essentially, a product
of Islam and which originated in Arabia, made a singular contribution in
developing philosophical thoughts, intellectual pursuits and spiritual
attainments, in the medieval age, in the Islamic world then spanning the
continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.’ Philosophically and intellectually,
Sufism reached the zenith of its glory in Persia;!2? but as an instrument
of a social and cultural revolution and as a spiritual and dynamic way of
life, it made the most significant and lasting contribution in harmonising
the fusion of plurality of diverse religious systems in India, in general
and in the Punjab, in particular.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
1. Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol. XII, p. 10.
2. Nicholson, R. A., in J.R.A.S., Vol. XXXVIII, 1906.
3. Ibid, p. 305
4, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol. XII, p. 10.
5S. Arberry, A. J., Sufism, p. 11.
6. Ibid, p. 12.
TG Ibid; p. 13.
8. Ibid, p. 14.
9. Hadith (Traditions).
10. Syedur Rehman, An Introduction to Islamic Philosophy, p. 215.
11. Islam edited by Seshagiri Rao, p. 52.
12. Ibid, p. 56. 3
13. Syedur Rehman, op. cit., p. 205.
14. Ibid., p. 205.
15. Ibid., p. 205.
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aint Rh thn Sa wt
ae eee a a ee ee ee te
Introduction
2 SSSSSSSSSFSSSSSSSSSSSSS—SsSsS—
16.
17.
18.
19;
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
as
~ 28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
4S.
46.
47.
As quoted by Nicholson in his article, J.R.A.S. Vol. XXXVIII, 1906.
Munshi Fani, Dabistan, Vol. III p28.
Nicholson in J.R.A.S., Vol. XXXVIII 1906, p. 318.
Syedur Rehman, op. cit., p. 212.
These sceptics were mostly of non-Arabic origin, the majority being Persians
and Kurds.
Some Western Schalars are hostile to any Hindu influences and completely
ignore traces of Buddhist influences. See Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics,
Vol.* XII and Nicholson's works.
Quoted by Syedur Rehman, op. cit., p. 211.
Chopra, R. M., The Contribution of The Indian Sufis to The Communal Harmony
in Indo Iranica Vol. 48 (1-4), p. 98.
Ibid., p. 98.
Ibid., p. 98.
L. Rama Krishna, Panjabi Sufi Poets, p. 3.
It is said that Fana bil tawhid, this Sufi doctrine, Bistami learnt from his
teacher, Abu Ali Sindi (or of Sind), to whom, in exchange, he taught the
Hanafite canonical law (legal knowledge). The influence of Vedanta can be
traced to this common belief. Nicholson also mentions in The Mystics of Islam,
p. 246.
Syedur Rehman, op. cit., p. 224.
Ibid., p. 225.
Ibid., p. 225.
Ibid., p. 225.
Arberry, A. J. Sufism, p. 54. Out of the ascetic and thedsophiicel tendencies of
Sufism, the ‘ascetic’ traditions were far less suspect in the eyes of the orthodox
. than the 'theosophical'.
Al-Sarraj, Kitab-al-Luma, p. 382, quctad by Arberry.
Arberry, A. J., Sufism, p. 55.
Al-Qushairi, Risala (Epistle to the Sufis) pp. 3, 136.
The Quran, 7:166 - 7.
Al-Qushairi, Risala, p. 126.
Arberry, A. J., Sufism, p. 58.
‘Syedur Rehman, op. cit. p. 226.
Arberry, A. J., op. cit. p. 61.
Ibid, p. 67.
Ibid, p. 67.
L. Rama Krishna, Panjabi Sufi Poets, p. 4.
Bistami himself was exiled many times from his native place and Mansur al-
Hallaj was crucified in 922 A.D.
Islam, p. 57.
Ibid., pp. 57, 58.
Ibid., p. 58.
51
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LLL
48.
49.
SO.
51.
52.
53.
54.
5S.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
7 (a Us
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79;
80.
81,
Arberry, A. J., op. cit., p. 81.
Ibid., p. 81.
Ibid., p. 83.
Nicholson in Legacy of Islam, p. 224.
Ibid., p. 224.
Syedur Rehman, op. cit., p-233.
‘Ibid., p. 235.
Ibid., p. 235.
Ibid., p. 235.
Ibid., p. 235.
Ibid., p. 235,
Arberry. A. J., op. cit., p. 99.
Syedur Rehman, op. cit., p. 235.
Mathnawi edited and translated by R. A. Nicholson; BK VI pp. 323, 324.
Ibn-i-Battuta, Tyavels Vol. II p. 87.
Golistan, Vol. Il, p. 16, translated by A. J. Arberry, Kings And Beggars pp. 81-
83 quoted by G. E. Von Grunebaun in Islam, p. 39.
Hiralall Chopra in Indo-Iranica, Vol. 29 (1-4) p. 28.
Ibid., p. 29.
Arberry, A. J., op. cit., p. 111.
Ibid., p. 117.
Hira Lall Chopra, op. cit., p. 30.
It is reminiscent of the teachings of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita.
Hira Lall Chopra, op. cit., p. 33.
Ibid., p. 38. This message is enshrined in the perennial teachings of Shrimad
Bhagvad Gita.
Zahuruddin Ahmad, in his Mystic Tendencies in Islam, p. 142, writes, 'Out of
the later Sufis very few appear to have given any thought to this practical
aspect (conversion) of the doctrines of Islamic Sufism.’
Arberry A.J., op. cit. p. 119.
Dabistan, Vol. Ill, p. 281 (of Shea, David, and Troyer).
"The doctrine of ‘Karma’ which is alien to Sufism" (Nicholson's The Mystics of
Islam, p. 19) became now one of its doctrines. The Early Turkish Empire of
Delhi, p. 330.
Sahibjani, a celebrated Sufi of the Seventeenth Century, performed the puja in
the house of idols (Dabistan, Vol. Ill, p. 302). The Punjabi Sufi, when he
attained the stage of understanding, considered his temple and mosque
everywhere.
See the works of Shah Husain, Sultan Bahu and Bulleh Shah.
Legacy of India, pp. 291, 292.
L. Rama Krishna, Panjabi Sufi Poets, p. 7.
Ibid., p. 7.
Ibid., p. 7.
52
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82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89.
90.
Or.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.
99:
100.
101.
102.
103.
104.
105.
106.
107.
108.
109.
110.
Li 1.
112.
113.
114.
115.
Introduction
Islam, p. 61.
Md. Noor Nabi, Development of Muslim Thought in India, p. 22.
Nizami, K. A., The Life and Times of Shaikh Farid, pp. 24, 25.
John A. Subhan, Sufism: Its Saints and Shrines, p. 222.
Arberry A.J., Sufism, p. 85.
Ibid., p. 86.
Islam, p. 61.
Islamic Culture : The Life and Mission of Shaikh Ahmed Sirhandi by Abdul Haq
Ansari, p. 100.
The teachings of Ahmed Sarhindi are mainly embodied in a series of letters
which were collected in his lifetime and are now published in three large
volumes.
It would seem that the Qayyum is to be considered higher in rank and dignity
than the Perfect Man. He is the dignitary on whom the whole order of
existence depends, and under whose control are all Names, Attributes and
things actual and potential. All things, animate and inanimate, are under his
shadow.
Spencer Tringham, The Sufi Orders in Islam, pp. 265, 266.
Annemarie Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam, p. 86.
Qalandar Nama, written by Khawaja Abdulla Ansari based on conversations
with a Qalandar.
Rizvi, S.A.A., A History to Sufism in India, Vol. I, p. 302.
John A. Subhan, Sufism - Its Saints and Shrines, p. 302.
Rizvi, S.A.A., op. cit... Vol I. p. 318.
Ibid. p. 318.
Islam, p. 66.
Ibid., p. 67.
Almost all the gaddi-nashins are rich people, and some of them are millionaires.
A nautch party. The dancers are generally tawaifs.
L. Rama Krishna, Panjabi Sufi Poets, p. 146.
Arberry, A.J., op. cit. p. 104.
Ibid., p. 102.
Ibid., p. 102. This was interpreted along the lines of Ibn al-Arabi's theosophy.
Theory propounded by Ibn al-Arabi.
The doctrine developed by Abu Yazid (Bayazid) Bistami in the 9th Century A.D.
Arberry, AJ., op. cit. p. 75.
In the monumental work Kitab-al-Luma.
Nicholson, Mystics of Islam, pp. 28, 29.
See the doctrine propounded and advanced by Jalal ud-Din Rumi.
The effect of Qadariyas' love for music and dancing is discernible. A
Here the Punjabi Sufis were greatly influenced by Persian Sufis. IJshq-i-Hagiq
is seen through the veil of Ishq-i-Majazi.
This union, in Sufi parlance, is also known as Wasl or Wasal.
53
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116.
117.
118.
119:
120.
121.
122.
123,
124.
125.
126.
127.
128.
129.
130.
L. Rama Krishna, op. cit. p. 18.
Ibid., p. 19.
It is taken from Chandar Badan.
It is taken from Qissa Larai Singhan.
L. Rama Krishna, op. cit., p. 154.
Tara Chand, The Influence of Islam on Indian Culture, p. 136.
Gibb, H. A. R., Mohammadanism.
Chopra R. M., in The Contribution of The Indian Sufis to The Communal Harmony
in Indo-Iranica Vol. 48 (1-4), p. 109.
Ibid., p. 109.
Ibid., 109.
Ibid., 109.
Ibid., 110.
Ibid., 110.
Ibid., 110.
Ibid., 110.
= SSeS. =
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SHEIKH FARIDUDDIN GANJ-I-SHAKAR
(1172—1267 A.D.)
According to tradition, Masud Sad-i-Salman, born at Lahore in 1048 A.D.,
died in 1121-22 A.D. at the age of about seventyfive, court poet of some
of the Ghaznavid Viceroys of Lahore, is accredited to be the first Punjabi
poet. He was also a great poet in Persian and many of his Qasidas,
written in Persian, in praise of his patrons, have come down to us. Because
of the adverse circumstances, Masud Sad-i-Salman had to spend nearly
twenty years of his life in prison from 1088 to 1107 A.D., whereafter he
was restored to his position and towards the close of his life, he is
reported to have become a Sufi and retired to seclusion. He also composed
devotional Qasidas in praise of the Lord in Persian. It is presumed that
at about the same time he also composed poetry in his mother tongue,
Punjabi, in Sufistic vein, which, due to the tyranny of time, is no longer
extant and has been lost to us for ever.
The first Punjabi Sufi poet whose poetry has come down to us is Sheikh
Fariduddin Masaud, commonly known as Baba Farid Ganj-i-Shakar, who
was born to Qazi Jamaluddin in 1172 A.D. at Khotwal in Tehsil Dahari
in Multan district.! Qazi Jamaluddin was a nephew of Sultan Mahmud
Ghaznavi.2 He followed the arms of Sultan Shahabuddin Ghori and
remained at Kasur for some time and, thereafter, on the Sultan's orders,
he settled down at Khotwal in Multan district where three sons, namely,
Aizazuddin Mehmud, Fariduddin Masaud and Najibuddin Mutwaqqal, were
born. The family traced its descent from the second Caliph Umar Farooque.°
The name of Farid's mother was Bibi Qarsum who was the daughter of
Wajiuddin Khojendi.
Farid had his primary education at Khotwal. Thereafter he was placed
under the tutelage of Maulavi Minhajuddin of Multan who taught him the
Quran, Hadith, Figh (Juristic literature), among other subjects.* It is said
that one day while he was studying Figh, Khawaja Qutabuddin Bakhtiar
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Kaki came to meet his teacher and found Farid absorbed in his studies.
While the Khawaja was busy in talking to the Maulavi, Farid was so
impressed by the Khawaja that he requested him to make him his disciple.
The Khawaja told him clearly and emphatically that, first, he must acquire
elementary knowledge and only then he should come to him in Delhi for
advanced studies in religion and Sufism and, while parting, remarked that
"uninitiated and without proper knowledge, a Sufi is no better that a
jester.”*
After his studies at Multan, Farid is believed to have gone to other centres
of Islamic studies such as Qandhar, Baghdad, Damascus and other places
in Iran, Iraq and Syria. During the course of his long journeys, he is
reported to have met great Sufis such as Sheikh Shahabuddin Suhrawardy,
Khawaja Fariduddin Attar, Sheikh Sa'adi and others.® His travels broadened
his outlook and made it universal. On his return to Delhi, he fell on the
feet of Khawaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki who himself was an associate
and disciple of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti Sanjari of Ajmer.
When Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti visited Delhi he remarked : "Baba
Bakhtiar : you have caught a noble falcon which will not build his nest
except on the holy tree of Heaven. Farid is a lamp that will illuminate
the Silsila of the derveshes." Khawaja Moinuddin then asked his disciple
to bestow spiritual gifts and blessings on Farid, but Sheikh Qutabuddin
apologized that in the ‘presence of his master he could not have the
courage to bestow anything on him. Thereupon both the saints blessed
Farid. It was indeed a unique honour for a unique disciple in the history
of Chishtiya Silsila. No saint before him, or even after, was thus blessed
by the master and the master of his master.
It was in Khawaja Qutabuddin Bakhtiar Kaki's honour that, after his
death, Qutab Minar in Delhi was constructed by the orders of Sultan
Iltutmish. In Delhi, Farid learnt about Sufi practices and concentrated on
Sufistic attainments under the guidance of his preceptor. On one occasion,
under orders from his Murshid, he had to go to Hansi, in Hissar district,
for the propagation of his ideology and he spent some time there.’ On
the death of his preceptor, Khawaja Qutabuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, Farid
inherited his patched mantle and became Gaddi-nashin and started holding
religious discourses on Islam and Sufism which were heard with such rapt
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Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-l-Shakar
a i ea ee et se
attention by the people of Delhi that large crowds always waited upon him
to seek his blessings. He was kept very busy which did not leave any
time for him for further concentration and spiritual pursuits. He once
again came to Hansi in search of a quiet place but here also his fame had
spread so fast that he did not find time for spiritual pursuits and Sufistic
attainments. He finally decided to come to Ajodhan, a hamlet on the
bank of river Sutlej, near an ancient township of Dipalpur in Montgomery
district, now known as Sahewal district in Pakistan, which, in those days,
was an isolated and lonely mound with peaceful surroundings and settled
there.®
According to tradition, it is said that while proceeding to Ajodhan from
Hansi, Farid had a short sojourn at Mokal Har, ruled by the Rajput Chief
Mokalsi, a descendent of Jaisel of Jaiselmer fame, where a mud fort was
being built for defence against the onslaughts of Mongols. Farid also
extended his helping hand in carrying mud in baskets for the construction
of the fort like other labourers employed for the job. Then a miracle was
wrought. The basket of mud which he lifted began to float in the air
without any visible support. This extra-ordinary sight astounded everyone
including the Rajput Chief Mokalsi who fell at his feet and acknowledged
the presence of such a holy man worthy of reverence and named the fort
after him as Faridkot (fort of Farid). The place where the miracle was
wrought is known as "Chilla Baba Farid" and there an annual urs in the
form of Aagman Purb (fair) is held in the month of September and is
visited by throngs of pilgrims irrespective of caste and creed.
Farid spent rest of his life at Ajodhan where he died in 1267 A.D. at the
age of ninetyfive and a mausoleum was constructed by Nizamuddin Auliya
under orders of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban and every year urs sharif is
held on 5th or 6th of Muharram where hundreds and thousands of people
come to pay their respects to the memory of the Saint.’ It was during the
visit of Akbar the Great to the holy shrine that Ajodhan was renamed Pak
Pattan (Holy Wharf) which name has remained till date.
Inspite of Farid having connections with the Sultans and high-ups (he was
connected with Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi and he himself was the son-in-
law of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban) and with the spiritual personages of
his time (he was a disciple of Khawaja Qutabuddin Bakhtiar Kaki and his
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
SO ee a ec ini aS ada
disciple was Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi), he was a simple and kind Sufi
who preferred solitude and isolation so that he could pursue his Sufistic
practices and spiritual attainments in comparative peaceful environments.
Because of his popularity it is said that Qazi of Ajodhan, Shahabuddin,
was jealous of him and tried to create problems for the saint but the
saint, in his magnanimity, never even bothered to care about such trivia.!°
Farid is generally known as Ganj-i-Shakar. This title has origin in the
miracles supposed to have been performed by the saint. There are many
versions. One version is that when very young, his mother told him that
the reward for prayer was sugar. In order to encourage him to say
regular namaz, she would hide some sugar under his prayer-carpet, which
the boy, Farid, got after the prayer. On one occasion, it seems, his
mother went out and did not place any sugar under the carpet and Farid
offered his prayer alone. As usual, after the prayer he lifted the carpet
and found a great supply of sugar - which was construed as a miraculous
gift of the Almighty to young Farid.'' His mother, on her return, when
told was greatly surprised and she named him Ganj-i-Shakar—Treasure of
Sugar. Offerings of sugar are made by the faithful at the Holy Shrine
of Baba Farid at Pak Pattan.
There are many karamats (miracles) attributed to Farid. Once a merchant
was carrying bags full of sugar on the backs of camels and Farid happened
to pass by. Out of curiosity, he enquired of the merchant what was in
the bags? The merchant, out of caparice, replied that he was carrying
salt. Farid said, "Let it be salt then." When the merchant reached his
destination and opened the consignment, bags were found to contain salt.
The merchant, repentent of his capricious remarks, came running to the
saint and explained his predicament and sought forgiveness and said that
the bags, in fact, had contained sugar. The saint told him, "If you say
so, then let it be sugar." When the merchant went back, he was happy
to find that the bags were, in fact, full of sugar.}?
Another karamat (miracle) is that once a young man from Delhi was on his
way to Ajodhan to become a disciple of the saint. During his journey, at
a serai, he met a beautiful young lass who was also a co-passenger. After
a few stages of journey together, at a lonely place, the young man, taking
advantage of the situation, attempted to rape the woman but at that very
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Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-Il-Shakar
moment an angel-like man appeared on the scene and gave a good thrashing
to the man and strongly reprimanded him for his misdemeanor especially
when he was on a sacred mission of seeking discipleship of such a holy
person as Sheikh Farid. The man at once came to his senses and
thanked God that he was spared the pains of committing this heinous sin.
When the young man came before the saint, the saint, first of all, confronted
him with this happening to. the great astonishment of the man who sought
forgiveness and fell on the feet of the saint.'9
"All the Sheikhs of India". remarks Muhammad Ghausi, "are unanimous in
declaring that no saint has excelled Ganj-i-Shakar in his devotions and
penitences. In fact his life is one long story of prayers, vigils and fasts.
These penitences not only purified his inner life but opened his soul to
the indwelling power of God. Baba Farid, as we have seen, was drawn
to a life of prayers and fasts by his mother. He was very fond of sugar
and everytime that he offered his obligatory prayers, his mother gave him
some sugar. Later, when Baba Farid's interest in prayers developed and
he subjected himself to severe spiritual exercises, his mother proved to be
a very hard task-master.""
SUFISM OF BABA FARID
Baba Farid, as he had come to be known, belonged to Chishtiya Silsila
(Order) of Sufism. It was initiated by Abul Haq Shami (of Syria) who
came to Chisht, a township situated on the river Hari, some one hundred
kilometres east of Herat, in Afghanistan, where he preached. This silsila
was brought to India by Sheikh Moinuddin Chishti Sanjari (1142-1236
A.D.) who came in the reign of Prithviraj Chauhan and settled at Ajmer
to preach: Sheikh Qutabuddin Bakhtiar Kaki (1186-1236 A.D.) was a
close associate and disciple of Sheikh Moinuddin Chishti. Baba Farid was
a disciple of Sheikh Qutabuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. According to Sheikh
Moinuddin Chishti, "A mystic is like the sun who shines on the whole
world equally”.
Unity of Godhead and Muhammad's religion being the only true way to
attain salvation was the creed of the Chishtiya Silsila in India.'* Sufism,
in the initial stages, though was confined to the parameters of strict
Islamic code yet the peaceful, tolerant and friendly elements of Sufis so
61
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appealed to the people, in general, and lower grades of Hindus, who were
neglected by the higher classes, in particular, that almost all the willing
conversions were no doubt the result of Sufi preachings. Farid made
Sufism a mass movement in the Punjab and was responsible for the
conversion of hundreds and thousands of Rajputs to Islam. His efforts in
this connection, were supplemented by two factors, namely :
Firstly, the political domination of the Muslims left the Hindus
completely helpless especially economically. Economic compulsions
prompted them to embrace Islam which at once raised their status.
Secondly, the social disintegrity of the Hindus helped him with converts.
If a man of high cast of Hindus ate or drank at Farid's or any
Muslim's house, he was excommunicated, and, in the absence of any
prescribed form of ‘repentance’ by the Brahmins, was compelled to
become a Sufi, hence a Muslim.
Thus the Chishtis of Ajodhan were the Pirs or saints of the Punjab more
than anything else.
Sheikh Farid was not a mystic in the common sense of the term, who
would reveal mysteries and teach esoteric truths. He considered the
hagigat (essence) of Sufism that —
"Real life is that which a darvesh passes in
remembering God".
He is reported to have often said to the people -
"May God give you love".
It is significant to note the Sufism of Baba Farid was that there are many
paths leading to the Lord, but the shortest is to console the afflicted and
to give comfort to the hearts of men. According to him one has to observe
three things: ikhlas, or sincerity and purity of motive; ihsan, or a living
awareness of God's presence, and nasihat, or a profound concern and
active struggle for the good and well-being of man.
Baba Farid was of firm conviction that man comes to the world for unity
with the Lord and without Him nothing exists which he has emphatically
stressed in his Persian composition, as follows —
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Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-l-Shakar
, lor L, LW boy
bY ocr deal
beset wr
hots, WiC
sagittal
Mann mim,.wa allah yara, mann nim !
Jan janam sir saram mann nim.
Noor-i-pak ahmadam dar musht.-khak, p
* Kor chashman ra agar roshan nim.
Dost andar sir mann zahir shudah,
Mann nim, masaud ba allah, mann nim.
(It is not me, Oh God ! It is not me; in my head it is
the soul of the Beloved, it is not me. In my fistful of dust
(i-e my body) it is the light of the Holy Prophet; although
it cannot be seen by those who have no perception. In
my head, the Divine Beloved is manifest; it is not me,
Masaud, by God ! it is not me.)
Baba Farid preferred love of solitude, a withdrawal from active life in
society, a renunciation of material needs, a continuous remembrance of
God with utmost humility and with an element of ecstasy.
Baba Farid was known for his austere devotions. One such austerity was.
the Chillah Ma'kus, praying for God in a state of inverted suspension in
a well for forty nights being lowered down every night and taken out in
the morning by a friend who attended on him.
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Baba Farid preached what he practised. Some people think that those
who are poor suffer some curse of God, while those who live in luxury
and eat rich food are blessed by God. Baba Farid believed that riches
are acquired by most people by unfair means and what they generally eat
is unlawful food based on the exploitation of the poor. He was of the firm
conviction that such people ultimately suffer for all their sinful acts.
Another element which is conspicuous in Baba Farid's discipline is his
great renunciation, his love for poverty and starvation. It is indeed
remarkable that he kept up to his self-imposed high standards throughout
his life.
Baba Farid was deeply concerned with the good of mankind and whenever
he had some money he would always give it to the needy. No one ever
went from his door empty handed. This is how he brought himself to the
level of the masses.
Baba Farid used to say, "There can be no pleasure in devotions so long
as there remains a single needy person at the door." Because of the great
renunciation and selfless devotion to the happiness of men, the impact
made by Baba on the people of the Punjab was tremendous which gradually
spread out to the whole of Northern India and is borne out by the chronicler
Barani that the Baba had taken "the inhabitants of the region under his
wings".
Baba Farid combined within him three qualities, namely, first, a sincere
pursuit of the highest ideals of religion in his own sphere; second, a
profound love of God (ishq in Sufism); and third, sympathy and sacrifice
for all.
Baba Farid, among others, initiated Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya (1238-1325
A.D.) and his own nephew, Ali Ahmad Sabir of Kalliar Sharif into Sufism.
Nizamuddin became a disciple of Baba Farid who narrates that one day
while he was waiting at the door of Baba Farid's room he heard the Baba
reciting couplets in Persian, the meaning of which was —
"My Lord: I want to live by Thine love, I wish to be
the dust under Thy feet. There is nothing that I
want from this world or the next, and I have no
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Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-l-Shakar
NN EE EEE I eee
desire except that I should live for Thee and die for
Thee".
After knocking at the door when Nizamuddin entered the room of Baba
Farid, he found the Baba in a state of rapture and ecstasy and, unmindful
of Nizamuddin's presence, passionately and repeatedly reciting in Persian
to the effect —
"I love none in either worlds except Thee,
I want only to live for Thee and die for Thee."
So intense was his love for the Supreme Being.
Baba Farid was fond of sama (mystical dance) and hearing of spiritual
songs, which, according to him, kindled the fire of love for the Divine
Beloved. He did not approve of long spells of ecstasy or hals and
admonished his highly emotional disciples to desist from it as many of the
lesser mortals are said to have died from the emotions thus aroused.
He would often speak in very moving terms to people for bringing happiness
to everyone, even to one's enemies. He would always strive to do his best
to render to each his due. It was his practice to meet his visitors after
the noon prayers and he tried to help them in all possible ways. He
would call them one by one, listen to their woes and try to resolve their
matters. He would pray for them, give them tawiz, write letters of
recommendation and, when he had some money given to him unasked, he
would immediately spend on the needy people who flocked to his khanqah.
‘He is reported to have said that “When people eat before me, I feel their
food passing down my gullet, as though I am actually eating."
Nizamuddin, according to tradition, became his son-in-law on whom the
Baba showered many blessings, among others, the following :
"I have given you both the worlds. Go and take the kingdom of Hindustan."
Again he said, "You will be a tree under whose shadow the people will
find rest."!© How true the prophecy turned out to be ! "God has given
you knowledge, intelligence and love; and he who has these qualities is
best suited to carry on the missiori of the darveshes", Baba Farid addressed
to Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya when -he appointed him as his spiritual
successor.
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
fete lc ee ee ee SS
Both Baba Farid and Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya, for their spiritual
-attainments, became legends in their lifetime.
It was Baba Farid's firm conviction that for the sake of name, fame and
wealth, one should not take any risks. He would tell his murids (adherents)
never ever to forget death. If you have committed a sin, do not feel proud
of it. He would often mention to his shagirds (disciples) that improve your
inner-self (batin) more than you improve your external-self (zahir). He would
tell simple homely truths to people in Ajodhan who came to him for
advices, such as, you must feel obliged to everyone but must not let
others feel obliged to you; try to find ways of doing good to others; acquire
knowledge through humility; show generosity to the righteous man; be
careful of your enemies; if you want greatness associate with the down-
trodden;:if you have wealth do not forsake courage; be watchful of your
own defects and defficiencies; if you want contentment, don't be jealous of
others; do such work for the good of others which should remain alive
even after your death.
When Nizamuddin Auliya, who became his disciple, appeared before the
Baba for the first time, Baba advised him that if you want to please your
opponents then you must ensure that each one must get his due. He
also explained that one must exercise control over himself and generate a
feeling of forgiving others.
According to Baba Farid the root cause of all the problems in the world
is usurping someone else's rights. This act encourages enmity. He also
explained that in every human being there are two elements, namely,
passion (nafs) and heart (dil). Passion gives birth to enmity and encourages
it whereas heart enables to forgive. If someone confronts you with passions,
you should meet him with your heart. By doing this your opponent will
be compelled to use his heart and, in this way, when heart meets heart,
goodness prevails. He preached that, forsaking passions, one should always
strive to use his heart which will ‘generate a feeling of goodness and
welfare for all mankind and, in this manner, evil can be eradicated from
the world. These are some of the advices, lessons and words of wisdom
spoken by the Baba.
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Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-l-Shakar
HIS WRITINGS
There are four books, three in Persian prose and one of poetry (Shaloks)
in Punjabi, credited to have been written by Baba Farid.'’
These are :
1. Rahat-al-Qalub
2. Siraj-al-Auliya
3. Fuwaid-al-Salkeen:
4. Shalok Farid
: His discourses and advices compiled and written
by Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
: His discourses and advices compiled and written
_by his son Shah Badar Diwan.
Discourses of Khawaja Qutabuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
compiled and written by Baba Farid.
: Couplets in Punjabi compiled by the eleventh
Gaddi-nashin of Baba Farid, Sheikh Behram
Ibrahim Farid Sani. Shalok means Shah-lok, world
or word of the kings. As all the Sufi saints were
considered Shahs—givers of gifts, the verses
composed by them came to be known as Shaloks.
These shaloks were handed over to Guru Nanak,
the First Pontiff of the Sikhs, by Sheikh Behram
Ibrahim Farid Sani. About one hundred and thirty
Shaloks and four Shabads are enshrined in Sri
Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of the
Sikhs. These Shaloks are the first authentic poetic
compositions in Punjabi which seem to have
broken the monopolised charm of the classical
languages. It is just possible that Baba Farid's
contribution to the Punjabi language may have
gone in vain; had Guru Nanak not given him due
importance by collecting more than one hundred
and thirty couplets (Shaloks) and four hymns
(Shabads) from the Gaddi-nashin of Baba Farid of
Pak Pattan which are now enshrined in Sri Guru
Granth Sahib. Guru Nanak himself composed
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Nee eee eee eee eee eee a ee ee ae
poetry in Punjabi and his hymns numbering nearly
one thousand are in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
HIS LANGUAGE AND STYLE OF POETRY
Baba Farid had highest scholastic achievements to his credit in Arabic and
Persian. Since he wanted to reach out to the masses in the Punjab, in
order to preach his Sufistic ideology, he used simple and natural Punjabi
language which was easily understandable. His language therefore comprises
of various Punjabi dialects with prominence of Multani dialect and
discernible influence of Lehndi.'® Though his poetry is natural, forceful,
forth-right, and impressive, it lacks intensity of feeling which characterises
the poetry of Sufi poets of later years such as Madholal Husain, also
known as Shah Husain, and Bulleh Shah. His poetry is immensely
expressive and easily comprehensible; it reflects the restlessness of his
soul for the Divine Union. He is the first Sufi who replaced Persian, the
language of the learned, by his mother-tongue, Punjabi, which won him
great love of the people and set a new trend for the Sufis who followed
him.
The highest merit that lies in Farid's poetic composition is the fact that
he is among the first Muslim saints who composed verses in Punjabi and
whose poetry has come down to us. He can, therefore, be considered as
the pioneer of Punjabi Sufi poetry. His verses are in praise of the Lord,
moral upliftment, Sufistic way of life and generate love of God and
communal harmony.'9
HIS POETRY
Sufi is of firm conviction that a patched garment and mean appearance
humbles the heart which helps him in achieving salvation. Farid says—
Ss EWS E> ea
WSO br byleud,
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Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-l-Shakar
Par patola dhajj kari kambalari pahiroi,
Jinni wesi shau mile soi wes karoi.
(Tear your clothes into tatters and wear instead a
woollen blanket (la bis‘al-suf - clad in wool, garb of
all the Sufis); wear the dress by which union with
God may be obtained.)
Sufi holds that ego is a hindrance in a man's search for God; if ego is
conquered, man can enjoy the bounty of the Lord. Farid says —
SESE. BL bos th?
res Zesty LY_A
wial |! § q are qa oy fisl ae G gg
RW GIA wa 2 W aa A gE
Farida ! main nun mar ke munj kar nikki kar ke kutt,
Bhare khazane rabb de jo bhave so lutt.??
(Farid says, kill your ego and turn it into small shreds
of fibre by beating it; out of the over-laden treasure
of the Lord, you can grab as much as you can.)
Farid believes that it is the paramount duty of everyone to bow his head
in obeisance to God. If anyone desists from performing this-duty, he does
not deserve to live. He says—
ILI ELAM a
LUI Sy rej athe
wt fe we a a aw RR oa va |
Utth farida wuzu saz subah namaz gudaz,
Jo sir sain na niven so sir kapp uttar.”!
3
(Get up Farid, do ablutions (wuzu) and offer morning
prayers (namaz); the head which does not bow before
the Lord deserves to be decapitated.)
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Akhaans are very common in the Punjabi language and express ideas most
vividly which are often employed appropriately, among others, by the Sufi
poets to- drive home a point, as for example, in the following couplet:
yp Bor eTUslir
za pia ot Ma me af fia
ag ast om ter wea fa |
Dekh farida jo thia shakkar hoyee wis,
Sain bajhon aapne weiden kahiye kis.”
(Look, Farid, what has happened? Sugar is turned
into poison (in old age); without the Lord, to whom
shall we tell our woes ?)
A life of simplicity and sincerity is advocated by the Sufis in order to
reach the final goal of union with the Lord. In the following couplet,
Farid exhorts all to live a life of simplicity, otherwise, he warns, you are
doomed to suffer—
2 b b i
Qa Ue ww Kon 8 47
KL br UZ RU GUY?
pia ! we RW we A oa A ya
forme: ener ales wg wea 4 ga |
Farida ! roti meri kath di lavan meri bhukkh,
Jinhan khadian choparian soi sahan ge dukkh.
(Farid says, my bread is of wood and satisfies my
hunger; those who eat buttered bread will undergo
suffering.)
