A Tale of Two Generations: A Story from the Ancient Indus Valley Civilization
Imagine the suffocation that can prevail in a religious society and the audacity with which people view any transgression of the moral or religious law.After imagining this suffocation and repression think about a person who has resolved to act against the morality and religious dogmatism and yet has registered himself as a great champion of the people and their faith.
Shah Hussain was one such great religious personality who created new values in the society and challenged the older ones. Shah Hussein was a saint who lived during the sixteenth century in the Punjab province. The Punjab is a province which is divided between India and Pakistan and both these countries have parts of this province as their territories. The word Punjab is formed with two words,' Punj' meaning 'five' and 'Aaab' , meaning water. Thus Punjab is the land of five rivers, Ravi, Jhelum, Sutlej, Beas and Chenab of which the western part lies in Pakistan and the eastern part is in India.
Lahore has remained the greatest city of the Punjab for more than a thousand years and these days this historical city is in Pakistan. It is the privilege of this great city that it has produced all time great celebrities and creative people. One such person was the mystic poet Shah Hussein who was acknowledged, loved and appreciated by the people of the Punjab as a loving, liberal and freedom loving person. Shah Hussein’s tomb is in Baghbanpura, Lahore and people celebrate his anniversary each year during the month of March. Around 5,00,000 people participate in this colorful activity.
Shah Hussein was a muslim , but he transcended all religious differences. He was in love with a Hindu boy Madhu Lal and his relationship with Madhu Lal was so strong and intimate that people remembered him with the name 'Madhu Lal Hussein. Since, homo sexual love was not socially acceptable in those days , and in these days either; therefore, Shah Hussein was severely criticized for his spiritual love for Madhu Lal and for having an intimate relationship with him. Madhu Lal Hussein was summoned to the court by the Great Mughal emperor Akbar. When Shah Hussein reached there he had a beaker of wine in his hands and he was clean shaved too.
Since to drink alcohol is strictly prohibited in Islam therefore many people considered this act as an offence against Shariyah(The Islamic Law) and asked Akbar to inquire in to this matter. When Akbar asked Shah Hussein to show his beaker to him, he found, to his astonishment, that there was milk in it and no wine was there.
Moreover, to grow a beard is necessary for a Muslim, but Shah Hussein was clean shaved and people accused him for not having a beard. When people pointed out this fact, a beard appeared on the face of the great mystic and those who were accusing him merely out of jealousy were defeated. This was the only miracle that people attribute with him.
Shah Hussein was a great lover of humanity. For him differences were meaningless and he never differentiated people on the basis of religious or ethnic grounds. Shah Hussein wrote many verses. The form of poetry that he used was termed as Kafi . Kafi, is a form of lyric poetry that is generally sung by the folk singers all around the provinces of Punjab and Sind. His poetry is full of love and wisdom and propagates a happy and joyful wisdom. He loved intoxication and was known for using Cannabis and Alcohol in abundance. Despite all these transgressions he was given the title of the greatest mystic of all times and his religious authority was never successfully challenged or questioned. After wards, in the 18th century, Dara Shakoh, the great son of Mughal emperor Shah Jehan and brother of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir, was a great admirer of Shah Hussein and considered Shah Hussein as his spiritual guide and teacher. Prince Dara Shikoh was among those Muslims of the sub continent who were loved by the people of all religions and creeds because of their love for humanity and liberalism.
Imagine the suffocation that can prevail in a religious society and the audacity with which people view any transgression of the moral or religious law.After imagining this suffocation and repression think about a person who has resolved to act against the morality and religious dogmatism and yet has registered himself as a great champion of the people and their faith.
Shah Hussain was one such great religious personality who created new values in the society and challenged the older ones. Shah Hussein was a saint who lived during the sixteenth century in the Punjab province. The Punjab is a province which is divided between India and Pakistan and both these countries have parts of this province as their territories. The word Punjab is formed with two words,' Punj' meaning 'five' and 'Aaab' , meaning water. Thus Punjab is the land of five rivers, Ravi, Jhelum, Sutlej, Beas and Chenab of which the western part lies in Pakistan and the eastern part is in India.
Lahore has remained the greatest city of the Punjab for more than a thousand years and these days this historical city is in Pakistan. It is the privilege of this great city that it has produced all time great celebrities and creative people. One such person was the mystic poet Shah Hussein who was acknowledged, loved and appreciated by the people of the Punjab as a loving, liberal and freedom loving person. Shah Hussein’s tomb is in Baghbanpura, Lahore and people celebrate his anniversary each year during the month of March. Around 5,00,000 people participate in this colorful activity.
Shah Hussein was a muslim , but he transcended all religious differences. He was in love with a Hindu boy Madhu Lal and his relationship with Madhu Lal was so strong and intimate that people remembered him with the name 'Madhu Lal Hussein. Since, homo sexual love was not socially acceptable in those days , and in these days either; therefore, Shah Hussein was severely criticized for his spiritual love for Madhu Lal and for having an intimate relationship with him. Madhu Lal Hussein was summoned to the court by the Great Mughal emperor Akbar. When Shah Hussein reached there he had a beaker of wine in his hands and he was clean shaved too.
Since to drink alcohol is strictly prohibited in Islam therefore many people considered this act as an offence against Shariyah(The Islamic Law) and asked Akbar to inquire in to this matter. When Akbar asked Shah Hussein to show his beaker to him, he found, to his astonishment, that there was milk in it and no wine was there.
Moreover, to grow a beard is necessary for a Muslim, but Shah Hussein was clean shaved and people accused him for not having a beard. When people pointed out this fact, a beard appeared on the face of the great mystic and those who were accusing him merely out of jealousy were defeated. This was the only miracle that people attribute with him.
Shah Hussein was a great lover of humanity. For him differences were meaningless and he never differentiated people on the basis of religious or ethnic grounds. Shah Hussein wrote many verses. The form of poetry that he used was termed as Kafi . Kafi, is a form of lyric poetry that is generally sung by the folk singers all around the provinces of Punjab and Sind. His poetry is full of love and wisdom and propagates a happy and joyful wisdom. He loved intoxication and was known for using Cannabis and Alcohol in abundance. Despite all these transgressions he was given the title of the greatest mystic of all times and his religious authority was never successfully challenged or questioned. After wards, in the 18th century, Dara Shakoh, the great son of Mughal emperor Shah Jehan and brother of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir, was a great admirer of Shah Hussein and considered Shah Hussein as his spiritual guide and teacher. Prince Dara Shikoh was among those Muslims of the sub continent who were loved by the people of all religions and creeds because of their love for humanity and liberalism.
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