Ya Hoo! Some Mystical Moments With The “Sultan”

Mystical poetry is such an important and magnificent aspect of our Eastern literature that our culture and civilization remains incomplete and inferior without it. Sub-Continent especially Pakistan is the homeland of such great Sufi saints and mystics and their fame has spread all over the globe. Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) is one of such great personalities.

This outstanding and marvelous ‘Faqeer’ spent his whole life in the service of great mystics and taught the lessons of mysticism and sacred love of God to his disciples to become true lovers of Almighty Allah. 

Diwan-e-Bahoo

Heart Deeper Than Ocean

Sultan Bahoo (R.A) has written more or less one hundred and forty books (140) and Diwan-e-Bahoo is one of them. There are fifty-one (51) odes in this collection. In his many books, you can find Persian versus focusing on the love of God and oneness.  The following ode is the opening of his literary collection: -

یقین دانم در این عالم کہ لا معبود الا ھُو

ولا موجود فی الکونین لا مقصود الا ھُو

چو تیغ لا بدستِ آری بیا تنہا چہ غم داری

مجو از غیر حق یاری کہ لا فتاح الا ھُو

بلا لا لا ہمہ لا کن بگو اللہ واللہ جو

نظر خود سویٗ وحدت کن کہ لا مطلوب الا ھُو

ھو الاوّل ھوالاآخر ظہور آمد تجلی اُو

بذاتِ خود ہویدا حق کہ لا فی الکونین الا ھُو

اَلا ای یار شو فانی مگو ثالث مگو ثانی

ھوَ الواحد ھوَالمقصود لا موجود الا ھُو

ھو الھو ھو ھو الحق ھو، ندانم غیر الا ھُو

ھو الھو ھو ھو الحق ھو، نخوانم غیر الا ھُو

یکی گویم یکی جویم، یکی در دل چو گل رویم

ھمو یک را بہ یک پویم، نہ پویم غیر الا ھُو

بہ گرد عالم چو گردیدم، ھو الحق ھو پسندیدم

یکی خواندم یکی دیدم، ندیدم غیر الا ھُو

منم غمخوار خود خستم، بہ جزیاھونہ  در دستم

دل و جان را بہ ھو بستم، نہ بستم غیر الا ھُو

I am certain within the universe there none worthy of worship besides Hoo

There is no existence or objective in both worlds besides Hoo

In hand with the sword of negation come alone without grief of hesitation

Depending on acquaintance other than the truth is no triumph besides Hoo

Negate all besides Allah and seek Allah from Allah

Keep your sight toward unison there is no purpose besides Hoo

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He is first He is last manifests His splendor

Actual Divinity manifests from the truth there is none besides Hoo

Listen, o friend of passion, there is no trinity or duality

He is One He is the purpose none exists beside Hoo

He is Hoo He is truth I know none other than Hoo

He is Hoo He is truth I don’t recite any other than Hoo

I mention one I search one and one I keep in my heart like a flower

That one I find one besides that I find none other

I traversed entire universe I only liked that Truth (Haqq)

I called out one seen one and seen none other than one

I am consoler of myself nothing is in my hand besides Yahoo

I have attached my heart and soul with Hoo and not attached with none other besides Hoo

Now let us comment on these holy distiches taking them as an ode. His poetry is mystical according to structure and style and encompasses mystical secrets of sacred love of Allah. This becomes more clear and transparent when we comment on his work critically. As one critic explained, “ His ode has broader meanings and insights with reference to structure and style. It does not mean the mere use of language and expression; these are critical and philosophical texture. Unless you consider the art of critique and aesthetic philosophy, you cannot understand the importance of his work’.

Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) has created a fabulous ode. Though rhymes have importance in the ode, yet a few bouts of rhymes are being overemphasized. But a deeper look can make you understand the focus of Hazrat Bahoo (R.A) and his wisdom and one forgets the use of a few rhymes. This wisdom appears in the use of the words “IllahHoo’ and ‘Hoo Hoo’. These words are fitted into the beautiful ode in such a delicate and charming manner that the listener gets lost in spiritual touch and gets isolated from the world. This special feature of Hazrat Bahoo (R.A) can be found in many other distiches. Just have a look at the following distiches:-

من من مگو تو من من، ھیھوی گوی ھا ھا

ھا ھا و ھای ھی ھی، ھو ھا یھای ھا ھا

اسرار، کس نداند این ھا یھوی ھی را

واقف کسی نگردد، ھیھوی ھای ھا ھ

 شوق دلم نداند، ھیھی چہ چارہ سازم

از خود چرا براندی، ھیھوی ھای ھا ھا

You don’t mention I am but say that it is He

Yes it is He only He

None knows the secret of this annihilation

It is only He no one is aware of this proclamation

No one knows the passion of my heart what effort I can make

Why have you distanced me alas so sad so sad

This expression can be better termed as linguistic excellence. This is the same work done by great poet Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Balkhi in ‘Kulyat-e Shams’. Read carefully the following distiches:-