Again he says —
@ wae ch ot
wear | aa wg ag a aed oA |
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Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-Il-Shakar
eee
Rukkhi sukki kha ke thanda pani pee,
Farida ! wekh parai chopari na tersawen jee.”
(Eat dry bread and drink cold water; Farid, by looking
at other's buttered bread, don't let your heart desire
it.)
Dust is considered among the lowliest elements which, according to Farid,
should not be denigrated but held in high esteem and, if interpreted
allegorically, all things high or low, which are the gifts bestowed by the
Lord, should be respected. He has explained this well in the following
lines —
L Sift Letts}
a4 41ULe Eupulig
wa ue wa fea wel vs a aie
waeat a aa ah war az |
Farida ! khak na nindiye khakon jed na koe,
Jeundian pairan talle moyan uppar hoe.
(Farid, revile not dust, there is nothing like it; while
you live it remains under your feet, when dead it
covers you.)
Anger weakens the body and spirit and must be renounced at any cost
for higher spiritual attainments. Farid says,
fy: Ge <<. ayes 2D.
Lie 0 Vy eZ
2 Zeb G2L 6
wile, & a Aa HY FN AA Al Sswevy
aa Ww a wT gs WH wa Fe TEU
Farida, bure da bhala kar gussa man na handatye,
Dehi rog na lagg ee palle subh kujh paiye.
(Farid, do good to the bad, and renounce anger from
yourself; by keeping your body free from disease, you
can gain everything.)
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Farid spent some time at Hansi, in Hissar district, before settling down at
Ajodhan (now Pak Pattan) in Montgomery district, While at Hansi, he
composed verses in the local dialect and used similes and peel ed from
the local cotton industry to make them easily comprehensible in order to
reach out to the masses, as for example in the following poem—
way GI NP TSA
UV; AVE Bl, Ws) Hs cP,
as vik Libby
4 of Bett LYcy Life By
Fe Zetel a sigh
yy ghd ot a wy yl o WG A WA
Meta wma
we WW & we ae wR a wt
ores} cl ca gt yr ony RN ad aw ga ga
a fia ata phe oo o@ qt af om
Dhunn re dhyniye apni dhunn parai dhunni ka paap na punn
Teri ruee mein char banaule sab se pehle in ko chunn
Ruee ko chunn ke soot banake paag piare pee ki bunn
Achhi to tab hi dhunki jae Sigri tant bajje tunn tunn
Tera pia to maha-guni hai kar le tu bhi koi gunn
Jo tu chahe har ko farida
Aankh kaan ko kar le sunn.?6
(Cotton carder (your soul), card (improve) yourself and
don't commit the sin of carding others; in your cotton
(self) there are four seeds : of Kam (sex), Karodh
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(anger), Lobh (greed) and Moh (attachment), first of
all pick them and get rid of them; after you have
cleansed your cotton (self), spin it into yarn and weave
that yarn into the fabric of love of your Beloved.
Good weaving is done only when the yarn is properly
twisted; your Beloved is All Virtuous, you should also
earn some virtues; if you desire the Lord, O Farid !
eyes and ears (for concentration) must be made
numb.)
The Sufis all over the world, particularly in the Punjab, associate black
garments and black dresses with simplicity and humility, two of the stages
through which the pilgrim (Sufi) passes through in his spiritual progress
to reach the Lord. Farid says —
un) PE LV fetes
pot Guy eleoe
wea ae 4 wus oa WW aa
Fret aRa A fe ale wea aaa
Farida kale mende kapde kale mende wes,
Gunahi bharya main phiraan lok kahan darwesh.?’
(Farid says black crumpled are my clothes and black
crumpled are my dresses; full of sins, I roam around
in the world and people call me a saint).
The old dictum "You should be kind even to the unkind" propagated by
almost all the religions, such as Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and
others, has been well et ae ae Farid in the as oe shalok—
be os yes oy
wile, VW & aa afat fat a antl yA
ama ux uy te fae 2 Wa |
Farida je tein maran mukkian tinhan na marin ghum
Apne ghar jaiye pair tinhan de chum.*8
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a Ae ee, Se oD peed a eee
(Farid ! if men beat with their fists, beat them not
in return; kiss their feet and go back home.)
This shalok is quite reminiscent of the Vaishnava legend, according to
which Bhrigu kicked Vishnu while he was asleep. Vishnu woke up and
massaged Bhrigu's foot saying that his hard body must have hurt his
(Bhrigu's) foot. In order to reach out to the people at large, the prevalent |
legends and myths of diverse religions were freely used by the Sufis in |
their verses to make their ideas receptive and easily understandable.
Youth is considered a very precious period of one's life. Even this precious
gift is nowhere near the love for the Lord, as Farid says —
Bes ere hopresbere .
BUS Crcxey) ,
wat wee A ST ua Wa wT we
pia, oh vier wa fla yo me gang | ;
Joban jaande na daran jeyso preet na jayee;
Farida kiti joban preet bin suk gaye kumlayee.
(I am not afraid of my youth being dissolved in pining
for my Master in love, provided my love is maintained,
because, I know, without Love's fulfilment, so many
youths have been destroyed.)
In other words, what is paramount for Farid is the
Love of the Lord and not his own self or the period
of his youth.
In the following shalok, Farid has given due importance to Amritvela, that
is, pre-dawn, which is considered the best time for remembering the Lord
and observing His majesty—
Sav or AY
Baegry Sh by Se
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Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-!l-Shakar
eer ees
Farida ! pichhal raat na jagion jeevandio moyeo
Je tain rabb visaria te rabb na visaryeo.
(O Farid ! If you do not wake up in the later part
of the night (before dawn) for your Lord, you will
always be in anguish, even if you forgot the Lord, He
cannot forget you.)
God lives in the heart of every human being. Farid exhorts every one to
realise Him in your heart instead of roaming around -
Te WS oso SEW)
cote) ts cg a ere
ial Wit wit ww wd aq os AR
at va fafa wia a gs
Farida ! jangal jangal kia bhawen van kanda more
Vasi rab hialiye jangal kia ddhoondhe.
(O Farid ! Why are you wandering in the jungles
distrubing the plants and thorns ? God lives in your
heart, what are you looking for in the jungle ?)
Farid explains the futility of building grand mansions, palaces and other
memorials in the following couplet —
Les erLyul) bos ZS ls?
a eth Oost SS pe tt¥
wie ! ae asa afer sare WH a
gsr Wer oe mW WN ae Ww |
Farida ! kothe mandap marian usarde bhi gaye;
Koora sauda kar gaye gor aye paye.
(O Farid ! Those who built vast palatial mansions
finally left the world; they also indulged in false
bargains and found their place in the graves.)
In the following shabad, Farid has beautifully explained that when there
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
is time for men to prepare themselves to face the future, they do not do
so; thereafter they repent to no avail.
KS Pa dlerosl
Yon OF oes J 8 fe
as ody a mea aa A am
we WR wa vod ca ae a tm
Bera bandh na saakeo bandhan ki bela
Bhar sarovar jab uchhalle tab taran do hela.
(When there was time for you to tackle your boat,
you did not do it; now in the lake swollen with
tempest, how will your boat float across the lake to
the other bank?)
In this shabad, the metaphor of lake is given for the life after death and
the time before the ensuing rains is the life which one spends in this
world. Baba Farid exhorts that take full advantage of this life to improve
and prepare yourself to meet the end. Such moral lessons given by Baba
Farid have greatly appealed to the general public.
In the following couplet, Farid has explicitly described the frailty of human
nature to temptation :
CLAM), Les eS?
ol Gyles) dou bey ot
we RR aa a a aeferh wa |
Farida : Kanni mussalla, suf galle, dil kati, gur waat
Bahar disse chan nan dile andhiari raat.
(Farid : those who have prayer carpet on their
shoulders, wool round their neck, ill-will in the heart
and sweet mouth, are like those who have illumination
outside but their hearts have the pitch darkness of
the night.)
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es ee es ee ——*™
Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-I-Shakar
oe eee
In his simple, easily comprehensible compositions, Baba Farid preaches
that we should not be buried in the dust of mundane things and sensual
pleasures of this world and die without achieving anything in this mortal
existence. His philosophy fundamentally hinges on love of God, internal
mental peace, harmony, moral upliftment and a simple life bordering on
poverty. Like all other Sufis before him, he believes that poverty (faqr)
brings oneself close to the Ultimate Truth. He exhorts people to follow the
path of righteousness and morality and not to indulge in false pleasures
which only multiply unhappiness. He asserts that true happiness is to be
found only in self-realisation and not in the material things of this
evanescent world.
According to Baba Farid "forgiveness" generates compassion and compassion
encourages the concepts of peace, tranquillity, humility and co-operation in
men and checks the tendency of men for supremacy over other fellow-
men. He urges men to forgive even the wrong-doers. He believes in the
preventive or deterrent theory of punishment. This he does with a view
to reforming the sinners. In their quest for eternal peace and happiness,
men must develop these gunas (attributes), and only then can they attain
communion with God and live in that eternal tranquil state of Supreme
Sublime Bliss.
Baba Farid has given us a vision of truth, impressive and profound, the
realisation of our goal - the Divinity of God.
NOTES AND REFFERENCES
1. Maula Baksh Kushta, Punjabi Shairan da Tazkira (Punjabi in Urdu script).
2. Ibid., p. 33. Qazi Jamaluddin was the son of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi's sister.
3. Ibid., p. 33.
4. Shamim Chowdhury, Punjabi Adab-o-Tarikh (in Urdu), p. 47.
5S. Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., pp. 33-34.
6. Ibid., p. 34.
7. ‘Ibid., p. 34.
8. Ibid., p. 34.
Oss -lbid:,. p. S6:
10. Ibid., p. 36.
1l. Ibid., p. 34.
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Neen eee eee ee ee
12,
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19;
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Ibid., p. 35.
Ibid., p. 35.
Nizami, K. A., The Life and Times of Shaikh Farid, pp. 24-25.
Mohd. Noor Nabi, Development of Muslim Thought in India, p. 22.
Nizami, K. A., op. cit., pp. 24-25.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., pp 36-37.
Lehndi is a dialect of West Punjab which is Manjhi admixtured with Multani
dialect and is spoken in Jhang district.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 38.
Shamim Chowdhury, op. cit., p. 49.
Ibid., p. 49.
Ibid., p. SO.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 38.
Shamim Chowdhury, op. cit., p. 49.
Ibid., p. SO.
Annual 1958 issue of monthly YADGAR, Lahore. (Urdu).
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 38.
Shamim Chowdhury, op. cit., p. 49.
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. poets of
6 gst Th,
S
aN ay
Va
:
:
2
EY,
—<
ZA Le
DY RATATAT ALLAN
LZYAL
ZZ
MADHO LAL HUSAIN
SALE
SVAN
?
tae
eee
Py ey tay
MADHO LAL HUSAIN
AN UNUSUAL SUFI OF THE PUNJAB
(1539—1594 A.D.)
Punjab came under the Muslim domination from the Eleventh Century
A.D., and continued to remain so until the end of the Eighteenth Century
A.D., when Maharaja Ranjit Singh wrested the power and became King
of vast dominions. In the wake of Muslim conquest, from the Thirteenth
Century onwards, the Punjab was providentially endowed with a good
crop of Sufis of extraordinary perception who, through the preachings of
their principal tenets, made attempts to create friendly feelings by
harmonising opposing systems of faiths and were responsible for
maintaining communal harmony in the troublous times. They sang
about the glory of the Lord in the Punjabi dialect in order to reach out
to the masses and, in this process, enriched the Punjabi language
considerably. Among these Sufis there was an unusual Sufi, by the
name of Husain, who, later on, became Madho Lal Husain and also
*came to be known as Shah Husain.
Husain was born in 1539 A.D, at Lahore, to Sheikh Usman.' In fact,
Husain's great-grandfather Kuljas Rai was converted to Islam in the
reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. He belonged to Dhudi clan of Rajputs who,
according to Sir Denzal Abbotson, were a branch of Panwar clan of
Rajputs mostly inhabiting the banks of river Sutlej and were spread out
in the erstwhile districts of Lahore, Montgomery and Multan. In order
to make a living, father of Husain, Sheikh Usman, who was known as
Nau-Sheikh? (new-Sheikh), because of recent conversion to Islam, gave
up his sword for the handloom and became a weaver (Ju/aha).
Husain says —
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4 7 renee 5 x
fw oly 2 Ust
by elu Lis UW i
am gaa a Wea YGerel
mfeat ePeat aft afer
Naun husaina te zat julaha
Gaalian dendian tanian walian
(Name is Husain and by profession I am a weaver;
my critics haul invectives upon me).
Husain never learnt this trade, but as his father was engaged in this
industry, it prompted Fard Faqir (a later Sufi and a Punjabi poet of
renown) to say in Kasab-Nama Bafindgan as follows :
Pb, venQoei
Wow riz ireky
Rm sa wed 2 fia qd Baa roa ey
RW Me RA aR TW ae eee TT Gaal
Par is kasabe de wich bahute alam fazal hoe
Par shah husain kabir jo aye dargah ja khaloae.
(Though in this profession (of weaving) many learned
ones had been, Shah Husain and Kabir who came
(in this profession) went and had the door (to God)
opened.)
In those days, in the large mosque, near the Taksali Gate at Lahore,
Maulavi Abu Bakr used to teach the young boys. Sheikh Usman put
Husain at a tender age under the charge of Maulavi Abu Bakr. At the
age of ten, Husain had memorised the Holy Quran and became a hafiz.
Then Sheikh Bahlol a Sufi of renown of Chiniot in Jhang district, who
had learnt the doctrine of fana (gnosis) from a Sufi of Koh-Punj-Shir,
came to Lahore and made Husain his disciple.’ After a few years, Sheikh
Bahlol returned to Chiniot. Before returning to Chiniot, Sheikh Bahlol
put Husain to continue his study of Sufi practices at the shrine of Ali
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Makhdum Hujwiri, commonly known as Data Ganj Baksh, in Lahore.
For twelve long years Husain served at the shrine and followed strict
Quranic discipline.* It is said that during this period, he spent many a
night in a standing posture in contemplation in the river Ravi repeating
Quranic ayats. He would spend his days and nights either reciting
Quranic verses in the nearby mosque or by the banks of the river Ravi.
At the age of twentysix, he left the shrine of Data Ganj Baksh and came
under the tutelage of Sa'dullah, a learned scholar and a Sufi of his time,
with whom he read many a book on Sufism.® Some time after this, on
one occasion, Sa'dullah, after the usual recitation of the Holy Quran with
his students, said, "This world is nothing but a play-ground." Husain
was so struck by this statement that he came out of the house of his
tutor dancing as he thought he had found the secret of God. Happy at
his success, in a trance-like condition, Husain is said to have thrown
in the nearby well the Quran which he had in his hand but his co-
students were simply enraged at this act of heresy. Husain thereupon
ordered the book to come out. It came out and, to the surprise of his
co-students, it was as dry as before. Hereafter Husain, discarding all
rules and regulations, began to dance, sing, and drink.? He became a
mystic at the age of thirtysix.
Husain identified the spiritual state of a fagir (wandering mendicant)
with absolute poverty and moral and spiritual perfection which he attained
and lived upto the dictum of Jami of Iran who said : "The Sufi is he
whom God has chosen (/stafa) for Himself, out of love, and the fagir is
he who purifies himself in his poverty in the hope of drawing near to
God." It was the general belief of the fagirs that to possess anything
means to be possessed by it. The true fagir needs no possession except
God. For Husain the transience of life was an overwhelming sentiment.
He was so deeply absorbed in the spiritual ecstasy of God unmindful of
everything else that people thought him to have gone mad. In the
process, he offended the orthodox Ulema who openly criticised him and
his practices.
The excesses of Husain became scandalous and reached the ear of his
mentor, Shah Bahlol, at Chiniot. The Sheikh was very upset and came
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i
to Lahore to see the things for himself. His talks, discussions and
discourses with his disciple convinced him of Husain's saintliness and
he went back satisfied to his native place.*®
Husain was very fond of dancing and singing and started wearing red
dress and came to be known as Lal Husain or Husain the Red. He
shaved clean his moustache and beard. The orthodox Muslims were
outraged and for his neglect of the religious duties wanted him to be
punished but Husain came out of this ordeal by pointing out to them
their own neglect of religious duties.? Lal Husain was fortunate that he
was born, brought up and lived during the benign reigns of Akbar the
Great and his son and successor Jahangir whose liberal out-look and
fondness for Sufis was proverbial. According to the writings of Prince
Dara Shikoh, it would appear that Akbar knew Husain well. Prince
Salim (later Emperor Jahangir), who spent major part of his adolescence
and youth at Lahore, got so attached to Husain that he appointed an
officer, Bahar Khan, to record his daily doings and report the same to
the prince for his information. The ladies of Harem and many courtiers
of the Mughal court at Lahore believed in the supernatural powers of the
saint and accordingly venerated him. The records of Bahar Khan, together
with the sayings of the saint, were subsequently compiled and named
Baharia which are full of incidents relating to the supernatural and
miraculous powers of the saint.!°
Since Husain was very fond of dancing and singing he would freely mix
in the company of dancers and musicians and roam around with them.
One day while he was roaming across the river Ravi towards Shahdara, |
he saw a very handsome youth, a Brahmin boy by the name of Madho,
astride his horse coming from the opposite direction. At first sight he
became absolutely enamoured of the boy.'' Husain started preaching
his Sufistic idealogy in public at Shahdara with a view to attract the boy.
In due course of time, the boy started frequenting these religious seances
and showed keen interest in the teachings of Husain. The saint soon
became attached to the handsome youth.'? This attachment developed
so much and so rapidly that, if any day Madho failed to come, Husain
would walk down to the boy's house. This kind of attachment was not
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liked by the parents of the boy who tried their utmost to dissuade their
son from meeting Husain but to no avail. Meantime Madho also developed
love for the saint and as the Punjabi saying goes,
Ub S Fel
OY yih byt
Pea SH <} wa Were ae
aTel Ser at worea SA wh
Kahinda ishq di zat safat nahin
Nahin aashqaan da mazhab din rani.
( (He) says for love exists no race and qualities; nor
have lovers religion and creed, O Queen.)
Both were entangled in lovers web.
Desirous of separating the Sufi from their boy, the parents of the boy
thought of taking their child to the Ganges at Hardwar on a certain
festival day.'* According to legend, when Madho informed the saint of
his impending departure, the saint was much distressed and beseeched
the boy not to go and also promised him that, on the appointed day,
Madho will have bath in the Ganges in the company of his parents.
Madho stubbornly refused to accompany his parents on pilgrimage, who
proceeded without the boy to Hardwar. On the appointed day, the saint
asked the boy to put his foot on the feet of the saint and shut his eyes.
When the boy did so, he found himself on the banks of the river Ganges
at Hardwar along with his parents. He took bath in their company.
When the saint asked the boy to open his eyes, Madho discovered he
was back at Shahdara.'* On their return, the parents confirmed their
son's statement that he bathed with them on the appointed day. This
miracle so impressed Madho that he started living with the saint like his
permanent companion.
According to another legend, Husain's attachment to Madho was
disagreeable to the parents who strongly disapproved of it. But Husain,
unmindful of all this, would still go to the boy's house where he was
prevented from visiting him. Very often he would be told by the parents
that Madho was not there and the saint would return disappointed. This
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became a regular feature. However, one day when he had been refused
permission to see the boy, Husain returned and again walked: down to
the boy's house where he accosted people wailing and weeping. On
enquiry, the saint was told that Madho had died. The saint laughed
aloud and walking to the listless body of Madho shouted, "Get up Madho,
why do you sleep at this hour? Get up and see I am waiting for you".
Upon this Madho jumped up and followed Husain out of his parents
house never to return again.'®
Both the above versions are legendry and, perhaps, of later origin. What
must have happened was that Madho, convinced of Husain's saintliness,
was attached to him in the same manner as the saint was to Madho.
Such behaviour must have offended the conservative Hindus of the time
who excommunicated and turned him out of their fold. This left no other
choice to Madho but to live with his master as friend and disciple and,
in due course of time, he got converted to Islam. Madho and Lal Husain
formed a unique corporate personality so much so that Madho's name
came to be prefixed to that of the saint and jointly they became MADHO
LAL HUSAIN who, to this day, are known by this name. The love of
Husain for Madho was unique and he did all that lay within his power
to please the boy. Husain indulged in celebrating Ho/i, the Hindu festival
of colours in the traditional manner and also celebrated Basant festival,
harbinger of the spring season, in order to please the boy. These festivals
are celebrated by the adherents of the saint at Lahore to this day.
Many miracles are attributed to Husain some among them are the
following. Once a seller of sweet-melons (es ’ By wrgol kharbuzas)
had to attend to an emergency when he spotted Husain close by and
requested him to tend to his business for the short while during the
former's absence. The saint agreed to do this. While Husain was
tending .to the business of the sweet-melon seller, he shouted :
AS vig ZL LE
ch tH WH wa wa
Takke takke kharbuza nal puttar
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SSS
(Take away sweetmelon for two pice each and a son). It is said that all
those who bought melons from the august hands of the saint were, in
due course, blessed with sons.'°
Sheikh Abdul Hakim Sialkoti has written that once a love-lorn man
visited the saint and said that he had fallen in love with a beautiful
woman but she did not care for him. The saint advised the man that
if he repeated the name of the village of the woman for a few days, his
wish would be fulfilled. It is said that the devotee did as told and in a
few days, to the astonishment of the lover, his beloved literally fell on his
feet. 1”
Husain died in 1594 A.D., at the age of fiftyfive. The first thirtysix years
of his life he spent in strict discipline, practices and code of his Sufi
order (Si/sila) of the Qadariya who were famous for their philosophic
studies, musical sessions, sama and deryesh dances; and the remainder
nineteen years as an "intoxicated" Sufi. Husain, like the Persian Sufis,
revealed. himself to be an intoxicated Sufi, intoxicated with the love of the
Beloved. He indulged in wine and other intoxicants, and propably due
to this, he died at fiftyfive, comparatively early age for a saint. He died
at Shahdara where he was buried. A few years later, as was predicted
by the saint, the grave was swept away by the flooding of the river Ravi.
Madho exhumed the corpse and carried it to Baghbanpura where it was
buried with pompous formalities. The mausoleum is now situated near
the famous Shalimar Gardens at Lahore.
Madho inherited the mantle of the saint and remained Sajjada-nashin for
the next thirtyfive years after the death of Husain. On the death of
Madho his remains were also laid alongside the grave of his dear Husain. ®
Latif, in History of Lahore (p. 146), describes the tomb as follows -
"The tomb is situated north of the village of
Baghbanpura. There are signs of two tombs on a
high platform, one of Madho and the other of Lal
Husain, the actual tombs being in an underground
chamber. This platform is surrounded by a wall
with a gateway to the South. Bmtween the platform
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and the surrounding wall is a space left for the
devotees to go round, — the platform being lined on
all sides with lattice-work of red stone. North of the
enclosure is a tower in which is reverentially kept
the impression of the prophet's feet (Qadam-i-Rasul)
and to the west is a mosque. The mosque was
constructed by Moran a Muhammadan wife of Ranjit
Singh."
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, on the occasion of Basant festival, dressed in
yellow silk robes accompanied by his body-guards consisting of tall
beautiful Kashmiri women, all dressed in yellow silks, the colour
associated with Basant festival, used to visit the mausoleum and partake
in the festivities in the traditional manner. '°
HUSAIN'S SUFISM
A Sufi, who was guided by the will of God, passed through the various
stages (maqamat) and the states (ahwal) of the spiritual pilgrimage,
encountered many proofs of special relationship in which he stood to
God. The ideal of the Sufi was to reach the highest goal. This goal
could be the realisation of highest Truth, Goodness and Beauty; it could
be conquering the mind and desires and acquiring some spiritual powers
through concentration; but for most of the Sufis the goal was to find God
in all His creation and thus attain union with Him. This union or
annihilation in God was to be fully achieved after death, but in very rare
cases it could be achieved while living. A Sufi hoped to win.a glimpse
of immortality in this mortal life by passing away from self [3 °: (fana)
into the consciousness of survival in God (y (baga). “his was the
ideal of Punjabi Sufis. .
Husain's Sufism was of a peculiar type not common to other Sufis. In
his Sufistic ideas and beliefs he was definitely more Punjabi than anything
else, but in his daily life he seems to have followed the practices of
Persian Sufis of yore and here he greatly differed from the other Punjabi
Sutfis.
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The first and foremost trait which he followed of Persian Sufis was his
addiction to wine. In his daily life of a Sufi, he would drink wine and
dance in the wine-house. When drunk, he would dance, sing his own
poetic compositions and, in that ecstatic mood, he would preach to the
crowds who gathered round him.?' This was a deviation from the accepted
norm of the Punjabi Sufis. The Punjabi Sufi particularly lived a simple
life and avoided wine, but some of the Sufis of Persia were often pleasure
loving people and indulged in drinking. They would have the taste of the
material wine and remain in the ecstatic State which for them had a
symbolic meaning in their poetry. This was known as Sufism of the
‘intoxicated' type strongly opposed by the orthodox | Is Ulema.
The second obvious Persian trait of Husain was his love of a youth. He
was enamoured of Madho. This was repugnant to the Punjabi concept
of divine love. According to Punjabi concept, a mystic does not require
a semblance to attain Divine Beloved; he relies either on divine grace or
on his own efforts of spiritual discipline to achieve his objective of union
with the Lord.” The idea of loving a youth was originally Greek who
held that ‘youth love' was the only form of love worthy of a noble soul.
This was borrowed by the Persians from the Greeks and, later on, many
Muslims of Islamic countries adopted it. Some Sufis held that ‘youth
love' was practised for the following, among other, reasons —
a) A young man is physically more attractive and beautiful than a
woman and he inspires the Sufi better in the description of the
Beloved Lord.
b) Because of man's natural instinct to have a companion in life,
he takes a pleasing youth on whom he showers his love and
kindness and in whom he confides. Alternatively, if he chose
a woman companion, he would indulge in lust; therefore the
Sufi abhorred the idea of having a woman as companion.
c) As God has no feminine attributes and to describe Him and
constantly think of Him, a perfect youth as a constant companion
-is considered most desireable.
Many critics, who oppose Sufism of the type of Husain, are of the opinion
that this love of a Sufi for a youth was nothing but only to satisfy his
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animal instinct. But, from his poetry and whatever account has come
in Lal Husain's love for
down to us, we do not find any immoral flaw in
Madho. It had more moral than religious significance because it was
free from selfish desire; therefore more elevating in the attainment of
Sufistic ideal of reaching the Beloved Lord.
Husain has left no other poetic work except a number of Kafis of a highly
mystic type in which peculiarity of his character is simply reflected. He
believes in fana yet does not seem to accept the doctrine of Ana’ Haqq,
which is contradictory. He seems to realise the presence of his Beloved
everywhere but he could not see Him and thus have union with Him in
his mortal life. It is possible that his excessive love for Madho precluded
him from reaching those heights which Bulleh Shah, the greatest Punjabi
Sufi, achieved in his life-time. Husain, as is clear from his Kafis, lived
a life craving till the end in the hope of meeting his Beloved and having
union with .Him.
Madho Lal Husain was held in great respect by all the people. Even
Hindus, who had turned Madho out of their fold, could not master their
credulous beliefs in the super-natural miracle-performing powers of the
saint and held him in high regard as much as the Muslims. He appears
to have had friendships among the holy men of his time. He met Guru
Arjan Devji, the Fifth Pontiff of the Sikhs, whenever he came to Lahore.
He was an intimate friend of Chhajju Bhagat, a devout Hindu, to whom
is attributed the popular Punjabi akhaan :
os seb Zens fe IR
W YW vy ¢ dar a qa a gar
Jo sukh Chhajju de chaubare, na bulkh na bukhare
which, literally, means that the pleasure which you find at Chhajju's
place, you don't find either at Bulkh or at Bukhara; and, if interpreted
allegorically, it would mean that : the pleasure which you find at your
home, you do not find anywhere else.
It was Chhajju Bhagat who, according to tradition, called Lal Husain as
SHAH HUSAIN (bestower of gifts) for the first time after Husain, reportedly,
brought dead Madho to life. From then onwards, the saint was known
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Madho Lal Husain
as Shah Husain by his followers and he also used this nomenclature in
his Kafis.
KAFIS OF HUSAIN
Over one hundred fifty Kafis* of Madho Lal Husain have survived. These
can be divided into two parts, namely, Kafis composed soon after the
revelation came to him at the place of Sa'dullah, and after he was
declared Shah Husain by Chhajju Bhagat.
The language used in Husain's Kafis is simple Punjabi with profusion of
Persian words; it is down to earth and excels in expression of thought.
In its effectiveness, it is better than the language of Baba Farid because
it is smoother in flow, the similes are more relevant and words are more
effective and expressive. If compared to the poetry of Bulleh Shah, the
greatest Sufi poet of the Punjab, Husain's poetry in content and substance
certainly falls much short of it because it is not as saturated with
‘Punjabi thought and is not as expressive and effective as Bulleh Shah's.
One thing we gather from his verse is that he was an earnest seeker after
God and was persuaded of the truth of Sufi doctrines by the condition
of the world around him. The chief merit in Husain's poetry lies in the
fact that it is highly pathetic, touches the heart and creates a mystic
feeling in the reader and the listener.
Dr. Mohan Singh Diwana is credited to have first published Kafis of
Husain in Urdu. A few of the couplets from some of these Kafis are given
here - Ob oS LZ
kab gull ur
BIS THR wes sar aw wel at ae
we QM HS FAA Bx ca Bs ae
Chhor takkabur pakar halimi ko kahin da nahin,
’ Kahe husain fagir numana har dam sain sain.
(Forsake pride and submit to humility, otherwise
you will be nowhere. Says Husain, innocent fagir,
‘every moment and breath Sain Sain (God).
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Husain had firm conviction that everything must be left to the Will of
God. And he says -_,. 4 sy
Show bur elt 93 F a2
SG ther Ul fos Lo!
aaa 2 et oe oat 4 ar 2 WW
sa aa 7 wid 8 oe w one fea Ge
Sajan de hath dor asadi mein sajan di guddi
Is wele nun pachhautan sein jud ja paisein wich khuddi.
(In the hands of my friend (God) is my string and I
am His kite. One regrets only when one falls into
a gorge, which means that leave everything to the ©
Will of God, otherwise, when the end comes, one
feels sorry.)
Husain did not believe in the theory of transmigration of Soul. He says-
_ tdlisi Goa peo)
Ubud 1S kd J /Eiby Mx
ibsegr2 SG Ol Ss bp ole
oa ys a aa are
wg oa ffor & oa A Ut a aa adl Gem
w We RA Ys se we 2 fla wan
Asan bhur na duniya awanan
Sei kam wichar ke kariye ji jan ant nahin pachhtawana,
Kahe shah husain sunaiyeke asan khak de wich samawana.
(We have not to come back in this world again.
Whatever work we do, we should do with careful
aforethought so that we don't have to regret at the
end. Says Shah Husain loudly that (eventually) we
have to submerge in dust.)
Husain believed in the theory of Karma which, strictly speaking, is alien
to Sufism. He believed in this theory on a rational Punjabi basis, as -
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wlan -— ly ee US 5
Ulylereiue Vol Ex
gma a aR aa aa Al amet
WM pa sin ga wn a aie aoa wea
Duniyan to mar jawana vatt na awanan,
Jo kujh kita bura bhala te kita apna pawanan.
(From the world one parts as dead not to return
again; whatever actions are wrought, right or wrong,
according to them he shall obtain.)
He was so convinced of the theory of good kKarmas that many of his Kafis
are composed to express that belief. He says :
, Ohttettbyr
Co Spe teye li’, FU
Wy 2lyue Br 8 he Ie Left
Oy iS Ge ot OL tye bubruu,
Vibs oS ut HBL ey a Sends
CIs) brow E
at ug’ var a 4% aig ah
wa wet quanfedt at wg var 2 4 ihm ef
aon MW fra aa yan W ag 4 aa feat
va ta widt aro tien ort & A wh pa
{ows a waa wx 2 a 4 4 OM feat
we Eta wef aac aa Wat |
Tarin sain rabba we mein augan hari,
Sabh saiyan gunwantian, tarin sain rabba we mein augan hari.
Bheji si jis bat nun piari si soi mein baat bisari,
Ral mil saiyan daj rangaya piari ri mein rahi kuari,
Mein sain te parbat dar de, piari ri mein kaun wichari,
Kahe husain sahelio ni amlaan bajh khuari !
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(Save, O master God, I am full of faults; all friends
possess qualities (good Karmas), save me, I am full
of faults. The purpose for which (I) was sent, O
dear, that alone I ignored; gathering together my
friends, we had the brides' trousseux dyed (for
marriage—union with the Beloved); but I am left
unmarried (for not possessing the dowry of good
karmas). The mountains are afraid-of my master,
what am I ? Husain says, O friends, without good
qualities.there is but disaster.)
