Hadrat Sayyid Shah Abd al-Latif Bhittai
Alaihir raHmah wa ar-Ridwan
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689–1752) (Sindhi: شاھ
عبدالطيف ڀٽائيِ, Urdu: شاہ عبداللطیف بھٹائی) was a Sufi scholar, and is
considered one of the greatest poets of the Sindhi language. Shah Abdul
Latif Bhittai was born in 1689 in Hala Haveli's village Sui-Qandar
located near Hyderabad, Pakistan. Shah Abdul Latif was son of Syed
Habibullah and grandson of Syed Abdul Quddus Shah. He settled in the
town of Bhit Shah in Matiari, Pakistan where his shrine is located. His
most famous written work is the Shah Jo Risalo, which is a master-piece
of Sindhi Literature as well. The major themes of his poetry include
Unity of Almighty, love for Prophet, Religious tolerance and humanistic
values. For his works, he is regarded as a 'Direct Emanations of Rūmī's spirituality in the Indian world.'
Names of Bhittai
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is known by several honorific names - Lakhino
Latif, Latif Ghot, Bhittai and Bhitt Jo Shah. Shah Abdul latif's
deepness of poetry affiliated with the relationship between the Almighty
and human is cause of his visits at different places of the regions
surrounded to him and he always feel the circumstances carried out in
his premises and he feels the people mind he had such a calm and sharp
mind and such things made him the greatest poet of the world, if one
could seriously understand his preaching.
The Early Life
Most of the information that has come down to us has been collected from
oral traditions. A renowned Pakistani scholar, educationist, and a
foremost writer of plays, dramas and stories, Mirza Kalich Beg has
rendered a yeoman service to Sindhi literature by collecting details
about the early life of Shah Bhitai, from the dialogues that he has
constantly held with some of the old folks, still living at that time,
who knew these facts from their fathers and grandfathers for they had
seen Shah Latif in person and had even spoken to him.
"The next day I sat down, and listened
to the Story of the 'Vairagis.' Their salmon-coloured clothes were
covered with dust. Their hair-bands were worn out. They had let their
hair grow quite long. The lonely ones never talk to anyone about their
being. These 'Nanga' are content and happy. They move about unmarked
amongst the common folk." ........Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai
He was born around 1689 CE (1102 A.H.) to Shah Habib in the village
Sui-Qandar a few miles to the east of the present town of Bhit Shah
(named after him), on Safar 14, 1102 A.H. ie November 18, 1690 CE. He
died at Bhit Shah on Safar 14, 1165 A.H., i.e. January 3, 1752 CE. In
his memory, every year, on 14th Safar of the Hijri Calendar, an Urs is
held at Bhit Shah, where he spent the last years of his life and where
his elaborate and elegant mausoleum stands.
Shah Abdul Latif got his early education in the school (maktab) of
Akhund Noor Muhammad in basic Persian (the government language at that
time) and Sindhi (local spoken language). He also learned the Qu'ran.
His correspondence in Persian with contemporary scholar Makhdoom
Moinuddin Thattavi, as contained in the Risala-e-Owaisi, bears witness
to his scholastic competence.
"Beloved's separation kills me friends,
At His door, many like me, their knees bend. From far and near is heard
His beauty's praise, My Beloved's beauty is perfection itself." .....Bhitai
Bhitai's Ancestry
Shah Abdul Latif's lineage has been traced back directly to the Beloved
Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihi wa Sallam, through Imam
Zain-ul-Abideen Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, son of Imam Hussain Radi ALLAHu
Ta'ala Anho. His ancestors had come from Herat in Central Asia, and
settled at Matiari. Shah Abdul Karim 1600 CE, whose mausoleum stands at
Bulri, about 40 miles from Hyderabad, a mystic Sufi poet of considerable
repute, was his great, great grandfather. His verses are extant and his
anniversary is still held at Bulri, in the form of an Urs.
His father Syed Habib Shah, lived in Hala Haveli, a small village, at a
distance of about forty miles from Matiari and not far from the village
of Bhitshah. Later he left this place and moved to Kotri, where Shah
Latif spent some part of his adolescent life.
Education
Young Shah Abdul Latif was raised during the golden age of sindhi
culture. His first teacher was Noor Muhammad Bhatti Waiwal. Mostly, Shah
Latif was self-educated. Although he has received scanty formal
education, the Risalo gives us an ample proof of the fact that he was
well-versed in Arabic and Persian. The Qur'an, the Hadiths, the Masnawi
of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, along with the collection of Shah Karim's
poems, were his constant companions, copious references of which have
been made in Shah Jo Risalo. In his poems he writes about Sindh and its
neighbouring regions, he mentions distant cities such as Istanbul and
Samarqand, he also writes about Sindhi sailors their navigation
techniques voyages as far to the Malabar coast, Sri Lanka and the island
of Java.
