Hazrat Sultan Bahoo Book Half a Glance

8/14/2019 Hazrat Sultan Bahoo Book Half a Glance

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ABBREVIATIONS

Below is the list of Hadrat Sultan Bahus books cited in thetext

ABI!AT Abi"at Sultan BahuA# Asrari #adiriA$ A%ir al&$aunainAS Auran' Shahi

TH Taufi(i Hida"atTB Te'hi Brehna)A )a%i al&Asrar*B *i+ani Bahu

R RuhiSA Sha%s al&AarifeenAB A(li BedarA, Ain al&,a(r,- ,a.l al&li(a#* #urbi *idar$T$ $alid al&Tauheed$) $alidi )annat/A /an0i Asrar

1N 1a0alis al&Nabi1A 1ahabbat al&Asrar1,$ 1ahik al&,a(r $alan1, 1uhka% al&fa(r1A 1iftah al&ArifeenNH Nur al&Huda

2ith the references to the 3rdu Translations4ublished b" Allah 2ale5 -ahore5 exce4t the Abi"at67un0abi8 Ruhi 6En'lish translation Of the s4irit8 and*i+ani Bahu 6En'lish translation8 4ublished b" H9/9*ast'ir Acade%"5 *arbar Sultan Bahu5 )han'5 7akistan9


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Introduction

Hadrat Sultan BahuThe Sultan al&,a(r and Sultan al&Arifin

Hadrat Sultan Bahu is one of the %ost renowned Sufisaints of the later 1u'hal 4eriod in the histor" of Indo&7akistan sub&continent9 He is often called Sultan al&Arifin6the Sultan of /nostics8 in the Sufi circles9 His ancestorsbelon's to a tribe of Al+ids called Awan and co%in' fro%Arabia +ia Hirat 6Af'hanistan8 had settled in the SoonSakesar Valle":of $hushab *istrict in 7un0ab9 His father

Sultan Ba.id5 had ser+ed in the ar%" of the E%4eror Shah)ahan as a hi'h rankin' officer and so in reco'nition to hisser+ices he had been awarded ajagirin the Shorkot area9

The fa%il" %i'rated to the 4lace and settled at #alaiShorkot5 a settle%ent at the bank of Ri+er ;henab 6now in*istrict )han'5 7un0ab89 Hadrat Sultan Bahu was bornthere5 4robabl" in : A9*9

E+en in the earl" childhood5 it was 4ercei+ed b" all

those around hi% that a stran'e li'ht shone u4on his facewhich co%4elled e+en the Hindus to utter Kalima Tayyiba2

6There is no 'od but Allah and 1uha%%ad is His%essen'er8 in his 4resence9 His father died when he was

0ust a child but his %other Bibi Rasti5 re%ained ali+e till hewas fort" "ears old9

His %other su4er+ised his education but it %ust ha+ebeen irre'ular because he was often found under theinfluence of ecstatic states9 It see%s that his educationre%ained infor%al to the end9 2hate+er he ex4ressed orwrote after&wards5 it was in the li'ht of his own s4iritual+ision and knowled'e9


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His %other tau'ht hi% the essential Sufi exercises ofdhikr6in+ocation of Allah and His Na%es8 and he 4robabl"needed no %ore 'uidance after that9 He was initiated towalk the 4ath of Suifs intuiti+el"9 His s4iritual ex4eriencesand +ision enriched his %ind and s4irit with so %uchknowled'e that he far excelled his conte%4orar" Sufi%asters and Sufi 4oets in Tasawwuf 6Sufis%8 and Suluk6all about the Sufi 2a" and its stations and states89 In abook he re%arks9

Thou'h we ha+e little of for%al learnin'5 ? !et thes4irit has been blessed with holiness b" esotericknowled'e9

In fact he %a" be called a born saint9

He 'ot %arried in his earl" "outh and twice or triceafterwards and had sons and dau'hters but all this did notdeter hi% fro% his der+ish wanderin's5 to +isit the sacred4laces and look for the s4iritual co%4an" of his fellowSufis9

He %a" ha+e %et %an" Sufis and +isited %an"to%bs of the saints but he did not co%e across a Sufiteacher of his own caliber9

At the a'e of thirt" he had an extraordinar" +ision inwhich he saw 7ro4het 1uha%%ad 6%a" 4eace be u4onhi%8 throu'h the s4iritual reco%%endations and su44ortof Hadrat Ali and Hadrat Shaikh Abdul #adir )ilani9 The7ro4het hi%self took his bayah@and allowed hi% to 4asson the Sufi teachin's9 He often %entions in his booksabout his 4resence in the s4iritual %eetin's 4resided b"the 7ro4het hi%self9 Howe+er5 in the treatise Of theS4irit he called Hadrat Shaikh Abdul #adir )ilani his1urshid 6s4iritual director89 He is alwa"s la+ish in the4raise of Hadrat Shaikh and calls hi%self Qadiri9 In his


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e"es the teachin's of the #adiri"a order were %osteffecti+e for the s4iritual de+elo4%ent of the disci4les9 Butat the sa%e ti%e it is e+identl" clear that b" the #adiri"aorder he %eans the one that he hi%self re4resented9 Hena%es it Sarwari #adiri9

