SACHAL SARMAST
HASTAM GHULLAM E MUSTAFA, BASHEM CHAAKAR E MURTAZA
MON TALIB E AAL E 'ABBA ZAHID CHI KHABAR HAAL E MAA
Sachal- Diwan Ashikaar
I am slave of Mustafa, I am servant of Murtaza. I am seeker of progeny of
Ali, ascetic can't understand condition of my heart.
Sachal Sarmast
Life and Personality;
Sachal Was born in 1739 in the village of Daraz in Khairpur
state in Northern Sindh. Daraz is a small village between
Gambatt and Ranipur, being two miles away
from the latter. The poet’s personal name was Abdul Wahab and his
father’s name was Faqir Salah-ud-Din. Sachal or Sacho was his poetic name,
which literally means ‘Man of Truth’ or ‘Devotee of Truth’. Sachal said
poetry in 7 languages i e, Sindhi, Siraiki, Farsi, Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi, and Baluchi.
It is narrated that the Ismaili poet ROUDIKI said about 1.2 million couplets, where as second in line is SACHAL, who contributed about 0.9 million couplets.
He taught concept of UNITY, called Wahdat al Wujud or Hamah Oost.
His disciples call him ‘Sachal Sarmast’, i.e. ‘Intoxicated man
of God’. ‘Daraz’ is interpreted by them as ‘Dar-e-
Raz’ (Persian,) i.e. ‘The Gate of Divine Mystery’. The poet
often used to be in a state of divine ecstasy, hence he came
to be called ‘Sarmast’. One of mystic poets of Sindh BEDIL who
in his poetry and thought, was Sachal’s emulator and
adorer, says in one of his couplet
The intoxication and the ecstasy of Divine Unity was in him
This Man of God, like Mansoor, was an Incarnation of Love.
Sachal is known as Mansoor Thani (second Mansoor), because he raised the slogan 'Anal Haq' in his time, he said;
MI ZANAM NA'IRA E ANAL HAQ ASHIKAAR
UNDDER EE(N) ZAMMAAN MANSOOR VAAR
NAUBAT E AA(N) BADSHAHI MI ZANAM
SHAHARYARAM SHAHARYARAM SHAHARYAR
I declare openly Anal Haq like mansoor in this world in real time.
I acquired the spiritual kingdom. I am Shah, I am Shah of this (spiritual) Kingdom.
Sachal’s lineage is traced to Omar Farooq, the Second
Caliph in succession to the Prophet. A descendant of Omar
had come along with the Arabs to Sindh, later becoming
Governor of Sehwan. He was Sheikh Shahabuddin, whose
two sons also enjoyed in succession the same position after
his demise. Their descendants, however, fell on evil days and
migrated to Thar, a desert territory in Sind. Ultimately Ahmed Farooqi, one of the family member entered in the service of Mir Suhrab Khan, the ruler
of Khairpur state. The Mir conferred upon him a
jageer (Estate) in recognition of his loyal and devoted
services. Thus was the foundation of the Sachal's family laid
well and firmly in Khairpur state in Sindh.
Sachal’s grandfather, Faqir Sahibdino, was a Dervish
who is said to have acquired spiritual grace from! Bibi Raba’
Basri. Tradition says
that Shah Latif had once advised him to
emerge from' obscurity and reveal to the world the Light of
Divinity. He had two sons Salah-ud-Din (Sachal’s father)
and Faqir Abdul Haq. Sachal was yet a child when his
father passed away. He remained under the care of his uncle
Faqir Abdul Haq, who later became his spiritual guide
and also his father-in-law. Sachal’s wife was alive only for
two years, after her departure, the poet chose to remain single throughout his life.
Sachal has again and again sung the praise of his Murshid
or Guru Abdul Haq in the highest esteem saying the couplet in Saraiki,
MEDHA HADI ABDUL HAQ HUA
NAHEEN ABD HUA HAI HAQ UL HAQ
My spiritual Preceptor is Abdul Haq,
He is not a servant (abd) of God but is Haq ul Haq (Truth of Truth)
Like Shah Latif, Sachal also was an Awaisi Faqir, although
his uncle Abdu’l Haq first awakened him, to a sense of divine
reality. Awaisis either receive direct instructions from God or
Al Insaan ul Kamil (spiritual Master). Sachal, in his
Persian, poetry, says about the Persian mystic poet Attar:
ATTAR NA BUUD AANK KHUDA BUUD KHUDA BUUD
UU PAAK WUJUD AANK KHUDA BUUD KHUDA BUUD
He was not Attar but was God, he was God
He was a Pure Being he was God, he was God
Sachal-Diwan Ashikaar
The saint poet perhaps had some spiritual connection with Attar
as Shah Latif owed allegiance to Rumi, the immorlal poet.
Sachal said about Attar;
AY DILA KHUSHBU ZI SHAH ATTAR DAR JAANAM RASEED
O Heart, fragrance of shah Attar has penetrated my soul
Shah Latif left this earthly planet in 1752, when Sachal
was 13. Shah Latif is said to have visited Daraz in his closing
years and, after seeing young Sachal had stated to the
child’s grandfather (Sahibdina) and uncle (Abdul Haq) ;
‘He will remove the cover from over one closed vessel.’
The significance is obvious Sachal was to fearlessly divulge
those divine mysteries, which Shah Latif had expressed in a
concealed language. While Shah Latif declares the divinity of
man allegorically, Sachal calls himself God categorically. Shah
Latif respected ‘Shariat’, while Sachal deems himself above it.
Sachal, unlike Shah Latif, was a learned scholar. He
achieved mastery over Persian and Arabic. He was Hafiz e Quran.
Sachal is like Hafiz, the great Persian mystic poet, whose
Diwan is considered so sacred that his devotees consult it for
augury in times of difficulty and distress. Like Hafiz, Sachal
castigated Mullas and Maulvis, so that he rendered' himself
unpopular with the religious hierarchy of his time. He became
unpopular with the Muslim religious leaders not only because of his
harsh criticism of them but also because of his calling himself
God, singing openly of wine and beauty. A single illustration
of his poetry is enough to inform us why the custodians of
religion were infuriated with him. He said;
Abandoning the mosque, we get drunk in the Tavern
All this beauty and splendour that encircles us is ours
Exempt from righteousness and unrighteousness
We, O Sachal became Truth
Sachal’s chief disciples were Yusuf (who called himself
Nanak Yusuf after visiting the Golden Temple at Amritsar),
Yaqub, Bedil, Shadi Khan and the ruler Mir Ali Murad
Khan Talpur. Poet Bedil was only 18 when Sachal departed from
this world. Sachal transferred his spiritual treasure (amanat)
to Yusuf. In fact, he loved Yaqub more but Heaven ordained
that Yusuf should inherit it. This happened by a queer twist
of destiny. Tradition says that one night Sachal gave an
untimely call to Yaqub from his chamber. Yaqub at the
time Was not present but Yusuf was there. It was he who
responded to the call of the saint, saying, ‘My Lord, Yaqub
is not here but Yusuf is present.’
The reference here is to Jacob
and his son Joseph; the romance of Yusuf and Zulaikha is
famous in the East and has been immortalized by the mystic
poets of Persia, specially Jami and Nizami.) Sachal called
Yaqub thrice but he did he received response from him.
Sachal thereafter immediately admitted Yusuf to his
chamber embracing him said, ‘When God Himself selects
you for my spiritual heritage, what can Sachal do' Sachal
desired to confer it on Yaqub, but Allah willist it otherwise.’
Sachal passed away in 1829 at the age of 90 on 14th of Ramadhan.
For the last three days, he did not stir out of his room.
All the three days, soft and melodious instrumental music was
heard from inside his chamber.
Translations of some poetry:
Friend, this is the only way
to learn the secret way:
Ignore the paths of others,
even the saints' steep trails.
Don't follow.
Don't journey at all.
Rip the veil from your face.
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
Neither did I roll rosary, nor did I ponder and pray,
I went to no mosque or temple, nor bow in adoration to any,
Sachal is lucky everyday, love is all around him.
You by yourself, know what is in your form!
Why chant 'Allah Allah'? Find Allah within you.
You listen, you see, Allah's word is witness,
There is no doubt, O Sachal! that the Lord is One!
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, 'Only we exist'
Now we declare, 'We don't exist'
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, 'We are self-realized'
Now we ask, 'Who are we?'
'Sachal' we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
I was sitting by the roadside,
When the path became clear to me;
In the palace the Beloved I saw,
a glimpse the Beauty gave;
Through the window was the vision,
a glimpse the Beauty saw;
Take care of the ignorant;
Our bond was made for a reason.
I truly recognized the Lord,
My companion He sure became;
'He is the Creator of all
and intrinsic to all',
All doubts in this perished;
With happiness shall I carry
Sisters, if your trust I have.
All the journeys, all the manifestations
The Dear One's own;
Friend 'Sachal' know this correctly,
Slumber has created illusions.
Sachal regarded love as the path to spirituality:
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
'Tis not with the infidel
that love resides
Nor with the faithful.
SACHAL SARMAST
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swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
AUGUST 21, 2019
‘Poet of seven languages’
From the Newspaper August 02, 2012
SACHAL Sarmast was a great saint, a mystic poet, a philosopher and one of the towering personalities produced by Sindh. His 193rd death anniversary and Urs are being observed all over the province (Thursday through Saturday) at his shrine, Daraza Sharif, Khairpur district.
The spirit of Islamic mysticism, which is a distinctive mark of 16th- century mystic poets of Iran, has exercised a profound influence on the Islamic poetry of the subcontinent. This influence was the strongest in the 18th century.
Sachal showed excellence in both esoteric and exoteric poetry. In this respect, Wali Dakhni can favourably be compared to him.
Sachal was fond of Sama (musical session for mystical poetry) where he would be found absorbed in meditation.
His poetry of divine love is in seven languages -- Sindhi, Seraiki, Persian, Punjabi, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi -- giving him the title of Shair-i-Haft Zuban (poet of seven languages).
He composed poetry in all poetical genres, including Kafis, Baits, Ghazals, Masnavis, Si Harfis, Mustazad, Hamd, Jhoolna, Gharoli, Musaddas, Mukhammas, Diwan-i-Ashkar and Dard Nama.
Masnavis are his compilation in Persian which are mainly philosophical. His Sindhi and Seraiki poetry is considered superb. Sachal insisted that his poetry was the result of divine inspiration.
He says:
Een sukhan as ishq nay az sharist
kay Khan daanad een ashahaar
What I utter is inspired by divine love. It is not mere poetry. So how can the ignorant grasp its meaning?
When poetic inspiration came, he would be in a state of trance. Tears would flow from his eyes. The hair on his head would stand erect; he would be in a state of ecstasy. His followers would remember or note down whatever he would utter.
On coming back to consciousness, he would deny having uttered such verses; he would also not be able to explain them. That is why his poetry sometimes contains strange and obscure expressions, which astonished his followers.
His Seraiki poetry, although not extensive in volume like his Sindhi and Persian works, is demonstrative of his linguistic mastery and is soaked in divine love. The style and mystic import of Heer Ranjha are also indicative of his individuality in treating the subject.
Sachal was the first poet of Sindh who composed ghazals in Urdu, besides other forms of poetry in Urdu. Although Sachal’s Urdu is often considered rustic, it is full of appeal and betrays the mystical as well as the material side of human nature. Like his Sindhi poetry, his Urdu verses reveal an outspoken, frank and bold personality.
He was an ascetic and led a life of piety and self-discipline up to the age of 90. He passed away on Ramazan 14, 1242 Hijri (AD 1829). His mausoleum was later on built by Mir Rustam Khan Talpur, the ruler of the Khairpur state. The annual Urs begins on Ramazan 12 when thousands of devotees throng his shrine.
JAWED INAYATULLAH MUGHAL Karachi
www.dawn.com/news/739057
‘Poet of seven languages’
From the Newspaper August 02, 2012
SACHAL Sarmast was a great saint, a mystic poet, a philosopher and one of the towering personalities produced by Sindh. His 193rd death anniversary and Urs are being observed all over the province (Thursday through Saturday) at his shrine, Daraza Sharif, Khairpur district.
The spirit of Islamic mysticism, which is a distinctive mark of 16th- century mystic poets of Iran, has exercised a profound influence on the Islamic poetry of the subcontinent. This influence was the strongest in the 18th century.
Sachal showed excellence in both esoteric and exoteric poetry. In this respect, Wali Dakhni can favourably be compared to him.
Sachal was fond of Sama (musical session for mystical poetry) where he would be found absorbed in meditation.
His poetry of divine love is in seven languages -- Sindhi, Seraiki, Persian, Punjabi, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi -- giving him the title of Shair-i-Haft Zuban (poet of seven languages).
He composed poetry in all poetical genres, including Kafis, Baits, Ghazals, Masnavis, Si Harfis, Mustazad, Hamd, Jhoolna, Gharoli, Musaddas, Mukhammas, Diwan-i-Ashkar and Dard Nama.
Masnavis are his compilation in Persian which are mainly philosophical. His Sindhi and Seraiki poetry is considered superb. Sachal insisted that his poetry was the result of divine inspiration.
He says:
Een sukhan as ishq nay az sharist
kay Khan daanad een ashahaar
What I utter is inspired by divine love. It is not mere poetry. So how can the ignorant grasp its meaning?
When poetic inspiration came, he would be in a state of trance. Tears would flow from his eyes. The hair on his head would stand erect; he would be in a state of ecstasy. His followers would remember or note down whatever he would utter.
On coming back to consciousness, he would deny having uttered such verses; he would also not be able to explain them. That is why his poetry sometimes contains strange and obscure expressions, which astonished his followers.
His Seraiki poetry, although not extensive in volume like his Sindhi and Persian works, is demonstrative of his linguistic mastery and is soaked in divine love. The style and mystic import of Heer Ranjha are also indicative of his individuality in treating the subject.
Sachal was the first poet of Sindh who composed ghazals in Urdu, besides other forms of poetry in Urdu. Although Sachal’s Urdu is often considered rustic, it is full of appeal and betrays the mystical as well as the material side of human nature. Like his Sindhi poetry, his Urdu verses reveal an outspoken, frank and bold personality.
He was an ascetic and led a life of piety and self-discipline up to the age of 90. He passed away on Ramazan 14, 1242 Hijri (AD 1829). His mausoleum was later on built by Mir Rustam Khan Talpur, the ruler of the Khairpur state. The annual Urs begins on Ramazan 12 when thousands of devotees throng his shrine.
JAWED INAYATULLAH MUGHAL Karachi
www.dawn.com/news/739057
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
ANALHAQISM
Sachal loved music a lot and music was source of Ecstasy for him, once he was in deep meditation and suddenly he broke silence with the title of "Ana-AL-Haq" ( I am God, I am Haq) and from that day he was also famous with name "Mansoor Sani" (Mansur A famous sufi saint of Bagdad now in Iraq was executed in 10th Hijri for claiming and saying that "I am God, I am Haq".
Sachal Sarmast was Highly Impressed by Hussain Bin Mansur Hallaj and He preached about Analhaqism and dedicated his mostly poetry work to this term "Ana Al Haq". He Praised Mansur and his mission all the time and he suggested his followers "to be Mansur and forget what you are"
Sindhi Sufi Song - Jehn Dil Peeta Ishq da Jaam - Poetry Sachal Sarmast
Lyrics of Song:
Jehn dil peeta ishq da jaam
So dil Mast o Mast Mudam
Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Translations English: Drink Divine wine of Love and be Ecstatic intoxicated forever - God is Present, Always Present and Everywhere present
Urdu: Jis dil ne Ishq Ka Jaam Piya wo Humesha Mast o Mudam Hua - Haq Mojood sada Mojood
Sooli Te Mansoor Charha ker
Ana Al Haq Kalam
Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Translation English: Mansoor was executed for claim of Ana Al haq ( I am God I am Haq) - God is present, ALways present, and Everywhere present
Urdu: Mansoor Ko Sooli (Phansi Ghaat) Charha Gaya, Kuyn ke us ne Analhaq kaha tha - Haq Mojood Sada Mjood
PanjTan Pak Himayat Medi
Hassan Hussain Imam
Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Translation English: I have support of Panjtan Pak - Hassan Hussain are mine Masters, Mine Owners, God is present, always present, and Everywhere present
Urdu: Mujhey Panjtan Pak Ki Himayat hasil hai, Hassan AS Hussain AS merey Imam hain, Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Dar Saiyan Te Saween Sipahi
Sachal Khas Ghulam
Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Translation English: Too many Devotees are waiting at doorstep of my Master, But me Slave (Sachal Sarmast) is Special one. God is present, always present, and Everywhere present
Urdu: Mehboob ke Darwazey Pe Sab Ghulam Kharrey Hain Magar Sachal Khaas Ghulam hai, Haq Mojood Sada Mjood
Sachal loved music a lot and music was source of Ecstasy for him, once he was in deep meditation and suddenly he broke silence with the title of "Ana-AL-Haq" ( I am God, I am Haq) and from that day he was also famous with name "Mansoor Sani" (Mansur A famous sufi saint of Bagdad now in Iraq was executed in 10th Hijri for claiming and saying that "I am God, I am Haq".
Sachal Sarmast was Highly Impressed by Hussain Bin Mansur Hallaj and He preached about Analhaqism and dedicated his mostly poetry work to this term "Ana Al Haq". He Praised Mansur and his mission all the time and he suggested his followers "to be Mansur and forget what you are"
Sindhi Sufi Song - Jehn Dil Peeta Ishq da Jaam - Poetry Sachal Sarmast
Lyrics of Song:
Jehn dil peeta ishq da jaam
So dil Mast o Mast Mudam
Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Translations English: Drink Divine wine of Love and be Ecstatic intoxicated forever - God is Present, Always Present and Everywhere present
Urdu: Jis dil ne Ishq Ka Jaam Piya wo Humesha Mast o Mudam Hua - Haq Mojood sada Mojood
Sooli Te Mansoor Charha ker
Ana Al Haq Kalam
Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Translation English: Mansoor was executed for claim of Ana Al haq ( I am God I am Haq) - God is present, ALways present, and Everywhere present
Urdu: Mansoor Ko Sooli (Phansi Ghaat) Charha Gaya, Kuyn ke us ne Analhaq kaha tha - Haq Mojood Sada Mjood
PanjTan Pak Himayat Medi
Hassan Hussain Imam
Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Translation English: I have support of Panjtan Pak - Hassan Hussain are mine Masters, Mine Owners, God is present, always present, and Everywhere present
Urdu: Mujhey Panjtan Pak Ki Himayat hasil hai, Hassan AS Hussain AS merey Imam hain, Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Dar Saiyan Te Saween Sipahi
Sachal Khas Ghulam
Haq Mojood Sada Mojood
Translation English: Too many Devotees are waiting at doorstep of my Master, But me Slave (Sachal Sarmast) is Special one. God is present, always present, and Everywhere present
Urdu: Mehboob ke Darwazey Pe Sab Ghulam Kharrey Hain Magar Sachal Khaas Ghulam hai, Haq Mojood Sada Mjood
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
Sachal Sarmast Jo Sindhi Kalaam
April 14, 2015
By: Dr Hamir Samo
Sindh is a land of Sufis - the mystics, the wanderers - who have spent their entire life in the quest for the truth. What is truth? Who is our Creator? What is His purpose of Creating us? Who am I? Why am I here? These are some of the questions that has troubled and bothered the seekers of truth, the sufis. Sufism...click, in its different ramifications, has been firmly established in every part of Sindh.
