Even in the early childhood, it was perceived by all those around him that a strange light shone upon his face which compelled even the Hindus to utter Kalima Tayyiba (there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger) and embrace Islam in his presence. His father left him when he was just a child but his mother Bibi Rasti, remained alive till he was forty years old.
His mother took great care of his education but it was just irregular because he was often found under the influence of blissful states. It seemed that his education remained informal to the end. Whatever he expressed or wrote after-words, it was in the light of his own spiritual vision and knowledge.
His mother taught him the important sufi exercises of Zikr (invocation of Allah and His Names) and he perhaps needed no more guidance after that. He started to walk the path of Sufis spontaneously. His spiritual experiences and vision improved his mind and spirit with so much knowledge that he far excelled his contemporary Sufi masters and sufi poets in Tasawwuf (Sufism) and Suluk ( all about the Sufi Way and its stations and states). In a book he remarks: Though we have little of formal learning, yet the spirit has been blessed with holiness by esoteric knowledge. In fact he may be called a born saint.
He got married in his early youth and twice or thrice afterwards and had sons and daughters but all this did not deter him from his dervish wanderings, to visit the sacred places and look for the spiritual company of his fellow Sufis.
At the age of thirty he had an extraordinary vision in which he saw Prophet Muhammad ( may peace be upon him ) through the spiritual recommendations and support of Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. The prophet himself took his bay'ah and allowed him to pass on the Sufi teachings. He often mentions in his books about his presence in the spiritual meetings presided by the Prophet himself. However, in the treatise "Of the Spirit " he calls Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani his Murshid ( spiritual director ). He is always lavish in the praise of Hazrat Shaikh and calls himself Qadiri. In his eyes the teachings of the Qadiriya order were most effective for the spiritual development of the disciples. But at the same time it is evidently clear that by the Qadriya order he means the one that he himself represented. He names it "Sarwari Qadiri ".
During the same period when he was a young man of about thirty, the war of succession between Dara Sikoh and Aurangzeb was fought. His later writings are sufficient proof of his moral and spiritual support for Aurangzeb who won and became the emperor. He himself, however, never cared to have any concern with the court or the courtiers.
All his life he kept travelling to the far-flung places initiating disciples and passing on the spiritual knowledge and wisdom to the seekers of truth. He might have written most of the books during such journeys. He never made a permanent Khaneqah during his lifetime.
Sometimes he fell into ecstasy and passed his days and nights in the state of absorption. Many places are still remembered and venerated where he stayed for some long or short periods to contemplate in solitude.
In "Manaqibi Sultani " a few of his journeys have been mentioned. His traveling in Saraiki region up to Sindh, his journey to Delhi where he met the emperor Aurangzeb in the Jamia Mosque and his visits to the tombs at Multan and other cities have been indicated.
He died in 1691 A.D. at Shorkot where he was buried close to the bank of the river. His body had, however, to be transferred twice to other nearby places due to the floods. Now the place he lies buried under a beautiful tomb is called Darbar Hazrat Sultan Bahu (District Jhang, Punjab).
He wrote many books in Persian. He also wrote ghazals and poems in Persian as a well as Abyaat Punjabi. His Punjabi poetry contains spiritual fervour and passionate expression of the exalted state of Divine Love. One is transported to the spiritual domains while one listens to his Dohas in a melodious voice of the singers. About thirty epistles, treatises and books are still available. Almost all of his work has been written under inspiration in his style peculiar to him. Most often he uses "scatter method" diffusing Sufi doctrine and the methods of spiritual realization in his writings
He was the greatest teacher and propagator of Faqr (spiritual poverty) which is the shining guiding star in his teachings. He may be considered one of the greatest Revealers in the history of Sufism.
His Dargah has always been supervised by the Sajjadah Nashins (care takers) of his own family. The present Sajjadah Nashin also belongs to his line.
It is strange that his fame rose and spread world-wide after his death. Only recently Scholars have turned attention to present and interpret his doctrine in a systematic way. The scope to edit, translate, interpret and transmit his work is still very vast. It is hoped that the next generation of sufi scholars and teachers will continue to perform this tremendous job more efficiently.
I quote the verse written on the wall of the mosque adjoining his tomb.
Oh noble Sultan Bahu! in the realm of reality, you are perfect.
Help me in all the spiritual states, in interiority as well
as in exteriority.
Oh noble Sultan Bahu! in the realm of reality, you are perfect.
Help me in all the spiritual states, in interiority as well
as in exteriority.
6 comments:
Salam, Dear Shammood, and thanks to you for this great article!
Best Wishes:-)
Ya Haqq,
Maryam
Wa Alaikum Assalam,
Dear Maryam,
thanx for the wishes and want to extend same for you and your family.
Appreciation and comments always add positivity to our efforts.
Regards,
Shahid Mahmood
dear sister maryam
i realyy impressed to view ur blog
now i want to keep in cntact with u
bcz i m really interested in suffism
and hope that ur experience and knowledge will help me
plz cntanct with me
islamuddin_awan@yahoo.com
Dear Islamuddin,
I don't know you have posted these comments for me or for Maryam, because you posted these comments on my Blog; but you want Maryam to be in contact with you.
I advise you visit her blog regularly to get precious information on sufism.
Hope to see more from you on my blog.
this is very informative blog about Hazur Sultan Bahoo Sarkar. i think his date of departure from the world needs to correct which is written as 1961 mistakely
Yea--1628 to 1961?
Maybe he'd been hanging out with al-Kidhr (as)...
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