According to L. Rama Krinhna, in Les Sikhs and Panjabi Sufi Poets,
Husain believed in Sansara which he seems to have borrowed from
Sikhism, religion founded by Guru Nanak Dev in the Fifteenth Century.”4
Guru Nanak Dev had endeavoured to bring Sansara to the state of a
science and professed that the wheel of Sansara contained eightyfour
thousand species of life, each of which in turn possessed hundreds and
thousands of others. It must be mentioned that this again was a fall-
out of Hindu beliefs and theory of Karma according to which a man can
be born again as man, or go higher or lower in the scale as his actions
permit. It is further held that a soul can come back into the same life
if his Karmas (actions) allow that. Husain, no doubt, appears to have
had a rudimentary knowledge of this but he failed to have a clear grasp
of it and did not fully subscribe to it. His idea is vague and confused
as he says : ;
ULE Wi utes
by Syly el bs lye
LGV Re 72 UZ
Ki SWE Vilas B
! Db o“Suledg ©
ad vel sna afd are
We ant do we at a
sa dng ¢ deni a
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wm fasts! fra alet ure
Bw wad a
Vatt nahin awana bholiey ma ai
Eh wari wela eh wari da !
Is chaupad de chaurasi khane
Jug wichhode mil chotan khande
Ki janan ki pausi da !!
(Soul) has not to come again (as human being), O
innocent mother. This present life is only for this
turn. This chess-board (Sansara) comprises
eightyfour squares (species); once separated after
passing through (eightyfour species) Union is
obtained (with God or moksh is obtained); what do
I know that which (soul) obtains (after death in
present life) ?
Without full comprehension of the theory, it seems Husain used the
simile as was, perhaps, commonly believed and understood at that time.
Husain explained the reason of his ecstatic dancing which was against
the injunctions of the Holy Quran: He says —
NE SitbreL Fc
biG A ieubl Airviz be
Ba ar: SF ele Webie
Nd Susutires SL
we Ta daa age a A atm ad a
WWE aa F BARR We Wal Yer el B
Ze a ye wen eM sere ci wa Bel &
ae mH ae ag & 8 airm a & |!
Shak gaya beshakki hoi tan mein augan nachchi han,
Je shahu nal mein jhumar pawan sada suhagan*®sachchi han !
Jhuthe da munh kala hoya ashaq di gall sachchi hai
Shak gaya beshakki hoi tan mein augan nachchi han Ips
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Ee —
(The doubt has vanished and doubtlessness is
established, therefore I, devoid of qualities, dance.
If I play (thus) with the Beloved I am ever a happy
woman. The liar's face (he who accused) has been
blackened and the lover's statement has been proved
true; because the doubt has vanished and
doubtlessness is established, therefore I, devoid of
qualities, dance.)
Husain realized the presence of God in all creation and relies on the
Almighty and says —
_ SAL See
Us G3 fy (x1 UN Zk Us ss)
Vg a UL EI ULE GS
UF Vth £
va RY CU COU TCOateea of
wer G amex g va va faa ZX !
Tawi ya aw oa ww FX
we A per we a A at wy gq !!
Rabba mere hal da mohram tun
Andar tun bahar tun rom rom wich tun !
Tuhi tana tu hi bana sab kujh mera tun
Kahe husain fagir sain da mein nahin sabh tun !!
(God is the knower of my condition. Inside Thou
outside Thou; Thou art in everything; Thou art warp
and Thou art weft, in everything of mine art Thou.
Says Husain, God's fagir, | am nothing Thou art
everything.)
All through his life Husain craved for a union with the Lord and says —
$ - a Py
ZS, ~ 2%, J aPery af Ub
$ ° ~ “oo
LJ ot 7/2 uw 3
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Madho Lal Husain
Wo GR was ae wer R a wy
RR OM veld Fe ge as ae |!
Sajan tumre rosade mohe adar kare na koe
Dur dur karan sahelian mein tur tur takun toe.
(Since you (God) are annoyed with me no one respects
me; my friends avoid me and I continuously look
upto you.)
Here is a Kafi in which Husain describes emphatically the uselessness
of false pride and outward cosmetic decoration and ornamentation of the
human body—
RS A AG
WWE EWE hs iy
Wty ibe fes
NE Soest Boe
He TI Wes aes aaa |
ay Ghkret a wea tenet an wa a ame wait
us fa ey fies gas ait os a aad
oe A FoR ws a am we faa wai
Oh kiah aakar aakar chalina !
Khae khorakan te pehan poshakan kiah jum da bakra palnan
Sade tin hath milk tusada kiun juh parai malnan
Kahe husain fagqir sain da ant khak wich ralnan.
(Why must one walk with false pride ? Eating food
and wearing clothes rearing like the sacrificial goat;
in (God's) hands is everything Who controls it; says
Husain, God's faqir, in the end (every one) is mixed
with dust.)
The Sufi idea that life is ephemeral and uncertain everything else is false .
in this world only the name of the Lord is eternal; this has been explained
well by Husain in the following Kafis —
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab :
ly (? L LA SW ake
iM! } Lier we vi
Srey es of
alc ksiennst err |
sRa an vn wet a we ae a |
oa sha gs var wat ai waa a |
Piare lal kia bharwasa dum da !
Uddia bhaur thia pardesi agge rah aagam da
Koori duniya koor pasara jeun moti shabnam da !!
(Oh dear friend there is no certainty of your breath.
It (soul) will fly off like black wasp and will become
a stranger and no one knows of the future. This
world is false and everything is false just like a
pearl of dew-drop.)
Lib ci Ver eer bk
ibyul, gealys sa2 bo oJ
Vibe BSL: ul ONY
ib Use Ub Gob
bel (Blue 2 mt
waa wafesa Ga deal aod der
t aa a ur tes awesi ae ura !
aaa qha wa Gar Wi a oy a ora
aa ft ag YA a Aa WW oy wa
we BI POR AAA AG! WA WE a Yea Il
Samajh nadanariey tera wehnda waqt wehanda,
Eh duniya do char dehare dekh diyan lad janda;
Daulat duniya mal khazana sang na koi lai janda,
Maat pita bhai sut banta nal na koi janda,
Kahe husain fagir numana baqi nam sain da rehnda.
(Understand you unwise one that your time is
running out. Your sojourn in this world is ephemeral
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Madho Lal Husain
and you will pass away. Wealth, world, belongings
and treasure no one can take with him; mother,
father, brother and other dear ones, no one goes
with you; says Husain, humble fagir, only name of
the Almighty remains in this world.)
Here is a Kaff in which Husain describes, in a short and forceful manner,
the sarcasm of the public about his unique ways —
YlLe,- op Beeb
ot PM Uyii i AS
Bt UPBULL Lubes
BB tt IL Ly! erecta
GV ORLY LL BIE
vat RR sir faa a unt !
arm ent ot Wo ae areki wera wet
gmat aeat {qa a amt wit 3 AT ag
a oft aH a eRe aa wri ead ort ort
we RA POR Ws a As! TS Wa TH !!
Rabba mere augan chitt na dharin,
Augun hari ko gun nahi andaron fazal karin !
Duniya walian nu duniya da mana nanga nu nang loi
Na asi nang na duniya wale sanu hass di jani kani
Kahe husain faqir sain da sadi dadhe nal bani !!
(O Lord ! do not mind my faults; full of faults (am
I) without quality; show compassion from within.
To the worldly the pride of the world, to the renouncer
renunciation is a cover. Neither a renouncer am I
nor worldly, people laugh at me; says Husain, God's
fagir, | have made friendship with the Terrible One
(God).
Below is an excellent example of the deep pathos of the soul-stirring
words of Husain where soul is separated from the Lord, and the soul is
yearning for the union —
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
WTS td Sobests |
Wig tds v5 ref ys |
MLA PIAA SPS, |
UWiPuti ute vee betes ga |
Mtoe 8 Ubbub kas LP or
ae fey a aa A 4 fq oral |
get ae dart ot faxet on ware A 4 fq ore |
oia wia Ri ged aa a onn ada A 4 fog sre
«eat Roms aad wo we a oa NA fog ore
we Bea POR var ta gaa a aa A 4 fog sei
Dard vichhore da hal ni mein kehnun akhhan !
Sulaan mar diwani keeti birhon pea kha yal ni mein kehnu akhhan !!
Jangal jangal phiran dhund di aje na a a mahiwal ni mein kehnu
akhhan !
Dhukhan dhuen shahan wale ja pholan tan lal ni mein kehnu akhhan !
Kahe husain faqir rabbana, wekh numanian da hal ni mein kehnun
akhhan } /}
(The story of the pain of separation, to Ga shall I
narrate? These pangs have lasted me.and have made
me mad, and the long separation is embedded in my
thoughts, to whom shall I narrate ? From Jungle, to
Jungle I roam searching, yet my Mahiwal (Beloved)
has not come. The smouldering fire of my pain has
black flame, whenever I stir (it), I see Lal (Beloved
hidden); says Husain, .God's fagir, behold the lot of
the humble ones to whom shall I narrate ?)
After Husain came to be known as Shah Husain, his longing to meet the
Universal Lord became more intense.. The thoughts and sentiments that
his Beloved was separated from him so much over-powered his soul that
he constantly sang of his pain and sorrow inflicted by this separation in
a very touching manner. These pathos have a very lasting effect on the
mind of the reader. Some of the poems are as follows :
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Madho Lal Husain
Ubss Ly UU or
Morr l ng Be-Gr\
NMovCUr cent ee Lae o>
Ube £ Lue! Bp us Bald}
WALA PER ALL
wan faa wet esa afgai
SG VTA wie arel faxel aa ats
Yen Ph 4 vifarl 4 & a wedi
we We SA HOR as a a aaa af
Sajjan bin ratan hoyan waddiyan !
Mas jharre jharr pinjar hoya kan kan gaiyan haddiyan !!
Ishq chhupaya chhapda nahin birho tanvan gaddian |
Ranjha jogi mein jogiani, mein ke kar chhaddian !! .
Kahe shah husain fagir sain da tere daman laggian I
(Without the Beloved the nights have become longer;
my flesh has fallen, my body has become a skeleton _
and my bones rattle against each other; love never
remains hidden, even if you try utmost specially
when birha (separation) has pitched its camp.
Ranjha (God) is a Jogi and I His Jogin, what have -
I done to myself ? Says Shah Husain, God's fagir,
I have attached myself to Thy skirt.)
The poem's sweet melody reflects on the well known Punjabi asceticism
and the inner feelings of a devout Sufi. Again Shah Husain craves for
the union with the Beloved in the following words—
£ Sinsveumiecd
& fei vine uly GM ule
gE Lat WE EZ IS Lav
Louie} culpor
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
A asa ad’ aa’ 2 ae ant
Piet wa frre deat a wa a ae oH
oa ve Was wed! OM A fre at
we Ea weed we wh aed fast = art |
Ni saiyo asi nainan_ de akhe lagge;
Jinhan pak nigahan hoyyan se kahin na jande thagge,
Kale patt na charhe safaidi kag no thinde bagge,
Shah husain shahadat pain jo maran mitran de agge.
(Oh friends, I obeyed my eyes : Those who have
pious eyes, they can never be deceived; black (bad)
can never become white (pure and good) just as the
crows (black) cannot become white. Says Shah
Husain, those who die for their friend Beloved (God)
they become martyrs in this world.)
Here is an example of Shah Husain's love for wine and other intoxicants;
he prays to God to grant him these boons together with wisdom, knowledge
and contemplation so that in the ecstatic state, he may obtain union
with the Lord :
by Lb ysergs LX cak toe
Sy Lee P fi gly ign
wt Leb toy dl
SiS 3 ts Bhs
cy) Lary ote pot
Glroibr mbt BoA
ad ud gha wa ot ® aa aad
eH 2 wa 2g oid @y wi A
amt eg fad eg @ fix eg wi A
dea @g adl 2g mei 2g as A
saa @f ema @f wen wy wi A
We Fe WOR WE a vA gon y wat ai
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———
Madho Lal Husain
Jeti jeti duniya ram ji tere kaulon mang di
Kunda dein sota dein kotthi dein bhang di
Safi dein mircha dein be minti dein rang di
Posat dein bati dein chati dein khand di
Gyan dein dhyan dein mahima sadhu sang di
Shah husain faqir sain da ehi dua ee malang di !
(All the world, O Rama (God) begs from you. Give
the stone vessel for rubbing and wooden staff for
pressing and a chamber full of bhang (canabis indica)
(intoxicant); give the cloth (for straining) and black
pepper and measureless colour. Give poppy seeds,
dish and large earthen vessel full of sugar. Give
wisdom, knowledge and contemplation and the
honour of the company of sages. Shah Husain says,
the faqir of God, this is the prayer of a mendicant.
Such was Shah Husain, the unusual Sufi, who lived and craved in the
hope of meeting his Beloved and thus merging himself in Him.
NOTES & REFERENCES
Tazkira Awliya-i-Hind, Vol. Ill, p. 33.
The word nau is a sarcastic prefix which was usually added to the names of new
converts to Islam.
See Dariya-i-Ma'rifat containing the Kasab Nama.
Tahgigat-i-Chishti by Noor Ahmed Chishti, p. 43.
Ibid., p. 46.
L. Rama Krishna, Panjabi Sufi Poets, P. 33.
Ibid., p. 35.
Ibid., p. 33.
Ibid., p. 34.
Ibid., p. 34.
Maula Baksh Kushta, Punjabi Shairaan da Tazkira, p. 53.
L. Rama Krishna, op. cit., p. 34.
Ibid., p. 35.
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab 7
Cee ee eee ee
l
14. Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 56.
15. L. Rama Krishna, op. cit., pp. 35-36.
16. Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., pp. 55- 56. |
17. _—Ibid., p. 56.
18. = Ibid., p. 56.
19, Chopra R. M., The Legacy of the Punjab, p.94.
20. Chopra R. M., The Contribution of the Indian Sufis to the Communal Harmony in
Indo-Iranica, Vol. 48 (1-4) p. 106. |
21. LL. Rama Krishna, op. cit., p. 39.
22. Ibid., p. 39.
23. According to Maula Baksh Kushta, 163 Kafis of Shah Husain are available and
out of these only one Kafi is mentioned in the Khari Behr of Sri Guru Granth
Sahib. (op. cit., p. 57).
24. Panjabi Sufi Poets; p: 47.
25. Suhagan is a woman whose husband is living, hence happy.
26. From Qawwaalis which the Qawwaals sing.
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Sie eS a he ee eee ee ee, ee) ee ee
LYALL
TAA)
“t=
Z
fe
SULTAN BAHU
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ee
SULTAN BAHU
(1630—1691 A.D.)
After the Muslim conquest of Northern India, The Punjab had a good
crop of Sufis from the Thirteenth Century A.D., onwards. In Sultan
Bahu (1630 - 91 A.D.) we have one of the greatest mystics not only of
the Punjab but also of India. We do not find any account of his date
of birth but many accounts are available which confirm that he died in
1691 A.D.,' after completing sixtythree lunar years of age from which it
can be deduced that he must have been born in 1630 A.D., at Awan,
near Shorkot, in Jhang district.
According to Manaaqab-i-Sultani written by Sultan Hamid, a relative and
descendent of the Sufi poet Sultan Bahu, the ancestors of the poet
migrated to the Punjab from Arabia after the death of Hasan and Husain,
sons of Imam Ali and grandsons of the Prophet, and settled down at a
place called Pind Dadan Khan, in Jhelum district.2 He has given a
detailed account as to how they occupied, forcefully, the area and
converted the entire Hindu population of that place to Islam. However,
we know that Sultan Bazid, father of Sultan Bahu, was a Zamindar and
a resident of Jhang district.* By disposition, Sultan Bazid and his wife,
the mother of Bahu, were quiet persons who led a pious life and were
known for their generosity and benevolence in the neighbourhood.
Emperor Shah Jahan is known to have held the family in high esteem
and conferred on Sultan Bazid the area of Kahar Jaanan in Jagir.‘
There are many anecdotes related to the birth and childhood of Bahu
most of which are steeped in legends. It is said that when Bahu was
not yet a year old and was still a suckling baby, in the month of Ramazan
(the Muslim month of fasting), he did not take milk throughout the day,
as if observing fast, and took it only before sunrise and after sunset,°
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
ne
which emphasises the fact that even as a toddler, providentially, he was
bestowed a highly religious bent of mind.
According to another legend, it is said that when Bahu was a boy, he
was such a devout Muslim that a kind of nimbus-like halo of radiance
spread round his face, and whenever a Hindu saw it, he was so impressed
by it that he would renounce his religion and get converted to Islam.
Hindus of that area were alarmed and frightened and a delegation of
leading Hindus approached Bahu's father and requested him to keep |
Bahu indoors except at certain hours so as not to upset the community
which request was accepted and complied with.® All these legends and
attributes go to stress emphatically that Bahu had shown extraordinary
signs of religious devoutness right from his childhood.
The name Bahu, which, literally, means "with the Lord",” was given to
Sultan Bahu, whose real name was Sultan Muhammad, by his mother
under whose guidance and supervision primary education was imparted
to him at home. Bahu, it is mentioned in Manaagab-i-Sultani, was
grateful to his mother for giving him the name Bahu, which by the
alteration of one nukta (point) becomes Yahu, an efficacious name of God
recitation of which is considered an act of merit. In the meantime, he
_ was married and had begotten children. He was greatly attached to his
mother, a pious and a highly religious lady of strong character, and
wanted her to become his pir or murshid which she declined on the plea
that women in Islam were not permitted to be spiritual teachers and he
was advised to look for a male teacher. Whereupon, leaving behind his
wives and family, he came first to Multan, then known as ‘Baghdad of
the East’, and served at the dargah of Baha-ul-Haqq and from there he
went to Hazrat Habibullah.* Master found, in due course of time, that
his brilliant student had extraordinary perception and understanding of
Sufistic ideology and performed better karamats (miracles) than him, he
expressed his inability to teach him any further but, at the same time,
advised him to go to the renowned Sufi of Delhi, Hazrat Sayyid Abdul
Rehman, who was a mansabdar in the court at Delhi and was known to
possess great spiritual knowledge. Sultan Bahu went to Delhi and was
at once taken in as a disciple by Abdul Rehman. Bahu learnt about
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Sultan Bahu
Sufism from his master which brought a great maturity in Bahu's thoughts
and attainments as a Sufi. He also acquired proficiency in Persian and
Arabic. In Persian prose and poetry he is said to have written 140 books
on Sufism some of which are : Shams-al-'Arafeen, Muftah-al-'Arafeen,
Mohkum-al-Fugra, Ain-al-Fugra, Amir-al-Konin, Diwan Bahu, Ugqqal Bedaar,
etc.°
According to Sultan Baksh Qadari, Bahu was held in high regard by
Emperor Aurangzeb who is reported to have paid all kinds of attention
to him but the Sufi did not seem much to care for the Emperor as,
perhaps, he doubted the attention of the Emperor or disapproved of his
treatment meted out to the Sufi saints and friends of Prince Dara Shikoh
whom all Sufis, especially the Qadaris, admired and considered as one
of themselves. '°
Bahu died in 1691 A.D. (1102 A.H.) and was buried at Kahar Jaanan
which became a place of pilgrimage for his adherents and many of his
murids started residing there. In 1765 A.D., when the Sikh mis/s ruled
in the Punjab, Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh of Bhangi mis/ raided the
district. All the murids and relatives of Bahu, although keen to protect
the shrine, ran away from fear except one murid who stayed back. The
Sikh chiefs, contrary to what was expected, did not despoil the shrine
and left the murid unmolested. What the Sikh Chiefs spared, nature,
however, did not. The river Chenab, which is known for its turbulence,
changed its course and, in the process, its waters swept away the shrine.
Subsequently, the coffin of the saint was placed under the pipal tree in
a new premises where a raised platform was constructed. This happened
ten years after the Sikh raid on the district in 1775 A.D."
HIS WORKS
Bahu was not only an accomplished Sufi of the Qadariya silsila but he
was also a writer of distinction in Arabic and Persian. In Persian prose
and poetry, as earlier mentioned, he is credited to have written more
than one hundred and forty treatises on Sufism. We do not come across
any of his writings in his mother-tongue, Punjabi, except a few poems
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
and Siharfi preserved by his followers. It is possible that writting in
Punjabi language in those days was not in vogue; Persian being the
court language, and the language of the literati, it was considered
unscholarly to write in Punjabi. Even if he wrote in Punjabi, which is
doubtful, except the Punjabi verse which is preserved by his adherents,
admirers and gaddi-nashins, the same has been lost. Since most of the
adherents and admirers of Sultan Bahu were simple villagers and
uneducated people and they knew only their mother-tongue Punjabi, we
are fortunate enough that some of the compositions preserved by them
and by the traditional gawwaals have come down to us. Mian Fazal Din
of Lahore had published some of them. The published Siharfi of Bahu
is a lengthy one. Each letter of the Persian alphabet has one, two or four
short poems. Another striking feature of his verse is that every second
tukk of his verse or misra (line) ends in Hu, which is regarded as a name
of Allah and repeating it as often as possible is considered an act of
merit by the faithful. This was quite an innovation in Punjabi verse and
is found efficacious in establishing the authenticity of Bahu's compositions.
Bahu, no doubt, belonged to the philosophic school of the Sufis,'? but
he was never vociferous about it and kept his philosophy under wraps
of ostensible orthodoxy. Perhaps it was because, he thought, Emperor
Aurangzeb kept a careful watch on his movements and activities. There
could be another reason, namely, that since he had declared himself a
Pir this position did not allow him that freedom and liberty which was
enjoyed by Shah Husain before him or, later on, by Bulleh Shah his
younger contemporary. As his position demanded a certain amount of
restraint and prudence, his philosophic ideas were contained in the
exterior of orthodox thoughts, in spite of his personal convictions
otherwise.
Although Sahu's ideas were philosophic they were at great variance with
Bulleh Shah, his younger contemporary. Bahu was, no doubt, highly
religious in outlook but in his pantheism he did not seem to subscribe
to the doctrine of reincarnation and the theory of Karma; even if he did,
they were not conspicuous in his compositions. Whereas Bulleh Shah
not only subscribed to them but also was a staunch supporter of them
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Sultan Bahu
and believed in the Advaita conception of the Universal Lord which
became the guiding principle of his pantheistic Sufism. It can, therefore,
be surmised that the pantheistic philosophy of Sultan Bahu was unsteady
and lacked balance; the equilibrium in his thought was disturbed which
was reflected in his life-style of princely living and indulgence in worldly
pleasures.'* Bahu had four wives, three Muslim and one Hindu, and is
reported to have had many mistresses. Of course, it is futile to judge
his private life, nevertheless, this kind of life, though sanctioned by
Muslim law, did not befit a master and a Sufi saint.'* His personal life,
presumably, was a consequence of his philosophic unsteadiness.
HIS POETRY
Bahu composed poetry in Punjabi in simple, unpretentions yet deeply
absorbing style. He developed his own style from his own resources of
thought and vast study of knowledge of the language by which he wanted
to reach out to the simple Punjabi folks. His verses are totally free from
artificiality. Another remarkable thing about his verses is that they are
extremely pious and completely bereft of all human love and its ideals.
Here he differs a great deal with the other Sufi poets of the Punjab.
Bahu's compositions are in Punjabi language as spoken in Jhang district
which is an admixture of central (Manji) and Lehndi dialects, occasionally
interspersed with Multani dialect. His language has sweetness and
simplicity without any trace of vulgarity.
Unlike the compositions of Shah Husain, Bulleh Shah and other Punjabi
Sufi poets of philosophic thought, the poetry of Bahu lacks in deep
feelings; heart-rending ‘pathos of separation (birha) of the soul from the
Universal Lord and yearning for the union, references to the immortal
stories of perfect love as the Sufis were wont to do, but in religious
outlook, in sincerity and dignity it is in no way inferior to any one of
them. Bahu's poetry is not much known and whatever popularity it has
achieved is mainly in the close circle of his followers, murids, traditional
gawwaals who sing at his tomb and people in the neighbouring areas of
Kahar Jaanan, although it deserves better consideration.
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
The following poems have been extracted from Bahu's Siharfi.
Bu Cele B16 2 pi - ess
Bb pLigedlberil
~ ee 0 eee ‘5
BT cbr dx!
Buds wire be
-
SudssSsase
aap sere aa a gl qewe RM AA a E
aa saa a ut fds we TI ee ws =
aren gel Fae Fa WA Hed WwW a &
vid arr ora ag ford & gel ag | |
Alaf Allah chambe di booti murshid mere mann layee hu
Nati asbat da paani milia shah ragge har jayee hu
Andar booti mushk machaya jaan phullan par aiyee hu
Jive murshid kamal bahu jis eh booti lai hu !
(Alaf : Allah is like the fragrant shrub of jasmine
which has been planted by my master (zmurshid) in
my heart, O He; it is watered by self negation and
it has remained near the shah rag (great vein nearest
the mind) and everywhere else O He; inside: me the
shrub has spread its fragrance as flowers are about
to be blossomed, O He; long live perfect master,
says Bahu, who has planted this shrub, O He.)
Bahu, in prayer, bows to the grace, blessings and kindness showered on
the faithful by the Prophet who has shown the true path. He says,
J : 1
Ave a NY BIL?
Ane bj, be fetes ab
KY Peo corde 266 J
b : @) 729
Ald ssa Oy Gy to d- yo
Aubry ubrrle sul Oe
»
\
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Sultan Bahu
a Ra Se
fart sae SH sens a te A wn az
eel dee coc ad YO ts waz
4 gram fret at ag fore fon aa wer = |
Bismillah ism allah da eh bhi rehna bhara hu
Naal shafa‘at sarvar-e-alam chhutt si alam sara hu
Huddon behadd darood nabi nun jaindda ed pasara hu
Main qurban tinhaan ton bahu jinhan milia nabi sahara hu !
(Be : Bismillah is the name of Allah and only this
will remain, O He; by the grace and blessings of the
Prophet, this world will have to be left, O He; with
limitless kindness of the Prophet who has established
the path, O He; I sacrifice for those, Bahu, whom
the Prophet has given shelter (refuge), O He.)
In the following poem, Bahu criticises the so-called learned and people
professing holiness who fall for material things, but praises those who
live on their hard earnings :
2B obos Fo Soyo e
reoeuoxs4, Wi esol WL
ASW PLE Wed
IVE GWlober tee Slzuts> os!
afoo fier ox oe dpax om ym afeag &
waa we 2 weal diy fora fart ae z
forel dan ain ua ake ver oom fag &
ae ai wer ag ae feret aedl aa ware g |
Hafiz hifaz kar karan takabbar, karan mulla wadiyaee hu,
Sawan mah de badlan wangun phiran kitabaan chayee hu,
Jiththe wekhan changa chokha othe padhan kalaam sawayee hu
Oh doheen jahane muththe bahu jinhan khadi wech kamayee hu.
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(He : By memorising the Quran, Hafiz feels proud
and praises the Mulla, O He; like the clouds of rainy
season he wanders about carrying books, O He;
wherever he sees good material things in abundance,
he reads aloud (the holy) words, O He; Bahu, he
who has followed the straight path and lived his life
on his earnings (efforts) has conquered both the
worlds, O He.)
What the Beloved desires from the lover is a pure heart and not a
handsome face; his good actions and not good appearance; which has
been finely expressed by Bahu in the following poem :
Ze f Leupp fe veuyier» AS
ye fz Luter Bids
[ich suet awlUse!
Ceji lee vere dbe xl
aa fla we oe ee wen an U oy BA TOM &
gf oa Ra sen ed ai Ra oR TEN g
ve fla ax 2 fie ea adi ae ft we ver ¢€
ag 8 oem vty att ad ve aM a fea for = !
Dal Dil kale kolon munh kala changa, je koi usnun jane hu,
Munk kala dil achhaa hove tan dil yar pachchane hu,
Eh dil yar de pichche hove, matan yar wi kade pachchane hu
Bahu, sai alam chhor masitan nathhe, jad lage na dil tikane hu.
(Dal : Black face is better than black heart, if one
understands that, O He; if face is black and heart
is pure, then the Beloved recognises that, O He;
such heart should even crave for the Beloved, it is
possible that He may recognise him, O He; Bahu,
hundreds of learned men have left the mosques and
ran out (to their murshids), when their hearts have
not attained satisfaction, O He.)
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Sultan Bahu
Bahu's ideal of a fagir (aseetic) is graphically portrayed in the following
composition. Although he belonged to Qadariya si/sila, here the influence
of Malaamatiya silsila is discernible :
FS Rea ION t
hea ree Vite 8
KE SII fn Ah
pS pir raeins FAS ant f
wim «ovalfear ax vem Bld tH da WOR we =
WOE Ys Wes Ks Ti seg wea |X
UU we os Ten AA GA ZU HH ofea =
fir mare WS Wart uy @ ont wea |
Jim Jiundian mar rehna hove, tan wes faqira kariye hu
Je koi sutte guddar kura, wang aruree sahiya hu
Je koi kadde gallan mehne, us nun ji ji kahiye hu
Gila-ulahmaan bhandi khawari yar de paron sahiye hu.
(Jim : If, while living, we want to remain dead, then
we should wear the robe of fagirs, O He; if any one
throws tattered, wornout rags and rubbish, like
dunghill, we should say Sir,. Sir, O He; complaints
and taunts, scandals and troubles, we should bear
for the sake of the Beloved, O He.)
To a Sufi, the ideal is union with the Divine Beloved and without that
everything else is false in this world. Bahu says —
ne io 2 bea dbus. xe
i el prerkiy (U2
AOU St Beer:
Fie SIS Voz len aiding!
qo 8 oem a A wore A Awd A Ot |
a fa a ae a a whe afer ui =
a 4 aa Ww wa 4 we ws |&
aa qa sare 2 ag ghia gel apt | !
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Nun Na main alam na main fazal na mufti na qgazi hu,
Na dil mera dozakkh mange na shauq bahishti razi hu;
Na main terraiye roze rakhe na main pak namazi hu
Bajh wasaal allah de bahu duniya koori baazi hu.
(Nun : Neither am | learned nor am I highly educated,
nor Mufti (lawman) nor Qazi (magistrate), O He;
neither my heart desires hell nor am I interested in
heaven, O He; neither have I fasted (in the month of
Ramazan) nor am I a pious namazi, O He; without
union with God, Bahu, this world is false, O He.)
All the Sufis of the Punjab, like elsewhere, were quite averse to the so-
called learned men; for them learning of letters, devoid of Love Divine,
was no learning at all. They held love for the Beloved and union with
Him the ultimate goal in this world. Bahu has also expressed these
sentiments as follows :
q
Pe
fare ade Wl Bez wo "Sea
tes ep Soler l'l, GZS
few OW DP LaF 2 65
AG” ELLA bee ib
Ae eo POPE PCO
LAL tyr el lazy: o
Ug We SoH eo fear area ae a z
TPR RH TT Wa ur yA fea far =
so fis of ome da aa sai aR
aa frre OU orem 2a RA a wef Wes &
Re gor fla aoa ath wai wei 2 oe rf
woe aT frei wea ae we at wert Ws & !
Padh padh ilam hazaar kitaban alam hoe sare hu,
Ikk haraf ishq da na padhia Jannan bhulle phirann bechare hu
Ikk nigah je aashaq wekhe lakkh hazaaran tare hu,
Lakkh nigah je alam wekhe kisse na kaddhi chahde hu
Ishq uqgal wich manzal bhari saiyan kohan de pade He
Ishq na jinhan kharidia bahu oh doven Jahani mare hu.
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(Pe : By reading thousand books, all have become
learned, O He; those who have not read one word of
Love (Divine) are poor souls roaming around lost, O
He; One sight of the Beloved is worth hundred
thousand twinkling stars, O He; sight of hundred
thousand people of the world has not helped in the
devotion of the soul, O He; destinations of love and
wisdom are different, the difference is of hundred
mountains, O He; those who have not purchased
(obtained) Love (Divine), Bahu, they have lost both
the worlds, O He.)
In the following poem, Bahu relates the bissful state of those who have
attained union with God.
Hews 2012 Ih api wee
i Py ery, Vy) Usb os!
ie ydutber (bare js,
I MO weg ICY
wm «(fre wie sep ef oa, a wor eA a Ug 2 &
ae ARA A ySad Tc, a BV A we =
apra afer yaa fret @, a fort A ae =,
4H pean fai a ae vies aecd ¢ fla ase = |
Jim Jinhan shau alaf thi paya, oh faqir quran na parh de hu,
Oh maaran dum mohhabat wala, door hoye ne parde hu;
Dozzakh bahisht ghulam tinhande, cha kitton ne barde hu,
Main qurban tinhaan to Bahu, jehre wahdat de wich warde hu.
(Jim : Those who have found God in alaf, they then
don't read the Quran, O He; they take the breath of
Love (Divine), their veils (of ignorance) have been
lifted, O He; hell and heaven are their slaves, they
forsake their faults, O He; I sacrifice for those, Bahu,
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
who in the Unity of God (wahat-al-wajud - Unity of
Godhead, doctrine propounded by Ibn al-Arabi) enter,
O He.)
In the following poem, Bahu describes the horrors of the grave and
parting from the near and dear and also suggests that all this could be
avoided if one pews his head to the Divine Will :
Loy pel bdlry ber .%
ib Ales e713! 2yl2
ip clibvukwcul! VBS
PhP Lic (pb pvilol!
vim wre @ ura aR at df a uM wl ara ¢ |
emi ¢ fla aa wT ot att wd eter ae az |
so favre! ai at wget gon apna wa a = |
Sa worrd fie at ae Ves ya oh fe ural = II
Jim Jiunde ki janan saar moyan di so jane jo marda hu,
; Qabraan de wich ann na pani utthe kharch turenda ghar da hu,
[kk wichhora ma pio bhaiyaan duja azaab qabar da hu,
iman salamat tis da Bahu jehra rabb agge sir dharda hu.
