From Naushahro Feroze to Sehwan, Sufi Shah Naseer’s legacy of love and pluralism lives through his poetry and devotees
Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro
I have been documenting the shrine culture of Sindh since 1998. These shrines have a vital role in the culture and society of the region. Most of the Sufi adepts buried in them have significantly shaped Sindh’s cultural landscape.
One notable shrine is that of Sufi Shah Naseeruddin Naqshbandi, commonly known as Sufi Shah Naseer. Buried in the town of Naushahro Feroze, he was a Naqshbandi Sufi saint and poet.
I visited the shrine of Sufi Shah Naseer in 2021 with my friends Dr. Imdad Ali Memon, Irshad Ali Memon and Engr. Majid Ali Soomro – who all have extensive knowledge of Sufi shrines in the Naushahro Feroze district. Dr. Imdad Ali Memon is the author of Qalandariyyat, a book on the hagiography, poetry and philosophy of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
As part of my research for my forthcoming book, Sufi Space: Dargahs of Sindh, I visited several shrines in the Naushahro Feroze district and gathered material at the shrine of Sufi Shah Naseer. A multilingual poet, Sufi Shah Naseer wrote in Sindhi, Seraiki, Persian and Urdu. Like poets of earlier generations, he adopted a variety of figures – from romantic characters to wandering ascetics such as the Jogis and Samis – to convey his message.
The shrine complex reflects the tolerant culture of Sindhi society, drawing followers from both Muslim and Hindu communities. Travelling through Naushahro Feroze, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Larkana, Dadu and Shaheed Benazirabad districts, one encounters many shrines of the disciples of Sufi Shah Naseer and his father, Abdul Hayee Naqshbandi.
These Sufis of Naushahro Feroze played a transformative role in Sindh’s society through their preaching, poetry and commitment to interfaith harmony, inclusivity and tolerance – all hallmarks of Sindhi culture. Sufi Shah Naseer stands out as a towering figure in the promotion of these values.
According to Dr. Nawaz Ali Shouq (2004), compiler of Kalam Shah Naseer, the Sufi was born in 1223 AH/ 1808 CE in the town of Naushahro Feroze, Sindh. His father, Abdul Hayee, was a prominent Naqshbandi Sufi of the region. Abdul Hayee’s father, Shahabuddin, was also a celebrated Naqshbandi mentor who initiated many followers into the Naqshbandiyya order. Abdul Hayee continued his father’s legacy and numerous people became his disciples.
Among his most notable followers were Usman Faqir Sangi (d. 1860) and Faqir Khush Khair Muhammad Hisbani (d. 1877), both distinguished poets who promoted their mentor’s teachings. The shrine of Faqir Khush Khair Muhammad Hisbani is located in Karoondi, Khairpur. Usman Faqir Sangi’s shrine is located in the village of Jamri, Larkana.
Two Kalhora brothers – Dhullah Darya Khan Faqir and Nishan Ali Faqir, sons of Muhammad Ilyas Kalhoro – were also disciples of Abdul Hayee Naqshbandi. Both were poets in Sindhi and Seraiki. Dhullah Darya Khan passed away in 1309 AH/ 1891 CE and was buried in a village that later came to be known by his name, near Mangwani village in Dadu’s Khairpur Nathan Shah. His younger brother, Nishan Faqir, died in 1320 AH/ 1902 and was buried in Lalu Raunk, in the Warah taluka of Kamber-Shahdadkot district.
Dr. Ali Akbar Aser Qureshi, a prominent historian and author from Junani village in Warah, has made significant contributions to the study of Sufi teachers, poets and the cultural heritage of Larkana, Kamber-Shahdadkot and Dadu districts. He has also written extensively on the Sufi figures associated with the spiritual legacy of Sufi Shah Naseer and his father, Abdul Hayee Naqshbandi.
