Sultan Bahadur Ali Shah

Sultan Syed Bahadur Ali Shah sahib Kazmi Mashadi (Allah bless his soul) was born in 1801. Their ancestral link goes back to The Holy prophet (blessing and salutation be on him) through Hadhrat Syed Abdul Latif shah (Allah bless his soul) of Burry Imam near Islamabad and Hadrat Syed Imam Musa Kazim (Allah be pleased with him) of Mashad in Iran. Hadrat Imam sahib was highly learned scholar and very pious personality of his time.

Due to such ancestors Sultan Syed Bahadur Ali Shah sahib was known as Kazmi Mashadi. Their ancestors came to sub continent to propagate Islam. They settled in various parts of the region and Shah sahibs forefathers settled in a place called Hassuwali which was on the out skirts of Shorkote. Shah sahib’s father was a religious person with high morals. He carried out farming for his livelihood. He was influenced by the teaching of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo (Allah bless he soul) and often visited his shrine.

Education & Journey to Spiritual Heights

Sultan Syed Bahadur Ali Shah sahib had inclination towards Islam from childhood and when his father realized that, he decided to take him to Maulana Syed Obaid Ullah Shah sahib a highly respected scholar in Multan.

At the age of seven years Shah sahib accompanied by his father started their journey to Multan but on the way they stayed seven nights at the shrine of Hadhrat Sultan Bahoo (Allah bless his soul). In those nights Shah sahib’s father have been praying for favours for Shah sahib.

After seven nights stay they went to the Mudersa (institute of religious education) of Maulana Syed Abied Ullah shah sahib.They were greeted there by Maulana sahib with traditional hospitality Maulana sahib asked the father regarding the purpose of their visit and he was told of his desire to have young Shah sahib completing his education in his Mudersa. The Maulana sahib agreed and Shah sahib was admitted in the Mudersa.

Next day Shah sahib was given first section of the Holy Quraan to recite he recited it all, infect he recited the whole of the Quraan. He was asked to read other books of syllabus and Hadith the same response was there as well. In fact Shah sahib passed the entire course within seventeen day. Which normally took approximately nine years. Maulana sahib wrote to the father, that your son has completed his education and you can come and collect him.

When the father read the letter he was shocked and thought that perhaps his son was dull or probably he wasn’t up to the Hadhrat Maulana sahibs standard. However he went over to Multan to collect him, with all the negative thoughts passing through his mind.

At the Mudersa when the father was told the facts he was astonished. Maulana sahib called upon Shah sahib and asked him to read his books in front of his father and he did so without any hesitation. Maulana Sahib asked Shah sahib where did he receive this education? He replied that on the way here we spent seven nights at the Durbar of Sultan Sahib and during that time Sultan sahib favoured me with ilm-e-ladunni (inspired knowledge). Hadhrat Maulana sahib told their father to take him back to where he had received such a treasure.

However, father brought him back to the Durbar of Sultan sahib and at night he had a vision in which he was told by Sultan sahib to leave Shah sahib at Durbar sharif and that he will be his guardian. Shah sahib stayed at the Durbar of Sultan sahib for forty years. During that long period, every night Sultan sahib met Shah sahib and he was favored with religious and spiritual teachings.

Shah sahib in his Punjabi poetry said: “I found the dust of Sheiks feet as collyrium and touched the particular holy Mizar (shrine). Sultan Bahadur shah ever since the eyesight got sharper so I visualized Allah Almighty”.

Afterwards Shah sahib was ordered by Sultan sahib to take a visual bayea (oath of allegiance) on the hand of a Sarwari Qadri Sheik. When Shah sahib received the order he requested Sultan sahib to be kind and tell him on whose hand? He was given the name of Hadhrat Syed Abdullah shah sahib who was present in Shorkote in fact their actual residence was in Mudd sharif.

At hearing the name Shah sahib traveled towards Shorkot and met Syed Muhammad Abdul Ghafoor Shah sahib (Allah bless his soul) khalifa of Hadhrat Syed Abdullah shah sahib and requested him for bayea. Syed Muhammad Abdul Ghafoor Shah sahib smiled and said you are restricted to obey the order and the same applies to me. They took Shah sahib’s bayea and instructed him regarding Ism e Allah Zat (personal name of Allah Almighty).

Syed Muhammad Abdul Ghafoor Shah sahib passed Shah sahib to Sultan sahib, who favoured him specially and said: “Syed Bahadur Ali Shah I am placing this special trust (treasure of faqr, piety) through Syed Muhammad Abdul Ghafoor Shah and it will be your duty to transfer and reinstate it within my descendants”.

When Shah sahib received the special trust he requested that “sir all of your descendants are honorable and respectable for me but to whom I would have to transfer it to. Sultan sahib replied! “There will be a prince among my children named Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz, this trust will be reinstated with him so that this treasure of faqr (piety) shall continues from my children until the day of the judgment.

After the bayea Shah sahib went home but they adopted a routine of staying in Hasuwali during the day and spending the night at the Shrine of Sultan sahib. There was spiritual gathering with all of Sultan sahib Khalifas (deputies) and important disciples present.

According to the set up of the gathering Shah sahib set at the back where as other senior people set in front. On one day Shah sahib was coming to Durbar sharif and on the way it was windy storm and heavy flooding in the river and no boatman would agree to take him across to the other side. Shah sahib was someone with very strong determination said to him self even if I die in this way it will be acceptable.

