Of science and Bulleh Shah

Alif allah naal ratta dil mera...

Mainu 'be' di khabar na kaayi...

'Be' padheyan mainu samajh na aave...

Lazzat alif di aayi...

My heart is drenched in Alif Allah;
I have no knowledge whatsoever of 'Be'.
I read 'Be' and I fail to understand what it means;
I relish only the bliss of Alif.


*Explanation: Alif is the first letter of Arabic/Persian/Urdu script. It corresponds to the letter A in the English script and stands for unity, God, the truth (explained in text later). Be (pronounced 'bay') is the second letter of the Arabic/Persian/Urdu script. It corresponds to the letter B in the English script and is symbolic of all other than God. Alif symbolizes what was there when this world/universe did not exist. It also represents what will remain when the world/universe will no longer exist. It is what is constant, what was, is and always will be. In this verse Bulleh Shah says that the only thing he understands is Alif. He does not understand religion and its rituals. He reads the religious text and cannot comprehend it. The only thing he understands and enjoys is Alif.

Ain te gain nu samajh na jaana..

Gal alif samjhayi...

Bulla kaul alif de poore...

Jehre dil di karan safai..

Gal ik nukte vich mukdi ae...

I do not understand the difference between Ain and Ghain,
Alif made me understand 'it'.
O Bullah, Alif calls out to only those,
Who keep their hearts clean.
All arguments cease at 'it'...


*Explanation: Ain and Ghain are two other letter of the Arabic/Persian/Urdu script. Here Bulleh Shah again stresses the points that for him there is no difference between anything else that exists in this world. Even though Ain and Ghain are two different letters he fails to see the difference between them. I feel very strongly that it symbolizes his dis-regard for religious rituals. In my opinion, it relates to how rituals from two different religions are the same to him. They are both equally futile. It was when he understood Alif when he understood everything. The last two lines in my opinion mean that this phenomenon of Alif will only make sense and speak to those who have cleared their hearts of the futile pretenses of religion. The word 'it' here could have several possible meanings. In my opinion, it means the gist of the truth of life. The single point where all knowledge has been condensed. When someone realizes and understands that point, all argument and conversation ends. There is no need to explain further or ask any questions, once you understand 'it'.

Padh nukta, chor hisaaban nu...

Kar door kufar deyaan baaban nu...

Lah dozakh gor azaaban nu...

Kar saaf dilaan deyaan khaaban nu...

Gal aise ghar vich dhukdi ae...

Gal ik nukte vich mukdi ae...

Study the point, leave calculations aside...
Be far away from those who talk about kufar...
Remove the punishments of hell and heaven...
Cleanse the dreams of your heart...
'It' resides only in such a house...
All arguments cease at 'it'...

*Explanation: A nukta that we call the point here has all knowledge condensed into it. Bulleh Shah advises us to study that point and leave all other calculations aside. All other pretentious rituals are futile. He tells us to be far away from people who talk about kufar. Kufar is a term used in islam for something that is related to non belief. Someone who commits or talks kufar is doomed to go to hell for eternity. One who believes goes to heaven. Bulleh Shah asks everyone to remove these punishments and rewards from their lives. And to cleanse ones heart of desires of going to heaven. The point of knowledge resides in such a heart and who understands this doesn't need to understand anything else.

Ain gain di hikka surat,

Nukte shor machaya ae...

Sassi da dil luttan kaaran,

Hot punnu ban aaya ae..

Bulleh shah di zaat na kaayi,

Shah Inayat paaya ae...

Ik nukta yaar padhaya ae...

Ik nukta yaar padhaya ae...

Ain and gain have the same face,

The stir is caused by only 'it'...

To captivate Sassi's heart,

'It' has assumed the shape of Punnu...

Bulleh Shah does not belong to any creed,

For he has attained Shah Inayat...

'It' has been taught to by my 'beloved'...

'It' has been taught to by my 'beloved'...

Is alifon do tin chaar hoye...

Pher lakh karor hazaar hoye...

Pher othon baaj shumar hoye...

Ik alif da nukta nyara ae...

Ik alif padho chutkara ae...

Gal ik nukte vich mukdi ae...

From this singular Alif, two, three four came into being...

Then a hundred thousand, millions and billions...

Then from there, countless...

This singular Alif, is unique,

Learn Alif and you are free...

All arguments cease at 'it'...

Kyun padhna gadd kitaban di...

Sir chaana pand azaaban di...

Hun hoya shakal jalladan di...

Agge mushkil painda bhaara ae...

Ik alif padho chutkaara ae...

Gal ik nukte vich mukdi ae...

Why must you read a cart-full of books... 

Why must you take that torment upon your head...

Now your face resembles that of an executioner...

The path ahead of you is long, arduous and heavy...

Learn Alif and you are free...

All arguments cease at 'it'...

Ban haafiz hifaz quran karein...

Padh padh ke saaf zubaan karein...

Pher nehmat vich dhyan karein...

Mann phirda jyon halkara ae...

Ik alif padho chutkara ae...

Gal ik nukte vich mukdi ae...

You become a Haafiz by memorising the Quran...

You practice and perfect your recitation...

