Bulleh shahs conflict with Mullahs of his age

Bulleh shahs as the greatest Punjabi mystic

Bulleh shahs devotion towards his spiritual master

Bulleh shah as a disciple

Bulleh shahs spiritual journey

Negation of self in bulleh shahs poetry

Bulley Shah(Detailed Analysis)

JUNE 12, 2014LEAVE A COMMENT

Introduction
Somewhere nearer to the local vernacular, 30 miles away from Lahore, in the tiny
unknown city of Kasur lived an unknown man, named Abdullah Shah, a man whose
writings are barely understood even by those who speak his language and which
contain amongst them, such enlightening philosophies that even Smith and Kant
would have been proud to claim them as their own. Mysterious is the turn of time.
The man who had been refused by Mullahs to be buried after his death in the
community graveyard because of his unorthodox views, today enjoys worldwide
reverence and recognition. Bulleh Shah is universally admitted to have been the
greatest of the Punjabi mystics. No Punjabi mystic poet enjoys a wider celebrity and
a greater reputation. His poetry has gained immense popularity. He is in fact, the
greatest Sufi of the world.
A large amount of what is known about Bulleh Shah comes through legends and is
subjective to the point that there isnt even an agreement among historians
concerning his precise date and place of birth. Some facts about his life have been
pieced together from his own writings and other facts seem to have been paved
down through oral traditions. Bulleh Shah is believed to have been born in 1680 in
the small village of Uch, Bahawalpur, Punjab, now Pakistan. When he was six years
old his parents relocated to Malakwal, where his father, Shah Muhammed Darwaish,
was a preacher in the village mosque and a teacher. Bulleh Shah received his earlier
education in Pandoke and then moved to Kasur for higher education. He gained
knowledge of Arabic, Persian and the Quran through his traditional teachers. After
that, in an effort to move to the next level, he searched for a spiritual guide and
eventually he found his Murshid in the form of Inayat Shah Qadri. Although Bulleh
Shah was of a much higher Syed caste, yet he accepted Shah Inayat as his spiritual
master and subordinated his life to his lower caste Murshid. Much of Bulleh Shahs
verses about love are actually written directly for his spiritual guide, Shah Inayat.
Although much of what is known today about Bulleh Shah comes through folklore
and is anecdotal, however, what is neither anecdotal nor folklore, are the Punjabi
verses that have been authored by Bulleh Shah. His style of writing is called Kafi
an established style of Punjabi poetry used by Punjabi Sufis and Sikh gurus. Though
the number is disputed, Bulleh Shah is credited with authoring from fifty to one
hundred and fifty Kafi. His life span overlapped with many legendary Punjabi poets
like Waris Shah, Shah Abdul Latif Bhattai and Sachal Sarmast.
His writings represent him as a humanist, someone providing solutions to the
sociological problems of the world around him, describing the turbulence his
motherland is passing through, while concurrently searching for God. His poetry
highlights his mystical spiritual voyage through the four stages of Sufism: Shariat
(path), Tariqat (observance) , Haqiqat (truth)and Marfat ( union).This simplicity with
which Bulleh Shah has been able to address the complex fundamental issues of life
and humanity is a large part of his appeal.
His time was marked with communal strife between Muslims and Sikhs, but in that
age Bulleh Shah was a beacon of hope and peace for the citizens of Punjab. As a
poet, he is different from the other Sufi poets and represents that strong and living
pious nature of Punjabi character which is more reasonable than emotional or
passionate. He practiced the Sufi tradition of Punjabi poetry established by poets
like Shah Hussain and Shah Sharaf. He thus pleaded to reach to Allah through the
love of humanity and tameness of inner self.
Bulleh Shah was an evolved soul, a perfect faqir and a true lover. Through the
love of his master, he realized the Lord. His life and writings are replete with
subtle secrets of the path. They not only strengthen the love of a true lover but also
encourage him to undergo the hardships for reaching the spiritual goal. His life and
writings will serve as a lighthouse from times immemorial to true seekers of spiritual
realization.\

Its All in One Contained & Strange are the Times

Bulleh Shah was the greatest Sufi poet of Punjab. His pure life and high spiritual
attainments have made Bulleh Shahs poetry very popular among every community.
Considered as the greatest mystic poet of Punjab, his compositions have been
regarded as, the pinnacle of Sufi literature. In his poetry, he preaches love,
humanity and tolerance. It highlights the philosophy of reunion with God.
He criticizes the religious orthodoxy of his day, and revolted against the
no go areas of Muslim Mullahs and pleaded to reach Allah through love of
humanity and tameness of inner self.

Bulleh Shahs poetry can prove very helpful in bringing tremendous change in this
world of today, where people habitually magnify hatred or differences based on the
racial prejudices.

