Golra Sharif – A chapter from our history
Hazrat Syedna Pir Meher Ali Shah (R.A)
Situated near Margalla Hills, Islamabad, Golra Sharif is a shrine of the Sufi Saint Pir Meher Ali Shah.
Prior to the arrival of Hazrat’s ancestors Golra Sharif was just a small village in the suburbs of Rawalpindi.
The area extending from Hasan Abdal to the neighborhood of Taxila, a settlement traced back to 2000 years, is custodian of a rich cultural heritage of pre-Islamic period. Even today the archaeological remains dotting the area furnish evidence of the splendid cultural and religious traditions of Buddhist era. Eminent historians of the world agree that it was here that Greek wisdom and Indian civilization meshed together to bring about a synthesis which influenced cultures and art movements everywhere.
With the passage of time, it was overrun by many foreign invaders, such as Greeks, Persians, Afghans, White Huns, Mughals, Sikhs and the British.
With his rule extending from 1747 to 1773, Ahmad Shah Abdali emerged as one of its last period rulers. After his death his son Taimur Shah ruled the area till 1793. he had to face tremendous pressure from the Marhattas and Sikhs, and by the British at river Sutlaj. when the Afghan ruler, Ahmed Shah Abdali, died and his subedar in Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, took advantage of the power vacuum and proclaimed his autonomy, it became a part of Sikh Kingdom. From 1818 to 1849, the area remained under the Sikhs till it was annexed by the British.
This was the period of great political upheaval and instability. Some of the communities, known as marauding tribes, were addicted to violent crime and internecine warfare. They levied black-mail tax on the roads south of the Margalla Pass. Morality and virtue were on a rapid decline. Absence of values had created a social abyss – a spiritual “waste land”, and the government too was based on injustice and tyranny. In such a holocaust, God in His Divine Mercy deputed Muslim saints to guide the people and to show them the path of righteousness.
A celebrated Punjabi Naat of Hazrat (R.A)
The following Naat is the most well-known of Hazrat’s writings in verse. It has a grandeur equalled by few other Naats in any language. It’s concluding verse in particular is unmatched in it’s beauty and emotional appeal.
Translation:
Why is it that the yearning for the Loved One (i.e., the Holy Prophet) is especially strong today?
Why is my heart sadder today than even before?
Why does longing penetrate every tissue of mine?
And why are the eyes shedding tears like a shower of rain?
His shining face appeared to me in a vision,
And fragrance emanated in profusion from His tresses;
I fainted from the sight of these visions;
The hordes of his eyes overpowered me.
His face shines like the full moon;
A brilliant light radiates from his brow;
His hair is black, and his eyes are bewitching and intoxicated.
His two eye-brows are like cross-bows,
Hurling darts of pointed eye-lashes (in all directions);
His lips are red like rubies of Yemen;
His white teeth like a string of pearls.
I am not sure whether I should call his face the essence of life;
Or life of the entire universe;
The truth is that it is (like) the glory of God,
From which all other (worldly) glories originated,
[ Note : This refers to the Holy Prophet’s well-known hadith: “Allah created (everything from my light, and I am from the Light of Allah”]
This face (of the Prophet) emerged from the Faceless One (i.e., Allah);
The Faceless One manifests Himself through this face.
The Colourless (Reality) has been revealing itself through this image,
Ever since Unity exploded into Diversity.
It is this face (of the Holy Prophet) that guides (mankind) to the path of Faceless One (i.e., Allah);
Nay (not the path only but) to the Ultimate Reality Itself.
However, understanding this (secret) is beyond the capacity of the simpletion;
Only the select few succeed in discovering and capturing the Pearl (of Truth).
May this Face (of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H)) remain before my eyes,
In my last moments (of life) and on the Resurrection Day!
Then (also) in my grave, and at the time of crossing the (razor-sharp) Bridge (on the Judgment Day as a test to separate the virtuous ones from the sinners);
Only then shall the fake ones become pure (in the sight of Allah).
Thou (O Holy Prophet) hast been blessed (by Allah) with the promise to grant thy desire (in full);
And we (thy humble followers) have full faith in Allah’s assurance that thou shalt be happy with the Bounty of Allah.
[Note: Reference here is to verse 5 of Surah XCIII of the Holy Quran: “And presently (i.e., in the Hereafter, as also in this world) thy Lord shall grant unto thee (O Prophet ! rich and abundant reward) so that thou shalt be well-pleased].
The Gracious One (we hope) shall declare us successful (in the test of earthly life);
Because we have correctly understood the Divine words: “Intercede and thy intercession shall be accepted”.
[Note: Here the reference is to the Prophet’s divinely inspired hadith (hadith-e-Qudsi), in which Allah reassures the Prophet (P.B.U.H) with the words i.e., his intercession for the forgiveness of sinning believers shall be accepted by Allah on the Judgment Day].
Be gracious enough to remove from thy face the sheet of Yemen (O Prophet !),
And grant us a glimpse of thy endearing face.
Repeat once again those sweet words,
Which thou hadst uttered in the valley of Hamra.