But then your conscious wanders towards the benefits of this...

Your mind billows in ripples...

Learn Alif and you are free...

All arguments cease at 'it'...

Aiwein mattha zameen ghasaayida...

Lamma paa mehraab dikhaayida...

Padh kalma lok sunaayida...

Dil andar samajh na leaayida...

Kadi sachi baat vi rukdi ae?

Gal ik nukte vich mukdi ae...

The forehead stroked on the floor in futility...

The bow of devotion displayed to the mosque...

A discourse is made for the gaze of the masses...

Can the truth ever be stopped?

All arguments cease at 'it'...

Kayi haaji ban ban aaye ji...

Gal neele jaame paaye ji...

Hajj vech takke le khaye ji...

Bhala eh gal kehnu bhaaye ji?

Kadi sachi baat vi rukdi ae?

Gal ik nukte vich mukdi ae...

Many came back as Haaji...

Wearing blue scarves around their necks...

And sold their status for mere material benefit...

Who would like such a thing?

Can the truth ever be stopped?

All arguments cease at 'it'...

Phad murshad abad khudaayi ho...

Vich masti beparvaayi ho...

Bekhwahish benavaayi ho...

Vich dil de khoob safai ho...

Bulla baat sachi kad rukdi ae?

Gal ik nukte vich mukdi ae...

Hold on to the guide, and be a part of the infinite divine...

There shall be frolic and we shall be carefree...

There shall be no want, and no possession...

The heart shall be clean and pure...

Can the truth ever be stopped?

All arguments cease at 'it'...

Bulleh Shah used surprisingly simple words to convey a very complex and powerful message. I believe reproducing some of his poems here in the English script and then translating them will extend his poetry's reach to those who do not know how to read Punjabi/Urdu. Honestly, I am such a big follower/fan of Bulleh Shahs poetry that I think everyone who does not understand or read it is being deprived of the pure joy of poetry and also of the powerful message he left.

The above lines are the lyrics of a qawalli sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and is a combination of three different poems by Bulleh Shah. Or thats what the books that I read said. Who really knows if Bulleh Shah wrote them as one poem or separate. Either way, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan combined these three poems in his exquisite rendition of kalaam Bulleh Shah. It is really worth a listen, I have myself heard it hundreds of times and through hearing it so many times I understood the concept of repetition in religion (including sufism). As I listened to the song again and again, somehow the meaning of the lyrics became clearer. With each listen I understood a new concept that I did not previously. But I believe that happened because I was actually listening and contemplating the song and its lyrics, which brings me to the gist of these lines. The main point of these lines is that repetition of religious content without contemplation and a clean heart is useless. Sort of like that saying 'Hands that help are holier than the lips that pray'. If someone needs help, it is much better to have good intentions and help out that person. Even if you do not do the rituals, if your heart is pure (vich dil de khoob safai ho) you're better off than people visiting temples/mosques/churches everyday to get pardoned for their 'sins'.

I want to explain what Bulleh Shah means when he says Alif. Although it is highly likely that when made the poems, he meant them to be something else. However, in the books I have read and in my own contemplation I have come to a partial understanding of what he might have tried to convey. Alif is the first letter of the script of Urdu/Arabic/Farsi etc. This letter corresponds to the Letter A in English. It is also the first letter of the word Allah. The fact that this letter precedes all else is symbolic of that which was there when nothing existed. It was there when nothing existed and it will be there when everything will be destroyed.

At this point, my scientific brain starts to churn. I find it rather interesting how the following paragraph is conveniently compatible with science.

Is alifon do tin chaar hoye...

Pher lakh karor hazaar hoye...

Pher othon baaj shumar hoye...

Ik alif da nukta nyara ae...

Ik alif padho chutkara ae...

This paragraph basically means that there existed only Alif at one point, then from Alif the second, third and fourth objects were formed. Then they became thousands and millions, after which they became countless. All from one Alif. So in Bulleh Shahs opinion if you know this you are free of all the religious rituals. In the sense that there is no fruit to doing useless rituals when in your heart there is no realization of the truth.

Now, whenever I listen to this line, I almost feel like Bulleh Shah is describing the beginning of the cosmos. When there was nothing and then after the big bang (I apologize I do not know where scientists are on that theory, I am a biologist not a physicist) planets etc came into being. Then slowly life evolved and now there are countless stars, galaxies and of course humans. Everything that has a beginning, has an end. If this universe began at some point in time, it will also end at some point. And when it does end, what will remain will be the same as what existed before it started. Our conducting religious rituals and tasks to display to other people will not alter or affect this reality in any way. The universe will do what it has to, irrespective of what temple we go to and which rituals we perform. The sheer insignificance of human life when compared to the cosmic one proves the ineffectiveness of the inexplicable religious rituals. Those who know and understand this will not spend time in mindless rituals which have lost their purpose in time. I cannot help but notice the scientific compatibility of this verse. Bulleh Shah was surprisingly progressive for his times. Despite living in a rigid orthodox society sufi poets of that period produced gems of poems that will have no parallel (well, not in my mind at least).

P.S. In case you are wondering where the translations are, I will put them some time later this week. Bye for now.