Its All in One Contained is a poem by Bulleh shah, emphasizing on the oneness
of God. The poem highlights the philosophy of reunion with God. Bulleh Shah
conveyed that the spiritual progress lay in detaching ones mind from the outside
world and attaching it to the God within. He preaches divine love. He condemns all
futile ways for searching God. He believes that Man and God are inseparable. He
says that the Beloved is not apart from me. Without the Beloved, there is nothing.
But there is no eye to judge. Doing good and serving humanity, is in fact serving
God. He advises us to study only one single point in which all knowledge is
contained, and to leave all other calculations. He strictly disapproves the
hypocritical religious or social behavior of the people, and condemns the malicious
or greedy behavior of mullahs, hafiz or common people, who run after accumulating
wealth, gaining high positions, lusting in his mind for enjoyment. They become evil
and they start drowning spiritually into the polluted ocean of their worldly wishes.
They lose their attachment with the Pivot. They indulge in a sinful life and lose their
humanity. Meanwhile, if they perform the religious practices, they become just
affection to impress others as they are very virtuous.

In vain, you rub your forehead on the ground and you display a long visible mark
on it.
By prostrating during the prayer, the forehead gets rubbed and gets a mark, Bulleh
Shah says, Why do you show this mark as a mark of your piety?

In second kafi, Strange are the Times, Bulleh Shah expounds on the mysteries of
changing times. According to various scholars, this kafi teaches us that when things
deteriorate, God re-adjusts the world. This kafi represents the tumultuous time in
the history of Punjab when the Mughal Empire was declining and the Sikhs were
uprising. He presented various absurdities in the kafi, which presents how the
natural order of the things have been changed. Those who were once kings, have
now been lowered to the level of the slaves, the crows sweep on hawks and
sparrows do eagles stalk. At the end of the Kafi, Bullah gives the message that
although the time has been changed yet people must accept this change as the
Gods will and no matter how incomprehensible this life will get, the love of God will
soon get us through this.
Its All in One Contained:

The verse form Bulleh Shah primarily employed is called the Kafi, a style of Punjabi,
Sindhi and Siraiki poetry used not only by the Sufis of Sindh and Punjab, but also by
Sikh gurus. Bulleh Shahs poetry and philosophy strongly criticizes Islamic religious
orthodoxy of his day.

What use is it bowing ones head?

To what avail has prostrating led?
Reading Kalma you make them laugh
Absorbing not a word while the Quran you quaff
The truth must be here and there sustained
Its all in One contained
The kafi, Its All in One Contained emphasizes the oneness of God. Bulleh Shah
says that: Be one with the One and only the Almighty Creator, leave all complicated
sources you have made to reach him, free yourself from the fear of hell, make your
heart grand, and only then you will understand. But what do you do? You just rub
your forehead against earth, you show off that you offer prayers, you profess to
believe him just to impress people, but you dont try to truly understand by using
your heart, cant you see that to find truth you need to search, but you limit
yourself to few religious rituals. But what many do? They perform Hajj, then
they even show off by their very apparel, and even during Hajj they dont cease to
usurp the rights of others (humans), how could you justify that? How could reality
be denied? Then there are ones (birds) which go in search of food on a day to
day basis, and there you are, on the other hand, who tire yourself for future and
thus do nothing except to waste your own self. But when you submit yourself
completely to your Murshid (teacher) you become one with God, you get
indifferent to the world and get drunk in that ecstasy to find Him, you dont wish
anything, you dont ask for anything in fact you appear as you have gone dumb,
and then your heart is immensely cleansed. The truth is that there is nothing but
the One.

What use is it bowing ones head?

To what avail has prostrating led?
Reading Kalma you make them laugh
Absorbing not a word while the Quran you quaf
The truth must be here and there sustained
Its all in One contained

The Point or Dot is the starting point of anything or everything. The Dot explodes
with Big Bang and becomes the universe. The explosions effects are dynamic. The
Universe continues to expand. In this universe there are microcosms: the earth,
man, his spirit, etc. All emanates from one point.
There are the birds that go in search of a grain, mere grain. They trust their God.
They dont store food. They praise God every morning. On the other hand there is a
man who is so mistrustful, who is so concerned about his future, who torments
himself in search of food, in search of money, in search of fame. He has no idea
what his life is about. Hes been tiring himself for ages. He isnt even sure about his
future, still he likes to store for years. Bullah says they are senseless people who
dont know the meaning of life. What theyd get from these stored grains if they
didnt get to see a future? He is not going to last forever. His life is a short phase
which he has to face. Its a very short period then why is he drying himself up?
Weve lost our trust in God. We accept the concept of God and afterlife and yet we
lack belief. And when Moaazan says Azaan, sometimes a man is too busy to pay
attention to the call of his God. A man gets too tired that at night when he comes
back home he becomes too ignorant to offer Isha prayer, because hes been
working all day for his familys future. And what if theres no future? What if this
future word is only being used to escape the present? Weve lost happiness. Weve
lost peace; we are living a life of misery just because weve lost our identity. Weve
lost our belief in God. Weve forgotten the purpose of life. Its all in One contained
means we just need to know God. We have to believe in his oneness and his
greatness. Then our desires would be finished. We will feel real ecstasy in the mere
remembrance of Allah.

