Sufi Budhal Faqeer

• Comment: Error: There was no comment detected! Please follow the instructions at Template:AfC comment. The topic seems WP:Notable, so good there. However, this draft has a number of issues which need to be addressed: 1) overly-flowery language, which Wikipedia calls WP:Peacock, 2) it is written as a "story" rather than an article; the "narrative" needs to be changed into facts 3) too many of the sources do not appear to be WP:Reliable sources (blogs, etc) so please check around for more serious books, or mention in journalist or academic sources. This is a good start, but still needs some improvement, particularly in the writing style. Also the lengthy poetry quote is not something we do here, suggest you pick some 3-6 lines of his most widely-known poetry to serve as an example. MatthewVanitas (talk) 16:59, 24 November 2012 (UTC)

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Sufi Budhal Faqir
File:Sufi Budhal Faqir.jpg
صوفي ٻُڍل فقير
Born	1865 CE Shikarpur Sindh
Died	1939 CE Shikarpur Sindh
Venerated in	Islam, Hinduism
Influences	Hizbullah Shah Rashdi
Influenced	Faqir Abdul Hakeem, Faqir Abdul Kareem, Faqir Mast Muhammad Muqeem
Tradition or genre	Poetry, Sufism and Mysticism

Sufi Budhal Faqir (1865-1939 CE) (Template:Lang-sd), was a Sufi saint and poet, and disciple of Hizbullah Shah Rashdi . Faqir's poetry was collected by his disciples and published in a book called Risalo Budhal Faqir.

Birth

Sufi Budhal Faqir was born in the village of Baksh Unar where his father Abdul Wasih used to be called Wasu. It was the time of British colonization. It was the time of proseperity for people in farming. Abdul Wasih, calm and humble nature, was childless.He dearly yearned for a child. One day bare-feet Qalandar came at his door and told him, "Need not worry. Very soon you will have a son. Give him the name 'Budhal'". In a year's time, Sufi Budhal Faqir came in this world. .

About the year of his birth, Sufi Budhal Faqir used to say that when railways tracks in Shikarpur were laid in 1883 A.D. and English men set up their tents near Zarkhel road, he was at the age of eighteen. So with this tradition, the year of his birth is considered 1865 A.D.

Childhood

Sufi Budhal Faqir was the only child of parents. As he grew older, he used to go to fields with animal herds away from people at a solitary place. His parents did try to give him worldly and religious education. But he never felt like studying there. After school time, he would spend would meditate under the shade of tree.

Very soon he was taken off from school. Budhal Faqir, only son Abdul Wasih, was given domestic animals for herding. He was never interested in this job, so he would retire in jungle near by and animals would be on their own grazing in the fields.

Spiritual Guidance

Due to his queer behavior, he was taken to a great saint, spiritual healer, Hizbullah Shah Rashdi. Having met seen Budhal at his abode in his Pir-Jo-Goth, he said, “Haven’t you brought Bedil of Rohri?”. Abdul Wasih said,” He is Budhal and he is here for some healing.”. Hizbullah Shah said,” He is almost ready, only some garnishing is left.” He was initiated into Sufi-ul-Qadri school of Islamic Sufism and was given Zikr. After that event, Budhal Faqir never visited his spiritual guide village. In fact he hardly left his village. He would perform zikr and medition most of his time.

Marriage Sufi Budhal never wanted to marry but after the insistence of his father he married at the age of 26 from his tribe. He had three sons and two daughters:

1. Abdul Hakeem Faqir
2. Abdul Kareem Faqir
3. Mast Muhammad Muqeem Faqir

Miracles

Some miracles are attributed to him are listed below:
• Soon after his birth, he told the midwife where the knife was kept in the room for cutting umbilical cord.
• The shade of the tree did not use to move from place when he slept under it.
• He used to fly like a bird.
• He never went to Kabbah (Muslim Holy place), but an old lady saw him for seven years performing Hajj.

Practices and Appearance

He was a person of calm and content nature. He was sympathetic and considerate towards poor people. He would perform the religious duties with utmost dedication. He used to wear long loose shirt and a Sufi cap on his head most of times. He had one physical deformity. His left foot was twisted by birth. For that he would get special leather shoes prepared from cobbler and would wear them.
He used to eat simple food. Churned milk, mustard and spinach were his favourite. His living place used to a hut made of thatched hut. He used to sleep on a bed made of straws and thick bed sheet called “Rilee”.

Poetry

Sufi Budhal Faqir was a celebrated figure and an epitome of intellect, reflection and self-actualization. The mystic poetry and message of the great poet teaches peace, tolerance, equality and lover in the society. Most of his poetry is in Sindhi and Seraiki that is easily understandable.

Sufi Budhal Faqir did a great deal of poetry. Once he threw a book of his poetry in a well saying that it would deviate the people from sharia. He never wrote a book of poetry. His disciple would write the poetry when he would say them in the state of spiritual ecatsy. Later on all of his remaining poetry was collected and printed by a Total Das in 1966 with the assistance of Abdul Kareem Faqir, son of Budhal Faqir. Since then his poetry has been published twice. The poetry of Sufi Budhal Faqir became famous in his life time. Sufi singers Sufi Budhal Faqir was a celebrated figure and an epitome of intellect, reflection and self-actualization. The mystic poetry and message of the great poet teaches peace, tolerance, equality and lover in the society. Most of his poetry is in Sindhi and Seraiki that is easily understandable. Sufi Budhal Faqir was basically a poet of Kafi (poetical term used in Pakistan). He kept the tradition of classical poetry alive in which he sang the stories of Sassi, Marvi, Sorath, and Heer. The subject of his poetry were related to Sufism, Islam, ethics and humanism. He also said baits, dohras, see harfis in the lines of great sufi poets like Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast, Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi “Asghar” and Qadir Bux Bedil. His language in the poetry is simple and musical filled with love and pathos for the beloved. With short and pithy lines, he delievers the profound message of merging with Creator. The manjor part of his poetry is said in the praise of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Translation of Poetry

On whom divine love is bestowed, are smitten with affection
Love showers in (their) hearts like monsoon rain
They yearn for Beloved crying day and night

On whom divine love is bestowed, do not sleep peacefully
The cry of sound of creation, (they) kept in ears
Hurriedly Jogis (travelers of sufi path) made the journey fruitful

If you desire to be Jogi, then mend your ways correctly
By weeping, bring out water from eyes in abundance
Hold your ears and eyes tightly, do not see in other direction
Do not tell others and live a humble life

Those who have been blessed with divine love, do not sleep
Every hour (of day and night), Lahootis (traveler of sufi path) spent in anguish
They do not tell (share with) others, O Budhal, they have tasted silence

Death

Sufi Budhal Faqir died at the age of 84 on Thursday 12 October, 1939 A.D./ 27 Shaban, 1358 Hijri. The years of his death is derieved from a Persian line “Talib-ul-Mola Faqir Sahib-e-Tariq-u-Duniya.” Means “ Lover of God, Traveler of Sufi Path and Deserter of world. Every the annual Urs (fair) is held to commemorate the great sufi saint and poet of upper Sindh. Thousands of disciples from all over the country attend the Urs and sing his songs with great admiration.