*urin' the sa%e 4eriod when he was a "oun' %an ofabout thirt"5 the war of succession between *ara Shikohand Auran'.eb was fou'ht9 His later writin's are sufficient4roof of his %oral and s4iritual su44ort for Auran'.eb whowon and beca%e the E%4eror9 He hi%self5 howe+er5 ne+ercared to ha+e an" concern with the court or the courtiers9

All his life he ke4t tra+elin' to the far&flun' 4lacesinitiatin' disci4les and 4assin' on the s4iritual knowled'eand wisdo% to the seekers of truth9 He %i'ht ha+e written%ost of his books durin' such 0ourne"s9 He ne+er %ade a4er%anent khaneqah durin' his life&ti%e9

In Manaqibi SultaniC a few of his 0ourne"s ha+ebeen %entioned9 His tra+ellin's in Saraiki re'ion u4toSindh5 his 0ourne" to *elhi where he %et the E%4eror

Auran'.eb in the )a%ia 1os(ue and his +isits to the to%bsat 1ultan and other cities ha+e been indicated9

He died in :


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listens to his *ohasFin a %elodious +oice of the sin'ers9About thirt" e4istles5 treatises and books are stilla+ailable9 Al%ost all of his works ha+e been written underins4iration in a st"le 4eculiar to hi%9 1ost often he usesscatter %ethod diffusin' Sufi doctrine and the %ethodsof s4iritual reali.ation in his writin's9

He was the 'reatest teacher and 4ro4a'ator of !aqr6s4iritual 4o+ert"8 which is the shinin' 'uidin' star in histeachin's9 He %a" be considered one of the 'reatRe+ealers in the histor" of Sufis%9

His dargah has alwa"s been su4er+ised b" the

Sajjadah "ashins 6the heads of the order8 of his ownfa%il"9 The 4resent Sa00adah Nashin also belon's to thisline9

It is stran'e that his fa%e arose and s4read world&wide after his death9 Onl" recentl" the scholars ha+eturned attention to 4resent and inter4ret his doctrine in as"ste%atic wa"9 The sco4e to edit5 translate5 inter4ret andtrans%it his works is still +er" +ast9 It is ho4ed that the

next 'eneration of Sufi scholars and teachers will continueto 4erfor% this tre%endous 0ob %ore efficientl"9

I (uote the +erse written on a wall of %os(uead0oinin' his to%b9

O noble Sultan BahuG In a real% of realit"5 "ou are4erfectHel4 %e in all the s4iritual states in interiorit" aswell as in exteriorit"9


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Half a Glance

This s%all +olu%e contains the extracts fro% thebooks of Hadrat Sultan Bahu 64rose and 4oetr"89 It %a"not be a scholarl" work of an" hi'her +alue fro% theacade%ic 4oint of +iew but it would 4ro+e to be useful5 itis ho4ed5 for the 'eneral readers who want to 'etthe%sel+es ac(uainted with the thou'ht&4attern of HadratSultan Bahus Sufi teachin's9 Hadrat Sultan known as theSultan of /nostics b" the Sufis %a" 0ustifiabl" be called aSufi %aster for all a'es9 He has so %uch to sa" about theSufi doctrine and its %ethods that it is al%ost i%4ossibleto ex4ress it ex4licitl" in a sin'le +olu%e9 The st"le of his

writin's e%anates directl" fro% his s4iritual ins4iration9Thou'h his lan'ua'e a44arentl" see%s so si%4le but hiswa" of 4uttin' his ideas to'ether looks like s4rinklin'the% here and there in the treatises and books9 The%odern reader is so%eti%es baffled b" such %ethod ofex4ression9 1ost of the Sufi authors ado4ted this st"leintentionall" or unintentionall"9 It is said that the" did sobecause the" did not want to %ake their books aco%%on&4lace readin' %aterial9 The" were not

entertainers the" were teachers9 The" thou'ht that %ostof the co%4lications and 4aradoxes will be clarified andthe 'a4s filled durin' the teachin' sessions9 It is also afact that these difficulties5 were there onl" for suchbe'inners who wanted to fulfill their desire 0ust b" 'oin'throu'h the books9 The ade4ts and the 4racticin'der+ishes5 on the other hand5 did not find the stud"difficult because the" could see the undercurrent of theflow of s4iritual consciousness in the %asters writin'sand the" were (uite ca4able of disco+erin' the real%eanin' 4artiall" concealed under the surface9

This s%all +olu%e will ser+e the 4ur4ose to enablethe Sufi be'inner to co%4rehend so%e basic ele%ents ofthe Sultans s4iritual thou'ht&4attern9 These (uotations