It will lead you to mystic abandon

And help you to get attuned to the Lord
Its the truth that Bulleh has gained
Its all in One contained

Bulleh Shah was one of the greatest Sufi poets of all time. He has delineated his
spiritual journey of a Sufi through various stages as known to his times in his poetry,
these being: Shariat, Tariqat, Haqiqat and Marfat. He started his spiritual journey as
a conformist. Shariat is the preliminary stage when the Salik conforms to the Sharia
or the code of conduct as dictated by Islam. It is saying prayers five times a day,
observing fasts during the month of Ramadan, besides faith in the supremacy of
God and Prophet Mohammad as His Messenger. It is said that Bulleh Shah knew the
text of the Holy Quran by heart. The way he quotes the Islamic scriptures in his
verse speaks volumes for it. Says Bulleh Shah:

Understand the One and forget the rest,

Shake off your ways of a non-believer
Leading to the grave and to hell, in quest.

Bulleh Shah advises us to study the One point in which all knowledge is condensed,
and to leave all other calculations aside. All other pretentions rituals are futile. He
tells us to be far away from people who talk about kufar.Kufar is a term in Islam for
something that is related to non-belief. Someone who commits or talks kufar is
doomed to go to hell for eternity. One who believes goes to heaven. Bulleh Shah
asks everyone to remove these punishments and rewards from their lives. And to
cleanse ones heart of desires of going to heaven. The point of knowledge resides in
such a heart and who understands it, he doesnt need to understand anything else.
The point of these lines is that repetition of religious content without contemplation
and clean heart is useless. Sort of like that saying:

Hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.

If someone needs help, it is much better to have good intentions and help out that
person. Even if you do not do rituals, if your heart is pure, you are better off than
people visiting temples and mosques every day to get pardoned of their sins.

Strange are the Times:

The Mughals quaf the cup of poison.
Those with coarse blankets are up.
The genteel watch it all in quiet,
They have a humble pie to sup.
The tide of the times is in spate.
The Punjab is in a fearsome state.
We have to share the hell of a fate.

Baba Bulleh Shah was one of the greatest humanist, philosopher, rebel,
internationalist, teacher and Sufi poet of all times. Bulleh Shah, the greatest mystic
poet of Punjab, had lived the most tumultuous period of the subcontinent history
and was a Punjabi Sufi poet and humanist. The verse form Bulleh Shah primarily
employed is called the Kafi (Refrain), a traditional style of Punjabi poetry used by
Punjabi Sufis and Sikh gurus. A common theme of his poetry is the pursuit of self-
knowledge that is essential for the mystical union with the Beloved.
Bulleh Shah clearly established that human relations and consciousness are
determined by historical conditions. Bulleh Shah was witnessing the declining
Mughal empire, its ruling elites downfall while the Sikh movement was rising.
Bhurian wale raje keete (the blanket-wearing people are becoming rulers) is
understood to be a reference to Sikh guerillas which comprised the artisans and
poorest section of the Sikh Jatts of Punjab. Some Sikh literary critics have
interpreted Bulleh Shahs symbol of Bhurian wale as a slight but they fail to
understand that Sufis preferred Bhura over the Mullahs white sheet. Though
Sikhs had not captured state power by then, Bulleh Shahs sharp eyes could see
where history was heading.

The Iraqis are despised

While the donkey are prized.
Strange are the times!

According to the scholars the kafi, Strange are the Times, of Bulleh Shah reflects a
tumultuous time in the history of Punjab. The poet perceives radical changes taking
place in society around him. This was the middle of 18th century when the Sikh
power was in the ascendancy and the Mughal power was waning. The 18th century
was one of the most troubled times in Punjab: the Mughal empire was declining and
there were uprisings all around; it was a time of chaos as there was no law and
order. Bulleh Shah sees rampant corruption and societal decay. The general tone of
the poem is pessimistic, as is obvious.

In this kafi, Bulleh shah presents logical absurdities and impossibilities like:

Crows swoop on hawks

Sparrows do eagles stalk
Strange are the times!

These absurdities show that how the natural order of things has had been
completely reversed. The prey and the predator have changed places. This refers to
the decline of the Mughal Empire that how once those who were the conquerors are
now at the mercy of their conquered. With the Sikh uprising and the repeated
attacks by Abdali, the Mughal dynasty from Aurangzeb and especially after his
death, was speedily going downhill. Bulleh Shah, despite being a Sufi, was a keen
observer of everything around him, could see how times were changing.
Even if seen without its political context, this kafi is representative of the religious
and ethical conditions of the time in which it was written. Bulleh Shah says:

There is no accord between fathers and sons,

Nor any between mothers and daughters
The truthful ones are being pushed about,
the tricksters are seated close by.

