Syed Bahadur Ali Shah’s love for Sultan Bahoo

The blessing of Faqr is the eternal destiny of pure and chosen people whom the Holy Prophet himself appoints as his outward and inward successor. As per the orders of the Holy Prophet the spiritual treasure of Faqr or Divine Trust is transferred to them. In every era, there is always a Universal Divine Man who is the bearer of Trust of Faqr, vicegerent of the Holy Prophet. He follow the exact steps of Prophet Mohammad.

Allah says: (He) is the most Kind. (O aspirant to His gnosis!) Ask of Him (from) someone who has attained to His awareness. (25:59)

Transference of Divine Trust

What is Divine Trust?

Divine Trust is the true heritage of the Holy Prophet which is Ism-e-Allah Zaat and the Trust of Faqr.

In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says about His sacred Trust, “Indeed We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear this and felt scared of it, but man took it on. (33:72)

The Holy Prophet

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman writes about the transference of Divine Trust in his book ‘Mujtaba Akhir Zamani’ as follows:

The Holy Prophet is the owner of treasure of Faqr and has complete authority over it. He is the one who transfers this Trust and treasure. Without his permission it cannot be entrusted to anyone.

People of cloak

The Holy Prophet transferred the treasure of Faqr to his daughter Fatimah-tuz-Zahra and she holds the highest and supreme level of being the first Sultan-ul-Faqr among the Mohammadan umma. This treasure was also transferred to Ali ibn Abi Talib from whom the spiritual orders and mystic chains originated through which the treasure of Faqr was transferred to the umma. Among the people of Cloak, this treasure was transferred from Ali to his sons Hasan and Husayn.

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani and Sultan Bahoo

The chain then continued and the treasure reached Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani and then to Sultan Bahoo. Now whenever someone is chosen for entrusting the Divine Trust, the Holy Prophet hands over that person to Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani for his spiritual training to hold the Trust. Then he is sent to Sultan Bahoo for the final transference of the treasure of Faqr, the Divine Trust. Though the actual and main source of transference of the treasure of Faqr till doomsday is only Prophet Mohammad. Without his approval and permission Faqr cannot be granted to anyone.

Sultan Bahoo and the spiritual guides of Sarwari Qadri order

Sultan Bahoo is the perfect spiritual guide of Sarwari Qadri order. He recognizes the Sarwari Qadri lineage as the perfect and real Qadri order. The Sarwari Qadri order is named so Sarwari means to pledge allegiance at the blessed hands of the Holy Prophet pbuh who is the chief (Sarwar) of the universe.  On the other hand, Qadri means to follow the path of Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. Sarwari Qadri order has the highest rank among all other mystic lineages. The Sarwari Qadri order is like the sun while all others are like a lamp as compared to it. The perfect spiritual guide of Sarwari Qadri order (Murshid) is the one who is the absolute light of guidance and the bearer of Divine Trust.

Sultan Bahoo trained the inward of Sayyid Mohammad Abdullah Shah for six months. And then, Sayyid Mohammad Abdullah Shah as the perfect spiritual guide did inward and outward training of the seekers. During his life he found his spiritual confidant Sultan-ul-Sabireen Sultan Mohammad Abdul Ghafoor Shah Hashmi. He spiritually trained the inward of his special disciple, his spiritual confidant and true seeker for 9 years before his death.

Who is Syed Bahadur Ali Shah?

After Sultan Mohammad Abdul Ghafoor Shah, the bearer of the treasure of Faqr and one who rose to high rank of the perfect spiritual guide is Shahbaz-e-Arifaan Sultan Mohammad Bahadur Ali Shah. He was born on Sunday, August 16^th 1801 (5^th Rabi-ul-Sani 1216 H) at the time of Fajr (morning) prayer in the town of Hasoowali, Tehsil Shorkot, District Jhang. Every chapter of his life, whether you look at it as a sincere seeker of Allah or as spiritual guide, looks perfect in every way and style.

Shahbaz-e-Arifaan Sultan Mohammad Bahadur Ali Shah’s love and devotion for Sultan Bahoo

Syed Bahadur Ali Shah’s face was enlightened with the Divine light since his childhood. Whenever his father Syed Fateh Ali visited the shrine of Sultan Bahoo he would take him with him. It was the radiance of his face and the purity of the heart that attracted him to the shrine of Sultan Bahoo. This is because the heart finds peace only at the door of the beloved. Just as the true seeker of Allah waits for the spiritual guide, similarly the perfect spiritual guide also waits for the sincere seeker. The incident of the childhood is a proof of his high status as well as the love for Sultan Bahoo.

Holy Quran

At the age of eight, due to the inward blessings as well as his presence on the shrine of Sultan Bahoo he got the treasure of Divine knowledge. Within seventeen days, he memorized the Holy Quran and completed the study curriculum of Islamic education. This was surprising for his teachers and father.