(Jim : What do the living know in which state the
dead are ? he alone knows who dies, O He; in graves
there is no food no water and spending is of one
own's house, O He; first there is parting from mother,
father and brothers, second is the problem of the
grave, O He; faith of that man is safe, Bahu, whose
head bows in obeisance before God, O He.)
Here Bahu defines the real lovers (seekers after truth) who do not belong
to any professed religion - their religion is Love Divine :
NW Us UF ware oss ey
pete! Mopewries ICie9/9(3
Li PG & Show ypeddbe
Ao Brey eniioWabue
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Sultan Bahu
aoa we <a ae AA 7 MoE eH Ahh = |
| aa oaa @ ffa ten Aen forei OA oon a ah = |
tana a wm dam fori oa wel ast att = |
qo orvan fai A ae forei exo api qa cit = II
Nun Ja oh hindu na oh moman na sajda den masiti hu,
Dam dam de wich wekhan maula, jinhan jaan qaza na kitti hu;
Aae daane te bane diwane jinhan zaat sahi wanjh kitti hu
Main qurban tinhaan to bahu, jinhan ishq baazi chun Iitti hu.
(Nun : Neither are they Hindus nor are they Muslims,
nor in the mosque they pay obeisance, O He; in
every breath they behold God, who have not ended
| their life, O He; they came wise but became mad,
who have directed their lives towards the Lord, O
He; I sacrifice for those, Bahu, who have chosen the
. life of Love (Divine), O He. )
Bahu explains in the following verse, how a true master (spiritual
preceptor) can show the path of God and also how he can be instrumental
in procuring the grace of God :
AW eBytfeyt .2
Ki LY Sle ols bud:
é
5
i
~
a Welépus ON par SE pk
LZbe Alaris;
WA oA wht al wena wa 4 fae oa = |
a 4H aa add afea a dader agar & |
W aA Wha WM ay ofr uy qe U wea =| |
ATE UY Wet shit ae gal va fea a sam § Il
Nun Nahi jogi nahin jattgam na main chilla kamaya hu,
Na main bhajj masiti wariya na tasbiha kharkaya hu,
Jo dam ghafil so dam kafir sanun murshid eh pharmaya hu,
Murshid sanu sohni kitti, bahu, ikko pal wich cha bakhshaya hu.
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
ae nN i ee
(Nun : Neither a Jogi (renouncer) nor a Jattgam
(sadhu or dervesh with long braided tresses) nor
have I observed chilla (penance for forty days), O
He; neither have I run to the mosque nor have I
made any noise with the rosary, O He; "that breath
when one is forgetful (careless), that breath is Xafir
(false)" has been taught to us by my master, O He;
master has been very kind to me, says Bahu, in a
moment he procured grace ( of God) to me, O He.)
In the following poem, Bahu has condemned mixing with bad company
and has described how those who are inherently bad shall always remain
bad even if you try your utmost to make them good :
4 y 7, + oO Z4
o71 ecu Sek Ge es
4 4, en ire Zz tee
4K, ev Lb ene Edy
% EE Bi Gost He aout
’ * sige ee SPO rLY s ;
Retin MEW layne of
To Wa pei Wi a ow $a XZ a 7 aga = |
qa TA arg wi ere ds de we a oned = |
edi ¢ a ea a ee as a dm gned = |
es ya fg ae ag wd 8 wi aos oe = II
Nun Wal kusangi sang na kariye kul nun laj na latye hu,
Mul tamme tarbuz na honde tore tor makke Jai Jaiye hu,
Kanwan de bachche hans na thinde tore moti chog chogaiye hu,
Kaure khoo na mitthe honde bahu bhanven sae manan khand paiye hu.
(Wun : We should not mix with the bad company
and save the family from ignominy, O He; gourd
(which appears like water-melon) does not become
water-melon that can be taken to Mecca, O He;
children of crows do not become swans (Hans known
for wisdom) to whom you can feed pearls, O He;
wells with bitter water cannot become sweet, Bahu,
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Tv ——— en
a_i
Sultan Bahu
even if you put hundred of maunds (measure of
weight) of sugar in them, O He.)
Bahu expreses his conception of Sufi thought. He is quite emphatic
about the frivolous role played by the Pundits and the Maulavis or the
futility of religious rites and rituals, as he says -
ae ii wr aly ot mie: as Pa ee es
Kb te esos folipE. sees
Ap UWidlervehososuth
LON LI WLE SHS
am apt aa cas wa we wart aM x
qsdi a Aad ate wy wy aid ah =
ofa ARA oe was ed ai fe ust &
ae aa weg afea feet car fea a et = |
Mim Mazhabaan wale darwaze uchche, rah rabbani mori hu,
Pundtan te maulavian kolon chhap chhap lange de chori hu;
Addian maran karan bakhere dardmandan dian ghori hu
Bahu chal utthain wassiye jitthe dawa kisse na hori hu.
(Mim : Gates of religions are high, the path of God
is like a narrow hole, O He; from the Pundits and
the Maulavis it passes hidden and unseen, O He;
they kick their heels and create trouble, the sufferer
is a ghori (symbol of marriage (wasaal) indicating
union with the Lord), O He; Bahu, let us go and
settle there where no one else has a claim, O He.)
It is remarkable that all Sufis venerated their murshids next to God only
and Bahu's love for his murshid (master) was no less, as he says -
pie oF Sob wt iy -f
Kir & BLS bp le ees
AVL dbweraie oF (14,
Fle we WU on OYU Ey
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
aa ARNE Hel Ae eo oral sxe TA §F |
fla qx Wal eX aa Gray ea fea = |
fe <a tet qe wt ea fea fam a am g |
are tH eae ae RR Gf Gf faa wT §F II
Mim Murshid makka talib haji kaba ishq banaya hu
Wichch hazoor sada har wele kariai hajj sawaya-hu
Hikk dam maithon juda jo hove dil milane te aya hu
Murshid ain hayati bahu mere lun lun wichch samaya fu.
(Mim : The master is Mecca, seeker the pilgrim, and
love is the Kaaba, O He; in his (master's) ever
presence, let us perform better Aajj (pilgrimage), O
He; even if he parts from me for a moment, the
heart craves for him, O He; Bahu, the master is the
life, he lives in every pore of mine, O He.)
Although Emperor Aurangzeb paid all attention to Bahu, but he was
totally indifferent to it. The following composition would certainly not
have endeared Bahu to the Emperor which explains this indifference and
he kept himself away from him :
hwy sy By ab, SSVI ot =o
fv ly é Livwveviyluledbl
J sleeat Fi Sb Bo
pWictWSjrbeb-dnbole
ome ey a eee oad fla Wat wei = |
wa aa ath sme sad oe uA am ae |
TRE wa aH yt fd ase ga samt g |
Weal oR fea a ae ag ats oft wea sani = Il
Ain Aashig hove te ishq kamave dil rakkche wang paharan hu,
Lakh lakh badian hazaar ulahme, kar Jane bagh baharan hu;
Mansur jahe chukk suli ditte waqif kul asraran hu,
Sajdian saar dil na chahe bahu, tore kafir kehan hazaaran hu.
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Sultan Bahu
SS ew
(Ain : Lover who professes love (for God) should
have a heart like a mountain, O He; millions of
invectives and thousands of taunts hurled on him,
he should take them in his strides as pleasures of
garden, O He; Mansur was put on the cross, because
he knew all the secrets,O He; my heart does not
desire to bow in obeisance ( to anyone except God),
Bahu, even if thousands declare me heathen, O He.)
Bahu strongly disappoves of asceticism (fagiri) without initiation and
proper knowledge and condemns carelessness in pursuit of Love Divine.
He says -
Pare 27) Ve MPO ie mC)
~ by Bbc VeSSubssr
Seva seiee
Lol uber juvoYur
tH SoH aN OY pH Had ope A car | |
as att fi ot gaed we sere ot MIT §& |
Trad wal aA gaa we fea oiea gram § |
§ oan feel a ag fore fram ae aim § Il
SSS SOY
Ain Jlam bajhe koi fagr kamave kafir mare diawana hu,
Sai wariyan di kare ibadat rah allah kannu begana hu;
Ghaflat kannu na khulsan parde, dil zahil butt-khana hu
Main qurban tinhaan ton bahu, jinhan miliya yar yagana hu.
(Ain : Without knowledge if someone professes
renunciation, let that unbeliever die insane, O He;
he might worship for hundred years (even then) he
will be a stranger to God's path, O He; because of
carelessness veils of ignorance will not be lifted and
foolish heart will remain an idol-house, O He; I
sacrifice for those, Bahu, who have met the Unique
Beloved, O He.)
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
The following is an example of Bahu's orthodox ideas; he says, in praise
of Hasan, Husain and their father, Iman Ali, as under - .
gr ae) CHP VE I Ft -&
7, 8 Witsoe gig
t 7 Pv Bhp e daz
KE Aihedy gh ke
tt one Us eae Ves oo AY 2 WA =
Wo WBS FA Ae ay ws aa TW |
fa cat Fa wp Al a aT vay da gz
UMN HS SA sel A WE BW ed Ue A wa = |
Ain Ashagq soi haqiqi jehra gatal mashuq de manne hu,
Ishq na chhore munh na more, tore sai talwaran khanne hu,
Jit wal wekkhe raaz mahi da laga udahin wanjhe hu,
Sachcha ishq Husnain Ali da, bahu, sar deve raaz na bhanne hu.
(Ain : True lover is one who considers himself the
victim of the Beloved, O He; he will never give up
love nor turn away his face even if cut by hundred
swords, O He; whichever direction he looks, he sees
his Beloved, he goes there, O He; the true love is of
Hasan, Husain and Ali who sacrificed their lives,
but did not break the rule (or reveal the secret), O
He.)
In praise of his Beloved, Bahu says -
s Pree es TS
4 abe SESS Sotes _@
At BOM BEE of
REL A gb wesle og
£52 l -~ . Sree’
AEG AUS POLK?
4 ag wal gq a tera fer we aR gz |
R vl wy oe we aged wy wort aa weg Il
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Sultan Bahu
fad da & WS Aga Hex wel Ha AH = |
fra ¢ ORA ae AA Jaen ae ae faa feo at = Il
Che Charh channa tu kar roshanai, te zikkar karenda tare hu,
Tere jehe chann kai sai charhde, sanun sajjana bajh hanera hu;
Jithe chann hai sada charhda, qadar nahin kujh teri hu,
Jis de karan asan janam guwaya bahu yar milsi ikk wari hu.
(Che : Rise moon and spread your light, the stars
will talk about it, O He; like you many hundred
moons rise,but without the Friend, there is darkness
for me, O He; where our moon (God) rises, no regard
is felt for you, O He; for whom I have lost my life,
Bahu, once that Friend will meet me, O He.
In the following verse, Bahu has expressed the philosophic concept of
Sufism as he understood it - ,
KGW CA bobbs os
HO eyE N27 bop Es
BOB ety pg
ra Ly Op @sUlIr ies ULley!
2 FA WTO OW OT Se OF Oe = |
a ae opx gua a Afra a wd Ara ear | |
we wi off aside aakh o ore anit = |
aie ant faa ant ui faa ax ag pra < Il
He du da jama pa ghar aya, ism kamawan zati hu,
Na otthe kufar islam di manzil, na otthe maut hayati hu;
Shah rag thin nazdeek langhesi pa andare jhati hu,
Oh asan wich, asi unhan wich door hoi kurbati hu.
(He : Dressed in the clothes of God I come home,
earning the Name is my profession, O He; neither
are there stages of heathenism or Islam,nor are there
death and life, O He; He will pass nearer than jugular
vein, and throw a glance at you, O He; He is in us
and we are in Him, gone away is falsity, O He-)
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Like all the Qadaris, Bahu also composed verses in praise of Abdul
Qadir Jilani, founder of the sect.
a
Sin
Here is one of this kind :
LPS bur iv
I PEL EIU IL
i Ut Joy ez bUbade Vole
LOL Dp eng a1 0
wi pee SR ea te 4 oe Era oy | |
Rwy Ra wy 4 AW aa y= |
wa A ora aed act sxe df ae a Aq = |
% fa te pre a ee ag Xf aoeiet eq € II
Sun faryad piran dea pira, main aakkh sunawan kehnu hu,
Tere jea mainun hor na koi, main jehe lakh tainun hu;
Phol na kagaz badian wale, dar ton dhak na mainun fu,
Main wich aid gunah na honde bahu, tun bakshindo kahnun hu.
(Sin : Listen to my appeal O Pir of the Pirs (Abdul
Qadar Jilani), to whom else should I tell 2? O He;
there is no one like you to me, but like me there are
millions to you, O He; do not open papers of my bad
deeds, don't push me away from your door, O He;
if I were not full of such great sins, Bahu, why
would you have pardoned me ? O He.)
In his pantheistic Sufism, Sultan Bahu could not comprehend the Advait
conception of his Beloved and like the Persian Sufis of the 'sober' type
wanted to remain within the strict Islamic code and felt that Islam is the
only true path, as he says -
J ; A pao .
at efeeyb(rethy SYS Jrert
2 ors =
, Zu, (63) avr! oF o' &
8 fea fear weet usa 8 cq aR a Uhl g |
Wal We Jeqe ae ag om fla va oat = II
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Sultan Eahu
EE
Eh dil hijar firaqon sarda, eh dam mare na jive Au,
Sachcha rah Muhammad wala bahu jae wich rabb labhaye hu.
(This heart burns because of separation (from the
Beloved), neither it dies nor lives, O He; the true
path is the path of Muhammad, says Bahu, in which
God is found, O He.)
Bahu has explained the condition of a Sufi who is in complete love with
his Beloved in the following, heart-rending, verse -
ji O12? Bra UENO -6
WAU er E sbi cclidie
% Bs bpd Bord cid
ROISV ASE Lip Lb igh
RM ae Wee Tas Wa A fire faa exp a ae = |
Vel Get at la wT wa, Ma ae ae fea a = |
sedi AR a we fire a we gy ae wt = |
ag, vit a fed a Hs a weed GE AA oe = II
Ain Ashaq padhan namaz prem di jis wich haraf na koi hu,
Jeha keha oh neet na sakke otthe dard mandan dil dhohi hu;
Akkhin nir te khun jigar da otthe wuzu pak karevi hu,
Bahu, jibh na hille te honth na phadkan, khas namazi koi hu.
(Ain : The lovers read namzz (prayer) of love, which
has no word, O He; whatever is said he cannot
bear, there only the deep feeling of the heart matters,
O He; at last tears in the eyes and blood in the
heart do the wuzu (ablutions) for cleansing there, O
He; Bahu (in that state) neither the tongue moves
nor the lips tremble and there is no special sayer of
prayer, O He.)
In the same vein, Bahu held that the Beloved will be found only if you
annihilate (fana) yourself and merge with the Lord which he has explained
in the following verse -
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
er
poly wil eutersb -o
4 AN cis Lae
j, ux VI lost pol geg io”
gs
tO 3 UI! ede
jute pl pi Lyoeiels
a ax am fla W aq a wR A ae oe gE |
sro ane fla a AWA & | Wel Hey | |
aa aR SSI Hee BA YT He ATE | |
ara aa vf pd war ae TE AH Way & Il
Ye Yar yagana mil si tainun je sar di baazi Jain hu,
e
Ishq allah wich ho mastana Au Au sada alain hu,
Nal tassawar ism allah de dum nun qaid Jagain hu,
Zate nal jan zate rallia tad bahu naam sadain hu.
(Ye : The Unique Friend will be found by you if you
sacrifice your head for his sake, O He; in the love
of God you should merge completely and speak aloud
Hu Hu (attribute of God), O He; in the imagination
of the name of God, if you arrest (hold) your breath,
O He; you mingle with the Divine Beloved, then only
Bahu, you should be called Hu (God).)
Bahu has explained the condition of the world in a very poignant verse
where he gives the condition of different types of seekers of Truth. He
says -
ay ~sZ
ZZ Gu LAL .»
GEG ASoL Ee PI Ll
J b Z2 2
f ES ob llEu ie by S
pay . 4 ‘« te ” - ee
rb atppinlouwoit
Ro urn fo um a um fe ume 4H WA = |
feo gfeat & wm aaa er feo ume Ht WB = |
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Sultan Bahu
a ea U yy WM ale ca we wae = |
%} gras fre a ag fireei g te to =
He Aikk jagan hikk jag na jagan hikk jag dean wi sutte hu,
Hikk suttian hi ja wasal hoe hikk jagdian wi mutthe hu,
Ki hoya je ghughoo jage, oh lehnda sah upatthe hu,
Main qurban tinhan de bahu, jinhan khoo prem de jutte hu.
(He : There are those who are awake, there are
those while waking are not awake and there are
those who are awake yet asleep, O He; there are
those who while sleeping attained the union with *
the Lord and there are those who while awake
betrayed, O He; what is the use if the bugle awakes
you and makes you breathless ? O He; I sacrifice for
them, Bahu, who have served at the wells of Love
(Divine), O He.)
Purity without the purity of the Lord is uncleanliness. It is not by
professing religion that one can attain salvation, but by loving the Almighty
God. In the following couplet, Bahu has described the elect-one in an
exquisite manner.
KH esse Siz -B
LOT SUNG Po ysvart
wr owt wal faa we ad 2 Wt aa oA Ue = |
fo gear wi awa ay fio ae we Ait =| II
Jim Jo paki bin pak mahi de, so paki jaan paliti hu,
Hikk butt-khane ja wasal hoye, hik khali rahe masiti hu.
(Jim : Those who are pure, without the purity of the
Beloved, consider their purity to be impurity, O He;
some have achieved Union (with the Beloved) in the
idol-house, others have even failed in the mosque,
O He.)
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Sultan Bahu was a poet of intense spiritual and mystical love. He was
against any kind of fanaticism and bigotry. He wrote his poems of
mystical love for the Divine: Beloved within the frame-work of Islam using
Islamic symbology. His extant Punjabi compositions abound in deep
religious outlook and amply prove that he was a highly learned poet.
What made them unique was his evocative and emotive style. Sultan
Bahu's verses, from the literary point of view, form a landmark in the
evolution of Punjabi literature and Sufi poetry.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
Manaagab-i-Sultani, p. 125.
Ibid., p. 7.
Maula Baksh Kushta, Punjabi Shairaan da Tazkira p. 80.
Manaagab-i-Sultani, p. 126
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 80
Manaagab-i-Sultani, p. 40. Also mentioned by L. Rama Krishna in Panjabi Sufi
Poets, p. 48.
ih Shamin Choudhury, Punjabi Adab-o-Tarikh, p. 69.
8. L. Rama Krishna (op. cit., p. 48) writes that Baghdad was a village on the banks
of Ravi which is erroneous. According to Kushta, this Habibullah was, perhaps,
of Ramdas in Amritsar district. In all probability, this Hazrat Habibullah belonged
to Multan.
9. Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 80.
10. Tawarikh-i-Sultan Bahu written by Sultan Baksh Qadan, pp. 8-9.
11. L. Rama Krishna, op. cit., p. 50.
12. Ibid., p. 51.
13. Ibid., p. 51.
14. Ibid., p. 49.
Aa pone
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BULLEH SHAH
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BULLEH SHAH
SUFI POET PAR EXCELLENCE
(1680—1758 A.D.)
The greatest among the Sufis of the Punjab has been Bulleh Shah (1680
- 1758 A.D.). He was not only a Punjabi poet par excellence but also
a great Sufi of the philosophic and the pantheistic school of Sufism who
believed in the Advaita concept of God, ignored conversions, and was
tolerant of all other religions. Bulleh Shah, in his sufistic attainments,
is quite comparable to the renowned Sufis of Persia, such as Bayazid
(Abu Yazid) Bistami, Mansur al-Hallaj (of An‘al-Haqq fame), Jalaluddin
Rumi and Shamsi Tabrizi; and, in his poetic achievements, to Sa'adi,
Hafiz and other classical poets of Persia. He is the foremost and the best
in the allegorical interpretation of his passionate spiritualism in chaste
Punjabi language. He also represents that strong and living pious nature
of Punjabi character which is more reasonable than emotional.
In Panduke, near Kasur in Lahore district, in 1680 A.D., a son was born
to Sakhi Muhammad who was named Abdullah but was affectionately
called Bullah.! Sakhi Muhammad traced his descent from Gilani Sayyids
of Bahawalpur. He came to Panduke and became a Maulavi.?
Like all great men, there are many anecdotes related to the birth and
childhood of Bullah but certain it is that from very early age, he had
shown many proofs of his extraordinary perception and ability and
religious bent of mind. As he grew older, he was placed under the
tutorship of a renowned teacher, Maulavi Ghulam Murtaza of Kasur,
from whom he learnt the basics of education and acquired elementary
knowledge of Sufism.?
According to tradition, it is said that on attaining youth, one day while
roaming around, he came to Batala in Gurdaspur district, another
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
es in the Punjab in those days. Here like
of Persia of the Ana‘-Haqq fame, Bullah
Allah’ (Iam God). The utterance of these
h for the orthodox Muslims of Batala
learned Sheikh Fazaluddin of their
important seat of Islamic studi
Mansur al-Hallaj, a great Sufi
is reported to have uttered 'J am
blasphemous words was too muc
who promptly took him to the highly ;
township.’ Perceiving extra-ordinary Sufistic leanings of Bullah, Sheikh
Fazaluddin explained to Bullah's detractors that Bullah was right. "He
is Alha" (Ai (which, literally, means alhar, (1 unbaked or immature).
He also recommended that to make him mature and properly groomed,
Bullah should be sent to Shah Inayat, a Sufi of renown.° Shah Inayat,
by profession was arain ut (cultivator), who also originally belonged
to Kasur but because of differences with the Pathan governor Husain
Khan there, had left his native place and came over to Lahore where he
followed his profession and also pursued Sufism. He was a highly
venerated Sufi of the Qadariya order. Accordingly, Bullah, in search of
Shah Ianyat, came to Lahore.
There are interesting anecdotes related to Bullah's first meeting with his
future preceptor.
According to one tradition, when Bullah reached Shah Inayat's place, the
latter was sowing onions in his fields. Bullah told Shah Inayat that he
had come to him to find the path of reaching God, whereupon Shah
Inayat, impromptu, told him -
wy Ut J Jy eae
v Vues Lt Usa!
qa xa a wl um ¥
teatl gett a satel am ¢
Bullia rabb da ki pana ee
Edhron puttna te odharon lane ee.’
(Oh Bullah, the secret of God is this: on this side He
uproots, on the other side He creates.)
Bullah was so deeply impressed by this utterance that he fell on the feet
of Shah Inayat and took him as his spiritual preceptor.
According to another tradition, quoted by L. Ramakrishna in Panjabi
Sufi Poets, it is said that Shah Inayat was the head gardener of Shalimar
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Bulleh Shah
—— OOOO EE OE
Gardens at Lahore. When in Lahore, Bulleh Shah visited the gardens,
and, as it was summer, he roamed around in the mago-groves. Looking
at the ripe mangoes, Bullah wanted to taste them and therefore looked
around for the gardener in order to seek his permission to take a few
mangoes. When he could not find the garedner and, to avoid the sin of
stealing, he cried aloud "Allah Ghani ( 5; whereupon a ripe mango
fell into his hand. He repeated the magic words and each time a mango
fell. He collected a few mangoes and as he was about to make himself
comfortable in a corner, to taste the fruit thus collected, the head gardener
appeared on the scene and accused him of stealing the mangoes. Bullah,
who was Sayyid, considered the gardener a man of low origin, wanted
to demonstrate his occult powers and very emphatically declared that he
had not stolen the mangoes but the mangoes had fallen into his hands.
He repeated the word "Allah Ghani' and a mangoe fell into his hands.
To Bullah's great surprise, the head gardener was not at all impressed
but kept on smiling innocently. Then the head gardener chided Bullah
and told him that he did not know how to pronounce properly the holy
words which reduces their power. So saying, the head gardener uttered
"Allah Ghani', and lo ! all the fruits in the gardens fell on the lawns.
Once again he repeated the same words and the fruits went back on the
trees. This defeat inflicted by the head gardener, whom Sayyid Bullah
considered ignorant and low, so deeply affected Bullah that he at once
fell at the feet of the head gardener, who was none else than Shah Inayat
himself, the famous Sufi belonging to the Qadariya si/si/a, and sought to
be classed as his disciple which request was immediately granted.®
Be that as it may, Bullah was greatly impressed by the greatness of
Shah Inayat and considered himself to be fortunate enough for having
met such a murshid. He says -
uF Ect tt
cy Ck, L
gal we a ata ode we saad ar !
Bullah shahu we neech kamini shah inayat tare P
(Bullah says that he is low and mean but Lord
Inayat will save him.)
And again he says-
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Sor ge
ty Se Eos}
ee 0b eye
at la xy/
ga we dl qi sod
ad! vefgat em ead
RI ARWe We saad
ae! aaa oR !
Bulleh Shah di sunno hakait
Hadi pakrian hog hadait !
Mera murshid Shah Inayat
Oh langai par !/'°
(Listen to the story of Bulleh Shah, he has got hold
of a teacher and shall have salvation. My teacher,
Shah Inayat, will take me across.)
Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Inayatullah, popularly known as Shah Inayat
Qadari, was born at Kasur. It would appear that he was a contemporary
of Emperor Aurangzeb and perhaps saw a part of the reign of Emperor
Shah Jahan. The Wazai-i-Kalaan gives the year of his death as 1735
A.D., during the time of Emperor Muhammad Shah. He had acquired
a good knowledge of Persian and Arabic. As he was born with a mystic
‘disposition, he became a disciple of the famous Sufi scholar Muhammad
Ali Raza Shattari.'' As earlier mentioned, because of differences with the
Hakim of Kasur, Husain Khan, he migrated to Lahore where he established
an institution of his own. In this institution came men of education for
advanced learning in philosophy, Sufism and other spiritual sciences of
the time.
Qadaris of the Punjab were known for their philosophic studies and were
even inclined towards Hindu philosophy. In Dastur-al-Amal, Shah Inayat
has described various methods Hindus employed for attainment of
Salvation in ancient times. According to him this knowledge was acquired
and carried by the Greeks after Alexander's invasion of India, from where
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Bulleh Shah
- ~“jt-was borrowed by the ancient Persians and subsequently adopted by
the mystics of Islamic countries. '?
Shah Inayat wrote considerably on Sufism and its developments.
His
writings were mostly in Persian.'*
He was an erudite scholar whom
Bulleh Shah made his Aadi or guru. The action of Bullah was highly
displeasing to his family who tried to dissuade him to give up Shah
Inayat and find another murshid. But Bullah was firm and paid no heed
to them. The following will show the indignation of the family -
of b A LulcWiong vie
Yv ue Sol bescbyseJ
th bey wu pe tod
qa 4 Wasaa ongat gem a urns
Ha Adl sere act A gma yg a ce asa
Wa qed wel set ws 2 va ws
Bulleh nun samjhawan aiyan behanan te bharaiyan,
Al nabi aulad ali di bullia tun ki likaan latyan,
Mann Jai bullia sada kehna chhad de palla raiyan !"*
(To Bullah sisters and sisters-in-law came to advise.
Why, O Bullah, have you smeared the family of the
Prophet and the descendants of Ali (by being a
disciple of Shah Inayat)? Listen to us, Bullah, and
leave the skirt of the arain (farmer).
To this reproach Bullah firmly replies :
Jew eA tip Liew Ye
UL ue Lipase ye
ey) urd beety at We
rea Nore Sleeae teciberrareth
aso wy ue we andi deh neh
a {as a ani gia waa son wee |
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Jehra sanu sayyid akkhe dozakh miln sajalyan,
Jehra sanu rain akkhe bahishti peengaan paiyan
Je tun lore bag baharan Bulliah talib hoja raiyan !'°
(He who calls me a Sayyid, shall be punished in
Hell; he who calls me an arain (farmer) shall have
swings in Heaven; O Bullah, if you want pleasures
of the garden become a disciple of arain.)
When all the persuasions failed, the family had no alternative but to
leave Bullah alone. It is said that only one of his sisters understood him
and supported him in his spiritual pursuits and search for the truth.'®
Bullah came over and lived with his teacher and tried to master the
secrets of his teachings. Thus began the mystic career of Bulleh Shah.
There were, broadly speaking, three phases in the life of Bulleh Shah. In
the first phase which commenced with his becoming a disciple of Shah
Inayat, he spent more of his time in deep study and also wrote verses
in Punjabi language which are rather simple, yet sometimes emotional
and sentimental, and simply betray the sensibilities of a novice whose
thoughts, expressions and poetic accomplishments have yet to mature
as can be observed from the following extract from a famous Kafi composed
by Bulleh Shah -
Mk 2902 Bsl Goes,
UygoLpbnS Lot oh unt
Uy dl Gheyd2
Ferro fSi Pod, gly uw
Us sBL4} By
UAL Gb 2s Jy
Ubu yhir el obiue
Uso Gh eS
, Us Gb eZ ydz ;,
Wht ehe wlreod
CR! spe LS,
Ussl UL Zs Us
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A ag eR wir Fz
fea at ad a zy
q it uaa aia Wet OR ae chfath
WU aa Ael der q
fea aa adl ar q
gal eA Wo Ww aa 4 ye Wer wa oe
cam wp oe FZ
fea aa at a q
Dil loche mahi yar nun,
Dil loche mahi yar nun !
Ikk hass hass gallan kardian, tkk rondian dhondian phirdian
Kahio phulli basant bahar nun
Dil loche mahi yar nun !
Mein nahti dhoti reh gayee, ikk gandh mahi dil beh gayee,
Bhah Iai har shinghar nun
Dil loche mahi yar nun !
Mein dutian ghayal keetian, Sulaan gher chaupheron littian,
Ghar awe mahi deedar nun
Dil loche mahi yar nun !
Bullah hun sajan ghar aya, mein ghutt ranjhan gall laya,
Dekh gaey samundaron par nun
Dil loche mahi yar nun !'?
(Heart craves for friend beloved, heart craves for
friend beloved. Some (lovers) laugh and laughingly
converse, others crying and wailing wander, say in
this season of Spring. Heart craves, for friend
beloved.
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I washed and bathed in vain, one knot (grudge) has
settled in my heart. O Beloved (for not coming), I put
fire to my cosmetics. Heart craves, for friend beloved.
I am wounded by taunts, terrible pains have
surrounded me, I await the manifestation of my
Beloved. Heart craves, for friend beloved.
Bullah, now the friend has come, I have embraced
hard my Ranjha (God), behold us crossing the occean.
Heart craves, for friend beloved.)
In this phase,
which, in the subsequent phase, he shoo
in the idea of heaven, hell and earth as he says -
~~ a ot A i) *
LIK U9 Ly! Bb rE
: Sir, I PT Gee WE ‘
uy als Gros fe ee
%3 g
Ur soe Sb a)
wou fa os WW ad a A we
wa tra en feo fox aaa go ae asl
TS UM BUS AN Fel
Bullah shauh bin koi nahin aithe otthe do hi sarae,
Sambhal sambhal kadam tikain phir awan duji war nahin,
Utth jag ghurare mar nahin !'*
("Bullah, without Lord, there is no one here (earth) or
there (heaven and hell). Carefully, carefully let your
step fall because for a second time you shall not come.
Awake arise and snore no more.)
Bullah was confined to his strict Islamic theological ideas
k off completely. He still believed
During the same period, Bullah appears to have been scared of death and
the grave, as he says -
bb
We DB S197;
Ue) Oy re}
sb Wein S
S WUE S)-
U7 sks ures
Sab AS to}
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Bulleh Shah
Us UM RR aR att
Yt de R aor ae
yo Us wert wea *&
a tea ofa amr *&
ox aa ad ftar el
Vs UM RR AR ze
Utth jag ghurare mar nahin
Eh saun tere darkar nahin
Ikk roz jahano jana hai
Tera gosht kirian khana hai
Kar cheta mano visar nahin
Utth jag ghurare mar nahin f°
(Awake, arise and snore no more; this sleep is not
needed by you. One day you have to part from this
world, in the grave you have to fit, your flesh will be
eaten by the insects; remember this, do not forget
your heart's desire (of meeting the Lord). Awake,
arise and snore no more.)
Bulleh Shah was still convinced that one comes to this world to lead a
life and he has to achieve his objective in this life only, as he says -
ey CA Ye 5) eb By,
bee iZ! oF
eustenelt Iphoselh £
ab peth for
Ya omg feed wa a aa dt um yas ur
4 aa a gal ga var
RX A wa oA a geg a eh onaa oe
wa a um Fae ur
Rein gaiyee lishke sab tare Ab to jag musafir piare
Tain ajje na suniyon kuch naqqare
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Kar lai ajj karan da bera Bohar na hosi awan tera
Ab to jag musafir piare /°
(The night has passed when the stars twinkled; now a
dear passenger. It seems you have not heard the las
post; do today what you have been sent to do, because
you shall not return. Now awake dear passenger.)