He jumped into the flooded river and swam across to the other side. When they reached Durbar shrif Sultan sahib ordered his first Khalifa Nurang Sultan sahib who set next to sultan sahib, to let Shah sahib sit in his place because he has reached here with great difficulties. From then on Shah sahib set next to Sultan sahib in the spiritual gatherings.

Marriage & Family

After completing the path of Slook (mystic initiation) Shah sahib performed Nikah as a Sunna of Rasool Allah (blessing and salutation be on him) but because Shah sahib’s daily routine was contemplating Ism Allah zat during the day and visiting the Durbar sharif at night. They never had any time for their marital life and therefore often pressurized by the in-laws to fulfill the materialistic requirements but Shah sahib remained silence and kept up their routine.

Eventually family pressured the wife and she demanded a divorce. Shah sahib with the permission of Sultan sahib divorced their wife and freed him self completely from materialistic world.

Preaching & Services for Islam

Shah sahib relocated to a place called Fareed Mahmood Kathiah and took up residence there. It was rural and remote area, people lived in mud huts and had their huts were far apart. Their livelihood was their farming, which was relying on rainy water and herds of animals. The locals were totally illiterate and were unaware of religious knowledge or Marfia (knowledge of Allah Almighty).

Shah sahib enlightened the locals with religious knowledge and invited them to true knowledge and love of Rasool Allah (blessing and salutation be on him) and they had a Mosque built there and begin educating people and bought them out to true Islamic faith that had true love of Allah Almighty and his Prophet (blessing and salutation be on him). Shah sahib had devoted his life for serving and propagating Islam and teachings of Sultan sahib.

Their style of conversation was so sweet and attractive that every one was compelled to pay attention. Their personality was impressive and it was further illuminated with spiritual influence. Due to such effects there were always a big gathering around them.

They rewrote Sultan sahib’s books along with other material by hand and once they were exhausted and didn’t perform the Isha’s Sunnah and went to sleep. At night Sultan sahib came and woke him up and said: “I had to listen a complain about you from the holy court of Rasool Allah (Blessing and salutation be on him) they told me that your devoted seeker Syed Muhammad Bahadur Ali Shah didn’t perform my sunnah and they further said that he didn’t took care of his chicken, go and take care of it a jackal is approaching”.

Shah sahib traveled various parts of Punjab province along with devotees and disciples in order to invite people towards love and Marifa (recognition) of Allah Almighty and his beloved Prophet (blessing and salutation on him) and illuminating peoples hearts with generously.

They visited Syed Muhammad Abdullah Shah sahibs shrine which is located in Ahmed poor Sharkia in District Bahawal poor and went to Auchali sharif in wadi soon skaser and stayed at Haq Bahoo old bungalow.

In Sarwari Qadri order miracles are given the status of menstrual course or puerperal haemorrhage and due to that occurrence of miracles is minimal. In fact occurrence of miracle often revealed through friends of Allah Almighty without their personal desire or inner urges or self projection but its occurrence is with will of Allah Almighty.

Transformation of the faqr

Transformation of the trust of faqr Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz(Allah bless his soul) was direct descendant of Sultan sahib. When ever he was asked to take Bayah with a Sheik and he remained silence. Eventually one day Sultan Muhammad Nawaz sahib requested Sultan sahib that please favour Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz sahib so that he finds a Sheik.

He laid down by the mizar and saw a dream in which he saw Sultan sahib sitting on a throne with Syed Muhammad Bahadur Ali shah sahib and Sultan sahib called upon Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz sahib, took his hand and placed it in Shah sahibs hand. When Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz sahib was made aware of the dream he kept quite didn’t express his view.

One day he got on his famous horse Atlus and went to Shah sahib in Fareed Mahmood Kathia while he was at a distance by hearing the noise of his horses neighing Shah sahib came out to greet him. Shah sahib had the order from Sultan sahib and therefor they were waiting for them.

They stayed a night there and next day they travelled to Durbar sharif and Shah sahib took Sultan Muhammad Abdul Aziz sahib Bayah and awarded him the robe of khilafa and transferred the trust (treasure of Faqr) back to the nominee of Sultan sahib as ordered.

Poetry

For the guidance of seekers of Allah’s love you wrote a few verses. Your poetry has your teachings. Your poetry is very famous in Serwari Qadri chain. This poetry is in local Seraiki language. Both Punjabi and Seraiki can understand this poetry easily. Your Arifana poetry is the source of light for the ones who cover internal and spiritual journey and for devotees of true path.

Your poetry is in the form of prayer and Herfi (thirty lines verses). Like other poets you didn’t portrayed anything imaginary or fantasy rather your verses are close to practicality and reality. Your poetry has simplicity, integrity, continuity and the best flow.

In your poetry you considered love, company, respect and sincerity to a spiritual Master, the key of success. Without a spiritual Master neither is a way nor a destination. A person’s efforts are always futile without a spiritual Master and never can find his destination.

Death and Urs (Death Anniversary)

He died on 27 February, 1934 at the age of 133 years. His shrine is in Farid Mehmood Ka Thia, Ada Qasim Abad, Shorkor road, Jhang. His Urs has been celebrated every year on 24, 25 and 26 of February. People from all over the country attend the Urs.