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ha+e been arran'ed in such a %anner that so%e kind ofcoherence can be 4ercei+ed in the se(uence9 2e be'inwith the 1asters own clai% of bein' a (ualified and anauthori.ed teacher5 'o throu'h his %ain ideas aboutknowled'e5 action5 s4iritual 4o+ert" 6fa(r85 ca4abilit" ofthe seeker of truth5 the (ualifications of a teacher and endat the reali.ation of ur'enc" to ado4t the Sufi wa" ofli+in'9 E+en if the reader reads these 4a'es not +er"carefull"5 he can 'et at the +iew4oint about the der+ish&st"led self&reali.ation9 These %a" be acce4table to all whoare sick of the conditioned wa" of thinkin' and doin'5 andnow the" want to chan'e their life&st"le9 To such readers5this s%all +olu%e is ex4ected to 4oint out a new direction5

to 4ro+ide with a chance to think and %ake u4 their %indto 0oin the fraternit" of those who clai% to recei+e thiswisdo% fro% the sacred sources9

7rof9 S"ed Ah%ad Saeed Ha%adani


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Faqir Bahu the perfect Faqir

:9 ,a(ir Bahu known as Awan5 a resident of the suburbsof #ala&i&Shor5 %a" Allah 4rotect his fro% cala%it" ando44ression5 sa"s a few words about the 4hiloso4h" of,a(r>5 the station of the Essence of Bein'D5 6as Allah hassaid8 and 1" %erc" enco%4asseth e+er"&thin'9 Hei%4arts the hi'her teachin' in the for% of co%%entar"with its dee4est and %ost distinct %eanin'9

R9 Tr9 49 :F

=9 None can 4ossibl" reach the station:J where Ireached

I a% the 'reat falcon in the celestial real%K no4lace for 4oor flies9

The throne5 the 7en5 the ;hair::5 and both the worldsha+e no wa" to that hei'ht9

Not e+en an an'el can 'et there that is not a 4lacefor %ere desire9$T5 49 ::

@9 I a% the 'reat falcon5I fl" in the s4heres of *i+ine 'enerosit" O HuG:=2hate+er I utter5 is like kun 6Be8:@

I can chan'e the %o+e%ent of destin" O H3G

7lato and Aristotle are nothin' to %e O HuGThousands and %illions of the wealth" and 'enerous

nobles like Hati%:C

stand 0ust like be''ars at Bahus 'ate O H3GAbi"at


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C9 O seeker of truthG I ha+e co%4letel" ascertainede+er" disci4line of knowled'e with inner 'uidance and thefa+our of /od9 I a% not a boaster I a% a 4erfect ,a(ir :

and b" the 'race of /od the (uintessence of all in boththe worlds has beco%e %anifest to %e9 Nothin' isconcealed fro% %e9

NH5 49 :

9 $now that the author of this treatise the 4erfect'nostic of #adiri"a 6order8 who is ca4able of e+er" 4owerand 4resent at e+er" station5 absorbed in the *i+ineEssence of the absolute is 4leased to sa" that when hewas 'ranted the exaltation b" the eternal fa+our of the

Truth of Truth and co%%anded b" the %ost noble 7ro4hetof effluent li'ht 6%a" 4eace be u4on hi%8 to show theri'ht 4ath to all the %ortals whether the" are 1usli%s orinfidels5 fortunate or unfortunate5 ali+e or dead5 he withhis ton'ue that scatters 4earls5 bestowed u4on %e thetitles of Mustafa5 the second and 1u0taba of the last4hase9

Bahu was allowed b" the 1ustafa to instruct %ortals

in the na%e of /od9

2e were initiated b" Mustafa hi%self and Mujtabahi%self called us his son9

R9 Tr9 49 =D


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Knowledge and Action

:9 A %an %ust be alwa"s aware and knowled'eable9NH5 49 :are inti%atel" associated9

1,$5 49 @

@9 The knowled'e that does not dissuade one fro%+anit"5 lie5 in0ustice5 ne'li'ence of /ods co%%ands andlo+e for riches5 is not knowled'e9 If it does not ins4ire a4erson to turn awa" fro% ne'li'ence and 4ersuade hi% to

kee4 +i'il at ni'ht5 it does not %ake hi% /od&consciousand /od&fearin'5 it is no knowled'e91,$5 49 @

C9 The exoteric knowled'e is like a la%4 that illu%inatee+er" house in the world5 and the esoteric knowled'e islike the sun which li'hts u4 the whole world9

The knower of /od is like the sun which rises dail"and dri+es awa" the darkness9

,a(ir is the sun and the world is dark9A$5 49 >


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9 I ha+e not as "et co%e across such a scholar whostudied for the sake of 'nosis5 +ision and the 4roxi%it" to/od and his ai% was enli'hten%ent and awakenin' of theheart9 The scholars of external law stud" onl" for %akin'a li+in' and 'ettin' worldl" 'ains b" it9

A$5 49 ::@

9 The scholar without %arifat 6'nosis8 is i'norant9==

Those who s4end their li+es in stud" of books are likei'norant children who for'et e+er"thin' at the end whenthe" see the an'el of death9 The" cannot recall e+en aword of what the" had 4re+iousl" learnt9

TB5 49 :C

D9 1a" /od sa+e a 4erson fro% the i%4ious scholar aswell as fro% the ,a(ir without trust 6Tawakkul8 andforbearance9

A,5 49 :


