Translating Azad's chapter on the Sheikh

BY UMAR MANZOOR SHAH

The beginning of Hazrat Sheikh’s poetry is related to his life experiences. It seems that he found his way to sainthood and poetry from the very beginning of his life. He was influenced by the poetic sayings of Lal Arifah and continued to walk through every stage of life with a poetic approach. When he goes to acquire education, he corners his teacher with such words that are immersed in knowledge and poetry.

When Sheikh was four years and four months old, his mother took him to a school for education. The teacher wrote the letters of the alphabet and taught him to read from Alif to Fatah. After reading Alif, Sheikh remained silent. The teacher tried to get him to speak, but Sheikh did not utter a word. Finally, at the insistence of the teacher, he spoke: 

Oh, unaware of the meaning and unfamiliar with ecstasy and passion! When you said Alif, I read Alif. I understood it as One and saw it as such. The fear of creating ambiguity if I were to read the other letters is present. That’s why I refrained. But who can make you comprehend this?

When he went to the weaver to learn a craft, he found that the tools of the weaver could become a source of inspiration for a poet.  The weaver explains that the Maqoo tar (a type of rope) is taken back and forth, and it is straightened with zarb-e-koft (a weaving technique). Sheikh interprets this as the burden of livelihood that a person carries, constantly running back and forth like the Maqoo rope. When the rope is finished, it signifies the end of the person’s running back and forth, implying death.

The weaver becomes troubled by these words and believes that this boy talks nonsense. He thinks Sheikh is not suitable for weaving work. The weaver then continues working silently, while Sheikh sits on one side, with his head down, lost in deep thoughts. When his mother comes to see him and finds Sheikh in this state, she asks him who stopped him from doing the work. Sheikh replied: Mother, look at two small pieces of wood hanging in the doorways, sometimes lifting their heads up and sometimes lowering them. They are signalling to us to leave from here. Do not get stuck in trouble like us, the world is not a place of rest. Saying this, he got up and headed towards the woods.

Once, while passing through a town in south Kashmir, Sheikh overheard a conversation between a merchant and a seller. Intrigued, he stopped to listen. The merchant was discussing a particular item that he was trying to sell but had found no buyers in the market. He insisted that the seller lower the price significantly in order to make a sale. Reluctantly, the seller agreed, and the merchant purchased the item at the reduced price, placing it in a corner.

Later, a customer arrived searching specifically for that same item. The merchant, seizing the opportunity, began extolling its virtues, emphasizing its rarity and uniqueness. He claimed to have kept it for himself, implying its exceptional value. Ultimately, he sold it to the customer at a much higher price.

Observing this deceitful transaction, Sheikh became incensed and approached the merchant. Engaging in a detailed dialogue, Sheikh’s words had such a profound impact on the merchant that he decided to close his shop and adopt Sheikh’s way of life, following his teachings and guidance.

This incident exemplifies the transformative power of Sheikh’s influence on those he encountered. Furthermore, when exploring the biography of Sheikh, one can observe a profound connection between his saintliness and his poetry. Unlike other poets whose inspiration often stems from extraordinary events, Sheikh’s poetic journey seemingly commences from his very birth.

Kalam-e-Sheikh

Kalam-e-Sheikh is a collection of Kashmiri poetry by Hazrat Nouruddin Reshi, consisting of four sections categorized in terms of Asnaf-e-Sukhan (types of poetry):

1. Couplets

These are multiple couplets and are a valuable part of Sheikh’s poetry. Some couplets are idiomatic expressions and are used both in colloquial and formal language. They are so universal that they are recited in not only the courtyards and fields but also in various gatherings and recitals.

2. Bayanah Nazmain- Prose Poems

Sheikh’s prose poems are diverse in terms of their subject matter. Their specific themes include praise and eulogy, advice and exhortation, and truths and mysticism. Some poems contain elements of love poetry, and their boundaries often blur with those of traditional ghazals. Among them, “Gongal Nama” stands out as an example of Sheikh’s fondness for the use of metaphor.

3. Makaalay (Dialogue poems)

Sheikh’s Dialogue poems are interesting and meaningful, just like his two-line poems. Their number is not very large, and they do not have many lines. Among them, the dialogue between Baba Bulleh Shah and Sheikh is lengthy and emotional.

(4) Common themes

This is a collection of 130 initial issues in Islamic jurisprudence, written in the form of poetry similar to “Nam-e-Haq” and attributed to Sheikh. The issues relate to ablution and prayer and cover topics such as different types of water, conditions of cleanliness, impurity, doubtful matters, and usage of water, obligations of ablution, the sunnah of ablution, obligations of bathing, the sunnah of bathing, , pillars of prayer, conditions of prayer, and so on.

Furthermore, his Sanskrit and other poems are also included in the “Rishi Nama”, but due to incoherent writing and calligraphy, they cannot be read.

Note: The article is a translation from a chapter of Abdul Ahad Azad’s book Kashmiri Zaban aur Shairi.