Syed Usman Marvandi

Religion Islam, speciIically the

Suhrawardiyya SuIi order
Other
name(s)
Lal Shahbaz Qalandar
Personal
Born 1177
Marvand, AIghanistan
Died 1274
Sehwan
Senior posting
Based in Sehwan
Title Shahbaz
Period in
office
12th/13th century
Predecessor Baha-ud-din Zakariya
Successor Various
Lal Shahbaz Qalandar
From Wikipedia, the Iree encyclopedia
Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar(11771274) (Sindhi :
), a Sayed SuIisaint, philosopher , poet, and
qalandar. Born Syed Hussain Shah,
|1|
he belonged to
the Suhrawardiyyaorder oI SuIis. He preached religious
tolerance among Muslimsand Hindus. Thousands oI
pilgrims visit his shrine every year, especially at the
occasion oI his Urs.
Contents
1 LiIe
2 In poetry and prose
3 Legends and Stories
4 Shrine
5 Urs
6 ReIerences
7 External links
Life
Shahbaz Qalandar (Syed Usman Marwandi) was born in
Marwand, AIghanistan
|2|
to a dervish, Syed Ibrahim Kabiruddin
|3|
whose ancestors migrated Irom Baghdad
and settled down in Mashhad, a center oI learning and civilization, beIore migrating again to Marwand.
A contemporary oI Baha-ud-din Zakariya , Fariduddin Ganjshakar , Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari Surkh-posh oI
Uchch, Shams Tabrizi , Mehre Ali Shah Mastand Rumi , he travelled around the Muslim worldsettled in Sehwan
(Sindh, Pakistan) and was buried there.
|4|
His dedication to the knowledge oI various religious disciplines enabled him to eventually become a proIound
scholar. During his liIetime, he witnessed the Ghaznavidand Ghuridsrules in South Asia.
|5|
He became Iluent in
many languages including Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Sindhiand Sanskrit. His mysticism attracted people Irom all
religions. He was called Lal (red) aIter his usual red attire, Shahba: due to his noble and divine spirit, and
Qalandar Ior his SuIi aIIilitation. Hindus regarded him as the incarnation oI Bhrithari . Lal Shahbaz lived a
celibate liIe.
Evidence shows that Shahbaz Qalander was in Sindh beIore 1196, when he met Pir Haji Ismail Panhwar oI
Paat; it is believed he entered Sehwan in 1251. Shahbaz Qalander established his Khanqah in Sehwan and
started teaching in Fuqhai Islam Madarrsah; during this period he wrote his treatises Mi:na-e-Sart, Kism-e-
Dovum, Aqd and Zubdah.
In poetry and prose
A qawwal sung by Abida Parveenand many others, "Lal Meri Pat Rakhivo ..." is in honour oI Shahbaz
Qalandar, as is one sung in various versions by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khanand the Sabri Brothers, "Mast
Qalandar".
This Iamous mysticoIten quoted the teachings oI Maulana Jalal ad-Din Rumi . A book detailing his liIe is called
"Solomon's Ring" by Gul Hasan.
Legends and Stories
On his way Irom Baluchistan to Sindh, he also stayed in present day Karachi's Manghopir area Ior muraqba
(meditation), and it is said that Manghopir's natural warm Iountain is a miracle oI Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. That
warm Iountain started to Ilow Irom beneath the hill, on which Lal Shahbaz sat Ior muraqba (meditation). AIter
passing hundreds oI years, that warm Iountain is still Ilowing continuously and is said to have miraculous healing
power especially Ior asthma patients.
In Multan, Lal Shahbaz met Bahauddin Zachariah Multani oI the Suhurwardiya order, Baba Farid Ganjshakar oI
Chishtiya order, and Makhdoom Jahanian Surkh Bukhari. The attachment was so cordial and spiritual that their
Iriendship became legendary. They were known as Chahar Yar ( Persian Iour Iriends). According to some
historians, the Iour Iriends visited various parts oI Sindh and Punjab, in present day Pakistan.
Many saints oI Sindh, including Shah Abdul LatiI Bhitai , Makhdoom Bilawaland Sachal Sarmast , were devout
Iollowers oI Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
