Battle of Karbala : Upheld the struggle of good against the evil.

10th Muharram is a day of mourning for all Muslims. The tragic incident at Karbala where the righteous Hazrat Imam Hussain (son of Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib and Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (daughter of prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) refused to submit to the autocracy of Yazid is an event laden with deep symbolism. Hazrat Imam Hussain and his faithful companions preferred to die on the banks of river Euphrates and upheld the struggle of good against the evil.

The reason for the battle was Yazid's insistence that Hazrat Imam Hussain accept him as the upright and undisputed ruler. Hazrat Imam Hussain was not an ordinary person. Grandson of the prophet, he was widely accepted as the most pious throughout his life. A seal from such a personality would have given a kiss of life to Yazid's unlawful power grab. Both were well aware of this. Yazid chose to use the state power to first disallow access to water and food for three days to Hazrat Imam Hussain his family including women and children whom some were either old (90+ years) or young (6 months) and when Hazrat Imam Hussain still insisted on his stance of not providing legitimacy to Yazid's rule, told Hazrat Imam Hussain that he would be killed. Hazrat Imam Hussain chose that & with his small group of companions and family members, who were between 72 men of he fought with a large army of Yazid during the 1 day battle in Karbala they all faught bravely and martyred. The captured women were tortured. In the end though, these women specially the sister of Hazrat Imam Hussain Hazrat Bibi Zainab, through their speeches were able to turn the tables on Yazid. This battle also had significant effects on the social, religious and political situation.

10 Muharram the day of Ashura marks the high point of the Remembrance of Muharram. It is commemorated by Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain at the Battle of Karbala. Muslims fasted on the 9th and 10th Muharram to express gratitude. Processions of Azadari, Religious gatherings and rallies are an essential part of Muharram to remember the scarifies of the loving grand son of the Holy Prophet P.B.UH. and his family including 6 month old kid of his own Hazrat Ali Asghar and so many others. This was the biggest scarifies for the sake of Islam and We, whether the Shia's or Sunni's express our gratitude to the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain . In Pakistan Commemoration of Hazrat Imam Hussain become a national holiday and most ethnic and religious communities participate in it.

Shah ast Hussain, Badshah ast Hussain
Deen ast Hussain, Deen Panah ast Hussain
Sardad na dad dast, dar dast-e-yazeed,
Haqaa key binaey La ila ast Hussain

Ruler is Hussain, Emperor is Hussain,
Faith is Hussain , guardian of faith is Hussain .
Offered his head and not the hand to Yazid.
Truly, the mirror of faith is Hussain

Jashan-e-Eid Milad un nabi Mubarak

The most authentic tradition for Muslim around the world is birthday of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) born on 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal. The most authentic date of Milad-un-Nabi , as agreed upon by the classical and later scholars and historians, and as officially recognized by Islamic countries.

Eid-e-Milad also known as 'Milad-ul Nabi' or ‘Mawlid’ is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) . It is celebrated on the twelfth day of the third month Rabi-ul-Awwal according to the Islamic calendar. On this day Muslims attend religious services at mosques and socialize with loved ones.

People of Pakistan celebrating Eid Milad un Nabi (Peace Be Upon Him) in a befitting manner and religious fervour. Across the country, camps and stalls have been set up where vendors are relishing sale bonanza as the devotees are flocking to buy the green flags and streamers. various religious, political and social groups are organizing Seerat conferences while Mahafil-e-Milad and Naat Khawani are also taking place in different parts of the country.

SURAJ ko Roshni Aap se
Chand ko Noor Aap Se

AAP hi se hai poori Kaynaat
Kaynaat ka har zarra Aapse

Aashikon ko Eid Mubarak

Tribute to the People of love, peace and harmony

Sufi saints have contributed a lot towards creating a message of love, peace and harmony in the subcontinent. Now there is a need to project their message effectively to acquaint the younger generation with their valuable contributions in the real sense.

In this context, Lok Virsa has dedicated a spacious hall, named as the ‘Hall of Sufis & Shrines,’ within its popular living cultural museum — the Heritage Museum at Shakarparian — to depict and portray contributions and messages of the great sufi saints. The display offers beautiful architecture with extremely artistic intricate mirror work alongside a pigeons’ landmark, which looks as real as one can see at the shrines.

The word ‘sufi’ is derived from Arabic word ‘safa’ meaning purity. Sufism is a mystic tradition encompassing a diverse range of beliefs and practices. This mystic sufi tradition has existed in all parts of Pakistan and is a binding force that brings people of diverse cultures together. The saints whose shrines dot the landscape are the meeting place of the masses — the rich and the poor, the rulers and the ruled — serve as a humanism force in society at both cultural and spiritual levels.

