Seeking the Beloved- In the spirit of Shah Abdul Latif

It is exhilarating to know that in these troubled times for Muslims, Sufi scholars of yesteryear are distinctly revered by people of all communities, faiths & sects. On 1st August, Gyaan Adab organized a book reading session by Author Anju Makhija, of her book of poetry. This book is an English translation of Shah Abdul Latif sur ( or couplets) from the Sindhi language .

Shah Latif, a mystic & poet from erstwhile Sindh, that extended from Sindh in Pakistan to Kacch in present India. Shah Latif of Bhittai, a place in Sindh were his mausoleum is built, wandered these areas during his lifetime in the quest of God. His followers now are pastoral nomads are rendering his tradition with folk tales, poems & recitals of his couplets .

So what is that Sufi’s spoke about that still reverberates with current generation?

Well, its imperative with all the references to wine, love & the beloved it was about annihilation of self/ ego, sacrificing the self for the love of Allah ( beloved). More we see engulfed in the wars, fueled by greed, over-consumption & urge to have more couplets of Shah Latif make immediate sense :

Their ego the ascetics have killed,

They wish their unity with God to be fulfilled .

Or if we were to contrast that with the lives of new age godmen in the modern era, who roam around in private jets, carry their own cavalcade of personal body-guards & enjoy a luxurious life, to them Shah sahab said :

Those jogis who treasure Food and cloth for their pleasure,

From them God will stay Still farther and away .

Sufi’s spoke of universal love & brotherhood and their teachings transcended through different religions . For them being “Good” was more important without attaching strings of religion. In short they loved humanity & so does humanity still loves them .

As you would have understood by now, they spoke the universal language of Love for all.

An important theme of Sufi poets of subcontinent, has been their emphasis on correcting the inner spiritual self & purifying it from within :

Faith does not in that direction lie that the Kalima you day and night cry,

Your heart is imprisoned in falsehood With Islam you mask your face Within, many idols hold their place?

What are you waiting for ?

The inherent qualities of spiritual masters has always been, once the inspiration strikes, to go out & seek their true love , i.e. God or as Shah Latif said :

Do not care about hot or cold weather,

Do not think about rest,

You should push forward without wasting your time because if you become late,

darkness will spread all around and you will not be able to see the footprints of your beloved .

Every year, thousands gather at the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif to celebrate Urs .

Poetry references : Shah Latif’s Poetry: An Alternative Source to Study the History of Sindh

Originally published at sarmasta.com on August 2, 2015.