In recent times, human savagery has reached at alarming level and intolerance has shaken very foundations of our social and religious values. Discrimination among humans is the biggest obstacle for just and peaceful society. Even though, the world has been transforming into a global village, humanity is still facing social and ethical evils; Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo (may Allah bless his soul) fought against such issues in his era with pen. In this article, it is argued the guiding principles of Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo’s philosophy for human society stand on purification and reformation of individual on which the society of peace and love can be built. Inner peace and satisfaction of individuals can lead towards the stable and peaceful society. His teachings mainly emphasize on the purity of heart to reject extreme rigidity of sectarian, ethnic, linguistic or other such divisions. Moreover, he outlined tolerance, justice and equality in the first place as commanded by Allah Almighty. Therefore, human society has to follow divine values otherwise, in the words of Bahoo, we will not only lose this world, but the next world too. It is suggested that Muslim Ummah needs purity and unity, of hearts and belief rather than indulging in racial or geographical discriminations. More importantly, Muslims should live a practical life according to Islamic-Divine-law instead of monasticism, and act justly for every creature of the world what to speak of humanity alone.
1. Introduction
Sultan-ul-Arifeen Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo (may Allah bless his soul) belonged to the age of seventeenth century when social and ethical evils were prevailing and the condition of society then and now have disturbing similarities. Here the term human society includes a group of peoples whose positive energies can bring peace, stability, and harmony in community to avoid human suffering. In the Muslim world, communities and society both were in distress. In the global village prospective, the whole world has transformed as one Society (McLuhan, 1962). The term ‘Ummah’/Millah, is interpreted as “Muslim Community”, living all over the world, without distinction, not confined to any particular region or nationalism. In the Holy Qurãn ‘Ummah’ is repeated 64 times for the people to whom the Prophet was bestowed by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala (SWT). Hadhrat Bahoo fought against the societal ills with his pen. He thus raised slogans of following the teaching of Muhammad [blessings and salutations be upon him[1] (BSBUH)], rejecting extreme rigidity of sectarianism as practiced by so called theologians and misguided mystics (Sufis). He was even not pleased with what the followers of ‘Imams’ said and did, as he has tested them on the touchstone of the Quran and the Hadith, constituting the basic principles of Islamic society. A close study of the authorship of the great Wali-Allah (friend of Allah Almighty), Hadhrat Sultan-ul-Arifeen addresses the well-being of all mankind fully believing in Allah (SWT) as “Lord of the Worlds[2]”. The Holy Quran nowhere particularizes Allah (SWT) with Muslims only, so is the case with the last and the Holy Chief of Prophets, Syed-ul-Ambiya Mohammad-e-Mustafa (BSBUH) sent to humanity as defined in the Holy Quran “And We (Allah) have not sent thee (Muhammad) but as a mercy for both the worlds”[3], and therefore the love and teachings of Holiest Prophet (BSBUH) is the fundamental principle of a just Islamic society embedded in Oneness[4] and omnipotence of Allah (SWT) culminating into love for humanity irrespective of cost, creed and religion. Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo has strong belief that by recognizing self, human recognizes Allah[5] (God) and individuals in his proposed human society must have the following human values inculcated:
The article is based on these guiding values of Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo for his proposed human society. “A society is a kind of community (or a part of community) whose members have become socially conscious of their mode of life, and are united by a common set of aims and values” (Ottaway, 1970, p. 3). Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo, as an author, has stressed that members of a society should never disparate or should not make ill-mannered people as their friends which destroys the prestige of the whole family and advised to recoil the society on basis of universal dignity, equality and equity, security, and justice on Earth according to the will of Allah (SWT), encompassing all human regardless of their ethnic origin assuring unity of the human family, fostering acquaintance among people, and activating the divine values. Being a man of exceptional intellect and values embedded in Islamic society, a pluralistic one Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo, fought with his pen for an ideal society, as he was born to pious parents and linage.
