Mushtaque B Barq
The dew seeped through the hanging foils of love
and dank the soil of the bosom to nurse the seeds
of anguish and everlasting ache, Ah!
What garden shall deck up my woe
and then, with the gush of doom, the bulbul and the blue met for ever
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. (John Donne)
Change threatens the physiology and form of any quantifiable entity, except the soul, which is beyond the reach of death. A saint is a mini-cosmos for his pupils, inhabiting their awareness and overseeing their spiritual actionssuch that he never dies for them but broadens the scope of their reverberations, leading them to their destinies.Physical presence may torment them, and it will, but the thread of love will never be severed because the Murshid is the source of Anand for which every loyal disciple lives.
Our dear Murshid Pak Alhaj Mir Hassan Hussain, PanjSublaSirhindi, Qadri, Sohrawardi, Chisti, and Warsi physically left us on April 14, 2023, following a brief illness. His departure has left a vacuum among the spiritual communities of our Valley. During my undergraduate days, I was introduced to him by a friend, the late Dr. Najeeb, in his apartment, ‘Aashan-i-Iram,’ in DulgateBuchwara, Srinagar, Kashmir. I found him gentle, caring, and generous; perhaps these were the parameters that satisfied my curiosity at the moment. These rigid ranks of judgment shifted over time, and they shifted dramatically when he initiated my inner journey. My affection for him shaped my views and perceptions, and I referred to him as my Rehber, my most adored.There was one more thing that piqued my interest, and that was his literary contribution. On the one hand, his Sufi poetry had impacted me to the point of insanity, while on the other, his mystical representations had encouraged me to think differently. He was unceasingly boosting my inquiries, which deepened our closeness beyond measure. The early teachings were simple and affectionate, as he always decoded the mystic analogies while keeping my limits in mind. He would simplify matters by quoting the verses of The Quran and never forget to give examples by referring to Kashmiri Sufi poets, particularly Rahim Sahab of Sopore, NiyamaSahab, Shamas Fakir, Bedam Shah, Sochkral, WahabSahab, and Shah Gafoor, in addition to Prakash Ram and MominSahab. Later on, his Sufi renditions helped me feel confident in my ability to find a route forward. He writes:
Proceeded I for you to feel warmth
You reduced me to rubble
You smoldered and routed me
I didn’t grumble.
The love trimmed me down
To whom I shall narrate serenely
You placed me on the love blaze
You reduced me to rubble.
Don’t be so pitiless
I am utterly ruined
The beloved is carefree
You reduced me to rubble.
Let me forfeit the family unit
Do come oh! Dear to me
(I) sent the ‘girl Friday’ and handmaidens
You reduced me to rubble.
The moment you put on view thy face
Bruised my chest ruthlessly
Tied (me) by the movement of hair lock
You reduced me to rubble.
Shot at me the arrows of love
In a jiffy (you) wrecked me
(You) located thyself in the rear of veils
You reduced me to rubble.
Liberated (I) from the losses and gains
In love got badly drawn in
Without you whom shall I call?
You reduced me to rubble.
To Mir Haseen of Buchwara
(You) ripped his chest
Can’t disclose (His) affliction
You reduced me to rubble.
I was introduced to numerous like-minded disciples as a result of his palpable aura. That relationship and devotion to Murshid brought me together with numerous mystics. He could readily decode the mystic verses in any language you are familiar with. Amar Singh College’s science graduate was trilingual. It was a few years ago when he spent several years in Spain with his family members, and we felt physically distant, yet his instruction never stopped. He started Zikr-o-Azkar at Ahmad SahabMachamSirhindi Sheri Bhat to unite two communities on one platform. I was tasked with supervising the construction work and organisingZikr-o-Azkar on the 13th and 29th at the aforementioned shrine. We would congregate in the shrine of Ahmad SahabMachamSirhini to pay tribute to the saint because he was affiliated with Sirhindisilsila.
His literary work will never be forgotten. Aqs-i-Sarmadi, a mystic poetic collection, and the well-compiled mystic guides Ganj-u-Mourifat and Murshid-i-Haq are among the most prominent works. He never encouraged his disciples to deviate from the moral code of conduct. Sharia was a sharp razor that hung over his head. His message was clear; a good disciple, according to him, was one who followed the moral code of conduct and cared for his inner self. He writes:
The Gnostics believe that the inner side of Islamic law is that spiritual path known as Tariqat, and that the conclusion of this route is truth, which is Allah’s unity in a specific sense. They believe that only by annihilating self can one attain this status. Shariat, Tariqat, and Haqiqatare the three pillars of Gnostic belief. The Shari’at is a means to the Tariqat, and the Tariqat is a means to the Haqiqat. Thus, compared to the Tariqat, the Shari’at is the shell, while the Tariqat is the nucleus. Similarly, the Tariqat is the shell of the Haqiqat, and the Haqiqatis the kernel… (Ganj-u-Mourifat)
It was through his sincere efforts that the organisation was able to build its Markaz at Shah ZameenSharShaliKhrew, near WahabSahab’s mausoleum, a disciple of Ahmad SahabSirhindi, and he was laid to rest there. His presence is no longer available to the world, but for the disciples that are present all over the world, especially in India, Africa and Spain and Jammu and Kashmir he will remain with them and will continue to lead them. May Allah elevate him to the highest rank.
In the nadirs of self, thy love pulsates
How shall then I declare: I am alone.
Mushtaq B.Barq is a Columnist, Poet and Fiction Writer. He is the author of “Feeble prisoner, “ Wings of Love” and many translation works are credited to the author like “ Verses Of Wahab