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O HuG2here there is %ore and better to eat5 the" recite%ore O HuG

The" are losers in both the worlds5 Bahu5 whowasted awa" what the" had earned O HuG

Abi"at


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The Faqirs men of authority

:9 The %en of letters are nothin' but listeners5 so the"are %en of audition9 The ,a(irs 'ain %arifat 6'nosis8throu'h their hearts e"es5 so the" are %en of +ision9

1,$5 49 =J=

=9 7erfect and wise is he who outwardl" studies the4a'es and inwardl" busies hi%self in the recollection of/od9

1,$5 49 @JJ

@9 The reli'ious scholars are like the la%4s in the worldand the faqirs are like the sun9 ,a(ir is the sun as hei%4arts knowled'e to the i'norant in a 'lance andtransfor%s the scholar into a 'nostic 6aarif89

NH$5 49 =

C9 The end of school%en is the be'innin' of ,a(irs=C9$)5 49


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F9 The scholar is a 4erfect ,a(ir who is 4ious5enli'htened and a 4raiser of /od9

NH$5 49 =@

>9 The 4ath to Allah has nothin' to do with knowled'eor i'norance9 This is the wa" of sheer lo+e and sincerit"9

NH$5 49 D

D9 A co%4assionate %an is the %an of /od and thes4iritual concentration 6tawajjuh8 of the 4erfect 6,a(ir8 isuni(ue9

A heart that is %elted b" the attention of %en of /od

is the heart otherwise it is 0ust a 4iece %ade of water andcla"9

AB5 49 ::@

:J9 The 4erson who is unaware of the states of nearnessto /od is i'norant e+en if he %a" be the doctor ofexternal law9

AB5 49 ::C

::9 The be'innin' and the end of ,a(ir is 'nosis 6marifat8nearness 6qurb8 and s4iritual awareness 6huz##ri89AB5 49 :CC

:=9 The be'innin' of ,a(r is to 4ut on the dress ofshariat 6to act accordin' to the sacred law8 and to absorbin marifat 6s4iritual knowled'e8 after ha+in' 'ot to knowabout the states of truth 6haqiqat89 The ,a(ir is alwa"s'enerous5 re'ularl" 4resent in s4iritual %eetin's of1uha%%ad = 64eace be u4on hi%8 and annihilated inAllah=


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:@9 Be it known that knowled'e is like 'old5 sil+er andcoins9 ,a(r as well as 'nosis are like a sword of steel92hat the sword can do5 'old and sil+er cannot9

AB5 49 ,a(ir is the disci4le of Satan and the,a(ir who follows the sacrd law is one with /od9

An inno+atin' ,a(ir is like a %ad do'9 Thou'h such,a(irs %ake clai%s to ,a(r5 "et the" are not ,a(irs9 The"are onl" tra%4s and do's 4ossessed b" e'o9 The" 'o


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about be''in' for the %aterial 'ain and inwardl" the" arede4ri+ed of the knowled'e of /O*9

A$5 49 F

=J9 Be it known that the ,a(ir who acts a'ainst thesacred law is inwardl" false9 He is unreliable and his clai%6to ,a(r8 is a lie9

NH5 49 F:9 He who knows the secretCJ re%ains bus" in thestud" of the 4a'es of heart and kee4s an e"e on e+er"s4iritual station9

1,$5 49 =J:

>=9 ,a(r is a boon and nobod" can recei+e it exce4t thefriends of /oid like the 4ro4hets and saints9

A4art fro% the 4ro4hets and saints5 if so%ebod"clai%s of ,a(r5 he is an i%4ostor91,$5 49 =@

>@9 The ene%" of a ,a(ir is either a h"4ocrite5 or 0ealousor an unbelie+er9

1,$5 49 =DC

>C9 Neither e+er" der+ish is ca4able of saintshi4 andenli'hten%ent nor e+er" bod" deser+es the co%4an" ofkhadirC:9 Onl" one ,a(ir fro% a%on'st the thousands ise%4owered to ha+e control o+er the 'old and sil+er9

NH5 49 ::F


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>9 A 'nostic is the %an who has conte%4lated e+er"s4iritual state9

NH5 49 :C:

>F9 The 4urehearted en0o"s an eternal and i%%ortal life91,$5 49 D

>>9 Onl" the ton'ue of that ,a(ir is like a sword of /odwho kee4s hi%self bus" in re%e%berance and thou'ht ofthe *i+ine and the recitation of the #uran9

1,$5 49 C

>D9 I wonder at the 4eo4le who do not ser+e the ,u(arafor /ods sake and on the contrar" 4elt stones at the%9

1,$5 49

DJ9 The ton'ue in the %outh of a ,a(ir is like a sword inthe sheath9

If that sword is drawn5 the ,a(irs an'er takes thefor% of /ods wrath and it can kill the whole worldbecause the ton(ue of ,a(ir is the sword of /od9

1,$5 49 F

D:9 1ental disorder and unawareness are the si'ns of%adness9 Such 4eo4le are de4ri+ed of the *i+ineknowled'e9

