Jhok.Sufi Shah Inayat Shaheed.Sufi Khawaja Abdul Sattar
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The tomb of Sufi Inayat Shaheed at Jhok in Thatta District, Sindh, Pakistan. |
JHOK
Shah Shaheed transcended all human barriers. He reached heights of spirituality and fanaiyat in his life time. It is in recognition of his mysticism that thousands throng his shrine-Muslims or non Muslims, rich or poor. Together they sit on straw mats on the floor and eat and drink from the same vessels in true sufi tradition. Every 17th of lunar month there is a samaa (a form of meditation among the sufis of major tradition) at the dargah, and every year followers come from all over the world to attend the 'urs' held from the 16th to the 19th of Safar.
Shah Inayat Shaheed
Shah Ïnayatullah ( (c. 1655 – c. 1718), popularly known as Sufi Shah Inayat Shaheed, Shah Shaheed, sometimes referred as the First Social Reformer of Sindh was a 17th-century Revolutionary from Jhok, Sindh, Pakistan who was executed by Yar Muhammad Kalhoro in early eighteenth century. Sufi Inayat was accused of leading small army of farmers (Harees) of his area to challenge the domination of Delhi ruler Farrukhsiyar, local feudal landlords and Mullahs. His mantra was “Jo Kherray so Khaey” (Sindhi: جو کيڙي سو کائي ), means the one who ploughs has the foremost right on the yield. The popularity of Sufi Shah Inayat forced the feudal landlords of the area to contact Mughal King Farrukhsiyar who on wrong information ordered the ruler of northern Sindh Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro to uproot the Sufi Inayat and his companions. A prolonged siege of Jhok resulted in the offer of negotiations from Kalhora commander and Sufi Inayat accepted the offer to avoid further bloodshed. As he arrived for the negotiations in the enemy camp he was arrested and later executed in Thatto.
Early Life
Shah Inayat's Lineage is traced through Fazlullah to Sadu Langah whose family was quite influential in Multan. Sadu langah's ancestors are said have migrated from Baghdad and settled in Uch near Multan where they became attached to Suhrawardi saints of this place. Shah inayat spent entire period of his youth in Sindh.
Journey in quest for Truth
He wandered around in search of a mystical leader until he met Shah Abdul malik ibn Shah Ubaidullah Jilani Qadiri (d. 1699) in Bijapur. After he had apparently transgressed the stage of fana fi'sh Shykh, the complete identification with mystical leader, and had reached the highest degree of mystical leadership himself, Shah Abdul Malik sent him to Delhi for learning outward sciences at the hand of Shah Ghulam Muhammad; then he returned Sindh. His teacher, deeply inspired by his spiritual achievements, followed him and settled too in Thatta. Since Shah Inayat had reached highest degree of annihilation and was free from tribulation of outward world, the orthodox theologians of Thatta and 'Scholars of outward knowledge' disapproved him declaring him heretic. The only theologian in Thatta who accepted Shah inayat's claims enthusiastically was Makhdoom Muhammad Moeen Thattvi (d.1748). Shah Inayat considered it wiser to leave hostile atmosphere of Thatta with a group of disciples and returned to his home place: Jhok, literally, a place where camels kneels down or where a large number of people settle down.
URS ( Melo)
The Urs or Melo of the 18th century socialist Sufi who laid down his life with a large number of disciples in a war to protect a commune he had established in the Jhoke area, is entirely different from other Urs celebrations held at different shrines throughout the year. It is a solemn event that offers little to common devotees by way of entertainment and creates a spiritual ambience in Jhoke rarely seen at other shrines.The only attraction at Shah Inayat`s Urs is its unending sessions of Sufi singing held here and there on the premises of the vast shrine consecutively for three days and nights.
Message
Shah Inayat`s struggle was aimed at exploring hardships faced by humanity on the whole and addressing people`s problems without any discrimination of caste, creed and religion.He preferred to get killed but refused to surrender to the oppressors.Shah Inayat took up sword against tyrant rulers and feudal lords and his massage “Jeko Khere So Khaye” (he who tills has the right to eat) was addressed not only to Sindh but to the entire world, he said.
Sufi Khawaja Abdul Sattar Shah acquiring Throne of Miranpur
When Sahib Karim Pir Sufi Mian Zahid Shah(Wasan Sufi) left this mortal world without any heir, their mother (wife of Sufi Ibrahim Shah IV) were alive. She was the daughter of Mian Sultan Ali Shah and sister of Sufi Khuwaja Abdul Sattar. Their immediate wish was that their brother Khawaja Abdul Sattar inherit the throne of dargah. But many members of the family disagreed with that. That’s why from 17th Zilhaj 1192H to 17th Safar 1300H the throne was empty , and the women of the court would run the affairs of dargah . Mostly Sufi Daata Pirs’s daughter Sahib Pak (this was their alais ). Following incidents and predictions are written which proves that it was the will of the Lord and also wish of Shah Shaheed that Sufi Abdul Sattar be the heir to the throne.
Many mureeds did not want Sufi Abdul Sattar to be Sujjada Nashin so they went to the roza sharif of Shah Shaheed, laid their head at the entrance and slept there. Sufi Abdul Sattar also sat at the door step of roza sharif. The lock on dargah broke and fell into the lap of Sufi Abdul Sattar and a voice was heard “Sattar is my son”. The mureeds realized this is the command of Shah Shaheed. Any who does not accept this would be in great error.
When Fakir Mohammed Siddiq of Aher went to Tajjal Sharif to ask for hand in marriage of Sultan Ali Shah’s daughter for Sufi Ibrahim Shah, he said he has come to get the ____ of Miranpur , as they were person of many predictions.
When Sahib Karim Mian Mohd Zahid Shah were ill in their last days, then they wrote a letter to the holy man of ‘Aher’ Fakir Mian Nizamuldin father of Fakir Mohd Siddiq who were alive at the time. When fakir received the letter, he cried and said, “they will pass this world with this illness, Allah Sain would not bare that grief on me. After Sahib Karim the deserved heir to throne is Sufi Abdul Sattar Shah and no other is like them”. Being said that they retained patience. Very soon after that they fell ill, and before Sahib Karim, Fakir Mian Nizamuldin passed away from this mortal world.
When Sufi Abdul Sattar were in Tajjal Sharif, it was their habit if any holy person came they would go and greet them. At that time every one knows Mian Fakir Qadir Baksh of Rohri were also alive who were mureed of Miranpur Sujjada Nashin. Sometimes Sufi Abdul Sattar used to visit them. Once Mian Safdar Ali, a follower of Fakir Sahib, was present when Sufi Abdul Sattar visited. Fakir Sahib received Sufi Abdul Sattar with great respect, little while chatted with them until Sufi Abdul Sattar left. Mian Safdar Ali asked who was this holy person whom you greeted with respect. They replied this noble person is from Tajjal Sharif , he is a relative of Shah Shaheed but in some time he will have mureeds in thousands.
Hazrat Sahib Karim Pir Mian Mohd Zahid Shah were in their last days of illness, Sufi Abdul Sattar were present in Miranpur as Pir Sahib were their nephew (sister’s son). They said to Sufi Abdul Sattar “ they have surrounded us, If it were in their power they would fight like they fought with Shah Shaheed. But after me you must stay alert” indicating that Sufi Abdul Sattar would be the next heir to the throne. Sufi Abdul Sattar when heard this started crying and said “ Allah will bless you with long life, Allah may not lay this sorrow upon us”. Pir Sahib turned their face away, they knew their departure from this world is inevitable.
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