Sachal Sarmast was a Sufi poet from Sindh, Pakistan during the Kalhora era. Abdul Wahab was his real name and "Sachal" was the name he used in his own poetry. Sachalu means truthful in Sindhi. Sarmast means mystic in Sindhi and Urdu. Sachal Sarmast literally means 'truthful mystic'.
He is regarded as 'shair-e-haft zaban' (poet of seven languages) due to his poetical works in Arabic, Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Persian and Balochi to address the wider audience in these languages. He spread the message of love for humanity through his poetry.
Over the past 300 years, Sind has been blessed with many poet-saints, both Hindus and Muslims, subscribing to Sufi faith. Most prominent of these are Shah Bhitai, Sachal Sarmast and Saami.
The real name of Saeen Sachal was Abdul Wahab. He was born in the village of Darraza of Khairpur Mir's District in upper Sind in 1739 A. D. He adopted the name Sachal which means one living in truth. He is popularly known as Sachal Sarmast because his kalam or spiritual poetry is filled with abandon and joy. Sarmast means a leader of the intoxicated one's. Intoxicated one's are those who spent their entire life in search of the truth.
Saeen Sachal lost his father when he was very young. He was raised by his uncle who was also his spiritual master. He married his cousin who died two years later and Sachal did not marry again.
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, perhaps the greatest poet in the world, met Sachal as a small boy and prophesied that he will complete his mission.
Sachal was a great lover of music, particularly the Sindhi instrumental Samah. Touched by music, he would often cry profusely. Kalam would pour out from his lips which his followers or fellow fakirs and darvishes would immediately inscribe. Sachal is well known for his kalam as well as kafis conveying his spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal liked solitude and silence. He never traveled out from his village Darraza. He was very simple in his dress, lifestyle and eating habits. Daal (lentil soup) and dahi (yoghurt) were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden sandal or divan. He was a humble man with long soft flowing hair, penetrating eyes and a melancholy countenance.
Three days before his death, he retreated in a small enclave where he finally became one with truth on the 14th day of Ramzan in 1829 A. D. at the age of 90. A beautiful mausoleum was later built at this place decorated in Sindhi kashi tiles. His walking stick and tamboora (Sindhi musical instrument) are still preserved there. Every year a melo (fair) is held in Darraza in Sachal's memory and respect.
His beautiful mystic poetry transcends all boundaries of this mortal world. It goes beyond the space and matter - goes where soul dwells in the abode of love and immortality. Whoever has listened, in a Sindhi village, to mystical folksongs, in a moonlit night, will have heard the singers repeat time and again the refrain:
"If you want to know what love is,
Ask it from those that are like Mansur...."
The strong spiritual wine, which was poured out by Mansur al-Hallaj, the great mystic who is credited with the formula, ana'l Haqq meaning "I am the Creative Truth," and who was executed in Baghdad in 922, and reached Sindh in 905, has inspired poets and musicians in every part of our motherland Sindh.
Sachal Sarmast has planted the seed of Divine love and suffering into the hearts of not only learned but also the simplest and humblest of villagers of Sindh. Sachal and Shah Inayat Shahid, the mystical leader of village Jhok, Sindh, and executed in 1718, were compared to the martyred Mansur.
Sachal saaeen's poetry, after that of Shah Latif Bhittai, was most remembered by the people. These were the two people's poets, close to everyone's heart, and these were the two poets also revered by the 'live hearted' (zindah dil) Hindus. Thousands of Hindus were followers at his shrine, and thus it was that Sachal was also worshiped. The only misfortune is that Sachal, unlike Bhittai, did not get a Gurbaxani.
There were groups (ttolaa) of Sufi fakirs who sang Sachal's poetry, travelling the length and breadth of Sindh. They wore saffron clothes, their shirts (chola) extended [almost] to their feet, and below they wore lungis ("ggodda" - a loin cloth like dhoti), their heads were uncovered, on their arms and neck ornaments of beads, with kisto, a begging bowl, and a yaktaro (single stringed musical instrument). Holding a yaktaro, wooden plates (chaprriyuun) in hand, bands with bells (chheriyuun) on their legs, when they put a hand on one ear and hailed "alo miiyaan", one's spirit was enchanted. They danced, and they were in a trance, and they sang:
"Ggaliia ggaliia thii ggolihiyaan, jhaatiyuun payaan,
Vaatt-a vindurR-u ko ddise, vaatt-a vinduru ko ddise;
Pahinjii zaat-i likaae, kiian bbiia zaata saddaayaan!
Bbiyo ko jaarnarn-u mahaz-u gunaah, hara kenhen surat aapu allaahu."
"I search in the streets, I cast my sights,
The path of joy may someone behold,
The path of joy may someone behold,
How can I hide my nature, and show myself as another!
To know another is sin, every form is God Himself.
...........Sachal Sarmast
Pir Hisamuddin Rashdi in his epic "Huu Ddothi, Huu Ddihan" says that those times are over, those days are gone; those singers, and if truth be told, those listeners, have all abandoned their abodes leaving behind ruins. In the village squares, the day and the night was festive. The beautiful moonlit nights of the Spring! Alas! Alas! Sorrows melted away, the trees looked as though they came to life, their branches swinging as if intoxicated, as if rich little girls were swinging in their cradles, their leafs mingling, branches shaking, whistling and crackling melodiously (thaaliyuun and tabalaa vajjae) in the wind; the fakirs brought the small universe of the village to the heavens, and at that moment, not only the spirits of poor and downtrodden were uplifted by the tunes, but even the callous hearts of the selfish landlords were momentarily shaken into consciousness, and open interchange (kachehrii) reached their domain.
Sachal is lucky everyday, love is all around him.
"Ja'aday purab-u pandh-u,
Taaday aaod na vanjrno;
Heeo hinan-u jo handhu,
Muhinjo handh-u hinglaaj-a meyen."
"Purab-a kha'an paray, na'angan-i nazara a'ahay taa;
Nigh-a vijhani naatha tay, pirbhoon payr-a bharay;
Manjhaoon zoka zaray, gura gadiyaa vaNjee godriyaa!"
"Pa'arna pahinjo pa'arheen surat-a manjhi sunJaarn!
Allah-a allah-a chho chaveen? parna-ee allah-a Jaarn!
Toon ee budhandaru, toon ee Disandaru, shahid-o aa kura'an-u,
Na'ahay shak-u gumaan-u, `sachoo' saaeen haykro!"
"Va'alee varee toon, vatana tay vasa kareen;
Meenhan-a vasanday moon, sajarnu saariyumu supureen!
"Aseen ahiyoon, chhaa aseen ahiyoon?
Belee nathaa jaarnooNn chhaa aseen ahiyoon!
Zaray bara'aN barsatoon layoon,
Zaray baran-i thiyoon vadiyoon bahiyoon,
Zaray parhoon thaa namaazoon, rozaa,
Zaray loch-a mathay ton-a lahiyoon
Zaray chaoon thaa `aahiyoon aseenee',
Zaray chaooN thaa `asal-u nahiyoon'
Zaray araam-u a'ahay hin-a dil-i khey,
Zaray vaha'ayooN nayrnoon va'ahiyoon,
Zaray chaoon thaa `asaan parn-a sunjato'
Zaray chaoon thaa `aseeN chhaayoon
`sachoo' asalaoon so ee ahiyoon!
Tha'ah-u hitay Biyo kayho Thahiyoon?
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, `Only we exist'
Now we declare, 'We don't exist'
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, 'We are self-realized'
Now we ask, 'Who are we?'
'Sachal' we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
Ma'ath-i karya'an
Ta mushrik-u thiya'an
Kucha'an ta ka'afir-u
To remain silent
Is to be an accomplice
To speak out is to be an infidel
Kalimay keen-a kayo, moon khay moroonn musalman
Na kee ahmad mokiliyo arab khaan eemaan
"Sachoo" parnn-a subhano, par maannun laykhe aadmee
The kalma did not, make me a Muslim
Nor did the prophet send faith from Arabia
Sachoo*, is himself divine, if humans think him human.
(*Sachal Sarmast called himself as Sachoo, which in Sindhi, means the "Truthful One")
Eeaen hak-u haasil-u na thindaee miyaan "sachoo"
Jo vekhann-u naal-u kitaaboon.
Truth this way you will attain not, Oh Sachoo!
By just reading and studying the Books.
Ko keean chavey, ko keean chavey,
Aaoon joee ahiyaan, so ee ahiyaan.
Ko kaafir-u chavey, ko momin-u chavey,
Aaoon joee ahiyaan, so ee ahiyaan
Some say one thing, some say another,
I am, who I am.
Some say I am an infidel, some say I am a believer,
I am, who I am.
Kishtee Ditham-i vich-i darya'a de,
Tahan vich-i meer-u malaha'an,
Cha'atiya'an marin-i machiya'an koon
Naheen kooee gharaz-i unaha'anoon;
Kam-a inhaan da eeaa jeha,
Ma'ar-i ghutan-i badsha'ahaan.
Hind sindh tay arini na falak,
`Sachal-a' marin mulka sipahan.
Middle of the river a boat I saw,
In which was the Captain sailor,
Darting and spearing fish.
By what right? He cares not;
His doing was like,
The shameful act of a tyrant.
Let not the heavenly wrath fall on Hind and Sindh,
O Sachal, let the punishment fall on martial nations.
Sachal shows universal compassion for all sentient life à
Ka'apree kan-i pha'ar-a, a'ayal-a acJu langhay vaya'a,
Mast-u karay vaya'a man-a khay, murliyun-a sa'an marnya'ar-a,
Tan-i jogirn-i jee ja'aR-a, moon khaan muay na visray.
Yogis assemble here, they came and they passed by,
They roused our hearts, they played their merry flutes,
The company of those yogis, I will not forget though I die.
Ja'aDay purab-u pandh-u,
Ta'aDay a'aoN na vaNjRNo;
Heeo hinan-u jo handhu,
Muhinjo handh-u hinglaaj-a meN.
Where westward is the journey,
There I have no desire to travel;
For some that is their abode,
Mine is in hingla'aj!
Hingla'aj-u dayvee-a jo mandir-u a,ahay jitay fake'era aeen darvesh-a ziyarata kanda'a ahin-i. Puraba dDay mulla'an haj-u kararn-a farz-u laykheen-i, and munhun karey nima'azoon parrhan-i. Hingla'aj fakiran jee manzil-a pirn ahay.
Hinglaj is a place where there is a beautiful temple of a holy goddess. Here the mystics, the saints, the wandering ascetics congregate, to sing and dance and meditate for their inner contentment and peace. Those with little knowledge of God and His Creation understand this not. They only go Westward to perform pilgrimage in Mecca and face Westward to pray. Little do they know that God lives within them - He is everywhere, and all around! To attain Nirvana, to attain peace, to find God, look into yourself. This is the belief of the sufis, like Sachal and Shah Bhitai, like most of the children of that Devi, that Goddess Sindh. Oh children of Sindh! Hingla'aj is your beloved motherland Sindh - where the Mosque of your Creator and the temple of your Goddess, the Devi, stands. Go there, and nowhere! That is your Ka'aba, that is your pilgrimage.
Pa'arna pahinjo pa'arnheen, surat-a manjhi sunja'arnu!
Allah-a allah-a chho chaveen? parna-ee allah-a Jaarnu!
Toon-ee budhandar-u, toon-ee Disandar-u, shahid-u aa kura'an-u,
Na'ahay shak-u guma'an-u, `sachoo' saaeen haykro!
You by yourself, know what is in your form!
Why chant 'Allah Allah'? Find Allah within you.
You listen, you see, Allah's word is witness,
There is no doubt, O Sachal! that the Lord is One!
Sufis hold that the God's words in Holy Qur'an, 'vahdahoo la shareeka lahoo', really mean that nothing exists but God, for nothing could share that unique existence.
Va'alee varee toon, vatana tay vasa kareen;
Meenhan-a vasanday mooN, saJarnu sa'ariyumu supureen
My lord! Again and again may you bless my nation,
You rain your blessings, I recognize my Beloved.
Sachal On Many Forms Humanity Takes Sindh : My Motherland My Fatherland Makhdoom's Quest For The Truth Makhdoom's Quality Quest
His poetical works are sung by local singers in Sindhi and Saraiki. His shrine is in village Daraza, Khairpur District, Pakistan.
The brave speak the truth
Let others like it or not;
For the talk of false friendship we care not.
Sachal Sarmast was an ardent follower of Wahdat-ul-Wujood (unity of existence), an Islamic Philosophy synonymous with Hamah Oost (all from One). Sachal says (translation by Gul Agha):
There is no other Beloved,
There is only what I see everyday!
I was sitting by the roadside,
When the path became clear to me;
In the palace the Beloved I saw,
a glimpse the Beauty gave;
Through the window was the vision,
a glimpse the Beauty saw;
Take care of the ignorant;
Our bond was made for a reason.
I truly recognized the Lord,
My companion He sure became;
'He is the Creator of all
and intrinsic to all',
All doubts in this perished;
With happiness shall I carry
Sisters, if your trust I have.
All the journeys, all the manifestations
The Dear One's own;
Friend 'Sachal' know this correctly,
Slumber has created illusions.
Sachal regarded love as the path to spirituality:
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
'Tis not with the infidel
that love resides
Nor with the faithful.
Rather, Sachal advocated self-realization as the path to liberation. Sachal says (translation by Jethmal Parsram Gulrajani):
O friend! this is the only way to learn
the secrets of the path:
Follow not the road of another, however
virtuous he may be.
Rend the veil over thee,
Sindhi Kalam.
ko kee'n'an cha-we ko kee'n'an chawe,
aa-oon'n jo-ee aa'h-yaan so aa'h-yaan,
ko momin cha-we, ko kafar cha-we,
ko jaahil naalo zaahir cha-we,
ko shaa-e-r cha-we ko saahir cha-we,
aa-oon'n jo-ee aa'h-yaan so aa'h-yaan,
"what some say me what I am so I am,
some say illiterate openly, some say poet and some magician, but I am what I am.
April 14, 2015
By: Dr Hamir Samo
Sindh is a land of Sufis - the mystics, the wanderers - who have spent their entire life in the quest for the truth. What is truth? Who is our Creator? What is His purpose of Creating us? Who am I? Why am I here? These are some of the questions that has troubled and bothered the seekers of truth, the sufis. Sufism...click, in its different ramifications, has been firmly established in every part of Sindh.
Sachal Sarmast was a Sufi poet from Sindh, Pakistan during the Kalhora era. Abdul Wahab was his real name and "Sachal" was the name he used in his own poetry. Sachalu means truthful in Sindhi. Sarmast means mystic in Sindhi and Urdu. Sachal Sarmast literally means 'truthful mystic'.
He is regarded as 'shair-e-haft zaban' (poet of seven languages) due to his poetical works in Arabic, Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Persian and Balochi to address the wider audience in these languages. He spread the message of love for humanity through his poetry.
Over the past 300 years, Sind has been blessed with many poet-saints, both Hindus and Muslims, subscribing to Sufi faith. Most prominent of these are Shah Bhitai, Sachal Sarmast and Saami.
The real name of Saeen Sachal was Abdul Wahab. He was born in the village of Darraza of Khairpur Mir's District in upper Sind in 1739 A. D. He adopted the name Sachal which means one living in truth. He is popularly known as Sachal Sarmast because his kalam or spiritual poetry is filled with abandon and joy. Sarmast means a leader of the intoxicated one's. Intoxicated one's are those who spent their entire life in search of the truth.
Saeen Sachal lost his father when he was very young. He was raised by his uncle who was also his spiritual master. He married his cousin who died two years later and Sachal did not marry again.
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, perhaps the greatest poet in the world, met Sachal as a small boy and prophesied that he will complete his mission.
Sachal was a great lover of music, particularly the Sindhi instrumental Samah. Touched by music, he would often cry profusely. Kalam would pour out from his lips which his followers or fellow fakirs and darvishes would immediately inscribe. Sachal is well known for his kalam as well as kafis conveying his spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal liked solitude and silence. He never traveled out from his village Darraza. He was very simple in his dress, lifestyle and eating habits. Daal (lentil soup) and dahi (yoghurt) were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden sandal or divan. He was a humble man with long soft flowing hair, penetrating eyes and a melancholy countenance.
Three days before his death, he retreated in a small enclave where he finally became one with truth on the 14th day of Ramzan in 1829 A. D. at the age of 90. A beautiful mausoleum was later built at this place decorated in Sindhi kashi tiles. His walking stick and tamboora (Sindhi musical instrument) are still preserved there. Every year a melo (fair) is held in Darraza in Sachal's memory and respect.
His beautiful mystic poetry transcends all boundaries of this mortal world. It goes beyond the space and matter - goes where soul dwells in the abode of love and immortality. Whoever has listened, in a Sindhi village, to mystical folksongs, in a moonlit night, will have heard the singers repeat time and again the refrain:
"If you want to know what love is,
Ask it from those that are like Mansur...."
The strong spiritual wine, which was poured out by Mansur al-Hallaj, the great mystic who is credited with the formula, ana'l Haqq meaning "I am the Creative Truth," and who was executed in Baghdad in 922, and reached Sindh in 905, has inspired poets and musicians in every part of our motherland Sindh.
Sachal Sarmast has planted the seed of Divine love and suffering into the hearts of not only learned but also the simplest and humblest of villagers of Sindh. Sachal and Shah Inayat Shahid, the mystical leader of village Jhok, Sindh, and executed in 1718, were compared to the martyred Mansur.
Sachal saaeen's poetry, after that of Shah Latif Bhittai, was most remembered by the people. These were the two people's poets, close to everyone's heart, and these were the two poets also revered by the 'live hearted' (zindah dil) Hindus. Thousands of Hindus were followers at his shrine, and thus it was that Sachal was also worshiped. The only misfortune is that Sachal, unlike Bhittai, did not get a Gurbaxani.