It is also believed that he turned into a Ialcon to pick up his Iriend Fariduddin Ganjshakar Irom the gallows. The
legend goes that the incumbent Iakirs in Sehwan sent him a bowl oI milk Iilled to the brim, indicating that there
was no room Ior anything more. But surprisingly, he returned the bowl with a beautiIul Ilower Iloating on the top.
This legend spread Iar and wide by the time oI his death in 1274, aIter living a good span oI 97 years.
Shrine
The shrine around his tomb, built in 1356, gives a dazzling look with its Sindhi kashi tiles, mirror work and one
gold-plated door - donated by the late Shah oI Iran, and installed by the late Prime Minister ZulIikar Ali
Bhutto.
|2|
The inner sanctum is about 100 yards square with the silver canopied grave in the middle. On one
side oI the marble Iloor is a row oI about 12-inch-high (300 mm) Iolding wooden stands on which are set copies
oI Quran Ior devotees to read. On the other side, beside a bundle oI burning agarbattis (joss sticks), are rows oI
diyas (small oil lamps) lighted by devotees.
Urs
His annual Urs (death anniversary celebration) is held on the 18 Sha'aban - the eighth month oI the Muslim lunar
calendar. Thousands oI devotees Ilock to the tomb while every Thursday their number stands multiplied
especially at the time oI his Urs` being a carnival as well a religious Iestival and celebrated every year. Sehwan
springs to liIe and becomes the Iocal point oI more than halI a million pilgrims Irom all over Pakistan. On each
morning oI the three day Ieast, the narrow lanes oI Sewhan are packed to capacity as thousands and thousands
oI pilgrims, Iakirs and devotees make their way to the shrine to commune with the saint, oIIer their tributes and
make a wish. Most oI the people present garlands and a green chadar (a cloth used to cover a tomb) with
Qur`anic inscriptions in silver or gold threads. Humming oI verses, singing and dancing in praise oI the saint
continues till late at night. A devotional dance known as dhamal`, being a Irenzied and ecstatic swirl oI the head
and body, is a special ritual that is perIormed at the rhythmic beat oI the |dhol| (a big barrel-shaped drum),
some oI them being oI giant size and placed in the courtyard oI the shrine. Bells, gongs, cymbals and horns make
a thunderous din, and the dervishes, clad in long robes, beads, bracelets and colored head-bands whirl Iaster
Shrine oI Lal Shahbaz Qalander
and Iaster in a hypnotic trance, until with
a Iinal deaIening scream they run wildly
through the doors oI the shrine to the
courtyard beyond.
References
1. ^ Sarah Ansari (1971) SuIi Saints
and State Power: The Pirs oI Sind,
1843-1947. Vanguard Books
2. `
D

E
N M Mathyani (2002) Lal
Shahbaz Qalandar: A great saint
(http://www.jaIariyanews.com/oct2k2/26qalandar.htm) . Retrieved on 27 January 2008
3. ^ I A Rashid (2004) Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (http://www.storyoIpakistan.com/contribute.asp?artidc066) .
Story oI Pakistan. 6 March. Retrieved on 27 January 2008
4. ^ M Inam (1978) Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar oI Sehwan ShariI. Karachi.
5. ^ N B G Qazi (1971) Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Uthman Marwandi'. RCD Cultural Institute.
External links
Site ReIerence oI Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (http://www.suIism.org.pk/suIislalshahbaz.php)
Retrieved Irom " http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?titleLalShahbazQalandar&oldid475018592 "
Categories: SuIi poets SuIi mystics Sindhi people Pakistani poets Pakistani SuIis
SuIism in Sindh SuIis oI Sindh SuIism in AIghanistanPakistani people oI AIghan descent 1177 births
1274 deaths
This page was last modiIied on 4 February 2012 at 21:00.
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