The following passages have been culled from the writings of various Sufis who practised in South Asia. They have been placed in no particular order.
Ali Hujwiri Data Ganj Bakhsh
‘Know that I have found this universe an abode of Divine mysteries, which are deposited in created things. Substances, accidents, elements, bodies, forms, and properties - all these are veils of Divine mysteries. From standpoint of Unification (tawhid) it is polytheism to assert that any such veil exists, but in this world everything is veiled, by its being, from Unification, and the spirit is held captive by admixture and association with phenomenal being. Hence the intellect can hardly comprehend those Divine mysteries, and the spirit can but dimly perceive the marvels of nearness to God. Man, enamoured of his gross environment, remains sunk in ignorance and apathy, making no attempt to cast off the evil that has fallen upon him. Blind to the beauty of Oneness, he turns away from God to seek the vanities of this world and allows his appetites to domineer over his reason, notwithstanding that the animal soul, which the Quran describes as 'commanding to evil' (ammarat bi'l-su), is the greatest of all veils between God and Man.’
Al-Hujwiri, Ali bin Usman, Kashf al-Mahjub, A Persian Treatise on Sufism, translation and preface by Pir M.K.Shah, Ziaul Quran Publications, Lahore, 2001, pp.78-79.
Syed Mohammad Usman Marvandi, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (Sehwan, Sindh) (This popular song is sung by qawwals and folk singers all over Pakistan and north India, and may have been composed in praise of Shahbaz Qalandar by a later composer. The language is mostly Punjabi with some Hindi, Arabic and Sindhi words.)
Laalmeri pat rakhiyo bhala Jhoole laalan
Sindri da, Sehvan da, Sakhi Shabaaz Qalandar
Duma dum mast Qalandar, Ali dum dum de andar.
Mawaan nu peera bachhre daina,
Behna nou deina veer mala Jhoole laalan
Sindri da, sehvan da, Sakhi Shabaaz Qalandar
O, chaar charaag tere balan hamesha
Panjwa ne baalan aayio bala jhoole laalan
Uchra roza peera tera, uchra roza peera tera,
Haith wagay gharyaal bhala Jhoole laalan
Sindri da, sehvan da, sakhi shabaaz qalandar
Ghanan ghanan teri naubat baajay
Naal bajay gharyaal bhala Jhoole laalan
Sindri da, sehvan da, sakhi Shabaaz Qalandar
Moinuddin Chishti
Andar aaina-e jaan aks-e jamal-e deedam
Hamcho khursheed ke dar ab zalaal deedam
Ta Moin zarra sifat raft pi-e nor azal
Na tulu-o na ghuroob-o na zawal-e deedam
(In the mirror of life, I saw reflection of the beautiful one
Like the sun, I saw it reflected in water
When Moin was on his path to the eternal light,
There was neither a rising nor a setting or a decline)
Baba Farid
Farida khaak na nandiye khako jed na koe
Jyundiyan peeran tale moiyyan apar na hoe
O Farid, don’t consider the clay so lowly, there’s nothing like it.
All your life it remains under your feet, and buries you underneath after death
Rukkhi sukkhi kha ke thanda paani pi
Dekh parai chopdi na tarsaen ji
O Farid, be content with your dry bread and cold water
Don’t be attracted by others’ well-oiled bread
Farida ratein wadiyan dhak dhak uthan paas
Dhrag tanha da jivya jinhan wadani aas
O Farid, the nights are long and every pore is releasing smoke
Damn the people who have abandoned all hope
Nizamuddin Aulia
Saba basuye Madina ro kun azeen dua go salam bar khwan
Be gard-e Shah-e Madina gard-o be sad tazra-e payam bar khwan
(O breeze when you visit Madina, say my salutation and prayer
And pass my message to the King of Madina )
I have come to Your street in a rush, in a rush.
My cheeks with my tears are all awash, all awash.
To be at one with you how I try, how I try.
As I invoke Your name let me die, let me die.
Quoted from Lawrence (1992:173)
Bu Ali Shah Qalandar
Roz ba-khush pisaran nard wafa mae baazam
Shab hama shab ba-sharab-e wa shama-e saazam
Be khabar az do jahan kard mara jalwa-e dost
Bad-o alam ze rukh-e dost name parwaazam
Sajdah dar pesh to awurdam-o masjood shudam
Ke dareen sadja malayk na-shawad ambaazam
In the daytime I play the game of love with beautiful boys,
The entire night I spend drinking and lighting the lamp.