There were groups (ttolaa) of Sufi fakirs who sang Sachal's poetry, travelling the length and breadth of Sindh. They wore saffron clothes, their shirts (chola) extended [almost] to their feet, and below they wore lungis ("ggodda" - a loin cloth like dhoti), their heads were uncovered, on their arms and neck ornaments of beads, with kisto, a begging bowl, and a yaktaro (single stringed musical instrument). Holding a yaktaro, wooden plates (chaprriyuun) in hand, bands with bells (chheriyuun) on their legs, when they put a hand on one ear and hailed "alo miiyaan", one's spirit was enchanted. They danced, and they were in a trance, and they sang:
"Ggaliia ggaliia thii ggolihiyaan, jhaatiyuun payaan,
Vaatt-a vindurR-u ko ddise, vaatt-a vinduru ko ddise;
Pahinjii zaat-i likaae, kiian bbiia zaata saddaayaan!
Bbiyo ko jaarnarn-u mahaz-u gunaah, hara kenhen surat aapu allaahu."
"I search in the streets, I cast my sights,
The path of joy may someone behold,
The path of joy may someone behold,
How can I hide my nature, and show myself as another!
To know another is sin, every form is God Himself.
...........Sachal Sarmast
Pir Hisamuddin Rashdi in his epic "Huu Ddothi, Huu Ddihan" says that those times are over, those days are gone; those singers, and if truth be told, those listeners, have all abandoned their abodes leaving behind ruins. In the village squares, the day and the night was festive. The beautiful moonlit nights of the Spring! Alas! Alas! Sorrows melted away, the trees looked as though they came to life, their branches swinging as if intoxicated, as if rich little girls were swinging in their cradles, their leafs mingling, branches shaking, whistling and crackling melodiously (thaaliyuun and tabalaa vajjae) in the wind; the fakirs brought the small universe of the village to the heavens, and at that moment, not only the spirits of poor and downtrodden were uplifted by the tunes, but even the callous hearts of the selfish landlords were momentarily shaken into consciousness, and open interchange (kachehrii) reached their domain.
Sachal is lucky everyday, love is all around him.
"Ja'aday purab-u pandh-u,
Taaday aaod na vanjrno;
Heeo hinan-u jo handhu,
Muhinjo handh-u hinglaaj-a meyen."
"Purab-a kha'an paray, na'angan-i nazara a'ahay taa;
Nigh-a vijhani naatha tay, pirbhoon payr-a bharay;
Manjhaoon zoka zaray, gura gadiyaa vaNjee godriyaa!"
"Pa'arna pahinjo pa'arheen surat-a manjhi sunJaarn!
Allah-a allah-a chho chaveen? parna-ee allah-a Jaarn!
Toon ee budhandaru, toon ee Disandaru, shahid-o aa kura'an-u,
Na'ahay shak-u gumaan-u, `sachoo' saaeen haykro!"
"Va'alee varee toon, vatana tay vasa kareen;
Meenhan-a vasanday moon, sajarnu saariyumu supureen!
"Aseen ahiyoon, chhaa aseen ahiyoon?
Belee nathaa jaarnooNn chhaa aseen ahiyoon!
Zaray bara'aN barsatoon layoon,
Zaray baran-i thiyoon vadiyoon bahiyoon,
Zaray parhoon thaa namaazoon, rozaa,
Zaray loch-a mathay ton-a lahiyoon
Zaray chaoon thaa `aahiyoon aseenee',
Zaray chaooN thaa `asal-u nahiyoon'
Zaray araam-u a'ahay hin-a dil-i khey,
Zaray vaha'ayooN nayrnoon va'ahiyoon,
Zaray chaoon thaa `asaan parn-a sunjato'
Zaray chaoon thaa `aseeN chhaayoon
`sachoo' asalaoon so ee ahiyoon!
Tha'ah-u hitay Biyo kayho Thahiyoon?
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, `Only we exist'
Now we declare, 'We don't exist'
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, 'We are self-realized'
Now we ask, 'Who are we?'
'Sachal' we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
Ma'ath-i karya'an
Ta mushrik-u thiya'an
Kucha'an ta ka'afir-u
To remain silent
Is to be an accomplice
To speak out is to be an infidel
Kalimay keen-a kayo, moon khay moroonn musalman
Na kee ahmad mokiliyo arab khaan eemaan
"Sachoo" parnn-a subhano, par maannun laykhe aadmee
The kalma did not, make me a Muslim
Nor did the prophet send faith from Arabia
Sachoo*, is himself divine, if humans think him human.
(*Sachal Sarmast called himself as Sachoo, which in Sindhi, means the "Truthful One")
Eeaen hak-u haasil-u na thindaee miyaan "sachoo"
Jo vekhann-u naal-u kitaaboon.
Truth this way you will attain not, Oh Sachoo!
By just reading and studying the Books.
Ko keean chavey, ko keean chavey,
Aaoon joee ahiyaan, so ee ahiyaan.
Ko kaafir-u chavey, ko momin-u chavey,
Aaoon joee ahiyaan, so ee ahiyaan
Some say one thing, some say another,
I am, who I am.
Some say I am an infidel, some say I am a believer,
I am, who I am.
Kishtee Ditham-i vich-i darya'a de,
Tahan vich-i meer-u malaha'an,
Cha'atiya'an marin-i machiya'an koon
Naheen kooee gharaz-i unaha'anoon;
Kam-a inhaan da eeaa jeha,
Ma'ar-i ghutan-i badsha'ahaan.
Hind sindh tay arini na falak,
`Sachal-a' marin mulka sipahan.
Middle of the river a boat I saw,
In which was the Captain sailor,
Darting and spearing fish.
By what right? He cares not;
His doing was like,
The shameful act of a tyrant.
Let not the heavenly wrath fall on Hind and Sindh,
O Sachal, let the punishment fall on martial nations.
Sachal shows universal compassion for all sentient life à
Ka'apree kan-i pha'ar-a, a'ayal-a acJu langhay vaya'a,
Mast-u karay vaya'a man-a khay, murliyun-a sa'an marnya'ar-a,
Tan-i jogirn-i jee ja'aR-a, moon khaan muay na visray.
Yogis assemble here, they came and they passed by,
They roused our hearts, they played their merry flutes,
The company of those yogis, I will not forget though I die.
Ja'aDay purab-u pandh-u,
Ta'aDay a'aoN na vaNjRNo;
Heeo hinan-u jo handhu,
Muhinjo handh-u hinglaaj-a meN.
Where westward is the journey,
There I have no desire to travel;
For some that is their abode,
Mine is in hingla'aj!
Hingla'aj-u dayvee-a jo mandir-u a,ahay jitay fake'era aeen darvesh-a ziyarata kanda'a ahin-i. Puraba dDay mulla'an haj-u kararn-a farz-u laykheen-i, and munhun karey nima'azoon parrhan-i. Hingla'aj fakiran jee manzil-a pirn ahay.
Hinglaj is a place where there is a beautiful temple of a holy goddess. Here the mystics, the saints, the wandering ascetics congregate, to sing and dance and meditate for their inner contentment and peace. Those with little knowledge of God and His Creation understand this not. They only go Westward to perform pilgrimage in Mecca and face Westward to pray. Little do they know that God lives within them - He is everywhere, and all around! To attain Nirvana, to attain peace, to find God, look into yourself. This is the belief of the sufis, like Sachal and Shah Bhitai, like most of the children of that Devi, that Goddess Sindh. Oh children of Sindh! Hingla'aj is your beloved motherland Sindh - where the Mosque of your Creator and the temple of your Goddess, the Devi, stands. Go there, and nowhere! That is your Ka'aba, that is your pilgrimage.
Pa'arna pahinjo pa'arnheen, surat-a manjhi sunja'arnu!
Allah-a allah-a chho chaveen? parna-ee allah-a Jaarnu!
Toon-ee budhandar-u, toon-ee Disandar-u, shahid-u aa kura'an-u,
Na'ahay shak-u guma'an-u, `sachoo' saaeen haykro!
You by yourself, know what is in your form!
Why chant 'Allah Allah'? Find Allah within you.
You listen, you see, Allah's word is witness,
There is no doubt, O Sachal! that the Lord is One!
Sufis hold that the God's words in Holy Qur'an, 'vahdahoo la shareeka lahoo', really mean that nothing exists but God, for nothing could share that unique existence.
Va'alee varee toon, vatana tay vasa kareen;
Meenhan-a vasanday mooN, saJarnu sa'ariyumu supureen
My lord! Again and again may you bless my nation,
You rain your blessings, I recognize my Beloved.
Sachal On Many Forms Humanity Takes Sindh : My Motherland My Fatherland Makhdoom's Quest For The Truth Makhdoom's Quality Quest
His poetical works are sung by local singers in Sindhi and Saraiki. His shrine is in village Daraza, Khairpur District, Pakistan.
The brave speak the truth
Let others like it or not;
For the talk of false friendship we care not.
Sachal Sarmast was an ardent follower of Wahdat-ul-Wujood (unity of existence), an Islamic Philosophy synonymous with Hamah Oost (all from One). Sachal says (translation by Gul Agha):
There is no other Beloved,
There is only what I see everyday!
I was sitting by the roadside,
When the path became clear to me;
In the palace the Beloved I saw,
a glimpse the Beauty gave;
Through the window was the vision,
a glimpse the Beauty saw;
Take care of the ignorant;
Our bond was made for a reason.
I truly recognized the Lord,
My companion He sure became;
'He is the Creator of all
and intrinsic to all',
All doubts in this perished;
With happiness shall I carry
Sisters, if your trust I have.
All the journeys, all the manifestations
The Dear One's own;
Friend 'Sachal' know this correctly,
Slumber has created illusions.
Sachal regarded love as the path to spirituality:
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
'Tis not with the infidel
that love resides
Nor with the faithful.
Rather, Sachal advocated self-realization as the path to liberation. Sachal says (translation by Jethmal Parsram Gulrajani):
O friend! this is the only way to learn
the secrets of the path:
Follow not the road of another, however
virtuous he may be.
Rend the veil over thee,
Sindhi Kalam.
ko kee'n'an cha-we ko kee'n'an chawe,
aa-oon'n jo-ee aa'h-yaan so aa'h-yaan,
ko momin cha-we, ko kafar cha-we,
ko jaahil naalo zaahir cha-we,
ko shaa-e-r cha-we ko saahir cha-we,
aa-oon'n jo-ee aa'h-yaan so aa'h-yaan,
"what some say me what I am so I am,
some say illiterate openly, some say poet and some magician, but I am what I am.
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
Sachal Sarmast means Saint of Truth. He is sometimes called Sachoo, The Truthful.
August 15, 2011 at 9:22 AM
He was born in the Daraza village of Khairpur, Sindh in 1739 right around the when the Afghan warlord Nadir Shah invaded Sindh. His real name was Abdul Wahab but he adopted the name Sachal, which means truthful and Sarmast which means the intoxicated.
Sachal lost his father when he was very young. He was raised by his uncle who later became his spiritual master. He married his cousin who died two years later and Sachal did not marry again.
During his childhood, once Sachal went to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, another great mystic poet of Sindh, who looked at him and said this little boy will complete what he had started.
Sachal was a great lover of music. Touched by music, he would often cry profusely. Couplets would pour out from his lips, which his followers or fellow dervishes would immediately inscribe. Sachal is well known for his kalam as well as kafis conveying his spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal preferred solitude and silence. He never traveled out from his village Daraza. He was very simple in his attire, lifestyle, and eating habits. Soup and yoghurt were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden bed. He was a humble man with long soft flowing hair, and penetrating eyes. He wrote mystical poetry in Arabic, Sindhi, Seraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Farsi (Persian) and Baluchi.
He once said, "He (God) is everywhere and in each and every phenomenon. He has come here just to witness His own manifestation."
Three days before his death, he retreated in a small enclave where he finally became one with the Truth on the 14th day of Ramadan in 1829 at the age of 90.
He was buried at the same place that was later on made into a beautiful and well-decorated shrine.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-sket ... 810637134/
Note: This article is adopted from 'facebook'. The interested and important paragraph mentioned in article is," He (God) is every where and in each and every phenomenon. He has come here to just witness His own manifestation".
August 15, 2011 at 9:22 AM
He was born in the Daraza village of Khairpur, Sindh in 1739 right around the when the Afghan warlord Nadir Shah invaded Sindh. His real name was Abdul Wahab but he adopted the name Sachal, which means truthful and Sarmast which means the intoxicated.
Sachal lost his father when he was very young. He was raised by his uncle who later became his spiritual master. He married his cousin who died two years later and Sachal did not marry again.
During his childhood, once Sachal went to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, another great mystic poet of Sindh, who looked at him and said this little boy will complete what he had started.
Sachal was a great lover of music. Touched by music, he would often cry profusely. Couplets would pour out from his lips, which his followers or fellow dervishes would immediately inscribe. Sachal is well known for his kalam as well as kafis conveying his spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal preferred solitude and silence. He never traveled out from his village Daraza. He was very simple in his attire, lifestyle, and eating habits. Soup and yoghurt were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden bed. He was a humble man with long soft flowing hair, and penetrating eyes. He wrote mystical poetry in Arabic, Sindhi, Seraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Farsi (Persian) and Baluchi.
He once said, "He (God) is everywhere and in each and every phenomenon. He has come here just to witness His own manifestation."
Three days before his death, he retreated in a small enclave where he finally became one with the Truth on the 14th day of Ramadan in 1829 at the age of 90.
He was buried at the same place that was later on made into a beautiful and well-decorated shrine.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-sket ... 810637134/
Note: This article is adopted from 'facebook'. The interested and important paragraph mentioned in article is," He (God) is every where and in each and every phenomenon. He has come here to just witness His own manifestation".
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
SACHAL SAARA NOOR E ILLAHI
ALI WALI DI HAI HUMRAHI
MAI(N) HURDAM RUBB RUBB KARDI
IKK ALLAH KANU MAI(N) DDARDI
IKK MOULA KANU MAI(N) DDARDI
SAEI(N) YAAD GHARULI BHARDI......
Sachal is full of Noor of Allah (fana fi Allah)
Ali who is my Wali is my supporter and helper
All the time I invoke name of Rubb
I am scared of Rubb (so that I should not go astray)
I am scared of Moula (so that I should not be away from him)
I remember Saei(n) my master all time.
KALMEY MU(N) KHEY KEEN KAYO MORU(N) MUSALMAN
NA KI AHMAD MOKILIYO KO ARAB KHAA(N) IMAAN
SACHO SO SUBHAAN PER MAAN(N)UN LEKHEY AADMI
The kalima did not, made me a Muslim
Nor did the prophet send faith from Arabia
Sachoo is himself divine, though humans think him human.
NA MAI(N) TAAB NA MAI(N) BETAAB
NA MAI(N) ABBAR NA MAI(N) AFTAB
NA MAI(N) GOYA NA MAI(N) JOYA
NA MAI(N) SAWAL NA MAI(N) JAWAB
NA MAI(N) KHAKI NA MAI(N) BAADI
NA MAI(N) AAG NA MAI(N) AABB
NA MAI(N) JINNI NA MAI(N) INSI
NA MAI(N) MAAI NA MAI(N) BAAP
ZAAT SACHAL DI KEHI PUCHHANDEY
NAALEY TAA(N) NAYAAB
I am not dying for my splendor
I am neither cloud nor sun
I am neither speaker nor a seeker
I am neither a question nor an answer to it
I am neither from dust nor from air
I am neither of fire nor of water
I am neither jinni nor a human
I am neither motherly nor fatherly
what to ask about my nature
I am obsolete
Sachal Sarmast
ALI WALI DI HAI HUMRAHI
MAI(N) HURDAM RUBB RUBB KARDI
IKK ALLAH KANU MAI(N) DDARDI
IKK MOULA KANU MAI(N) DDARDI
SAEI(N) YAAD GHARULI BHARDI......
Sachal is full of Noor of Allah (fana fi Allah)
Ali who is my Wali is my supporter and helper
All the time I invoke name of Rubb
I am scared of Rubb (so that I should not go astray)
I am scared of Moula (so that I should not be away from him)
I remember Saei(n) my master all time.
KALMEY MU(N) KHEY KEEN KAYO MORU(N) MUSALMAN
NA KI AHMAD MOKILIYO KO ARAB KHAA(N) IMAAN
SACHO SO SUBHAAN PER MAAN(N)UN LEKHEY AADMI
The kalima did not, made me a Muslim
Nor did the prophet send faith from Arabia
Sachoo is himself divine, though humans think him human.
NA MAI(N) TAAB NA MAI(N) BETAAB
NA MAI(N) ABBAR NA MAI(N) AFTAB
NA MAI(N) GOYA NA MAI(N) JOYA
NA MAI(N) SAWAL NA MAI(N) JAWAB
NA MAI(N) KHAKI NA MAI(N) BAADI
NA MAI(N) AAG NA MAI(N) AABB
NA MAI(N) JINNI NA MAI(N) INSI
NA MAI(N) MAAI NA MAI(N) BAAP
ZAAT SACHAL DI KEHI PUCHHANDEY
NAALEY TAA(N) NAYAAB
I am not dying for my splendor
I am neither cloud nor sun
I am neither speaker nor a seeker
I am neither a question nor an answer to it
I am neither from dust nor from air
I am neither of fire nor of water
I am neither jinni nor a human
I am neither motherly nor fatherly
what to ask about my nature
I am obsolete
Sachal Sarmast
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
AA(N) MUHAMMAD AA(N) AHAD DAANI TU YAK
YAK BUUD AA(N) YAK BUUD TU AARI NA SHAK
Believe Prophet Muhammad and Ahad (Allah) as one
Have no doubt in this, both are one.
AA(N) MUHAMMAD AA(N) ALI BASHED YAKI
UNDDER EE(N) RAAH NA AARI TU SHAKI
Muhammad and Ali are also one
have no doubt in the truth of oneness
Ishq nama - Sachal Sarmast
YAK BUUD AA(N) YAK BUUD TU AARI NA SHAK
Believe Prophet Muhammad and Ahad (Allah) as one
Have no doubt in this, both are one.