Sufi Shah Naseer received his early education from his father. He later pursued further learning under the guidance of Maulvi Muhammad Qasim and Qazi Ghulam Muhammad. According to Dr Nawaz Ali Shouq (2004), Abdul Hayee Naqshbandi appointed both Usman Faqir Sangi and Faqir Khush Khair Muhammad Hisbani to mentor Sufi Shah Naseer. He was only twelve years old when Abdul Hayee passed away. Following his death, both Usman Faqir Sangi and Khush Khair Muhammad Hisbani remained in Naushahro Feroze to guide and support young Naseer.
Sufi Shah Naseer was not only a Sufi poet but also a committed advocate for Muslim-Hindu unity. He was revered by followers from both religious communities. Among his prominent Hindu disciples were Mohan Faqir, Faqir Hashmat Rai, Faqir Hari Singh and Faqir Khushi Ram Sodhai. Faqir Hari Singh, Khushi Ram Sodhai and Mohan Faqir were also poets who wrote in Sindhi.
Mohan Faqir, the son of Premchand Ahuja, was a resident of Aqil village in Larkana. He spent much of his life in Larkana and Naushahro Feroze serving his spiritual master. He died in 1905. According to legend, after his death, there was disagreement over his final rites: Muslims wished to bury him, while Hindus wanted to cremate him. He was ultimately buried in Sehwan, where he had spent a considerable part of his life. His spiritual guide, Sufi Shah Naseer Naqshbandi, also spent time in Sehwan. It is believed that Mohan Faqir had a kafi (a small Sufi lodge) built for him there.
Sufi Shah Naseer stands out as a towering figure advocating for interfaith harmony, inclusiveness and tolerance – hallmarks of Sindhi culture.
The Ahuja family of Aqil village produced several mystics and poets. One such figure was Hasa Ram Hasa (d. 1935), a cousin of Mohan Faqir. He was a disciple of Data Faiz Darya, whose shrine is located in Anbah village in Shikarpur. Hasa Ram Hasa composed poetry in Sindhi and Hindi in praise of his spiritual mentor, Data Faiz Darya (d. 1907). Data Faiz Darya’s father, Pir Muhammad Shah Jilani, was a disciple of Sufi Shah Naseer. Another Hindu disciple of Sufi Shah Naseer was Khushi Ram Sodhai, who was also known for his poetry.
According to Tazkira Mashaheer-i-Sindh, Vol. 1 by Maulana Din Muhammad Wafai (1991), Sufi Shah Naseer had a substantial following in Larkana, a city he frequently visited. He also had devotees in other districts, including Shikarpur, Khairpur and Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshah). A keen traveller, Sufi Shah Naseer journeyed with his followers to Balochistan, Kandahar, Sirhind, Ajmer and even Bombay (now Mumbai). Nevertheless, he spent most of his time in Naushahro Feroze, where he also passed away.
Maulana Wafai records his date of death as 1318 AH/ 1900 AD. However, this is contested. According to the Bayaz (notebook) of Faqir Hidayat Ali Najafi Tarek (d. 1939), a disciple of Sufi Shah Naseer’s son Shah Safiullah, he actually died in 1307 AH/ 1889 AD — a date considered more accurate by some scholars. In his Bayaz, Faqir Hidayat Ali also recorded the dates of death for various other Sufi poets, including Dhullah Darya Khan, who died in 1309 AH/ 1891 AD.
The list of poets who were disciples of Abdul Hayee and his son, Sufi Shah Naseer, is extensive. One notable figure is Aen Ali Shah Rizvi (d. 1297 AH/1879 AD), the son of Umeed Ali Shah. He came from the village of Wazir Phulpoto, near Aghani in Larkana, and enjoyed a significant following. His son, Syed Noorullah, was also a poet and became a disciple of Shah Safiullah, continuing the spiritual and literary legacy of his forebears.