My friend’s thought has made me unaware of the two worlds,
I am so engrossed in his face that I take no notice of the world.
I bowed before you and became the bowed one,
My angels are not accompanied in this obeisance.
Naseeruddin Chiragh Delhi
Dar seena Naseeruddin juz ishq nami ganjad
Een tarfa tamasha been darya be hubaab andar
(The passion of love can’t be contained in Naseeruddin’s heart,
What a sight, an ocean is contained inside a bubble.)
Shaykh Sharfuddin Maneri
Hast darya-e muhabbat be-kinar
La jurm yek tishnagi shud sad hazar
(The river of love has no banks,
Once thirsty of its waters, you’ll be thirsty a thousand times.)
Mi na-farosham galeem na-farosham
Gar ba-farosham barehna mand dasham
(I will never sell my tattered cloak and blanket, never
If I did that, my shoulder will be naked then.)
Qazi Hamiduddin Nagauri
Li habeebun khayalo-hu nasbe ayni
Wa ismo-hu fi zamayri maknoon
In tazkerato-hu fak-li quloob
Wa in tamilto-hu fak-li uyoon
(I have a friend, losing myself in whose image is the goal of my life
His name is preserved in the depths of my heart
Remembering him, my heart flutters
Thinking about him, my eyes are impatient to see him)
Amir Khusrau
Kafir-e ishqam musalmani mara darker neest
Har rag-e man taar gashta hajat-e zunnar neest
(I am a pagan of love, the creed of musalman I do not need,
Every vein of mine is taut like a wire, a brahman’s girdle I don’t need.)
Bashahan har che bar khilaf ho ast
Natawan guft garche baashad raast
Hark e shud raast goi dawer khwesh
Zad be tegh-e zaban-e khud sar khwesh
(If it goes against the king,
Don’t utter it, even it’s the truth.
Whoever told such a truth,
Beheaded himself with the sword of his tongue)
Phool khile baguyan mein
Aamad-e fasl-e bahar
(Flowers blossom in the garden,
The season of spring cometh.)
Khusrau darya prem ka ulti wa ki dhaar
Jo utra so doob gaya, jo dooba so paar
(Khusrau, the river of love flows in strange directions,
Whoever jumped into it, drowned.
And the one who drowned, got across)
Khalq mi goyad ke Khusrau but-parasti mi kunad
Aari aari mi kunam ba khalq-o aalam kar neest
(People tell me that Khusrau has become an idol worshipper
Yes, yes, I have, and I don’t care for the people of the world.)
Sakal ban phool rahi sarson
Angna more tesu phoole, koyal bole daar daar
Aur gori karat singar, malaniya garhwa le aayi karson
Sakal ban phool rahi sarson
Tarah tarah ke phool lagaye, le garhwa hathan mein aaye
Nijamuddin ke darwaje pe, aawan keh gaye Aashiq rang
Aur beet gaye barson
Sakal ban phool rahi sarson
(Mustard flowers in the entire forest,
In my courtyard, the mango flowers,
The cuckoo sings on every branch
And the fair maiden adorns herself
The gardener’s wife brings bouquets
Mustard flowers in the entire forest
Flowers of all hues are available
And brought in bouquets
At the doorstep of Nizamuddin
The loved-hued had promised to come
But it’s been so many years.
Mustard flowers in the entire forest.)
Abdul Qadir Bedil
Ze ghuncha-e o dameed Bedil bahar khatt-e nazar farebi
Be mu’jaz-e husn gasht aakhir rak zamurrud-az la’l peda
Sayyid Ali Hamadani (Kashmir)
‘Please know that God Almighty has created the human beings on account of two reasons: the first is the appearance (Surat-i-Zahir) and the second is the inner self (Sirat-i-Batin). The appearance is the styled creation (Khalq), and the nature (Surat) is known as Khulq (character), and both of these have two facets of virtue and vice.’
Shaikh Nuruddin Rishi (Kashmir)
A spring has been lost in the stream,
A saint has been lost among the thieves,
A deeply learned man has been lost in the house of fools,
A swan has been lost among the crows.
Abdul Quddus Gangohi
Guft quddusi faqiri dar fana-o dar baqa
Khud bakhud aazad budi khud giraftar aamadi
(Says Quddusi: being a beggar you lose yourself and you find,
You set free yourself, and get imprisoned yourself.)