Appearance and Characteristics
In appearance, Bhitai was a handsome man, of average height. He was
strongly built, had black eyes and an intelligent face, with a broad and
high forehead. He grew a Sunnah beard. He had a serious and thoughtful
look about himself and spent much time in contemplation and meditation,
since he was concerned about his moral and spiritual evolution with the
sole purpose of seeking proximity of the Divine. He would often seek
solitude and contemplate on the burning questions running through his
mind concerning man's spiritual life:
Why was man created?
What is his purpose on this earth? What is his relationship with his Creator?
What is his ultimate destiny?
Although he was born in favoured conditions, being the son of a
well-known and very much respected Sayed family, he never used his
position in an unworthy manner, nor did he show any liking for the
comforts of life. He was kind, compassionate, generous and gentle in his
manner of speech and behaviour which won him the veneration of all
those who came across him. He had great respect for woman, and he
exercised immense reserve in dealing with them, in an age when these
qualities were rare. He hated cruelty and could never cause physical
pain to any man or even to an animal. He lived a very simple life of
self-restraint. His food intake was simple and frugal, so was his
dressing which was often deep yellow, the colour of the dress of sufis
and ascetics, stitched with black thread. To this day, his relics are
preserved at Bhitsah (where his mausoleum stands), some of which include
a "T"-shaped walking stick, two bowls, one made of sandal-wood and
another of transparent stone, which he used for eating and drinking. His
long cap and his black turban are also preserved.
"Cloud was commanded to prepare for
rain, Rain pattered and poured, lightning flared. Grain hoarders, hoping
for high prices, wring their hands, Five would become fifteen in their
pages they had planned. From the land may perish all the profiteers,
Herdsmen once again talk of abundant showers, Latif says have hope in
Allah's blessed grace." ......Bhitai
Quest for Religious Truths
In quest of religious truths, Shah Bhitai travelled to many parts of
Sindh and also went to the bordering lands. He kept himself aloof from
the political scene of favouritism and intrigues which was going on at
the height of the power and rule of Kalhoras in Sindh. Instead of
visiting towns and cities, in political canvassing, to serve the purpose
of the rulers and elite of the land, though he was much respected by
the members of the dynasty and could have benefited from it, he went to
hills, valleys, the banks of river, and the fields, where he met the
ordinary simple people, the sufis (mystics). He went to the Ganjo Hills
in the south of Hyderabad for contemplation, and then to mountains in
Las Bela in the south of Sindh and Balochistan. For three years, he
travelled with these sufis in search of the truth, peace, and harmony,
to Hinglay, Lakhpat, Nani at the foot of the Himalayas and to Sappar
Sakhi. At several places in the Risalo, mention has been made of these
sufis and of his visits to these wonderful, holy and peaceful places.
The two surs, Ramkali and Khahori, describe them under various endearing
names and a detailed account of the sufis' lifestyle is given. He also
travelled to such far away places as Junagardh, Jesalmere and parts of
the Thar desert.
"In deserts, wastes and Jessalmir it
has rained, Clouds and lightning have come to Thar's plains; Lone, needy
women are now free from care, Fragrant are the paths, happy herdsmen's
wives all this share." ..........Bhitai
Piety and Asceticism
By the time he was a young man of twenty one years, he began to be known
for his piety, his ascetic habits and his absorption in prayers.
Observation and contemplation were chief traits of his character. A
number of people flocked round him adding to the already large number of
his disciples. This aroused jealousy of some powerful, ruthless,
tyrannical persons - landlords, Pirs, Mirs, and Rulers - who became his
enemies for some time. Later, seeing his personal worth, and the
peaceful and ascetic nature of his fame, abandoned their rivalry. At
this time he was living with his father at Kotri, five miles away from
the present site of Bhitshah. It was here that his marriage was
solemnised in 1713 CE with Bibi Sayedah Begum, daughter of Mirza Mughul
Beg. She was a very virtuous and pious lady, who was a proper companion
for him. The disciples had great respect for her. They had no children.