Bullah does not yet believe in the doctrine of transmigration of soul
which, later on, of course, he will accept as part of Advaitism. He
says -
Febeugeuluy
Sette) 2153
& sey Re!
UT bs
q ta wef me A
by meq a ta ot A
t wa sa am
q ven fta Sar wet |
Tun es jahano Jaegee
Pher kadam na etthe paegee
Eh joban rup vanjhaegee
Tain rehna wich sansar nahin F'
(From this world you will depart, never again to put
your feet here; your youth and beauty shall be wasted
as you are not going to live (for ever) in the world.)
In the first phase of his mystic life, Bulleh Shah was very much confined
to strict Islamic code and, therefore, sang only within the parameters of
his professed beliefs. But this phase of his mystic life does not appear
to have lasted long.
In the second phase of his mystic life which began soon after the first,
Bullah Shah's outlook broadened and he assimilated more of Indian
thought, especially Vaishnava philosophy in his adoration of his Guru or
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Bulleh Shah
Murshid whom he places on the level of God and, with broadened outlook,
his poetry also matured considerably in thought and force of character.
The following verse resembles closely the Vaishnava idea and emotion -
Bb vids bw UF Sopni Sh
MU: LU Se £ fount
se aati aes em da a adh
ae wes WA a ud a wi a ell |
Ikk andheri kothari duja diva na bati
Bahon pakar jum lai chale koi sang na sathi.”
(There is one dark chamber (world) without any lamp
or wick (hope). Holding my wrist messengers of
death are taking me unaccompanied and
companionless.)
During the reign of Aurangzeb and soon thereafter, the political situation
of the times was against all liberal thought and especially against the
Sufis of Qadariya order of Shah Inayat's. His preceptor, Shah Inayat,
forbade Bulleh Shah to speak freely and openly against the established
Muhammadan beliefs. But Bullah did not pay any heed to the valuable
advice of his master as is quite clear from his following utterances -
oe o bus Jens guid
ge JU ssh igh Ses ty
Ge F unsirun dh Muy
es ol SF SAGAS YS,
KE i hei, BIUVli ge,
‘i 4 cog de ib i! or ot
qyae af ee dea qm a atti
fea wit ¢ a pa ear wh fect saat a Ohi
ast we da waa wt al aw oa with
fea are arma gfe a td my eaed ori
a wasn a faes wa oad a fer ag fae
qa ome wa aay fda yt fe cto |
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Bulleh nun lok matti dende bulliah tun ja baith masiti
Wichch masitan de kih kujh honda jo dilo namaz na kiti
Bahron pak kite kih hunda jo andron gai na paliti
Bin murshid kamil bulliah teri ainwen gaiyee ibadat kiti
Bhath namazan te chikkar roze kalme te phir gaiyee siahi
Bulleh Shah shauh andron milia bhulli phire lukai f°
(To Bullah people give advice that O Bullah go and
sit in the mosque; what is the use of going to the
mosque, if the heart has not said the prayer? What
matters it being pure outside when from inside
impurity has not gone? Without a prefect master,
says Bullah, your prayers have gone in vain. Throw
the prayers in the fire and roze (fasts in the month
of Ramzan) in quagmire ! Over the Ka/ma black ink
has passed. Bulleh Shah says that the Lord is met
from within, but the ignorant people are searching
elsewhere.)
Again Bulleh Shah says -
Used Leg
wai Jy J! gi
ly 1 SH ES OR
Bj Les ht 151
gar Wt mera a @ aaa
#o aa est at anz
ani oy a wa uy va a
aa an to yo |
Bullah pi sharab te khha kabab !
Heth baal haddan dj aag,
Chori kar te bhann ghar rabb da
Os thaggan de thagg nun thagg !P*
(Bullah drink wine and eat kababs and underneath
light the fire with bones; steal and break the house
of God and in this manner cheat the Great Cheater
(God).)
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Bulleh Shah
Bullah was against all forms, formalities and normally accepted religious
rituals which he emphatically denounced in his following verse -
By 2 oF Yee
bo
Or erdye tft
Nap LS Ub GG
thn S 9 Uys ty
Leth o* GiUtuUb
bay OS ue Vor
uy eo Jl ees
Ae ab Ls &
shh) Uy) wo
pie Uip ays
ZE sver
ae we
JL2)y ut bh ek
Nnsyogy 02 oF
Re Feel WI Ye ale
aA ws dade ara eer
are wee & 2 Bn
WH sore BW Arar
we Qi adel ah wee |
ul ¥ wap sym cl usa
Ro oey Sag
fore aque ale Epi
se Q wad ah wr |.
a GA Wd VW Us
wae ored fra my Ae
a xa dra a wa Wa
fea ca fta wR vara
gze a) adh ad ae Il
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Phook musalla bhann sutt lota
Na pharr tasbih aasa sota
Ashiqg kehnde de de hauka
Tarak halalon kha murdar
Ishq di naviyon navi bahar !
Jan mein sabag ishq da padhia
Jeura masjid kolon dariya
Dere ja thakur de warriya
Jitthe wajde nad hazaar
Ishq di naviyon navi bahar |
Ved quran padhe padh thakke
Sajde kardian ghiss gaye matthe
Na rabb tirath na rabb makke
Jin paya tis nur jamal
Ishq di naviyon navi bahar /P*
(Burn the prayer carpet and break the vessel for
doing wuzu (ablutions); neither hold rosary nor hold
the staff. Lovers speak aloud to rid of false
distinctions. (It) is the newest spring of love (Divine).
(When I read the lesson of Love (Divine), I got scared
of the mosque and | went to the temple where
thousand bells toll. (It) is the newest spring of Love
(Divine).)
(I am tired of reading Veds and Quran (Holy books)
and by paying repeated obeisance, my forehead is
rubbed; God is found neither at pilgrimages nor is
He found at Mecca. Whoever has found Him, it is
from within him. (It) is the newest spring of Love
(Divine).}
Such utterances of Bulleh Shah greatly annoyed his maste
who practised Hagigat (reality) in the veil of Tate (the mies 2
of Islam) in order to escape the fate of many Sufis of Islamic countries
who had to sacrifice their lives for their professed beliefs, such as Mansur
al-Hallaj (of Ana 7-Haqq fame) and Shamsi Tabrizi. Bullah, being a new
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CO
Bulleh Shah
SS | | —————ee
convert to Sufism, did not pay much heed to the advice of his master
which greatly disturbed the latter who sent Bullah away and refused to
‘see him again.
After some time, Bullah, realising the truth of his master's advice, regretted
and wanted to go back to his spiritual preceptor. He tried all sorts of
devices but Shah Inayat ignored him.
Bullah's adoration and respect for his murshid were profound. For him
no difference existed between his hadi and God. In this period of
separation from his preceptor, Bulleh Shah composed some Kafis, such
as -
hes lyal Lf! SUL Ss re
betel 1 WU eboes Oy Sou) ie
ell aatk oS Ev a) Sb lye}
qd A om aq WA a aR a a asa
we ae A wa ae ate os aa o8 yor fea ae wT
wa a wa ta aA OM OS <A ARI 2 aT |
Watt na karsan mann ranjhe te yar da we aria
Ishq allah di zat lokan da mehna,
Kai wal karan pukar kise nahin rehna;
Use da hal oho jane, kaun koi dam marda we aria.*°
(Never shall I pride for my Ranjha (God), O comrade;
love is an attribute of God but for the people, it is
a taunt. To whom shall I call as no one shall live
eternally; His condition He alone knows, who is there
who can live for ever, O comrade.)
Again Bulleh Shah says -
ly BW <n U5 br. yp
Geb/on a” KUL lez oS
ee Lt lib 2 dy WU)
2) Aas Gc LA oes
wh Bb yyy Glee Gfd Sle;
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ave cer og ay We q a axe tart a
wre aga 4 sar sep ae ay WI cel
Sa a Aa AW aM aa tina gadt fla a oR
2 der ee we wel st ad os Ta wel
set ort a wa a aq fica o7 oer |
Dard dahoni payee dar tere Tun hain dard ranjhani da
Kothe chardian main hoka Ishq wahajo koi na loka
Is da mol na khana dhoka Jungal basti mile na thor
De deedar hoya jad rahi Achchan cheti payee gull phahi
Dadhy kiti be parwahi Mainun milia thagg lahore.
(With pains (of separation) I am lying at your door,
(of the master), only you can cure my pains; when
I climb upstairs I become breathless as love does
not remain hidden. One should not be deceived
because there is no comfort either in solitude (jungle)
or in company (habitation); when he (my master)
stopped showing himself, all of a sudden this
problem has arisen; I was extremely careless, I met
cheater of Lahore (my master).
When all attempts failed, Bullah was greatly concerned and did not
know how to approach his master for conciliation. He knew his master's
love for music and dancing. He learnt playing on sarangi. One day
when Shah Inayat was about to enter mosque for offering namaz, Bulleh
Shah, donning woman's clothes, holding sarangi in his hands, began to
sing and dance outside the mosque to attract his master by singing the
following Kaff -
ln? A Oo ky Si bY
Wolb> £ alk Lb
WL Ps ve uble
rYaeb FFG,
ig eSiely fools
7 US 0 Wer ap J}
WE PW) Sr bp bs TPZ
bee Unb ezle 5)
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Bulleh Shah
q ya eat au
a at a om & a aa a ag
mst sad set wt ae aa |
ee wee wa afin ore wa dest
agi af sth a4 A Ra usd ay
ws SA ore wt ae ae |
Pehili pauri prem dj Pul-sirate dera
Haji makke hajj karan main mukhkh dekhan tera’
Tain bajhon mera kaun hai dil dhao na mera
Aao inayat qadari Ji chahe mera !
Main uddikan kar rahi kadi aa kare phera
Doondh shehar sabh bhalia kasad ghallan kera
Charhi an doli prem di dil dharke mera
Aao inayat qadari ji chahe mera //27
(The first step on the ladder of love is like being on
Pul Sirat (Siratul Mustaquim of the Quran). Hajjis
may perform pilgrimage at Mecca, but I look to your
face. Without you no one is mine so don't break my
heart; come Inayat Qadari, my heart desires you.
I am waiting in the hope that some time you will
visit me. I have looked around the town and what
messenger should I send ? I am now sitting in the
palanquin of love and my heart is palpitating; come
Inayat Qadari, my heart desires you).
This was enough for Shah Inayat to know who was the singer. Coming
closer, he enquired, "Are you Bullah?" The singer replied, "No, Hazrat, I
am Bhulla (repentent)." Shah Inayat forgave Bullah and embraced him.
He once again came to live with his master and remained with him till
his end. Shah Inayat died in 1735 A.D., and Bulleh Shah inherited his
mantle and became his gaddi-nashin in which position he remained for
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the next twenty odd years and carried on, admirably well, the Sufistic
work. On his death in 1758 A.D., Bullah was buried at Kasur ee an
impressive mausoleum was built which is quite close to ie sates
Station and every year in the month of Muharram, Urs Sharif is held to
this day. eee
In this second phase of his mystic life, Bulleh Shah started believing in
the doctrines of transmigration and reincarnation and also adopted the
theory of Karma (action). Theory of Karma is, in fact, alien to Sufism
but many Indian Sufis, and almost all the Punjabi Sufis, under Hindu
intellectual and philosophical influences, adopted the doctrines of
transmigration and reincarnation and supplemented with the theory of
Karma, in the Seventeenth and the Eighteenth centuries. Bulleh Shah
says -
hb Le vig Sd
de met at a 8, 8A oF AR
Ved pothi ki dosh hai, hine karam hamare.*°
(There is no fault in the book Ved, my karmas—
actions are low).
At the close of the second phase of Bullah's mystic life, it can be surmised
from his various compositions that he, perhaps, had intermittent visions
of the Lord which the Sufi strives to achieve, guided by the Will of God,
by passing through various stages (maqamat) and states (ahwa/) in his
pilgrimage to reach the Divine Beloved and thus attain union with Him.
Bulleh Shah had the vision which the Sufis long to have, but he had not
as yet attained that stage where differences do not exist. His vision of
the Lord was obtained in the orthodox fashion and was tinged with the
colours of Islam. He, therefore, sang of this vision, in the traditional
way, exalting the Prophet :
Wh reser WS dy
CVE OI 7 Woy WS vig
MA KV 2B Ups
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Bulleh Shah
OOF doit BLY Und
Nie SFR 12 LBS
LPs PU EIA TOWEL ob
Myp— No Oke Lie) & UIu)
LOU g eee LY SiS
seal CUE Wo rev)
ei 4 ace den on, fra 2 SA a WA a
Vig Hee 3G yan VW, a omer as ase
A Ya Ue A sere Wi a wer oer
aqa aay W aga a ae A
7 Oe Vi wr a, oF aT em,
RI Vet US SA, eA so ar en
wee Th wt sexe on, aah a aer
Pit we WEI wen, ag Y F wera
wee @ fta tm von & aa ts var
Hun main lakkhia sohna yar, jis de husn da garam bazar
Jad ahad ikk ikkla si, na zahar koi tajalla si
Na rabb rasul na allah si na zaber kahar
Be chun wa ba chaguna si, be shubha be namuna si
Na koi rang namuna si, hun gunagun hazar.
Piara pehan pushakan aya, adam apna nam dharaya
Ahad ton ban ahmad aya, nabian da sardar.
Kun kaha fakun kahaiya, be chuni se chun banaya
Ahad de wich mim ralaiya tan kita aid pasaar.*'
(Now I have seen the handsome friend whose hand-
someness is in great demand. When the One was
alone there was no light seen. There was neither
- God, nor Prophet nor Allah, even there was no cruel
tyrant. The One was without likeness, was
incomparable and without doubt and without form.
He had no colour or shape, (but) now a thousand
varieties.
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The dear One came wearing dresses (in different
appearances) and had Adam name affixed. From
the One, Ahmad was made, the chief of the Prophets.
: ; d)
i let it be) and fayakun (so it happene
Hee eS He created likeness.
was said; out of no likeness,
In Ahad He inserted mim (to make Ahmad) and
then created this universe.)
Again Bullah says - 5
Lag) Oy 47) 1
ly Sp ZpASGs
Spt
Lot Lfles| 2 ,
abi p 0; CUZ
Ji wnt Us
gee sence fa oem a gen, wi go Pew AIS! a
atm ate { oer ofea, a sien el gia
| a] PH TOY sae, { He TE TG |
Ahad Ahmad wich faraq na bullia, rati ikk faraq marori da;
Lokan unhan nun kafir akhia, te unhan keha bullia,
Tainun kafir kafir akhh de, tun ahu ahu aakkh !%?
(There is no difference between Ahad and Ahmad
(Prophet) except of a small twist (of mim); people
called him unbeliever and he told Bullah that even
if you are declared unbeliever you should say, I am
that, I am that.)
Here Bulleh Shah was in the process of becoming a firm believer in
Advaita and started seeing the all-pervading spirit, God, in all and
independently of any religion. : nae
Third and final phase of Bulleh Shah's mystic life was extraordinary
indeed. In this phase, he became a completely matured Sufi and a firm
believer of Vedantic conception of God and saw omnipotent, omni-present
and all-pervading Lord in all. Like true Vedantist, he saw his Lord in
everything and every one, friend or foe. He seems to have won glimpses
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aa aa ae
of immortality in this mortal life by passing away from self (fana) into the
consciousness of survival in God (baga). He also appears to have achieved
complete union with the Lord, a phenomenon attained by the very few
elect ones, in their mortal life. In this state of complete union with the
Lord, all consciousness is lost and the mystic lives ever after in and with
the Universal Self. Herein, in fact, lies the greatness of Sufi poet Bulleh
Shah. He says -
LSE BUSS
ay LENT
by FS Mh
aaa) LSS
“Lv os Ly or
LWAUcEx »
DSS BUSS
Zt) pl pl
LA jut Gs
GSE BIS S
al wear A at weer ?
a gal OY TA Ut a Hae Wa UY UR al
al wal ao weer ?
WA ad Bd aI & al ae ait agar
al wal al Gl wear ?
aR AR { Hz qae fea 7 User
al wal “Tt a wear ?
Kih karda ni ki karda ?
Aap ikko kai lakkh ghardan da_ Malak sabh ghar ghar da
Kih karda ni ki karda ?
Musa ate pharun bana ke Do hoke kiun larda
Kih karda ni ki karda ?
Haazar naazar tuhe hain Chuchak kis nun kharda
Kih karda ni ki karda ? *
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(What He does, friends, what He does ? He is one
but there are million houses and He is the Lord of
every house. What He does, friends, what he does?
By making Moses and Pharaoh, becoming two, why
does He fight ? What He does, friends, what he
does ? Thou art omnipresent, whom does Chuchak
take away ? (Here the story of Ranjha and Hir is
alluded to; Chuckak, father of Hir, separated his
daughter from Ranjha and kept her in close custody
and, later on, gave her away in marriage to another
person of his own choice.) What He does, friends,
what He does ? Can some one ask what the Beloved
does ?)
And again he says -
2b shi Lute ‘ eset
ehuleutifd é kul lt 3 0st
os Lif, ey by 1 bl PAUL
a wir Sx upri ecb Vaud
2 lcrceox eer dicud
neste, Lol 4B, Kus
Zaliy) bz 2030 for,
Inwew werbl Le Wp OUP yg ode
Pam AN aD Weel kt,
Z-1lZ cit
wa & ya TN zs Wai JS A sew warn *® !
bh Se oe TOYS we dor 2 |
PE ST TS OE Aa 8 wT ra fearn & |
OE WHE w aa & we wa oer ca & |
ay frit om arm & oe Wa a aq orn ® |!
PERG Fue wg 2 a mt od Re Sa we ht
oe IR ori fla we a RR UR as ase ® |!
ga we a 4 tte gan Ferra fia er wrt ga |
eva dist a sara gan, TT swe a 8 ym ams |!
Wa & Pa wT z |
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Paya hai kujh paya hai, Sattguru ne allakh lakhaya hai !
Kahun vair para Kahun belj hai, kahun Majnun haji kahun Laila haj !
Kahun aap guru kahu cheli hai, apna rab dikhaya hai !
Kahun masjid ka vartara hai, kahun banya thakar-dwara haj |
Kahun bairagi jap dhara hai, kahun shekhan ban ban aya hai !
Kahun turak musalla parde ho, kahun bhagat Hindu Jap karde ho !
Kahun gor kant vich parde'ho, - har ghar ghar lad ladaya hai |
Bulleh Shahu da main mohtaj hua, maharaj mile mera kaaj hua !
Darshan pia da ilaj hua, laga ishq tan eh gun gaya hai!
Paya hai kujh paya hai
(I have found, I have found something. My true
Guru has made manifest the Unmanifest.
Somewhere It is an enemy somewhere It is a friend,
somewhere It is Majnun, somewhere It is Laila,
somewhere It is the preceptor, somewhere It is the
disciple, in all It has manifested Its own path.
Somewhere It is a mosque, somewhere It has become
a temple, somewhere It is bairagi in meditation,
somewhere It has become Sheikhs, somewhere as
Muslims on the musalla, somewhere as Hindu
bhagats praying. Somewhere He is engaged in
digging graves, and in every house He has fondly
fondled. Bullah says, of the Master I became
desirous of meeting my preceptor, whom I met and
my wish is fulfilled. The manifestation of the Dear
One (God) was my cure, for having loved (God) I
have sung this attribute of God. I have found, I
have found something, etc.)
This highly intellectual and clear Vedantic conception of the Divine places
Bullah in the top-most bracket of Sufis, such as Bayazid (Abu Yazid)
Bistami, Al-Hallaj, Shamsi Tabrizi and Jalaluddin Rumi. Even these
Sufis spending their lives in established dogmas, struggled hard to become
free of them, but Bullah obtained the Advait conception, in fact, soon
after his initiation into Sufism. We hardly find another of his like among
the Sufis in India who beheld God in Muhammad as well as in Christ,
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Krishna, Rama, other Prophets, a poor begger in the street, or his own
self. He says -
ale F mths
<— sb » Loe kK
exif frie
\y Ov, wy, oly hp
LOW Tue of
azi wi a mm ava
ap ag & as aoa
Wa el at eel ana
ae ae wf ag a
wi at eff om wg a
Brindaban me gau charave
Lanka char ke nad vajave
Makke da ban haji ave
Vah vah rang vatai da.
Hun ki thin aap chhapaida**
(In Brindaban you grazed the cows, in Lanka you
invaded and became victor; you become pilgrim at
Mecca, and have made wonderful changes of form.
What are you hiding yourself from now ?).
And again he says -
thot eof &
Ah—" 6. yi
wal @ un 4 ma
BR Re fla wrt |
Saiyo hun sajan main payo,
Har har de wich samayo f*®
(Oh friends, now I have found the Beloved, into
each and every one He has entered.)
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ee ee
Bulleh Shah belonged to the philosophic and pantheistic school of Sufi
thought :-and broke all shackles of religion, convention and sect. He was
so completely convinced of His omnipresence that no differences existed
for him—he became one with Him, the Divine Beloved, and experienced
that universal joy which knows no bounds. Amongst the contemporary
Indian Sufis who can be said to be somewhat nearer to him, in his
liberal, pantheistic and cosmopolitan outlook of Sufism, were Mullah
Shah and Sarmad.
Mullah Shah was a disciple of Mian Mir, the renowned Sufi of Lahore,
who is said to have laid the foundation stone of Harmandir Sahib at
Amritsar. Mullah Shah was also a keen follower of pantheistic philosophy
of Sufism but lacked courage to declare it openly as did Bulleh Shah.
Mullah Shah was a native of Badakhshan. Aurangzeb's sister, Jahan
Ara, writes about him : "He came to India at the age of twenty-five and
went direct ot Kashmir, where he spent three years as a student.
Thereafter, he came to Lahore and remained in the service of Mian Mir
for approximately nineteen years, and, during all these years, he went
back to Kashmir only in summer."
As Mian: Mir did not initiate princes and rich people as his disciples, it
was Mullah Shah who initiated Dara Shikoh and his sister Jahan Ara
Begam. She has written Mullah Shah's life in a small work " Sahibiya".
Earlier she was a devotee of the Chishtiya order and had written a
biography of Moinuddin Chishti.
Mullah Shah prayed and meditated night and day. Mian Mir had a very
high opinion of him. No servants were kept, no meals were cooked and
no lamps were lighted in his house and he used to sit in the darkness
and meditate. "One night as I attended upon him", says Dara Shikoh,
"he asked some one to bring a light and then turning towards me remarked
that he had ordered the Light for me as he always meditated in the dark
cell."
Mullah Shah was summoned to Delhi by Aurangzeb in 1661 A.D., because
he was a friend and patron of Dara Shikoh. On the way to Delhi he
Stopped at Lahore and died when he prayed at the tomb of Mian Mir.
He was a Sufi of liberal outlook and very popular with the princes and
the poor alike.
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ESR
Sarmad was a mystic of extraordinary attainments and was universally
He was originally a Jew who had
known as a cynic philosopher.
subsequently embraced Islam. He lived the life of an asectic. He used
to walk about naked in the streets of Delhi and, for his Sufistic
attainments, was also highly venerated by Prince Dara Shikoh. Because
of his revolutionary ideas and unconventional way of life, strongly opposed
and condemned by the orthodox Muslim U/ema, and for his proximity to
Prince Dara Shikoh, Sarmad had to sacrifice his life when Aurangzeb
ascended the throne.
In his Advait conception and pantheism, Bullah says -
Vos us uly S eb
VELL St, 2 tbs rut:
WA? 2 UY Ue + ‘Ub a UNE ts
{OS Ub rae
UL: u be Gy ' Ub ny yah ue
VFI Sb oy 2 (Usury tog 2
joS tuted
tLe \7 Ap ae LL opine ut 2
OF 02 Uy O42 ‘ lip. oes
6uf ut ole d Lt
Ul Laf uz bss OY le or STAT)
Of AVS ped oas oon use
Gufs Ulb Mise
Hira antic am fla poe fat fai
ue fta ueilat a 4 WM A wes |!
gaa a ur ¥ aa ?
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ee
Bulleh Shah
——— a ee
gaa a ua Ff aa ?
waa AE AT {wT Woy ga ee wrt
et eR a ots Yam gal WE us & we !
gaa o urn ¥ am ?
Bullia ki janan main kaun ?
Na main moman wich masitan, na main wich kufar dian ritan
Na main pakan wich palitan, na main musa na phiraun !
Bullia ki janan main kaun ?
Na main andar vaid kitaban, na wich bhangan na sharaban
Na wich rindan mast kharaban, na wich Jagan, na wich saun !
Bullia ki janan main kaun ?
Na main bhed mazhab da paya, na main adam hawa jaya
Na main apna nam dharaya, na wich baithan na wich bhaun!
Bullia ki janan main kaun ?
Awwal akhar aap nun janan, na koi duja hor pachhanan
Maithon hor na koi siana, Bullah shahu khara hai kaun
Bullia ki janan main kaun 77
(Bullah, what do I know who I am? Neither am 1a
Muslim in the mosque nor am I in the ways of
heathens, nor among the pure or sinful, nor am I
Moses or the Pharaoh; Bullah, what do I know who
I am ? Neither am I in the books of doctors ( Vaids),
nor I in bhang (Cannabis Indica) and wine, nor in
the company of the inebriated, neither awake nor
asleep. Bullah, what do I know who I am ? Neither
have I found secret of religion, or am I born of Adam
and Eve, neither have I taken a name, neither I am
settled nor am | unsettled. Bullah, what do I know
who I am ? First and last I consider myself, none
else as second do I recognise, none else is wiser
than I. Bullah, what do I know who | am?)
Such pantheism with all its grandeur was peculiar to Bulleh Shah. His
pantheism was fundamentally Hindu in its entirety and differed a great
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deal from the pantheism of other Sufis because it was accompanied by
the doctrines of transmigration and reincarnation and supplemented by
the theory of Karma. He believed that for merging in the Universal Spirit,
one life was not enough and it could be achieved Pye constant effort
through more than one life and the secret of achieving this goal was
based not on religion but on good karmas (actions). He was convinced
that for complete fana (annihilation), the mind and the heart of the
seeker must be :
a) free from sin,
b) free from passion and ambition to achieve material happiness,
c) convinced of and sure of pressence of God in his thought and
act, and
d) free from material bondage except a sense of rightful duty
without attachment.
Another superiority of Bulleh Shah over other Sufis was that he never
attempted the work of conversions. His advaita completely over-powered
him and for him any kind of conversion was beyond his understanding
as it was paradoxical and would have negated his own belief. For him,
all religions were different paths leading to the same goal. This is quite
reminiscent of the universal message of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita. As a
Sufi the zeal and assiduity of the seeker was to be taken into account
and not the religion he was born in. The spiritual summits to which
Bulleh Shah reached places him far ahead of other Sufis not only in the
Punjab but also of the world.
POETRY OF BULLEH SHAH
For most of the Sufis the goal was to find God in all His creation and
thus attain union with Him. This union or annihilation in God was to
be fully achieved after death, but in some very rare cases it was gained
while living. Sufis referred to the stories of perfect love such as Yusuf
Zulaikha, Hir Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal, Sassi Punnu, Laila Majnun and
others which have a spiritual significance for them. The heroines in
these tales stand for the Sufi (the soul) and heroes for God (the Beloved
Sought). After the Sufi has attained union with God he ceases to be the
heroine and becomes one with the Beloved Sought (God).
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—
Mystical verse played an important part in the Sufi life. Many anecdotes
of the early Sufis relate how fond they were of quoting love-poetry, often
in the first place, of purely human character which they interpretted
allegorically to accord with their own passionate spiritualism. The mystic
poetry, therefore, some times was sensuous and monotonous as the
language of human love was used freely to describe the relationship
between the Sufi and his Divine Beloved. In India, in general, and in
the Punjab, in particular, this tradition was inherited by the Sufis from
Persia. Whereas in Persia and other Islamic countries, the Beloved is
described both as a man and asa woman, in India He became a man
and the seeker became a woman. This essential change was due mainly
to Hindu influence just as in Vaishnava poetry, God is Krishna, the
cowherd, and the seeker or the lover, Radha, is a milkmaid.
Apart from this, the Sufis also borrowed from the Persians the terms for
describing different parts of the Beloved which were interpretted by them
allegorically. Even the rose and the bul/bu/ and other material symbols
of love were borrowed with abandon.
It is necessary to bear in mind how fundamental in Sufi thought is this
allegory of love and how readily in their minds human and Divine imagery
is interchanged. In languages and on themes, in metaphors and similes
easily understood by the people, the Sufis composed poems, songs and
hymns praising the Beloved, describing the pain and sorrow inflicted by
separation, and ultimately the joy, peace and tranquillity attained in the
union.
Bulleh Shah, the undisputed king of the Punjabi Sufi poetry, except in
the early stages when he was a novice a few passing references to such
eroticism were made, by and large, was free from the foreign influences.
He called God the Beloved and Ranjha, but never went on to describe
erotic attributes as Persian Sufis were wont to do. In his final phase of
mystic life, to Bullah the Beloved was all-pervading Universal Soul and
no difference existed for him. He talked of the eternal Beloved in terms
highly spiritual and pure. This was indeed an innovation by him in the
Punjabi Sufi poetry. He fell in love with the Divine Beloved and worldly
love was superfluous for him; this was the main reason why his poetry
was essentially non-erotic. His poetry was impregnated with and full of
love divine. Another reason for the greatness of Bullah's poetry is that
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it is most simple, beautiful in form and has no superfluous ornamentation
and, therefore, liked by all and sundry. This is the greatness of Bulleh
Shah as the poet. Who could express his union with God in so simple,
heart-touching terms ?
Ba wh 27 eb SAY
OS Pic LE EL shes UE Gre
Bs cdbun ts Ly ut ty or FL
Bhroe/fTe! ‘eLiy! wrur
te Wy LEO OS ELS
OS PT FY 4 Ur Ore
Wi Aetrouk Lice AG
OMe Zot
Bp Fb 5 OU FL FY
OF iit ‘ uw Ly sA22 Ost drs
ten Yen wre} Ht ¥ ad Yen aes
wel “Tt 4q afte Yen eR a anal aig |!
ta 4 fa 4 ten faa ee waa a ae
4 wel ste amt & ot amg aR Ra wis |!
Yat Yen oedt A ¥ om ten as
wel Aq ate ten & a o@ awe |!
et Oe R at ay as aw ats
gal eR wcidl dal fed om wad |
Yel Yen oral At ¥ amt ten ag
wel ft Aq ate) ten oe a ore ae |
Kanjha ranjha kardi ni main ape ranjha hoi
Saddo ni mainun dhido ranjha, hir na akhkho koi.
Ranjha main wich main ranjha wich hor khial na koi
Main nahin oh ape hai, appni aap kare diljoi.
Ranjha ranjha kardi ni main ape ranjha hoi
Saddo ni mainu dhidho ranjha, hir na akhkho koj.
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eS
Hatth khundi mere agge jmangu, modhe bhura loi,
Bullah Hir saleti dekho, kitthe Ja khaloi.
Ranjha ranjha kardi ni main ape ranjha hoi
Saddo ni mainu dhido ranjha, hir na akhkho koi.*°
(Repeating Ranjha Ranjha, I have myself become
Ranjha. Call me Dhido (pet name of Ranjha when
he was a cowherd) Ranjha, none should call me Hir.
Ranjha is in me, I am in Ranjha, none should call
me Hir. Ranjha is in me, I am in Ranjha, and there
is no other thought. I do not exist, He only exists
and He amuses himself. Repeating Ranjha Ranjha,
I have myself become Ranjha.
In my hand is the staff and before me is the wealth
(cattle), round my shoulders is the coarse blanket
(the garb of the cowherds); Bullah, behold the gray
(beautiful) Hir, where has she gone and stood !
Repeating Ranjha, Ranjha, I have myself become
Ranjha.)
Bullah broke all the conventions and shackles of the accepted verse
forms, the similes and mataphors, and evolved his own style; herein lies
his originality in which he excels all the other Punjabi Sufi poets. He
took similes from the life that was familiar to him. His poetry, though
abstract, is easily understandable. He says -
4% O32 Lo Mt
Se C84 co Mig
AE 32 HE og VL Sut
aN da, , BOF CRUZ
JAC 3 Koc
rs oI saz |: 229 O0L re ye
IPE EI 93 7 A aa Peale y
4h, C4 er Kee
AP LS HN LE Luwpbz
wt Be Fs PEF y by Vos
Ar. oe) eo Mor
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
4 De ae
7) oF ‘ i em aa
5 L plete, leo
ya Lot Lb Ubt ut
PEA Cy a) SE 6"
Meri bukkal de wich chor
Meri bukkal de wich chor
Kinhun kook sunavan ni, meri bukkal de wich chor
Chori chori nikal gaya ni, Jagg wich pai gaya shor !
Meri bukkal de wich chor !
Musalman siwian ton darde, hindu darde gor
Doven ese de wich Marde, eho dovan di khor !
Meri bukkal de wich chor !
Kitte ramdas kitte fateh muhammad eho kadimi shor
Mitt gaya dovan da jhagra nikal pea kujh hor !
Meri bukkal de wich chor !
Arsh munawaron milian bangaan, sunian takht lahaur
Shah Inayat ghandhian paiyan, lukk chhup khichda dor !
