Project Reports

Report of Three Days International Hadrat Sultan Bahoo Conference


           
     

The research institute and think tank MUSLIM Institute in collaboration with Sultan Bahoo Forum has organized a conference, titled “International Hadrat Sultan Bahoo Conference” on Wednesday and Thursday, 20th and 21st March at the Islamabad Hotel, Islamabad and on Thursday, 28th March at Hospitality Inn Hotel, Lahore.
The brief report of the conference is given here.

     
             
     

Session-1 Inaugural Session

     
           
     

Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali (Chairman MUSLIM Institute)

Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad AliDelivering the welcoming address, Chairman MUSLIM Institute Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali said that today we need to renew our allegiance to the message of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo. His message is based on the perfection of individual which comes from a balance between knowledge of the material world as well as the realities of the inner self. The human barbarity in Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the most educated societies proves that until the inner self of the individual is not purified, lasting peace in society cannot be attained. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo’s message gives us the solution to our social and economic challenges.

 

Dr. Munir Ahmad Mughal (Justice (R))

Dr. Munir Ahmad MughalJustice (R) Dr. Munir Ahmad Mughal said that current era is a period of competition. In this time only that ideology can prevail that sustains the needs of the material world as well as spirituality. The example of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is best for us to follow. He said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo has his own identity because a spiritual mentor is one who is perfect himself and takes his follower to the path of Allah.

     

Presided by:
Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali
(Chairman MUSLIM Institute)

Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali
 

Chief Guest:
Gohar Ayub Khan
(Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan)

Gohar Ayub Khan
 

Akram Zaki (Former Secy. Gen. Foreign Affairs)

Akram ZakiFormer Secy. Gen. Foreign Affairs Akram Zaki, discussing the Western and Eastern philosophies, said that without Islam we cannot establish a peaceful society in the future. In the Sub-continent, the spread of Islam was due to Sufis and today we need to spread the Sufis’ message of peace. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo’s message is actually a message of peace for the entire world. He offered his congratulations to Sahibzada Sultan Muhammad Ali and Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali and appreciated the initiative taken by them for spreading the message of our thinkers, philosophers and saints. He further said that nowadays not only Pakistan but all of the Muslim Ummah is in a multidimensional crisis in the shape of political, spiritual and economic crisis. It is necessary for us to apply our mind to move forward and rediscover our destiny in the light of Islam.

 

Gohar Ayub Khan (Former Foreign Minister)

Gohar Ayub KhanFormer Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan said that lack of education is our biggest problem. Pakistan beared most sanctions in the world but we progressed well althought we started with small industry and sanctions. These sanctions became blessing for us because we started depending on our ownself.

     
             
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Session-2 Hadrat Sultan Bahoo in Our Times

     
           
     

Prof. Dr. M. Daud Awan (Former Vice Chancellor AIOU)

Prof. Dr. M. Daud AwanFormer Vice Chancellor AIOU Prof. Dr. M. Daud Awan said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo belongs to that era in which conditions of Muslims was the same as at present. He fought against social evils and brought his own views about Tariqat in light of the Quran and Hadith. Sultan Bahoo strongly condemned sectarianism and spread the message of unity among all Muslims on the basis of the Oneness of God.

     

Chair of the Session:
Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi
(Former Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Pakistan)

Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi
 

Prof. Jalil Aali (Renowned Scholar)

Prof. Jalil AaliRenowned scholar Prof. Jalil Aali speaking on the occasion said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo criticized the acquisition of knowledge just for the sake of pride and material benefit. We need to understand the deepr meaning of Abyat-e-Bahoo instead of looking at its literal meaning. He further said that a Sufi works to implement Islam practically in all fields of life. Iqbal also rejected the philosophy that promotes asceticism. He said steps should be taken for the reconstruction and preservation of Sufi tombs.

