Sachal Sarmast ; Truthful Mystic ;

 







Sachal Sarmast (1739–1829) was a Sufi poet from Sindh during the Kalhora era. He was born in daraza near Ranipur, Sindh. His real name was Abdul Wahab and "Sachal" was his nickname. He also used it in his own poetry. Sachu means truthful in Sindhi while Sarmast means mystic in Sindhi and Urdu. Sachal Sarmast literally means 'truthful mystic'.




He is regarded as 'shair-e-haft zaban' (poet of seven languages) due to his poetical works in Arabic, Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Persian and Balochi to address the wider audience in these languages. He spread the message of love for humanity through poetry.

His poetical works are sung by local singers in Sindhi and Saraiki. His shrine is in the village of Daraza near ranipur, Khairpur District, Pakistan.

Sachal lost his father when he was very young. He was raised by his uncle who later became his spiritual master. He married his cousin who died two years later and Sachal did not marry again.

During his childhood, once Sachal went to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, another great mystic poet of Sindh, who looked at him and said this little boy will complete what he had started.
Sachal was a great lover of music. Touched by music, he would often cry profusely. Couplets would pour out from his lips, which his followers or fellow dervishes would immediately inscribe. Sachal is well known for his kalam as well as kafis conveying his spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal preferred solitude and silence. He never traveled out from his village Daraza. He was very simple in his attire, lifestyle, and eating habits. Soup and yoghurt were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden bed. He was a humble man with long soft flowing hair, and penetrating eyes. He wrote mystical poetry in Arabic, Sindhi, Seraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Farsi (Persian) and Baluchi.

He once said, "He (God) is everywhere and in each and every phenomenon. He has come here just to witness His own manifestation."

Three days before his death, he retreated in a small enclave where he finally became one with the Truth on the 14th day of Ramadan in 1829 at the age of 90.

He was buried at the same place that was later on made into a beautiful and well-decorated shrine.


Sachal Sarmast, one of the great mystics of Sindh, is known as the second Mansoor Hallaj because of his poetry and philosophy. Sachidino, Sachoo(the truthful) and Sachal Sarmast were all names given to Mian Abdul Haq Farooqi because of the radical sufi pursuits with which he challenged the rigid mindset of the clergy of his times. Also called 'shair-e-haft zaban' because he wrote poetry in seven languages - Sindhi, Urdu, Persian, Punjabi and Balochi among them - Sachal's time saw the decline of the Kalhora dynasty and the rise of the Talpur rule in Sindh. The clergy held tremendous power over the impoverished masses and the persecution of religious minorities was the order of the day. Sachal Sarmast revolted against the mullah order with his poetry and philosophy, based on the doctrine of Anal haq - I am the truth. Though his verses immortalized him, he was denounced as an infidel and sentenced to death - a decree that was never carried out due to his popularity in the court of Talpur rulers...Sachal belonged to the sufi sect whose doctrine was martyrdom.

Sachal's immediate disciples were the saints Bedil and Bekas, a father and son team from Rohri. 

Sachal's Poetry


Friend, this is the only way
to learn the secret way:
Ignore the paths of others,
even the saints' steep trails.
Don't follow.
Don't journey at all.
Rip the veil from your face.

'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!

Neither did I roll rosary, nor did I ponder and pray,
I went to no mosque or temple, nor bow in adoration to any,
Sachal is lucky everyday, love is all around him.

You by yourself, know what is in your form!
Why chant 'Allah Allah'? Find Allah within you.
You listen, you see, Allah's word is witness,
There is no doubt, O Sachal! that the Lord is One!

We are, what are we?
We know not, what we are!
For a moment we are blessed
For a moment we are accursed
Some moment we pray and fast
Some moment we are free spirits
Now we declare, 'Only we exist'
Now we declare, 'We don't exist'
For a bit, our heart is calm
In a bit, we weep rivers
Now we say, 'We are self-realized'
Now we ask, 'Who are we?'
'Sachal' we are only That eternally
What other contracts can we make here?

I was sitting by the roadside,
When the path became clear to me;
In the palace the Beloved I saw,
a glimpse the Beauty gave;
Through the window was the vision,
a glimpse the Beauty saw;
Take care of the ignorant;
Our bond was made for a reason.
I truly recognized the Lord,
My companion He sure became;
'He is the Creator of all
and intrinsic to all',
All doubts in this perished;
With happiness shall I carry
Sisters, if your trust I have.
All the journeys, all the manifestations
The Dear One's own;
Friend 'Sachal' know this correctly,
Slumber has created illusions.
Sachal regarded love as the path to spirituality:
'Tis not in religion I believe
'Tis love I live in.
When love comes to you.
Say Amen!
'Tis not with the infidel
that love resides
Nor with the faithful.