Closing Remarks Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali Chairman, MUSLIM Institute

Guest Speech - 1 Dr. Khaydar Kurbanov Professor of Urdu Department, National University of Tajikistan

Guest Speech - 2 Prof. Dr. Najeeb Haider Mulghani Registrar, Ghazi University, D G Khan

People having interest in wisdom and Sufism are well aware of prolific writings of Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo and Mevlana Rumi, especially poetry full of ‘Arifana’ (gnostic) language, literature which directly appeals to the soul. These are such towering personalities who not only achieved a higher status in spirituality but also motivated people to seek for the true love of God. Despite the passage of many centuries, these personalities are alive today in the hearts of people. According to Sufis, ishq (divine love) is the only mean to achieve recognition of Almighty Allah. Ishq is the sole asset of Sufism. In fact, ishq was consigned to Adam (A.S) by Almighty Allah. It was only due to ishq that Adam (A.S) was granted a privileged status among all other creation. On the contrary, iblees (satan) was dethroned from his status despite his knowledge based superiority over other creation just because he could not notice the sapling of ishq enshrined in Adam (A.S) by Almighty Allah.

Mevlana Rumi narrates regarding ishq,

Then what is love? The sea of not-being: there the foot of the intellect is shattered.
Servitude and sovereignty are known: love is concealed by these two veils.
Would that being had a tongue; that it might remove the veils from existent beings!

Hadhrat Sultan Bhoo (R.A) throws light over the notion of ishq,

Ishq is the name to conquer you completely

Unless you completely surrender yourself along with your all types of whims and wishes, you cannot satisfy your loved one. The journey of ishq is full of hindrances. Only the blessed ones sustain in this journey. It is commonly believed that the fire of ishq, when it blazes up, burns everything except the beloved one.

Mevlana Rumi (R.A) says,

Love is that flame which, when it blazes up, consumes everything else but the beloved.

Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) says,

Every end is my start,
No one knows about my secret,
There is no match of a fly and an Eagle,
I am the message of his (divine) love,
I have forgotten myself

Guest Speech - 3 Dr. Faleeha Zahra Kazmi Head of Persian Department, Lahore College for Women University

Guest Speech - 4 Dr. Nazar Abid Chairperson Urdu Department, University of Hazara, Mansehra

Guest Speech - 5 Dr. Muhammad Safeer Head of Persian Department, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad

A Sufi’s journey is full of spiritual experiences based on Mushahida (experimentation). His journey from material to spiritual world goes through various steps. While coming back to routine affairs, he feels deep insight along with an enlightened heart. Next step for a Sufi is the dissemination of that spiritual insight among his followers. He inculcates the earned message of peace and love for Almighty Allah in his followers. Sufism is the other name of Ehsaan (spiritual aspect). If a Sufi is also a poet, his message gets more impressive. In this respect, they have the opportunity to express their spiritual experiences. Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo and Mevlana Rumi are among such saints who have the opportunity to express their spiritual journey through their poetry. Buried in Konia (Turkistan), a great Sufi saint, Mevlana Jalal-ud-din Rumi and the pride of the subcontinent, a man of great conviction and thought, Sultan-ul-Faqr Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) though have a gap of centuries along with a regional stretch consisting thousands of miles but there intellectual similarities are a source of an immense amazement. One wonders while looking into those similarities. Both saints share similarities regarding oneness, Prophethood, recognition of inner self, faqr, Irfaan (knowledge, awareness and wisdom), love for humanity, peace, brotherhood and unity of thought and action among humanity. With respect to language, Mevlana Rumi shares an immense contribution in Persian language and Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo, despite having Punjabi language as mother tongue, tremendously contributed in the development of Persian language. Work of both saints addresses the complexities of Persian language in a highly professional manner. A deep insight of above mentioned topics which are similar between both the saints exposes their deep concern regarding the firm belief of people in the oneness of God.

Mevlana said those people are great even whose temporary life is like that of an ideal one. These lovers of God do not lie under graves but deep into hearts of hundreds of thousands people.

According to, Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo, faqeeri (supreme form of mysticism) is only integrated to those, whose grave becomes a living symbol.

But “faqeer” (saint) is only him, Bahoo, whose graves are alive today- Hoo.

If we look back into 13th century, Jerusalem was inflicted upon with tyrant crusades. Constantinople has been captured. Byzantine Empire was at the brink of division. Some troops were engaged in the materialization of their expansionist designs under the rule of Chengiz khan. Christians were fighting against Christians and Muslims were fighting against Muslims. In this turmoil, Mevlana Rumi was the only hope of people. Mevlana was known as the ambassador of peace, love, faith and harmony. On the other hand, the era of a renowned Sufi of 17th century Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo was the reign of political stability and economic prosperity. Despite a gap of centuries, the universality and dynamism of ishq is common between the two saints. It is ishq which narrows down differences between the lover and the loved one. At the end, it is only ishq which sustains.

Mevlana Rumi says

Hail, our sweet-thoughted love —thou that art the physician of all our ills,

The ego as well as the state of consciousness of an individual is the sole impediment in the journey of ishq. In this respect, Mevlana Rumi pictures a very beautiful imagination.

The remedy of our pride and vainglory, our Plato and our Galen!

While highlighting the same aspect of ishq, Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo narrates,

The level where ardent love reaches faith is unaware as such Hoo
O my master! keep my ardent love secure ‘Bahoo’ I am excusing my faith as much Hoo

Moreover he says

Single glance of an ardent lover would take millions across Hoo
With millions of glances by scholars, no one reached the shores any way Hoo

Another similarity between the two saints endorses the fact that the pain inflicted on the lover in the quest of the love of God is the real beauty of his life. The more will be the pain, the more will be the likelihood of achieving the destination. Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) narrates,

My body-soul are torn into pieces like tailor’s tatters - Hoo,

Mevlana Rumi (R.A) says,

I want a bosom torn by severance, that I may unfold (to such a one) the pain of love-desire.

Our struggle for materialistic world can only bring a temporary change but if an individual is devoid of the notion of Ishq, he is living an aimless life. A large segment of our youth is living a directionless life of ignorance and decay. We need to rebuild our relationship with the philosophy of these saints. It will help a great deal in bringing change in every walk of life.