Pir Syed Said Shah Gilani preached Chishtiyya silsila not only in Pothohar but also in other areas of Punjab, including Gujrat, Rahim Yar Khan, Sadiqabad and others
Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro
Writing about village histories and exploring their various aspects has always been one of my favourite subjects. When discussing village histories, it is important to consider the development of new shrines, both those associated with Sufi orders and those without any ties to Sufi traditions. Understanding the sociocultural context in which these sacred spaces or shrines emerge and evolve is essential. Since 1998, I have been studying the sacred spaces in the Pothohari villages. The shrines are an essential part of the Pothohari landscape and play a significant role in various communities throughout the region. I have visited nearly every notable village that hosts shrines associated with established Sufi orders. One particularly noteworthy village is Harraka, famous for the shrine of the Sufi saint Pir Syed Said Shah Gilani. Harraka, a historic village located in the Rawalpindi tehsil, can be accessed via the Rawat Chakbeli Road. This village is renowned for Gilani mystics, who are spiritually connected to Khwaja Shamsuddin Sialvi, alias Pir Sial, and his spiritual master, Khwaja Shah Muhammad Suleiman Taunsvi, alias Pir Pathan.
The shrine complex of Pir Syed Said Shah Gilani Chishti is located at the Harraka Mor on Basali Road. The complex comprises two tombs, a mosque, and a madrasa. Pir Syed Said Shah Chishti was the son of Syed Qaim Ali Shah, whose shrine is located in the village of Harraka Sharif. I also visited the shrine of Syed Qaim Ali Shah. According to the inscriptions on the exterior and interior walls of the tomb, Syed Qaim Ali Shah was the son of Syed Hayat Shah Gilani. During my conversations with local residents, I learned that the tomb of Syed Hayat Shah Gilani, the father of Syed Qaim Ali Shah, is located in Gurrah Rajgan village, near Rawat. I also visited the tomb of Syed Hayat Shah Gilani in Gurrah Rajgan village. The tomb is situated by the roadside on a road that leads to Dhoke Shah Darghai village, which is also known for the shrines of Gilani mystics.
The tomb of Syed Hayat Shah Gilani contains five graves. On the façade, two names are inscribed: Syed Hayat Shah and Syed Sher Shah. I inquired with residents about the three other graves, but no one had any information about them. This tomb is quite unique, featuring four domes, a style not found elsewhere in the Rawalpindi tehsil. The grave of Syed Hayat Shah has an inscription that shows his date of death in 1777!
The tomb of Syed Qaim Ali Shah is built on a square plan and crowned with a ribbed dome that rests on an elevated drum with perforations to light the tomb’s interior. The contemporary masons of Rawalpindi are particularly good at innovation when it comes to dome construction. Usually, the drum of the tomb is not elongated, but in the case of Syed Qaim Ali Shah, it is a bit elongated. The interior of the tomb of Syed Qaim Ali Shah is octagonal and decorated with glasswork, a contemporary form of decoration that has replaced older traditions of mural paintings.
The son of Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Pir Syed Said Shah Gilani, became a well-known Chishti saint in the area. He was initiated into the Chishtiyya order by Khwaja Shamsuddin Sialvi (1883). Khwaja Shamsuddin, alias Pir Sial, was himself a deputy of Khwaja Shah Muhammad Suleiman Taunsvi, alias Pir Pathan (d 1850). Several shrines of Khwaja Shamsuddin Sialvi’s deputies in the Pothohar plateau and the Salt Range have played a significant role in transforming the local cultures and societies of these regions.
Harraka Sharif became a thriving centre of the Chishti order. Pir Syed Said Shah Gilani preached Chishtiyya silsila not only in Pothohar but also in other areas of Punjab, including Gujrat, Rahim Yar Khan, Sadiqabad, and others. Responding to his teachings, many people became his disciples. He passed away in 1918, leaving behind a legacy carried out by his descendants. Pir Syed Said Shah Chishti had three sons: Syed Muhammad Shah, Syed Shah Muhammad Ghaus, and Syed Ahmed Kabir. After the death of Pir Syed Said Shah, Syed Shah Muhammad Ghaus Gilani became the Sajjada Nashin. He was also known for his piety. Like his father, he played an instrumental role in preaching Chishtiyya Silsila. He received a robe of initiation from Khwaja Allah Bakhsh Taunsvi, the Sajjada Nashin of Darbar Pir Pathan. He passed away in 1963. He had four sons: Syed Mehmood Ali Shah, Syed Ghulam Shabir Shah, Mehboob Ali Shah, and Syed Muhammad Zamir Shah.
After the death of Syed Shah Muhammad Ghaus Chishti, Syed Muhammad Zamir Shah Chishti became the Sajjada Nashin of the Darbar of Pir Syed Said Shah Chishti. He passed away in 2013 and was succeeded by his nephew, Syed Qosain Shah. Syed Ghulam Shabir Shah (d 1979), the son of Syed Shah Muhammad Ghaus Chishti, had two sons: Syed Hasnain Shah and Syed Qosain Shah. Currently, Syed Qosain Shah serves as the Sajjada Nashin of the Darbar, while Syed Hasnain Shah is responsible for managing and maintaining the affairs of the Darbar and its festival.
The Gilani mystics are interred in two tombs. The principal tomb belongs to Pir Syed Said Shah Gilani Chishti. The foundation of the tomb of Pir Syed Said Shah Gilani was laid by Syed Shah Muhammad Ghaus in 1918, shortly after his father’s death. The shrine complex was later expanded and renovated by Syed Muhammad Zamir Shah, first in 1986 and later in 2005. The interior of the tomb was decorated with glasswork in 2013 under the supervision of Syed Qosain Shah and Syed Hasnain Shah. The third expansion of the shrine complex was made in 2015 and 2020, both under the supervision of Syed Qosain Shah and Syed Hasnain Shah.
The tomb of Pir Syed Said Shah Chishti also contains the graves of Kabir Ahmed (d 1950) and Syed Muhammad Shah. On the façade of the tomb are written the names Pir Syed Said Shah Chishti and his spiritual master, Khwaja Shamsuddin Sialvi. The names of Syed Muhammad Zamir Shah, Syed Qosain Shah, the current Sajjada Nashin, and Syed Hasnain Shah are also written. Adjacent to the tomb of Pir Syed Said Shah Gilani is located a mosque, which was first built by him. It was a small mosque. Later, during the time of Syed Shah Muhammad Ghaus Chishti, it was expanded, and he started Juma prayers in the mosque.
In front of the tomb of Pir Syed Said Shah, there is another tomb that contains the graves of Syed Shah Muhammad Ghaus Chishti and his sons, Syed Muhammad Zamir Shah Gilani and Syed Ghulam Shabir Shah Gilani. Along with the tombs and a mosque, there is also a madrasa located within the shrine complex. The Gilani mystics from Harraka Sharif village attract a significant following, not only in Rawalpindi but also across various districts of Punjab.
Read: Mystery Cup-Marks on Babro Hill in Maher Valley of Malir, Sindh
________________
Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro is a renowned anthropologist of Pakistan. He is author of 16 books on anthropology.
First published by The Friday Times Lahore on March 20, 2025