AA(N) MUHAMMAD AA(N) ALI BASHED YAKI
UNDDER EE(N) RAAH NA AARI TU SHAKI
Muhammad and Ali are also one
have no doubt in the truth of oneness
Ishq nama - Sachal Sarmast
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
EE BIJUZZ DARWAZA AHMAD RAAH NEEST
GAR NAMEE DAANI DILAT AGAAH NEEST
O FRIEND THERE IS NO WAY OUT WITHOUT DOOR OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS MEANS YOUR HEART IS AWAY FROM REALITY
AA(N)KE DAR AHMAD AHAD DAANIST FARAQ
DARJAH E UU DAR FANA FI ALLAH NEEST
IF ANY ONE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN AHMAD AND AHAD
SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO REACH FANA FI ALLAH
JUZZ MUHAMMAD NEEST DAR KOUN WA MAKAAN
JUZZ ALI DEEGAR KASSI HAMRAH NEEST
THERE ISN'T ANY ONE ELSE IN BOTH WORLDS WITHOUT MUHAMMAD
AND WITHOUT ALI THERE IS NO PATRON AND HELPER IN BOTH WORLDS
GAR KASSI RA ISHQ E UU DAAMIN GARIFT
BILYAQEEN DAANI KE AA(N) GUMRAH NEEST
IF ANY ONE IS ABSORBED IN LOVE (WITH MUHAMMAD AND ALI)
INDEED HAVE FAITH THAT PERSON WILL NOT GO ASTRAY
AA(N) KHUDA WA AA(N) RASUL EE ASHIKAAR
UNDDER EE(N) NA SHAK WA ISHBAAH NEEST
O ASHIKAAR KHUDA AND RASUL ARE SAME
THERE IS NO DOUBT OR SUSPICIOUS IN IT
GAR NAMEE DAANI DILAT AGAAH NEEST
O FRIEND THERE IS NO WAY OUT WITHOUT DOOR OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS MEANS YOUR HEART IS AWAY FROM REALITY
AA(N)KE DAR AHMAD AHAD DAANIST FARAQ
DARJAH E UU DAR FANA FI ALLAH NEEST
IF ANY ONE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN AHMAD AND AHAD
SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO REACH FANA FI ALLAH
JUZZ MUHAMMAD NEEST DAR KOUN WA MAKAAN
JUZZ ALI DEEGAR KASSI HAMRAH NEEST
THERE ISN'T ANY ONE ELSE IN BOTH WORLDS WITHOUT MUHAMMAD
AND WITHOUT ALI THERE IS NO PATRON AND HELPER IN BOTH WORLDS
GAR KASSI RA ISHQ E UU DAAMIN GARIFT
BILYAQEEN DAANI KE AA(N) GUMRAH NEEST
IF ANY ONE IS ABSORBED IN LOVE (WITH MUHAMMAD AND ALI)
INDEED HAVE FAITH THAT PERSON WILL NOT GO ASTRAY
AA(N) KHUDA WA AA(N) RASUL EE ASHIKAAR
UNDDER EE(N) NA SHAK WA ISHBAAH NEEST
O ASHIKAAR KHUDA AND RASUL ARE SAME
THERE IS NO DOUBT OR SUSPICIOUS IN IT
We are, what are we?
by Sachal Sarmast
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, ‘Only we exist’
Now we declare, ‘We don’t exist’
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, ‘We are self-realized’
Now we ask, ‘Who are we?’
‘Sachal’ we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
by Sachal Sarmast
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, ‘Only we exist’
Now we declare, ‘We don’t exist’
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, ‘We are self-realized’
Now we ask, ‘Who are we?’
‘Sachal’ we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
SOME MASTERPIECES OF
SINDHI LiTERATURE -1
by - Dr. Moti Prakash
Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam
Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam (Selected Poems of Sachal Sarmast) is the most popular edition of the Sindhi Sufi poet Abdul Wahhab Sachal Sarmast's poetry. Edited by Kalyan B. Advani in 1963, it is based on the definitive and comprehensive editions Risaalo Sachal Sarmast: Sindhi Kalaam and Risaalo Sachal Sarmast Siraaiki Kalaam by Usman Ali Ansari (1958) and Muhammad Sadiq Ranipuri (1959) respectively.
Abdul Wahhab who came to be known as Sachal Sarmast-Sachal, for he was the 'Truthful One'; Sarmast, for he was 'God-intoxicated' - belonged to the village of Daraaz in Khairpur, a princely state in Sindh. Later, the grateful Sindhis named the village as Dar-e-raaz, or the Gateway of Divine Mystery. A lover of solitude, Sachal Sarmast was divinely inebriated. His perennial state of ecstasy expressed itself in his poetry. Shaa`ir-e-Haft Zabaan, or the poet of seven languages, he recited his poetry, which his disciples collected, in Sindhi, Hindi, Urdu, Siraiki, Punjabi, Persian and Arabic. But it was in Sindhi and Siraiki that he rejoiced most.
At the age of 20, he learnt the Qur'an by heart and read with great interest the Persian poetry of Attar and Hafiz. Abdul Huqq, his paternal uncle, who later became his murshid (preceptor) and also father-in-law, led him to the Sufi path and paved the way for the efflorescence of his poetic genius in
Sindhi. He loved and respected his preceptor so much that he saw in him Truth Itself. He says:
My preceptor is Abdul Huqq:
Not an abd al-Huqq, a servant of Truth or God;
He is Huqq al-Huqq, Truth of Truth, or God of God.
(Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam,p.2)
He knew that the Islamic master-servant relationship between God and man was based on dualism and he raised his formidable voice against it. He says:
Abandon the dualistic servitude,
come back to Unity;
Forget the bond of flesh,
so that you are Pristine Purity yourself.
(Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam,p.4)
Like his idolised hero Mansur al-Hallaj, he roared ana al-Huqq, or “I am Truth” time and again and invited the ire of the maulvis of his day. For him, there was no difference between kufr (infidelity) and imaan (faith) in reality: they differed in name only. He called the maulvis a group of tyrants who frightened the people with tortures in hell and knew nothing of love, and their profession, a great fraud on the people, for, it thrived on a 'professional puritantical spirituality'. He says:
We became neither Sheikhs, nor Makhdooms,
Neither Qaazis, nor Maulvis;
Devising no such hypocritical callings and creeds,
We learnt only the art of God's love.
(ibid.,p.111 )
He was vehemently against the bigots in both Islam and Hinduism. An outspoken Sufi poet who helped build secular nationalism in India, Sachal Sarmast says:
It is the religions
that have misled people in the country;
The Sheikhdoms and Pirdoms
have awfully misguided them;
Some people bend in mosques
and others bow in temples;
But those pseudo-wise people
don't come nearby Love.
(ibid.,p.52)
Among his disciples was one Yusuf, who visited the Golden Temple at Amritsar. Thereafter, Sachal Sarmast always called him Nanak Yusuf as a mark of respect to the great Guru Nanak. A poet of the Indian bhakti-kaala, or the Indian Era of Devotion, Sachal Sarmast exhorted the new young brotherhood of Sikhs:
O Granthi, the reader of the holy scripture,
Chant the Japuji verses and meet the Guru;
Use the knife of love, cut off hatred and intolerance,
On both your left and right He is there.
(ibid.,p.49)
Sachal Sarmast has realised God's presence in him and that has enabled him to reject a dualistic level of thinking and its concomitant dependence on the externals of one particular religion. He identifies himself with the universal being and laments the low state man is reduced to, in fundamentalism:
I feel sad - what I really am
and what I have become;
I know not why I have become a servant,
else I am truly the Master,
(ibid.,p.181 )
Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam celebrates the essential unity of existence and raises man from his narrow confines of caste, creed and religion.
http://www.sindhishaan.com/article/lite ... 05_02.html
SINDHI LiTERATURE -1
by - Dr. Moti Prakash
Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam
Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam (Selected Poems of Sachal Sarmast) is the most popular edition of the Sindhi Sufi poet Abdul Wahhab Sachal Sarmast's poetry. Edited by Kalyan B. Advani in 1963, it is based on the definitive and comprehensive editions Risaalo Sachal Sarmast: Sindhi Kalaam and Risaalo Sachal Sarmast Siraaiki Kalaam by Usman Ali Ansari (1958) and Muhammad Sadiq Ranipuri (1959) respectively.
Abdul Wahhab who came to be known as Sachal Sarmast-Sachal, for he was the 'Truthful One'; Sarmast, for he was 'God-intoxicated' - belonged to the village of Daraaz in Khairpur, a princely state in Sindh. Later, the grateful Sindhis named the village as Dar-e-raaz, or the Gateway of Divine Mystery. A lover of solitude, Sachal Sarmast was divinely inebriated. His perennial state of ecstasy expressed itself in his poetry. Shaa`ir-e-Haft Zabaan, or the poet of seven languages, he recited his poetry, which his disciples collected, in Sindhi, Hindi, Urdu, Siraiki, Punjabi, Persian and Arabic. But it was in Sindhi and Siraiki that he rejoiced most.
At the age of 20, he learnt the Qur'an by heart and read with great interest the Persian poetry of Attar and Hafiz. Abdul Huqq, his paternal uncle, who later became his murshid (preceptor) and also father-in-law, led him to the Sufi path and paved the way for the efflorescence of his poetic genius in
Sindhi. He loved and respected his preceptor so much that he saw in him Truth Itself. He says:
My preceptor is Abdul Huqq:
Not an abd al-Huqq, a servant of Truth or God;
He is Huqq al-Huqq, Truth of Truth, or God of God.
(Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam,p.2)
He knew that the Islamic master-servant relationship between God and man was based on dualism and he raised his formidable voice against it. He says:
Abandon the dualistic servitude,
come back to Unity;
Forget the bond of flesh,
so that you are Pristine Purity yourself.
(Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam,p.4)
Like his idolised hero Mansur al-Hallaj, he roared ana al-Huqq, or “I am Truth” time and again and invited the ire of the maulvis of his day. For him, there was no difference between kufr (infidelity) and imaan (faith) in reality: they differed in name only. He called the maulvis a group of tyrants who frightened the people with tortures in hell and knew nothing of love, and their profession, a great fraud on the people, for, it thrived on a 'professional puritantical spirituality'. He says:
We became neither Sheikhs, nor Makhdooms,
Neither Qaazis, nor Maulvis;
Devising no such hypocritical callings and creeds,
We learnt only the art of God's love.
(ibid.,p.111 )
He was vehemently against the bigots in both Islam and Hinduism. An outspoken Sufi poet who helped build secular nationalism in India, Sachal Sarmast says:
It is the religions
that have misled people in the country;
The Sheikhdoms and Pirdoms
have awfully misguided them;
Some people bend in mosques
and others bow in temples;
But those pseudo-wise people
don't come nearby Love.
(ibid.,p.52)
Among his disciples was one Yusuf, who visited the Golden Temple at Amritsar. Thereafter, Sachal Sarmast always called him Nanak Yusuf as a mark of respect to the great Guru Nanak. A poet of the Indian bhakti-kaala, or the Indian Era of Devotion, Sachal Sarmast exhorted the new young brotherhood of Sikhs:
O Granthi, the reader of the holy scripture,
Chant the Japuji verses and meet the Guru;
Use the knife of love, cut off hatred and intolerance,
On both your left and right He is there.
(ibid.,p.49)
Sachal Sarmast has realised God's presence in him and that has enabled him to reject a dualistic level of thinking and its concomitant dependence on the externals of one particular religion. He identifies himself with the universal being and laments the low state man is reduced to, in fundamentalism:
I feel sad - what I really am
and what I have become;
I know not why I have become a servant,
else I am truly the Master,
(ibid.,p.181 )
Sachal Sarmast jo Choonda Kalaam celebrates the essential unity of existence and raises man from his narrow confines of caste, creed and religion.
http://www.sindhishaan.com/article/lite ... 05_02.html
Indeed it echoes the message of the Ginan: Unch thi aayo ba(n)de nich kyu dhiyaave:swamidada wrote: Sachal Sarmast has realised God's presence in him and that has enabled him to reject a dualistic level of thinking and its concomitant dependence on the externals of one particular religion. He identifies himself with the universal being and laments the low state man is reduced to, in fundamentalism:
I feel sad - what I really am
and what I have become;
I know not why I have become a servant,
else I am truly the Master,
l
Eji Unch thi aayo bande nich kiyun dhiaave,
chaar din rahennaa bande jutth kiyun kamaave;
isare june bande kiaa fal paave ... ...
bharame mat bhulo bhaai nami chaalo marannaa,
safaaet rasulki safaaet paekambar ki,
jutth sun ddarannaa bhaai jutth sun ddarannaa;
bharame mat bhulore, bhaai nami chaalo marannaa 1
From an exalted place thou hast come, O slave of God! Why dost thou adore what is low?
For four days thou hast to exist, then what dost thou earn false hood for?
By commiting this sin what fruit dost thou procure?
Refrain: Be not lost in delusion O brother! Act with humility for thou hast to die.
Intercession (for thee) is of the apostle of God, intercesson is of the Prophet.
Falsehood one should fear, O brother, verily falsehood one should fear. ...1
http://ismaili.net/heritage/node/3693
Sachal remembered for propagating religious tolerance:
Islamabad : We can promote peace, love, and brotherhood in Pakistan and around the world by propagating the thoughts and messages of sufi poets, which will also help project the gentler image of the country to the world.
Minister for Education and Professional Training and National Heritage and Culture Shafqat Mahmood expressed these views at the International Sachal Conference held on the occasion of the 199th anniversary of sufi poet Sachal Sarmat. Organized by the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) here on Thursday, the conference was presided over by Mehtab Akbar Rashdi and attended by top government hierarchy.
“Sachal spread the message of religious tolerance through his poetry, and tolerance is more than ever needed during the days of the ongoing epidemic,” Shafqat said, reflecting on how sufis poets contributed to spiritual awakening through their poetry in the Indus Valley and throughout the region. He said, Sachal Sarmast’s is the second most prominent sufi in Sindh after Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.
“While we struggle to overcome the effects of this plague, it is important to recognize that the epidemic has brought Adam’s race together like the links of a chain,” Shafqat stated, adding Sachal not only attracted the Believers but also people of other religions. “Sachal’s message is relevant even today, and if followed, can help us become a great nation,” he added. Shafqat congratulated PAL for holding a successful and purposeful conference and hoped that it will continue to promote such literary dialogues in the future as well.
Mehtab Akbar Rashdi said, “The era of Sachal Sarmast was the era of Kalhora and Talpur rulers of Sindh, where extremism and religious hatred were at their peak. In such a situation, Sachal Sarmast turned Sindh into a peaceful abode for the common man through his poetry. He felt the surrounding environment intensely and accepted its impact,” she stated.
The Chairman of PAL Dr. Yousuf Khushk said, sufism is not just a theory for Sachal Sarmast, but an experience and attitude of life. “He sees the universe through the eyes of a sufi and whether the sufi is from Delhi or Deccan or Darza Sindh, the feelings are the same. Sachal Sarmast, Khwaja Mir Dard, and Wali Deccani were contemporaries but not related to one language,” he stated, remembering Sachal for his mysticism.
Dr. Mehr Khadim from Khairpur said, Sachal Sarmast’s Urdu poetry has its own accent, melody and identity; it does not imitate. Mumtaz Bukhari from Sukkur said, Sachal Sarmast experienced the same political and social environment of Sindh as was prevalent in the times of Shah Latif.
Paying tributes to Sachal, various participants highlighted amazing facets of his poetry. They praised the sufi poet and saint for his literary contributions for the country in general and the Sindh in particular.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/655484 ... -tolerance
Islamabad : We can promote peace, love, and brotherhood in Pakistan and around the world by propagating the thoughts and messages of sufi poets, which will also help project the gentler image of the country to the world.
Minister for Education and Professional Training and National Heritage and Culture Shafqat Mahmood expressed these views at the International Sachal Conference held on the occasion of the 199th anniversary of sufi poet Sachal Sarmat. Organized by the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) here on Thursday, the conference was presided over by Mehtab Akbar Rashdi and attended by top government hierarchy.
“Sachal spread the message of religious tolerance through his poetry, and tolerance is more than ever needed during the days of the ongoing epidemic,” Shafqat said, reflecting on how sufis poets contributed to spiritual awakening through their poetry in the Indus Valley and throughout the region. He said, Sachal Sarmast’s is the second most prominent sufi in Sindh after Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.
“While we struggle to overcome the effects of this plague, it is important to recognize that the epidemic has brought Adam’s race together like the links of a chain,” Shafqat stated, adding Sachal not only attracted the Believers but also people of other religions. “Sachal’s message is relevant even today, and if followed, can help us become a great nation,” he added. Shafqat congratulated PAL for holding a successful and purposeful conference and hoped that it will continue to promote such literary dialogues in the future as well.
Mehtab Akbar Rashdi said, “The era of Sachal Sarmast was the era of Kalhora and Talpur rulers of Sindh, where extremism and religious hatred were at their peak. In such a situation, Sachal Sarmast turned Sindh into a peaceful abode for the common man through his poetry. He felt the surrounding environment intensely and accepted its impact,” she stated.
The Chairman of PAL Dr. Yousuf Khushk said, sufism is not just a theory for Sachal Sarmast, but an experience and attitude of life. “He sees the universe through the eyes of a sufi and whether the sufi is from Delhi or Deccan or Darza Sindh, the feelings are the same. Sachal Sarmast, Khwaja Mir Dard, and Wali Deccani were contemporaries but not related to one language,” he stated, remembering Sachal for his mysticism.
Dr. Mehr Khadim from Khairpur said, Sachal Sarmast’s Urdu poetry has its own accent, melody and identity; it does not imitate. Mumtaz Bukhari from Sukkur said, Sachal Sarmast experienced the same political and social environment of Sindh as was prevalent in the times of Shah Latif.
Paying tributes to Sachal, various participants highlighted amazing facets of his poetry. They praised the sufi poet and saint for his literary contributions for the country in general and the Sindh in particular.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/655484 ... -tolerance
Sachal Sarmast Jo Sindhi Kalam
Sachal Sarmast: Sign Of Humanity
By: Dr Hamir Samo
Sindh is a land of Sufis - the mystics, the wanderers - who have spent their entire life in the quest for the truth. What is truth? Who is our Creator? What is His purpose of Creating us? Who am I? Why am I here? These are some of the questions that has troubled and bothered the seekers of truth, the sufis. Sufism...click, in its different ramifications, has been firmly established in every part of Sindh.
Sachal Sarmast was a Sufi poet from Sindh, Pakistan during the Kalhora era. Abdul Wahab was his real name and "Sachal" was the name he used in his own poetry. Sachalu means truthful in Sindhi. Sarmast means mystic in Sindhi and Urdu. Sachal Sarmast literally means 'truthful mystic'.
He is regarded as 'shair-e-haft zaban' (poet of seven languages) due to his poetical works in Arabic, Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Persian and Balochi to address the wider audience in these languages. He spread the message of love for humanity through his poetry.