1,$5 49 D


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D=9 The self&cultured and /od conscious 4erson is 4oliteand 4ious since the be'innin' of ti%e9 He blesses the4eo4le with di+ine 'race 6faid8 and %erc"9

1,$5 49 :J

D@9 A friend of /od is the 4erson who is wra44ed fro%to4 to toe in the *i+ine %erc"9

1,$5 49 :>

DC9 It is not eas" to be a ,a(ir9 The 'reatest %"steries ofthe O%ni4otent are conte%4lated in ,a(ir9

1,$5 49 :


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1,$5 49 @=D

DD9 The heartless 4erson is un%anl" on this 7athbecause the re%ed" for lo+ers lies in the heart&feltco%4assion9

1,$5 49 @=D

:JJ9 2hat is the si'n of the 4ure&heartedL He eats food ofthis world but he works for the other world9

)A5 49 =:

:J:9 The 4erfect ,a(ir bestows knowled'e and hel4sothers 9 So the 'nostic ,a(ir does not acce4t the wealth

and 4ro4ert"9 All this is not useful for the %en of learnin'and to those who attend the s4iritual %eetin's9

The 4rofane knowled'e takes awa" the %odest"which is the essential 4art of life9

AB5 49 @


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The Spiritual Guide (Murshid)

:9 The (ualified s4iritual 'uide 6murshid8 is all 4owerfuland leader of the cara+an9

A$5 49 :=

=9 The seeker cannot reco'ni.e the 'uide 6%urshid8 butthe 'uide can know hi%9 The call %a" disco+er the calleras the fortune knows the fortunate9

A$5 49 ::

C9 -et this bod" of %ine turn into e"es9E+en then I %a" not be satisfied

to behold %" murshid O HuG-et e+er" hair of %ine turn into %illions of e"es

let each one o4en close in turn O HuGE+en then %" .eal would not abatewhere should I 'oL O HuG

The si'ht of %" murshid is like%illions and crores of 7il'ri%a'es for %e O HuG

Abi"at

9 Tired of fastin' for hundreds of da"s5 andhundreds of 4rostrations O HuG7il'ri%a'e to 1ecca for hundred of ti%es5but there was no end to the wishful 0ourne" O HuGNobod" achie+e 4erfection either after wanderin'sin the 0un'les or the retreats for fort" da"s


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O HuGOne achie+es all5 sa"s Bahu5 when the oldteacher casts a 'lance at "ou for once O HuG

Abi"at


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e+er"where O HuGIt s4reads fra'rance inside when it a44roached

the ti%e of blosso% O HuG1a" the efficient 4erce4ter li+e lon'5 sa"s Bahu5

who 4lanted this 4lant O HuG

Abi"at tr9 *r9 A Schi%%el

:=9 I wonder at the 4eo4le who ha+e st"led the%sel+esto'ether as seekers and %urshids but neither the seekerknows the realit" of search nor the %urshid is ac(uaintedwith the realit" of s4iritual 'uidance9 Both are stu4id andi'norant9

$T$5 49 :>=

:@9 The co%4an" of the elect is also the %eans of6s4iritual8 ascension9

AB5 49 :C


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The Seeker of Truth

:9 The wise is inclined towards /od and the un&intelli'ent tends to 'reed and co+etousness9 2hat do "ouchoose between the two9 Either 'et the knowled'e oftruth or ai% at the %undance 4ursuits9

AB5 49 =C

=9 The e'o&worshi44ers are %an" but the /od&worshi44ers are rare9

AB5 49 @D

@9 The seeker of Truth who has re'ard for the world andthe worldl" 4eo4le5 is accursed in both the worlds9 He isnto a der+ish9

1A5 49 :

C9 It is eas" to be initiated 6as a disci4le8 but it isdifficult to 'i+e u4 ones 6selfish8 a%bitions and desires9

$T$5 49 =

F9 O S"edG if "ou want to be a S"ed 64rince8 and lord infact5 then follow into the footste4s of "our illustrious'randfather 61uha%%ad5 4eace be u4on hi%8 and ado4this %orals5 deeds and acts and 'o out to seek a 4erfect%urshid to 'et the knowled'e of /od and 4ercei+e theunit"9

If "ou found out the 4erfect ,a(ir and won o+er his

lo+e 6as a disci4le85 "ou would ha+e nothin' to worr"about in both the worlds9

NH5 49 ==9 Re%e%ber that all the s4iritual stations fro% thehi'h abo+e to the down below are nothin' but the test forthe seeker of truth9 An" station that hinders hi% toa44roach the ;reator5 is a satan for hi%9

1N5 49 =J

D9 As the 4eo4le kee4 on seekin' the 4erfect %urshid5so the %urshid also re%ains in search of 4erfect seeker9

$T$5 49


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:=9 2hat is that disci4line of knowled'e that ser+es as acause for the de+il to %is'uide the %anL That is theknowled'e of a+arice and 'reed9

AB5 49 =F

=9 The ritual 4ra"er 6namaz8 of the elecet is bestowedwith +ision9 2hen the" 4rostrate the" are face to face with/od9 The 4ra"er of the co%%oners is a %ere custo%9

