"He is the refuge and solace of the helpless ones,
He never wavers, though at his door, call thousands,
Where many stand aghast, find him there smiling."
.....Bhitai [sur Bilawal]

Bilawal is a musical melody which has a very soothing effect and brings a feeling of peace to the singer as well as to the listeners.

Bhitai...click in this sur...click depicts the qualities of an ideal leader or ruler. The foremost of such qualities are the compassion, generosity and responding to the call of the supplicants with a smile, without any delay. Among such ideal leaders and rulers, Bhitai, includes such luminaries as Jadam Jakhro, Abro, Samo, Rai Rahu and above all Muhammad...click, the Prophet of Islam, the crown of theses notables and the epitome of all the above qualities. Islam...click places great emphasis on charity as by giving away a commodity, which man cherishes as it helps him in many ways to make life comfortable and achieve matrial and ephemerical success in life, he gives a convincing proof of his love for God.

In deep reverential tones, Shah Bhitai...click speaks of the superiority of Prophet Muhammad over all other apsotles of God that He has sent on this earth. He makes refernce to the ascension of the Prophet or the Ma'iraj, as commonly known to the Muslims, when he came very close to God, the distance between him and his Creator, the Almighty God, being "just two bows, or even less than that" as mentioned in the Holy Qur'an...click.

In this sur Bhitai also makes a historical reference to Sultan Alaudin, who came from Delhi to Sindh with a large army and gave protection to number of people who paid homage to him. The mention is also made to the chiefs of the Sama tribe, namely, Rahu, Abro and Samo. In conclusion, the poet refers to a sinful person named Wagand, who has been involved in all kinds of moral and spiritual aberrations. Time comes when Wagand becomes conscious of his own shortcomings and of the sins that he has committed. He repents and comes to the fold of Holy Prophet Muhammad. Stricken by the love of the Prophet, Wagand Fakir resolves to reform himself and never to give up his following and his close association with the Prophet.

"Shah is the greatest and the most popular of Sind's Sufi poets. He ranks with the greatest poets of the world, whose names are permanently inscribed in the Chronicle of Time. He was a prophet and a seer and his verses are the pearls of divine truth. His Risalo is a sacred work and a unique treasure in the Sindhi language.

"Shah's saintly nature, his innate goodness and his singularly pure character and noble virtues have made him the idol of Sindhi hearts and touch all those who come into contact with his poetry. I need not say anything more about Shah Latif and his poetry than is incorporated in this modest volume. I, however, deem it an auspicious augury to quote here Rishi Dayaram Gidumal's glorious words [1] in which he pay homage to our revered poet:
"He was a genius
Flowing like a crystal river
Bright as light and clear as wind."

"He had that all "comprehensive tenderness", and that "all subtilizing intellect" which have made his verses the delight and the solace of the learned as well as the ignorant, of the Hindu as well as the Moslem. ... Abdul Latif has wedded the beautiful national legends with the most transcendental truths and has given them a purity and a lustre, a tenderness and a pathos, rarely equalled and never surpassed."
..... Kalyan B. Advani, "Shah Latif." Sahitya Academi 1970 (English, 72pp)

[1] Sigma (Rishi Dayaram Gidumal Shahani, founder of D.G. College in Hyderabad Sindh), "Something about Sind", 1882 (chapter on Shah Latif).

click here for...Sur Bilawal Section I : Have Faith In The Saying
click here for...Sur Bilawal Section II : Awe Inspiring Like The Lion
click here for...Sur Bilawal Section III : Those Who Shivered In Rage
click here for...Sur Bilawal Section IV : Wagand Penitent Has Returned