Sultan ul Arfeen Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA)

Hazrat Sultan bahu (RA) is from the progeny of Hazrat Ali (RA) and is direct descended  from Hazrat Ali (RA). Traditionally he is Hashmi and belongs to the Awan tribe.Historically Awan tribe trace their descent to Ameer Shah son of Qutub Shah whose family is traced to Hazrat Ali (RA). Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) say about himself as follows....

          "When I was still a very young boy, I was standing one day near my home in Shorkot (a town in Pakistan), when all of a sudden, I saw a horse rider approach me - a man of highly regal and commanding demeanor, with an aura of radiance and glory about him. He held my hand, and pulled me up, seating me behind him on the horse. Initially I was very frightened, but gradually I took courage, and managed to address that person, asking him who he was and where he was taking me. The noble rider first turned towards me, and then replied with his unique eloquence:


I am Ali (rz) and as per his commandment, I am taking you to the court of the Holy Prophet(sm).
I was greatly relieved to hear that. After some while we reached our destination, and there, in that august court, I saw the assembly of all the eminent Companions of the Prophet(sm) and his family members.
First of all, Abu Bakr Siddique (rz) came over to greet me, and imbued in me the qualities of Truthfulness, and left the assembly. Thereafter, Umar (rz) came to greet me, and imbued in me the qualities of disciplining my 'nafs' (lower self). Thereafter, Usman (rz) greeted me and imbued in me the qualities of modesty and chastity. When all three of the first caliphs left, only the Prophet(sm) and members of his household were left in the assembly.



At that time, I could see an indication on the noble countenance of the Lion of God, Ali (rz), that he has being exhorted by the Prophet (sm) to take my pledge of Allegiance (Bayet), but he apparently kept quite and did not move. After some while, the Prophet (sm) himself raised his blessed arms towards me, and ordered me to hold his hands.



I was only to hold his hands, that in one single instance, all the veils were lifted from my heart, all the stages and stations of the path I traversed, and all that was near and far I could see right before my eyes. I could read through all tha was written in the preserved tablet (looh-e-mehfooz), and the genesis and eternality, the manifest and the hidden, all appeared to be one.


Once the Prophet(sm) instructed me into the path thus, the Leader of the Women of Heaven, Hazrat Fatima (rz) came to greet me, and declared that I am her son. Then I kissed the feet of Hazrat Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain, and took upon myself to be always their slave and obedient servant.
In the end, the Prophet (sm) again urged me that I should always treat the creation of God with love and compassion. He said that your stations will continue to increase every moment, and it will continue to be like this until forever, because such is the commandment.

The Prophet(sm) then handed me over to the Qutb of the Qutubs, The Ghaus of the Ghuas, The king of the friends of God, the beloved of the Glorified One, Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, who bestowed his own graces and favours upon me, and gave me the robe of permission for preaching and guiding people in the path."
And so it was, that Hazrat Sultan Bahu (ca.1628 - 1691) spent all his life guiding the creation of God towards their Creater, and became known as one of the most prominent Sufi Saints of all times, a shining star in the crown of the Qadiri Silsilah, a most well-loved sufi poet whose lyrics are still sung in a peculiarly unique and mystifying style, and till the day of resurrection, his mausoleum in Garh Maharaja, Pakistan, continues to act as a source of spiritual blessings and enlightenment for all those who come to visit and pay homage.