Muslim Saints of South Asia: The eleventh to ... - blog blog blog
Muslim Saints of South Asia: The eleventh to ... - blog blog blog
Muslim Saints of South Asia: The eleventh to ... - blog blog blog
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THE ASCETIC OF PAKPATTAN<br />
In the early stages <strong>of</strong> the formation <strong>of</strong> a literary norm in the Siraiki<br />
language in which Ghulam Farid wrote his verses, the important<br />
poets <strong>of</strong> Punjab and Sindh continue <strong>to</strong> develop this theme, which<br />
originated in medieval poetry. Sultan Bahu, famous for the fact that<br />
he concluded each line <strong>of</strong> his verses with the mystic exclamation hu, 4<br />
said about the Sufis:<br />
Na oh Hindu na oh Momin<br />
Na sajda den masiti hoo<br />
Dam dam de vich dekhan maula<br />
Jinhan jan kaza na kiti Hoo,<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are neither Hindu nor <strong>Muslim</strong>s,<br />
Nor do they bow down <strong>to</strong> pray in mosque.<br />
In every breath they see God<br />
And never miss the mystic cry <strong>of</strong> Hoo!<br />
(Tariq Rahman 1995: 30)<br />
<strong>The</strong> great Punjabi mystic Bullhe Shah echoes him even more<br />
explicitly:<br />
Hindu na nahin Musalman<br />
Bahe tarinjan tuj abhiman<br />
Sunni nahin na hum Shia.<br />
Sulah kul ka marag liya<br />
We are neither Hindus nor <strong>Muslim</strong>s<br />
We sit and spin leaving pride <strong>of</strong> creed<br />
We are neither Sunnis nor Shias<br />
We are non-violent <strong>to</strong>wards everyone.<br />
(Tariq Rahman 1995: 334)<br />
Sindhi mystic Sachal Sarmast (1739–1829) gives a modified version<br />
<strong>of</strong> the same theme in a sorat’hā in Siraiki:<br />
Jaheen dil pita ishq da jam<br />
Sa dil mast o mast madam<br />
Deen mazahib raehnde kithe<br />
Kufr kithan Islam.<br />
Those hearts have drunk the cup <strong>of</strong> the wine <strong>of</strong> love<br />
<strong>The</strong>ir heart remains ever in<strong>to</strong>xicated,<br />
Religion, creeds do not remain intact –<br />
Nor do paganism nor Islam.<br />
(Tariq Rahman 1995: 30)<br />
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