Meri bukkal de wich chor f°
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Bulleh Shah
ee ee
(Within the folds of my veil was the thief, within the
folds of my veil was the thief | To whom shouting
should I tell that within the folds of my veil was the
thief. Stealthily, stealthily, he ran out and this has
caused astonishment in the world.
The Muslims are afraid of crematoria, and Hindus
of the grave, and both die in (this) fear and that is
the trouble with them; somewhere it is Ramdas and
somewhere it is Fateh Muhammad; this is the ancient
struggle. The difference of both has ceased as
something else has turned up.
From the sky-high towers, the prayer calls were made
and they were heard at the throne (gaddi of Shah
Inayat) at Lahore; Shah Inayat tied the knots and
now He (God), hidden behind, pulls the strings.
Within the folds of my veil was the thief.)
Bulleh Shah firmly believed in the old Indian dictum, Vasudheva Kutumbh
Kumb (aga #edeA) - the world is one large family. In the Holy Quran
also it is mentioned Al-Khalqu Ayal Allah ( Hels Yi ) - the entire
creation is the family of God. Bullah stood for the unity of people belonging
to different faiths and creeds which he considered essential for human
welfare. He saw God installed in the heart of each individual irrespective
of which faith he belonged to and expressed this sentiment in an
impressive manner in the following Kafi -
OM OCU & yids se
UW LU KO Sut
Lad yec} ~: bg SL) ~
Lp wi Be py
RA 7 mr ‘
afl WER) et buieny
Wx ob Sos ulype nde
- a 7’ 7.
Sop Gry Lag ned
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
aa aed det SAA
fe a Fel Aeca
gat a él ea fren gee ga wr Art fern
qa a wa wa ai a wel TA Oa
ae A adi wa wee sag a Wel BH aE
art at yet a ad ya #1 WS aT Mil
ger we wt faa am
Ry ge dom a !
bahiey trinjan taj abhaman
sulha kul ka marg lia
nange na nahin hum kajje,
Hindu na nahin musalman,
Sunni na nahin hum shia,
‘Bhukkhe na nahin hum raje,
Ronde na nahin hum hassde, ujare na nahin hum vassde
Papi na sudharmi na, pap pun ki rah na jaan
Bullah shahu har chit lage
hindu turk do jan tiage."'
(Neither Hindu nor Musalman, let us sit to spin,
abandonning pride (faith). Neither a Sunni nor a
Shia, I have taken the path of peace and unity.
Neither am I hungry (poor) nor am I satisfied (rich),
nor naked I, nor covered. Neither am I crying nor
laughing nor ruined nor settled. Neither sinner nor
virtuous, | don't follow the path of sin or virtue.
Bullah says, Lord is in every heart, Hindu and
Musalmans both I have abandoned.)
Bulleh Shah was a staunch critic of religious bigotry and strongly opposed
the set codes and rules of religion which did not allow freedom of
expression. For him there was no difference in the spiritual codes of
Islam and Hinduism. He always placed religion at a lower level than his
love for the Universal Soul. In his criticism of the religious codes vis-
a-vis Love Divine, he has sung a beautiful Kafy, quoted by L. Ramakrishna,
as under -
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Bulleh Shah
pee (Ff. \202 We Bl, e7 o
UI DSexe, ulna rt Pl
nt OWI lb eh LEZ
Us U by Sait ely be
abr Oe Si Wie |EL EEF
6) V 5; Ue. CE OF lod Wo
UF 2-1 WK | Sor hbe;
Use plea Uf bbl hg
22 Dalle be 24 Cou! alee LEK
2 eS NF L4G LEME
Luyihere1 vein te PL EF
L> Gd; A! or # 1 Lo
evucb ae rl & ee LE
2404, Ur Uz + Play Lor
om Le fe LT br vy ob £ EF
Se Fas Wess Le
wee Jus BOE F424 Lo
SO ee Pi OW Ue oe
se om a aw 8a a a wea fed 4
Waa WI 2 waa ge ead aa Yara 4 !
IRI we wa wa yar 2 fFa a sea aera Ff ae
sp we Eh eH a wg wa eR food F
IRI Se SX’ Uo SA ae Aha DI GT X
se oe WH OT BI A wT At GTR
II He Ha wi BM PY, de GY FA TAG Ff
sp we 0 Yue Sa Gest 2 AMR FZ
IRI PS UA APTS SSX SH AMM Beal GH a
sep oe aa Fa faa fd era Awa WG a !
II we wa aed afea afew @ Aa Gar
sp oe Bd teu Ber ay eel axarar 4
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———————————————LLL——C
Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
eri oe aa Ba aR Ain Ya Mea aR ;
So FH UR a ara shel ye oH ear °
ae we wa {at va aga
_ ero ae qa ain dn we aR e afgar
Seo aT BLOM RAT Bore AAT A STAT
sxe fact Yer ron gan ao ATTN !
da bharam mitawan main
Ishq shara da jhagra pai gaya dil
q de hazrat akkh sunawan main !
Sawaal shara de jawab ish
Shara kahe chal pas mulla de sikh lai adab adaaban nun,
Ishq kahe ikke haraf batera thapp rakkh hor kitaban nun !
Shara kahe kar panj ashnanan alag mandir ki puja re,
Ishq kahe teri puja jhuthi je ban baithon duja re !
Shara kahe kujh sharam haya kar band kar is chamkare nun,
Ishq kahe eh ghunghat kaisa khullan de nazare nun !
Shara kahe chal masjid andar haq namaz ada kar /ai,
Ishq kahe chal maikhane wich peeke sharab naphal padh Iai !
Shara kahe chal bahishti chaliye bahishtaan de mewe khawan ge,
Ishq kahe othe pehara sada aap hathin wartanwan ge !
Shara kahe chal hajj kar moman pul-sirat langanan re,
Ishq kahe bua yarda kaba othon mool na hilna re !
Share kahe shah mansur nun sult utte chardia si,
‘Ishq kahe tusan changa keeta buhe yar de waria si !
Ishq da darja arsh mualla sartaj lau Jaki re,
Ishq wichon paida keeta bullah ajiz khaki re.*
(Love (Divine) and Law (Religious Codes) are
constantly struggling (in the human heart); the doubt
- of the heart I will remove. I will describe the
questions of Law and the answers of Love, exalted
Sir. Law says : Go to the muld/a (Muslim priest) and
learn the rules and regulations. Love says : Only
one letter is enough and keep all other books shut.
Law says : Perform five baths (considered holy. at
five sanctuaries by the Hindus) and worship in the
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Bulleh Shah
Se ee ee
temple. Love says : Your worship is false if you
think yourself separate. Law says : Have shame
and conceal this illumination. Love says : Why this
veil for ? Open the visions. Law says : Go inside the
mosque and perform the namaz. Love says : Go to
winehouse and while drinking read naphal
(supererogatory prayers). Law says : Let us go to
heaven and eat heavenly fruits. Love says : We are
the keepers there and we will ourselves distribute
the fruits of heaven. Law says : Go and perform
hajj as a Muslim duty-bound, you have to cross the
pul-sirat (siratul mustaquim). Love says : the door
of the Beloved is Kaaba wherefrom I will not move.
Law says : Shah Mansur (Mansur al-Hallaj of Ana’
Haqq fame) was put on the cross. Love says : You
did right and made him enter the door of the Beloved.
The place of love is the highest heaven, the pinnacle
of glory. Out of love and from dust He has created
humble Bullah.)
Bulleh Shah was convinced that by going on pilgrimages to holy places
or by following the outward religious forms and symbols, one does not
achieve the set goal of union with the Lord. Therefore, he openly
declared :
ul ut Sut £
EO 2c UII ZZ
ut cet u TF
evesrr vie
ae mah Ta Awd! Ae
a a Rai aa a ya
a wh Ta ywdt AT
aa a a aa aga !
Makke gayan gall mukdi nahin
je charr dilon na aap mukaiye
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Great Sufi Poets. of the elie
Ganga gaya gall, mukk. di nahin it
bhanven sau, sau “ghote laiye K +t}
(By going to Mecca, you. cannot. fulfil your desire: (of
nless; you) search | for
meeting the Beloved. Divine). y
Him: in your heart; by going to-Ganges,| you.cannot
fulfil your, desire (of meeting the Lor d) even if, you
immerse hundred times in, the-holy, wALEES dh
eg ba Oly bin sng). ea ‘
Las OLS 333 We Gs be: ; = As sail
c ob A: i 6a) a oe SUS Yu
Usulgso AE le ols srcit to
| ‘bjt Ale acne
i diolsiols Ours". sta brs irigit bib
ee 8 Feat Reet sya aoa qT
W Ya Sky! wie fiat
siq vlod 01 2 Cot eer Perey mga nreoe ef As os page Solis
t e20b 90 oe fr wa a ate Prat” eshte
Je rabb milda nahatiyan dhotiyan,
te rabb’ milda daddooan machhian nu;
Je rabb milda Jangal. phiriyan,
te rabb milda’ galyan Wachhiyan nu;
Te mian bulliak' rabb-tinhaan“ni milda
atte Auuyan Sachiyan. achhiyan nu.
(If God could be. fora abn bathing and washing,
then He would ha en. found. by. frogs. and fishes;
if God could, be, Soe d by” roaming in ‘the jungles,
then He would have been ‘found by cows and calves.
O Mian Bullah ;;,God is.found.. -by,,them who have
pure. heart,-are truthful: and. .good.)
Again he says®-) ° ~
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“ “Bulleh’ Shah) > 10%
,
Further he says -
Lib By EG ue
eoule EF ty ult an
Ss Liab db ae.
eubulihs vier,
ant ate ae {wR ‘att wa awa eer
Haji lok makke nun jande _. asanjana_takht hazare
Jit wal yar utte wal Kaaba bhanven wekh kitabaan chare.“
(Pilgrims go ‘to Mecca but I have to go to Takht Hazara
(Ranjha's place, ‘i.e., God's place); wheresoever is your
friend (God), Kaba is there, even if you ‘tead all the
four books (of religion):
Bulleh Shah was always very ‘scared’ of the so-called educated people
who had acquired superficial sow EGS without any deep study of Love
Divine. He says -
he esos iberaboud
bY uc ules! Bw esrb de
wkend wake Luf Ua ve Ut
FixacufadioeDracts
aaa wisi AR Ay a ufed AA seat YsTS
a i ae a a afeet dt sa & |!
' hain pa pation ton aire han ,
Ais: fazal mere bhai Pa padhian meri aqgal gawal .
Tan main dasnan. han Pa padhian ton nahasna han'*
(l run away from the nodeattedi educated. The learned
are my brothers; the so-called educated have made
me unwise, that is why I am now telling (that) I run
__ away. from, the So- -called educated.)
In’ the Same vein,“Bulleh' Shah ‘saysi- 95
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
alyl uf uu»
gbal yt uv uv”
sv & ele &
pO, eX ww Sf
poi uns ib
shyivS ou
sat aa ot oi aR
sant qa oe at aR
san a am faa YAR
SH aa WR aOR
art wa Ael Ua
sant aa ot at ae !
Ilmon bus karin O yar
Ilmon bus karin O yar !
lam na awe wich shumar
Ikko alaf tere darkar !
Jandi umar nahin etbar
Ilmon bus karin O yar’°
(O God ! enough of (superficial) education; O God !
enough of (superficial) education. Education does
not count, only Al/af (One or Oneness of God) is
required; life is passing, I cannot trust. O God !
enough of (superficial) education.)
Punjabi Sufis often freely employed in their compositions vocabulary and
terms of local trades and industries so as to make it easily comprehensible
to the folks in towns and villages. The most important industry which
flourished in every village, town and city in-the Punjab was the cotton
industry. The Sufis, therefore, made ample use of the vocabulary of this
industry and took similes from it.
To the Punjabi Sufi, the world was a spinning-wheel and his own self or
soul which yearned for meeting with the Universal Lord was akin to a
young girl who was supposed to spin the yarn and prepare her dowry,
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a common practice among all the communities of the Punjab. A Sufi's
good actions were like spinning, and the yarn thus spun was his dowry
which he would take to the husband (God), just as a young girl was
supposed to do to make her husband happy. According to common
belief, God would love that Sufi who died with a good account of himself
(karmas Or actions), a dowry which would befit a noble soul. Alternatively,
like the ignorant young girl who, neglecting the future consequences,
whiled away her time in games and playthings, complaining that one
part or the other of the spinning-wheel was out of order, did not pay
heed and, in consequence, suffered. Similarly, a Sufi, who made excuses
for his indulgence in worldly pleasures, did not pay heed to his spiritual
pursuits, was denied union with the Beloved. He, therefore, bewailed
and described the pangs of separation from the Divine Self and, frequently,
took similes from the cotton industry.
Bulleh Shah also used extensively similes from the cotton industry in his
Kafis, such as -
2 27 og Fb
abs del Sus
eu S Ues wt
els 4 th ux
gah sae 7g RW TW SO
tof ofa ya A Ue
ga fea ufgat we gor
aq ud ye ard |
Haththi dhalak gayee mere charkhe di
maithon kattiya mool na jaye !
Hun din chadhiyan kad guzare
mainun ratin munh dikhawe !"
(The handle of my spinning-wheel has loosened and
I cannot spin the yarn, now the day will break and
when will it pass ? Only at night (in the spinning
session) He will show me His face.)
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab Se
In! the’ same vein, Ballah says - : oe .
? I eh Sindee we, pio
es Su BEhe bly ess UFUI o3 ob é
ae sea cay eae BHP a RIE"
acs reg Sey Laer eae
Takkle nun wal hai pae janda kaun Johar bulawe’!
‘Takkle ton wal lah’ de luhara mainda ssid tut tut are ipa
(The spindle of the spinning wheel is not working,
properly and who will call the black-smith. (Master)
(to. repair) ?. Please set Tight the spindle of my.
spinning wheel, O Black Smith (Master), my. yarn).
(concentration on good deeds) gets proken time and
again.)
It is observed that in some of the Kafis of Bulleh Shah, the composition,
meanings and Sufistic ideas of the Kafis of Shah Husain are amply
reflected, as for example in the following —
Wii" Oe Lie
Mio Ty Fs Pihevo Keto .
Ow peo b ibfedp eb
Usb, Gy Sylare 1 oye,
Fad a wi wafta a uot. !
aM Ol wud. wa ow ag om ou fa ag
fet we 4 vel wicl gx wl oY axa |
Main choohri han sachche sahib ‘di sarkaron !
Dhian ki chhajjalli gian ka jharu kam krodh nit jharun
Qazi jane hakim Jane faragh khatti be-garon
Dinne rat main eho mang di door na kar darbaron. ha
{I'am the sweéperess appointed by the True‘Lord: “I
carry the wick-basket of meditation’ and broom of
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outs esBulleh. Shah
knowledge and always sweep sex and anger. Qazi
knows it and Hakim knows it that I am exempt
from indentured labour; ‘day and night I only pray
that I should not be eta evey, from the court (of
the Lord).
ese See: ACY Pas Lal Husain, — known as Shah
Husain, has also said that -~
bul, Cire
UE Rp Vis bos Le
CNP EVIL oui vii
> 3 C100 7 2 Lede iS bey 6
Cole's Be ub FUE BOL
ok an sxe aed & mar a 7
wa Aouad sacergian ate Ra wg
oe aM Uy eet aay ey a am a
0°) fit Ora oR Aor oH ced we BOR
i ak a ee
h) pold , :O De
eved en seen hele fran: chtalscis di fi
a hasoeect ‘ki: frelitiagpall giam ka jharua:kam Herod mit mjteeen
Qazi Jane: sanuvhakimane'sanu faragh ‘khatti begar di
‘Mil Yanevar mehta: yane“main tehalikaram sarkar di
NIB (igs utes! numana sai talab — deedar di
me am, the. ‘sweeperess of the court (of God), With the
“wick basket of meditation and. broom of ‘knowledge,
I sweep sex and anger. Qazi “knows ‘me, Hakim
knows me that 1'am‘ ‘exempt from: indénttired labour?” 20
All the officials: know. that’I took after the work of
the Lord. Says> Hasain; Linthocent Rss that I
earnestly wish«to: sée the: Pant)
In another place, Bulle Shah: sa Xb 5 mas Nb: 2
sae
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LL s—OOCSCSCSCS
lA w 7 ly Sipe
Ne era i Ss
& B Sy BF> @) (uur Ue?
egy J BP? 42
Ig bs GY?
: :
Sguurzel eg ent
not Wr cher
aait ¢ fers aell aa a ae Brill
ga ya Sra FTI a ae aeu a we YH
aé var vg ae
qa tata!
ag nam a R um We wae ®
ax dais wal ga ® Ga wert wet a !
Sajnan de wichhore kolon tan da lahu chhaninda
Dhukhkhan soolan kita eka na koi saura na koi peka
Dard dahoni pei dar tere
tun hi dard ranjhani da !
Kadd kaleja kite bere eh par nahin lag tere
Hor taufiq nahin kujh mere pio katora pani da
(Because of separation from my friend (God), blood
of my body is strained. My worries and pains have
united and I have nowhere to go (as I have no home
of my own or of my in-laws). With enormous pains
(of separation) I am lying at your door and You
(God) can relieve me ( of this). By taking out my
heart, this (act) is not commensurate with Your
station, I have no other capability except to drink
a cupful of water.)
On the same lines, Shah Husain has said -
ly g UF Abd» pi dk GUA
exe uit ov Srenis 4
b Ob Sper hot Pi un
OF Ver SI wUiulruws
Louk kere
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ashmir Research Institute, Snips pp isitized by eGangotri
Bulleh Shah
eS Sa ee ae Ta aes
faat 2 wort afer fea a ag ori a |!
os wae waa R A Hh cae ae R
ax dale sel pa R de wet ai ai !
qa yet xa Hn tar wT ae Mew a we ta
ara Yel BA WI tor vet ves Tari a |!
Mitran di majmani khatir dil da lahu chhani da,
Kadd kaleja keetam bere so bhi laiq nahin tere
Hor taufig nahin kujh mere pio katora pani da !
Dukhkhan soolan rall keeta eka na koi saura na koi peka,
Aas rahi hun teri eka palla pakar numani da
(For the happiness of my friend (God), I strain the
blood of my heart. By taking out my heart, this
(act) is not conforming to the standard of your
(God's) station. I have no other capability except to
drink a cupful of water. My hurts and pains have
gathered together, I have no home of my own or of
my in-laws. Hope only is that You (God) will catch
hold skirt of the innocent me.)
In these Kafis, not only there is great similarity but also there is a
constant flow of highly spiritualistic and deep feelings, full of pathos,
and humility of the seeker for communion with the Lord. The verses of
both the Sufis are suffused with love divine.
Bulleh Shah, in his pantheistic Sufi thought and extremely liberal outlook,
many a time, expressed his true feelings which, by convention, he was
not supposed to do. In spite of the troublous times in which he lived
and, since he could not contain his feelings any longer, he expressed
them with all the sincerity, simplicity and vehemence at his command
least caring for the consequences. How many poets had the courage and
conviction to express great philosophic truth so well as did Bullah in the
following composition ?
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
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Suysel Pees
or ree whit vege
Ssebeowul une Lib hy
be Se Bie
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Bulleh Shah
ee ee
ye os ada a vedi @ !
ge aie Sea ea taneaearmataaat &
fa daw Wt wae wa wa & via ext &
ye ans aa a vexdt & !
3H AA aa seq dz ay aa ah wa al @
ww fa gama aes He PIX HE VI &
ye as aa A went & !
fora orn We ere aI We Wis soa sax <I
ya ah & ta afer a fe ag a & a dex! &
qe as Wa A wel & !
wt ga fla em z a fier api dest
ae ag & dal deg & amex wand ws g As
qe ag aa A Yen! & |
%) dar aa da &- 3a a qa we ANI z
3H Ud a BAN s wi faa ems fla th @
qe ag aa TW vex z !
fea apse Rag a fed a vee Pog a
fea ae wa amg a fea wa yer Bexl &
qe og ad AW vex! & !
uel per et oR et wa Te veg Be WR ee
al =r aw wR A aad we a AS TSF
We og ad A wx & |!
GQ DEY OY RRR ag Wa Yor VET THIN TS
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
Juth akkhia'te kujh bachda hai, such akkhia bhambar machda hai
Dil dohan gallan to jachda hal, jach jach ke jeeban kehndi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
lick Jaazam bat adab di hai, sanun bat malumi subh di hai
Har har wich surat rabb di hai, kahun zahar kahun chhappendi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai!
Jis paya bhed qalander da, rah khojia apne andar da
Sukhwasi hai es mandir da, jithe chardi hai na lehndi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
Etthe duniya wich hanera hai, ate tillkan bazi vehra hai
Andar war ke wekho kehra hai, bahar khalgat pai dhundh di hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
Etthe lekha paon pasara hai, isda wakkhra bhed niara hai
Ikk surat da chamkara hai, jeun chinak daru wich paindi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
Kite naz-o-ada dikhlai da, kite ho rasul milai da
Kite ashaq ban ban aiyee da, kite jan judai sehndi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
Jadon zaahar hoe nur hori, jal gaye pahar koh tur hori
Tadon daar chadhe mansur hori, otthe shekhi na maindi taindi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
Je zaahar karan asrar tain, sabh bhul jawan takrar tain
Phir maran bullhe yar tain, otthe makhfi gall sohindi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
Asaan padhia ilm tehqigi hai, otthe ikko haraf haqiqi hai
Hor jhagara sabh wadhiki hai, aiven roula pa pa behndi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai !
Bullah shahu asanthon wakkh nahin, bin shahu thin duja kakkh nahin
Par wekkhan wali akkh nahin, tahin jaan pei dukkh sehndi hai
Munh aiyee bat na rehndi hai | *
(I cannot withhold the speech that has come into
my mouth. By speaking falsehood there is some
respite but by telling the truth, fire-storm will be let
loose; the heart is disgusted and, in disgust, the
tongue is compelled to say: I cannot withhold the
speech, etc.
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One essential thing concerns religion, but I know
everything. There is image of God in everything;
somewhere it is patent somewhere it is latent. I
cannot withhold the speech, etc.
Whosoever had found the secrets of the saints, he
has found the path from within him; he is a happy
resident of this temple (of self-realisation) where there
is no rise or fall. I cannot withhold the speech, etc.
In this world there is darkness and the courtyard is
slippery; search within, who is there ? Outside even
the crowd is looking for (God). I cannot withhold
the speech, etc.
Here the account (of Karmas) has spread out its
feet, it has a different secret of its own. One image
(God) has its own illumination just as a spark falls
into the wine. I cannot withhold the speech, etc.
Somewhere He has been coquettish; somewhere He
has brought Muhammad; somewhere He has come
as a great lover and somewhere His soul suffers
pains of separation. I cannot withhold the speech,
etc.
When the Light (God) manifested, the mount of Sinai
was illumined, and then Mansur was put on the
cross, there existed no boasting of mine or thine. I
cannot withhold the speech, etc.
If I: declare openly the secret, all quarrel (of different
faiths) will cease; then (vested interests) will kill friend
Bullah; here, on earth, crafty speech (ambiguous) is
liked. I cannot withhold the speech, etc.
I have understood the knowledge of search and there
is only one word (of God) which is real; all other
arguing is unnecessary, and it is useless to make
noise. I cannot withhold the speech, etc.
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Bullah, the Lord is not separate from us and there
is nothing apart from the Lord; alas ! there is no eye
which can see (Him), therefore the soul is suffering.
I cannot withhold the speech etc.)
ons of Bulleh Shah praised the Divine Beloved,
d sorrow inflicted by separation and ultimately the
ed in the Union. In the early stages of
his mystic life, Bulleh Shah spoke of the Ishq-i-Haqiqi (the Love Divine)
through the veil of Ishq-i-Majazi (the carnal love) as the Sufis were wont
to do. His earlier compositions were banal but in later compositions,
since he had broken the customary shackles, they were entirely free from
this and matured in thought and substance. In fact, in the final phase
of his development as a Sufi of great attainments and as a poet of
distinction, the Divine Beloved for Bullah was all-pervading Universal
Soul which added a new dimension to the Punjabi Sufi poetry. For this
reason, his poetry is, essentially, non-erotic and represents truly what is
naturally felt in loving the Divine Beloved.
The poetic compositi
described the pain an
joy, peace and tranquillity attain
Bulleh Shah composed several poems, innumerable Kafis and Baramah,
among others. The chief merit of his poetry lies in the fact that it is full
of pathos, deep feelings, highly intellectual, profoundly spiritual and
easily comprehensible with Punjabi down-to-earth similes, which has
captivated the hearts of the Punjabis, rustic as well as highly intellectual
of all faiths and creeds, and inspires them even today to sing the glory
of the Divine Beloved.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
1. Maula Baksh Kushta, Punjabi Shairan da Tazkira, p. 102, L Rama Krishna, Panjabi
Sufi Poets, p. 60.
2! Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 102.
3. Ibid. p. 102 Shamim Choudhury, Punjabi Adab-o-Tarikh, p. 94.
4, Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 102.
5. Ibid., p. 102.
6. _ Ibid., p. 102.
Up L. Rama Krishna, op. cit., p. 61.
8. Ibid., p. 62.
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Bulleh Shah
NT
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
LZ.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38,
39,
Ibid., p. 63.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op., cit. p. 103.
The Shattaris are a sect of the Qadariya Sufi silsila.
L. Rama Krishna, op. cit., p. 65.
It is commonly believed that Shah Inayat always preached in Punjabi and used
to quote freely from the verses composed by him. As Punjabi in those days was
considered the language of the uncultured, it seems, his compositions were not
preserved.
L. Rama Krishna, op. cit., p. 66.
Ibid., p. 67.
Ibid., p. 67.
Qanun-i-Ishq, Vol. I, p. 100 (Kafi 17).
Ibid., Vol. I, p. 64 (Kafi 1).
Maula Baksh Kushta, op., cit., p. 107.
Ibid., p. 107.
L. Rama Krishna, op., cit. p. 71.
Kafi of Bullah Shah No. 37. Also mentioned in Sangit Sagar, p. 289.
Qanun-i-Ishq, Vol. Il. p. 211.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op., cit., p. 104.
Ibid., p. 103.
Sain Bullah Shah, Kafi 48.
Qanun-i-Ishq Vol. V, p. 99 (Kafi 16). Pul Sirat is a mythical bridge having razorsharp
edges which everyone has to cross. Those who have good deeds to their credit
cross it without any difficulty but those who are bad are cut to pieces and thrown
down the bridge to be consumed by the fire of hell perenially burning there. Poets
often use this expression as the strict code of conduct.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p. 104.
Ibid., p. 73.
Qanun-i-Ishq vol. V, p. 99 (Kafi 16)
Qanun-i-Ishq, Kafi 57.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op., cit., p. 106.
Qanun-i-Ishq, Kafi 85.
Ibid., Kafi 85.
Ibid., Kaff 90.
Ibid., Kaff 59.
Ibid.,, Kafi 114.
L. Rama Krishna, op. cit., p. 79-80.
Qanun-i-Ishq, Kafi 109.
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5
40.
41,
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49,
50.
51.
52.
53.
Ibid., Kaff 64.
Ibid., Kafi 73.
This Kafi is quoted by L. Rama Krishna which she reportedly obtained from Mirasi
Maula Baksh of Lahore.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op.» cit., p. 107.
Shamim Choudhury, op. cit., p. 97-
Ibid., p. 95.
Ibid., p. 96.
Shamim Choudhury, OP. cit., p. 95.
Ibid., p. 95.
Bulleh Shah's Kafi 71.
Madho Lal Husain's Kafi 90.
The same thought is beautifully
and Bulleh Shah (Kafi 44.).
Madho Lal Husain's Kafi 90.
Qanun-i-Ishq, Vol. Il, Kafi 70.
described both by Madho Lal Husain (Kafi 129)
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(C1699—1772)
Sayyid Waris Shah is by far the greatest Punjabi poet and holds the same
position in Punjabi, which Shakespeare has in English and Kalidas in Sanskrit.
Punjabi literature is ever indebted to him for giving an honourable status to
the language, composite civilization and culture of the Punjab. The tale of Hir
and Ranjha is the principal composition of the master-poet which is
encyclopaedic in its comprehension, above all religious, communal and parochial
barriers; it is poetry of the human heart, universal in its outlook, mystic in
its appeal and Sufis have discovered in it gems of divine knowledge.
Very little is known about the life of Waris Shah. Whatever we know, we have
gathered it from his writings. He was the son of Sayyid Qutab Shah of J andiala
Sher Khan in Sheikhupura district. After his preliminary education at his
place of birth, he came over to Kasur and had his advanced education under
Maulavi Ghulam Muhiyuddin? who used to teach in Jama Masjid in Kasur
fort? and also from Makhdum Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza. He himself gives out
this information in the following verse :
er) Ue Ceyyit sy,
C1 wD Art JEL
aa We ails wWosaeag a
a mid wan oe a g |
Waris Shah wasnik jandialare da
Shagird makhdum Kasur da ee.
(Waris Shah is the inhabitant of Jandiala and a pupil
of Makhdum of Kasur. )
He was well versed in Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. After acquiring advanced
learning at Kasur, Waris Shah went to Pak Pattan for advanced spiritual
studies and knowledge of Sufism from the then sajjada-nashin of Hazrat Baba
Farid‘. He was initiated into Sufism and acquired Sufistic attainments. On his
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
return from Pak Pattan, he came to Mauza Thatha Jahad, where, in an old
mosque, he discharged the duties of an Imam and also held religious
discourses for the people and gave them advices®. There wee a love
episode in the life of Waris Shah which is said to be responsible for the
composition by him of the romantic tale of Hir and Ranjha. It is said that
near the mosque at Mauza Thatha Jahad, there was a settlement of
Lohars (iron-smiths). One of the women of Lohars, by the name of Bhag
Bhari, used to regularly bring food for the Imam. In the process, both
were struck by the arrow of cupid and had fallen in love with each other.
The Lohars, on knowing about it, were greatly agitated and are said to
have given a good thrashing to Waris Shah and compelled him to leave
the village®. Thus the love affair ended unhappily for him. Waris Shah
came to the township of Malika Hans where he completed the romantic
tale of Hir and Ranjha in 1766 A.D. The name Bhag Bhari has indeed
appeared in the tale in eight or nine places and, everywhere, it can be
interpreted in its literal sense, meaning, fortunate lady.
Scholars are at variance about the romantic episode at Thatha Jahad.
It is true that the veracity of the Bhag Bhari romance cannot be ascertained
‘from any authentic source. According to some, this is nothing but the
imaginative conception of over-zealous admirers of Waris Shah who want
to prove that the tale of Hir and Ranjha composed by him is the direct
outcome of the failure of romance in the life of Waris Shah. According
to others, the love story alluded to is true and they quote from Waris
Shah's composition, as under -
bei TGMobise anor
vel vito ein fen visit ol gee Goma goer ag
Taddon shaugq hoya qissa jorne da jaddon ishq di gall izhar hof
(Then I was enamoured to write the qissa (of Hir
and Ranjha) when Love manifested itself in my heart.)
About affirmation of his own love, Waris Shah writes -
Zw aL & se Lout tr ult vb om
aye fea difda whe + aa we wa aga sa
Mashoog diyan bankian shokh nainan waris shah jaise majzoob kite
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Sayyid Waris Shah
Oa a SL a a ee ae,
(The beautiful bright eyes of the beloved, captured the
hearts of the likes of Waris Shah.)
Waris Shah, looking at the unprecedented success achieved by his Qissa,
admits as under -
z My l= eyls
putes Hulke
aa we war a ana fre
QU ufet gee vast wa!
Waris Shah faqir di aqqal kithe
eh pattian ishq padhaiyan hun’.
(It is beyond the wisdom of fagir Waris Shah (to write
the Qissa of Hir and Rajha), (but) these lessons are
taught by love. )
After completing the Qissa of Hir and Ranjha, Waris Shah was on his way to
his native place and, in the course of his journey, he had a short sojourn at
Kasur, where the fame of his Qissa had already reached, among others, his
teacher. He called on his teacher at Kasur who appeared greatly annoyed and
reprimanded him and said, "I taught Bulleh Shah and he has taken up
Sarangi (a musical instrument, meaning has become a Sufi musician); I taught
you and you have indulged in Qissas of love." Waris Shah stayed for the night
at his teacher's place. In the early morning, when he got up, he sang from his
Hir and explained to his teacher that he has written this Qissa on the Soul
yearning for meeting with the Divine Beloved and recited the following, among
other, verses from his Hir -
v) Where CLL G box Oy »!
2 we wag a fox we wa sea 2 Aa gam =
Eh rooh qalboot da zikar sara nal aqqal de mel bulaya ee?
(This entire reference is about Soul meeting with the
Divine Beloved which has been contrived with great
wisdom.)
and the following - RSS
git ol zOt yo SY Ltue
ul wuynsue rule Zu & La &
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ee we a oe gag ot aa Tet ROTTS
ad oe a ta cae R Rel at GT aT sl
o balnath nun pir banaya ee
Hir rooh te chak galboot jan i
e.
