For centuries, Urdu poetry has danced in the dust kicked up by wandering dervishes, their simple cloaks cloaking a universe of wisdom and longing. Two lines echo their essence: “Darwaish ki dua hai fariyaad na ho, dil mein khuda ki yaad rahe, bas yahi tamanna ho” (May the dervish’s prayer not be a complaint, may the remembrance of God remain in the heart, this is the only desire).
Sufi Darwaish Baba in Status Urdu Poetry
is zamaane me.n to itnaa bhii Ganiimat hai miyaa.n
ko.ii baahar se bhii darvesh agar lagtaa hai
ABBAS TABISH
us se kahnaa ki kyaa nahii.n us paas
phir bhii darvesh kii du.aa le jaa.e
RASA CHUGHTAI
charaaG-e-hujra-e-darvesh kii bujhtii hu.ii lau
havaa se kah ga.ii hai ab tamaashaa KHatm hogaa
IFTIKHAR ARIF
dil vo darvesh hai jo aa.nkh uThaataa hii nahii.n
us ke darvaaze pe sau ahl-e-karam aate hai.n
BASHIR BADR
qaatil is shahr kaa jab baa.nT rahaa thaa mansab
ek darvesh bhii dekhaa usii darbaar ke biich
AHMAD FARAZ
Urdu Attitude Shayari on Darvesh & Sufism
dekhne vaalaa thaa manzar jab kahaa darvesh ne
kaj-kulaaho baadshaaho taaj-daaro taKHliya
REHMAN FARIS
mirii aavaargii bhii ik karishma hai zamaane me.n
har ik darvesh ne mujh ko du.aa-e-KHair hii dii hai
JAAN NISAR AKHTAR
dil paa ke us kii zulf me.n aaraam rah gayaa
darwaish jis jagah ki hu.ii shaam rah gayaa
QAYEM CHAANDPURI
jab se ham ho ga.e darvesh tire kuuche ke
tab se to.De nahii.n sone ke nivaale ham ne
AFZAL ALLAHABADI
miltii nahii.n hai naav to darvesh kii tarah
KHud men utar ke paar utar jaanaa chaahiye
ABBAS TABISH
Sufiyana Kalam with Mystical Urdu Ghazal Touch
Born from the fertile ground of Sufism, a mystical tradition that blossomed in the Indian subcontinent, Urdu poetry readily embraced the dervish as an archetype. Jalaluddin Rumi’s verses, translated and interpreted by Urdu poets like Mir Taqi Mir, spun tales of divine love and self-discovery. Bulleh Shah, the Punjabi mystic, infused his poetry with earthy humor and everyday wisdom, echoing the dervish’s grounded spirituality. Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, the Sindhi Sufi, wove intricate metaphors, celebrating the interconnectedness of all things and the dervish’s role as a bridge between the material and the divine.
What Sufi Says in Indo-Pak Literature?
Beyond historical giants of Indo-Pak Literature, the dervish continues to inspire contemporary Urdu poets like Amjad Islam Amjad. In his poem “Sufi”, he writes: “Har ik zarrre mein masti-e-parasti hai, har ik shaan mein hai jalwa-e-dast-e-haq” (Every atom is intoxicated with worship, every moment reveals the manifestation of God’s hand). These verses, along with Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poignant lines “Jahan bhi gham ki gharhi raat ho, wahaan koi diva jalata hai, har ik shab ek nadan dil ko, haqiqat kaun batlata hai” (Wherever there is a deep night of sorrow, someone lights a lamp there, who tells each foolish heart the truth every night?), resonate with seekers of truth across cultural and religious divides.
This search for meaning spills onto the digital stage, with Instagram feeds ablaze with Urdu poetry inspired by the dervish and Sufi darwaish ideals. Simple, heartfelt lines like “Duniya hai fani, sufi ka hai bas yahi paigham, apne aap ko kho kar, khuda mein dhundho aaram” (The world is temporary, this is the Sufi’s only message, lose yourself and seek comfort in God) find millions sharing in the dervish’s message of peace and love. Even mainstream Urdu music and film echo these themes, Bollywood melodies carrying melodies infused with Sufi darvesh philosophy and contemporary movies exploring the dervish’s timeless journey.
Conclusion
So, whether it’s the whirling metaphors of Ghalib or the contemporary echoes of Amjad, Urdu poetry continues to celebrate the dervish. These wandering souls, with their simple robes and profound wisdom of Sufi Shayari, remain a source of inspiration, reminding us of the divine hidden within the everyday, the unity that binds us all, and the transformative power of seeking truth within ourselves.