Bulleh Shah has perfectly captured the moral degeneration of his time. It was a time
of anarchy, social and moral corruption and injustice. Religion had become only a
set of rituals for the Muslims and, instead of using it for their spiritual exaltation, it
had become a matter of appearances. It is for this reason that we can find in most
of Bulleh Shahs kafis social commentaries and critique on the hypocrisy of the so-
called religious figures of his time. Also, another point worth noting is that in one
translation of the kafi, Bullah seems to be resigned to the situation around.

Those in tatters have turned into kings,

the kings have taken to begging
O Bulleh, that which is His command
who can alter His decree.

On one side, he seems to be flaunting Gods omnipotence, but on the other side,
the note of pessimism and despair also resonate. But in another translation, the kafi
ends as:
Its not without reason or rhyme ,

Strange are the times!

Says Bulleh, kill your ego
And throw away your pride.
You need to forget yourself
To find Him by your side.

This alternative translation of the kafi has a more optimistic note to it. Bullah says
that despite the fragility of time and the mayhem of events around, believers can
still make it through by putting their trust in the wisdom of God and trusting Him to
always help in all times. Obedience to God will lead to a close relationship with Him,
and God never deserts those He loves. So, this translation completely changes the
meaning of the kafi and ends on a positive and an optimistic note. But the first
translation expresses feelings of despair and resignation. Bullah still seems to be
exalting God and his ultimate power, but there seems to be no constructive
message to the reader. The kafi seems to be saying that although times have
completely gone topsy-turvy, one must simply accept them as Gods will. But the
second translation says that no matter how incomprehensible life gets, the love of
God shall get us through.The language of this kafi, considering both translations, is
simple and straightforward. In the first translation, the refrain Strange are the
times! occurs at the end of the each stanza, but in the second translation, there is
no refrain. Bulleh Shah makes use of several common images, and this kafi is easy
to understand by the layman. However, to appreciate its message completely, one
must refer to the socio-political scene of Bullehs time, and its conditions.

Bulleh Shahs Concept of Rabb:

Mullah and Pundit became old reciting the name of God

Despite many prostrations, they could not find any clue of God.

The Holy Quran indicates that in your heart dwells God.

Bulleh says only those who kill their desires find God.

Bulleh Shahs concept of God is central to his poetry. Without understanding

Bullehs spiritual and religious beliefs, one cannot properly appreciate the depth of
his poetry.

Tear down the mosque and temple too, break all that divides
But do not break the human heart as it is there that God resides.
Bulleh Shah was a Sufi poet who lived in Pakistan from 1680 to 1758. His given
name was Abdullah Shah, Bulleh was a nickname and it is the name he chose to use
as a poet. Bullah traveled to Lahore in search of a Murshid (master). He found
Hazrat Shah Inayat, a well-known Qadiri Sufi and gardener by profession. He asked
Inayat, I wish to know how to realize God. Inayat Shah replied, What is
the problem in finding God? One only needs to be uprooted from here and
replanted there. Inayat graced Bulleh with the secret of spiritual insight
and the Knowledge of God.

Seek your master, say your prayers and

surrender to God.
It will lead you to mystic abandon
And help you to get attuned to the Lord
Its the truth that Bulleh has gained
Its all in One contained
-Hold fast to your Murshid
Become a devotee of all creation,
Intoxicated, carefree,
Without desire, indifferent to the world.
Let your heart be fully clean.
Bullah asks, can the truth then be stopped?
At this one point, all talk ends.
Bulleh Shahs poetry highlights the philosophy of a reunion with God. He believes
that Man (creation) and God (Creator) are inseparable. He says that the Beloved is
not apart from me. Without the Beloved there is nothing. But there is no eye to
judge. Doing good and serving humanity is in fact serving God. Bulleh Shah
preaches divine love, and for delivering his message of love to the reader, he
employs a genre of poetry called the Kafi.

Bulleh Shah! I will never die.

Someone else is lying in the grave.

Here Bulleh Shah says that by being one with God, he has become immortal. He will
never die. The dead body in the grave does not belong to him. It belongs to dust,
matter, and earth. Soul is universally superior to the body. The Body is the dress of
soul. So the main emphasis should be on purifying the soul. It must not
become impure. Anger, lust, greed, jealousy, enmity, bad behavior, pride and
hatred make it impure.
The Sufi cult is akin to mysticism. It is believed in some quarters that it was born out
of interaction between Semitic Islam and Aryan Vedantism on the soil of India. This
is not the whole truth. Sufism took birth in Arabia in the ninth century. However, the
Aryan perceptions in Iran and then in India influenced it a great deal, more
particularly in accentuating the emotional content as against the dry-as-dust self-
denial of the Arabs. The Arabs laid stress on asceticism and disciplining of the body,
while the later Sufis in Iran and India, under the influence of Greek philosophy,
Platonic ideology, Christian faith, Vedantist thinking, Buddhist lore, etcetera
believed in leading an emotionally ~rich life. They drank and danced and advocated
that physical love could sublimate itself into spiritual love. They had faith in
God: they loved the Prophet but they maintained that the Murshid or Guru could
also lead to realization of the Divine Reality.