Sachal Sarmast (1739–1829) was such a sufi - a seeker of truth - born and died in a village called Daraza, in Khairpur District of Sindh. Over the past 300 years, Sind has been blessed with many poet-saints, both Hindus and Muslims, subscribing to Sufi faith. Most prominent of these are Shah Bhitai, Sachal Sarmast and Saami.
The real name of Saeen Sachal was Abdul Wahab. He was born in the village of Darraza of Khairpur Mir's District in upper Sind in 1739 A. D. He adopted the name Sachal which means one living in truth. He is popularly known as Sachal Sarmast because his kalam or spiritual poetry is filled with abandon and joy. Sarmast means a leader of the intoxicated one's. Intoxicated one's are those who spent their entire life in search of the truth.
Saeen Sachal lost his father when he was very young. He was raised by his uncle who was also his spiritual master. He married his cousin who died two years later and Sachal did not marry again.
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, perhaps the greatest poet in the world, met Sachal as a small boy and prophesied that he will complete his mission.
Sachal was a great lover of music, particularly the Sindhi instrumental Samah. Touched by music, he would often cry profusely. Kalam would pour out from his lips which his followers or fellow fakirs and darvishes would immediately inscribe. Sachal is well known for his kalam as well as kafis conveying his spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal liked solitude and silence. He never traveled out from his village Darraza. He was very simple in his dress, lifestyle and eating habits. Daal (lentil soup) and dahi (yoghurt) were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden sandal or divan. He was a humble man with long soft flowing hair, penetrating eyes and a melancholy countenance.
Three days before his death, he retreated in a small enclave where he finally became one with truth on the 14th day of Ramzan in 1829 A. D. at the age of 90. A beautiful mausoleum was later built at this place decorated in Sindhi kashi tiles. His walking stick and tamboora (Sindhi musical instrument) are still preserved there. Every year a melo (fair) is held in Darraza in Sachal's memory and respect.
His beautiful mystic poetry transcends all boundaries of this mortal world. It goes beyond the space and matter - goes where soul dwells in the abode of love and immortality. Whoever has listened, in a Sindhi village, to mystical folksongs, in a moonlit night, will have heard the singers repeat time and again the refrain:
"If you want to know what love is,
Ask it from those that are like Mansur...."
The strong spiritual wine, which was poured out by Mansur al-Hallaj, the great mystic who is credited with the formula, ana'l Haqq meaning "I am the Creative Truth," and who was executed in Baghdad in 922, and reached Sindh in 905, has inspired poets and musicians in every part of our motherland Sindh.
Sachal Sarmast has planted the seed of Divine love and suffering into the hearts of not only learned but also the simplest and humblest of villagers of Sindh. Sachal and Shah Inayat Shahid, the mystical leader of village Jhok, Sindh, and executed in 1718, were compared to the martyred Mansur.
Sachal saaeen's poetry, after that of Shah Latif Bhittai, was most remembered by the people. These were the two people's poets, close to everyone's heart, and these were the two poets also revered by the 'live hearted' (zindah dil) Hindus. Thousands of Hindus were followers at his shrine, and thus it was that Sachal was also worshiped. The only misfortune is that Sachal, unlike Bhittai, did not get a Gurbaxani.
There were groups (ttolaa) of Sufi fakirs who sang Sachal's poetry, travelling the length and breadth of Sindh. They wore saffron clothes, their shirts (chola) extended [almost] to their feet, and below they wore lungis ("ggodda" - a loin cloth like dhoti), their heads were uncovered, on their arms and neck ornaments of beads, with kisto, a begging bowl, and a yaktaro (single stringed musical instrument). Holding a yaktaro, wooden plates (chaprriyuun) in hand, bands with bells (chheriyuun) on their legs, when they put a hand on one ear and hailed "alo miiyaan", one's spirit was enchanted. They danced, and they were in a trance, and they sang:
"Ggaliia ggaliia thii ggolihiyaan, jhaatiyuun payaan,
Vaatt-a vindurR-u ko ddise, vaatt-a vinduru ko ddise;
Pahinjii zaat-i likaae, kiian bbiia zaata saddaayaan!
Bbiyo ko jaarnarn-u mahaz-u gunaah, hara kenhen surat aapu allaahu."
"I search in the streets, I cast my sights,
The path of joy may someone behold,
The path of joy may someone behold,
How can I hide my nature, and show myself as another!
To know another is sin, every form is God Himself.
...........Sachal Sarmast
Pir Hisamuddin Rashdi in his epic "Huu Ddothi, Huu Ddihan" says that those times are over, those days are gone; those singers, and if truth be told, those listeners, have all abandoned their abodes leaving behind ruins. In the village squares, the day and the night was festive. The beautiful moonlit nights of the Spring! Alas! Alas! Sorrows melted away, the trees looked as though they came to life, their branches swinging as if intoxicated, as if rich little girls were swinging in their cradles, their leafs mingling, branches shaking, whistling and crackling melodiously (thaaliyuun and tabalaa vajjae) in the wind; the fakirs brought the small universe of the village to the heavens, and at that moment, not only the spirits of poor and downtrodden were uplifted by the tunes, but even the callous hearts of the selfish landlords were momentarily shaken into consciousness, and open interchange (kachehrii) reached their domain.
Sachal is lucky everyday, love is all around him.
"Ja'aDay purab-u pandh-u,
TaaDay aaoN na vaNjRNo;
Heeo hinan-u jo handhu,
Muhinjo handh-u hinglaaj-a meN."
"Purab-a kha'aN paray, na'aNgan-i nazara a'ahay taa;
Nigh-a vijhani naatha tay, pirbhooN payr-a bharay;
ManjhaooN zoka zaray, gura gaDiyaa vaNjee godRiyaa!"
"Pa'aRna pahinjo pa'aRheeN, surat-a manjhi sunJaaRN!
Allah-a allah-a chho chaveeN? paRNa-ee allah-a JaaRN!
TooN ee budhanDaRu, tooN ee DisandaRu, shahid-o aa kura'an-u,
Na'ahay shak-u gumaan-u, `sachoo' saaeeN haykRo!"
"Va'alee varee tooN, vatana tay vasa kareeN;
MeeNhaN-a vasanday mooN, saJaRNu saariyumu supureeN!
"AseeN ahiyooN, chhaa aseeN ahiyooN?
Belee nathaa jaaRNooN, chhaa aseeN ahiyooN!
Zaray bara'aN barsatooN layooN,
Zaray baraN-i thiyooN vaDiyooN bahiyooN,
Zaray paRhooN thaa namaazooN, rozaa,
Zaray loch-a mathay ton-a lahiyooN,
Zaray chaooN thaa `aahiyooN aseeN ee',
Zaray chaooN thaa `asal-u nahiyooN'
Zaray araam-u a'ahay hin-a dil-i khey,
Zaray vaha'ayooN nayRNooN va'ahiyooN,
Zaray chaooN thaa `asaaN paRN-a suNjato'
Zaray chaooN thaa `aseeN chhaayooN'
`sachoo' asalaooN so ee ahiyooN!
Tha'ah-u hitay Biyo kayho ThahiyooN?
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, `Only we exist'
Now we declare, 'We don't exist'
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, 'We are self-realized'
Now we ask, 'Who are we?'
'Sachal' we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
Ma'aTh-i karya'aN
Ta mushrik-u thiya'aN
Kucha'aN ta ka'afir-u
To remain silent
Is to be an accomplice
To speak out is to be an infidel
Kalimay keen-a kayo, mooN khay morooN musalman
Na kee ahmad-a mokiliyo arab-a eemaan-u
"Sachoo" paRn-a subhano, jay aadam-u laykhe aadmee
The kalma did not, make me a Muslim
Nor did the prophet send faith from Arabia
Sachoo*, is himself divine, if humans think him human.
(*Sachal Sarmast called himself as Sachoo, which in Sindhi, means the "Truthful One")
EeaeN hak-u haasil-u na thindaee miyaaN "sachoo"
Jo vekhaRn-u naal-u kitaabooN.
Truth this way you will attain not, Oh Sachoo!
By just reading and studying the Books.
Ko keeaN chavey, ko keeaN chavey,
AaooN joee ahiyaaN, so ee ahiyaaN.
Ko kaafir-u chavey, ko momin-u chavey,
AaooN joee ahiyaaN, so ee ahiyaaN
Some say one thing, some say another,
I am, who I am.
Some say I am an infidel, some say I am a believer,
I am, who I am.
Kishtee Ditham-i vich-i darya'a de,
TahaN vich-i meer-u malaha'aN,
Cha'atiya'aN marin-i machiya'aN kooN.
NaheeN kooee gharaz-i unaha'anooN;
Kam-a inhaaN da eeaa jeha,
Ma'ar-i ghutan-i badsha'ahaaN.
Hind sindh tay aRiNi na falak,
`Sachal-a' marin mulka sipahaN.
Middle of the river a boat I saw,
In which was the Captain sailor,
Darting and spearing fish.
By what right? He cares not;
His doing was like,
The shameful act of a tyrant.
Let not the heavenly wrath fall on Hind and Sindh,
O Sachal, let the punishment fall on martial nations.
Sachal shows universal compassion for all sentient life à à
Ka'apRee kan-i pha'aR-a, a'ayal-a acJu langhay vaya'a,
Mast-u karay vaya'a man-a khay, murliyun-a sa'aN maRnya'ar-a,
Tan-i joGiRN-i jee ja'aR-a, mooN khaaN muay na visray.
Yogis assemble here, they came and they passed by,
They roused our hearts, they played their merry flutes,
The company of those yogis, I will not forget though I die.
Ja'aDay purab-u pandh-u,
Ta'aDay a'aoN na vaNjRNo;
Heeo hinan-u jo handhu,
Muhinjo handh-u hinglaaj-a meN.
Where westward is the journey,
There I have no desire to travel;
For some that is their abode,
Mine is in hingla'aj!
Hingla'aj-u dayvee-a jo mandir-u a,ahay jitay fake'era aeen darvesh-a ziyarata kanda'a ahin-i. Puraba dDay mulla'aN haj-u karaRn-a farz-u laykheen-i, and munhun karey nima'azoon parRhan-i. Hingla'aj fakiran jee manzil-a piRn ahay.
Hinglaj is a place where there is a beautiful temple of a holy goddess. Here the mystics, the saints, the wandering ascetics congregate, to sing and dance and meditate for their inner contentment and peace. Those with little knowledge of God and His Creation understand this not. They only go Westward to perform pilgrimage in Mecca and face Westward to pray. Little do they know that God lives within them - He is everywhere, and all around! To attain Nirvana, to attain peace, to find God, look into yourself. This is the belief of the sufis, like Sachal and Shah Bhitai, like most of the children of that Devi, that Goddess Sindh. Oh children of Sindh! Hingla'aj is your beloved motherland Sindh - where the Mosque of your Creator and the temple of your Goddess, the Devi, stands. Go there, and nowhere! That is your Ka'aba, that is your pilgrimage.
Pa'aRNa pahinjo pa'aRNheeN, surat-a manjhi suNJa'aRNu!
Allah-a allah-a chho chaveeN? paRNa-ee allah-a JaaRNu!
TooN-ee budhandaR-u, tooN-ee DisandaR-u, shahid-u aa kura'an-u,
Na'ahay shak-u guma'an-u, `sachoo' saaeeN haykRo!
You by yourself, know what is in your form!
Why chant 'Allah Allah'? Find Allah within you.
You listen, you see, Allah's word is witness,
There is no doubt, O Sachal! that the Lord is One!
Sufis hold that the God's words in Holy Qur'an, 'vahdahoo la shareeka lahoo', really mean that nothing exists but God, for nothing could share that unique existence.
Va'alee varee tooN, vatana tay vasa kareeN;
MeeNhaN-a vasanday mooN, saJaRNu sa'ariyumu supureeN!
My lord! Again and again may you bless my nation,
You rain your blessings, I recognize my Beloved.
Sachal On Many Forms Humanity Takes Sindh : My Motherland My Fatherland Makhdoom's Quest For The Truth Makhdoom's Quality Quest
His poetical works are sung by local singers in Sindhi and Saraiki. His shrine is in village Daraza, Khairpur District, Pakistan.
The brave speak the truth
Let others like it or not;
For the talk of false friendship we care not.
Sachal Sarmast was an ardent follower of Wahdat-ul-Wujood (unity of existence), an Islamic Philosophy synonymous with Hamah Oost (all from One). Sachal says (translation by Gul Agha):
There is no other Beloved,
There is only what I see everyday!
I was sitting by the roadside,
When the path became clear to me;
In the palace the Beloved I saw,
a glimpse the Beauty gave;
Through the window was the vision,
a glimpse the Beauty saw;
Take care of the ignorant;
Our bond was made for a reason.
I truly recognized the Lord,
My companion He sure became;
'He is the Creator of all
and intrinsic to all',
All doubts in this perished;
With happiness shall I carry
Sisters, if your trust I have.
All the journeys, all the manifestations
The Dear One's own;
Friend 'Sachal' know this correctly,
Slumber has created illusions.
Sachal regarded love as the path to spirituality:
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
'Tis not with the infidel
that love resides
Nor with the faithful.
Rather, Sachal advocated self-realization as the path to liberation. Sachal says (translation by Jethmal Parsram Gulrajani):
O friend! this is the only way to learn
the secrets of the path:
Follow not the road of another, however
virtuous he may be.
Rend the veil over thee,
Sindhi Kalam.
ko kee'n'an cha-we ko kee'n'an chawe,
aa-oon'n jo-ee aa'h-yaan so aa'h-yaan,
ko momin cha-we, ko kafar cha-we,
ko jaahil naalo zaahir cha-we,
ko shaa-e-r cha-we ko saahir cha-we,
aa-oon'n jo-ee aa'h-yaan so aa'h-yaan,
"what some say me what I am so I am,
some say illiterate openly, some say poet and some magician, I am what I am.
https://www.facebook.com/87876408885433 ... 982185580/
Sachal Sarmast: Sign Of Humanity
By: Dr Hamir Samo
Sindh is a land of Sufis - the mystics, the wanderers - who have spent their entire life in the quest for the truth. What is truth? Who is our Creator? What is His purpose of Creating us? Who am I? Why am I here? These are some of the questions that has troubled and bothered the seekers of truth, the sufis. Sufism...click, in its different ramifications, has been firmly established in every part of Sindh.
Sachal Sarmast was a Sufi poet from Sindh, Pakistan during the Kalhora era. Abdul Wahab was his real name and "Sachal" was the name he used in his own poetry. Sachalu means truthful in Sindhi. Sarmast means mystic in Sindhi and Urdu. Sachal Sarmast literally means 'truthful mystic'.
He is regarded as 'shair-e-haft zaban' (poet of seven languages) due to his poetical works in Arabic, Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Persian and Balochi to address the wider audience in these languages. He spread the message of love for humanity through his poetry.
Sachal Sarmast (1739–1829) was such a sufi - a seeker of truth - born and died in a village called Daraza, in Khairpur District of Sindh. Over the past 300 years, Sind has been blessed with many poet-saints, both Hindus and Muslims, subscribing to Sufi faith. Most prominent of these are Shah Bhitai, Sachal Sarmast and Saami.
The real name of Saeen Sachal was Abdul Wahab. He was born in the village of Darraza of Khairpur Mir's District in upper Sind in 1739 A. D. He adopted the name Sachal which means one living in truth. He is popularly known as Sachal Sarmast because his kalam or spiritual poetry is filled with abandon and joy. Sarmast means a leader of the intoxicated one's. Intoxicated one's are those who spent their entire life in search of the truth.
Saeen Sachal lost his father when he was very young. He was raised by his uncle who was also his spiritual master. He married his cousin who died two years later and Sachal did not marry again.
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, perhaps the greatest poet in the world, met Sachal as a small boy and prophesied that he will complete his mission.
Sachal was a great lover of music, particularly the Sindhi instrumental Samah. Touched by music, he would often cry profusely. Kalam would pour out from his lips which his followers or fellow fakirs and darvishes would immediately inscribe. Sachal is well known for his kalam as well as kafis conveying his spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal liked solitude and silence. He never traveled out from his village Darraza. He was very simple in his dress, lifestyle and eating habits. Daal (lentil soup) and dahi (yoghurt) were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden sandal or divan. He was a humble man with long soft flowing hair, penetrating eyes and a melancholy countenance.
Three days before his death, he retreated in a small enclave where he finally became one with truth on the 14th day of Ramzan in 1829 A. D. at the age of 90. A beautiful mausoleum was later built at this place decorated in Sindhi kashi tiles. His walking stick and tamboora (Sindhi musical instrument) are still preserved there. Every year a melo (fair) is held in Darraza in Sachal's memory and respect.
His beautiful mystic poetry transcends all boundaries of this mortal world. It goes beyond the space and matter - goes where soul dwells in the abode of love and immortality. Whoever has listened, in a Sindhi village, to mystical folksongs, in a moonlit night, will have heard the singers repeat time and again the refrain:
"If you want to know what love is,
Ask it from those that are like Mansur...."
The strong spiritual wine, which was poured out by Mansur al-Hallaj, the great mystic who is credited with the formula, ana'l Haqq meaning "I am the Creative Truth," and who was executed in Baghdad in 922, and reached Sindh in 905, has inspired poets and musicians in every part of our motherland Sindh.
Sachal Sarmast has planted the seed of Divine love and suffering into the hearts of not only learned but also the simplest and humblest of villagers of Sindh. Sachal and Shah Inayat Shahid, the mystical leader of village Jhok, Sindh, and executed in 1718, were compared to the martyred Mansur.
Sachal saaeen's poetry, after that of Shah Latif Bhittai, was most remembered by the people. These were the two people's poets, close to everyone's heart, and these were the two poets also revered by the 'live hearted' (zindah dil) Hindus. Thousands of Hindus were followers at his shrine, and thus it was that Sachal was also worshiped. The only misfortune is that Sachal, unlike Bhittai, did not get a Gurbaxani.
There were groups (ttolaa) of Sufi fakirs who sang Sachal's poetry, travelling the length and breadth of Sindh. They wore saffron clothes, their shirts (chola) extended [almost] to their feet, and below they wore lungis ("ggodda" - a loin cloth like dhoti), their heads were uncovered, on their arms and neck ornaments of beads, with kisto, a begging bowl, and a yaktaro (single stringed musical instrument). Holding a yaktaro, wooden plates (chaprriyuun) in hand, bands with bells (chheriyuun) on their legs, when they put a hand on one ear and hailed "alo miiyaan", one's spirit was enchanted. They danced, and they were in a trance, and they sang:
"Ggaliia ggaliia thii ggolihiyaan, jhaatiyuun payaan,
Vaatt-a vindurR-u ko ddise, vaatt-a vinduru ko ddise;
Pahinjii zaat-i likaae, kiian bbiia zaata saddaayaan!
