A Brief Study of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A)’s Masterpiece Book ‘Ain ul Faqr

Sultan- Ul - Arifeen, Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) was born in  Shorkot, in 1039 AH. His father, Hazrat Bazaid (R.A) was a pious religious scholar who had learned the holy Quran by heart. In Mughal regime, he served as the caretaker of Shorkot Castle Jhang. His wife, Rasti Bibi (R.A) was one of the perfect mystics. He (Hazrat Bazaid) belonged to Qutb Shahi (Alwi) tribe, which after 31 generations ultimately reaches Syedna Ali (R.A). His mother was informed through spiritual intuition that she would soon give birth to a perfect saint and that he should be named as “BAHOO”. Thus she named him as Bahoo (May Allah bless him).

Teachingsof Hazrat Sultan Bahoo

According to the hagiography written about the life of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo, titled as “ Manaqab e Sultani” and the other traditions passed from heart to heart, he wrote 140 books for the enlightenment and the guidance of the people. His books are a measuring scale for the seekers of Allah, the Exalted.

His books are a gauge for the seekers of Divinity that lend guidance to them on every point. In his writings, besides, imparting strict advice to tread the path of Sharia ( the traditional Islamic religious law primarily based on the Quran, and also the hadith and Tafseer (commentary) he also informs the seeker about the perils of this path. He has presented the problems of Sufiism in a philosophical manner. However, the eminence of all his writings is that he has substantiated every point with evidence from the holy Quran, as he himself has narrated in Persian verses about his books

In my writings, there is no editing, thus every saying in my books is intuition from Allah. I have attained all knowledge from Quran and Hadith. So, the one who denies my books denies the Quran and Hadith and he is truly a devil

According to a famous tradition, 140 of his books are a valuable treasure for us, yet, presently, only 31 of his books are available. One of his books is Lahndi language from which Punjabi, Saraiki, and Hindko have been segregated. 

Sultan Bahoo Books

Thirty other books are in the Persian language. The books available now are listed below,

Abyat Bahoo (Lahndi Language)

Dewan e Bahoo(R.A)

Teigh Brehna

Ganj-ul-Asrar

Kaleen Utauheed ( Klan)

Muhabat ul Asrar

Mjalsatunabi(SAW)

Aurang Shahi

Risalah Roohi

Ameer ul Konain

Mahak Al Faqr Khurd

Mahak Al Faqr (Kalan)

Kashf Al-Asrar

Hujat ul Asrar

Fadhal Al-Liqa

Taufiq ul Hidayat

Tarf ul Ain

Noor ul Huda (Kalan)

Kaleed Jannat

Jame Al-Asrar

Muhakam Al- Fuqra

Miftah Al-Arifeen

Asrar ul- Qadri

Ain-Ul-Faqr

Aqal e Baidar

Qurbe Deedar

Noor-ul-Huda(Khurd)

Shamsul-Arifeen

Deedar Baksh

Sultan Al-Weham

Ain-ul-Arifeen

The greatness and significance of Ain-Ul-Faqr: Ain Ul-Faqr is the most precious and the most popular of his books, which is known as the compass of truth in the Sufi circles. While highlighting the significance of this fine work, Syed Ahmad Saeed Hamdani writes,

The paramount importance of Ain UL Faqr can be summarized from the fact that special arrangements were made for  the male children in the lineage  of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo(R.A) to learn this book on academic pattern,  which implied that the study of this book inculcates  some capability to understand the Saintliness and Faqr of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo(R.A). Another book Noor-ul-Huda was also learned with a presumption that now (after studying that book) the pursuer was able to study the other books of Sultan ul Arifeen and eventually understand his teachings.

This book holds the status of mentor for the scholars, preachers, and the pursuers of Sufism because, in this book, he has described the minutest points of Sufism in such an appealing, easy and precise way that it seems to have embanked a sea of knowledge into a small vessel.

The study of this book renders a feeling of spiritual tranquility and calm and strange realities are revealed.

Ain –ul-Faqr is a beautiful blend of prose and poetry. By and large, the book is in prosaic form but there is no such page, left unembellished by Sultan ul Arifeen with his poetic taste. Every here and there, his verses are scattered in the form of Mathnavi. Some of these are stanzas, some are couplets and an anthem also which is termed as “the anthem of love” by him. Besides his own poetic verses, the verses of other Sufi poets are also scattered everywhere. Alongside poetry, every page of the book contains the verses from the holy Quran, The Sacred Narration (Hadith Qudsi), traditions of the Holy Prophet Syedna Muhammad (Hadith e Nabwi)­ ­SAW and the sayings of the Sufi poets.  The style of the book is very attractive and subtle. The book contains knowledge about mysticism and Gnostic enlightenment, intimate observations, Sufi implications, the preferences of affectionate, the points of wisdom, scholarly explanations, elucidating logics.  The principles of worship and the pearls of righteousness have been assimilated in such a philosophical and established manner that a seeker of divine truth belonging to any era gets the maximum benefit from it, regardless of the age, he belongs to. Besides providing a comprehensive guideline about the path of Spirituality, this book also extends detailed knowledge about the Qadri Sufi mystic order.