Literally speaking, a Sufi is one who is pure or one who goes about with a woolen
blanket. In Greek, he is a Sufi who is enlightened. The cardinal features of the Sufi
cult are:

a) God exists in all and all exist in God.

b) Religion is only a way of life; it does not necessarily lead to Nirvana.
c) All happenings take place as per the will of God; nothing happens if He does not
ordain it,
d) The soul is distinct from the physical body and will merge into Divine Reality
according to
a persons deeds,

e) It is the Guru whose grace shows the way and leads to union with God.
The Sufis loved God as one would love ones sweetheart. God for a Sufi is the
husband and humankind his wife, Man must serve, love, undergo asceticism, gain
enlightenment and then get merged in God, The Indian Sufis laid stress on
repeating the Name (Japu), concentration (Dhyan) and meditation (habs-i-dam). A
Sufi must eschew sin, repent, live a simple and contented life and should look for
the grace of the Murshid or Guru. The Sufis maintain that the soul has been
separated from the Divine Reality and the supreme mission of human life is to
achieve union with God.
According to Bulleh Shah, the road to the union with God begins with Shariat or the
observance to the rituals of Islam. The second stage is that of Tariqat.

If Bulleh Shahs verse is any guide, he did not take long to leave Shariat as a
spiritual path behind. At best, he employed it as a stepping-stone. He moved on to
Tariqat which is an important landmark in a Saliks career. The cardinal feature of
this stage is the assistance provided by the Murshid or Guru. In fact, what Sharia
does in the life of a common devotee, Tariqat does in the case of a Sufi. The literal
meaning of Tariqat is manner or observance. Tariqat according to Bulleh Shah is the
bridge which helps the seeker pass the arduous path of hard spiritual exercises with
the help of the Murshid. The Guru or Murshid is like the philosophers stone which
converts metal into gold. Good deeds are the dowry that the bride collects at this
stage and then qualifies for union with the lord. In the first instance, Bulleh Shah
discards the rituals and the ceremonials prescribed by the Shariat:

Burn the prayer mat, break the water pot,

Quit the rosary and care not for the staff.

Haqiqat is the third stage of his spiritual journey to which Bulleh Shah refers time
and again in his verse. The devotee understands and accepts the existence of God.
God is truth. God exists in everything around us. This concept has been described in
the Sufi idiom as Hamaost. When the Salik comes to realize it, he no longer
discriminates between the Hindu and the Muslim, and the temple and the mosque.
He hears the call of the Muezzin in the flute-strains of an idol worshipper:

Pour not on prayers, forget the fasts.

Wipe of Kalma from the sight.
Bulleh has found his lover within,
Others grope in the pitch-dark night.

What a spark of knowledge is kindled ~

I find that I am neither Hindu nor Turk.
I am a lover by creed;
A lover is victorious even when swindled.

Marfat is the last stage of the spiritual evolution of a Sufi. It is the merging into
Divine Reality called Fana and thus attaining the life eternal known in the Sufi idiom
as Baqa. The Murshid helps the seeker arrive at this stage but it is the grace which
makes possible the ultimate union. The moment this happens, caste and creed
cease to have any meaning. The Atma (Soul) and Paramatma (God) become one.
When Bulleh attained this stage, the entire world appeared to him as a reflection of
the Divine Reality, Bulleh has merged in God:
Remembering Ranjha day and night,

Ive become Ranjha myself.

Call me Dhido Ranjha,
No more I be addressed as Heer.
I abuse Ranjha but adore him in my heart.
Ranjha and Heer are a single soul,
No one could ever set them apart.

Bulleh Shah as a Humanist:

Bulleh Shahs writings represent him as a humanist, someone providing solutions to

the sociological problems of the world around him as he lives through it, describing
the turbulence his motherland of Punjab is passing through, while concurrently
searching for God. His poetry highlights his mystical spiritual voyage through the
four stages of Sufism: Shariat (Path), Tariqat (Observance), Haqiqat (Truth) and
Marfat (Union). The simplicity with which Bulleh Shah has been able to address the
complex fundamental issues of life and humanity is a large part of his appeal. His
humanism lies in his depicting the troubles that were being faced by the Muslims of
his time, his rejection of caste system, and in his concept of God.
Bulleh Shah preaches that how knowledge is used by various levels of the religious
establishment and how it makes them degenerates, and compares them with Satan
who was the most learned angel of God but went against Gods will. For Bulleh Shah
real knowledge comes from history and real-life experiences. In the following Kafi,
he points out that he has acquired the understanding of the world from the course
of history where anarchy shows the naked realities hidden under the ongoing states
affair. For example in the following Kafi he predicts his understanding of the reality
of socio-economic relations within society and how they can be put upside down
with the change of time:
Times have gone upside down
That is how I discovered the secret of love

Bulleh Shah was witnessing the declining Mughal Empire, its ruling elites downfall
while the Sikh movement was rising. Though Sikhs had not captured state power by
then, Bulleh Shahs sharp eyes could see where history was heading. That is why he
states:

The crows are killing eagles

The sparrows have put hunting birds down
The blanket [wearing] people have become kings
The kings are made to beg
Bullah, this is the dictation from the Supreme
Who can stop it?
The real duty of a humanist is to depict the societys circumstances and evaluate
them. Bulleh Shah has done this job in the above Kafi. Bulleh Shah clearly
established that human relations and consciousness are determined by historical
conditions. In the verse hukam hazoroon (Orders from the Supreme), he affirmed
the concept of a pre-determined historical process but also unearthed the dynamics
of change where the weakest can conquer the most powerful.
Bulleh Shah aptly discovered the basic contradictions of the society that were
reflecting in religious differentiations. The following verse highlights his
understanding of the essence of conflicts among people:
Somewhere he is called Ramdas and elsewhere Fateh Muhammad

This dispute is from eternity

Once the quarrel between them was settled
Something else came out of it.

Within the bounded scope of dictations from the Supreme or history, real
knowledge leads one to relate to humanity, nature and the universe. This goal can
be achieved only through first surrendering your ego in front of your Murshid
(spiritual master) and fall in deep love with this relationship:

Jad main sabq ishq da parhia

Daryia waikh wahdat de wriya
Ghuman Gharian de vich aria
Shah Inayat laiya par.
[When I learned the lesson of love
I entered the river of unity
I was trapped in whirlwinds
Shah Inayat helped me to get across.]

As the last line of the Kafi indicates, Bulleh Shah became a follower of Sufi Shah
Inayat Qadiri, who was a member of the Arain tribe of Lahore. For Bulleh Shah
taking an Arain as his Murshid was an act of declassing, or surrendering his ego and
negating the ingrained caste system. He was probably the only classical Punjabi
who openly expressed ishq (love) for his Guru.
For a distinguished scholar [Bulleh Shah], who belonged to the line of Prophet
Mohammed (PBUH), to accept an ordinary vegetable grower as his master was a
very extraordinary event in the social conditions of Bulleh Shahs times. It was like
an explosion which shook the prevailing social structure. (The Life of Bulleh Shah)

We find this expected reaction in his Kafi:

To admonish Bullah came his sisters and sisters-in-law,

Why have you brought disgrace to the prophet
And to the progeny of Ali?
Listen to our advice, O Bullah, and leave the hem of the Arains skirt.
The reply to this reveals his humanistic attitude rather than the extremist. Bullah
preached fearlessly that the guidance of a Master was indispensable for spiritual
realization, and the caste of the Master did not at all matter in this pursuit. Even if
he belonged to the lowest caste, his help would still remain indispensable. Thus, he
proclaimed at the top of his voice that pride in being a Sayyed would land one in
hell, and the one who held the skirt of a Master like Inayat Shah would enjoy the
pleasures of heaven.

Let anyone, who calls me a Sayyiad,

Be punished with tortures of hell,
And let him revel in the pleasures of heaven,
Who labels me an Arain.
If you seek the pleasures of the spring season,
Become a slave of the Arain.

This quarrel of caste system disturbed him so much that he expressed this notion of
annoyance in one of his Kafi as:

Chal Bullehya chal othey chaliye jithey saray annay

Na koi saadi zaat pehchany, na koi sanu mannay
(O Bulleh Shah lets go there where everyone is blind
Where no one recognizes our caste and where no one believes in us)
Bulleh Shah articulated the role of organized religion and other obscurantist
ideologies that were employed to sustain an uneven and unjust society. Bulleh Shah
aptly discovered the basic contradictions of the society that were reflecting in
religious differentiations. So, he declared himself unknown in one of his Kafi to
degrade the class, caste and social status system. When he says I am unknown he
is professing his humanistic view that is free from all the restrictions.

Na main momin vich maseeta

Na mai vich kufr diyaan reetaan
Na mai paakaan vich paleetaan
Na mai Musa na Firaun
Bulleh ki jana mai kaun
[Neither am I a believer in the mosque
Neither am I an infidel
Neither amongst the virtuous nor amongst the sinners
Neither am I Moses nor the Pharaoh
Bulleh, who knows who I am]

Inayat Qadiris alienation with Bulleh Shah is a much-talked-about myth in which it

is claimed that he had to learn dancing and went back to his Murshid dancing in
female attire. The cue of this myth is taken from Bullehs famous Kafi:
Tere ishq nachaiya kar ke thayya thayya
(Your love made me dance beat by beat)

Such was the devotional attitude of Bulleh Shah. Bulleh Shah, taught people to
liberate themselves from the prison of bigotry. Bullahs message through much of
his poetry matches his broad perspective of universality that is much deeper than
the mere appraisal of natural beautyit has deep roots that reach down to the
human soul and human heart. This concept is larger than life: divinity to universality
and then to spirituality; all are interconnected and cannot be separated. This
interrelation is characterized by the phrase Ana ul Haq (I am divine). Uttering
such a phrase was considered at the time such a blasphemous expression that
when it was uttered by the seer Mansoor Halaj he was forced to drink poison for his
spiritual crime. Bulleh Shah was a unique voice at that time in the Muslim world
(and certainly in the present place and time as well), as he asked the people to
destroy the mosque and the temple since it is in the human heart that God dwells.
The concept of self is his focal point as he addressed mankind, asking in one of
his more famous poems (known as a kafi), Come to Our Abode:

Time and time again you go to temples and mosques,

But have you ever entered your own heart?