Bbiyo ko jaarnarn-u mahaz-u gunaah, hara kenhen surat aapu allaahu."
"I search in the streets, I cast my sights,
The path of joy may someone behold,
The path of joy may someone behold,
How can I hide my nature, and show myself as another!
To know another is sin, every form is God Himself.
...........Sachal Sarmast
Pir Hisamuddin Rashdi in his epic "Huu Ddothi, Huu Ddihan" says that those times are over, those days are gone; those singers, and if truth be told, those listeners, have all abandoned their abodes leaving behind ruins. In the village squares, the day and the night was festive. The beautiful moonlit nights of the Spring! Alas! Alas! Sorrows melted away, the trees looked as though they came to life, their branches swinging as if intoxicated, as if rich little girls were swinging in their cradles, their leafs mingling, branches shaking, whistling and crackling melodiously (thaaliyuun and tabalaa vajjae) in the wind; the fakirs brought the small universe of the village to the heavens, and at that moment, not only the spirits of poor and downtrodden were uplifted by the tunes, but even the callous hearts of the selfish landlords were momentarily shaken into consciousness, and open interchange (kachehrii) reached their domain.
Sachal is lucky everyday, love is all around him.
"Ja'aDay purab-u pandh-u,
TaaDay aaoN na vaNjRNo;
Heeo hinan-u jo handhu,
Muhinjo handh-u hinglaaj-a meN."
"Purab-a kha'aN paray, na'aNgan-i nazara a'ahay taa;
Nigh-a vijhani naatha tay, pirbhooN payr-a bharay;
ManjhaooN zoka zaray, gura gaDiyaa vaNjee godRiyaa!"
"Pa'aRna pahinjo pa'aRheeN, surat-a manjhi sunJaaRN!
Allah-a allah-a chho chaveeN? paRNa-ee allah-a JaaRN!
TooN ee budhanDaRu, tooN ee DisandaRu, shahid-o aa kura'an-u,
Na'ahay shak-u gumaan-u, `sachoo' saaeeN haykRo!"
"Va'alee varee tooN, vatana tay vasa kareeN;
MeeNhaN-a vasanday mooN, saJaRNu saariyumu supureeN!
"AseeN ahiyooN, chhaa aseeN ahiyooN?
Belee nathaa jaaRNooN, chhaa aseeN ahiyooN!
Zaray bara'aN barsatooN layooN,
Zaray baraN-i thiyooN vaDiyooN bahiyooN,
Zaray paRhooN thaa namaazooN, rozaa,
Zaray loch-a mathay ton-a lahiyooN,
Zaray chaooN thaa `aahiyooN aseeN ee',
Zaray chaooN thaa `asal-u nahiyooN'
Zaray araam-u a'ahay hin-a dil-i khey,
Zaray vaha'ayooN nayRNooN va'ahiyooN,
Zaray chaooN thaa `asaaN paRN-a suNjato'
Zaray chaooN thaa `aseeN chhaayooN'
`sachoo' asalaooN so ee ahiyooN!
Tha'ah-u hitay Biyo kayho ThahiyooN?
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, `Only we exist'
Now we declare, 'We don't exist'
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, 'We are self-realized'
Now we ask, 'Who are we?'
'Sachal' we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
Ma'aTh-i karya'aN
Ta mushrik-u thiya'aN
Kucha'aN ta ka'afir-u
To remain silent
Is to be an accomplice
To speak out is to be an infidel
Kalimay keen-a kayo, mooN khay morooN musalman
Na kee ahmad-a mokiliyo arab-a eemaan-u
"Sachoo" paRn-a subhano, jay aadam-u laykhe aadmee
The kalma did not, make me a Muslim
Nor did the prophet send faith from Arabia
Sachoo*, is himself divine, if humans think him human.
(*Sachal Sarmast called himself as Sachoo, which in Sindhi, means the "Truthful One")
EeaeN hak-u haasil-u na thindaee miyaaN "sachoo"
Jo vekhaRn-u naal-u kitaabooN.
Truth this way you will attain not, Oh Sachoo!
By just reading and studying the Books.
Ko keeaN chavey, ko keeaN chavey,
AaooN joee ahiyaaN, so ee ahiyaaN.
Ko kaafir-u chavey, ko momin-u chavey,
AaooN joee ahiyaaN, so ee ahiyaaN
Some say one thing, some say another,
I am, who I am.
Some say I am an infidel, some say I am a believer,
I am, who I am.
Kishtee Ditham-i vich-i darya'a de,
TahaN vich-i meer-u malaha'aN,
Cha'atiya'aN marin-i machiya'aN kooN.
NaheeN kooee gharaz-i unaha'anooN;
Kam-a inhaaN da eeaa jeha,
Ma'ar-i ghutan-i badsha'ahaaN.
Hind sindh tay aRiNi na falak,
`Sachal-a' marin mulka sipahaN.
Middle of the river a boat I saw,
In which was the Captain sailor,
Darting and spearing fish.
By what right? He cares not;
His doing was like,
The shameful act of a tyrant.
Let not the heavenly wrath fall on Hind and Sindh,
O Sachal, let the punishment fall on martial nations.
Sachal shows universal compassion for all sentient life à à
Ka'apRee kan-i pha'aR-a, a'ayal-a acJu langhay vaya'a,
Mast-u karay vaya'a man-a khay, murliyun-a sa'aN maRnya'ar-a,
Tan-i joGiRN-i jee ja'aR-a, mooN khaaN muay na visray.
Yogis assemble here, they came and they passed by,
They roused our hearts, they played their merry flutes,
The company of those yogis, I will not forget though I die.
Ja'aDay purab-u pandh-u,
Ta'aDay a'aoN na vaNjRNo;
Heeo hinan-u jo handhu,
Muhinjo handh-u hinglaaj-a meN.
Where westward is the journey,
There I have no desire to travel;
For some that is their abode,
Mine is in hingla'aj!
Hingla'aj-u dayvee-a jo mandir-u a,ahay jitay fake'era aeen darvesh-a ziyarata kanda'a ahin-i. Puraba dDay mulla'aN haj-u karaRn-a farz-u laykheen-i, and munhun karey nima'azoon parRhan-i. Hingla'aj fakiran jee manzil-a piRn ahay.
Hinglaj is a place where there is a beautiful temple of a holy goddess. Here the mystics, the saints, the wandering ascetics congregate, to sing and dance and meditate for their inner contentment and peace. Those with little knowledge of God and His Creation understand this not. They only go Westward to perform pilgrimage in Mecca and face Westward to pray. Little do they know that God lives within them - He is everywhere, and all around! To attain Nirvana, to attain peace, to find God, look into yourself. This is the belief of the sufis, like Sachal and Shah Bhitai, like most of the children of that Devi, that Goddess Sindh. Oh children of Sindh! Hingla'aj is your beloved motherland Sindh - where the Mosque of your Creator and the temple of your Goddess, the Devi, stands. Go there, and nowhere! That is your Ka'aba, that is your pilgrimage.
Pa'aRNa pahinjo pa'aRNheeN, surat-a manjhi suNJa'aRNu!
Allah-a allah-a chho chaveeN? paRNa-ee allah-a JaaRNu!
TooN-ee budhandaR-u, tooN-ee DisandaR-u, shahid-u aa kura'an-u,
Na'ahay shak-u guma'an-u, `sachoo' saaeeN haykRo!
You by yourself, know what is in your form!
Why chant 'Allah Allah'? Find Allah within you.
You listen, you see, Allah's word is witness,
There is no doubt, O Sachal! that the Lord is One!
Sufis hold that the God's words in Holy Qur'an, 'vahdahoo la shareeka lahoo', really mean that nothing exists but God, for nothing could share that unique existence.
Va'alee varee tooN, vatana tay vasa kareeN;
MeeNhaN-a vasanday mooN, saJaRNu sa'ariyumu supureeN!
My lord! Again and again may you bless my nation,
You rain your blessings, I recognize my Beloved.
Sachal On Many Forms Humanity Takes Sindh : My Motherland My Fatherland Makhdoom's Quest For The Truth Makhdoom's Quality Quest
His poetical works are sung by local singers in Sindhi and Saraiki. His shrine is in village Daraza, Khairpur District, Pakistan.
The brave speak the truth
Let others like it or not;
For the talk of false friendship we care not.
Sachal Sarmast was an ardent follower of Wahdat-ul-Wujood (unity of existence), an Islamic Philosophy synonymous with Hamah Oost (all from One). Sachal says (translation by Gul Agha):
There is no other Beloved,
There is only what I see everyday!
I was sitting by the roadside,
When the path became clear to me;
In the palace the Beloved I saw,
a glimpse the Beauty gave;
Through the window was the vision,
a glimpse the Beauty saw;
Take care of the ignorant;
Our bond was made for a reason.
I truly recognized the Lord,
My companion He sure became;
'He is the Creator of all
and intrinsic to all',
All doubts in this perished;
With happiness shall I carry
Sisters, if your trust I have.
All the journeys, all the manifestations
The Dear One's own;
Friend 'Sachal' know this correctly,
Slumber has created illusions.
Sachal regarded love as the path to spirituality:
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
'Tis not with the infidel
that love resides
Nor with the faithful.
Rather, Sachal advocated self-realization as the path to liberation. Sachal says (translation by Jethmal Parsram Gulrajani):
O friend! this is the only way to learn
the secrets of the path:
Follow not the road of another, however
virtuous he may be.
Rend the veil over thee,
Sindhi Kalam.
ko kee'n'an cha-we ko kee'n'an chawe,
aa-oon'n jo-ee aa'h-yaan so aa'h-yaan,
ko momin cha-we, ko kafar cha-we,
ko jaahil naalo zaahir cha-we,
ko shaa-e-r cha-we ko saahir cha-we,
aa-oon'n jo-ee aa'h-yaan so aa'h-yaan,
"what some say me what I am so I am,
some say illiterate openly, some say poet and some magician, I am what I am.
https://www.facebook.com/87876408885433 ... 982185580/
For the love of poetry
Nadir AliLiterati June 16, 2019
With his translation of some of the best works by legendary poet Sachal Sarmast, Ghaffar has once again, outdone himself
For the love of poetry
When nearly forty years ago Najam Hosain Syed started teaching Sachal Sarmast in his weekly Sangat (gathering), his poetry was not yet available in Urdu. Syed arranged for copies from Sindh in the Sindhi script. The lack of familiarity with this remarkable poet was not just a matter of script, Sachal was unique in his themes and style. His mission as "The Poet of Seven Languages" was not just an empty display of style and syntax, but of content as well. He conveyed a different philosophy.
Sachal surrendered the family/silsila’s caliphate of "Daraza Sharif", a famous dargah (shrine) in Khairpur, Sindh to first his brother and subsequently to his nephew. His message was unique and gained fame not only in Punjab and Sindh but all across the spiritual world. Since he wrote in seven languages, his poetry touched every aspect of the spiritual, social and economic life of everyone who got to read it.
He shared his ideology with Baba Guru Nanak. It is said that Sachal was so impressed by Nanak’s work that he once suggested one of his students Yousuf to adopt ‘Nanak Yusuf’ as takhallus (pen-name).
Ghaffaar has carefully chosen a small sampling of Sachal’s poetry, but it is enough to introduce this spiritual bard to the uninitiated.
In the Kafi below, Heer says: ‘I am both Raanjha and Khaera’, i.e. both the hero and the villain of her story. The dialectics of love and loss both being found in a lover at the same time is a complex phenomenon of human emotion, but Sachal knows how to deal with these perfectly.
Nadir Ali
"Beloved Raanjha, Khaera, both are I, Heer went and stayed where O where
Jhang Syaal and Takht Hazara, both I’ve seen here O here
Beloved Raanjha, Khaera, both are I, Heer went and stayed where O where
We went and lived thither, where no one’s name is there O there"
Ghaffaar with his excellent translation in English inspires one to explore the Kafi further. Poetry is not rhyme and rhythm alone. Even when one has a working knowledge of both the languages, which Ghaffaar is equipped with, this poetry demands further exploration. He introduces us to many possible interpretations of Sachal’s poetry with the detailed explanation that accompanies every stanza.
Guru Nanak used a Sanskritised version of Punjabi and his message attracted many of his followers. Today’s Sikhs have their own battles of ideology and politics, but Sachal was free of this confusion. He looked at Nanak as we may look upon Maulana Rumi now.
Iqbal once wrote: "Nanak nay jis watan mein wahdat ka geet gaaya"
(1) Where is that unity of ideology and thought?
History is the key to the answer. With the Muslim conquest, philosophical/ religious conflicts in India became serious enough for Emperor Akbar to think of consolidating the religion of his subjects under a new religion called: ‘Deen-e-Elahi’. People like Sachal were aware of these conflicts and confusions. Both him and his predecessor Shah Latif, sought to untangle people from these confusions, as did Bulleh Shah and Waris Shah and many others. The remarkable thoughts put forth by these incredible poets have become yet another muddle of belief, labelled ‘Sufism’, a term being used by genuine ‘dervishes’ as well as costumed tricksters all across the board.
Sachal Sarmast’s message was unique and gained fame not only in Punjab and Sindh but all across the spiritual world. Since he wrote in seven languages his poetry touched every aspect of the spiritual, social and economic life of everyone who read it.
The second Kafi reads more like a Marxist tract:
Nadir Ali--2
How have you come into the price, go ask the priceless
Yourself carry separation’s load, made sweet syrup into bitterness
How have you come into the price, go ask the priceless
I remain amazed, in wonder, a puppet given the peacock’s wantonness
Like all poetry, this verse can be interpreted in many ways as well, but the underlying concept remains the same: what is valued and how that came to be. Who owns what and who made the laws that protect ownership and property.
As the famous poet Mir once said: "Ameer logon se Dilli mein nah milakar Mir
Ke hum ghareeb huwe hain unhi kee daulat se"
Sachal was far more radical in all facets of life than Mir ever was, as these tracts show:
"Na koi dozakh na koi Jannat na koi Hoor Qasoor
Man asaada nahi manaenda Mulian da mazkur…
Sachal sach sayee kar jane haeen tun aap huzoor"
His partner in his iconoclastic thought would be Waris Shah whose book Heer Ranjha remained, for over two hundred years, the essential tale of love in human life.
Renowned scholar Dr Farina Mir, who teaches history and literature in the US, in her book Punjab Reconsidered treats piety as the quintessential theme of Heer. However, Waris would laugh at the notions of piety associated with his tale of Heer and Ranjha. The recurrent ‘PanjPir’ (Five Pirs) in the tale, for example, are symbolic of the hidden power of human love. Waris ridicules the Mullah of the mosque in his famous dialogue with Ranjha. In Guru Balnath’s dialogue with Ranjha, he demolishes the Hindu version of piety as well. The Goddess Kali and the folk character Kaal are both present as allies of love in the rebellious Saheti who helps her bhabhi (sister-in-law) Heer abscond with her lover Ranjha. Waris, the ‘Laughing Lion’ of Punjabi mocks and laughs at all varieties of piety as reeking of hypocrisy. Whither Piety?
For Waris "Ishq Guru te sab jag Chelrra ae"
English translations are quite beneficial in this day and age when it has been seen continually that many renowned scholars of Punjabi, particularly in the USA and India, do not have a command on Punjabi poetry beyond that of the Guru Granth poets. With more than twenty-five books on classical Punjabi poets under his belt, Ghaffaar has done invaluable work for the teaching institutions in the Indian subcontinent, the USA and rest of the world, wherever Punjabi literature is being taught.
It is said that once while Sachal was lecturing his disciples, a group of singing women of "ill-repute" passed by. Sachal, who was lecturing in Persian spontaneously exclaimed: Tabeebaan amdand! (The healers have arrived!)
Sachal Sarmast, Within Reach
Author: Muzaffar Ghaffaar
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/5 ... ove-poetry
Nadir AliLiterati June 16, 2019
With his translation of some of the best works by legendary poet Sachal Sarmast, Ghaffar has once again, outdone himself
For the love of poetry
When nearly forty years ago Najam Hosain Syed started teaching Sachal Sarmast in his weekly Sangat (gathering), his poetry was not yet available in Urdu. Syed arranged for copies from Sindh in the Sindhi script. The lack of familiarity with this remarkable poet was not just a matter of script, Sachal was unique in his themes and style. His mission as "The Poet of Seven Languages" was not just an empty display of style and syntax, but of content as well. He conveyed a different philosophy.
Sachal surrendered the family/silsila’s caliphate of "Daraza Sharif", a famous dargah (shrine) in Khairpur, Sindh to first his brother and subsequently to his nephew. His message was unique and gained fame not only in Punjab and Sindh but all across the spiritual world. Since he wrote in seven languages, his poetry touched every aspect of the spiritual, social and economic life of everyone who got to read it.
He shared his ideology with Baba Guru Nanak. It is said that Sachal was so impressed by Nanak’s work that he once suggested one of his students Yousuf to adopt ‘Nanak Yusuf’ as takhallus (pen-name).
Ghaffaar has carefully chosen a small sampling of Sachal’s poetry, but it is enough to introduce this spiritual bard to the uninitiated.
In the Kafi below, Heer says: ‘I am both Raanjha and Khaera’, i.e. both the hero and the villain of her story. The dialectics of love and loss both being found in a lover at the same time is a complex phenomenon of human emotion, but Sachal knows how to deal with these perfectly.
Nadir Ali
"Beloved Raanjha, Khaera, both are I, Heer went and stayed where O where
Jhang Syaal and Takht Hazara, both I’ve seen here O here
Beloved Raanjha, Khaera, both are I, Heer went and stayed where O where
We went and lived thither, where no one’s name is there O there"
Ghaffaar with his excellent translation in English inspires one to explore the Kafi further. Poetry is not rhyme and rhythm alone. Even when one has a working knowledge of both the languages, which Ghaffaar is equipped with, this poetry demands further exploration. He introduces us to many possible interpretations of Sachal’s poetry with the detailed explanation that accompanies every stanza.
Guru Nanak used a Sanskritised version of Punjabi and his message attracted many of his followers. Today’s Sikhs have their own battles of ideology and politics, but Sachal was free of this confusion. He looked at Nanak as we may look upon Maulana Rumi now.
Iqbal once wrote: "Nanak nay jis watan mein wahdat ka geet gaaya"
(1) Where is that unity of ideology and thought?