In the true ascetic spirit, Shah Latif was now in search of a place
where in solitude, he could devote all his time in prayers and
meditation. Such a place he found near Lake Karar, a mere sand hill, but
an exotic place of scenic beauty, four miles away from New Hala. This
place was covered by thorny bushes surrounded by many pools of water. It
was simply and aptly called 'Bhit' (the Sand Hill). On the heaps of its
sandstones he decide to settle down and build a village. As it was
sandy, he along with his disciples dug out the hard earth from a
distance and covered the sand with it to make the ground firm. After
months of hard labour, carrying the earth on their heads and shoulders,
the place was now fit enough for the construction of an underground room
and two other rooms over it, along with a room for his old parents. A
mosque was also built and the houses of his disciples properly marked
out. In 1742, whilst he was still busy setting up a new village, Bhit,
he got the sad news of the death of his dear father.. Soon after this
Shah Latif shifted all his family members from Kotri to Bhitsah, as the
village now began to be called. His father was buried there, in
accordance to his will, where his mausoleum stands only eight paces
away, from that of Shah Abdul Latif, towards its north.
The Seven Queens of Sindh
The women of Shah Abdul Latif’s poetry are known as the Seven Queens,
heroines of Sindhi folklore who have been given the status of royalty in
the Shah Jo Risalo. The Seven Queens were celebrated throughout Sindh
for their positive qualities: their honesty, integrity, piety and
loyalty. They were also valued for their bravery and their willingness
to risk their lives in the name of love.
Perhaps what Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai saw in his tales of these women was
an idealised view of womanhood, but the truth remains that the Seven
Queens inspired women all over Sindh to have the courage to choose love
and freedom over tyranny and oppression. The lines from the Risalo
describing their trials are sung at Sufi shrines all over Sindh, and
especially at the urs of Shah Abdul Latif every year at Bhit Shah.
The Seven Queens mentioned in the Shah Jo Risalo are:
- Marvi
- Momal
- Sassi
- Noori
- Sohni
- Sorath
- Lila
The Final Years
For the last eight years of his remarkable life, Shah Latif lived at
Bhitshah. A few days before his death, he retired to his underground
room and spent all his time in prayers and fasting, eating very little.
Laggi Laggi wa'a-u wiarra angrra latji, Pa-i kharren pasah-a pasand-a karrend-i pirin-a jay.
Wind blew! The sand enveloped the body, Whatever little life left, is to see the beloved.
After 21 days in there, he came out and having bathed himself with a
large quantity of water, covered himself with a white sheet.
He suffered from no sickness or pain of any kind. The date was 14th
Safar 1165 Hijra corresponding to 1752 CE. He was buried at the place
where his mausoleum now stands, which was built by the ruler of Sindh,
Ghulam Shah Kalhoro. His name literally means 'the servant of the Shah'.
He, along with his mother, had adored and revered Shah Latif and were
his devoted disciples. The work of the construction of the mausoleum was
entrusted to the well-known mason, Idan from Sukkur. The mausoleum, as
well as the mosque adjoining it, were later repaired and renovated by
another ruler of Sindh, Mir Nasir Khan Talpur.
Korren kan-i salam-u achio a'atand-a unn-a jay.
Countless pay homage and sing peace at his abode.
"Tell me the stories, oh thorn-brush, Of the mighty merchants of the
Indus, Of the nights and the days of the prosperous times, Are you in
pain now, oh thorn-brush? Because they have departed: In protest, cease
to flower. Oh thorn-brush, how old were you When the river was in full
flood? Have you seen any way-farmers who could be a match of the
Banjaras? True, the river has gone dry, And worthless plants have begun
to flourish on the brink, The elite merchants are on decline, And the
tax collectors have disappeared, The river is littered with mud And the
banks grow only straws The river has lost its old strength, You big
fish, you did not return When the water had its flow Now it's too late,
You will soon be caught For fishermen have blocked up all the ways. The
white flake on the water: Its days are on the wane." ......Bhitai [translated by Prof. D. H. Butani [1913-1989] in The Melody and Philosophy of Shah Latif
The Urs Sharif
The URS is a Grand event in Sindh, where people from almost every
village and town of Sindh and from different cities of other provinces
of Pakistan - rich and poor, young and old, scholars and peasants - make
a determined effort to attend. The Urs commences every year from 14th
Safar (2nd month of Hijra calendar) and lasts for three days. A literary
gathering is also held where papers concerning the research work done
on the life, poetry, and message of Bhitai, are read, by scholars and
renowned literary figures. His disciples and ascetics, gather around and
read passages from his Risalo. Scholarly debates and exhibitions of his
work and traditional Sindhi artifacts are also organized.
"Sleeping on the river's bank, I heard
of Mehar's glory, Bells aroused my consciousness, longing took its
place, By Almighty! fragrance of Mehar's love to me came, Let me go and
see Mehar face to face." .....Bhitai
|