A$5 49 DD

@9 It is necessar" for the der+ish that he should bes4irituall" aware while eatin'9

1A5 49 F

C9 To sit beside the 'ra+e of a friend of /od is betterthan stri+in' for fort" retreats of fort" da"sCFeach9

1,5 49 @:

9 -isten5 %" dear5 "ou do not know "ourself because ofstu4idit" and thou'htlessness9 !our s4irit is a %ine ofrubies and "ou stra" ai%lessl" bewildered andconfounded9

AS5 49 :F


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F9 To be kind to the 4eo4le and not to harass the% isthe %eans of sal+ation9

TH5 49 C9 Ones li+elihood follows hi% like death9 As deathdoes not s4are hi% where+er he is5 so the li+elihood5 too5does not 4art his co%4an"9

A,5 49 :CC

D9 It is not incu%bent on "ou to 'ain %ore knowled'ebut "ou are dut"&bound to 'uard "ourself a'ainst sins9

A,5 49 :J

:J9 Seek the hel4 of so%e 4refect %an so that "ou %a"be 4erfect because no bod" exce4t a 4erfect %an of /odcan offer 'uidance9 The seeker of /od li+es like a %an andthe seeker of the world li+es in worr" and sorrow and is ofno use9

1,$5 49 ::

::9 If "ou want to cross the brid'e o+er the eternal fireC>5

then harass not a 1usli% in an" wa"9 1,$5 49 @>

:=9 Solitude and the cell within the heart are better thanthe solitude in the cell of cla" because the earthen cell isinferior9

He who found out 6the truth85 found it in the cell ofhis heart5 and he who 'ained fro% heart5 sa+ed hi%selffro% %ud and cla"9

1,$5 49 :@

:@9 The word of /od is the treasure&house of /od theoutsider does not know and understand it9

1,$5 49 =>


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:C9 He who does not 4lease the sadat6the descendantsof the 7ro4het 1uha%%ad5 64eace be u4on hi%85 hisinterior is not clean and he can ha+e no a44roach to'nosis of /od9 It is because the 4erson who ser+es thesadat is hi%self ser+ed at the end and he who deniesres4ect to the descendants of the 7ro4het and Ali and,ati%a is de4ri+ed of the di+ine knowled'e9

NH5 49 ==:

:9 Onl" he is wise who knows what he had brou'ht withhi% and what he carries back fro% the world5 and whatfa+our he is to 'et in the hereafter9

1A5 49 9 If "ou want to be tran(uil5'o5throw awa" the %antle


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dont take it with "ou9

O friend5 if "ou want the robe of the fortunate5'oand 4ut on the woolen dress like a Sufi9

*B

D9 ,ro% the lon'in' of the soulI seek the Beaut" of Allah9

In e+er" sa"in'I seek the Beaut" of Allah9

I see nothin' other than His ,ace

due to the lo+e of the s4iritI seek the beaut" of Allah9

I a% not all aware of before and afterfro% this and that

I seek the Beaut" of Allah

I see nothin' other than His ,acedue to the lo+e of the s4irit


I a% not all aware of before and afterfro% this and that


Thou'h drunk with lo+e of the ,riend of friends5e+en intoxicated5

I seek the Beaut" of Allah9

There is no other wa" of lo+e for usin e+er" ato%5

I seek the Beaut" of Allah1" bod" and s4irit ha+e been sacrificed in the

Essence of !a Hu9


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E+en in existenceI seek the Beaut" of Allah

*B


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$otes and %eferences


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Hadrat Sultan Bahu

:9 See Ah%ad /ha.ali5 2adi&e&Sakesar5 ,ero.e Sons5-ahore9 :DD@

=9 i8 6born saint8And 2e 'a+e hi% wisdo% when a ;hild9 6#uran

:D=J8ii8 $ali%a Ta""iba The basic and %ost distin'uished

for%ula in Isla%ic esoteric tradition for dhikr6In+ocation89

@9 Al&ba"ah The 4act5 in the s4iritual order %eans the

rite of initiation in the te%4oral order5 the in+estiture of aso+erei'n9 6Titus Burckhardt5 An Introduction to Sufi*octrine /lossar" of Arabic ter%s in the text5 -ahore:DD89

See also Shah 2aliullah5 Anfas al&Arifeen5 -ahore9 Hisuncle Abur Re.a described the details of his +ision andtold that Hadrat Ali beco%es a %ediu% in the S4iritualreal% of ba"ah between the as4irant and the 7ro4het

64eace be u4on hi%8 79 :D

C9 1ana(ib&i&Sultani b" Sultan Ha%id5 the fifth in theline of the saints descendants9 The onl" reliable book5ori'inall" written in 7ersian and its 3rdu translation4ublished b" a 4ublisher of -ahore5 contains infor%ationabout his life5 that of his Sa00ada Nashins and his $hulafa9

9 It see%s that Hadrat Sultan Bahu wrote books5treatises and e4istles which were co4ied b" his murids9

These books still re(uire editin' and correct translations9


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F9 *oha is a well&known for% in Hindi5 3rdu and 7un0abilan'ua'es for ex4ression of lo+e5 its lon'in's andas4irations in 4oetr"9 This for% was es4eciall" 4o4ulara%on' the 4eo4le of Soon Valle" and Saraiki areas9