Ghulam Shah Bukhari was a disciple and poet of the kafi tradition. He originally lived in Hingorija, Khairpur, but later settled in Haitri, located in the Dokri taluka of Larkana. The village was subsequently renamed Haitri Ghulam Shah in his honour. He passed away in 1918 and was buried there.
Many poets associated with the cult of Sufi Shah Naseer went on to influence other writers and spiritual poets. One such figure was Khalifo Ghulamullah Kalhoro (1855–1956), a contemporary of several poets connected to Sufi Shah Naseer. He resided in Chau Dero village near Wagan town in Kamber Shahdadkot district. His three published literary works are Ser Sulemani, Yousaf Zulekha and Akhan Yousaf.
Two of the most prominent disciples and Sufi poets in Shah Naseer’s circle were Muhammad Musa Faqir Channo and Rustam Faqir Laghari, who both hailed from Larkana and devoted themselves in service to their mentor.
Sufi Shah Naseer also had a son, Shah Safiullah Ashiq, who was a multilingual poet. He wrote in Sindhi, Seraiki and Persian, using Ashiq as his pen name.
According to Shamshad Ahmed Soomro, an associate professor at Government Mehran Degree College, Moro, in the Naushahro Feroze district, who has written an MPhil dissertation on Sufi Shah Naseer, Shah Safiullah had three sons: Sain Abdul Hayee II (also known as Nawal Ghot), Shah Abdul Kareem and Shah Abdul Ali. Soomro has conducted significant research on the poets associated with the legacy of Sufi Shah Naseer and his father, Abdul Hayee Naqshbandi.
After the death of Sufi Shah Naseer, his son Shah Safiullah became the sajjada nashin (hereditary custodian) of his shrine. He later moved to Larkana, where he died in 1928 and was buried in the makan or maikhana (a space for social gatherings) of Mohan Faqir. This site later became the shrine of Shah Safiullah. His two sons, Shah Abdul Kareem and Shah Abdul Ali, are also buried at this shrine. It is said that Mohan Faqir remained unmarried and allocated all of his property to his mentor, Sufi Shah Naseer.
After the death of Shah Safiullah, his son Abdul Hayee II—also known as Nawal Ghot—became the custodian of the shrine of Sufi Shah Naseer. Nawal Ghot was not only a Sufi scholar but also a renowned hakeem, a practitioner of traditional medicine. Soomro Hakeem Ghulam Muhammad ‘Arshi from Bhiriya town, studied hikmat under him and later became a respected hakeem in his own right.
Soomro Hakeem Ghulam Muhammad originally hailed from Taggar village, the hometown of Khush Khair Muhammad Hisbani, a disciple of Abdul Hayee. However, after erosion caused by the Indus River affected the village, his family relocated and settled in Bhiriya town. In addition to practicing traditional medicine, Soomro Hakeem Ghulam Muhammad Arshi (d. 2003) was an author. His teacher, Nawal Ghot, passed away in 1965 and was buried in the tomb of Sufi Shah Naseer.
There are several graves within and around the tomb of Sufi Shah Naseer. The central chamber contains three principal graves: that of Sufi Shah Naseer himself, his father Abdul Hayee I, and his grandson Abdul Hayee II (Nawal Ghot). Outside the tomb, on the western side, there are two additional graves; one of these is believed to belong to Atta Muhammad, the father of Shahabuddin and grandfather of Abdul Hayee I.
Located in the town of Naushahro Feroze, the shrine of Sufi Shah Naseer remains one of the most visited in the region. It draws not only devoted followers but also everyday visitors who come to pay their respects to one of Sindh’s most cherished Sufi poets. Sufi Shah Naseer preached a message of love, peace, humility, humanity, tolerance and inclusivity—values that continue to be upheld by his descendants and disciples.
Read: Uncovering The Missing Links
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The writer is an anthropologist at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad. He has authored 17 books on Pakistan’s cultural heritage and anthropology. He tweets @kalhorozulfiqar. He may be contacted at zulfi04@hotmail.com
First published by The News