The sufi saints who came to the subcontinent in large numbers played the most important part in spreading Islam all over the region, preserving the religion’s inner spirit and converting a large mass into Muslims. They were indeed the men of high moral characters, who stood side by side with the poor masses in all trails and tribulations of time.

Like other Islamic movements, sufism traces its origin to the Holy Qur’aan and the Hadith. In order to keep sufism within the discipline of Islam, the sufis organised themselves into ‘silsilas’ or orders. The most important and well known among them are ‘Qadriah’, founded by Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani; ‘Naqshbandiah’, called after Khawaja Bahauddin Naqshbandi; ‘Chishtiah’, founded by Khawaja Abul Ishaq Shami; and ‘Soharwardiah’, founded by Sheikh Bahauddin Zakaria.

In the part representing the land of the sufi saints, there are life-size statues of musicians in performing postures, singing renditions of sufi saints like Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and Sachal Sarmast. Outstanding Sindhi folk artiste and performer Allan Faqir is also among them. Punjab describes pictures of the shrines of Hazrat Data Gunj Bakhsh, Shah Rukne Alam and Sheikh Bahauddin Zakaria. Malangs and faqirs, who form an integral part of shrines, are also seen, paying rich tributes to the sufi saints.

‘Dali’, an ornamented boat-like monument specially created to express tributes to the famous saint belonging to the capital territory known as Hazrat Barri Imam by his spiritual followers during the annual ‘urs’ celebrations, is also depicted in the display.

Lok Virsa Executive Director talking to ‘The News’. He said that the sayings of the sages and the time-old customs, which express the true genius of the people of Pakistan, are major subjects of the Lok Virsa’s mandate.

1279th Anniversary of Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi.

Abdullah Shah Ghazi was the great grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He is son of Muhammad (Nafsul Zakia) bin Abdullah bin Hasan Saani bin Hasan Ibne Ali Ibne Abu Talib, making him a member of the Ahl al-Bayt. His brother, Misry Shah, who is also buried along the coastline in Karachi, is also remembered as a saint.

Every year marks the Urs (festival) at the shrine for 3 days 20-22 Dhu al-Hijjah 12th month of the Islamic calendar), marking the anniversary of Abdullah Shah Ghazi. A famous myth about the mazar is that Karachi never had a tropical disaster in a thousand year because of the shrine's blessing.

Related news : 1279th Urs of one of the most revered Sufi Saint was celebrated with great fervor on 10-Dec-2009. Thronged by thousands of believers, the three-day celebrations came to an end with the distribution of Langar (free food), and an evening of Qawali and Dhamal.

Leaving behind his worldly affairs for the saint, a volunteer Haji Asif did not sleep since the start of the festival. “I have been volunteering at the Urs for the last 20 years, and my duty is to ensure that discipline is maintained among the visitors. This place holds great importance for me, and I can neither express happiness nor the peace which overcomes me here,” he said. Read More

Pillar of the world: Rukn-e-Alam

Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fath (1251-1335) commonly known by the title Rukn-e-Alam (pillar of the world) was among the eminent Sufi saints from Multan, Pakistan.

The Shaikh was the son of Pir Sadar-Al-Din Arif born at Multan on Friday, the 9th of Ramadan 649 Hijri (26 November 1251). He was the grandson and successor of Shaikh Baha-Ud-Din Zakariya.

Shaikh Rukn-e-Alam (Rukn-al-Din) died on Friday, the 7th of Jumada al-awwal 735 Hijri (3 January 1335). He was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather, according to his own will. After sometime, however, his coffin was transferred to the present mausoleum.

The saint is still revered today and his tomb is the focus of the pilgrimage of over 100,000 pilgrims from all over South Asia who visit and commemorate his memory.


The tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam was built between 1320 and 1324, is an unmatched pre-Moghul masterpiece. The Mausoleum of Rukn-i-Alam could possibly be considered as the glory of Multan.

From whichever side the city is approached, the most prominent thing that can be seen from miles all around is a huge dome. This dome is the Shrine of the saint. The tomb is located on the southwest side of the Fort premises. This elegant building is an octagon, 51 feet 9 inches in diameter internally, with walls 41 feet 4 inches high and 13 feet 3 inches thick, supported at the angles by sloping towers. Over this is a smaller octagon 25 feet 8 inches, on the exterior side, and 26 feet 10 inches high, leaving a narrow passage all round the top of the lower storey for the Moazzan, or public caller to prayers. The whole is surmounted by a hemispherical dome of 58 feet external diameter. The total height of the building, including a plinth of 3 feet, is 100 feet. As it stands on the high ground, the total height above the road level is 150 feet.