This concept of forsaking the established constructs of prayer, and in particular the
physical trappings of worship, such as mosque, church, and religious books, later
drew universal attention, and brought new awareness to people like Malcolm X and
others who felt disenfranchised by the majority religion and culture by which they
were ruled. Such an awareness or enlightenment often can be found to turn many
from criminal outcasts to leaders and visionaries. To regard all as equals, to achieve
a humanistic equality, is paramount to the path of the human being on earth, which
was and remains the heart of Sufism:

Remove duality and do away with all disputes,

The Hindus and Muslims are not other than He.
Deem everyone virtuous, there are no thieves.
For within everybody He himself resides.
How the trickster has put on his mask!

To sum up all these three humanistic approaches we can say that at the time Bulleh
penned these works, Islam had become a fundamental part of everyday life in the
Punjab. The influence of religious doctrine was an important element of the political
and social structure of life in the Punjab region of Pakistan. Indeed, to speak out
against the so-called caste-system was equivalent to blasphemy, or at the very
least, it was seen as a rejection of ones own society. But Bulleh Shah rejected this
system and proposed that all are equal in the eyes of God. Secondly, it was Bullehs
perspective as a Sufi that guided him away from the formalist religious and political
establishment and toward a more open-minded, humanistic, yet deeply spiritual
view of God in ones own life. Thirdly, he lived during a time of darkness and decay
where the Muslim spirit had been broken down, much like today. A time when
Punjabi Muslims were beaten down and were powerless. Baba Bulleh Shah was a
humanist before the term was created, his message although forgotten, can still be
appreciated. He sought to bring the Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus of Punjabis together,
realizing that beneath the skin lies the same blood.

Bulleh Shahs Language:

Like the Iranian Sufis who sang the praises of Yusaf Zulaikha, Laila Majnun and
Shirin Farhad, the Sufis in the Punjab idealized the romances of Heer Ranjha, Sohni
Mahiwal and Sassi Punnun. Preoccupied with the metaphysical, they restored the
use of symbols drawn from everyday life around them like the spinning-wheel, boat,
dowry, etc. As poets, they employed kafi, baramah, athwara, siharfi, doha, baint
and deodh as their favorite poetic forms. Their language is simple and
conversational, light and lyrical. There is no denying that they made an indelible
impression on the life and thought of the people of the Punjab. More important
among the Sufi poets who wrote in Punjabi were Shah Husain (1538-1599), Sultan
Bahu (1629-1691), and Shah Sharaf (1640-1724). They were preceded by Farid in
the 12th century and followed by Bulleh Shah (1680-1757), Ali Hyder (1690-1785),
Hashim Shah (1735-1843) and others in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Bulleh Shah is credited with the following works:
Kafis: 150
Athwara: 1
Baramah: 1
Siharfi: 3
Oeodh: 49
Gandhan: 40

This is the whole lot that appears in his name in various collections published from
time to time. A considerable part of it is unauthentic. The first time an academician,
Dr. Mohan Singh researched on Bulleh Shahs work, he seems to have found only 50
Kafis genuinely composed by the Sufi Saint. This was in the thirties of the twentieth
century. Syed Nazir Ahmed of Lahore (Pakistan) compiled a fairly prestigious volume
of Bulleh Shahs work in 1976 in which he has included 66 Kafis besides a few
miscellaneous pieces. Interpolations have been galore. His Kafis at times seem to
vary as they travel from Pakistan to India.
Kafi has no specific mould, and is called Chhand in Punjabi poetics. It has, however,
a prescribed manner of presentation as light classical music. Rather than a Raga,
some scholars have called it a Ragini. Long before Bulleh Shah, Guru Nanak wrote
three Kafis. We have five more Kafis in the Holy Granth, one each of Guru Amardas
and Guru Ram Das, two of Guru Arjan and one of Guru Tegh Bahadur. These Kafis
are available in Ragas Asa, Suhi, Tilang and Maru. Besides light classical musicians,
Kafi singing is popular with Qawwals who make their presentations in choruses and
carry the audience with them as if in a trance. Kafis, as text, sing the praises of the
Murshid and the Divine Reality, refer to the transitoriness of the world and also
describe the pangs of separation of the devotee from the Guru and seeker from
God. At times Kafis deal with social and political themes as well. Bulleh does it time
and again. As regards the form, more often than not, Bulleh provides a refrain which
provides relief as well as underlines the theme of the Kafi:

Strange are the times!

