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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 />

83

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