Multan is one of the ancient towns in Pakistan. Beside its historical importance in the geo politics of Subcontinent, the city has been the hub of great sufis and saints who were the harbingers of Islamic teachings.
Just as Bahawalpur’s architecture is defined by its political heritage, Multan’s architecture is defined by its religious heritage. Multan is commonly described as the city of saints and shrines. Within the radius of twenty five miles, one finds hundreds of Mausoleums of those saints who propagated Islam in subcontinent with a message of love, peace, fraternity and tolerance and religious harmony.
Sometime back ATP carried a post on the Gateways of Multan. Today, I want to share this pictorial about the Multan’s saints and shrines.
Sheikh Bahauddin Zakariya commonly known as Bahawal Haq was born in 1170 in Layyah. He went to Iran and received religious education from Sheikh Shahab-ud-Din Suhrawardy in Baghdad. After performing Hajj, and visited Jerusalem, Syria, Baghdad. On his return to subcontinent he settled in Multan in 1222 AD and preached his teachings.
His Mausoleum is visited by thousands of people and has great number of followers in Southern Punjab and Sind. Many of his followers when arrive Multan, they put off their shoes as a gesture of respect to this sacred land (Multan Sharif).Shah Rukn-e-Alam was grandson of Bahawal Haq and continued the message of grandfather to the public at large. Thousands of people accepted Islam due to his inspirational teachings. He died at the age of 88 and was buried in the lofty dome built by Ghias-u-Din Tughlaq for himself.
Beside religious importance of the Mausoleum (pictures above), its archeological value cannot be undermined. It is o
ne of the iconic building in Multan with loft dome that stands 100 feet high from the ground. The use of red bricks with wooden beams is ornamented with blue and white ceramic tiles (Multani tiles) brings a majestic beauty in the building.The descendents of this family have always been influential in government and politics. Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi is currently the custodian of this Mausoleum.
Shah Shams Sabzwari, also known as Shah Shams Tebrez, came to Multan in thirteenth century and preached his teaching among the inhabitants of the area. He died in 1276.
Many miracles are associated with his personality. Lot of people comes to this shrine (picture on the left) to pay homage.
Musa Pak Shaheed, was originally from Uch Sharif and descendant of Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jillani. He died in eleventh century and is buried inside the wall city called Pak Gate. The famous Gillani family is the descendant of Hazrat Musa Pak Shaheed.
Yousaf Shah Gardezi came to Multan in 1060 and preached his teachings to his disciples. He died in 1088 AD and was buried inside Bohar Gate. He has rectangular Mauseleum with white and blue tiles. His descendant family is still very influential in the area.
Following are some of the famous shrines in Multan.
- Shrine-Bibi Pak Daman
- Shrine-Hameed-ud-Din Hakim
- Shrine-Qutab-al-qutaab “Moj Dariya”
- Shrine-Syed Pir Sakhi Shah Hassan Parwana
- Shrine-Qazi Qutab-ud-Din Kashani
- Shrine-Syed Hasan Khanjzee
- Shrine-Hazrat Shah Dana Shaheed
- Shrine-Abu Hassan Hafiz Jamal-ud-din “Musa Pak Shaheed”
- Shrine-Hazrat Shah Kamal Qadari
- Shrine-Hafiz Muhammad Jamal Chisti Nazami
- Shrine-Pir Chup Wardi Waly
- Shrine-Mollana Hamid Ali Khan Naqshbandi
- Shrine-Allama Syed Ahmad Saeed Kazmi
- Shrine-Hazrat Khawaja Awais Khagga
- Shrine-Pir Syed Wali Muhammad Shah(Chadar Wali Sarkar)
- Shrine-Hazrat Gul Shah
Roshan Malik is a development practitioner; his earlier posts at ATP include one on the architecture of Bahawalpur. All pictures except those of the shrine of Shah Shams Sabzwari are by the author.
Roshan Malik,
Drama- Bazi hay sab neshinaan-e-Gad’dian,
Hayra-pheri hay jo under and over Gad’dian
Kufr-o-Shirk atta hay nazar, nazar mein yun,
hotay hein Buzurg, nazar Tokri-e-rad’dian
RK
@Multan Sharif, Gujrat Sharif, Uch Sharif, Golara Sharif
So many Sharifs, the whole Pakistan seems to be a Shrine,
only shrines, left behind, have they taught something else??
Do they serve anything to a muslim in Pakistan ?
if all these thousands of shrines everywhere in Pakistan only
“removed the confusion”, on differences between, Hindu,
Sikh, Muslims, Christians, jews, Jains, Parsis, Marxists
and seculars, believers and non-believers, then they are no
more ” HOLY ” , therefore,
replace them with ONE AND ONLY GOD.
@Abder-Rehmaan
Wahdat-ul-wajood = ” Wajood ki wahdaniat ”
Wahdaniat, qualificative of GOD’s Wajood =
“ONLY GOD” posseses eternal wajood, therefore,
Wajood is GOD, and GOD is Wajood, The Creator of
Wajood itself, but only with “unique” wahdat = unity, oneness, without a second & onwards, as you know, countless is the opposite of oneness.
Further research on
Muntaha, Inteha, La-mutanahi = Al-Fanah
Mystics say, He is One as well as Countless (I refrain from
borrowing Indo-European very limited terminologys ).
Even Greek mythology could’nt challenge ” oneness ” among
its waste pantheiesm.
any short comments ??
Shah Shams Tabriz was teacher of Molana Roomi famous for his Masnawi and introdoced him to the true love.
He took his inspiration from the greatest of all Walis ie Mola Ali.
Shaheed Moosa Pak is the descendant of Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jillani who does not consider Ali amongst his favourites
Yousaf Raza Gillani is his descendant
So, the news is saying that Yousuf Raza Gillani is the “gaddi nasheen” of Multan. What does that mean? Is he a descendent of any of the above?
SALLAM & PIR MOLA ABBAS AS MADAD
This is UnIqUe plaaaaaaaat faraam about MulTani Olllllllliyaaa ALLAH …….. i love SuFisaaam ……..
wasllam
Hussian Gardezi Syed
multan
explain me wahdathul wojood