Punj pir ne punj hawas tere jinhan thapana tudh nun laya e
(Hir is the Soul and Ranjha is the Divine Beloved,
Balnath is made into a pir (saintly teacher); five pirs
(alluded to in the Qissa are Khawaja Khizr, Farid Ganj-
i-Shakar, Shahbaz Qalandar, Baha-al-Haqq Zakaria, and
Sayyid Jalal of Bukhara) are, in fact, your five senses
which are bestowed on you.)
While Waris Shah was reciting select verses from the Qissa, the teacher got
so engrossed in the enchanting poetry that a seance-like situation prevailed
over Makhdum Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza who was transported to the great
heights of spiritualism and could not check himself to remark that priceless
pearls of great wisdom had been strung into a rosary of jute-thread by the
miracle of Waris Shah. In those days, Punjabi was not considered the language
of the learned; to give a simile of jute-thread to Punjabi tongue may or may
not be true, but that the writings of Waris Shah are priceless pearls, there is
no doubt.
Waris Shah came back to Jandiala Sher Khan and lived there till the end of
his life. On his death he was buried there and now an imposing mausoleum
is constructed over his remains. A commemorative stone tablet is also affixed
in the mosque where he spent early part of his life at Thatha Jahad.
HIS HIR
The tale of Hir and Ranjha is the principal composition of Waris Shah. It
appears that Waris Shah was persuaded by friends to write this story in
Punjabi verse, although it had been written in Punjabi and Persian before,
and he seems to have been benefitted from all the previous versions. The first
writer and creator of this story was Damodar Arora of Jhang, who composed
the story in Punjabi verse. He was followed by Ahmad Kavi (in Punjabi verse),
Mugbil (in Punjabi verse), Gurdas (in Persian prose), Shah Fakhrulla Lahauri
Afrin (in Persian verse), Pandit Mansa Ram Munshi Sialkoti (in Persian prose) v
Sundar Das Aram (in Persian Verse) and Waris Shah (in Punjabi verse). There
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ee
are many writers who composed this tale even after Waris Shah. Altogether
eight versions of this tale are written in Persian and thirty-five in Punjabi''.
Of all the writers who have told and retold the story of Hir and Ranjha, it is
admitted, none has equalled, no question of excelling the fame and beauty of
the tale as told by Waris Shah.
Young people consider Waris Shah's Hir and Ranjha a climax in romantic
stories. The older generation derives special pleasure in his graceful
presentation of a kaleidoscopic view of life. Sufis, with their extraordinary
vision and perception, find ample evidence of mysticism and divine knowledge
in his verses. It is encyclopaedic in its comprehension yet above every religious,
communal and parochial barrier; it is poetry of the human heart, universal
in its outlook and appeal, disseminating the sweet fragrance of sympathy for
human beings everywhere. In short, the story of Hir and Ranjha, as depicted
by Waris Shah, is an album of colourful and enchanting pictures of life in the
Punjab, of varied views but always deeply absorbing.
STORY OF HIR AND RANJHA
The story of Hir and Ranjha is a simple one. It is the story of romance of two
young souls, passionately yearning for each other. The story had its origin in
Sargodha district, in the village of Takht Hazara, where lived an opulant and
well-to-do zamindar by the name of Mauju Chowdhury. He belonged to the
Ranjha clan of Jats and had eight sons. The youngest one, known as Dhedu
became famous under his clan name of Ranjha, the hero of this tale.
Ranjha, being the youngest and handsomest of all the sons, was pampered
by his father. This made him easy - going and addicted to a soft cosy life. He
was inclined more towards playing the flute than tilling the fields. He was
most proficient in playing the flute whose thrilling notes satisfied the subtle
and poetic trend of his fancy; but this occupation did not provide him his
subsistence.
On the death of his father, unable to face the hardships of farming, and being
constantly taunted and teased by his brothers and their wives, Ranjha bid
farewell to his paternal home. With a blanket around his shoulders and a
flute in his hand, Ranjha gave a last look at the minarets of Takht Hazara and
turned steps towards the south.
Ultimately he reached a spot on the bank of the river Chenab from where he
could see the fields and houses of Jhang territory.
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Tired from his long journey and fanned by fresh cool breezes from the green
fields, Ranjha decided to rest on a cosy bed in a sedan-boat left unattended.
Soon he was lulled to sleep by the even ripples that rocked the boat like a
cradle and by the soft music of splashing waves.
Jhang was the stronghold of Rajputs known as Syals. These Jats were proud
of their ancestry and considered themselves a superior race. They thought
it derogatory to give their daughters in marriage to the neighbouring Jats.
There were rich and influential Jats among the Syals, and one of them was
Chuchak, the father of the beautiful Hir.
Whether it was an accident or preordained by the gods, it happened that the
bed on which Ranjha fell asleep belonged to the beautiful lissome Hir. While
he was sleeping, Hir came to her boat with some other girls. When she saw
Ranjha, she flew into a rage.
But when she drew nearer and had a close look at his handsome face and
stately figure and pondered over the great abandon with which he had dared
to use her bed, she fell in love. With a touch of flowery bough, she roused him
and, with the excitement of youth's first encounter with love, they stood
bewitched by the charm of each other. In that enchanted moment they realized
that love transcends pride and anger and recognizes no caste. The romantic
surroundings, brushed by the cool breeze of the river, kindled the latent
sparks ‘of love into a consuming flame. Each professed submission to the
other.
In the Jhang of the Syals the peaches were ripe and bunches of the low-
hanging grapes added romance to the effusive youth of Hir and Ranjha.
Chuchak, at the insistence of his daughter, Hir, employed Ranjha to look after
the buffaloes, and a new chapter opened in the lives of both Hir and Ranjha.
Each day he would take the buffaloes to the riverside and Hir, on some
pretext or other, would stealthily meet him there.
In the lull reigning supreme over the banks of the Chenab melodies of the
flute of Ranjha had their rapturous effect on Hir. Their hearts drew nearer to
each other.
But love can in no way obliterate the bitter realities of life and, on the
contrary, often brings them into sharper contrast. There were occasions when
Ranjha made up his mind to throw off his yoke of service. Hir's father and
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Sayyid Waris Shah’
—_——— ——_ — —
prother sometimes admonished Ranjha and used harsh words towards him
because of his addiction to a lazy life of flute-playing. Ranjha thought of
leaving Jhang as he had earlier left Takht Hazara. But the apologies and
entreaties of Hir always kept him back.
Years rolled by in this way and the easy-going Ranjha was reconciled to being
a cowherd as long as he could be in the esoteric company of his Hir. Chuchak
was happy, too, since he found in Ranjha a free slave to work for him. Ranjha
would have lived his whole life contentedly in this manner had no severe
upheaval changed the course of events.
There arose a serious impediment, however, to his hide and seek game of
love. His secret meetings with Hir on the river bank became known to some
villagers and Hir's uncle, Kaido, witnessed one rendezvous and reported it to
his brother, Chuchak. Kaido urged Chuchak to find a suitable husband for
Hir before the respected name of the family was disgraced.
The Rajput Jats of the Khera clan from the village of Rangpur in the district
of Muzaffargarh were as famous and influential in their own territory as the
Syals were in Jhang and both clans belonged to the same stock. Saida, a
Khera, was selected as a match for Hir of the Syal.
Hir tried her best to stop the marriage to Saida but.without success. Saida
came, married the lovely girl and took her away despite her cries of protest
and open declaration of her love for Ranjha.
Ranjha, stricken with grief, left Jnang. In his wanderings, he eventually came
upon a place called Tilla Balnath or Tilla Guruan near Jhelum. He had his
ears pierced and became a disciple of Jogi Balnath. He remained in the
Balnath Ashram for a long time.
But again his love for Hir made him restless and, in a Jogi's garb and a
begging bowl in his hands, he wandered into the streets of Rangpur, the new
home of his beloved, Hir.
Through the connivance of Saida's sister, Sehti, the Jogi was brought into the
house on the pretext of curing Hir who feigned to be bitten by a snake. Thus
the pair managed to escape from Rangpur.
The Kheras pursued the lovers and overtook them, but one night Hir and
Ranjha again succeeded in freeing themselves and escaped from the Kheras.
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Ranjha and Hir were left with only two choices : either to live as nomads or
to settle down to a peaceful life with the consent of Hir's parents. Preferring
the latter, they went to Jhang.
Generous-hearted Chuchak agreed to marry his daughter to Ranjha but his
wicked brother, Kaido, again interfered and advised Chuchak to persuade
Ranjha to bring a marriage party from his native Takht Hazara, and to marry
Hir ceremoniously according to family customs. Ranjha went to Takht Hazara
as advised. To vindicate the family honour, Kaido, in the meantime, poisoned
Hir as a result of which she died.
A messenger was sent to inform Ranjha that death had claimed Hir. In haste
Ranjha was taken to Hir's tomb. In deep despair he knelt over Hir's grave and
incessantly wept and prayed for her return to his embrace. When he realized
this could not be, he prayed that he might follow her. Before long his prayer
was granted and Ranjha and Hir were united in death.
Thus the tragic tale of love and disappointment came to an abrupt end.
Compunction and fear were the two main components woven into the fabric
of this tale in such a manner that the story found a prominent place among
the tragedies of the world.
Fidelity, perseverance and courage are the main features of the story and,
because it is a story from among the common people, unattached to courts
or durbars, it holds sway throughout the overwhelmingly agricultural population
of the Punjab.
The story, particularly its end, is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. The interest
of the story lies, chiefly, in its artistic significance and what it tells us of the
joys and sorrows of the human heart. One comes to the conclusion that life
is always worth seeing and worth living.
HIS POETRY
Hir and Ranjha is an immortal love classic of the Punjab comparable to the
other world classics such as Laila Majnun, Shirin Farhad, and Romeo Juliet.
The story is written in ballad form of poetry by many poets beginning from
Damodar Arora of Jhang in the sixteenth century but the most popular is by
the eighteenth century Sufi poet, Waris Shah, whose narration is the richest
in this allegorical poem. It is, in fact, his poem that has given the Hir-Ranjha
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Sayyid Waris Shah
its perennial appeal. Even Insha, Urdu court-poet of Lucknow, on hearing
Waris Shah's Hir, said -
EL Ar wfeyic
Ueyiur ihr dis
gm ww fee wW & twa a7
a wet ad of Gord 4 ge fern |
Sunaya rat ko qissa jo hir ranjhe ka
To ahle dard ko punjabion ne loot liya.
(When yesternight the tale of Hir and Ranjha was retold,
the Punjabis touched all hearts that had any feeling.)
Thomas Hardy has observed that in poetry is " concentrated the essence of
all imaginative and emotional literature," and in every epoch the poets have
provided some of the most sublime expressions of man's genius and some of
the most profound insights into the nature of human experience. In the Hir
of Waris Shah, we find not only the sublime expressions but also ample
evidence of some of the most profound insights into the nature of human
experience. In the Hir, we find a lyrical poem of high order which is full of
remarkable vitality. Poetry of Waris Shah, besides being lyrical, is also narrative
and descriptive. His verses show a great strength, sweetness, mastery in
beauty, and tenderness of feeling, thus attaining loftier and finer excellence.
The poetry of Waris Shah is not restricted to any particular aspect of life, but
it deals with all aspects which encompass human endeavours, particularly
related to the life as it existed then in the vast, fertile plains of the Punjab.
While going through his poem, one gets vivid glimpses of villagers ploughing
their fields, and, not infrequently, quarrelling over the division of land and
indulging in petty squabbles; somewhere one finds a Maulavi preaching in a
mosque, or a Qazi solemnizing a marriage, or a Pundit making out his
astrological calculations to declare an auspicious moment for its celebrations;
sometimes one finds a scene of gaeity of a marriage party and sometimes one
finds, quite unexpectedly, witnessing a tragic death scene. One finds boatmen
rowing their boats and cowherds looking after their flocks. At places there are
bickerings in the community and at other places the subtle issues of love and
beauty discussed. Worldly people are shown busy in their mundane things
whereas the sadhus, the fagirs and wandering mendicants are busy in their
spiritual pursuits. Whenever he describes jats, he employs their language,
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
s brought in, he speaks in their language.
that only a providentially gifted master-
mind could have done this. The tale of Hir and Ranjha as depicted by Waris
Shah is an album of colourful and interesting pictures of the life in the Punjab
as it was then lived. In short, it is poetry of the human heart, diffusing the
sweetness of sympathy for human beings.
and when the conversation of women i
His description is so true and natural
SIGNIFICANCE OF HIR FOR SUFIS
Waris Shah himself and most of the Sufis have given it an allegorical garb.
They try to canonize the story with mystic significance. Hir, the real beloved,
is the human soul; Ranjha is the Divine Beloved sought. Hir's couch in the
sedan-boat is the pulsirat (Siratul Mustaqim of the Quran) which is interpretted
as the code of conduct; five pirs are five senses; Hir's father as the philosophy
of ethics; and Kaido is Satan personified.
At Hir's tomb, five kilometres outside the town of Jhang, a mausoleum is built
Mughal-style, one is faced with the same sort of allegorical significance. It is’
open from above, meaning that, for the flight of the human soul for meeting
with the Lord, all paths are open from earth to heaven. There are windows
to all the four directions but one of these significantly remains ever closed
facing Rangpur. This window in the wall facing Rangpur shows that the gate
of death is shut to the soul which can soar in all other regions, for it has
- attained eternity.
Mystical verse has played an important part in the lives of the Sufis of the
Punjab. They composed poems, songs, and hymns praising the Beloved,
describing the pain and sorrow inflicted by separation and ultimately the joy, -
peace and happiness attained in union as we see in the immortal love-story
of Hir and Ranjha.
POPULARITY OF HIR
In about 1860 A.D., printing press was introduced in the Punjab and Waris
Shah's Hir, among other Qissas and compositions, was published which became
very popular. The popularity of this Qissa, particularly, prompted one milk-
merchant by the name of Mian Rukan Din to request the famous poet, Mian
Hidayatulla, to edit and add, where necessary, in Waris Shah's Hir so that
waddi (big) Hir could be published’? Mian Hidayatulla added nearly 836
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Sayyid Waris Shah
————o—”—”—”—— LLL
couplets (1672 lines) in the Hir under the name of Waris Shah and they are
so nicely blended in the entire Qissa that, had it not been specifically mentioned
and marked in the book, it would not have been possible to make out which
is original of Waris Shah and which is added by Hidayatullah"’. The following,
among other verses, are added by Mian Hidayatulla :
y
Viegubbuluzd»
erbitiviuy
Awa qa a a a
Doli chadhdian marian Hir cheekan
mainu lai challe babla lai challe we
(While getting into the palanquin (do//) after wedding,
Hir cried out, O father, they are taking me away etc.)
(11 couplets)
or such as
vw Jv oie uf
yp WUAE veo!
Ta wi decR @ Aa GI
arma a ul wet qe a a
Gaya bhajj taqdir de nal thutha
gimat lai ja satthon matt di we
( The earthen bowl, by fate, is broken and take away
the price of earth from us, etc.) (11 couplets)
The amended Hir was greatly appreciated by the people which was sold out
promptly. Then Mian Piranditta Taragar, a renowned poet, who was by
profession a tailor, also added about 596 couplets (1192 lines) in the already
amended Hir of Waris Shah and marked them and published the same under
the title : Sab ton Waddi te Mukkammal Hir (The Largest and Complete Hir}'*.
The following, among other verses, are added by Mian Piranditta Taragar :
4
BLISS Lemos
Eee ! Yuwt LYE LGruv WU ve
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
qh aa {wad ae 2} ay aa om sored A !
war eed ath sta} a ort eH ae Pores 4 |
ke wa nal prem uddaiyan main
Guddi taba’ nun lambarti dor de !
berang milaiyan main.
Katta' darzian walian soch ke te katraan rang
(By giving long string to the kite of wishes, with the
breeze of love I had it flying high; by thinking and
cutting pieces like the tailors, I joined the cut-pieces of
different colours together.)
pieces of different colours by Piranditta Taragar,
In the simile of joining cut-
etrayed his profession.
he has not only spoken from his heart but also has b
Many other poets also tried to interpolate their verses in the Hir of Waris Shah
but they in their attempts were not very successful as their poetic compositions
fell far short of the maturity of the poetry of Waris Shah and were not popular
with the people and thus rejected.
EXTRACTS FROM THE HIR
The verses taken from the Hir of Waris Shah are, sometimes, so gripping that
similar examples are difficult to be found in any other literature. In the
following verse, he explains the importance of having a Murshid (Master) :
ot Heb eze,
Vb S bet orp
foal ARerel We A ea aaa
wa aa a7 Ra J Ge fa |
Binnan murshidan rah na hath aawan
dudh baaj na rijhdi kheer Mian.
(Without the guidance of murshids (masters), the path
is not found : just as without milk, rice-pudding cannot
be made.)
About the nature of women, wandering fagirs, sword and horse, Waris Shah
has explained that they can never be depended upon -
phir - Us eyls
TLL ISF cle
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Sayyid Waris Shah
a
TM WW wWeR aay alg
aR dle we fea 2 ae ant
Waris rann, faqir, talwar, ghora
chare thok eh kisse de yar nahin.
(Waris says that woman, wandering mendicant, sword
and horse, all the four are never friends of anyone.)
The measure of popularity of a writing can be judged from the quotations
which become very popular among the people, in general, just as -
Lultutie pte
lok bwiouel
ade Gr *% farsa farsa a
a vam vaeoe ae a |
Sota pir hai wigdian tighdian da
te shaitan ustad marasian da.
(The staff is the master of the spoiled and Satan is the
teacher of the jesters.)
The importance of brothers in the community is greatly emphasised in the
following. verses which brothers tell Ranjha at the time of his parting from
them -
— Polerult i glut
Ulu glue Lp
VEL Fos Ley by
Ul slag eg ule &
; Cy) Olsndfe—Ly)#
Url} BY obs ufo
ur el Brewed bw
Ws os bgt ul
ae aa A Aor Sexist A
aa ash aa wer wel
ag ara a oh wo ag
faa agit a wae ATel
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
ag ale & wa wee A
ag wh Ue we ER Ae
ag cae we var oe 4
agat aa at wg ae aed |
Bhaiyan bajh na majlassan sohndiyan nen
ate bhaiyan bajh bahar nahin
Bhai maran te paundian bhay baiyan
binan bhaiyan bhare parwar nahin
Lakh ot hai kaul wasendian di
bhaiyan gayan jedi koi har nahin
Bhai dhaonde bhai ussar de ne
bhaiyan bajh beli koi yar nahin.
(Without the brothers, gatherings are uninteresting, and
without brothers there is no spring; if brothers die the
arms are broken, and without brothers, the families are
incomplete; there are hundred thousand protections in
the families, there is no greater defeat when the brothers
leave; brothers not only bring about decline but also
rise and without brothers there is no good friend.)
While describing the beauty of Hir, Waris Shah has employed appropriate
homilies and metaphors -
of yvuv cil ery Ln
af >
UZ Ie UW Yr OF
by VAS 62 OELD
UZ4 sly ow Lis
a) tet Ip oxi
UIhOr LIAS
roc pee one
UL? JS Cet 9-78
aé yd apa oh oa aaa
ors! a faarad! ar faut
we ae dh ag & wi ah
am fod ga amr feat
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— = Sa nn
qe sey Ee a “ua vy
Yor AM wer ci ae feat
fed dma erik addr at
we WS afesa your feat |
Hont surkh yakut jan lal chamkan
thodi seb wilayati saar wichon
Dand chambe di ladi ke hans moti
dane nikle husn anar wichon
Nakk alif husain da pipla ae
zulf nag khazane di bar wichon
Likhi cheen kashmir taswir jatti
kad saru bahisht gulzar wichon.
(Her lips were as red as a ruby and her chin like an
apple of the north (Kashmir or Kabul - both are famous
for apples). Her teeth were like the pearls and beautiful
as the seeds of pomegranate. Her nose was like the
blade of Husain's sword; her locks were like black cobras
sitting on the treasurers of the Deserts. She was the
picture of a woman of China and Kashmir (famous for
beautiful women) and she stood like a cypress in the
garden of Paradise.)
When Hir, accompanied by friends, finds Ranjha sleeping on her couch in the
sedan-boat and is terribly annoyed at the audacity of a complete stranger, she
says -
L&zech Midry
Uo Sb) Les7
loi BE putt
Ur Est sul pslT
by of ujp'i Buy
Urt oly ze ea)
Ober S cz loss
Ur wsZSulesu—t
ze pres a +}!
Utter Sus Z)
OF a ZA A
; UI Oey lat OTE
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
cart watt wa & Fae aI
aa Pa a te wae
§ dogs * wast dw YE |
ara fet & aeme AY
ai vast a ta 4 feor .
a wm aw a ae ay
ag we a ya & We eel
ga get am ae ay
ved W oR yora 4 A
aa ta a wa Wome AF
tal geal GR aneare YT
aa am ta aka we Ay |
Jawani kamali raj hai chuchake da
awey kisse di kih parwah mainu
Main tan dhru ke palang ton ja suttan
aya kidhron eh badshah mainu
Nahin palang te es nun tikan dena
Ja rahega lakh je wah mainu
Nadu shah da put keh sher hathi
paas dhukkian laiga dha mainu
Ehde jaye hazaar ghulam methe
atte es di nahin je chah mainun
Eha budla pir baghdad gugga
mele aan baitha waris shah mainu.
(Hir said, "Youth is impertinent and does he not know
that this is the kingdom of my father Chuchak ? I care
for no one, I will pull him and throw him away least
caring if he is a king of some place. Be he a lion, an
elephant or the son of a noble, I couldn't care less. Does
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Sayyid Waris Shah
er ooo ES
he think he is the son of Nadu Shah (a banker of
renown) or that he is the pir of Baghdad ? I have
thousand slaves like him and, Waris Shah, I care nota
bit for such as he.")
Ranjha, in his first encounter with Hir, says -
ob al LST Wy
1g BK ots b
, 1) glulskuleuud
W2voye Lot
A ri ous, oth
B26 2 Bo wi
Hl lowes vi
Lb ule tis Yi
ws wan ¥ acafed WI
am me FAP TW aga Wt |
Wi RA a 7 FM sv
ta & vas Ta Fel aga A |
a va al arent xiv =
so wan ¢ AH afd TH |
Ranjha akhda eha jahan sufana
chhad jawana ee matwaliye ni
Tussan jehan piarian eh lazam
aye gaye musafaran pa laiye ni
Eda husan da na guman kijiye
eha lai palang sanne naha laiye ni
Assan rabb da asara rakhiya ee
uthth jawanan ee naina waliye ni.
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
"This world is like a dream.
Even you, proud lady, has to leave it; for the dear
ones like you, it is necessary that you should be
Kind to the strangers; do not feel haughty of your
beauty, take back your couch and quilt; I depend
on God and will depart hence to be seen no more.")
When the scandal of clandestine meetings of Hir and Ranjha in the forest
spread out in the village, Chuchak dismisses Ranjha from the post of
cowhred and tells him to go away. Ranjha, being perplexed in heart,
goes to Mithi, the barber woman, and asks her concerning the ways of
Mithi replies in the following words —
(Ranjha said to Hir,
women and love.
eed sur LSpepilaet
ol be bo Hordes Hiv
esr Ie9 boob WW slOuy Lp Ip ste be aoe
er bl Stuf, cick PA
ase VloI VIE Seopere sb
elt py eied rujen Oa
ate JI BS! ML bah lie Hye
ees bulb Ft OUI S7
ep tie ued or Pure lls
ele bbe wwe Heb
aesl7 x He bobo Wey
i SVS G01 bo eid
Bis cul w? Libis Hus
Bb Ur Gd bere mae
8 t és bs AfeL21, Ow» ero
aL, Uz be abut vets fe
ad SF 07 LP Vrptei Reig
BL bus Hb ZOE A
BU bib eF bly Pen Gi ok
-
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Sayyid Waris Shah
) L bbe, whidvlsz to tS
’ Ln .
Pea hoL yobs subT% pubs
} LW, Suletyuw Sot bs uz
Boozer Ween us euzu—
vl \f 2) KO CS rot Cor 02
5 <7 ¥ = 5, Sb
Bll Cyc yop ae LMSC
fA arerdt wit aad wed
a{ aia Wert wre 4
Bia Bs a Ga Yara zw
Gest aca ar ar a
ai sieet <I de aga sen
We Bw a Alea dew a
Ao Exp <I GIS Wer ay
aA wa & aaa Ale a
wa ee 2 AG wi aM ae
$ea ua & de dew 4
Ya wo ¢ Y WE Ua ¥
yé Re Wt ana a Mew a
4 sp Te Wa a :
am dea Sl US aaaeu a
sp ae qaarg safer aT
gra piled ar pl pilew 4
cern weet geo wh tat <a
sie{ wm ai a weg 4
ae vel 8 gee Shed a
Peart a weed 4
as waar se vali a
: s<1 wou fia wal ww a
aa at § eee warn a
aa aerh a us GR UE
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
ga se _{ da weg a
aa asia at ure faa ag
sym uf aa feafen 2
ai aq a adl aa AR
wpe W & ped wa a a
ae de aw at ai msg
aa a q ae aka a
wa ad a swe wae WM g
aren val afew eff ws dex
ast wer a Ga Ip g
Ya wero ag wre eA
am at ale dk & wea zg
Ba Ya A was OM
aa WM welt yo aigar ¥
gown a wae fla wer Fa
ge aaa dt wm vorfsa ¥g
aR Ba BWA apie 4
a} Ya a Ba ora ¥
grant ¢ ge a ea ceil
fist ora fta usa g
WR FH ASIN wrele yn
wel aig at yor yonftar ¥
Sl yw oot ws ae
fea ae 2 ar aenita ¥
aa HY 2 oa fla <a ah
ore #6 wim aneta ¥
wet ga ag adtara fas
ae |e fa vata g |
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Sayyid Waris Shah
ee eee
Mithi boldi jeu tadbir kar ke
tainun dasnian ranjhana chhohra we,
Haal ashqaan khol sunaoni han
Jehra wartia bhaura bhaura we.
Pandh ashqaan da chalna bahut aukha
rah ashqaan auhra sauhra we,
Maza ishq da kaura e zehar wangun
talli ghat ke chakhna mohra we.
Kale ishq haraf jeun nag baithe
kundal ghatt ke teera chohra we;
Bhet ishq de nun soi janda ai
murd rind jo aqqal da gohra we.
Aiwen ishq ghaza ghamiharnian da
agge telan da khara anmohra we,
Ishq tarq bhagiad ayalna da
sheikh zadian da zo zohra we;
Dahaya majhiyon ishq si sikhni da
ohnun pea chana da rohra we,
Lat patta hai ishq bangalanan da
hindustanan da chhanchhohra we,
Tore kassda ishq kuwarian da
denda sajra nit naho hara we.
Luchi wang hai ishq khatranian da ©
agge bahmani da khara khir khayee,
Khula ishq tun wekh paharnan da
atte peshaurnan da parde wich payee;
Ishq jammia wattan syalian de
jhang baap te naddi chana mayee,
Ishq sir hai qudrat rabb di da
jende lekh likhiya jholi wanjh payee.
Haal wekh tun ashqaan sarian da
rabb nabi da ishq chatar paya ee,
Adam hawa bahisht thin kadd bahar
wadda qehar te khun guzaria ee;
Bhull zakaria lai panah haizam
aari nal oh chir ke pharia ee,
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Ismail nun baap ne zabah kita
chakha cha khalil nun chadhiya ee,
Sulaiman te palak wich qehar hoya
sutt takht ton cha ujaria ee,
Maare hasan husain yazidian ne
agge rabb de hal pukariya ee.
Duniya-daran de ishq da hall dassan
mirza ghat kakhan wich saria ێ,
Chander badan maiyar farhad shirin
jaddon moe tan shukar guzaria ee;
Sassi punnu sane zamin gharaq hoyee
wich thallan de khun guzaria ee.
Laila majnun de tann wich dabh suli
garoon heth zamin nigharia ee,
Sohn dubb moyee mahiwal pichhe
yusuf khu de wich uttariya ee.
(Mithi tells young Ranjha that I will counsel you all
about love and says, "The way of love is hard and
the path is tortuous. The taste of love is as bitter
as poison. The very letters of /shq (Arabic—Ain Le :
Shin Sf and Qaaf (9) are like the coils of snakes
and only very wise men know their secrets. Love to
the potter woman is part of the day's work like
eating and drinking; the love of a shepherdess is
fierce like a wolf; the love of a Sikh woman (belonging
to Sikhism, religion promulgated by Guru Nanak) is
as violent as the current of the river Chenab. The
Bengali woman's love is fitful. The Hindustani's is
childish. A little girl's love is fretful and peevish;
she is always taunting and reproaching her lover.
The love of a Khatri woman is as soft as dough, and
the love of a Brahmin woman is like eating the rice-
pudding. The hill woman loves openly but the
Peshawar woman in secret. But hark ye! The
birth-place of love is among the Syals. Jhang is the
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Sayyid Waris Shah
father of Love and the Chenab is its mother. Did
not Love exist from the beginning of the world ?
Did not God love Muhammad ? Did not the holy
saints know Love; even Adam and Eve, and Zakaria
who got caught in a tree was sawn asunder ? Did
not Abraham love Ismail ? Was not God displeased
with King Solomon and did not He cast him down
from his throne in his displeasure, in the twinkling
of an eye ? Love also slew Hasan and Husain, the
holy martyrs, and is not the list of earthly Lovers
long and famous; even Mirza Sahiban, Chander
Badan, Shirin and Farhad, Sassi and Punnu, Laila
and Majnu, Sohni and Mahiwal, Yusuf and
Zulaikha ?")
In the above composition, Waris Shah begins with worldly love (Ishq-i-
Majazi\, transcends the barriers and; with masterful handling, concludes
by referring to Ishq-i-Haqiqi (the Love Divine).
When Hir was married by stratagem to Saida and put into the wedding
palanquin by force, she laments in the following words :
V7 Ulsb Ube 93
Ce Zou & Lue
£7 ble Lux
Lega dif lds
AAI 2ST Ye
es BL BE tl Loy)
thadiuy ¢ ue
oy cue fy or
tL f LI ase»
art ley, SS
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
LS ob Ub lywL
ya ay) Jeri "
Oss Ueolteub
eee Sits) ys
: Poof oF LE wf
eked Oh eins
aj a ad wa a aa a
a{ wa a aan eR aa
Set a wer a a ac a
Rm wean wd a As a F ;
ae wa aaa feel me aa 3
a wr Bd wa @ aaa
we di qu a aa a
fet aR A wa aRm ai
ga ad ated we wa a
ary afer acta amp Gel
qa wet aR a yw a a
aR Ae wel HA aA aa F
ge sha a wa TM gE
aR We et. wa we wa a |
"Doli chad dian marian Hir chikan
Mainun Iai chale babla lai chale we
Mainun rakh lai babla Hir aakhey
Doli pa kahar ni weh chale we
Mera akhia kadi na mor da sain
Oh samay babal kithe"gai chale we
Teri chhater chhanwen rukh heth babal
Jhat wang musafaran beh chale we
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Sayyid Waris Shah
ee SSS
Din char na rajj aram paya
Dukh dard musibatan seh chale we
Sanun bolia chalia ma'af karna
Panj roz tere ghar reh chale we
Chare kanniyan merian wekh khali
Asi nal nahin kujh lai chale we
Koodi duniya te shan guman kooda
Waris Shah hori sach keh chale we."
(When Hir was put into the do/i (palanquin) after
formal marriage to Saida, she makes bitter
lamentation even as a swan separated from the flock
and she cries out to her father to keep her and don't
let her go to the in-laws.) These stanzas have all the
pathos enshrined in them and Waris Shah by his
mastery of diction and a profound understanding of
human nature touches the heart of each and
everyone when he describes the partings of a girl
from her parents after her wedding which is so true
and natural.
Ranjha, in the garb of a Jogi, addresses beautiful girls of Rangpur in the
following verses :
ef £2 SW Ss”
WSs Poe
Li oie oh uli
en iJSbe sau, ds
WSs se 2, Be
Zotob oji Ye
ox 317 oN ely
warn afar war a val ®R
wile WI wa a aa vel
go ai wai ca BE
ort ia fora a Fa Ser
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
a ea 2 wa a wa ort
as ta walcs GM Hel
esi aa a pid a wa wa
ghar 8 ae axde Ser |
Jogi akhiya khyal na peyo mere
shinh sap faqir da des keha
Kunjan wang mamolian des chhadde
assan zat safat te bhes keha
Wattan damman de nal te zat jogi
sada des kabilara khwesh keha
- Jehra wattan te zat da dhiyan rakhe
duniyadar hai oh darvesh keha.
(Jogi said, "It does not occur to me what country is
for lions, serpants and wandering /fagirs ? Like
migratory birds, the cranes (saurus), I left my native
place, what caste or creed do I have ? My country
is my breaths and my caste is Jogi, what country
and good clans do I have ? Those who think of their
country and caste are worldly people, they cannot
be renouncers (darvesh)."
Sehti tells Ranjha (who is in the garb of a Jogi ) -
up & cage ens.
erxuly ke drut
7 SS us Mea dy ol
—39% YW Lbs I ob
epasstsleg dru’
= Vlg by olésl
a7, TY Sixds Ss
27 UN dr Z
lulre Keds Gly
Hs gl EW cx
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Sayyid Waris Shah
ara we wi fava faa as we
aR We Ww pdm zea !