 

Syed Haroon Ali Gilani (Chairman Khidmat-e-ilm Foundation)

Syed Haroon Ali GilaniSyed Haroon Ali Gilani, Chairman, Khidmat-e-ilm Foundation said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo was a great saint of his time. Today we have ignored the teachings of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo and as a result our society faces instability. The solution to the problems of the Muslim Ummah lies in the unification of the Ummah with sectarianism its greatest impediment. The movement promotes the same notion under the leadership of Sahibzada Sultan Muhammad Ali.

 

Dr. Farid Ud Deen Khan (Director UITS Research Centre, Bangladesh)

Dr. Farid Ud Deen KhanDr. Farid Ud Deen Khan Director UITS Research Centre, Bangladesh said that the world is going through a critical juncture. To get rid of this tragic world order, spiritual training is very necessary. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo has led society and taught the true spirit of Islam. If Sultan Bahoo’s books are regularly read, they can play a role of a spiritual guide.

 

Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi (Former Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Pakistan)

Syed Hamid Saeed KazmiFormer Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Pakistan, Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo’s concept of a spiritual mentor is very different from the image prevalent today. According to him, the duty of a spiritual mentor is spiritual purification. The Concept of a pir today limits it to the benefit of this material world only. We find shortcuts instead of a struggle and hard work for success in the material as well as spiritual worlds. Today we need to distinguish real spiritual mentors from fake peers. Sufism teaches peace and brotherhood and we need to implement and adopt Islam completely.

     
             
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Session-3 Global Impact of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo

     
           
     

Ashfaq Gondal (Former Federal Minister for Information, Pakistan)

Ashfaq GondalFormer Federal Minister for Information, Pakistan, Ashfaq Gondal said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo stressed the establishment of a strong relationship with the divine and lack of the same results in a world wrecked by conflict that we see around us today. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo advised us to control anger, pride and vengeance by overcoming materialistic desires and evolving the inner spirit. The unrest in the world is due to uncontrolled material desires. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo advised us to follow Islam completely as it is a complete code of conduct but we see a capitalist system and interest involved in our economic system instead. Unless we leave this system that is contradictory to the orders of Allah, we cannot have peace and equality in the world.

     

Chair of the Session:
Senator Raja Zafar ul Haq
(Chairman PML (N), Secy. Gen. Motamar al Aalam e Islami)

Senator Raja Zafar ul Haq
 

Prof. Hamayun Ehsan (Principal Pakistan Law College Lahore)

Prof. Hamayun EhsanPrincipal Pakistan Law College Lahore Prof. Hamayun Ehsan said that today need of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo’s teachings is not less than any period before. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo makes a link between individual and universe. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo accepted person everlasting due to his abilities. He further said today individual feels vanishing individuality due to capitalist system. It is necessary to provide individual the authority of growth to maintain his individuality. But today world is stuck in uni-direction of capitalist system.

 

Dr. Gerhard H. Bowering (Yale University, New Haven, USA)

Dr. Gerhard H. BoweringDr. Gerhard H. Bowering from Yale University, New Haven, USA said that Sultan Bahoo’s abyat occupy the very center of the development of Panjabi poetry. Sultan Bahoo had created the original pattern and world-view on the foundation of which others could build. Marked by the “Hu” at the end of each stanza, Sultan Bahoo’s poetry gained a power in the hearts of people that was as omnipresent as the word of Allah, the Muslim name for God. Based on the two pillars of ‘ishq, and faqr, his Panjabi verses reflected the ideal of fanao- baqa, annihilation of self and union with the divine. It was the Panjabi Abyat that captured the soul of the Panjab three and a half centuries ago and still reverberates in it today.

 

Senator Raja Zafar Ul Haq (Chairman PML (N) & Secy. Gen. Motamar al Aalam e Islami)

Senator Raja Zafar Ul HaqChairman PML (N) & Secy. Gen. Motamar al Aalam e Islami, Senator Raja Zafar Ul Haq said that that uniqueness of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo’s poetry is that a scholar as well as an illiterate is affected by it. His poetry is not limited to any school of thought but it is a human heritage. Today we see unrest in our whole society. If the poetic works of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo and Iqbal are recited at our daily gatherings, they would surely have a positive impact on all of society. The youth should especially be introduced to such constructive poetry for their character building.

