<object width="425" height="353"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZyQ9WGFwD_g"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZyQ9WGFwD_g" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="353"></embed></object> This is a Sufi book of verse written in Panjabi by Mian Muhammad Bakhsh Qadri, an arif billah of the 19th century, from Kashmir, extremely popular in the whole of Panjab. It is a spiritual masterpiece of Sufism like Mawlana's Diwan or Masnavi. Here is a sample of some of his most famous verses with my transliteration and translation: Awwal hamd sanaa Ilaahi Jo maalik har har daa Uss da naam chataaran waala Har maidaan na har daa First, all praise is for Allah Who is the Lord of all He who recites his Name Never will lose in any field! Mard Allah day sirr e Ilaahi Ay kooii bhaid niraala Ikko nazroon saaf banaway Mera murshid damree waala (Real) Men are the Divine Secret This is a strange mystery With one gaze he can purify— My Spiritual Guide the Damri Wala Har mushkil dee kunjii yaaro Hath mardaan day aayii Mard nigaah karan jis vialay Mushkil raway na kaarii The key to every difficulty Is in the hands of such men When they look at you just once Difficulties no longer exist! Vah kareem Ummat da waali Mehr shifaat kardaa Jibrail jiehay jisday chaakar Nabiyaan da Sarkar da Bravo O you gracious protector of your Ummah A sun which intercedes The likes of Gabriel are his servants -The Chief of all the Prophets! Nur Muhammad roshan aaha Aadam jaddoon na hoya Awwal aakhir doway paasay Oho mal khalooiya! The Light of Muhammad shone When Adam was still uncreated Both stations of First and Last He alone occupies alone! [This refers to the Sunni belief that the Prophet was the first creation of Allah and the hadith of the Prophet, “O’ Jabir, the first thing Allah created was the noor of your Prophet” and the hadith, “I was a Prophet whilst Adam was still between water and clay” and many others support this; the verse also alludes to these hadith. The Prophet was thus the first to be created of the Prophets and the last to be sent.] Isa khaak unhaan day dar dee Gin tayammam kardaa Taiheen dast e mubarak usadaa Shaafii har zarrar daa Jesus takes the dust from his doorstep And makes his ablutions with it That is why his blessed hand was Able to heal all the sick! Kee kuchh naat tussadee aakhaan Khalqat day sardaara Laakh salaat salaam teray tay Laakh durood hazaaraa How can I laud you? O Best of all Creation! Millions of blessings upon you! Billions of salutations upon you! Sukhan nahin koii hunda mehkee Terii shaan qadr daa Taha tay Yasin Ilaahi Sift tusaadee kardaa I have no words of praise Commensurate with your status “Ta Ha” and “Ya Sin” The Lord Calls you with these qualities! Bahut izzat lawlaakii tehnoo Kii main sift sunaawaa Aal Ashaab samait salaama Hor durood puchaavaa ”But for thee” is enough praise for thee Which qualities of thine can I add? Millions of blessings be upon you And upon your Progeny and Companions! (This refers to the hadith qudsi, “Lawlaka lawlaka maa khalaqatul aflaka” and “Lawlaka lawlaka maa khalaqtul duniya” (But for thee (O Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) I would not have created the heavens) and in the second version “..the world”.) Aal Awlaad terii daa mangtaa Main kangaal ziyaanii Pao khair Muhammad taiin Sadaqa Shah i Jilani! I am a mendicant of your descendents I am penniless and sinful Give me some charity For the sake of Shah Jilani! (Shah Jilani i.e. Shaykh Abd al Qadir al Jilani al Baghdadi, founder of the Qadiri Sufi Order and the greatest of the awliya by consensus after the Salaf till the coming of the Mahdi alayhisalam.) Wah wah meeraaN Shah e Shahaan daa Sayyid Do Jahanii Ghaus ul Azam Pir piraaN daa Hai Mahboob e Rabbani! Bravo O Chieftain, King of kings Master of Both the worlds Ghaus ul Azam is the saint of saints And the Beloved of The Lord! (Ghaus ul Azam: (Arabic: al-Ghawth al-‘Azam: The Greatest Succour: another title for Shaykh Abd al Qadir al Jilani.) Rehmat da miinh paa khudaaya baad sukaa kar hariya booTa aas umeed meri da Karde mevay bhariya Send a rain of mercy O’ Lord Make the land verdant after being parched Cause the plant of my hopes and desires To become fruitful again. MiTta maiva bakhsh jiya Qudrat dee rakh shirin jo khaavay ro usdaa jaaway door hovay dil geeree Give me such sweet fruits Place natural sweetness in them So that whoever eats thereof, his anger vanishes And his sorrowness departs! Lakh varii jay itr gulabon Toiiyay nit zabaanaa Naam unhaa day laaiq nahin Ki kalimay da kaana If you wash your tongue a thousand times With the attar of roses It is still not worthy to say His name What then of the Kalima? Main neevan mera murshid uccha Te main ucchiyaa day sang laii Sadaqa jaavaan unhaan ucchiyaa taaii Jinhaa neviyaan naal nibhaaii I am lowly my spiritual guide is high And I have linked my end to the high ones May I die for such lofty ones Who have protected the lowly ones!