By: Dr.M.K.Rehan
Hazrat Sultan Peer Syed Muhammad Bahadar Ali Shah Qadri Al-Mashhadi Al-Kazmi was born in 1801 at Hassowali village near Shorkot, District Jhang. He is descendent of renowned Sufi Hazrat Syed Abdul Latif Shah (R.A) (1617-1705) known as “Imam Bari Sarkar”. In his childhood Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah’s father took him to the shrine of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) for a spiritual glance and stayed there for seven days. Due to his innocent look, Hazrat Sayed Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) was selected to hold the treasure of spiritual excellence (faqr).
His father took him for apparent knowledge to Syed Ubaidullah Shah in Multan. It is narrated that Syed Ubaidullah Shah started teaching him but got surprised when Hazrat Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) recited the whole lesson before the teaching. Syed Ubaidullah Shah called his father and told the whole story. His father asked him about how he learnt all the lessons? Syed Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) replied that he learnt all these lessons through inspired knowledge (Ilm-e-la-duni) during his stay at shrine of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A). His father took him to the shrine of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo and left him there for service..Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) spent around 21 years to fill the water for ablution for the visitors of shrine. He lived his whole life in serving for Hazrat Sultan Bahoo’s message. He attained the status of beloved of Sultan (Mehboob-e-Sultani). On the spiritual instructions of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A), he took oath on the hands Peer Abdul Ghafoor Shah Qureshi sb (R.A), the authorized Khilafa of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A). Spiritual instructions were given by Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) to Hazrat Peer Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) that he is blessed with spiritual excellence of exalted Prophet SAWW (faqr-e-Muhammadi SAWW) as guardianship and he would return this treasure to one of the descendent of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) later on. As an indication, the name “Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz (R.A)” was told to Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) and that such personality would be born naturally circumcised. Descendants of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) often used to say that the status of spiritual excellence was bestowed to Hazrat Peer Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) due to his exceptional disciple Hazrat Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz (R.A).
Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) used to stay most of the time at Shrine of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) where one chamber was designated for him. During his life period, seven custodians of Shrine passed, all of those respected him very much and used to take his advice in difficult times. He got married according to Sunnah of Holy Prophet SAWW but later on separated from his wife with mutual consensus. He has no descendent. It was because he wanted to keep himself busy in worship of Allah Almighty and duty at shrine of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) and therefore separated from all those affairs which could potentially become hurdle in his way.
Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) used to dress very simple. It is narrated that one day he was stitching his clothes. Hazrat Ameer Sultan (R.A), custodian of Shrine at that time, took him inside the shrine and through invocation (davat), Hazrat Sultan Muhammad Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) was given instructions to have “King Clothing” (Shahi Libas) and to ride on a male (strong) horse.Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) wrote copies of Holy Quran and manuscripts of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo’s books with his own hands which are self-explanatory about his beautiful art of writing. These books are considered as a precious treasure; some of whom were later given to Hazrat Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz (R.A) and are still preserved. He used to teach Holy Quran and Sunnah to his disciples and followers along with teachings of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A). He gave his disciples the actual name of Allah Almighty (Ism-e-Allah-Zaat) written with his own hand and made with gold by a jeweler of Multan. His hand written “Ism-e-Allah Zaat” is also safe today with descendants of Hazrat Sultan Abdul Aziz (R.A).Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) was also a great poet of “Saraiki”. His poetry is guidance for desirers of Allah (Talib-e-Mola) to achieve the recognition (marifat) of Almighty, the sole purpose of life. A very special aspect of his poetry is that he gives arguments from “Holy Quran and Hadith”. His poetry provides guidance to Talib-e-Mola for all the stages that one faces in the path of Allah Almighty. The reader of his poetry feels comfortable while travelling the Mystical discipline. He has written poetry in different beautiful rhythm and tunes due to which it has special effect on readers as well as listeners. Respect in the court of spiritual mentor, humbleness, faithfulness, truthfulness and ardent-love are specially focused in his teachings. In respect of Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (R.A), he says:
توں ایں منبع ولایت دا
کر ایہہ مقبول نادانی
توں ایں چشمہ ہدایت دا
تیرا رتبہ نہایت دا
His poetry has a distinct status in literature due to teachings of “faqr”. His teachings consist of discussion about ultimate reality and essence of “Tasawuf”. Sultan-ul-Faqr6th Hazrat Sultan Muhammad Asghar Ali (R.A) often instructed his disciples to keep his poetry in their routine study.
Travelling to different areas for the sake of spreading the teachings of Islam has been a common feature of great Sufis and Hazrat Sultan Peer Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) was no exception. He travelled across different areas along with a large number of disciples and Khulafa. He preached “marifat” and ardent-love of Allah Almighty.
Hazrat Peer Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) was waiting for the personality to whom he has to return the treasure of faqr when one faqeer came running to him and told that Hazrat Sultan Fatah Muhamad RA is bestowed with a baby boy and has called him for a blow of blessing. This child was “Hazrat Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz (R.A)” who was born circumcised. This was the personality for whom Hazrat Peer Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) was waiting since long. When Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) reached there, the child opened his eyes and started looking at him. Later on Hazrat Peer Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) took the oath of Hazrat Sultan Abdul Aziz (R.A) inside the shrine of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) and formally transferred the treasure of “faqr”.
Hazrat Sultan Bahadar Ali Shah (R.A) died in 1934 and his shrine is situated near Shorkot on Jhang road, Jhang. His “Urs” is celebrated every year in the last days of February. The peace of heart felt on his shrine speaks itself of his spiritual status.
