Intellectual Meanings (Dimensions) of ‘Unity of Being Philosophy’ in Hadrat Sultan Bahoo's Persian Poetry
Dr. Abdul Aziz Sahir | March 20, 2013
Hadrat Sultan Bahoo (RA) was a man of enormous mysticism and certainty. His spiritual experience is aromatic. What is his poetry? His poetry is spellbinder of spiritual treasures. It is so full of manifestations and observations that its interpretation is very obvious for it’s spiritual and intellectual reality. This kind of commentary and interpretation is clear expression of his aesthetics and conscionable feelings. The manifestations of oneness are often revealed in the mirror of exuberance, because of the phenomenon of absolute existence. This is beautiful phantom of mystic experience and revelation.
From many centuries, Persian poetry has fragrance of this experience and its expression is so colourful and diverse. Sannai, Attar, Rumi, Sadi, Ameer Khusro and Hafiz’s poetry ‘scenario of love’; these all poets give true vision of waḥdat al-wujūd (unity of being) aesthetics. The creation of this article manifests itself from oneness, which is foundation of this fantasy.
These powerful thoughts lit up the creative horizons of poetry. The multicolour cultures of poetry and homogeneity of religious cultures form a visionary system, which preview all colours of oneness. This journey never stops and can never be stopped. Because its expression is practical and poetry gives emotions to this expression and appears on the face of spirituality. The vision and aesthetics of this poetry travels for centuries and reaches Sultan Bahoo (RA) and his spiritual experience makes it a mesmerizing effect, which reflects the fusion of concept and dream. The trueness of his creative experience kindles Gnostics and mysticism in the poetry. His poetry’s moral system exists on spiritual sensations. The experience of unity of being affects the creative environment in such a way that all these colourful scenes are expressed from the manifestation of obligatory existence. If you look at the first poem of his poetry collection, how beautifully the spiritual sensation turns into the perception of oneness. He highlights the spiritual aesthetics in the intellectual context of absolute existence.
I am certain within universe there none worthy of worship besides Hoo
There is no existence or objective in both worlds besides Hoo
In hand with sword of negation come alone without grief of hesitation
Depending on acquaintance other than truth is no triumph besides Hoo
Negate all besides Allah and seek Allah from Allah
Keep your sight toward unison there is no purpose besides Hoo
He is first He is last manifests His splendor
Actual Divinity manifests from truth there is none besides Hoo
He is Hoo He is truth I know none other than Hoo
He is Hoo He is truth I don’t recite none other than Hoo
Listen o friend of passion there is no trinity or duality
He is One He is the purpose none exists beside Hoo
I mention one I search one and one I keep in my heart like flower
That one I find one besides that I find none other
I traversed entire universe I only liked that Truth (Haqq)
I called out one seen one and seen none other than one
I am consoler of myslf nothing is in my hand besides Yahoo
I have attached my heart and soul with Hoo and not attached with none other besides Hoo
This poetry is interpreting the mystic creativeness of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo (RA). This poetry is unfolding the certainty of his spiritual vision. The true sensation of sound aesthetics reflects his internal experiences and observations. This poem is written on the experience of unity of being, it reflects his mysticism, conscience, knowledge and focus. He has mounted on this spiritual experience and this is the musky tenderness of his concept. The trueness of his experience is spread all over the poem; it’s like the fragrance of blossom or the lyrics of diverse colours or the scattering fragrance of negation and affirmation in the jasmine sapling or the munificence of perfect master. All these various colours adapt the model of oneness and give a new context to aesthetics, that’s why this poetry takes the true spirit of unity of being and it extends the visionary thoughts. Oneness becomes so prominent in its aesthetics that, its manifestations are revealed from the curtains of exuberance. In the tidal wave of emotions, it deviates from the techniques of poetry. Sometimes the rhymes are missing and it loses its track as well. It seems diverting from the general poetry rules. Missing rhymes does not dilute its richness and melody, but often this technical freeness reflects the aesthetics of poetry in a paranormal and unique way. These technical shortcomings don’t take away the original concept of poetry and keep them revolving around spiritual sphere. Absolute existence of oneness is the witness of aesthetics. The adaption of immense emotions provides new and precious experiences. Have a look at some of his poetry, which has obligatory and absolute spiritual aesthetics.…… The temporary and possible context of ‘me’ scatters a delicate fragrance.
