On the Cosmic Truth

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Among those who enjoy Sufi or folk music in South Asia, one particular performer Abida is quite popular.  She frequently combines the poem of famous Sufis and renders them into ecstatic songs, that bring joy to her audience. One particular compilation titled "Ek Nukte Wich Gal Mukdi Hai", roughly translated as "In this point, all discourse ends" goes on and on about the true essence of religion - the Cosmic Truth. 

In "Ek Nukte" she has combined the poems of Sayyid Abdullah (Bulley) Shah, Ghulam Farid and Sultan Bahu beautifully to elucidate the simple truth that the entire purpose of God's teachings is to have a pure sincere heart, that is considerate to others.

I have attempted a loose translation below:

نماز پڑھن کم زنانہ

Some consider (my) prayers inferior

اتے روزہ صرفہ روٹی 

And (my) fasts merely miserliness

اونچیاں بانگاں  او دیں دیں

Yet they whose calls for prayer are loud and high pitched

نیّت جنہاں دی کھوٹی

May well be those whose intentions are corrupt

مکّے تے ول او ہی جاں دیں

And those who rush to be the first to go to Mecca for pilgrimage

جیڈے ہو دے کم دے ٹوٹی

Perhaps are not doing what they are supposed to, at home

وے میاں بھللیا جے ہووے حب یار ملن دی

O Bhulley ! If you truly desire to meet the Beloved

تے رکھ صاف اندر دی کوٹھی

you should ensure that (His) abode inside you is pure (i.e., your heart)

اس کا مکھ اک جیوت ہے ، گھونگھٹ ہے سنسار

His face is a Jyot (Noor/ Divine Light), and the veil is this world

گھونگھٹ میں وہ چھپ گیا ، منہ پر آنچل ڈار    

And He has hidden Himself in this veil, cloaking His Face from us

 اک نقطے وچ گل مک دی ہے

And this is where it all discourse ends

پھڈ نقطہ چھوڈ حساباں نوں

Hold on to this essence, and forget petty accounting

لکھ کروڑ نماز پڑھی وے مللہ 

The Mullah may pray hundreds of thousands of prayers,

ایویں یار ملن دستور نہیں

Certainly not the way to reach the Beloved

جے سین دل ساجت نہ کریں

If you do not tend to matters of the heart,

تے سین سجدہ تیرا منظور نہیں

Your prostrations will never be accepted

چا غیر کنو دل دور کریں

No sooner have you distanced your heart from everything other than the Beloved

پچھے یار ملن کچھ دور نہیں

You will find Him without delay

آ کہے غلام فریدا، او دل کی ہے، جہ دل وچ عربی بول دا نور نہیں

Says Ghulam Farid, what kind of a heart is that, in which the Noor of the Qur'an has not entered?

پھڈ نقطہ چھوڈ حساباں نوں

Hold on to the essence, forget petty accounts

چھڈ دوزخ گورعذاباں نوں 

Cast aside discussions of hellfire, and punishments of the grave

کر بند کفر دیاں باباں نوں

Stop discussions on infidelity and infidels

کر صاف دلے دیاں خواباں نوں 

Purify your heart's dreams and aspirations

گل ایسے گھر وچ ڈھک دی ہے 

The Truth will descend upon such a heart

 اک نقطے وچ گل مک دی ہے

And this is where it all discourse ends

جے کر دین علم وچ ہوندا

And if the deen was really in your bookish knowledge

تا سر نیزے کیوں چڑھ دے او

Then why would innocents be beheaded, and their heads raised on lances ? (referring to the martyrdom of Sayyidina Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him, and bless him) in Karbala)

جے کچھ ملاحظہ اس در دا کر دے

And if they had any regard for his (Prophet Muhammad's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) doorstep

تے خیمے تمبو کیوں سڑ دے ہو 

They would not have routed (his family's) camp

جے کر من دے بیت رسولی

And if they truly honored their pledge to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

 تا پانی کیوں بند کردے ہو

Then why would the deprive them (Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) family) of water?

پر صادق دین تنہا دے باہو  

And remember O Bahoo ! The true deen belongs to them

 جو سر قربانی کر دے ہو

who sacrifice(d) themselves

 ایویں متھا زمین گھسائی جا  

Keep rubbing your forehead on the floor

 پا لیتا محراب دکھائی دا

And you have found your ostentatious mihraab (sanctuary)

پڑھ کلمہ لوک ہنسائی دا 

And your parroting has brought ridicule to the kalimah (assertion of faith)

 دل اندر سمجھ نہ لائی دا 

As it has not been understood by the depths of your heart

کدی سچی بات بھی لک دی ہے

Has the truth ever remained hidden for long?

 اک نقطے وچ گل مک دی ہے

And this is where it all discourse ends

پھڈ نقطہ چھوڈ حساباں نوں

Hold on to the essence, forget petty accounts

 تسبیح پڑھے مکاراں والی    

You pray the rosary of deception

 تے داڑھی کیتی چٹی

And your beard looks white (like someone of repute)

پرا وا مال ایویں کھاد اوے 

You usurp the rights of others

 جے وے ترکاری لگ دی میٹھی

and you enjoy it with delight

نہ تو مندر مشیتی وریا

I doubt you have ever truly entered a temple or a mosque...

 نہ قبر اندھری دیکھی

or have ever thought about the darkness of a grave

خبر تداں پوسائی بھللیہ 

Better ask about him, O Bhulle !

 جدااں منہ تے آتی مٹی

when the face is being covered with dust (being buried)

 کئی حاجی بن بن آئے جی، گل نیلے جامے پایے جی    

Many of them return from the pilgrimage, adorned in beautiful attire,

حجج ویچ دھکیلے پایے جی ، پر یہ گل کنو بھایے جی  

even after having suffered the tribulations of hajj, they still don't like what I have to share

کتھے سچی گل وی رک دی ہے 

but can you ever prevent the truth from revealing itself?

 اک نقطے وچ گل مک دی ہے

And this is where it all discourse ends

نہ میں عالم نہ میں فاضل نہ مفتی نہ قاضی ہوں 

Neither a scholar, nor a learned man am I, neither jurist nor judge

نہ دل میرا دوزخ مانگے ، نہ شوق بہشتی راضی ہوں

I certainly don't aspire for Hellfire, but my heart is not content with the pursuance of paradise

نہ میں تارے روزے راکھے نہ میں پاک نمازی ہوں

I haven't fulfilled the obligatory fasts, and I am not a virtuous worshipper

باجھ وصال الله دے باہو، ہوئی دنیا کوڑی بازی ہو   

Devoid of Union with Allah, O Bahoo ! This world is just an illusory distraction