History is the key to the answer. With the Muslim conquest, philosophical/ religious conflicts in India became serious enough for Emperor Akbar to think of consolidating the religion of his subjects under a new religion called: ‘Deen-e-Elahi’. People like Sachal were aware of these conflicts and confusions. Both him and his predecessor Shah Latif, sought to untangle people from these confusions, as did Bulleh Shah and Waris Shah and many others. The remarkable thoughts put forth by these incredible poets have become yet another muddle of belief, labelled ‘Sufism’, a term being used by genuine ‘dervishes’ as well as costumed tricksters all across the board.
Sachal Sarmast’s message was unique and gained fame not only in Punjab and Sindh but all across the spiritual world. Since he wrote in seven languages his poetry touched every aspect of the spiritual, social and economic life of everyone who read it.
The second Kafi reads more like a Marxist tract:
Nadir Ali--2
How have you come into the price, go ask the priceless
Yourself carry separation’s load, made sweet syrup into bitterness
How have you come into the price, go ask the priceless
I remain amazed, in wonder, a puppet given the peacock’s wantonness
Like all poetry, this verse can be interpreted in many ways as well, but the underlying concept remains the same: what is valued and how that came to be. Who owns what and who made the laws that protect ownership and property.
As the famous poet Mir once said: "Ameer logon se Dilli mein nah milakar Mir
Ke hum ghareeb huwe hain unhi kee daulat se"
Sachal was far more radical in all facets of life than Mir ever was, as these tracts show:
"Na koi dozakh na koi Jannat na koi Hoor Qasoor
Man asaada nahi manaenda Mulian da mazkur…
Sachal sach sayee kar jane haeen tun aap huzoor"
His partner in his iconoclastic thought would be Waris Shah whose book Heer Ranjha remained, for over two hundred years, the essential tale of love in human life.
Renowned scholar Dr Farina Mir, who teaches history and literature in the US, in her book Punjab Reconsidered treats piety as the quintessential theme of Heer. However, Waris would laugh at the notions of piety associated with his tale of Heer and Ranjha. The recurrent ‘PanjPir’ (Five Pirs) in the tale, for example, are symbolic of the hidden power of human love. Waris ridicules the Mullah of the mosque in his famous dialogue with Ranjha. In Guru Balnath’s dialogue with Ranjha, he demolishes the Hindu version of piety as well. The Goddess Kali and the folk character Kaal are both present as allies of love in the rebellious Saheti who helps her bhabhi (sister-in-law) Heer abscond with her lover Ranjha. Waris, the ‘Laughing Lion’ of Punjabi mocks and laughs at all varieties of piety as reeking of hypocrisy. Whither Piety?
For Waris "Ishq Guru te sab jag Chelrra ae"
English translations are quite beneficial in this day and age when it has been seen continually that many renowned scholars of Punjabi, particularly in the USA and India, do not have a command on Punjabi poetry beyond that of the Guru Granth poets. With more than twenty-five books on classical Punjabi poets under his belt, Ghaffaar has done invaluable work for the teaching institutions in the Indian subcontinent, the USA and rest of the world, wherever Punjabi literature is being taught.
It is said that once while Sachal was lecturing his disciples, a group of singing women of "ill-repute" passed by. Sachal, who was lecturing in Persian spontaneously exclaimed: Tabeebaan amdand! (The healers have arrived!)
Sachal Sarmast, Within Reach
Author: Muzaffar Ghaffaar
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/5 ... ove-poetry
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither a talker, nor a seeker, nor am I argumentite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither earthy, nor the wind, neither water nor as fire ignite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither from jinns, nor from humans, neither mother nor father recondite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither Sunni, nor Shia, neither sinner nor recompensite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither law-abider nor abstemious, nor given to physical delight
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither a scholar nor a judge, nor rowdy drink's acolyte
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Which substance of School do you look for? he's with you and in flight
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light.
Sachal Sarmast
Neither a talker, nor a seeker, nor am I argumentite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither earthy, nor the wind, neither water nor as fire ignite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither from jinns, nor from humans, neither mother nor father recondite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither Sunni, nor Shia, neither sinner nor recompensite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither law-abider nor abstemious, nor given to physical delight
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither a scholar nor a judge, nor rowdy drink's acolyte
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Which substance of School do you look for? he's with you and in flight
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light.
Sachal Sarmast
SACHAL SARMAST MYSTIC POET
Thy first duty is to give up faith, unfaith, Islam and all religions.
Born in Sindh, Pakistan in 1739, his real name was Abdul Wahab but he adopted the name Sachal Sarmast for his poetry which means truthful mystic. He wrote mystic poetry in Arabic, Sindhi, Seraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Farsi (Persian) and Baluchi. Sachal urged people, rather than blindly following tradition, to seek the truth directly. And like ibn Arabi and others, Sachal Sarmast taught a vision of Unity called Wahdat al-Wujud. He passed from this life on the 14th day of Ramadan in 1829 at the age of 90.
Sachal's Poetry
Friend, this is the only way
to learn the secret way:
Ignore the paths of others,
even the saints' steep trails.
Don't follow.
Don't journey at all.
Rip the veil from your face.
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
Neither did I roll rosary, nor did I ponder and pray,
I went to no mosque or temple, nor bow in adoration to any,
Sachal is lucky everyday, love is all around him.
You by yourself, know what is in your form!
Why chant 'Allah Allah'? Find Allah within you.
You listen, you see, Allah's word is witness,
There is no doubt, O Sachal! that the Lord is One!
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, 'Only we exist'
Now we declare, 'We don't exist'
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, 'We are self-realized'
Now we ask, 'Who are we?'
'Sachal' we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
I was sitting by the roadside,
When the path became clear to me;
In the palace the Beloved I saw,
a glimpse the Beauty gave;
Through the window was the vision,
a glimpse the Beauty saw;
Take care of the ignorant;
Our bond was made for a reason.
I truly recognized the Lord,
My companion He sure became;
'He is the Creator of all
and intrinsic to all',
All doubts in this perished;
With happiness shall I carry
Sisters, if your trust I have.
All the journeys, all the manifestations
The Dear One's own;
Friend 'Sachal' know this correctly,
Slumber has created illusions.
Sachal regarded love as the path to spirituality:
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
'Tis not with the infidel
that love resides
Nor with the faithful.
https://onetruename.com/Sachal_Sarmast.htm
Thy first duty is to give up faith, unfaith, Islam and all religions.
Born in Sindh, Pakistan in 1739, his real name was Abdul Wahab but he adopted the name Sachal Sarmast for his poetry which means truthful mystic. He wrote mystic poetry in Arabic, Sindhi, Seraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Farsi (Persian) and Baluchi. Sachal urged people, rather than blindly following tradition, to seek the truth directly. And like ibn Arabi and others, Sachal Sarmast taught a vision of Unity called Wahdat al-Wujud. He passed from this life on the 14th day of Ramadan in 1829 at the age of 90.
Sachal's Poetry
Friend, this is the only way
to learn the secret way:
Ignore the paths of others,
even the saints' steep trails.
Don't follow.
Don't journey at all.
Rip the veil from your face.
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
Neither did I roll rosary, nor did I ponder and pray,
I went to no mosque or temple, nor bow in adoration to any,
Sachal is lucky everyday, love is all around him.
You by yourself, know what is in your form!
Why chant 'Allah Allah'? Find Allah within you.
You listen, you see, Allah's word is witness,
There is no doubt, O Sachal! that the Lord is One!
We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, 'Only we exist'
Now we declare, 'We don't exist'
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, 'We are self-realized'
Now we ask, 'Who are we?'
'Sachal' we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?
I was sitting by the roadside,
When the path became clear to me;
In the palace the Beloved I saw,
a glimpse the Beauty gave;
Through the window was the vision,
a glimpse the Beauty saw;
Take care of the ignorant;
Our bond was made for a reason.
I truly recognized the Lord,
My companion He sure became;
'He is the Creator of all
and intrinsic to all',
All doubts in this perished;
With happiness shall I carry
Sisters, if your trust I have.
All the journeys, all the manifestations
The Dear One's own;
Friend 'Sachal' know this correctly,
Slumber has created illusions.
Sachal regarded love as the path to spirituality:
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
'Tis not with the infidel
that love resides
Nor with the faithful.
https://onetruename.com/Sachal_Sarmast.htm
Sachal Sarmast advocated for the beauty of Sindh
* These Sufis taught lessons of peace and brotherhood and so the people of Sindh are hospitable to everyone
Naveed Abbas Maitlo
DECEMBER 26, 2019
Sachal Sarmast advocated for the beauty of SindhIt is widely known that Sindh is the land of Sufi philosophers, mystics and poets, and the people of Sindh are very humble, hardworking and intellectual. Many saints were born in Sindh as well. I would like to highlight a few names of prominent Sufi Saints such as Sachal Sarmast, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Shah Inayat Shah, Sayed Misri, Rohal Faqir, Qadir Bux Bedil, Makhdoom Bilalwal, and Budhal Faqir.
These Sufis taught lessons of peace and brotherhood and so the people of Sindh are hospitable to everyone. They depend on different crops to run their households such as rice, wheat, mangoes, and bananas. It is the belief of some experts that Sufism arrived in Sindh in the 18th century through both the poetry and philosophy of saints, and mong all Sufi Saints, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Sachal Sarmast holds a distinguished status.
The mystic Hussain ibn Mansur Al Hallaji came to Sindh. He spread the study of sufism among the people and inspired many of them with his preaching. One of these people was Sachal Sarmast.
He became one of his admirers and frequently paid homage to him in his poetry. He wrote poems of divine love in seven languages- Sindh, Seraiki, Persian, Punjabi, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi, and due to his command over these seven languages he got the title of “Shake-i-Haft Zuban” (poet of seven languages)
His famous lines of poetry: “I am what I am. Whoever says whatever says, I am what I am. One calls me, I am human by face or calls me evil (Shaitan) with hideous intention. One calls me, blood or bedraggled, religiousness or more than it Murshid (Saint) Abdul Haq says I am what I am.
Whoever anyone respected or humility says, I am what I am. One calls me, momim (religious) or Kafir (infidel) or calls me illiterate clearly. One calls me special or simple man, I am what I am. Whoever says whatever says I am what I am.”
His beautiful poetry is sung by numerous singers. In fact, his poetry is said to be able to resurrect a dead soul.
svg%3ESachal Sarmast was born in 1739 and died in 1827. His mausoleum was built by Mir Rustam Khan Talpur. At that time, he was ruler of Khairpur state. His real name was Abdul Wahab. Sachal or Sacho (nickname). In English, Sachal means “truthful” and Sarmast stands for “Ecstatic” while Sachal Sarmast literally means “truthful mystic” His father’s name was Mian Salahuddin and he died when he was a child. He was then raised by his uncle named Pir Khawaja Abdul Haq who became the spiritual master of Sachal Sarmast. He later married his uncle’s daughter who died two years after the wedding. He did not remarry and instead, spent his whole life in Daraza.
His urs is celebrated every year with great excitement. It starts on the 13th day of Ramadan, in Daraza Sharef near Gambat taluka, Khaipur, Sindh.
The Urs at the shrine of Sachal Sarmast goes on for three days including a mehfil-e-sama and mushaira. The arrangements are made by the Sachal Sarmast Yadgar Committee. The government of Sindh has established many institutions under the name of Sachal Sarmast including Sachal Library in Khairpur Mir and Sachal Sarmast Institution of Nursing in Khairpur. Sarmast was without a doubt an advocate of the beauty of Sindh and his shrine deserves to be visited at least once in a lifetime. It is a great tourist attraction and people from all over the country come to visit his tomb to gain inner peace.
The writer is a student at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
https://dailytimes.com.pk/526642/sachal ... -of-sindh/
* These Sufis taught lessons of peace and brotherhood and so the people of Sindh are hospitable to everyone
Naveed Abbas Maitlo
DECEMBER 26, 2019
Sachal Sarmast advocated for the beauty of SindhIt is widely known that Sindh is the land of Sufi philosophers, mystics and poets, and the people of Sindh are very humble, hardworking and intellectual. Many saints were born in Sindh as well. I would like to highlight a few names of prominent Sufi Saints such as Sachal Sarmast, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Shah Inayat Shah, Sayed Misri, Rohal Faqir, Qadir Bux Bedil, Makhdoom Bilalwal, and Budhal Faqir.
These Sufis taught lessons of peace and brotherhood and so the people of Sindh are hospitable to everyone. They depend on different crops to run their households such as rice, wheat, mangoes, and bananas. It is the belief of some experts that Sufism arrived in Sindh in the 18th century through both the poetry and philosophy of saints, and mong all Sufi Saints, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Sachal Sarmast holds a distinguished status.
The mystic Hussain ibn Mansur Al Hallaji came to Sindh. He spread the study of sufism among the people and inspired many of them with his preaching. One of these people was Sachal Sarmast.
He became one of his admirers and frequently paid homage to him in his poetry. He wrote poems of divine love in seven languages- Sindh, Seraiki, Persian, Punjabi, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi, and due to his command over these seven languages he got the title of “Shake-i-Haft Zuban” (poet of seven languages)
His famous lines of poetry: “I am what I am. Whoever says whatever says, I am what I am. One calls me, I am human by face or calls me evil (Shaitan) with hideous intention. One calls me, blood or bedraggled, religiousness or more than it Murshid (Saint) Abdul Haq says I am what I am.
Whoever anyone respected or humility says, I am what I am. One calls me, momim (religious) or Kafir (infidel) or calls me illiterate clearly. One calls me special or simple man, I am what I am. Whoever says whatever says I am what I am.”
His beautiful poetry is sung by numerous singers. In fact, his poetry is said to be able to resurrect a dead soul.
svg%3ESachal Sarmast was born in 1739 and died in 1827. His mausoleum was built by Mir Rustam Khan Talpur. At that time, he was ruler of Khairpur state. His real name was Abdul Wahab. Sachal or Sacho (nickname). In English, Sachal means “truthful” and Sarmast stands for “Ecstatic” while Sachal Sarmast literally means “truthful mystic” His father’s name was Mian Salahuddin and he died when he was a child. He was then raised by his uncle named Pir Khawaja Abdul Haq who became the spiritual master of Sachal Sarmast. He later married his uncle’s daughter who died two years after the wedding. He did not remarry and instead, spent his whole life in Daraza.
His urs is celebrated every year with great excitement. It starts on the 13th day of Ramadan, in Daraza Sharef near Gambat taluka, Khaipur, Sindh.
The Urs at the shrine of Sachal Sarmast goes on for three days including a mehfil-e-sama and mushaira. The arrangements are made by the Sachal Sarmast Yadgar Committee. The government of Sindh has established many institutions under the name of Sachal Sarmast including Sachal Library in Khairpur Mir and Sachal Sarmast Institution of Nursing in Khairpur. Sarmast was without a doubt an advocate of the beauty of Sindh and his shrine deserves to be visited at least once in a lifetime. It is a great tourist attraction and people from all over the country come to visit his tomb to gain inner peace.
The writer is a student at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
https://dailytimes.com.pk/526642/sachal ... -of-sindh/
Poetry in Translation: Anju Makhija's translation of 18th century Sindhi Sufi poet Sachal Sarmast is pure delight
Selected translations from the Sindhi into English by Anju Makhija and Ram Daryani
BY BENGALURU REVIEW
PUBLIC · 29 JUL 2020
Sachal Sarmast was a Sindhi, Sufi poet born in 1739 AD. He wrote in Sindhi, Urdu, and Persian. The source text used is 'Selections from the Writing of Sachal Sarmast', compiled and edited by K.B. Advani (Sahitya Akademi, 1970)
out of
the mosque
drinking
in the tavern
beauty engulfs us
free
from sin
free
from virtue
sachal embraces the truth
kaaba and qibla
merely deceive
brave ones
go to the maikhana
truth is in mastana
says satguru
mulla sahib
leave your books behind
come taste this wine
become a mast mawali
o qazi
forgo your tiring efforts
o sahib
forgo your conniving ways
become a connoisseur of wine
love liberates
o saaqi
serve me the last cup
pour me a sip
as sweet as love
intoxicated
I retreat to myself
o saqi
serve me the last cup
remind me
always of separation
how can a mortal
remain away from his beloved
o taalib
rituals are external
I seek pure existence
ustaad
has given me
a mature taste
in my hand
is a clean slate
I write my destiny
hasti vanishes
when one finds masti
says sachal
Notes
Hasti: Being (ego)
Maikhana: Tavern
Mastaana: Drunk on spirituality
Masti: Intoxication
Saqi: One who serves wine
Taalib: Seeker
Kaaba: A place of pilgrimage in Mecca
Qibla: Direction faced during namaz
Qazi: Priest
***
Anju Makhija is an award-winning poet, translator, and playwright. She has written three poetry collections: View from the Web, Pickling Season, and Poems Grow With You; co-translated two volumes incl. Seeking the Beloved: the Poetry of Shah Abdul Latif; co-edited four literary anthologies, most recently, To Catch a Poem. Anju has won several awards: The Sahitya Akademi English Translation Prize (’11); The All India Poetry Competition (’94); the BBC World Regional Poetry Prize (‘02). She is also the recipient of the Charles Wallace Trust Award and has been on the English Advisory Board of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, for 5 years.
https://bengalurureview.com/poetry-in-t ... re-delight
Selected translations from the Sindhi into English by Anju Makhija and Ram Daryani
BY BENGALURU REVIEW
PUBLIC · 29 JUL 2020
Sachal Sarmast was a Sindhi, Sufi poet born in 1739 AD. He wrote in Sindhi, Urdu, and Persian. The source text used is 'Selections from the Writing of Sachal Sarmast', compiled and edited by K.B. Advani (Sahitya Akademi, 1970)
out of
the mosque
drinking
in the tavern
beauty engulfs us
free
from sin
free
from virtue
sachal embraces the truth
kaaba and qibla
merely deceive
brave ones
go to the maikhana
truth is in mastana
says satguru
mulla sahib
leave your books behind
come taste this wine
become a mast mawali
o qazi
forgo your tiring efforts
o sahib
forgo your conniving ways
become a connoisseur of wine
love liberates
o saaqi
serve me the last cup
pour me a sip
as sweet as love
intoxicated
I retreat to myself
o saqi
serve me the last cup
remind me
always of separation
how can a mortal
remain away from his beloved
o taalib
rituals are external
I seek pure existence
ustaad
has given me
a mature taste
in my hand
is a clean slate
I write my destiny
hasti vanishes
when one finds masti
says sachal
Notes
Hasti: Being (ego)
Maikhana: Tavern
Mastaana: Drunk on spirituality
Masti: Intoxication
Saqi: One who serves wine
Taalib: Seeker
Kaaba: A place of pilgrimage in Mecca
Qibla: Direction faced during namaz
Qazi: Priest
***
Anju Makhija is an award-winning poet, translator, and playwright. She has written three poetry collections: View from the Web, Pickling Season, and Poems Grow With You; co-translated two volumes incl. Seeking the Beloved: the Poetry of Shah Abdul Latif; co-edited four literary anthologies, most recently, To Catch a Poem. Anju has won several awards: The Sahitya Akademi English Translation Prize (’11); The All India Poetry Competition (’94); the BBC World Regional Poetry Prize (‘02). She is also the recipient of the Charles Wallace Trust Award and has been on the English Advisory Board of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, for 5 years.
https://bengalurureview.com/poetry-in-t ... re-delight
Re: SACHAL SARMAST
The Sufi Sachal Sarmast's Message of Love
Written by: Kulsoom Malik
Posted on: April 15, 2021
The land of Sindh is considered to be the land of Sufi saints and mystics who spread the message of peace and brotherhood during times of great political and social unrest. Among these great saints is Sachal Sarmast, a poet and mystic who occupies an important place amongst his contemporaries. He has inspired a generation of followers and poets to seek a path to the Divine using his command of language and unique perspective of the Sufi tradition.
