Khullar on Sufism in Sindh

[Gul Agha <agha@CS.UIUC.EDU>]

To: sindh-heritage@yahoogroups.com
From Indian Express

Song of the Sufi
It filled the desert with music
K.K. KHULLAR

Posted online: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 at 0024 hours IST

Sufism in Sind was an indigenous movement which absorbed in itself the
finest of Islam and Hinduism, thereby laying the foundation of what is
termed the composite culture of India.  Sindhi sufism...stood for
raising the quality of life through God, realisation and social
service...

Sindhi sufi poetry is traceable to seven ''baits'' (slokas) of Memoi
saints of the 14th century predicting the future of the unhappy
valley.  There are some ''baits'' of Qazi Kadan (died 1551) which talk
of ''tauhid'' (unity of Being). The 16th century produced a great sufi
poet, Shah Abdul Karim (1536-1622). His 92 baits proclaiming the
brotherhood of man and the unity of God are recited by the devout...

Shah Abdul Latif was a sufi poet in the Vedantic tradition of sufi
saints who possessed nothing and whom nothing possessed except the
name of God and service of humanity...

[Shah's] ''surs'' are musical compositions set to the tunes of Indian
classical moulds like the Sikh Gurbani. In Sur Khahori, Shah refers to
the Kali temple whereas in Sur Ramkali he sings of Guru Gorakhnath...

Sindhis are a secular people...

Read the complete the article at: 
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=63781