     
             
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Session-4 Comparitive Study of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo

     
           
     

Dr. Aaliya Sohail Khan (Principal Govt. Postgraduate College Rawalpindi)

Dr. Aaliya Sohail KhanPrincipal Govt. Postgraduate College Rawalpindi, Dr. Aaliya Sohail Khan said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo attained to the ultimate reality of the universe. Sufi teachings urge human beings to find the reality of Almighty Allah from within their inner selves because for them, Man is the center of the universe. The greatest crisis faced by the West is caused by an unclear vision of Man's relationship with God. The Sufi way is the way of love where the beloved is Almighty Allah.

     

Chair of the Session:
Dr. Ashfaq Rana
(Meritorious Professor, Tamgha e Imtiaz, Africultural University Faisalabad)

Dr. Ashfaq Rana
 

Dr. Elbayi Magsudov (Nakhchivan State University, Azerbijan)

Dr. Elbayi MagsudovDr. Elbayi Magsudov from Nakhchivan State University, Azerbijan throw light on Sufism and mysticism of Sultan Bahoo and Azeri poets over self, passion, greed, love of God, virtue, and so on. He said that today, Sufism is a strong political and philosophical-religious movement and its very well-known representative Hadrat Sultan Bahoo’s light have made us gather here. His lasting works and ideas are living with us and illuminate our hearts. While humanity is facing natural disasters, as well as humanitarian problems such as hatred, national and religious discrimination, wars etc, we really need to explore the activity of great thinkers like Hadrat Sultan Bahu more carefully for getting nourished by their philosophy of love, solidarity and justice.

 

M. Afsar Rahbeen (Renowned Scholar from Afghanistan)

M. Afsar RahbeenM. Afsar Rahbeen, renowned scholar from Afghanistan said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo is among the Sufis without whom Asian literature would be incomplete. His poetic works are for listeners who listen with their Hearts. The expression “Hoo” which permeates his poetry has spiritual effects on the human soul.

 

Prof. Dr. Ehsan Akbar (Renowned Intellectual, Poet and Critic)

Prof. Dr. Ehsan AkbarRenowned intellectual, poet and critic Prof. Dr. Ehsan Akbar presented a comparative paper on the concept of Faqr in the writings of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo and Allama Iqbal. He said that the Messengers of God and the Holy Prophet PBUH exemplified Faqr. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo and Allama Iqbal have identified Faqr as the key to success in both worlds because sincerity of purpose is a basic formulation of Islamic teachings.

 

Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Rana (Meritorious Professor, Tamgha e Imtiaz, Africultural University Faisalabad)

Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad RanaDr. Ashfaq Ahmad Rana speaking on the occasion distinguished between the nature of knowledge as one pertains to the material and the other is knowledge of the spiritual world. He argued that the dichotomy between religion and science will end one day and science will become an extension of the spiritual quest for truth. He said that Man is a drop from the ocean of spirituality that yearns to rain back down into its source.

     
             
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Session-5 Pyam-e-Bahoo (Soz o Saaz)

     
           
     

On the evening of the first day of the Conference, a performance of classical musical was arranged, celebrating the poetic works of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo called Payam-e-Bahoo the message of Bahoo). Renowned classical singers Ustad Hamid Ali Khan, Ustad Shaukat Ali Khan and the Iranian musical band 'Nawa-i-Kuhn' presented musical renditions of the Punjabi and Persian poetry of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo in the traditional form of Sufi music.

     
      Ustad Shaukat Ali Khan   Nawa-i-Kuhn   Ustad Hamid Ali Khan      
             
           
             
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Session-6 Intellectual Dimensions of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo

     
           
     

M. Ali Iftikhar (Research Associate MUSLIM Institute)

M. Ali IftikharResearch Associate of MUSLIM Institute M. Ali Iftikhar (UK) made a presentation on “Time as Understood by Hadrat Sultan Bahoo” and said that in a philosophical expression time exists within every living being. It is only a matter of exploration of different phenomena that may be observed. He gave the examples of the event of setting back the sun by the Holy Prophet PBUH that was only observed by him and Hazrat Ali.

