Hadrat Sultan Bahu (Rehmatullah alayhi )

[Sultani Sister]

ASSALAMU 'ALYKUM WA REHMATULLAHI WA BARAKATUHU

ASSALATO WASSLAM ALAIKA YA RASOOL ALLAH (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam)


HAQ BAHU SACH BAHU


Burhan-Ul-Wasaleen Muktada-E-Kamaleen Shebaz-E-Lamakan Sultan-Ul-Faqr Hadrat Sultan Bahu (Rehmatullah alayhi )




Hadrat Sultan Bahu (Rehmatullah alayhi ) (The Sultan al-Faqr and Sultan al-Arfeen)

Hadrat Sultan Bahu is one of the most reowned Sufi saints of the later Mughal period in the history of Indo-Pakistan sub-continent. He is often called Sultan al-Arfin (the Sultan of gnostics) in the Sufi circles. His ancestors belonging to a tribe of Alvids called Awan and coming from Arabia via Hirat (Afghanistan) has settled in the soon Sakesar Valley1 of Khushab District in Punjab. His father, Sultan Bazid, Had served in the army of the Emperor Shah Jahan as a high ranking officer and so in recognition to his service he had been awarded a jagir in the Shorkot area. The family migrated to the place and settled at Qalai Shorkot, at settlement at the bank of river Chenab (now in District Jhang, Punjab). Hadrat Sultan Bahu (Rehmatullah alayhi )was born there, probably in 1628 A.D.

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 Tayyaba2 (There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger ) in his presence. His father died when he was just a child but his mother Bibi Rasti, remained alive till he was forty years old.

His mother supervised his education but it must have been irregular because he was often found under the Influence of ecstatic states. Its seems that the education remained informal to the end. Whatever he expressed or wrote after-ward, it was in the light of his own spiritual vision and knowledge. His mother taught him the essential Sufi exercises dhikr (invocation of Allah and His Names) and he probably needed no more guidance after that. He was initiated to walk the path of Sufi’s intuitively. His spiritual experiences and vision enriched his mind and spirit with so much knowledge that he far excelled his contemporary Sufi master and Sufi poets in Tasawwuf (Sufism) and Suluk (all about the Sufi Way and its stations and states_. In the 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 after wards and had son and daughters but all this did not deter him from him dervish wanderings, to visit the sacred places and look for the spiritual company of his fellow Sufis.

[Sultani Sister]

He may have met many Sufis and visited many tombs of the saints but he did not come across a Sufi teacher of his own caliber. At the age of thirty he had an extraordinary vision in which he saw Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) through the spiritual recommendations and support of Hadrat Ali (Rehmatullah alayhi) and Hadrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Rehmatullah alayhi). The prophet himself took his bayah and allow him to pass in the Sufi teachings. He often mentions in his books about his presence in the spiritual meetings presided by the Prophet him self. However, in the treatise “of the spirit” he called Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Rehmatullah alayhi) his murshid (spiritual director). He is always lavish in the praise of Hadrat 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 Qadiriya order he means the one that he himself represented. He names it “Sarwari Qadiri”.

[Sultani Sister]

During the same period when he was a young man of about Thirty, the war of succession between Dara shikoh and Aurangzab was fought. His later writings are sufficient proof of his moral and spiritual support for Aurangzab 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 his books during such journeys. He never made a permanent khaneqah during his life-time.

In “Manaqibi Sultani” a few of his journeys have been mentioned. His travellings in Saraiki region up to Sindh, his journey to Delhi where he met the Emperor Aurangzab in the Jamia mosque and his visits to the tombs at Multan and other cities have been indicated.

He died in 1619 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 near by places due to the floods. Now the place he lies buried under a beautiful tomb is called Darbar Hadrat Sultan Bahu (Rehmatullah alayhi) IN (District jhang, Punjab).