Besides its religious importance, the mausoleum is also of considerable archaeological value as its dome is reputed to be the second largest in the world,
The mausoleum is built entirely of red brick, bounded with beams of shisham wood, which have now turned black after so many centuries. The whole of the exterior is elaborately ornamented with glazed tile panels, string-courses and battlements. Colors used are dark blue, azure, and white, contrasted with the deep red of the finely polished bricks.


The tomb was said to have been built by Ghias-ud-Din Tughlak(r. 1320-1325) for himself during the days of his governorship of Depalpur, between 1320 and 1324 AD, but was given by his son, Muhammad bin Tughluq to the descendents of Shah Rukn-e-Alam for the latter’s burial in 1330.

The mausoleum of Rukn-e-Alam has been admired by not only the travelers and chroniclers but also by the art-historians and archaeologist who wrote the architectural history of the subcontinent.

In the 1970s the mausoleum was thoroughly repaired and renovated by the Auqaf Department of the Punjab Government. The entire glittering glazed interior is the result of new tiles and brickwork done by the Kashigars of Multan.

Hazrat Ali, the Lion of God

The martyrdom day of Hazrat Ali ibne Abi Talib (AS) is observed countrywide today with religious fervour and zeal. Hazrat Ali was endowed with all the qualities that make a man great. He was not only great, he was regarded as a superman, an ideal man. He was the paragon of virtue. He enjoyed fame for his piety and religious devotions. He was the embodiment of Islamic values. In his love of God and His Messenger, he was second to none. When praying to God, his absorption was so intense that he often lost consciousness. His mind was so sure that he could hold communion with God. He had learned the Holy Quran by heart, and he could quote appropriate verses to suit every occasion. He was most truthful and honest. He was most humble. He was simple in his habits. He avoided display and luxury. He lived the life of an ascetic. Even when he was Caliph he lived in an ordinary house. The door of his house remained open to everyone at all times. He was most generous. He was most liberal in giving charity. He always came to the help of those who were distressed and involved in any difficulty. He looked after widows and orphans as if they were members of his own household. He was a warrior, a general, and a man conspicuous for his bravery and valour. Indeed he was braver than any other man in history. He fought hundreds of duels in his lifetime, and in all such encounters his rivals were worsted. In the various battles, he killed a record number of enemies. He was skillful swordsman and his sword never missed its mark. In the various battles that he fought, he never turned his back. In the battle of Uhud, he received so many wounds that were unable to dress. He bore the pain with great patience. The people around him misunderstood him, yet he did not lose patience. He was most chivalrous, and forgiving. He would forgive even his worst enemies. He was a great scholar. His book Nahj ul-Balagha is a living proof of his scholarship and erudition. There was a sense of humour about him, and sometimes he said things in a lighter vein to bring home the point he had in mind. He was a master of the simile and metaphor, and when bringing home a point he always illustrated it with appropriate metaphors and similes. He was a great philosopher, and there was great depth in his thoughts which were expressed in his writing. He was known for his wisdom. He was indeed wiser than Solomon. Most of his wise sayings have attained the dimensions of proverbs. He was a great orator. His sermons were most impressive. He was a master of rhetoric. He is regarded as the father of Islamic learning. He has left a deep mark on Islamic theology. He was the founder of Arabic grammar. He was a great poet. He was the father of Sufism. He was the father of Islamic jurisprudence. He was in impartial judge and his famous judgments are the most valuable assets of Islamic jurisprudence. He was a skillful administrator. He introduced numerous reforms. He was an eminent political thinker for his political thought had an air of modernity about it. The greatness of Hazrat Ali as a man is multi-dimensional in character, and after the holy Prophet, he was the greatest Muslim whose memory is honoured by Muslims all over the world.

His Appellations

Because of his multidimensional greatness and outstanding qualities, Hadrat Ali is known by many appellations, and each appellation illuminates one particular aspect of his excellence.

Some of these appellations are as follows:

(1) Murtada - he with whom God is pleased
(2) Maula - the master
(3) Haidar-i-Karrar- the brave warrior against whom no one could stand
(4) Asad Allah - the lion of God
(5) Al-Ghalib - the victorious
(6) Sher-i-Yazdan - the bravest man of the age
(7) Mushkil Kusha - wine whom resolves the difficulties of the people
(8) Shah-i-Awlia - the king of saints
(9) Shah-i-Mominin - the king of the pious
(10) Abu Turab - father of the earth
(11) Amir-ul-Momineen - leader of the faithful
(12) Amin-ul-Momineen - the trustee of the faithful
(13) Imam-ul-Muttaqeen - the leader of the God-fearing
(14) Sayyid-ul-Arab - the chief of the Arabs
(15) Al Wasi - the beneficiary under the Prophet's 'testamentary statement'
(16) Al Hadi - the guide
(17) Al Zahid - the chaste
(18) Al Abi - the pious
(19) Al Salah - the reformer