Come (once again) from thy cell to Mosque,
For everyone longs for a glimpse of thy image full of light;
(And) denizens of both the worlds (i.e., this world and the Hereafter) are laying their eyes in thy path –
Human beings, angels, the houris and the fairies.
For the ones yearning and pining (for a glimpse of thine);
Who are ready to sacrifice (their lives) for thy sake;
For these slaves ready to sell themselves out without any price (in thy path);
May those moments of bliss come back once again!
Glory to Allah, who created thee (O Holy Prophet!) in the most beautiful, the best, and the most perfect mould.
Who is (the humble) Meher Ali to chant thy praises;
How (presumptuous and) impudent his eyes are to aspire to the heights of thy love!
Source: www.thelightofgolrasharif.com
Seems things are no different today from how they were then which have been described as follows:
" This was the period of great political upheaval and instability. Some of the communities, known as marauding tribes, were addicted to violent crime and internecine warfare. They levied black-mail tax on the roads south of the Margalla Pass. Morality and virtue were on a rapid decline. Absence of values had created a social abyss – a spiritual “waste land”, and the government too was based on injustice and tyranny."
The question which I would like to ask in this regard is this: If then "God in His Divine Mercy deputed Muslim saints to guide the people and to show them the path of righteousness" why doesn’t God do the samething today??? What is the reason for this change in God’s policy? Why has he deputed, of all the people, Asif Ali Zardari, a well established scoundrel, to guide us and show us the path of righteousness??? Why has God dispensed with ‘His Divine Mercy’ in our case ??? Has He run short of Saints and Sufis for some reason that he keeps sending Boucher et al to show us the right path???
Kabirdas – You know the answers to your questions well, don’t you. The level of God’s interference in the lives of people is directly proportional to the level of their belief in the supernatural and the prevalance of superstition among them. I am not saying that there has been any visible improvement in logical and rational thinking in our society, saints and sufis seem unable to face the harsh scrutiny that comes with the free flow of information in this age. God is no longer sending down devine books or messengers as the blindness that brings about ‘faith’ has not remained dark enough to attract throngs of whitestick holding followers.
So ‘saints’ are no more. His "Divine Mercy" is no more. Perhaps, the opium on hand is sufficient to last many generations to come by.
An excellent reply to my comments. I am proud of you sceptic !!
I had thought I will get the reply : We are well past the redemption stage and therefore now God wants to punish us… As a matter of fact that wouldn’t have been a bad reply either if you come to think over it.
Agreed with sceptic
These all sofy Mazars (SHRINES) should not be build, If we have build them did mistake but now we should not worship them (Sejda),Mennet or what not…. May Allah forgive us…
They all came or sent here on earth to guide us, show the right path, they never told us that worship me, sejda me,… May Allah give all of them a nice place in heaven amin.
Please view of the long list of Sharines:
Sindh
Karachi District
Abdullah Shah Ghazi, Clifton, Karachi
Thatta District
Haji Turabi, Gujjo Village, National Highway
Mai Makli, Makli
Abdullah Shah Sahabi, Makli
Pir Patho Debali, Pir Patho Village
Shah Jamil Datar Girnari, Pir Patho Village
Shah Inayat, Miranpur near Pir Patho Village
Shah Murad Shah Sherazi, Makli
Makhdoom Mohammad Hashim Thatvi, Makli
Hazrat Magar Been, Village Jati
Shah Aqeeq, Taluka Shah Bunder
Hyderabad District
Makhdoom Fatehuddin Shah Jehanian
Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Village Bhit Shah
Makhdoom Nuh, Hala Town
Syed Abdul Wahab Shah Jilani
Hazrat Muhammad Shah Makki
Shah Karim, Bulri Township
Khawaja Abdul Rehman, Wasih Malukshah
Larkana District
Syed Qasim Shah Bokhari
Dadu District
Mohammad Usman Marwandi (Lal Shahbaz Qalander) Sehwan Sharif
Makhdoom Bilawal Shaheed
Shah Sadar Lakyari
Sikander Shah Bodlo, Sehwan Sharif
Naeeng Sharif
Abdullah Shah Godrio, Maher Taluka
Sukkur District
Shah Khairuddin Jilani
Syed Rashid Shah Pir Pagaro, Pir Goth
Fazil Shah, Village Ghosarji
Nahro Shah, Ghotki
Mubarak Shah, Village Adalpur, Ghotki Taluka
Hindu Shrines
Kalan – Kalan, Rohri, Sukkur
Sadh Bela, Sukkur
Nawab Shah District
Asghar Ali Shah Jam Dattar
Khairpur District
Abdul Wahab Faruqi (Sachal Sarmast), Darza
Sultan Ibrahim Bin Adam
Badin District
Khawaja Mohammad Zaman, Luari Sharif
Syed Saman Sarkar, Panjrio Town
Sanghar District
Makhdoom Shaheed Abdul Rahim Girohi, Girohri Sharif