Tea aa a wt fineaa za !
wh ag wh fara fla ga 2a
qewme Us W war ea !
wm wg wt aa gar ea
a ag wo aa wan ea |!
Fan wy vt we sa aga
44 ape a aa yam ea |!
Dost soi jo bipat wich bhair katte,
yar soi jo jaan qurban hove;
Shah soi jo kaal wich dukh katte,
gall baat da jo nigehbaan hove;
Gaan soi jo sial wich dudh deve,
badshah soi jo shabaan hove;
Rog soi jo naal illaj hove,
tir soi jo naal kamaan hove;
Kuwari soi jo kare haya bahuta,
nivin nazar te bajh zubaan hove.
(Friend is that who helps in difficulty, lover is that
who sacrifices his life for you; shahukar (banker) is
that who helps you during famine, who takes good
care of you; cow is that which gives you milk in
winter, king is that who provides.protection; sickness
is that which can be treated; arrow is that which is
accompanied by a bow; virgin is that who has
enormous humility who always keeps her eyes
downwards and is tongue-tied.)
Ranjha, in the guise of a Jogi, tells Sehti -
213
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
BS oeudleiggo7
Bboy aly Svs
ets Higers Ue
wy
Blab p> uh 45 AJ
Ll bl
SLY FS ee HI
Wi wed ta wer vd
wa OF TaR Tar a A
wa part Ger wr z
wr vi fa yi a a ht
SH SAH WEY SH Ved wear
3H vilee sax cA ARal Wh
Bo Wet wa A Ty
so fla Rar a Ff |
Sun sehtie es jahan utte
tabb kai pasar pasarda ni,
Naal qudrat khawhash apni de
ranga rang dian surtaan dharda ni;
[kk ilam undar, ikk jehal undar
ikk zohd undar dam marda ni,
Ikk nal haya sama gaye
ikk mil baithe ghar khwarda ni.
(Listen Sehti, in this world, God manifests Himself
. in many ways and forms. He appears in knowledge;
He appears in ignorance; He appears in renunciation,
humility and He appears even at home as a
householder.)
Ranjha, as Jogi, goes to Rangpur in search of Hir. He goes to Kheras and
while begging for alms, claims that he can unite parted lovers and can
reconcile friends who have fallen out and perform other miracles. To
which Hir replies -
214
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Sayyid Waris Shah
eh aA Uz LST
I Mey Us at oe of
UI lis Wy ujult ie
hee Zu. Ae
ips ele
Cans) i Sy eae
efi de _sbrI
Slot wt Lor Ck
edb eotuliZulys
Sis titreo eu)
& ora otf ge ard
OM wes ue fanaa ¥
ta a a ffaa 4 qs amt
veg WH FZ Ay asia ¥
as ay fet yf a ag
Ves wa wy waa ¥
wa Ae ad faes om Act
tq wast ale goa ¥
ye we f Ua ZT om ath
ra am & wel gear ¥
2a gRat wd 2 aa da
aa owe GV Et A sea gl
Hir akhiya jogia jhuth akhen
kaun rudhre yar milaunda ee,
Aisa koi na milia main dhund thakki
jehra gaiyan nun mor liaonda ee,
Sade chum diyan juttian kare koi
jehra jeo da rog gawaunda ee;
215
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
Bhalla moe te wichhrde kaun mele
even jeura lok walaunda ee,
Ikk jatt de khet nun agg laggi
wekhan aunke kadon bujhaunda ee,
Dewan choorian gheo de bal dive
Waris Shah je sunnan main aonda ee.
(And Hir replied : "It is not true, Jogi; parted friends
cannot be reunited. I have searched far and wide
but have found no one who can accomplish that.
Tell me when the true God will bring back the lover
I have lost. If any one can remove the pain in my
heart, he may make shoes of my skin. The field of
a Jat caught fire and let us see when he comes to
put it off. O poet Waris Shah ! If I hear that my
lover is returning, I will offer sweet cakes and light
my lamps with rich butter for oil.")
When Sehti throws some millet into the cup of Jogi (Ranjha), the cup
falls to the ground and breaks. Jogi is annoyed and reproaches Sehti for
the carelessness and she replies to the Jogi as follows -
Bro eye f
a9) Vywsl a? ol .
ar of v9 pio) Lia)
a FS BUI A
Ups cero IF (27
a Werle
. 4S A
ex Wb aL ol
Paes) Ss dt Lv Uy
Li WF} 1) LE iy
9 9 AI by yi
UF Vb sli Brule boy
162C 32-5
Dae Faint aee
st Sect Agr,
Fez Oly 2S OF)
216
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TH WH Ter ¢ Aa gi
aw oma weit we A a
TER see 4 4 oA ae
wer wes Zue Ha
He Sa {os afeea fret
aer wis aw Aa
Wea we ws aii 2
Tad wm aeérR wae Aa
Wa Ta I wa wi
Weer wa vae aa
gee vel ter pret 7
aeeR we fla we dt a
ast ya aeeR A oF Ts
aS. Te ae aa we di al
Gaya bhajj taqdir de nal thutha
lai ja kimat sathon matt di we.
Taqdir allah di nun kaun more
taqdir pahar nun patt di we,
Adam hawa nun kadd bahisht wichon
taqdir zamin te satt di we;
Sulaiman jhoke bhath machhian de
takhton eha taqdir palatt di we,
Musa langia par farayoon utte
taqdir darya ulatt di we,
Yusuf jehan paighambar zadean nun
taqdir khue wich satt di we,
Daari munn taqdir ne kann phadhe
arri gadhe wali ajje jatt de we.
(Your earthen cup was broken by Fate, you can buy
another at my expense if you like. Who can resist’
217
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
nr
God's decree ? Fate expelled Adam and Eve from
Paradise and drove them down to earth. Fate threw
Solomon among the fishermen and Fate pulled him
down from his throne. Fate allowed Moses to
overthrow Pharaoh into the sea and it was Fate
which put a prince and a prophet like Yusuf in the
well. Fate has shaved your beard and pierced your
ears even when your mullish obduracy of a Jat is
very much there. No one can escape from Fate.)
Ranjha, as Jogi, tells Sehti to convey his message to Hir that her lover
is keen to see her; either she should come out to meet him in the garden
or take him in her house, in the following words:
UI ely A) 3) bi base degen
C1 bbs 1 LS of FL STLG
vi bly) 1 olf 5 ad Sole Ly
Cm] bps hoe SLs Jleoyouyl
SI bb 55) VK Co eSIS fy Sores
FS) bys hob G6 Hoy Sr2 ey,
Gi belo! ol Vere sul, ls Vy
Si bbs 5) VOY erEL so,
S) Wey 2» ») Wee sore fois, yi
G1 bety 355), Us, CA AAG Ul 3
BOY) etl IM bre Jp 2
Gi WI, 4) « Ls ¢ BL, SF
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Sayyid Waris Shah
aa eR faa vt de wh a
mS ore Yet ay apt weer
Ws a aw fa aan g
oat aro a aad att
a are wa faa aan ¢
qa ae at faa aan ¥
Wer a ay gusa ua ad
Tet om at ffaax aan ¥
fea wa a Ph y flor eeh
a ae at feaax aan ¥g
ater Wat feat wren fern 2%
a we a feaa aan ¥
Weal Sze a A A ae
am ae a feaaxy aaa =
ar and fear ¢ 4 are
a am faa aan ¥
R aei A Gel sora oh
faa at fear ara $=
i waa & wt Waa UR
ue wre ot feta arm
BR ax far wor om
aa ae at ffaax am ¥
Lia hir syal jo deed kari ye
aaja oh dilbar wasta ee
Ja ke aakh ranjha tainun arz karda
gundh la oh dilbar wasta ee
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab ;
EE eee___—_______.______
Assan aajzaan ki taqgsir kiti
te gunah oh dilbar wasta ee
Sanun mehar de nal wakha surat
mukh mah oh dilbar wasta ee
Zulf nag wangun kundal ghatt baithi
gallon lah oh dilbar wasta ee
Din raat na jogi nun tikkan dendi
tert chah oh dilbar wasta ee
Nokaan nainan dian kalja sillia ai
la pha oh dilbar wasta ee
Parda ishq te nang namus wala
lia lah oh dilbar wasta ee
Topaan daghdian hijar de paun gole
thah thah oh dilbar wasta ee
Tere honthan di surkhi ajab bani
dikhla oh dilbar wasta ce
Teri chaal hai chhang khalkhal Piare
pae pha oh dilbar wasta ee
Ghar baar wisar faqir keeta
tert chah oh dilbar wasta ee.
(Bring Hir, the Syal, to me and tell her: "Take off
your veil, my beloved, and come. Tell me, for God's
220
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Sayyid Waris Shah
When Ranjha, as Jogi, is called in by the Kher
connivance of Sehti, sister-in-law of Hir. to cu :
; f , re Hir's feigoned :
Waris Shah has shown his remarkable mastery in dente ae ae
of fate decreed by using the most appropriate similes in Punjabi poe
as - »
as, by the stratagem and
Uy 22 F Wy ALK. cy lds Fz
Use Se LOLA iy :
INA Fer Pelkey, - i Ls .
i ew Sy ACS |
user Et Le 2 by brsol sis
UF ADA WILE Hibs PVE
Uj Leet le wet Siny
Wi alWwoU 1 ly Ly, S20 "4h
BE WY SIOUK Boy
rh afer we a wa feat
fer afeen eM Aa q !
tara a yfea asa 4
ari srt a Whe wre 7 !
eal sea wer wt aa 4
TI aa t eI ws FZ !
qa ws d Ga wa wa
ws UP ws swat Z !
fies wath a wer ea
vo ae am ama Fi!
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
a oma dt ader Fae TT
oa Ue oR ama yf !
agg amt qaarg 2 ve fea
ax ufea wt awa Z !
wea wai 2 ee al wat eM .
art Ufa exp frat Xf !
eat ue aaa att wet
a peg Ta yor Z|
Jogi challia rooh di kala hilli
tittar bolia shagan manawane nun;
Aitwar na puchhia kherian ne
Jogi aanda ne sees manawane nun;
Dekho uqgal shaoor jo maria ne
ta'ma baaz de hath pharawane nun;
Bhukha khand te khir da hoya rakha |
randda ghallia saak karawane nun;
Giddar kachrian da jamadar hoya
oonth ghallia bagh lagawane nun;
Beri kagaz di bandar mallah baniya
annha ghallia par langhawane nun.;
Ayyar agge baghiar de chher ditta
: sher challia mahin charavanne nun;
Rakha jawwan de dher da gadhdha hoya
annha ghallia harf lakhawane nun;
Sariyon dhakk makaurian ko] takhkhi
dane kukkran paas sukawane nun.
(When the Jogi consented to go (to the house of the
Kheras), the soul itself trembled and the partridge
(which is considered inauspicious having
unmelodious voice) Sang on the right for the good
luck. Thus the Kheras worked their own destruction.
They least bothered to know whether it was a Sunday
but brought in the Jogi to have their heads shaved.
222
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Sayyid Waris Shah
ee
Look ! what has happened to their wisdom and
intelligence ? They (the Kheras) have put food (bird
of game) in the clutches of a hawk (bird of prey). (It
was as if) The hungry man was asked to look after
sugar and rice pudding; widower was sent for the
marriage proposal for another; jackel was put
incharge of dried-up turnip cuts, camal (known for
ruining vegetation) was sent to lay-out a garden; (it
was like) boat of paper with monkey as the boatman,
(as if) blind man was sent to get across. Flock of
sheep was let loose in front of a wolf, lion was sent
with the buffaloes to graze; donkey was placed
incharge of a mound of millet, blind man was sent
to have the words written; mustard-seeds were kept
near the insects and grains were kept for drying
near the chickens.)
After administering poison to Hir, when Kaido informs Hir that Ranjha
has been killed, Waris Shah describes the scene and says -
LV 4 \n Fou
Ses, 0/ Lf)
4 SiGe» GousoleEnls
& WA UI i of
um ug ea 8 Ta Ws
ven aa 2 am fear &
afta we q fae der od a
wf & queda a aH!
Jaan gaiyee hawa ho gall sunke
Ranjha maran de wakt chitar di si
Waris Shah nun sikk deedar di si
jehi Hir nun bhadkana yar di si.
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223
Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
(So Hir breathed her last crying, "Ranjha, See
The poet Waris Shah says that as he is yearning or
seeing the Divine Beloved, the Same way Hir was
yearning to meet her beloved, Ranjha.)
Thus both lovers passed away from this mortal world and entered into
the halls of eternity. Both remained firm in love and passed away
steadfast in true love.
Here Waris Shah gives expression to his mysticism. It is remarkably
clear how readily in his mind human and Divine imagery is interchanged.
He seeks peace and tranquillity which can only be attained in the union
with the Divine Beloved - the ulimate goal of a Sufi.
In Waris Shah's poetry, besides mysticism of high order, we find a
remarkable combination of poetical fluency, exquisite harmony and grace
greatly embellished with application of the most appropriate diction. In
Punjabi poetry he is truly an artist of remarkable genius and achievement
who has not been surpassed, nay, even equalled by any one else.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
_ Maula Baksh Kushta, Punjabi Shairaan da Tazkira, p.114.
Shamim Choudhury, Punjabi Adab-o-Tarikh, p.105. '
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p.114.
Ibid., p.114.
Shamim Choudhury, op. cit., p.105S.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p.114.
Ibid., p.115.
Ibid., p.115.
Ibid., p.115.
Ibid., p.115.
Those who have written in Persian are :
1. Gurdas Khatri, 2. Minnat, Mir Qamruddin, 3. Shah Fakhrullah Lahauri (1730-
31 A.D.), 4. Mansa Ram Munshi Sialkoti (1744 A.D.), 5. Sundar Das Aram (1757
~~
oP FNMA KR wR
~
Lol
1. Damodar Das Arora of Jhang, 2. Mugbil, 3. Waris Shah, 4. Fazal Shah, 5
Mohd. Shah, 6. Ahmad Yar, Ls Bhagwan Singh, 8. Jog Singh, 9. Allah Ditta, 10.
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Sayyid Waris Shah
EE SS eS TL a ee —— eee
12.
13.
14.
15.
Mian Mohd. Sahib, 11. Kushta of Dhab Khattian, 12. Husain by the name of
Siharfi Hir, 13. Siharfi Bhubal, 14. Siharfi Hir Roshan, 15. Siharfi Mian Mohd. Umar,
16. Siharfi Sayyid Shah Sharaf, 17. Siharfi Pir Ali Haidar, 18. Baksha, 19. Majrooh,
20. Gamman, 21. Haidar, 22. Abdul Sattar Shair, 23. Munni Lal Prem, 24. Ibarti,
25. Laiq, 26. Baqi, 27. Ahmed Kavi, 28. Hamad Shah, 29. Hidayatullah, 30.
Kishan Singh Arif, 31. Meeran Shah, 32. Imam Din, 33. Amarnath Munsif
Jallundhari, 34. Piran Ditta Taragar and 35. Muhammad Din Sokhta.
Maula Baksh Kushta, op. cit., p.117
Ibid., p.117.
Ibid., p.117.
Ibid., p.117.
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SAYYID ALI HAIDAR
(1690—1785 A.D.)
Sayyid Ali Haidar was born at Mouza Chontra Qazian in Multan district in
1690 A.D. According to tradition, he spent most part of his long life of about
95 years in his place of birth and died in 1785 A.D.’ He was a Gilani Sayyid
and a scholar of Arabic and Persian. He had to his credit great Sufistic
attainments. During the unsettled and troublous times of Aurangzeb and
Muhammad Shah Rangila, his mystic poetry helped in maintaining mental
equilibrium of the people and brought much needed comfort and solace to the
peasantry in and around Multan.
Ali Haidar, until the turn of the century, was unknown to the general public
as a Sufi poet. His compositions of Punjabi verse, which are mostly in
Multani, a sweet dialect of Punjabi, were some times sung by the Ragis,
Qawwaals and wandering fagirs which did not draw any particular attention.
The credit of discovering Ali Haidar, as a leading mystic poet of Punjabi, goes
to Malik Fazal Din of Lahore who, on hearing some of the verses of this Sufi
poet from Qawwaals, was so greatly enchanted and impressed that he collected
all the available poetry of Ali Haidar from Qawwaals, wandering fagirs and
other sources and had it published in the form of a book in or about 1898
A.D. for the benefit of the public. This collection was named Mukammal
Majmua Abyat Ali Haidar which contains Siharfis, Qissa Hir wa Ranjha, Bara-
Mah and some baits. The style of his verses is highly ornamental and free-
flowing; it abounds in grace and beauty and fecundity of vocabulary; and it
excells in subtle poetic conceit. Some of his verses, in composition and
substance, are so alike the verses of Bulleh Shah, it would appear as if both
had studied in the same school.’ Bulleh Shah, in his pantheistic Sufism of the
Philosophical school, without doubt, was by far the greatest Punjabi Sufi poet.
It is clear from the poetry of Ali Haidar that, unlike other Punjabi Sufi poets,
he played with the words; consequently, his thoughts some times are weak
and very often the same idea is described differently. His description of
Physical love (Jshq-i-Majazi) is, in fact, his ideal for Love Divine (/shq-i-Haqiqi)
CC-0. Kashmir Research Institute, Sompgp. Digitized by eGangotri
Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
ds with admirable effect which, no doubt, lends a kind
juggles with wor
and he jugg time, weakens the substance,
of brilliancy to his language but, at the same
and a follower of Mohiuddin Abdul Qadir
i Haidar was a confirmed Sufi,
ae ae der) of Sufis, who was born at
Jilani, the founder of the Qadariya silsila (Or
Jilan in 1078 A.D. He says -
ei bditsoee us LIGA PY oS
eb bicpics A) be, Wheel
orm : ww TH we army Wome yegae seal Y
WE Waga Her art a a qep sit sega ¥
Kaf : Kya gham khauf asan nun je shah mohiuddin asadara ai
Shah abdul qadir jilani da je lutf aamin asadara ai.
(Kaf : What sorrow and fear have we, if Shah Mohiuddin
is ours, and if Shah Abdul Qadir of Jilan is the guardian
of our pleasure ?)
Again he says - ,
eI bs) wFo bi Lobe Cur’
are Sax Ta wae foe A wt we yedate snmear v
Ali Haidar kya parwah kisse di je Shah Mohiuddin asarda ai
(Ali Haidar, what do we care for anyone else so long as
Shah Mohiuddin is ours ?)
HIS POETRY
His verses usually have a musical ich i i
sae tees ical rhythm which is extremely pleasing to
3 dia Wi APA = “ :
3 2 Are word UO STO) a
B een Foret, ls 72
we: uma 2 aa wea a aa a2
Aagdeas
wd whe fore a ware’ am waa th mee A |
Shin : Sharab de inast raihan, ki nain tainde mattwalde ni,
Surkh sufaid siah do banalade baj kajjal aiwen jesiacie ni.
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Sayyid Ali Haidar
(Shin : Like the heady intoxicating wine, your eyes are
full of intoxication; they are a combination of red, white
and black and, without Kajjal (eye-liner),
beautiful black colour.) SPS She ct
In an other Siharfi, he has expressed how important it is to love some one but
: ?
at the same time, he has warned that
: your beloved
person. He says - should be a mature
UlE LS UF ot -—
d. S39 ty £ foal ted
wel z= Yok pe™ gs)
Jd. = vL AL,
eVUrr ZU no
v. a : ee es
LAL Lah te 0, ‘
v. Scary LF
a: faat avfal aftat wa aet
fea wer ueqa 2 awd of
ae wer dest fd sya ae
aha wig fet qa wei oh
wd we ? wa wm de wma
od a @ aa a refed wh
fea fa ate wea fet wa ae
oe a yaaa ce !
Be Binnan laggian akhian rehan nahin
kisse shehar mehboob de wassiye Ji.
O shahar kehda jiththe ishq nahin
duniya chhor kisse wal nassiye Ji.
Kachi nar de nal na nihun laiye
kachi nar de nal na hassiye Ji.
Dil wich khot rakhkhe munhon hass bole
kache yar nun bhet na dassiye Ji.
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
(Be : Without falling in love eyes cannot remain, in the
city (heart) of some beloved we must live; which city
(heart) is there which is devoid of love ?
world, I must run after some one. One must not fall in
love nor one should laugh with an immature beloved,
because in her heart she is deceptive and will laughingly
speak and (therefore) the immature friend must not be
revealed secret of the heart.)
Leaving the
The first part of this poem can also be interpretted allegorically for the Love
Divine, but, because of Ali Haidar's playing with the words, in the latter part
of the poem, the substance gets weakened.
In the following verses, Ali Haidar tells the condition of eyes, once they are
struck by the love of the Beloved : e
Ul t UE be Si ca
2f ob > 2, df ot
Jeli) Ges -
VLU 32 lp hI VbuFults oS -
UWI) ej ur!
Vb US AVF 3
am : od Nea aka agai a ea a die avea chi
oe wet <i are vga A adi a Agta wea dhe
wm oe y Urea oa agai gr oh a de a cea cht
oe 8a {oye afte yg a wa ail aeeq det |
Alaf Akhkheen merian baddil hoiyan
: te hunjuan da minh barass diyan,
Kehi rovanne di chat paiyo ne
kadi na bhaidiyan hass diyan;
Watt kaahe nun rondian lal hoiyan
hun ji da bhet na dass di
oe iyan,
Ali Haidar tun puchch akhkhiyan nun -
hun la preet kiyon nass diyan.
(Alaf : My eyes are disenchanted and rainful of tears
fall from them; they are now so used to crying that they
have forgotton to. laugh. Then why have they become
red crying when they do not even tell the condition of
CC-0. Kashmir Research IGMte, Srinagar. Digitized by eGangotri
>
Sayyid Ali Haidar
=< ee ee a ee ee
Z ‘3 my heart ? Ali Haidar, ask your eyes why are they now
——— running away from the love of the beloved ?)
Ali Haidar expresses well his disgust of the worldly possessions which th
mortals leave after death. According to him, all these are false, only th ee
possession is God, his Prophet and his friends. He = , only the true
SAEVI Ve WIVAUY
sepa eae
srt tee
EN fepfepey
: LASEre Ses
Wie h-bie
Jk ea Aeon
ge us Pe vig He Me war
es at oe for oe a for
SS weil Ho AMY Hs WI sar
es we es aq es WA aR
es WS Fs Ws Fs mR PAR
ee ve ee wm ta ge Ut tar
Sex aa Wa Ha Hel We few ora
Kura ghora kura jora kura shah swar,
Kure bashe kure shikare kure mir shikar,
Kure hathi kure lashkar kure fauj qatar.
Kure suhe kure salu, kure sohne yar,
Kure jore kure bere kure har shangar,
Kure kotthe kure manmit kure eh sansar.
Haidar akkhe sab kujh kura sachcha hikk kartar,
Duja nabi muhammad sachcha sachche us de yar.
233
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
(False is the horse, false is the costume and false is the
horse-rider; false are the hawks, false the falcon and
false is the leader of hunt; false the elephants, false the
army, false the sword-wielding people; false the red
(colour of women's dresses) false the veil (of women)
and false are the beautiful friends; false the dresses,
false the boats and false are the cosmetics; false the
houses, false the winners of hearts and false is this
world. Haidar says, all is false, Kartar (God) alone is
true; the second true one is the Prophet Muhammad, ~
and true are his friends.)
It seems that Ali Haidar composed the above verse after he had seen a royal
hunting party which included, among others, ladies of the court.
Ali Haidar had complete faith in the Almighty which he has expressed,
convincingly, in the following verse -
~ . iw Bae ‘pb g ~ 7° ~ =
BTN 39) earl LICw iV LIZ IE! ca
~ FH OA of "pes ¢
BT ee Pe bev?
§ ZA d ‘ ¢ b) - -
OTL SEAS Ui IL ClzJroburus
“~ ‘ A = 154 ~
bi fessle wei Lug uel
wap : ta ae oi ame aest ad are aes wR a g
wel Wa wes aes Awa we a wes ae a ¢g
{a um wae waa wi ay da a ste ak a ¥
af tx ye oe w aS aa a aa ee a Z
Alif: Aithe otthe asan aas taindi ate aasara taindare zor dae,
Mahin sabh havalare taindare ne asan khauf na gundare chor dae,
Tuhi jaan sawal jawab sabhon sanun haul na aukhri gor dae,
Ali Haidar nun sikk taindari ai tainde bajh na saayal hor dae.
(Alif : Here and there you are my hope and your strength
is my support; all buffaloes (the yearning souls) are
under your charge, we are not afraid of the thief; you
are the knower of all questions and answers and we are
not afraid of the grave; Ali Haidar seeks you (God) alone
and he does not seek another. )
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Sayyid Ali Haidar
Ali Haidar composed his verses in Multani, a sweet dialect of Punjabi, and
made it sweeter to hear by the jugglery of words in which he was quite adept.
He says -
Lys NUIk but Ki oi 6
23 Wee rupli td eG eS Ae?
eA ete I bet Bele yu!
yr wuebotie thie Sos ie
Q@: gam ga ff gay vedi wy gH qafeoa ae a vu
forg ula & gym fica fest Wi uw 2 wa ffar av
fre oR @ am a wap oie td oe a WR wR ay
eax Ys YT for Tw a Y wen onet aaa der av
Khe : Khalaq khuda di ilam parhdi sanu ikk mutalia yar da ai,
Jinhe khol ke ishq kitab ditthi sige saraf de sabh wisar da ai,
Jinhe yar de nam da sabaq parhya etthe jaye na sabar karar da ai,
Haidar mullan nun fikar namaz da ai ehna aashqaan talab didar da ai.
(Khe : The people of God study knowledge, we (Sufis)
study only of the friend Beloved; whoever has opened
and looked into the book of Love (Divine), is prepared
to spend his all; whoever has read the lesson of the
name of the friend (God) (such as priests) should not
come here, because here is peace and contentment;
Haidar says, the priest has to worry about the prayers,
but these lovers (Sufis) desire the sight of the Beloved.)
In the above verse, Ali Haidar has drawn a distinction between the true
seekers of truth and those, like Mullahs (the priests), who only superficially
profess to do so.
In the following poem, Ali Haidar has stressed that it is only by the grace and
blessings of God that one can achieve union with the Divine Beloved. He
Says - 7a = y
lb eS Puri det id, ols &
bb She FhusfGiecF
b Le Mesto pe se 3Ligs
a Pre ats
aE ai 4 2] sar esii Ls ol
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Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
ta: saa wa Gf ed a Ud wo RI 7
aaa ea of vem we & oe ward Petar aT
sep oni 2 Osa ore Ae Fo Aa BST A
qe a wa am @ tex om wg WSK a
: Inayat rabbe di hove te ainven fazal karenda cha
Takht hazare ton ranjhan sadd ke hir sayal malenda cha
Ishq asade de chheran karan majhin de nal chhadenda cha
Wah wa kamm allah de haidar ape jod jorenda cha.
(Ain : If God willed He could give His blessings : from
Takht Hazara, He could send for Ranjha and unite him
with Hir Sayal; because of our love (Divine), He could
love all buffaloes (the yearning souls); wonders are
wrought by Allah, O Haidar, He could bring about union
(if so willed).)
Ali Haidar was against the hegemony of foreigners, particularly Persians, and
reproaches his King, courtiers of Imperial court and countrymen for allowing
foreigners to dominate and submitting to their lust for riches. The following
verse was composed by him, perhaps, at the time of Nadir Shah's invasion of
India in 1739 A.D. + yo:
WE aes ped SRE <2
VU) VEL J uF bos ebolei ely
U) VELV UL wb op pers
UIStUL sly 22/3 6G,-,UL FE
a: ff pee wi a @ ae ga ma a quart q
wa ea ten ufial y ga aa wt qe q
4S ow ay ea wok media Buena =
fea wridi & fla ot om ahi ag a afedi unis q
Be ; Bhi zaihar nahin jo kha maran kujh sharam na hindustanian nun
Kya hoya ehna rajian nun kujh lajj nahin turanian nan
Bhaire bhar bhar devann khazane farsian khurasanian Cee
Wich chhawatian de wich pani takk badhoje lahu na wedean pania a
(Be : There is no poison by eating which they should
die, the Indians have no shame. What shame have
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236
Sayyid Ali Haidar
these kings and what shame have these Turanis
(foreigners) ? The wretches have filled up and given
treasures to the Persians and the Khurasanians. In the
cantonments they (the Persian) have reserved water for
themselves and only water we (the Indians) see is blood.)
Ali Haidar was a lyricist and a good musician. Each line of his verse is full
of rhythm and is beautifully composed which prompts the reader to sing
rather than recite it. It was for this reason that he is often compared with
Persian poet Hafiz of Shiraz. Because of lyrical style his verses are sung by
the Ragis, Qawwaals and wandering minstrels. In the following verse, he
reproaches Mullahs for not understanding the true love of a Sufi :
b oUF lex aI! o4/ Yue Be -—
2 b
l x3 LU; SAVY ISH by)
L
Gas Laws Fh bb ed
@ ad aa oe ys ae aw fo wa ua a
Sel URN wales! wa ae wa Wa gel & aa aa
aen Aa dt wer ved & A Yomi 2 Yue wa oma
ae Sax Sel UR UN SA sexe WH & GA aM
Be: Be di tegh na dass mulla eh alif sidha kham ghat aya,
Oha yar kalokari raat wala hun bhes wata ke watt aya,
Sohna mim di chadar pehan ke ji keha zulfan de ghunghat ghat aya,
Ali Haidar oha yar piara hun ahmad ban ke watt aya.
(Be : O priest, do not show me the curved sword of be (be,
2nd letter of the Persian alphabet was not liked by the
Sufis who always preferred alif, the first letter, which
stood to them for God) because this is the straight alif
that has come back bent; the handsome friend of last
night changing his garb has come back; the handsome
friend wearing the garb of mim (mim signifies Muhammad
to the Sufis) and hidden in his long-grown locks has
returned. Ali Haidar Says, the same dear friend has now
come back as Ahmad (name of Prophet Muhammad).)
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237
Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab
As a Sufi, how intensely Ali Haidar was in love with his beloved (God) has
been stated in the following poem -
Ut pour £ rer Be, jh -d
Us UL AE Ninf eer D
CORP urge Lohpyvscdur
WUD 2 Jr ujd9 Lubvhie ok
am: ale ated 2 a Wet ax af qa wm Ase 4
am aw oy os tea ot ay fis me vies 4
Hawa a wa ad ad a eat yw asa 4
aol eer a aed ageil fed ara y Wa wW asa F
Lam: Lok nasihataan de thakke sohne yar ton mukkh na morsan main,
' Tore maure peure kadd chhoran, jani yar pichhe ghar chhorsan main.
Main tan bele wassan hardam mahi wale matti dendean nun khuhe
borsan main,
Ali Haidar ne akkhian laiyan kite kaul nun mool na torsan main.
(Lam : The people are tired of giving me good advices,
but I will not turn my face from the handsome friend
(God); even if mother and father throw me out, I will
leave the house for the sake of my friend (God). I will
live in the jungle (open country) of my beloved, and will
throw all of them in the well who give me advices
otherwise. Ali Haidar says, our eyes have met (love
has been declared) and I will never break my word.)
Ali Haidar has explained, beautifully, in the following couplets, how he
proceeded on his pilgrimage from Shariat (the Islamic code) into Tarigat (the
mystic path) to reach Haqigat (gnosis or fana) :
B ewer iu bubble rule Ww
BEL VSIE WEI Super,
we eal wel a fie yi wi wm we A
en wed wa wy areal a cade ty vig va Tate A
Kafir hoyan sohne yar Pichche, mulla dhakeen namaz padhaonde ni,
Deen mazhab nahin koi aashqaan da, tasbih tor Janju gall paunde ni.
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Sayyid Ali Haidar
(I have become a heathen after my handsome friend
(God). Priests compel, forcefully, to read prayers; for
lovers (of God) there is no faith or religion, they break
the rosary and put the thread round their neck.)
Again he says -
b ul, roe Bor LiG buts
8 wlzbbuteuwis Lw26, UW
Hosh na chhaddi ishq tere atte is wich bahut dilgirian ni
Jinhan ishq di choladi rang lai ohnan chittian chadaraan chirian ni.
(My love for the Beloved did not lose sense, there are in
it many heartening things. Those who have dyed their
garb in the colour of love (Divine) have torn white sheets
into shreds.)
Ali Haidar was a great scholar of Persian and Arabic. He has made a profuse
use of Persian and Arabic vocabulary in his verses in Punjabi. In his Siharfis,
he has shown, time and again, that the Sufi loves to suffer on the Sufistic
path. The more the flames of love burn in his heart the more he bursts into
rapture and ecstasy and dances with joy. The Sufi, in real life, nourishes
agony and tears of love while seeking union with the Divine Beloved.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
Shamin Choudhury, Punjabi Adab-o-Tawarikh, p. 76.
2. L. Rama Krishna, Panjabi Sufi Poets, p. 92
Maula Baksh Kushta, Punjabi Shairan da Tazkira, p. 91. Baba Budh Singh in
Hans Chog (p. 181) compares Ali Haidar for his lyrical style with Hafiz of Shiraz.
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Great Sufi Poets Of The Punjab
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