Wow. thanks for sharing a historical background for Sufism
..

You have very impressive knowledge about Sindh and Sufism…well done. Sunny Khan

At 77 and living in Mount Abu,India I cherish fondly all aspects of Sindhi culture, but alas! the Sindhi Hindu has drifted into Hinglish oblivion and there seems no point of return!

The Word “Sufi” is Derived from the word “Suf” which means “Wool” in Arabic.
The Sufis used to wear these Woollen Clothes in order to show their detachment from the world.

The earliest mention of Sufi Mystics is : Ghazali 1O58 to 1111

He was followed by : Muhyindin Arabi 1165 to 124O

Jalaluddin Rumi

Jalaluddin Rumi was born in Tajikistan in A.D 12O7 .He died in A.D 1273 and lies buried under a green dome along with his father.

Jalaluddin Rumi was so highly respected that his funeral procession was followed by followers of all the other religions.

While he was young, his family shifted to Konya in western Turkey .

His father was a learned scholar of religious studies. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his son Jalaluddin Rumi who was only 24 at that time..

Jalaluddin Rumi was a great musician and dancer. He founded the ‘Whirling Derveshes,’ who would slowly go into a trance while praying and dancing to music .His music was of a very high order. and was always accompanied by flute , drums and singing .

There were three stages : Knowing God, seeing God and being one with him, He was greatly influenced by Shamsuddin, a wandering Dervesh who guided him to mystism but who was hated by the disiples of Jalaluddin

He disappeared mysteriosly .

Jalaluddin made no distinction between religions, His entire poetry was based on absolute love for God and union with the infinite .

His writings today are a rage throughout the world and in places like America, even after 7OO years .

His writings called Masnavi teach Sufiism with stories It has been translated into many languages of the world .

Safiism in Sind

According to Sufiism in Sind, life is a bride whom death visits as Bridegroom to take her away , It also stands for mystical union with the ultimate reality .

Qazi Qadan 1463-1551 ) was perhaps the first Sufi Mystic in Sind.

His writings are transcribed in Devnagri script.
He says: “Let others study grammar, I only want to contemplate the Lord.”
He said, I have no use for anything traditional. Ifound the Lord, elsewhere.’
He says: “Jogi jagayos, sutto huyus ninda mein” (The yogi woke me up when I was fast asleep).

Shah Karim of the 1636 -1622 was another Sufi Mystic’He was free from any ism.His followers even made use of a symbol of OM He composed Music to the heroic ballads of Sind He was great great Grand father to Shah Abdul Lateef He wrote 93 Shlokas in pure most Sindhi preaching about the brotherhood of mankind and unity of God. He avoided the usage of persian and Arabic words He was person of great piety and was a well known poet;. Shah Abdul Latif followed his style.

Shah Karim. said :

Even if you read all the sacred books, of what avail ?
Can a lame ant in the well measure the skies !
He who lives in a hut built on the river bank,
Why need he thirst for water ?
But the fools cry on; and understand not.

Shah Inat of the 17th century he was another Sufi Mystic of Sind.

Shah Abdul Latif : The soul of Sind

Shah Abdul Latif of Sindh

He is considered one of the greatest poets of the Sindhi language.
Where there is no heaven and no trace of earth, Where the moon and the sun don’t rise, nor descend, That far the yogis have set their destination.

They shall perceive the Lord in Nothingness.
Shah Inat was followed by Shah Abdul Latif ( 1689 to 1752. who was a great scholar of Arabic, Persian and sindhi. He was very well versed in Vedanta and Quranic Traditions and Vedanta. Along with the Yogis, he visited many places holy places of Hindus.
Shah Abdul Lateef composed poems in praise of Rama.

Shah Abdul Latif was born in 1689 in Khatiyan in Hyderabad district.

He died in 1752 and is buried in a masauleum in Bhit.

He was a great poet, scholar and a sufi mystic.

It is absolutely appropriate if he is called the Soul of Sind.

He strongly believed in peace and contentment.

Altough he was born in a wealthy family, he renunciated everything to to become a wandering mystic. During his wanderings he came in contact with Hindu Yogis and made no distinction between anybody. Slowly desciples gathered around him.

He was exceedingly fond of music and would sing his poetry on Tamboora, based on classical Ragas. His music knowledge was of a very high order. In his musical renderings, he always yearned for union with God.

His poetry was memorised by a disciple who wrote it down. Finally credit goes to a German Ernest Trumpp, who knew Sindhi and he got everything compiled in Shah jo Risalo.

SACHAL SARMAST

Kazi burn thy books.
The Master has instructed me:
“Know thyself,” He said.
He taught me the path of heresy.
Some go to Kaaba, others to Kibla,
All these things are mere pretexts.
Why should I turn to Kaaba,
When my Master in tavern dwells?
Be thou [divinely] mad,
Drink deep the wine of madness.

Sachal Sarmast was born as Andul Wahab in Daraz, near Ranipur in Khaipur district approximately in 1739 A.D. The exact date of his birth is not known he was extremely handome.

He died at the age of 9O and lies buried in a majestic Mauseleum in Daraz.

Sachal Sarmasr means the Truthful Mystic.

He is known for his beautiful Sufi poetry.

Sachal Sarmast followed the islamic philosophy of Wahadat Wujood .It means the philosophy of Unity of existance which is alike Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

Sachal Sarmast described himself as a Yogi and advocated brotherhood amonst Hindus and Muslims under one benevelent God .

He would repeatedly say :

I do not believe in outer religion:

I believe in Love.

Once when he was young Shah Abdul Lateef met him and inquired who he was .

Afterwards he said ‘,I have put the vessel on fire . He will remove the lid .’

And this is exactly what happened .

Sachal Sarmast gave many clarifications through his classic poetry .

Sachal Sarmast came from a family of religious scholars .He was a linguist and could sing in persian ,punjabi,Saraiki and Baluchi .He was also an excellent musician .

Sachal Sarmast like Shah Abdul Latif he came under the influece of Hindu Yogis and wrote quite a few poems about Krishna .

He was definitely above religion.

Chainrai 1743 -185O

He was a cloth merchant from Shikarpur but spent much of his time staying in Amritsar .

He used to write his verses and put it into a Matka ( Earthenware Pot ).

Long after his death , his writings were collected and published .

His writings were about Vedic thoughts in the Sindhi language ,

They are known as Sami Ja Salokas.

How boastful is he,
Believing he is a Pundit!
To the lessons of the Vedas he listens,
But humility he does not acquire,
The Lord lives within,

fOR PHOTOS:visit http://www.chandiramani.con section 18b sufiism