Shah Abdul Latif

I did not the beloved meet;
the sun you wish to greet!
The message that to you I give,
Give to the Beloved in his street.
Flay to the Beloved's retreat,
and say " Dead is she. She does not live." (sur Ma'zuri)

Shah Abdul Latif

A very rare phenomenon pertains to Sindh, not found anywhere else in the world; that is the association of a poet and a saint with its soil, so much so that Sindh seems soulless without the name of an illustrated spiritualized poet of many dimensions Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. An obtrusive missionary, a thinker and a mystic, was a great scholar and a keen observer. He drew his inspiration from the Quran. There are ample facts, which prove that he had remarkably extensive knowledge of the Sindh language. He was greatly inspired by Mathnavi of Maulana Roomi. His great grand father Shah Abdul Karim of Bulri's poetry had also left a great impact on his personality and literary pursuits.

Shah Latif's poetry though difficult to be understood in the modern times (because of its old and not so very commonly used vocabulary now a days) has the depth of oceans in it.
One has to strive a lote to understand the meaning and content in its true perspective. But the message of his poetry broadly speaking is, love, universality of the human race, basic equality of all human beings irrespective of their social status, dignity of labor, simplicity, hospitality and cordiality. His verses preaching love also carry a message and exhortation for struggle against tyranny and injustice.

His Life

Shah Abdul Latif, commonly known as 'Shah' or 'Latif' was a mystic or Sufi poet of Sindh. He lived in Sindh in the seventeenth century and is considered by far the greatest poet of Sindhi language. Shah was a very strong yet subtle proponent of the Sindhi Sufi tradition. His mausoleum is located in Bhit Shah, Sindh, and is visited by millions of Sindhis throughout the year.

Great poetry

His Great Poetry shah Abdul Latif Bhittai's Poetry is divided into thirty six SURs or Musical Compositions that are based on Classic rages in Shah's music that are not even present in the Indain classic musical music. Shah's Sur are divided in Dastans or Chapters. Each Dastan Consists of a number of two or four line stanzas called "Bait" followed by one or two multiple line poems called "Waee". For the past three centuries, Sindhi mystics have congregated at Bhit Shah, where they hold a dust to dawn musical concert, chanting and singing the Waees of Shah Latif every night.
Thirty Six Sur

Sur Kalian
Sur J'aman
Sur Sarang
Sur Samundi
Sur Sohni
Sur Khanbhat
Sur Basant
Sur Kedaro
Sur Abri
Sur Maazuri
Sur Desi
Sur Kohiari
Sur Hussaini
Sur Sorth
Sur Berag
Sur Barwo Sindhi
Sur Momal Rano
Sur Ramkali
Sur Rippa
Sur Leelan Chanesar
Sur Bilawal
Sur Dahar
Sur Kapati
Sur Pirbhati
Sur Ghatu
Sur Siuh Kedaro
Sur Asa
Sur Marvi
Sur Dhanasari
Sur Purab
Sur Kamod
Sur Karayal

Early Life

Most of the information that has come down to us has been collected from oral traditions. A renowned Pakistani scholar, educationist, and a foremost writer of plays, dramas and stories, Mirza Kalich Beg has rendered a yeoman service to Sindhi literature by collecting details about the early life of Shah Bhitai, from the dialogues that he has constantly held with some of the old folks, still living at that time, who knew these facts from their fathers and grandfathers for they had seen Shah Latif in person and had even spoken to him.
“
"The next day I sat down, and listened to the Story of the 'Vairagis.' Their salmon-coloured clothes were covered with dust. Their hair-bands were worn out. They had let their hair grow quite long. The lonely ones never talk to anyone about their being. These 'Nanga' are content and happy. They move about unmarked amongst the common folk." ........Shah Latif Bhitai
”
He was born around 1689 CE (1102 A.H.) to Shah Habib in the village Sui-Qandar a few miles to the east of the present town of Bhit Shah (named after him), on Safar 14, 1102 A.H. ie November 18, 1690 CE. He died at Bhit Shah on Safar 14, 1165 A.H., ie January 3, 1752 CE. In his memory, every year, on 14th Safar of the Hijri Calendar, an Urs is held at Bhit Shah, where he spent the last years of his life and where his elaborate and elegant mausoleum stands.
Latif got his early education in the school (maktab) of Akhund Noor Muhammad in basic Persian (the government language at that time) and Sindhi (local spoken language). He also learned the Qu'ran. His correspondence in Persian with contemporary scholar Makhdoom Moinuddin Thattavi, as contained in the Risala-i-Owaisi, bears witness to his scholastic competence.
“
"Beloved's separation kills me friends, At His door, many like me, their knees bend. From far and near is heard His beauty's praise, My Beloved's beauty is perfection itself." .....Bhitai [Sur Yaman Kalyan]”

Education

EducationEarly education of the poet did not exceed what the village school curriculum could provide. His first teacher was Noor Muhammad Bhatti Waiwal. Mostly, Shah Latif was self-educated. Although he has received scanty formal education, the Risalo gives us an ample proof of the fact that he was well-versed in Arabic and Persian. The Qur'an, the Hadiths, the Masnawi of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, along with the collection of Shah Karim's poems, were his constant companions, copious references of which have been made in Shah Jo Risalo