     

Chair of the Session:
Senator Akram Zaki
(Former Secy. Gen. Foreign Affairs of Pakistan)

Senator Akram Zaki
 

Dr. Tanvir Anjum (Assistan Prof. Quaid-i-Azam University)

Dr. Tanvir AnjumAssistan Prof. Quaid-i-Azam University, Dr. Tanvir Anjum presented her paper on “Bridal Metaphor in Hadrat Sultan Bahoo’s poetry” and said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo used the symbol of a bride for the human soul in permanent love of Allah Allmighty. In Sufi tradition, this imagery is used to describe the spiritual experience of saints existing in submission to the love of Allah, through a parable that is one of the most intimate of experiences in common human life.

 

Prof. Khawar Saeed Bhutta (University of the Punjab)

Prof. Khawar Saeed BhuttaProf. Khawar Saeed Bhutta from University of the Punjab said that the Sufi soul craves for true love of God. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo focused on the purification of the Heart for realizing the reality of human existence.

 

Dr. Dildar A. Alvi (Head of Chemistry Dept. FCU Lahore)

Dr. Dildar A. AlviDr. Dildar A. Alvi, Head of Chemistry Dept. FCU Lahore said that the spiritual mentor’s world view is different from the scientific and philosophical perspective. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo had taught to recognize one’s own self and to recognize God through that. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo described the world as a representation and manifestation of Allah Almighty’s Self. His lesson to humanity would dissolve barriers of nationality and sectarianism.

 

Senator Akram Zaki (Former Secy. Gen. Foreign Affairs)

Senator Akram ZakiFormer Secy. Gen. Foreign Affairs Akram Zaki said that the way Sahibzada Sultan Muhammad Ali and Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali are highlighting teachings of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo would surely lead to a positive impact for eradicating social evils from society. Allah Allmighty said that He created Universe in six days which tells us that the real concept of time is different from our material understanding and Hadrat Sultan Bahoo described real concept of time.

     
             
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Session-7 Hadrat Sultan Bahoo: A spiritual & literary master

     
           
     

Rana Abdul Baqi (Renowned Writer and Columnist)

Rana Abdul BaqiRenowned Writer and Columnist Rana Abdul Baqi said that Islam preached the message of equality among humans and Sufis played a crucial role in spreading this message. Hadrat Sultan Bahoo spread the fundamental principles of Islam among his students in a well-mannered and effective way. He admired the efforts of Aurengzeb to regain the true glory of Islam after Akbar set the secular tradition in place. Today, it is our basic need to raise awareness about the teachings of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo.

     

Chair of the Session:
Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan
(Former Prime Minister AJK)

Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan
 

Dr. Maria Isabel Maldonado (Incharge Institute of Languages, University of the Punjab Lahore)

Dr. Maria Isabel MaldonadoIncharge Institute of Languages, University of the Punjab Lahore Dr. Maria Isabel Maldonado (Spain) said that Hadrat Sultan Bahoo himself feels the effect of love. The ultimate purpose described by Hadrat Sultan Bahoo is to submit to the love of Allah entirely. According to Him, in order to be actualize the true human potential, one needs a spiritual guide to give direction to the quest.

 

Dr. Abdul Aziz Sahir (Chairman Urdu Dept. AIOU)

Dr. Abdul Aziz SahirChairman Urdu Dept. AIOU Dr. Abdul Aziz Sahir said that by following the teachings of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo the heart is purified. His Punjabi poetry is the reason of his popularity in world which represents the most elaborate explanation of mystic philosophy.

 

Dr. Gholam Reza Aavani (Renowned Philosopher of Iran)

Dr. Gholam Reza AavaniRenowned Philosopher of Iran Dr. G
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