1.1. Contribution of Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo and His Descendants in Recent Time
Ancestors of Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo migrated to this part of world (Soon Valley) from Arabia after the death of Hadhrat Imam Hassan and Hadhrat Imam Hussain (may Allah bless their souls). Having fought and defeated the Hindus of Pind Dadan Khan and the districts around them, preached them to enter Islam by their virtues. The father of Hadhrat Bahoo[7], was Hafiz-ul-Quran and a distinguish scholar of his time, migrated to Jhang district. He was a person of quiet disposition and so was his spouse, the mother[8] of Hadhrat Bahoo. His family was held in great regard by the Emperor Shah Jahan who conferred on his father, Sultan Bazid, Kahar Janan in jageer. Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo was born in 1629 AD (1039 Hijri). Legends relating to his childhood are numerous and of a varied nature. One of them is so interesting that we cannot help relating it here. It runs thus: When Hadhrat Bahoo was a boy, he was such a devout Muslim that a sort of radiance spread round his face, and whenever a Hindu witnessed it, he was so impressed by it, that forgetting all, he renounced his own religion and became a Muslim. This miracle wrought exclusively by his radiance frightened the Hindus, who sent a delegation to wait upon his father and request him to keep his son Bahoo indoors, except certain hours. Thus request was complied with, and the young boy thereafter had to remain indoors (Krishna, 1938, p. 49). Witnessing that he was a kind of force, which changes the minds of humanity to the righteousness, brotherhood, tranquillity, peace and course of history and society. To these causes he contributed 140 books in Persian and Punjabi, which for the most part have been out of the reach of general public and humanity. Acknowledging efforts of (besides many others), to the International Tanzeem-ul-Arifeen and its founder Hadhrat Sultan Muhammad Asghar Ali Sarwari Qadri (may Allah bless his soul) who took the initiative to get the books collected and print them with translation for the Urdu knowing people. However, in English there were not many translations. Praise to the ‘Sahibzadagan’ of Hadhrat Sultan Muhammad Asghar Ali (14.8.1947 - 26.12.2003) namely; Hadhrat Sultan Mohammad Ali, Sultan Ahmad Ali and Sultan Bahdar Aziz, who despite many difficulties continued the efforts of their great father and ancestors and along with maintaining the International Tanzeem-ul-Arifeen established an Institute ‘Mission of Unity, Stability and Leadership In Muslims (MUSLIM)’ with the aim to promote research and dialogue in Muslim world for addressing its concerns and finding practical solutions to the problems. One may further extend that it would rather address the concern of humanity at large, according to the following message of Allah (SWT):
The mankind evaded the commands of Allah (SWT) right from the time of Adam (peace be upon him) and societies have been in distress. Allah (SWT) sent 124,000 Messengers to curb the ills of the human societies according to the requirements of the times. And finally Allah Almighty sent Mohammad-e-Mustafa (BSBUH) with final Divine Book covering all issues concerning the life in this world and the life hereafter, which is said to be: “What do you sow in this world, will you harvest in the next[9]”.
1.2. Society Issues at Time of Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo and Current Era
One perceives disturbingly provocative similarities between the conditions of society as prevailing during the days of the great Sultan and that of the present days. The same conflict of ideals, more or less, which tore apart the society at the time preceding the time of Sultan Bahoo, like in the time of great Sufi saint and scholar Mawlana Rumi (1207 - 1273) and Imam Al-Ghazali (1058 - 1111), respectively, who emphasized on the amazing concept of ‘dying before death’ for attaining a high spiritual life to curb such conflicts (Fahm, 2014). Therefore, It is believe that such conflicts remain persist with variable intensity in the today’s world which trigger humans to explore different approaches for bringing peace in societies (Helminiak, 2016; Pettit, 2014).
