Shah Jo Risalo () is a book of poems of the Sindhi

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

mystic and poet

Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (; 1689/1690 – 21 December 1752), commonly known by the honorifics ''Lakhino Latif'', ''Latif Ghot'', ''Bhittai'', and ''Bhit Jo Shah'', was a Sindhi Sufi mystic and poet from Pakistan, widely considered to be the ...

. Shah Abdul Latif's poetry was transmitted orally during his lifetime and compiled after his death and designated as ''Shah Jo Risalo'' or ''Poetry of Shah''. Ernest Trumpp called it Diwan when he edited the ''Risalo'' and published it from

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

in 1866. Shah Abdul Latif was influenced by

Rumi Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (), or simply Rumi (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century poet, Hanafi '' faqih'' (jurist), Maturidi theologian (''mutakallim''), and Sufi mystic born during the Khwarazmian Empire ...

Mathnawi Mathnawi ( ), also spelled masnavi, mesnevi or masnawi, is a kind of poem written in rhyming couplets, or more specifically "a poem based on independent, internally rhyming lines". Most mathnawi poems follow a Meter (poetry), meter of eleven, or o ...

Surs (chapters)

The traditional compilations of Shah Jo Risalo include 30 Surs (chapters). The oldest publications of Shah Jo Risalo contained some 36 Surs, but later most linguists discarded 6 Surs, as their language and content did not match the Shah's style. Dr. Nabi Bakhsh Baloch, a linguist of the

Sindhi language Sindhi ( ; or , ) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by more than 30 million people in the Pakistani province of Sindh, where it has official status, as well as by 1.7 million people in India, where it is a Scheduled languages of India, schedu ...

, has compiled and printed a new edition after 32 years of research into folk culture, language and the history of Sindhi language. Another poet, Dr. Aurangzeb Siyal, has launched a book named "Louk Zangeer". The word " Sur", from the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

word

Svara Swara () or svara is an Indian classical music term that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, a note, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave, or ''saptanka''. More comprehensively ...

, means a mode of singing. The Surs are sung as

Raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

s. In

Indian classical music Indian classical music is the art music, classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is generally described using terms like ''Shastriya Sangeet'' and ''Marg Sangeet''. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as ...

, its "Ragas" and "Raginis" are sung at different times of day and night. In Risalo the Surs are named according to their subject matter. The underlying theme is how the individual is to cultivate the divine attributes and negate his ego so as to evolve into a better human being. The traditional 30 Surs included in Shah Jo Risalo are: * Kalyaan * Yaman Kalyaan * Khanbhaat * Suri Raag * Samundi * Sohni * Sassui Aburi * Maazuri * Desi * Kohyari * Husaini * Lilan Chanesar *

Momal Rano Momal Rano or (In Sindhi: مومل راڻو) is a romantic tale of Momal and Rano from the Sindhi folklore and Rajasthani folklore. It is a multifaceted story that entails adventure, magic, schemes, beauty, love, ordeals of separation, and above ...

* Marui * Kaamod * Ghattu * Sorath * Kedaro * Sarang * Asaa * Rippa * Khahori * Barwo Sindhi * Ramkali * Kapati * Purab * Karayal * Pirbhati * Dahar * Bilawal These Surs contain bayts which Shah Latif sang in a state of ecstasy. These Bayts in the Surs concerning the life-stories of his heroines, viz. Suhni, Sassui, Lila, Mumal, Marui, Nuri and Sorath, are not in chronological sequences, for the Sufi poet in his state of "Wajd", or ecstasy, was concerned with the moments in life-stories, which he used as allegories to express his mystical experiences.

Shah's heroines

The

heroines A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such things for the sake of ...

of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai's poetry are known as the Seven Queens of

Sindhi folklore Sindhi folklore () is a rich cultural tradition that has evolved in Sindh over centuries. The region is abundant in folklore, expressed in diverse forms and vibrant colors, ranging from the well-known tales of Watayo Faqir and the legend of Mo ...

who have been given the status of royalty in Shah Jo Risalo. The Seven Queens are celebrated throughout

Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...

for their positive qualities:

honesty Honesty or truthfulness is a facet of moral character that connotes positive and virtue, virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, straightforwardness (including straightforwardness of conduct: Good faith, earnestness), along with the ...

integrity Integrity is the quality of being honest and having a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and Honesty, truthfulness or of one's actions. Integr ...

piety Piety is a virtue which may include religious devotion or spirituality. A common element in most conceptions of piety is a duty of respect. In a religious context, piety may be expressed through pious activities or devotions, which may vary amon ...

and

loyalty Loyalty is a Fixation (psychology), devotion to a country, philosophy, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpersonal and only another human being can be the obj ...

. They are also valued for their

bravery Courage (also called bravery, valour ( British and Commonwealth English), or valor (American English)) is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valor is courage or bravery, especially in ...

and their willingness to risk their lives in the name of

love Love is a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment (psychology), attachment to a person, animal, or thing. It is expressed in many forms, encompassing a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most su ...

. The Seven Queens mentioned in Shah Jo Risalo are Marui, Momal, Sassui, Noori, Sohni, Sorath, and Lila. In his poetry, Shah has alluded in an elaborate way to these characters of Sindhi folktales and used them as metaphors for high spiritual life. These romantic tales of Bhittai are commonly known as ''

'', ''

Umar Marui Umar Marvi is a traditional Sindhi folktale dating back to the 14th century, and first penned by Shah Abdul Karim Bulri in the 16th century. It follows the story of a village girl Marvi, who resists the overtures of a powerful local ruler and t ...

'', ''

Sohni Mehar ''Sohni Mahiwal'' () or ''Suhni Mehar'' is a traditional Punjabi– Sindhi folk tragedy. Set in central Sindh or northern Punjab, depending upon the version of the tragedy, the folktale depicts the separation of two lovers and their tragic d ...

'', '' Lilan Chanesar'', ''

Noori Jam Tamachi ''Noori Jam Tamachi'' (Sindhi language , Sindhi:) is a folktale in the Sindhi folklore dating back to the 15th century.The story appears in Shah Jo Risalo and forms part of seven popular tragic romances from Sindh, Pakistan. The other six tales ...

'', ''

Sassui Punnhun ''Sassui Punnhun'' or ''Sassi Punnu'' is a traditional Sindhi, Balochi, and Punjabi tragic folktale. Set in Sindh and Makran, the tragedy follows the story of a faithful lover who endures many difficulties while seeking her beloved husb ...

'' and ''

Sorath Rai Diyach Sorath Rai Diyach is a romantic folktale in Sindhi and Gujarati folklore. The story also appears in '' Shah Jo Risalo'' and forms part of seven popular tragic romances from Sindh. The other six tales are ''Umar Marvi'', ''Sassui Punnhun'', '' ...

'' or Seven Queens () of

. ''

'' and ''Sohni Mehar'' aka

Sohni Mahiwal ''Sohni Mahiwal'' () or ''Suhni Mehar'' is a traditional Punjabi– Sindhi folk tragedy. Set in central Sindh or northern Punjab, depending upon the version of the tragedy, the folktale depicts the separation of two lovers and their tragic d ...

in Punjabi are also celebrated in

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

along with ''

Heer Ranjha '' Ranjha'' () is a classical Punjabi folk tragedy with many historic poetic narrations; with the first one penned by Damodar Gulati in 1600s, on the preexisting oral legend; and the most famous one, ''Heer'', written by Waris Shah in 17 ...

'' and ''

Mirza Sahiban ''Mirza Sahiban'' () is a classical Punjabi folk tragedy, originally recorded in literary form by the 17th-century poet Pilu. Set in a village in Jhang, the tragedy follows the romance between two youths, belonging to chieftain families ...

'' and thus form part of Punjabi traditions. These Ten tragic romances from

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

(all from present-day

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

) have become part of the cultural identity of Pakistan.

Translations

Shah Jo Risalo was first translated into

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

in 1866 by Ernest Trumpp, a German scholar and missionary who became fascinated by

and culture and the jogis and singers who sang Shah Latif’s verses. With the help of Sindhi scholars he compiled a selection of the original verses and called it "Shah Jo Risalo" (the message of Shah). It was first translated in English by Elsa Kazi, the wife of

Allama I. I. Kazi Imdad Ali Imam Ali Kazi () (April 1886 – 13 April 1968), also known as Imdad Ali Kazi, was a scholar, philosopher, jurist, and educationist. He is considered to be a founding father of the University of Sindh at its present location at J ...

, who translated selections of Shah Jo Risalo into English prose. Later in 1940, Dr H.T. Sorley, an English scholar learned Sindhi, and published selections from the Risalo by the Oxford University Press entitled "Shah Abdul Latif of Bhit: His Poetry, Life and Times: A Study of Literary, Social and Economic Conditions in Eighteenth Century Sind". The most recent work (1994) of translation of Risalo into English is that of Amena Khamisani, a professor in English Literature at the

Sindh University The University of Sindh (; ; informally known as Sindh University) is a public research university in Pakistan located in the city of Jamshoro in the Sindh province. It is one of the oldest universities in Pakistan and was certified by ISO in 2 ...

. Shaikh Ayaz, the famous Sindhi poet, translated Risalo into

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

. Risalo is also translated in Punjabi by Kartar Singh Arsh and more recently a French translation was also undertaken by Cultural department of Sindh. Part of Risalo is also translated in Arabic. There is one more translation of Shah Abdul Latif by name "Seeking The Beloved" translated by Hari Daryani 'Dilgir', a noted Sindhi poet and Anju Makhija. This book was honoured with Sahitya Akademi Award for translation in the year 2011.

Mobile Application

Recently in 2023-24 a mobile application Latifi Laat - Shah Jo Risalo developed by Syed Ghulam Murtaza, which is designed to offer an immersive experience of Shah Jo Risalo, the renowned poetry collection by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Native translations in English, Urdu, and Sindhi and more are provided, along with a Lugat feature for word-by-word translation, allowing the poetry's deeper meanings to be explored. A visually rich design, intuitive navigation, and contextual information on historical, cultural, and linguistic aspects are included to connect users with the essence of Sindhi culture and literature.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Shah Jo Risalo — Full text in Sindhi Language

Latifi Laat - Shah Jo Risalo

Reimagine Shah jo Risalo , Sindhi Poetry , Latifi Laat App

Shah Jo Risalo Multilingual Android App

Shah Jo Risalo Multilingual IOS App

Bhittaipedia, complete Anthology based on Shah Jo Risalo

Shah Jo Risalo - The Selection, translated by: Elsa Kazi into English

Official Fan Page of Shah Jo Risalo at Facebook in various languages

Shah Jo Risalo Full text in e-book/PDF format

Shah Jo Risalo: Punjabi Translation of Selected verses
* Risala Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai - Urdu Translation By Shiekh Ayaz Sufi literature Sindhi folklore Pakistani literature Islamic poetry Devotional literature Sindhi poetry

Surs (chapters)

Shah's heroines

Translations

Mobile Application

See also

References

External links