Sachal Sarmast

Sachal Sarmast or Sacho Sarmast (– 1827), was an 18th and 19th century Sindhi Sufi poet, mystic and philosopher from Daraza (present-day Sindh, Pakistan), regarded as an important figure in the Sindhi-language literature. He is revered throughout Pakistan.
Biography
Sachal Sarmast wrote poetry in seven languages: Sindhi, Siraiki, Persian, Urdu, Balochi, Punjabi and Arabic. He lived during the Kalhoro/Talpur era. He was born in 1152 H (AD 1739) in Daraza, near Ranipur. He was a Sunni Sufi Muslim and contributed a lot to Sindhi Poetry too. His descent is claimed to be from the second Caliph of Sunni Islam, Umar. His book, like Shah Jo Risalo, is fittingly called Sache Jo Risalo ("The Message of the Truthful").
Silsila of Shah Darazi Tariqa
Hazrat Imam Ali,
Hazrat Imam Hussain,
Hazrat Imam Zayn ul Abidin,
Hazrat Imam al-Baqir,
Hazrat Imam Jafar,
Hazrat Imam Musa,
Hazrat Imam Riza,
Hazrat Sh. Maroof Karni,
Hazrat Sh. Abu Hassan Sari Sakti,
Hazrat Sh. Junaid al-Baghdadi,
Hazrat Sh. Abu Bakr al-Shibli,
Hazrat Sh. Abu Fazal ibn Awahid,
Hazrat Sh. Abu al-Farah Tartussi,
Hazrat Sh. Ali ibn Muhammad Yusuf Hankari,
Hazrat Sh. Abu Saeed Faruqi,
Hazrat Sh. Abdul Qadir al-Jilani,
Hazrat Sh. Abdul Qadir Suhrawardi,
Hazrat Sh. Amaududdin Ilyas,
Hazrat Sh. Najamuddin Kubrai,
Hazrat Sh. Majeeduddin Baghdadi,
Hazrat Sh. Ahmed,
Hazrat Sh. Nuruddin Kubrai,
Hazrat Sh. Muhammad al-Hassan,
Hazrat Sh. Muhammad,
Hazrat Sh. Yahya Madani,
Hazrat Sh. Ubaidullah,
Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Hafiz Farooqui,
Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Haq I,
Hazrat Sakhi Qabool Muhammad I,
Hazrat Khwaja Nazar Muhammad,
Hazrat Khwaja Najamuddin,
Hazrat Sakhi Qabool Muhammad II,
Hazrat Khwaja Sahib Dino,
Hazrat Sakhi Qabool Muhammad III,
Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Haq II,
Sakhi Qabool Muhammad IV
Sachal's appearance and dress
Sachal was of a medium height, and had a enlightened face describable as radiant. He had a broad forehead, misty eyes, long hair, and a soft flowing beard. He did not dye his beard with Mehndi or other colors as was tradition of the era. He did not smile much, and had a apparent tinge of sadness within his eyes as if he suffered for others. He dressed quite simply, he wore a White Pehran (Shirt), with a White Goad (sheet/loincloth) around his waist. He used to wear a green skullcap called a "Kullah" whenever he was outside, he used to wrap a green turban around the cap, which was a gift from his Murshid. For outside activities, he always wore blue colored trousers. In winter, he used to wear a black woolen blanket. His footwear consisted of a pair of 'Chakiries' (the typical wooden footwear usually worn by saints and yogis), but when he took a long stroll in the meadows and mountains, he preferred to walk barefoot.
Marriage
His master and paternal uncle Khwaja Abdul Haq got him married to his daughter, Sachal's cousin who only lived two years and died childless. Sachal did not marry again.