Bulleh Shah
Jangal jangal kya bhavin? Van kanda morein
Wasi rab hiya liye jangal kya dhoonden
Why wander around in jungles, there’s nothing but thorns here
The God resides in hearts, why look for him in forests
Padh padh mullan hove qazi, Allah ilman bajhon razi
Hovve hirs dinon din taazi, teenon keetta hirs khwar
Ilmon bass Karen O yaar
The scholar gained great knowledge to become a judge
Even though Allah can be pleased even without gaining knowledge
You have been disrepute precisely for this greed (of knowledge)
O friend, beware of such knowledge which does not stop you from greed and insatiability.
Shah Turab Kakorvi
Nooh se kahiyo ke jald aye o kashti laye
Hijr mein ro ro yahan aankh ne toofan kiya
Shaykh go tu-ne bahot but-kade tode to kiya
Nafs-e kaafir ko kisi din na musalmaan kiya
(Ask Noah to come soon with his ark
Waiting for the beloved, the eyes have created quite a flood
O cleric although you have broken many a pagan temple
But never managed to convert the heart of a pagan).
Aashiq hun tera talib-e deedar hun tera
Parda tu na kar mujh se ke mein yaar hun era
Karta hai abas mujh ko tabeebon ke hawale
Khud nabz meri dekh ke beemar hun tera
(I’m your lover, desirous of your sight,
Don’t cover yourself with a veil, I’m your friend.
Why do you hand me over to the doctors?
Hold my pulse yourself; I’m lovesick for you.)
Kisi pe jaal na dale khuda muhabbat ka
Ke chhoot-ta nahin jeete phansa muhabbat ka
Kahani ishq ki kahiye to neend ud jaye
Na poochhe ham se koi majra muhabbat ka
Mujhe to sab kahin mehboob dekh padta hai
Mien kis tarah se na hoon mubtela muhabbat ka
(Go may never put anyone in the web of love
The one entangled in it can never come out alive
Tell the story of love, and you lose your sleep
Don’t ask me anyone, the occurrence of love
I see the beloved everywhere
Why shouldn’t I suffer from love.)
Jo ma-e ishq se hua sarshar
Hai kuchh auri tarah se uski tarang
Saaf munh dekh lo haqiqat ka
Gar na ho dil ke aaine mein zang
Hai wohi dost aur wohi dushman
Sulah us se hai aur usi se jang
(The one intoxicated in the wine of love,
His manners are something else.
You may see the reality vividly in the mirror
If that mirror of your heart is without blemish.
He is a friend and he a foe as well,
Peace is with him, and the war as well.)
Khwaja Mir Dard
Dard-e dil ke waste paida kiya insaan ko
Varna ta’at ke liye kuchh kam na the karr-o bayan
(Man was created for this ache in the heart
Else, the creatures only praying to God were no less.)
Jigar Muradabadi
Ishq ki had se nikalte phir yeh manzar dekhte
Kaash husn-e yaar ko ham husn ban kar dekhte
Door jaakar dekhte nazdeek aakar dekhte
Ham se ho sakta to ham un ko barabar dekhte
Fitrat-e majboor par qaboo hi kuchh chalta nahin
Varna ham to tujh ko bhi tujh se chhupa kar dekhte
Dam bakhud hain hazrat-e Zahid yahin tak dekh kar
Hosh ud jate agar sheeshe se bahar dekhte
(I would exit the boundaries of love to look back at this scene
Wish I could see the beloved’s beauty through the eyes of beauty itself.
I would look from afar, from near
If I could, I would see the beloved forever
I have control over my natural self
Else I would see you by hiding from yourself.
The cleric is astounded, just by watching until here,
Imagine if he could see beyond the goblet.)
Kamil Hyderabadi
Ba-tufail-e daman-e Murtaza mein bataun kya mujhe kya mila
Ke Ali mile to Nabi mile, jo Nabi mile to Khuda mila
Tere naqsh-e pa se qadam qadam, jo maqam-e sabr-o Raza mila
Kahin khaak ahl-e junoon mili, kahin khoon-e ahl-e wafa mila
Due to the mediation of Ali Murtaza’s company, guess what all I found?
With Ali I met the Prophet, and with Prophet I met with the Almighty.
Going along with your footsteps, I found the state of patience and contentment
Found somewhere the soil of passionate ones, and elsewhere the blood of the steadfast.
References
Lawrence, Bruce B., trans. 1992. Nizam ad-Din Awliya: Morals for the Heart: Conversations of Shaykh Nizam ad-din Awliya Recorded by Amir Hasan Sijzi. New York: Paulist Press, 1992.