Death On the 19th of Ramadan, while Ali was praying in the mosque of Kufa, a Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam, a Kharijite, assassinated him with a stroke of his poison-coated sword. Hazrat Ali, wounded by the poisonous sword, lived for two days before dying in Kufa on the 21st of Ramadan in 661

National Poet of Pakistan, The poet of the East Allama Muhammad Iqbal In his poem "Asrar-i-Khudi," Allama Iqbal paid tribute to Hadrat Ali in the following terms:

"Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet was a man of many qualities. He gave fresh vigour to Faith. And brought honours to the community of the faithful. He developed self-disciplines and killed avarice. A person who knows and controls himself rules the world."

Hazrat Data Ganj bakhsh R.A

Data Durbar is the tomb of Hazrat Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri, the famous Sufi saint, where hundreds of thousands of people come each year to pay their respects and to say their prayers. It is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

The large complex also includes Jamia Hajveria, or Hajveri Mosque. Abul Hassan Ali Ibn Usman al-Jullabi al-Hajvery al-Ghaznawi or Abul Hassan Ali Hajvery‎ also known as Data Ganj Bakhsh (Persian/Urdu: داتا گنج بخش ) or Data Sahib, was a Persian Sufi and scholar during the 11th century. He significantly contributed to the spreading of Islam in South Asia.He was born in Ghazna (in present day Afghanistan) in the beginning of Ghaznavids period (around 990) and died in Lahore (in present day Punjab, Pakistan) in 1077 CE. His most famous work is The Kashf Al Mahjub Unveiling the Veiled written in Persian language.The work debates Sufi doctrines of the past Hujwiri belonged to the Junaidia school of Sufism. These sufis followed Junaid Baghdadi of Baghdad. Hajwiri is also viewed as an important intercessor for many Sufis. read more

Shah Abdul Latif was a sufi saint and a very famous poet of Sind

Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (sometimes written Bhittai or Bhittaii) was a devout Muslim Sufi, but his spirituality was broad and welcoming, making room for Muslim and others alike.

He was born into a well-respected family, he turned away from the comforts of life, revealing a natural ascetic tendency. He adopted the saffron-colored robes and simple lifestyle of the wandering Sufis and sanyasins of the region.

In his quest for inner truth, still a young man, Shah Bhitai left his home and began to travel extensively, favoring small villages and the countryside, interacting with the common people. He quickly developed a reputation for holiness and absorption in meditation. At this time disciples began to gather about him.

Shah Bhitai returned to his family home for a while, where he married Bibi Saidha Begum, a young woman who was respected in her own right for her great piety. Sadly, she died at a young age, and Shah Bhitai never remarried. Bhitai and his growing circle eventually moved to a place of retreat, a sand hill ("bhit") next to scenic Kiran Lake.

A fascinating story is told of his poetry. When Shah Bhitai was nearing death, he didn't want his poetry to simply waste away, so he had his writings thrown into the nearby lake. But, at the request of a disciple, Bhitai allowed his poetry to be re-written down by another disciple who had memorized them.Shah Abdul Latif was a sufi saint and a very famous poet of Sind. His poetry is based on different Melodies and Legends of Pakistan . They all teach a lesson of Unity & oneness.

Some translated lines from his Book.

Sohni XXIX

I knew not that the jar was faked
its colours were the same
My heart beyond control, I thrust
myself on jar unbaked;

The thing on which my life I staked
in midstream landed me.
By help of which the longing eyes
did see Beloved’s face;

The jar, how could I sacrifice
as dear as life to me?
My heart exhausted is and weak,
no strength my limbs have now;

"O Sahar, thou dost know all this,
help me, cast thy tow
I am so ignorant, and thou
my love so great thour art.

The jar, the means to reach, did break,
alas, the maiden drowned,
But only then she heard the sound
of Sahar’s voice draw nigh.

The means on which she had relied,
did thrust her in the flood;
And only after she had died
she heard the herdsman’s call.

"The jar is broken! Let it go
obstructive screen it was mere
My real being is singing still
soul-music still is here
And still I seek my Sahar dear,
Though without ‘action` now

My hear, you keep on swimming
the jar let break and go…..
My eyes, I train them every day
more of control to know;

The Herdsmen led me, and did show
to me friend, the ‘straight` path.
Suggest no rafts to those who love
nor ask boat-men around;
Sohni that is for Sahar bound
enquiring doth not need.