Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah, a celebrated Sufi saint and poet from Punjab, is revered across Pakistan and beyond for his profound poetry. He is regarded as a beloved friend of Allah, and his tales are recounted by people of all ages throughout India.
Introduction to Bulleh Shah
Born Abdullah in Uch Gillania, a town near Kasur, his name later became "Bullha." His father, Shah Muhammad Darvesh, was a mosque imam and belonged to the Syed family.Bulleh Shah's Childhood
It is said that Bulleh Shah's childhood was marked by financial hardship, and he used to herd goats. Although his family originated from Bahawalpur, they later moved to Kasur.Bulleh Shah's Early Education
As his father was a mosque imam who taught children the Quran, Persian, and Arabic, Bulleh Shah received his initial education from him. In addition to his father's teachings, he also gained religious knowledge from several other teachers.The Thirst and Search for the Divine
Despite his extensive religious education, Baba Bulleh Shah felt an unquenchable thirst for Allah and a sense of emptiness. One day, he fell asleep under a tree and dreamt of an elder, his ancestor, sitting on a throne. The elder asked for water, and Bulleh Shah offered him a cup of milk. After drinking, the elder left some for Bulleh Shah, telling him that he needed a perfect spiritual guide (Murshid Kamil) to quench his inner thirst. Upon waking, Bulleh Shah recounted the dream to his father, who regretted not asking the elder for the Murshid's name. However, his father meditated and saw the elder's tomb in Sandha, Lahore. He advised Bulleh Shah to go to Lahore and meditate at his ancestor's grave to find his answer.Bulleh Shah traveled to Lahore and stayed in a mosque. That night, he again saw the elder in his dream, who asked if he had found his Murshid. When Bulleh Shah said no, the elder revealed that his destiny lay with Shah Inayat, who was in Lahore, and instructed him to find him.
Bulleh Shah's Meeting with Shah Inayat
When Bulleh Shah first met his Murshid, Shah Inayat, it is said that he was working in a garden. Bulleh Shah asked what he was seeking, to which Bulleh Shah replied that he wished to find God. Shah Inayat responded with a Punjabi couplet:"Rab da ki paona,
Adhron patna te udhar launa."
(What is there to find of God?
Uproot from here, and plant there.)
Meaning, one must uproot attachments from their heart and cultivate the name of God within. In the evenings, Shah Inayat Qadiri held gatherings for his disciples and followers. After the recitations, people would leave, but Bulleh Shah remained. Shah Inayat asked why he had not left, to which Bulleh Shah replied that he had come not to leave but to stay. Shah Inayat explained that there was no space for guests, but Bulleh Shah asserted that he had come not as a guest but as a servant.
Impressed by Bulleh Shah's devotion, Shah Inayat took him as a disciple, immersing him in his spiritual essence. From that moment, Bulleh Shah's poetry and life revolved solely around his Murshid. He referred to him as his "beloved," "heart-throb," and "friend," proclaiming that his Murshid was like a philosopher's stone, transforming iron (himself) into gold. He considered his Murshid to be a gnostic.
Bulleh Shah's Love for His Murshid
Bulleh Shah belonged to the Syed family, a lineage held in high esteem in Punjab at the time, while his Murshid belonged to the Arain family, considered of a lower social status. Syed families typically considered it shameful to pledge allegiance to someone of a lower social standing. However, Bulleh Shah broke these traditions by becoming a disciple of an Arain, enduring much criticism. Many relatives and sisters tried to persuade him to leave Shah Inayat, accusing him of bringing shame to their Syed lineage. But Bulleh Shah paid no heed to their words. In a Punjabi verse, he responded:"Bulle noo samjhawan aaiyan bhainan te bharjaiyan,
Aal Nabi aulaad Nabi noon, toon kyon lekan laya.
Man le Bulleya saada kehna, chhadd de palla Raiyan."
(Sisters and sisters-in-law came to explain to Bulleh,
O offspring of the Prophet, why have you brought disgrace?
Listen to us, Bulleh, leave the company of the Arains.)
To which Bulleh Shah replied in his poetry:
"Jo koi saanoon Syed aakhe,
Dozakh milan sazayian."
(Whoever calls me a Syed,
Shall receive punishment in hell.)
Tired of his relatives' opposition, he began to herd donkeys, intentionally calling himself "Bullha Khotiyan Wala" (Bullha the donkey-keeper) to show that if his Murshid was an Arain, he was even lower, a donkey-keeper. This only drew further criticism.
