Abstract
Literature is agog with stories about the life, thoughts and practices of several
Syeds and Qalandars but not many words have been spent on the life of Mian
Abdul Rashid Panipati, popularly known as ‘Notan Wali Sarkar’. A man of simple
tastes and great spirituality, Mian Abdul Rashid is considered by his followers as
one of the greatest Qalandars. This paper delves into the life of the mystic who is
known little beyond Sargodha, Pakistan, and has even been cold-shouldered by
historians.
Call it divine design or sheer coincidence, Mian Abdul Rashid was born in
Panipat (India), the land of Qalandars, (Eaton, 2003) and finally settled in the city
of Sargodha which is known for its mystics, pirs, Syeds, and most importantly, for
the Gaddis of Pir of Sial Sharif and Pir Karam Ali Shah. Even two decades after
his death (he was killed by his nephew), Sargodha still resonates with the tales of
Mian Sahib who was always dressed in dhoti, kurta; the man who loved the betel
leaf, tea and smoke from the hookah (water pipe) after every meal, a routine that
he stuck to until the last breath. He had very simple food habits and would often be
found meditating by fire or cleaning the enclosure with water. He always advised
his visitors to recite the holy Quran, stay clean, and observe fasting. He had no
material lust apart from his very basic needs. Instead, he spent a very simple life as
all his temporal needs were met by the visitors whom he asked for alms. His
followers gave him all the money they could spare in the belief that the money
somehow would be returned to them many times over in the future. Even those
who met Mian Sahib the first time were impressed by his austere lifestyle,
profound thoughts, interesting practices and spiritual acumen. However, there was
more to Mian Sahib than the life of an ascetic.
To his followers, he was a Qalandar who committed acts under the influence
of ‘other-worldly’ forces which apparently were unacceptable even according to
the Shariat. Often, when an absolutely unknown disciple began journey from any
place in Pakistan, to visit him in Sargodha for blessings, Mian Sahib would talk
about that disciple several times much before he actually stepped into the ‘dargah’.
Mian Sahib knew the desires of his disciples even before they expressed them. To
South Asian Studies 30 (1)
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a visitor he seemed to be totally self-absorbed and his ordinary raiment enhanced
that effect. His disciples believed that during his life, and even after death, people
like Mian Abdul Rashid “are ‘friends of Allah’ about whom Allah has said that
when they leave worldly desires, they get quite close to Him and in that case their
hands, eyes and ears become those of Allah. They can touch and feel everything
and hear from a distance and they can see any hidden thing.” Mian Sahib had a
large following in Pakistan and in other countries as well.
The present author is not in a position to decide the place of Mian Sahib and
to judge whether he was a Qalandar or not in the Sufi Order but multiple features
of his personality, as has been narrated, speak for themselves. More importantly,
his followers, including the sajadanashin (successor) of Data Sahib of Lahore,
Mian Ijaz, believe that Mian Abdul Rashid was a Qalandar. Therefore, his eminent
position in the Sufi order calls for a better understanding of his life, teachings and
practices, as he could be considered one of the contemporary torchbearers of
Sufism in Pakistan. Sadly enough only one book and a couple of articles have been
written on his life and practices. In (Nicholson, 1921, Reprint 1967) case of Mian
Sahib, the Sufi literature, mainly the Malfuzat and Tazkiras, have not been
properly utilized. In fact, Sufi literature offers a rich collection of historical data
for an analysis of social and mental structure, and power and process (Aquil,
2007). According to Khaliq Ahmad Nizam, “Reconstruction of a medieval mystic
is by no means an easy job because facts and fictions and genuine and spurious,
get so mixed up in hagiological accounts.” (Nizami & Nizami, 2007) However,
this paper attempts to critically evaluate a few important aspects of the life of
Mian Sahib, including his thoughts and practices, in the light of interviews,
personal observations of the present author, and available primary and secondary
sources.
This paper is based upon the oral historical account which is a modern trend
in historiography. The oral history accords more importance to interviews/survey
and questionnaires than documents to arrive at a truth. The present author
interviewed the crème of the society who have witnessed or experienced Mian
Sahib’s miracles. As such, these educated elites are convinced that Mian Sahib
was close to God and had all the characteristics of a Qalandar. This paper,
hopefully, will fill the research gap in the history of the Saints, the Sufis and their
shrines in Pakistan.
Muhammad Iqbal Chawla. (2015) Sufism and Sufi Practices in Pakistan: A Case Study of ‘Notan Wali Sarkar’(1917- 1994), South Asian Studies, Volume 30, Issue 1.
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