Mai Sohni and Mehiwal, Shadapur
Shikhapur District
Makhdoom Abdul Ghafoor Humayuni
Tharparkar District
Syed Razi Shah Lakyari, Nawankot Town
Jain Shrines
Temple of Gori, Virawah Town, Tharparkar
Bhodesar Temple, Nagarparkar Town, Tharparker
PUNJAB
Multan District
Hazrat Bahauddin Zakaria
Hazrat Abul Fateh Ruknuddin (Shah Rukn-e-Alam)
Shamsuddin Sabzwari (Shams Tabrez)
Mohammad Yusuf Gardezi
Shaikh Abul Hassab (Musapak Shaheed)
Shrine of Totla Mai
Shah Ali Akbar
Bahawalpur District
Muluk Shah
Channar Pir, Cholistan
Khawaja Noor Mohammad
Mohkam Din, Khanqah Sharif
UCH Sharif
Syed Jalaluddin Munir Shah Surkh Bukhari
Hazrat Jalaluddin Bukhari (Makhdoom Jahanian Jahangasht)
Shaikh Saifuddin Ghazrooni
Syed Mohammad ghuos Jilani Hallabi
Makhdoom Hazrat Bhawal Haleem
Bibi Javindi
Dera Ghazi Khan
Syed Ahmad Sultan (Sakhi Sarwar Sultan)
Khawaja Farid, Mithankot
Lahore District
Shaikh Ali Bin Usman Al-Hajveri (Data Ganj Bakhsh)
Mir Mohammad (Mian Mir)
Shah Hussain (and Madho Lal)
Sheikhupura District
Sher Mohammad, Village Sharqpur
Qasur District
Baba Bulhey Shah
Sahiwal District
Sheikh Fariduddin Masud Ganj-e-Shakar (Baba Farid Shah Ganj), Pak Pattan
Sakhi Ghulam Qadir , Pak Pattan
Sialkot District
Syed Imam Ali Lahaq
Gujrat District
Hazrat Shahdoula
Islamabad
Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi (Barri Shah Latif)
Rawalpindi District
Pir Mehar Ali Shah, Golra Sharif
Jhang District
Sultan Bahu, Garh Maharaj Heer Ranja
Chakwal District
Sheikh Abdul Kadir Jilani, Kallar Kahar
Saidan Shah, Village Choa
Hindu Temples
Temple at Katas, Chakwal
Temple at Malkot, Chakwal
Siv Ganga Temple, Malot, Chakwal
Sikh Shrines In Punjab
Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura District
Panja Sahib, Hassanabdal, Attock District
Rohri Sahib, Lahore District
Gurdawara Arjun Singh, Lahore
Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Lahore
BALUCHISTAN
Lasbela District
Lahoot Sharif (Lahoot-i-Lamakan)
Shah Bilal Noorani (Jeay Shah)
Khuzdar District
Khalifa Mulli Muali, Kodak
Pishin District
Masoom Baba Pir Lakha
Chagai District
Pir Sultan Qaiser
Loralai District
Mian Abdul Hakim (Nana Sahib), Dakki
Sibi District
Baba Kharwari, Ziarat
Hindu Shrines
Temple of Hinglaj, Lasbela
Chander Coops, Lasbela
NORTH-WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE
Rehman Baba, Peshawar
Pir Baba, Swat
____________________________________
@ wkhang on October 29th.
Fully agree with your comments about the worship of these Mazars. May I add that lot of other KHARAFATS also go on these mazars like drinking,drugs,prostitution and homosexuality etc. And then the KARTOOTS of most of, if not all, the jan nasheens of these Soofis and Pirs are absolutely condemnable to say the least.
all these shrines did serve and still some do as a place where some
assistant-divines got sent for people benefit,but, and I found a lot of ‘BUTS" in my reading of kabir on the subject of mankind blindness and folly, these pirs have been repeating long enough the recipe,so it’s still here today and the ones which apparently in some people opinion misuse this chance can only blame themselves bravo to SHABAZ qalandar
and all the saints of sind etc.. the more the better since they have the task to counterbalance the bewakuf (I love that one) of today
yah maula
kahat kabir suno bhai sadho etc… etc…
Any reason for there being just two Shrines in NWFP ???
pathans and their like are fierce man not much bent towards excessive
display of religiousness they perform their namaz faithfully and do not need intermediaries between them and their beloved,as you cross the indus
it suddenly changes into a different panorama of devotion quite possibly?
because of the proximity of the hindu world and its bhakti movements ?
it’s just an amateurish explanation i might be completely wrong since
other strong races like those of balichistan have scores of shrines and not the least the one of Lal shabaz where the mela shows clear signs of
exagerated devotional performances with dancing closer to disco than
sama, with no offence to anyone
I love Golra Shareef.
Good for you sir.
And sir it took you two years to realize that??
I just was taken by surprise after months of having wrote comments on this site to find how daring one can be in entering polemic about a subject which after all the personal concern of each individual and since what is good for one does not necessary pally to others whats the use of all these wasted words just dig deeper into our differences
so i shall apologize for my useless pretentious writing and wish everyone to find their own truth while still searching for mine
i love golra sharif and peer naseer ud din naseer main point golra sharif ihle sunnat i proud of golarviii
syed hamid gillani
pakistan: dite: 31.10.2010
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