He expressed his immense love for his Murshid throughout his poetry, writing:
"Yaar bina na koi Allah hai, bhavein Rab naal jhagda pe jawe."
(There is no Allah without the beloved, even if I have to quarrel with God.)
Bulleh Shah saw God in his Murshid, considering him his Lord and Allah.
Murshid's Displeasure with Bulleh Shah
Hazrat Shah Inayat, Bulleh Shah's Murshid, invited him to his son's wedding, but Bulleh Shah could not attend for some reason. This angered the Murshid, who stopped interacting with him. This displeasure shattered Bulleh Shah, plunging him into extreme restlessness and grief. In this state, he went to eunuchs and learned to dance and sing, performing daily on his Murshid's path to regain his favor. He expressed this state in his verses: "Nach nach ke yaar mana le, bhavein kunjri banna pe jawe" (Dance and dance to please the beloved, even if you have to become a courtesan) and "Ithe nachna bhi ibadat ban janda ae, je nachne da jajj howe" (Here, dancing also becomes worship, if one has the temperament for it). Finally, one day, Hazrat Shah Inayat saw him dancing on the road and asked, "Are you Bulleh?" Bulleh Shah humbly replied, "I am not Bulleh, I am Bhoola (forgotten/mistaken)." Hearing this, the Murshid's heart melted, and he embraced Bulleh Shah, forgiving his displeasure.Murshid's Advice and Command
The Murshid advised Bulleh Shah that there could be no spiritual progress without the purification of the self. Therefore, self-struggle and jihad against the lower self are crucial in Sufism.Following his Murshid's advice and command, Bulleh Shah traveled to the city of Jhang, where he began living in a hut near the Chenab River. There, he faced harsh weather and hardships, along with intense spiritual austerities and worship. Gradually, he gained fame among the local people. One day, a farmer brought him bread and greens. He ate one roti and returned the rest. When the farmer asked if he disliked the food, Bulleh Shah replied that it was not the case, but his Murshid had forbidden him from overeating.
The increasing number of visitors began to disturb his solitude. During this time, his mother also longed to see him and constantly urged his father to take her to Abdullah. So, his father, Shah Muhammad Qureshi, brought his mother to his spiritual guide in Lahore. His Murshid informed them that Bulleh Shah was in Jhang for spiritual exercises. Hearing this, his parents went to Jhang in search of him and soon found him in a hut by the river. His mother was deeply saddened to see his poor condition. She was surprised to see that Abdullah, whose face was once bright and red, had turned pale due to the harsh weather, asceticism, and hardships. She was heartbroken to see her son in such a state, but later realized that Bulleh Shah's Murshid was perfect and would be aware of his disciple's condition.
Shah Inayat advised Bulleh Shah that outer beauty is fleeting, and true beauty lies within the soul.
After his parents left, Bulleh Shah remained sad and contemplative for a while, but then disregarded these emotions and engaged in spiritual struggles and worship as per his Murshid's command.
Fatwas by Mullahs and Muftis Against Baba Bulleh Shah
Baba Bulleh Shah was a famous Sufi poet and saint of the subcontinent. He was a true lover of Allah, and his poetry was full of deep spiritual love. In his verses, he often called God his “Yar” (beloved/friend) and said that even if he had a dispute with Allah, he could never live without his Yar. These words showed his high level of spiritual experience, but many ordinary people and religious scholars could not understand this. The clerics of his time thought his poetry was against Islamic teachings, while in fact it was an expression of divine love and closeness to God.
Because of his free-thinking and Sufi style, many Mullahs and Muftis strongly opposed Baba Bulleh Shah. They issued fatwas against him, accused him of being outside of Islam, and spread hatred about him. Their opposition became so harsh that when Baba Bulleh Shah passed away in 1757, no cleric agreed to lead his funeral prayer. Instead, the Khwajasaras (eunuchs), a marginalized group in society, came forward, offered his funeral prayer, and buried him outside Kasur in a place that was once used for throwing waste.
But history took a different turn. The place once seen as unworthy became a center of blessings. Today, Baba Bulleh Shah’s shrine in Kasur is visited daily by thousands of people. His annual Urs is celebrated with great devotion, where qawwali, poetry, and remembrance of Allah take place. The same saint who was rejected in his lifetime is now honored as one of the greatest voices of love, peace, and humanity in the world. His story shows that true spirituality cannot be silenced by fatwas or opposition.