Thousand time remorse that there are thousand forms of arrogance
In the same remorse I sigh hundred thousands of time
Sadly I am unaware how to take this arrogance out for ever
When will you get me relief from it remorse thousands of times.
Alas where is Divine law (sharia)? of spiritual path I am neglectful
And I am unaware of this reality thousand times regretful
I have seen what I have seen and eaten what I have eaten
Within my chest is lounging scar thousand times regretful
Where is my beloved? That old consoler where is he
In his separation in sorrow you call him friend again and again.
Hadrat Sultan Bahoo’s (RA) poetry is reflection and herald of unity of being and his eminent spiritual experience. This visionary system of mysticism is not just a matter of theory and discussion for him, but it is the experience of conscience and divine revelations. It is widely found in his books as well. He has explained this matter of trowel in a very understandable way and it shows his passion for mysticism. Various trowels are revealed in his poetry collection. His mystic poetry is also guiding us in this matter. All these colorful expressions display his great clairvoyance and interpretation of his vision.
The poetry clearly reflects his level of intellectualism. The people of divine knowledge have always interpreted and explained this level by their conscionable thoughts. If you deeply study his books, you will find the interpretation and explanation of conscionable revelations of his love with divine. Like Maulana Rumi, the base of his poetry is completeness with ardent love. The concept of incumbent existence and all its expressions scatter from these emotions . When these emotions grow like leaves ,their influence extends beyond the time. This poetry captivates many generations. These all levels of mysticism reach the stage of refractive existence and start to reveal the feasible existence. Then this phantom starts to fulfill the aesthetics dream. This ardent love surrounds the whole environment.
The grace of ardent love starts to shine and the heart becomes alive with the conscience and divine revelations. In this way any Sufi can extract the divine revelations of absolute existence in his heart. The scent of this experience stands out in the poetry of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo (RA). Look at the following rhymes:
I shall play the game of ardent love and in the city of divine ardent love sacrifice my head away
By sacrificing my head in the city of divine ardent love for ardent lovers will pave way
Drink from goblet of ardent love and annihilates from your being
Attained the ball of prosperity I have sacrificed myself in city of ardent love
I am so absorbed that I have forgotten the world in my beloved’s ardent love
In passion of that beloved I am so absorbed that I sacrifice myself in city of ardent love
I shall play the game of ardent love and heart and spirit will sacrifice
I am proud of Shah Mansoor certainly myself I will sacrifice
What is astonishing o friends, if sympathizers are aware of my grief.
Be aware of self-sacrificial so that you sacrifice your life fearlessly.
I have hooked my heart with beloved’s tresses and I am absorbed with it
Both worlds have gone from my hands and now I will annihilate myself.
I am so destitute with heart ache that I have lost my life
Now due to this heart ache I am saying that I will sacrifice my life.
I would sacrifice my head for my beloved time and time again
What a pleasant deed that I sacrifice myself
The poetry of Hadrat Sultan Bahoo (RA) highlights the true perspective of unity of being, which is less frequently found in other Sufi poets. Although you will find some material, but the basics of this concept are missing. Sultan Bahoo’s concept of ‘me’ gives the new spiritual direction to feasible existence and first time his poetry has formed this supersensible vision. The metaphoric interpretation of ‘me’ values the spiritual aesthetics in the center of religion and culture. The concept of feasible existence tends to dilute in unity of being and keeps moving towards immortality. The spiritual journey also continues from imagination to reality and it develops a sense of authenticity between feasible and absolute existence. It gives you the spiritual signs of annihilation and probability of feasible existence and on the other hand it makes immortal ideological sense with the aesthetics of absolute existence.
Look at these rhymes, how the spiritual experience of feasibility is negating its own existence and affirms the existence of oneness and it generates the everlasting treasure of mystic existence, which blooms with practical observations. This reveals all the fundamental reality of this concept.
You are being pretentious that I am a Sufi
And there isn’t any obedient or pious besides me.
For how long you will keep up hypocrisy
Within your heart you say you are dervish
If you know the secret of your inner than accomplish you journey
Next time you will not say that I am
Why are keep repeating me and are saying I am
You are a drop of sperm and you are saying I am
O friend it is inappropriate for you to say I.
When Shaitan said that I am than what happened.
This article was originally presented in International Hadrat Sultan Bahoo Conference arranged by MUSLIM Institute