Shrine of Sultan Bahoo

Sultan Bahoo ordered his father in a dream, “Leave your son here, I’ll be his guardian.” So, his father left him at the shrine.

Sultan Bahoo has long been looking for a sincere disciple who meets his standards as a sincere seeker of Allah. Then when the footsteps of such a sincere seeker fell in his shrine, how was it possible that he would take him away from himself. For instance, he came there at the age of eight in 1809 AD and stayed there till 1849 AD. Syed Bahadur Ali Shah spent almost forty years at the shrine of Sultan Bahoo. In addition, even before the visit of Mohammad Abdullah Shah Madni Jilani and Sultan Mohammad Abdul Ghafoor Shah Hashmi, he was present at the shrine of Sultan Bahoo. After forty years Sultan Bahoo spiritually ordered him to go back and visit the shrine on Monday, once every month.

What is the title of Syed Bahadur Ali Shah?

Sultan Bahoo awarded him with the title of “Pir Sahib.” It is an honour that he has been appointed by Sultan Bahoo to be the custodian of the treasury of Faqr.  With his kindness, the ranks of the seekers are fixed. Their outward and inward problems are solved. Moreover, Ghawth-ul-Azam Shaikh Abdul Qadir jilani also awarded him with the title of “Shahbaz-e-Arifaan.”

Mystic Poetry for Sultan Bahoo

Syed Bahadur Ali Shah has written beautiful words and poetry expressing his love and devotion for Sultan Bahoo. Every word of the mystic poetry portrays love and affection which makes the reader very happy. A few stanzas of his poetry, filled with Divine love and gnosis written in honour of Sultan Bahoo are as follows:

Gnosis of Allah

Explanation: Subhan Allah! The shrine of Sultan Bahoo is a sacred place. The invocation of ‘HooAllah’ ‘Ya Hoo’ are loud, calling towards Allah. It is fountain head of gnosis of Allah and blesses the seekers of Allah with ecstatic states which grant them the closeness of Allah. He is manifestation of the Divine Essence and His attributes, the holy Qibla of Divine Beneficence, guide towards righteousness since eternity. He bestows infinite treasures of Divine knowledge, Vision and closeness of Allah upon the seekers. It takes them to the highest spiritual status where all the intrinsic and extrinsic levels, knowledge and stations are accumulated within the seeker. He is the perfect spiritual guide, an ocean of beneficence, possesses an Alchemy sight which converts a common person into the Divine Lover, then the Beloved of Allah. I requests him “O my spiritual guide! Listen the pleas of my humble self also.”

Mohammadan light

Explanation: The glory of Sultan Bahoo is that he achieved the level of Saints of Allah, who have no fear nor are they in grief. The shadow of mercy of Holy Prophet is always on his head. He has the privilege of Divine presence in the realm of Transcendent Unity.  This is the world where there is only Divine Light. The lovers who have become one with Allah, Who is Unique and has no partners have access to this place. There is no duality, only one. Describing this high rank and glory of Sultan Bahoo, Syed Bahadur Ali Shah says, “By what name we call you? Mohammad, as Bahoo annihilated in the Mohammadan light or Bahoo? Should we look at his attribute of humanity or Lordship? Or rather say, Hoo has manifested in the sacred self of Sultan Bahoo. Likewise, you bless me from the level of annihilation to immortality.”

Divine love and Vision

Explanation: There is no hope of help from anyone, beside the help and support of Sultan Bahoo. Considering oneself a figure of intellect and self-sufficiency in every matter are all signs of narcissism and inciting innerself. There is no room for such thinking and attitude in the path of Faqr.  Just as Zulaikha sacrificed all her life for the sake of love and closeness to Prophet Yusuf, I also torment myself in the fire of Divine love. Moreover, I have spent my whole life just for Divine Vision. Now last days of my life have arrived. So, I hope you will understand my condition and feel sorry for me. Indeed you will bless me and will be gracious to me. Above all, you will surely accept the cry of this helpless Fakir in your court.

Renunciation of worldly desires

Explanation: Every moment on the shrine of Sultan Bahoo is devoted to love and affection. Sometimes by bowing head in submission or by kissing the shrine. My body, heart and soul are empty because I have lost both of them in your love. As the angels are always engaged in the invocation of Allah and His remembrance, in the same way I am always immersed in your love. This is the food of my soul. O my guide! You are very glorious. Give me the cup of Divine love so that I completely immerse myself in it and become unaware of this world. In Divine love, I have no knowledge of this world and the desires of inciting innerself. O my perfect spiritual guide! Hear the cry of this helpless person in your court.

