Remembering the mystic whose message transcended caste, religion and power in seventeenth century Punjab. Born in 1680 and named Abdullah Shah in a Syed family, he found a Murshid (spiritual master) in Shah Inayat, a man from a lower caste.

 

Na Raindee Hai, a Kalam by Bulleh Shah.

The world is a slippery place;     Tread carefully for ‘tis dark;

Go inside see who’s there;    Why do the people search outside;

What’s on the tongue must be said;     Bullah, the beloved is not separate from us;

Besides the beloved there is naught;   But the discerning eye is missing;

Therefore life endures separation;    What’s on the tongue must be said;

Learning through the rote of books you call yourself a scholar;

Grasping the sword in your hand you call yourself a warrior;

Having visited Mecca and Medina you call yourself a pilgrim;

Bullah, what have you accomplished if you have not remained true to your friend!

 

Photographs taken by Hoshyaar contributor Bushra Shehzad and packaged by Hosh media, a volunteer-based organization that aims to bring youth voices on to the mainstream media.

 

Opinion

Editorial

Rampant lawlessness
Updated 25 Jul, 2026

Rampant lawlessness

THE brutal slaying of a judge and his guard in Mastung is the latest in a series of blood-drenched events that have...
Daily fuel pricing
25 Jul, 2026

Daily fuel pricing

THE government’s move to daily petroleum price adjustments should make fuel pricing more transparent and more...
The drug problem
25 Jul, 2026

The drug problem

WHILE Islamabad Police chase low-level peddlers, the capital’s kingpins have quietly taken their operations ...
A new chokepoint
Updated 24 Jul, 2026

A new chokepoint

WITH free transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz blocked due to the US-Iran conflict, a new chokepoint has...
Improved rating
24 Jul, 2026

Improved rating

S&P GLOBAL’S decision to upgrade Pakistan’s long-term sovereign credit rating to ‘B’ with a stable...
More firetraps
24 Jul, 2026

More firetraps

WHILE it was already apparent that death traps dot Karachi, a safety audit by the Sindh government has thrown up...