Prophecy about Sachal
Sachal was about seven when Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai came to pay his respects to the Patron Master of Darazi Sufi Thought, Khwaja Muhammad Hafiz. When Sachal was introduced to him, having seen him, he might have received some mystic intuition, he forecast, "This God gifted child will one day uncover those divine secrets which I have still kept concealed.". The prediction came true, for in mystical world Sachal was recognized the most outspoken and boldest reveler of the divine secrets related to human soul.
Sufi Thought
The second Sufi master of the Faruqis of Daraza was Khwaja Mian Abdul Haq Farooqui who was the Murshid and Guide of Sachal Sarmast. Sachal has said about his Murshid Khwaja Abdul Haq in his following lines:
"If vou wish to be aware of the Divine Secrets, come With a sincere heart to Shah Daraza. Here is the master Abdul Haq who knows all mysteries, and has shown me the path of love and will also reveal it to you."
He was a master of religious literature and observed all religious ritual strictly. Not only did he himself adhere to all kinds of religious codes of conduct, but he also urged others to do the same:
"You! Offer your prayers five times punctually in the mosque. Never miss the Friday prayer and stand in the front line. Fast in the month of Ramadhan and be pious. Recite the Holy Koran yourself, or hear it from others."
Orthodox Opposition to Sachal
Religious leaders took serious notice of what he said. First the leaders complained to the Talpur Mir, who said that Sachal was a true saint of God therefore no such complaints were to be brought before him in future. Then the scholars visited Sachal personally and inquired why he spoke as he did. He asked them if he was religiously wrong and what the maximum punishment for it would be. They replied that it would be the death penalty. Sachal agreed. With that consolation they were about to return when Sachal again raised the Slogan of Truth, and the religious leaders attacked him with swords. But it was a matter of the highest wonder that they passed through his body as if it were water. When he came out of the state of Divine Ecstasy and was told that he had again made the most objectionable utterances, he inquired why they had spared his life. They answered that they had done their best to take his life, but their sword had no effect upon his body, he smiled and said, "I was not speaking that I am He, but He Himself asked me to speak." The religious leader, he spoke to, fell at his feet and became his disciple. But even though he had become one with Allah, through spiritual practices he still had great reverences for religion, and throughout his life, he never caused to create any hurdle in religious process or practice. He was a firm believer in Wahdat ul-Wujud.
Death
He remained healthy throughout his life because of a regular and simple diet, fasting and the practice of meditation. He used to say that even though he was 105, he had to fly to the real world fifteen years earlier. For the last three days of his life he did not move out of his room. Only the sounds of melodious music and ecstatic dance were heard by the attendant disciples. He always had great love for music and beauty. He left this earthly planet on 14th of Ramdan 1242 A. H., 1825 AD.
Successors
The current Sajjada Nashin of Sachal Sarmast's shrine is Khwaja Abdul Haq III Farooqui.
Urs of Sachal
An annual three-day urs, or festival commemorating the death anniversary of Sachal Sarmast is held at Daraza Sharif, beginning on the 13th day of Ramazan, including a literary conference and musical concerts based on his poetry.
References
"The Rise, Growth And Decline of Indo-Persian Literature" by R M Chopra, 2nd Edition 2013, published by Iran Culture House, New Delhi and Iran Society, Kolkata.
External links
Sachal Jo Sindhi Kalam: Sachal jo Risalo published online by Abdul-Majid Bhurgri
Agha Sufi, Sachal Sarmast (vol. 1: Chapters I-III), pub. Shikarpur Sindh, 1933.
Agha Sufi, Sachal Sarmast (vol. 2: Chapters IV-V, glossary), pub. Shikarpur Sindh, 1933.
Sachal Jo Sindhi Kalam: Sachal jo Risalo in downloadable PDF eBook format
Songs of Sachal, sung in traditional style
Mystic poets
Sufi mystics
People from Khairpur District
Sindhi-language poets
Punjabi-language poets
Sufi poets
Sufis of Sindh
Sindhi people
1739 births
1829 deaths
Sufism in Pakistan
Sufi shrines in Pakistan