With a view to kindling thought and perception on the dynamic aspect of Islamic principles and Islamic society, Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo preferred to fight with his pen rather than with his sword throughout life, and launched a vigorous attack, unprejudiced, against all the groups, particularly of the ‘Ulamā’, the so-called learned men deemed as the upholders of Islam, and the Sūfīs, the pseudo-mystics, considered as the repositories of Divine mysteries (Jalbani, 1979, p.2).
2. Methodology
According to many scholars like William Stoddart, who think that degree of Sufism in Islam is similar to the degree of Yoga is in Hinduism, Zen in Buddhism, and mysticism in Christianity (Stoddart, 1986, p.19). Sufism is the spiritual aspect of Islam and prime goal of Sufi is to recognize and be one with the God. Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo was a Sufi questing to seek proximity with the Ultimate Reality Allah (SWT)/God. This practice of man has driven him to the practice of mysticism, which is generally found to be an essential part of almost every religion in the world. “Rishis, Munis and other holy people among Hindus have described the human form as the ‘garb of God’, which means that God has not only created the human body, but also resides in it. Jews believe that God created man in his own image. It is only in this form that God can be realized” (Puri & Khak, 1998, p. 18-19). While in Islam the supremacy of Islam lies in manifesting Allah/God within himself.
Goethe (German Poet, 1749 -1832) heard that ‘Islam’ means Submission to the law, he said “Do we not all live in Islam then”. He, as well as the English writer Carlyle were great admirers of the Prophet Mohammed (BSBUH). Here is a small poem of Goethe which the Viscount was particularly fond of, it said:
It is believed that people who believe in one Allah/God the Almighty, teaching of Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo would lead them towards the way of recognizing the Allah. Therefore, in the following subsections significant guiding principles, extracted from his writings are discussed in detail.
2.1. Union with One God
In Islam the belief that Allah lives in the heart of a ‘momin’ a Pious man, as the Holy Quran intimates “We are near to him than to his royal/jugular vein”. Thus, the supremacy of human lies in manifesting God within himself. This is the true aim of human existence. We truly deserve the exalted position of ‘top of the creation’ when we attain union with Him (SWT). In fact, these are two ways of saying the same thing. Union with God is the final goal; devotion to God is the means to be adopted for reaching that goal. Tab’aeen (followers of the Holy Companions.) described it as “Tasawwuf” (Awarif-ul-Ma’arif means Haqeeqat-e-Tasawaf) while in modern period it is known as Sufism or mysticism (Ali, 2012, p. 7).
The real mystics, Saints according to Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo are those who are “Faqir”[10] having sovereignty of Faqr (spiritual excellence), who drowned themselves in the search of Allah (SWT)/God, by following a complete Islamic way of life living according to the teaching and practice of Mohammad-e-Mustafa (BSBUH). For "Faqir” there is nothing more precious than union with and the love for Allah (SWT), the God is used for Arabic word Allah[11], Haq[12] is frequently used by Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo. The love and union with Allah (SWT)/God is to following the commands of Allah (SWT)/ God, exactly as prescribed in the religion Islam. “…according to Islam, religion is that which is an agreement with science, reason, men of reason and men of reflection, are capable of understanding Moslem religion” (Conferences of Riyad, 1972), the last and complete code of human life for whole world/society, wherein Muslims should hold fast to the message of the Holy Quran in order to progress in this life and the life hereafter, for which one have to live like a ‘Faqir’ who is not subservient to his ‘base-self’ (material wills) but follows the Divine teaching. “Sufi is the person who commands his Nafs (self) and is not commanded by it” (Urfi, 1973, p.223). Thus, Union with Almighty by adopting Sufism, with true spirit of Holy Quran and Sunnah, and negating the desires of base self is the foundation for purity of individual.
According to law of Allah (God) no one can discriminate anyone, and this is the principle of Faqr adopted by Faqir who have merged themselves in Allah (God) through law of Allah:
The Holy prophet, Mohammad (BSBUH) said “Faqr is my glory[13]”. Hadhrat Amir Khusru (1253 – 1325) also pronounces the same thought: