English (Compulsory) For Class IX - Unit 2 - Role Model - Lesson with Urdu translation

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Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai

Lesson with Urdu translation

شاہ عبداللطیف بھٹائی

Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, who is lovingly called Lal Latif by his devotees, was a noted Sindhi Sufi scholar, mystic, saint, and poet. He is considered as the greatest Muslim poet of the Sindhi language. Information about the life of Bhitai has mostly been collected from oral traditions. A renowned Pakistani scholar, educationist, and writer of plays, dramas and stories, Mirza Kalich Beg, is said to have collected details about the early life of Shah Bhitai from some of the old people living at that time. These people had heard these facts from their fathers and grandfathers, some of whom had seen Shah Latif in person and had even spoken to him.

As a Sufi poet, Latif's 'Urs' is held at his shrine every year, on 14^th Safar, the second month of the Muslim calendar. Thousands of people gather and listen to the saint's songs sung on the Tambooro'. Many learned men read papers that tell about Latif's life and his poetry. Some of the key aspects shared by different scholars about Lal Latif are given below:

1. Background and Family:
Shah Latirs ancestral roots lay in Afghanistan. Some historians say that the Shah's father, Syed Habib Shah, migrated from Matyaru, his ancestral home in Afghanistan, to Bhainpur in Sindh, in order to gain spiritual contact with Bilawal, a local pious man. Others say that his ancestors migrated to the Sindh from Hirai Sindh was then a centre of Muslim culture and Shah Latif's ancestors liked it so much that they decided to make it their home.

2. The Name Bhitai:
In 1742, Shah Latif left his home and went to live on a mound at some distance from his vilage. A mound of sand is called 'Bhit' in Sindh, Due to the fact that he lived on this mound for the rest of his life, Shah Latif came to be known as 'Saint of Bhit.' To this day, he is famous all over the country as Shah Abdul Lath Bhitai or Shah Latif of the Mound.

3. Early Life and Education:
Shah Bhitai was born in 1689 A.D / 14^th Safar 1102 A.H., in a small village called 'Hata Haveli', a few miles to the east of the present town of Bhit Shah. Latif was raised during the golden age of Sindhi culture. His first teacher was Akhund Noor Muhammad Bhatti, but mainly he was self-educated.
Although he received little formal education, the Risalo provides proof that he knew Arabic and Persian quite well. Various references in Shah Jo Risalo indicate that he had in-depth knowledge of the Holy Qur'an and the Hadiths. His poetic collections included the Masnavi of Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi and Shah Karim's poems.

4. Youth:
Young Latif had a very sensitive mind. While he was only a boy, he started composing poetry. His admiration for the beauty of nature filled his heart with the love of God. In 1713 the Sufi poet married with Bibi Saidha Begum. His wife died at an early age, before she could have any children. However, Shah never married again. His heart turned more and more towards religion and devotion and he felt restless; he found it difficult to live a normal domestic life.

5. Spiritual Growth:
Latif's love of God grew more and more, to the extent that he found pleasure only in devotion. As a result, he spent most of his time in prayers and deep thinking. His spiritual power grew stronger with prayers and devotion, so much so that people began to be attracted towards him. Anyone who came to him was strongly impressed by his gentle ways, and his followers increased day by day.
Close to the mound on which Lal Latif came to live is a natural lake. His poetic nature loved the calm atmosphere. He would spend much of his time sitting on the bank of this lake. As he sat there, he prayed to God and sometimes composed verses in his praise.

6. Death and Remembrance:
Lal Latif died in 1752, on the mound where he had lived. He was buried on the same mound. It is said that one day he ordered the musicians to play music. They played continuously for three days. When they stopped playing, they found the poet dead. A famous king of Sindh, Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, was so devoted to him that he built a grand mausoleum over his grave. The lovely white dome of the shrine represents the purity and dignity of Latif.
His devotees collected his poetry and this collection is called the "Risalo of Shah Abdul Latif." Every year the devotees celebrate his Urs, which commences on 14^th Safar and lasts for three days.

7. Shah Latif's Poetry:
Shah Abdul Latif was a sensitive, gentle and kind soul. He was a Sufi in the true sense of the word. The word 'latif' literally means fine, delicate, tender, elegant, and light. This meaning is truly reflected in both his poetry and his personality. Moreover, he was a poet of the people, so he wrote in the language of the common man. In his poems he writes mainly about Sindh and its neighbouring regions. However, he also mentions distant cities, such as Istanbul and Samarqand, and also talks about Sindhi sailors (Samundi), their navigation techniques, and their voyages as far as the Malabar coast, Sri Lanka and the island of Java. Here is the translation of one such verse:
Clouds return and once again, it rains. Lightning flashes from all sides, and with it, some go to Istanbul, others turn to the west. Some shine bright over China and others take care of Samamand. Some wander to Rome, to Kabul and Kandahar, some lie on Delhi, Deccan, thundering over... My beloved Allah, may you always make Sindh, a land of abundance, my beloved Allah, may you make prosperous the whole universe. (Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Sur Sarang, Shah Jo Risalo).
His collected poems have been compiled in Shah Jo Risalo, which has been translated into English, Urdu, and other languages. His spiritual and mystic poetry carries a message of love, which makes it universal and acceptable to the entire human race. Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai is, and always will be, remembered for his great poetry with love and reverence.