Thursday, May 24, 2012

Sachal Sarmast (Mian Abdul Wahab)



Sachal Sarmast (Mian Abdul Wahab), the great mystic of Sindh, is the leading Sufi poet of distinction who composed verses on philosophy and Sufism. He is known as second Mansoor ul Hajjaj because of his poetry and philosophy. Sache Dino, Sachoo (the truthful) and Sachal Sarmast were all names given to Mian Abdul Wahab Farooqi because of the radical sufi pursuits with which he challenged the rigid mindset of the clergy of his times. Also called 'shair-e-haft zaban' (poet in seven languages) as he composed poetical pieces in Arabic, Sindhi, Seraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Persian and Balochi, that is replete with Divine Love. It is on Monotheism, the Glorious Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). He also composed poems of high order in Urdu and Persian. The great Sufi poets Attar, Sami and Roomi influenced him. Sindhi poetry of Sachal Sarmast encompasses a wide range of subjects and possesses its own individuality. He perfected a great deal of old style i.e. Abyat and Dohas greatly in vogue before him. While Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (another Sufi poet of Sindh) enhanced the standard of Sindhi poetry to the highest level of excellence in style, diction and subject matter, Sachal Sarmast took the lead in raising the standard and level of kafi, ghazal and marsia in Sindhi poetry. Unlike Shah Latif whose compositions are woven around local and folk themes, Sachal Sarmast has touched on all great Sufi saints, fountains of knowledge and learning, besides the most popular folktales of the Indus valley. The Images, similes, metaphors and allegories employed by Sachal Sarmast give him a prominent place in Sindhi literature.

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