Crows swoop down on hawks.
Sparrows do eagles stalk.
Strange are the times!

The Iraqis are despised

While the donkeys are prized.
Strange are the times!

Those with coarse blankets are kings,

The erstwhile kings watch from the ring.
Strange are the times!

Its not without rhyme or reason.

Strange are the times!

Bulleh Shahs language is Central Punjabi but when he is emotionally charged, he

waxes eloquent into Lehndi, the South-eastern dialect. There are traces of other
Punjabi dialects also in his poetry which could, perhaps, be attributed to
interpolations and the fact that his work has travelled from mouth to mouth. While
singing in chorus the Oawwals are known to deviate from the original text. Bulleh
Shah employs classical terms and phrases whether from the Persian or the Sanskrit
according to the philosophic content of his verse. His language is replete with
eternal truths, which are in common use in the Punjab in everyday life. As a poet,
some of his expressions remain unsurpassed:

The sun has set; its flush only is left.

A peacock calls in the grove of passion.

Mohammad Baksh, a great bard of his time, writing in 1864, was, perhaps, the first
to recognize Bulleh Shahs talent. Says he:
Listening to Bullehs Kafis rids one of blasphemy.
He, indeed, has swum
Gods ocean of eternity.

Conclusion

Bulleh Shah is a radiant star in the galaxy of the great Sufi poets. Bulleh Shah lived
from 1680 to 1757 during the period of the Mughal King Aurangzeb, who was the
most communal and orthodox Muslim ruler the subcontinent ever faced. His time
was marked with communal strife between Muslims and Sikhs. But in that age
Bulleh Shah was a beacon of hope and peace for the citizens of Punjab. The Sufi
does not care for his individual life and he would never indulge in narrating details
of his life. The verse form Bulleh Shah primarily employed is called the Kafi, a style
of Punjabi, Sindhi and Siraiki poetry used not only by the Sufis of Sindh and Punjab,
but also by Sikh gurus. He held a spiritual position in the eyes of his followers, who
were from all over the world, and he was a man who was against the division of
human beings for religious reasons. His kafis have gained unique popularity. Bulleh
Shahs poetry and philosophy strongly criticizes the Islamic religious orthodoxy of
his days. Bulleh Shahs writings represent him as a humanist, someone providing
solutions to the sociological problems of the world around him as he lives through it,
describing the turbulence his motherland of Punjab is passing through, while
concurrently searching for God. His poetry highlights his mystical spiritual voyage
through the four stages of Sufism: Shariat (Islamic Law), Tariqat (Observance),
Haqiqat (Truth-Essence) and Marfat (Union or God knowledge). The simplicity with
which Bulleh Shah has been able to address the complex fundamental issues of life
and humanity is a large part of his appeal.
Bulleh Shahs poetry can help to bring about a tremendous change in our part of the
world where unfortunately we habitually and traditionally magnify hatred and
differences. As a result we have hindered the progress of the whole region. Bulleh
Shah breaks all such types of barriers. He is among the very few poets who are
equally popular amongst all faiths of this region. Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and
Christians as well as non-believers love his poetry. Due to his humanistic poetry he
can be called a poet of South Asia or of a modern world in search of peace. There
has never been a more urgent need in the history of the world to find the common
ground on which societies can rebuild tolerance, trust and a shared desire to end
the suffering of those least able to protect themselves. Lifes rich tapestry has
become fragmented; it must not be destroyed with weaponry, but should instead be
repaired stitch by stitch to glorify this world a place in which people could share
the wealth and beauty with each other. Those who attempt this ideal should be
honored and respected. One such member of humanity is Bulleh Shah.
Sufi poetry all over the world is erotic in expression, but in meaning, it is essentially
symbolic. Almost all the Sufi poets wrote about the Divine Beloved in the terms
applied to their beautiful women. This was an innovation Bullah brought about in
the Panjabi Sufi verse. The change was due to the following causes.
Firstly, there was the natural growth of his own character. He never sought the
shelter of a womans love. He fell in love with the universal Lord and, therefore,
found worldly love entirely superfluous. This was the first and the chief cause why
his poetry was essentially non-erotic.
Secondly, it was due to the growth of his spirituality. Once he had cast off the veil
of ignorance and had found the Lord, he had found his own self. He therefore could
not write poetry in the material sense, following tradition and poetic convention.
Nowhere in his kafis do we find fabulous descriptions of the eyes, nose, neck,
cheeks, etc of the Beloved.
So we can safely say that his poetry represents truly what is naturally felt in loving
the divine. His verse is suffused with divine love. This is the greatness of Bulleh
Shah.
This paper traversed through two of Bullahs kafis, Its All in One Contained and
Strange are the Times. Their underlying themes have been highlighted by means of
referring to the socio-political circumstances of Bullahs time. Moreover, Bulleh
Shah, apart from being analyzed as a Sufi poet, is also discussed as a humanist. His
language, his concept of God and his Sufism are also discussed in length while
constantly referring to his poetic works.