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Half a Glance

>9 ,a(r 67o+ert"5 here S4iritual 7o+ert"8 One is likel" toconsider Sufis% and ,a(r s"nona%ous but it is not so9 Ana44roach to the %eanin' %akes a lot of difference9 TheSufis% can take +arious for%s in the character of Sufis atthe end accordin' to their 4oint of attain%ent5 %"sticalsta'e5 rank5 station and function5 etc5 etc9 So HadratSultan Bahu +er" rarel" uses the usual ter% tasawwuf 6inEn'lish Sufis%8 in his books he alwa"s s4eaks of the wa"of ,a(r fro% be'innin' to the end9 It %eans that e+enwhen he talks of the doctrine5 he is at the sa%e ti%e

4ointin' out the %ethod and the i%4ortance of acti+it"5too9

2e find followin' +erses about faqrin the #uran

1en5 it is "ou who stand in need of Allah 6fu(ara89He is All&Sufficient and /lorious9 @:

Indeed5 Allah is rich5 but "ou are 4oor9 CF@>

1oses watered for the% 6their shee48 and thenretired to the shade5 sa"in' P-ord5 I stand in need of6fa(ir8 whate+er 'ood "ou %a" send %e9 =>@C

Then consider the fa%ous sa"in' of the Hol" 7ro4het64eace be u4on hi%8 7o+ert" is %" 4ride and I 'lor" init9 The Sufis are adherents of the wa" of S4iritual7o+ert"9 In the words of a conte%4orar" Sufi author thehu%an bein' is P4ossible bein'9 -ikewise the P4o+ert"%eans P4ossibilit"9 The hu%an bein's sub%it before the-ord to enrich the% with the di+ine knowled'e and 'uidethe% to the strai'ht 4ath9 This is the 4ath leadin' to theself&de+elo4%ent es4eciall" in the s4iritual and %oralsense9 It is wh" Sultan Bahu is e(uall" concerned with the


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doctrinal as well as the acti+e as4ect of knowled'e in histeachin's9 The ter% fa(r is therefore identical in %eanin'to 4erfection in the real sense of the word 4erfection inword and deed9 $nowled'e and its 4ractice 'o hand inhand in his tariq6wa"89

In order of ranks der+ish stands at the lowest9 He isthe be'inner9 Then he 4asses throu'h %an" stations andreaches the station of maarifa6'nosis89 There he is aarif6'nostic89 Then he is re(uired to function in the hu%ansociet" in accordance with the suitabilit" of his a4titude5trainin' and education9 At the hi'hest 4innacle of thehierarchical s"ste% of Hadrat Sultan Bahus faqr stands

the ,a(ir5 the 7erfect 1an of his a'e9,a(ir5 4l9 ,u(ara

D9 The station of the Essence of Bein' The final 4ointof 3nion where accordin' to a Sufi saint all the o44ositesare united9

:J9 Station 6%a(a%8 6a8 sta'e or de'ee on the Sufi7ath 6b8 4lace of %anifestation where a saint has

re+ealed his occasional 4resence and at which he can beco%%unicated with9 )9S9 Tri%in'ha%9

::9 The Throne a s"%bol of /ods 4ower and %a0est"9!our -ord is Allah5 who in six da"s created thehea+ens and the earth and then establishedHi%self on the Throne9 He throws the +eil ofni'ht o+er the da"9 Swiftl" the" follow oneanother9 6#uran5 FC8

The 7en the first intellect5 analo'ous toSu4re%e 7en ReadG !our -ord is the 1ostBountiful One5 who tau'ht b" the 4en5 tau'ht%an what he did not know9 6#uran5 D


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The ;hair& His throne 6chair8 is as +ast as thehea+ens and the earth 6#uran5 =9=8

Hadrat Sultan Bahu %eans to sa" that his wholeconcern has been with 3nion to the Su4re%e Essence andnot the di+ine attributes onl"9 He has been blessed withthe 'oal the celestial real%9

:=9 Hu 6He8 Hu is Allahs %ost 4erfect na%e5 b" whichthose who see nothin' but Allah call u4on Hi%9 In HadratSultan Bahus 7un0abi Abi"at each line ends with Hu9 In7un0abi 4oetr" it is 4eculiar onl" with Hadrat Sultans+erses9 Its use and refrain enhances the %elodious effect

in si'nin'9

:@9 $un 6Be8 /ods decree with reference to the #uranicVerse 2hen He decrees a thin' He need onl" sa" PBe5and it is9 6#uran5 @=8

:C9 Hati% An Arab Bedouin chief of 4re&Isla%ic 4eriodfa%ous for his chi+alr" and 'enerosit"9

:9 ,a(ir A self reali.ed Sufi5 4erfect as a %an5 teacher5and exe%4lar9

:


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certaint" 6a"n al&"a(in8 is to see it "ourself9 But the realit"of certaint" 6ha(( al&"a(in8 is to be fire9 6)ourne" to the-ord of 7ower b" Ibn Arabi5 /lossar"5 49 :JD98

It is Allah who has created se+en hear+ens5 andearths as %an"9 His co%%and%ent descends throu'hthe%5 so that "ou %a" know that Allah has 4ower o+er allthin's5 and that He has knowled'e of all thin's9 6#uran


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unfortunate5 ali+e or dead9 6Of the S4irit5 *ast'irAcade%"5 )han'5 49 ==8

==9 Hadrat Ibn Arabi said How can reason knowthrou'h obser+ation and ar'u%ent in as %uch as the" arede4endant on the sense or i%%ediate e+idence or onex4erience while /od cannot be known throu'h these4rinci4les on which reason de4ends for its inference 99How can a %an of reason clai% that he knows /odthrou'h inference9 6,utuhat I9 Trans9 S9#9A9 Hussaini5 the7antheistic 1onis% of Ibn al&Arabi5 -ahore5 :DFJ89

1aarifat 6'nosis8 is the su4ra&rational knowled'e9

Accordin' to Ibn Arabi5 it is to know /od throu'h /od andknow all the affairs throu'h Hi%9 Onl" then one will ha+eno i'norance5 no sus4ense5 no wa+erin'5 no doubt9

=@9 1ullahs the literalists5 the reli'ious scholars withsu4erficial knowled'e who are inca4able to 'o dee4 intothe %eanin's of di+ine books9

=C9 The Sufis often start learnin' fa(r after the" ha+e

learned all about he sacred law9

=9 S4iritual 1eetin's of 1uha%%ad A kind ofconte%4lation of i%a'ine oneself in the 4resence of the7ro4het 1uha%%ad 64eace be u4on hi%89 It can onl" be4racticed under the su4er+ision of a %urshid 6s4iritualdirector89

=


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=>9 Inno+ation in the reli'ion is heres"5 Hadrat SultanBahu does not 4a" an" attention to a Sufi who isirreli'ious and teaches or 4reaches inno+ations in reli'ion9

=D9 The" are declassed and deconditioned9 The" areliberated of habits5 custo%s and useless 4ractices9

@J9 It is a Sufi 4ro+erb9 It %eans that it is better to actthan to show off the s4iritual 'ifts9

@:9 The" are in 4resence throu'h re%e%brance of /od9The" 'o throu'h dee4 affliction because the" are alwa"s

read" to acce4t challen'es9

@=9 The aarif is hu%ble because he knows and he hasseen that finalit" rests with /od9

@@9 In the hierarch" of Saints the Qutub 64ole5 axis8 isdirectl" res4onsible for the welfare of the entire word96/haus 6hel4er8 is the senior&%ost #utub9

@C9 B" handicraft Sultan Bahu %eans the fair %eans ofearnin' li+elihood9

@9 The Sufis belie+e that the s4iritual 'uidance of thesaints continues e+en after their 4h"sical death9

@


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@>9 Attaint%ent to the ulti%ate ex4erience9 ElsewhereHadrat Sultan Bahu re%arks 2hene+er the /nostic whohas 0oined 6Allah8 o4ens his e"es5 beholds nothin' but Hiscountenance5 and re%o+es awa" all the traces of other aswell as his own self fro% hi%self so that he beco%esabsolute with the Absolute9 6Of the S4irit5 79:F98

@D9 The ,a(ir who is a 4erfect teacher can 4oint out tothe ri'ht direction with reference to e+er" disci4line ofknowled'e9

CJ9 It has been re%inded b" the Sufis ti%e and a'ain

that secret does not %eans the secrec"9 It onl" %eansthe knowled'e of dee4er %eanin' of the di+ineco%%ands and decrees9

C:9 The %an who was +isited b" 1oses 2here the twoseas %et5 has been called khadir9 6#uran5 :>


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branded with the%9 The" will be told these are the richeswhich "ou hoarded9 Taste then that which "ou werehoardin'9 6D@C8

CF9 Retreat One of the Sufi 4ractices which %a" befollowed onl" under the su4er+ision and 'uidance of aco%4etent s4iritual director9

C>9 Accordin' to the Tradition one should ha+e to crossthe brid'e o+er the eternal fire in order to enter the4aradise9

CD9 lawful %orsel %eans lawful earnin'9

J9 Shia Q Sunni The two %ain sects in Isla%9 Theirsectarian differences unfortunatel" turned to be the causeof %an" 4olitical and reli'ious disturbances in the histor"of Isla%9

:9 "amaz the ritual 4ra"er for fi+e ti%es in =C hours9

=9 $aaba The sacred House of /od in 1ecca9

@9 Binaris A cit" in India5 fa%our for its Hindu te%4lesand the sacred ri+er that flows b" it9

C9 Reference to the existence of idea of %an in the%ind of /od9 The other creation b" the co%%and of Beca%e into existence afterwards9 The Sufis 4oint out this%eta4h"sical idea to show the su4eriorit" of %an o+er thecreation of uni+erse9

Hazrat Sultan Bahoo Book Half a Glance

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