Sachal Sarmast was born Abdul Wahab Farouqi in a village named Daraza in Khairpur around 1739 CE, during an era that marked the rivalry between the Kalhoro and Talpur dynasties. Sachal’s own family traced their roots to a sacred lineage that went back to the Second Caliph of Islam, Umar ibn al-Khattab (Farouq), a family that had been in Sindh since Muhammad bin Qasim’s arrival in the 10th Century. After the death of his father, Sachal was raised by his uncle, who became his spiritual teacher. He was given the nickname ‘Sachal’ (‘the truthful’) and Sarmast (‘the ecstatic’) due to his spiritual inclinations which arose from an early age. Legend even said that as a young boy he visited Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, the other great mystic of Sindh, who revealed that Sachal “would take the lid off the cauldron I have set to boil.”
A Sufi by heart and an ascetic by disposition, Sachal preached the teachings of ‘Wahdat-ul-Wujud’ (The Unity of Existence). He considered the matters of the sacred and secular as deeply intertwined, and believed that his love of the Divine was intrinsically tied to his empathy for the struggles of his fellow human beings. He said;
Din (religion) and kufr (irreligion) are a snare for the heart,
Brown them all into the wave of Divinity;
Then, O Sachal! Will your sway be everywhere?
In addition, he was not immune to the political circumstances of his time, and warned his followers of an imminent British conquest of India 25 years before the British formally took over Sindh. He frequently warned his followers that division and infighting would prove disastrous for Sindh’s future in the face of changing times.
In his life, Sachal was a great lover of music and poetry and was a master of the oral tradition, frequently speaking in verses that his followers would note down. While he is commonly associated with Sindh and Sindhi culture, Sarmast was an expert of seven languages: Sindhi, Siraiki, Urdu, Arabic, Balochi, Punjabi and Persian. While there are nine compilations of his Persian poetry, his most celebrated works are in Sindhi and Seraiki. The generations of his followers took on his teachings, but never with the same intensity as Sachal, whose intense yearning and love for the Divine gave his poetry an almost magical quality. He said;
Drink the Divine wine of Love
And be Ecstatic intoxicated forever
God is Present, Always Present and Everywhere Present
Sachal’s poetry raised the standard for Sindhi literature and Sufi poetry in general. He was not just responsible for popularizing the Kafi and Ghazal in Sindhi literature, but also introduced vivid metaphors and images into his oral tradition that would inspire many Sindhi literary figures. His poetry stressed Divine love above all else, and a rejection of social structures like caste, race, gender and any kind of distinction which would hamper one’s connection to the Divine Being. He said;
Break the bonds of all customs and ceremonies;
Banish from your mind all thoughts of slavery;
Be a hero and wear a royal turban of splendor.
After living the life of a humble ascetic, Sachal passed away at the age of 90 in 1829 CE, and was buried next to his father and uncle. His shrine was built after his death by Mir Rustam Khan Talpur, the ruler of Khairpur at the time. However, it was renovated at the end of the 1800s by Sakhi Qabool Muhammad II. The Talpur rulers greatly revered Sufi saints, and had many shrines built for Sachal’s disciples all across the province.
In particular, Sachal’s shrine in Daraza Sharif is a dazzling display of vibrant tile work and geometric patterns. Entering the shrine, the first thing one hears are the Sufi singers reciting Sachal’s verses, and joining together to celebrate his life and work. His shrine is a place of interfaith harmony, as many Hindus and Christians of the area also come to pay their respects. Similarly, members of the Sikh community also hold him in high regard due to his respect for Guru Nanak, and his frequent exchanges with the Guru’s followers.
Sachal’s urs (death anniversary and celebration of his reunion with the Divine) usually takes place on the 13th day of Ramadan, alongside a literary conference and musical concert in his honor by the Sachal Sarmast Memorial Committee. It is a festival of prayer, celebration and literary thought that brings together people to reflect Sachal’s teachings in light of present circumstances.
While the Sindh Government has banned entry into shrines due to the new wave of Coronavirus, Sachal Sarmast’s contributions to language and religious thought far exceed the perimeters of his shrine. His place within Sindhi literature and the Sufi tradition is unparalleled in its breadth and the importance it gives to the journey to God.
https://www.youlinmagazine.com/article/ ... ove/MTk4MA
Written by: Kulsoom Malik
Posted on: April 15, 2021
The land of Sindh is considered to be the land of Sufi saints and mystics who spread the message of peace and brotherhood during times of great political and social unrest. Among these great saints is Sachal Sarmast, a poet and mystic who occupies an important place amongst his contemporaries. He has inspired a generation of followers and poets to seek a path to the Divine using his command of language and unique perspective of the Sufi tradition.
Sachal Sarmast was born Abdul Wahab Farouqi in a village named Daraza in Khairpur around 1739 CE, during an era that marked the rivalry between the Kalhoro and Talpur dynasties. Sachal’s own family traced their roots to a sacred lineage that went back to the Second Caliph of Islam, Umar ibn al-Khattab (Farouq), a family that had been in Sindh since Muhammad bin Qasim’s arrival in the 10th Century. After the death of his father, Sachal was raised by his uncle, who became his spiritual teacher. He was given the nickname ‘Sachal’ (‘the truthful’) and Sarmast (‘the ecstatic’) due to his spiritual inclinations which arose from an early age. Legend even said that as a young boy he visited Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, the other great mystic of Sindh, who revealed that Sachal “would take the lid off the cauldron I have set to boil.”
A Sufi by heart and an ascetic by disposition, Sachal preached the teachings of ‘Wahdat-ul-Wujud’ (The Unity of Existence). He considered the matters of the sacred and secular as deeply intertwined, and believed that his love of the Divine was intrinsically tied to his empathy for the struggles of his fellow human beings. He said;
Din (religion) and kufr (irreligion) are a snare for the heart,
Brown them all into the wave of Divinity;
Then, O Sachal! Will your sway be everywhere?
In addition, he was not immune to the political circumstances of his time, and warned his followers of an imminent British conquest of India 25 years before the British formally took over Sindh. He frequently warned his followers that division and infighting would prove disastrous for Sindh’s future in the face of changing times.
In his life, Sachal was a great lover of music and poetry and was a master of the oral tradition, frequently speaking in verses that his followers would note down. While he is commonly associated with Sindh and Sindhi culture, Sarmast was an expert of seven languages: Sindhi, Siraiki, Urdu, Arabic, Balochi, Punjabi and Persian. While there are nine compilations of his Persian poetry, his most celebrated works are in Sindhi and Seraiki. The generations of his followers took on his teachings, but never with the same intensity as Sachal, whose intense yearning and love for the Divine gave his poetry an almost magical quality. He said;
Drink the Divine wine of Love
And be Ecstatic intoxicated forever
God is Present, Always Present and Everywhere Present
Sachal’s poetry raised the standard for Sindhi literature and Sufi poetry in general. He was not just responsible for popularizing the Kafi and Ghazal in Sindhi literature, but also introduced vivid metaphors and images into his oral tradition that would inspire many Sindhi literary figures. His poetry stressed Divine love above all else, and a rejection of social structures like caste, race, gender and any kind of distinction which would hamper one’s connection to the Divine Being. He said;
Break the bonds of all customs and ceremonies;
Banish from your mind all thoughts of slavery;
Be a hero and wear a royal turban of splendor.
After living the life of a humble ascetic, Sachal passed away at the age of 90 in 1829 CE, and was buried next to his father and uncle. His shrine was built after his death by Mir Rustam Khan Talpur, the ruler of Khairpur at the time. However, it was renovated at the end of the 1800s by Sakhi Qabool Muhammad II. The Talpur rulers greatly revered Sufi saints, and had many shrines built for Sachal’s disciples all across the province.
In particular, Sachal’s shrine in Daraza Sharif is a dazzling display of vibrant tile work and geometric patterns. Entering the shrine, the first thing one hears are the Sufi singers reciting Sachal’s verses, and joining together to celebrate his life and work. His shrine is a place of interfaith harmony, as many Hindus and Christians of the area also come to pay their respects. Similarly, members of the Sikh community also hold him in high regard due to his respect for Guru Nanak, and his frequent exchanges with the Guru’s followers.
Sachal’s urs (death anniversary and celebration of his reunion with the Divine) usually takes place on the 13th day of Ramadan, alongside a literary conference and musical concert in his honor by the Sachal Sarmast Memorial Committee. It is a festival of prayer, celebration and literary thought that brings together people to reflect Sachal’s teachings in light of present circumstances.
While the Sindh Government has banned entry into shrines due to the new wave of Coronavirus, Sachal Sarmast’s contributions to language and religious thought far exceed the perimeters of his shrine. His place within Sindhi literature and the Sufi tradition is unparalleled in its breadth and the importance it gives to the journey to God.
https://www.youlinmagazine.com/article/ ... ove/MTk4MA
Re: SACHAL SARMAST
Sachal Sarmast: The Mystic Poet of Sindh and His Spiritual Legacy
Hazrat Sachal Sarmast was a famous Sindhi Sufi poet and saint who lived in the 18th century. He was born in 1739 in the village of Daraza, in the Khairpur district of Sindh, which is part of Pakistan. His real name was Abdul Wahab Farouqi, but he later became known as Sachal Sarmast, which means “truthful mystic” in Sindhi.
Sachal Sarmast wrote poetry in seven languages: Sindhi, Siraiki, Persian, Urdu, Baloch, Punjabi and Arabic. He lived during the Kalhoro/Talpur era. He was born in 1152 H. (1739 AD) at Daraza near Ranipur. He was a Sunni Sufi Muslim and also contributed a lot to Sindhi poetry. Its origin is said to be from the 2nd caliph of Sunni Islam, Hazrat Umar.
Sachal Sarmast was a prolific poet who composed poetry in Sindhi, Urdu, Persian, and other languages. He wrote about a range of spiritual and philosophical themes, including love, mysticism, and the unity of God. His poetry is known for its simplicity, beauty, and deep spiritual insights.
Sachal Sarmast was a follower of the Sufi tradition and believed in the importance of spiritual enlightenment and the inner journey of the soul. He preached tolerance, harmony, and love for all human beings, regardless of their religion or background.
Sufi Sachal Sarmast, one of the great mystics of Sindh, is known as the SECOND Mansoor Hallaj for his poetry and philosophy. Sachidino, Sachoo (Truthful) and Sachal Sarmast were all names given to Hazrat Abdul Haq Farooqi due to his Sufi efforts, through which he challenged the rigid thinking of the clerics of his time.
Also called ‘Shair-e-Haft Zaban’ because he wrote poetry in seven languages – among them Sindhi, Urdu, Persian, Punjabi and Baloch – his time saw the decline of the Kalhora dynasty and the rise of the Talpur rule in Sindh. The clergy held enormous power over the impoverished masses, and persecution of religious minorities was the order of the day.
Sufi Sarmast rebelled against the order of the mullahs with his poetry and philosophy, based on the doctrine of An’al Haqq – I am the truth. Although his verses immortalized him, he was condemned as an infidel and sentenced to death – a decree that was never carried out due to his popularity at the court of the Talpur rulers. Hazrat Sufi Sachal Sarmast belonged to a Sufi sect whose doctrine was martyrdom.
The name Sachal Sarmast can be translated as Mystic of Truth. He is sometimes called Sakhoo, The Truthful. His teachings have often been compared to Hazrat Mansoor Hallaj, the Sufi martyr who ecstatically proclaimed, “I am the Truth. Rather than blindly following tradition, Sachal encouraged people to seek the truth directly.
And like ibn Arabi and others, Sachal Sarmast taught a vision of Oneness called Wahdat al-Wujud, which others compare to the great non-dualist teachings of Advaita Vedanta in Hinduism and Zen/Chan in Buddhism. Hazrat Sufi Sachal Sarmast once said, “He (Allah) is everywhere and in every phenomenon. He has come here to witness his own manifestation.” His father died when he was a small child, and Abdul Wahab was brought up by his uncle who also became his spiritual master. His soul was deeply moved by music. He listened to music, he was often enraptured, with tears running down his face.
Sufi Sachal Sarmast married, but the young woman died two years later. He never remarried. He took the name Sachal, Truth. Later, people added Sarmast, leader of ecstasy, to his name in appreciation of his spiritual poetry.
Sachal is well known for its kalam and kafi who convey their spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal preferred solitude and silence. He never traveled from his village of Daraza. He was very simple in his clothing, lifestyle and eating habits. Soup and yogurt were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden bed.
He was a modest man with long soft flowing hair and piercing eyes. Three days before his death, he took refuge in a small enclave, where on the 14th day of Ramadan in 1829, at the age of 90, he definitively united with the Truth. He was buried in the same place, which later became a beautiful well-decorated shrine.
Sachal’s poetic works are sung by local singers in Sindhi and Saraiki. Sachal Sarmast was an ardent follower of Wahdat-ul-Wujood (unity of existence), the Islamic philosophy synonymous with Hamah Oost (all of One).
Today, Sachal Sarmast is considered one of the greatest poets and thinkers in the Sindhi language, and his works are studied and appreciated by people all over the world. Many shrines and monuments have been built in his honor, and his poetry continues to inspire people to this day.
https://www.pakistantraveler.com/shrine ... _article=1
Hazrat Sachal Sarmast was a famous Sindhi Sufi poet and saint who lived in the 18th century. He was born in 1739 in the village of Daraza, in the Khairpur district of Sindh, which is part of Pakistan. His real name was Abdul Wahab Farouqi, but he later became known as Sachal Sarmast, which means “truthful mystic” in Sindhi.
Sachal Sarmast wrote poetry in seven languages: Sindhi, Siraiki, Persian, Urdu, Baloch, Punjabi and Arabic. He lived during the Kalhoro/Talpur era. He was born in 1152 H. (1739 AD) at Daraza near Ranipur. He was a Sunni Sufi Muslim and also contributed a lot to Sindhi poetry. Its origin is said to be from the 2nd caliph of Sunni Islam, Hazrat Umar.
Sachal Sarmast was a prolific poet who composed poetry in Sindhi, Urdu, Persian, and other languages. He wrote about a range of spiritual and philosophical themes, including love, mysticism, and the unity of God. His poetry is known for its simplicity, beauty, and deep spiritual insights.
Sachal Sarmast was a follower of the Sufi tradition and believed in the importance of spiritual enlightenment and the inner journey of the soul. He preached tolerance, harmony, and love for all human beings, regardless of their religion or background.
Sufi Sachal Sarmast, one of the great mystics of Sindh, is known as the SECOND Mansoor Hallaj for his poetry and philosophy. Sachidino, Sachoo (Truthful) and Sachal Sarmast were all names given to Hazrat Abdul Haq Farooqi due to his Sufi efforts, through which he challenged the rigid thinking of the clerics of his time.
Also called ‘Shair-e-Haft Zaban’ because he wrote poetry in seven languages – among them Sindhi, Urdu, Persian, Punjabi and Baloch – his time saw the decline of the Kalhora dynasty and the rise of the Talpur rule in Sindh. The clergy held enormous power over the impoverished masses, and persecution of religious minorities was the order of the day.
Sufi Sarmast rebelled against the order of the mullahs with his poetry and philosophy, based on the doctrine of An’al Haqq – I am the truth. Although his verses immortalized him, he was condemned as an infidel and sentenced to death – a decree that was never carried out due to his popularity at the court of the Talpur rulers. Hazrat Sufi Sachal Sarmast belonged to a Sufi sect whose doctrine was martyrdom.
The name Sachal Sarmast can be translated as Mystic of Truth. He is sometimes called Sakhoo, The Truthful. His teachings have often been compared to Hazrat Mansoor Hallaj, the Sufi martyr who ecstatically proclaimed, “I am the Truth. Rather than blindly following tradition, Sachal encouraged people to seek the truth directly.
And like ibn Arabi and others, Sachal Sarmast taught a vision of Oneness called Wahdat al-Wujud, which others compare to the great non-dualist teachings of Advaita Vedanta in Hinduism and Zen/Chan in Buddhism. Hazrat Sufi Sachal Sarmast once said, “He (Allah) is everywhere and in every phenomenon. He has come here to witness his own manifestation.” His father died when he was a small child, and Abdul Wahab was brought up by his uncle who also became his spiritual master. His soul was deeply moved by music. He listened to music, he was often enraptured, with tears running down his face.
Sufi Sachal Sarmast married, but the young woman died two years later. He never remarried. He took the name Sachal, Truth. Later, people added Sarmast, leader of ecstasy, to his name in appreciation of his spiritual poetry.
Sachal is well known for its kalam and kafi who convey their spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal preferred solitude and silence. He never traveled from his village of Daraza. He was very simple in his clothing, lifestyle and eating habits. Soup and yogurt were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden bed.
He was a modest man with long soft flowing hair and piercing eyes. Three days before his death, he took refuge in a small enclave, where on the 14th day of Ramadan in 1829, at the age of 90, he definitively united with the Truth. He was buried in the same place, which later became a beautiful well-decorated shrine.
Sachal’s poetic works are sung by local singers in Sindhi and Saraiki. Sachal Sarmast was an ardent follower of Wahdat-ul-Wujood (unity of existence), the Islamic philosophy synonymous with Hamah Oost (all of One).
Today, Sachal Sarmast is considered one of the greatest poets and thinkers in the Sindhi language, and his works are studied and appreciated by people all over the world. Many shrines and monuments have been built in his honor, and his poetry continues to inspire people to this day.
https://www.pakistantraveler.com/shrine ... _article=1