Innerself

Explanation: My tongue continues to invocate your name all the time. There is not a moment that goes by without your memory passing through my heart or even my tongue. Although I am not yet an expert in the journey of Divine gnosis, I am hopeful that your friendship is with me at all times. O my considerate friend! Make me your servant with all my heart and soul. Purify my being with the Divine light of Ism-e-Allah Zaat so that I may be freed from the veil of inciting innerself that is between me and Allah. This cruel inciting innerself cannot die without enlightenment by the light of Ism-e-Allah Zaat and gains Divine presence. Destroy my inciting innerself with your compassion and kindness. It is the greatest enemy and adversary of the soul.

Efforts of Syed Bahadur Ali Shah

Explanation: According to traditions one night Bahadur Ali Shah reached shrine of Sultan Bahoo to attend spiritual assembly of all his Khalifahs after crossing river in flood with much difficulty. Sultan Bahoo was happy with his effort. He blessed him with highest rank among his Khalifahs. He said, “O’ Bahoo! You have honoured me with your slavery out of infinite generosity, grandeur. How can I thank you! Accept my verbal gratitude, consider it from bottom of my heart, I have no other way. The symbol of your beneficence is that you have blessed a sinful person like me. I beg you to please forgive all my sins. It is against your grandeur to let a humble, meek beggar like me to be accountable in your grand court. Please hide all my sins with the veil of your celestial Light. Above all, change my aching, sorrowful heart into a blissful one.

Spiritual Relation with Sultan Bahoo

Explanation: My spiritual relation to you is not new or related to the worldly life only, rather I have put the circle of your slavery around my neck since eternity and I am proud of this eternal relationship. In short, your beneficence and kindness have been proven hundreds of times. So, please fulfill your promise by taking me to the destination of annihilation and immortality with Allah, in your sacred company. Moreover, the last moments of my life have approached so please bestow your kind attention and favour upon me. As a result, confer the most special blessing of The Divine Vision and Union in such a manner that my humble being is never ever separated from The Divine Essence. Please always keep me under your kind attention and pay heed to my humble requests O’ my Perfect Spiritual Guide!

Si Harfi

He also wrote a Si Harfi in the grandeur of Sultan Bahoo. This Si Harfi has thirty stanzas. However only three are as follows

First Stanza

Explanation: The shrine of Sultan Bahoo is the door to eternal peace and is just like the Mount Sinai where Prophet Moses used to go to converse with Allah. The wish to have The Divine Vision through the mediation of Sultan Bahoo is immediately granted. He possesses the exact Divine light and is the perfect manifestation of The Divine Beauty. However, to get this blessing you must sanctify your heart from the worldly wishes, lust and greed. Then you will observe the magic of beneficence of Sultan Bahoo which will reveal the concealed Light of Allah within yourself.

Second Stanza

Explanation: If you are in the good books of Sultan Bahoo then be sure that you will soon find the Divine Closeness and Vision. Likewise, you must know that the Mohammadan light is infact the Divine light which has now manifested in the sacred self of Sultan Bahoo. His name ‘Bahoo’ has become absolute Divine light because he had been doing the invocation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat and Ism-e-Mohammad throughout his life. In short, the name ‘Bahoo’ contains ‘Hoo’ just as the being of Sultan Bahoo contains the Divine light of Hoo. Certainly, O’ Sultan Bahadur Shah whoever remembered and invoked the sacred name ‘Bahoo’, Allah converted his being into Divine Light.

Third Stanza

Explanation: The real invocation and contemplation which takes a seeker to Allah is that of ‘Ya Hoo’. Sultan Bahoo, the great friend of Allah tells us this fact. In the spiritual world he is the Perfect Manifestation Hoo. O dear! You can witness all the Attributes of Allah in him. He is the perfect guide who will take you to the observation of the Omnipresent. The Divine lovers respectfully prostrate before him and angels worship him. Above all, whoever denies his grand status must be considered as a Satan and are probate who is rejected in The Court of Allah.

Conclusion

Syed Bahadur Ali Shah has written a charming poem in the glory of Sultan Bahoo. Indeed, it contains lesson of love and affection for the true seeker of Allah. In short love, affection, respect of the beloved, loyalty, humbleness, colour of sincerity and truth, all are seen in every style of Syed Bahadur Ali Shah. Above all, it is impossible to describe in words his devotion and regard for Sultan Bahoo. May Allah accept this small effort on my behalf.

To read the complete mystic poetry of Syed Bahadur Ali Shah refer to the book “Mashaikh Sarwari Qadri.” This book is a gift for the seekers of the path of Faqr. 

Note:

This is an English Translation of Urdu article

شہبازِ عارفاں حضرت سخی سلطان پیر سیدّ محمدبہادر علی شاہ کاظمی المشہدیؒ کی
سلطان العارفین حضرت سخی سلطان باھوؒ سے محبت و عقیدت

which appeared in the February 2022 issue of Mahnama Sultan ul Faqr Magazine. Miss Fatima Burhan Sarwari Qadri wrote the original article. Abeeha Malik Sarwari Qadri has translated it in English.