Exploring the mysticism of Sindh's Sufis

Speakers discuss music, art and dance of Sufis and its use in modern film, music

KARACHI: Speakers discussed spirituality, the mystical sound of Sufis and their songs during a session, titled 'Sufism, Music, Dance, Art and Aesthetics', on Friday at the 3^rd International Sufi Conference.

Vivek Virani, a researcher from the University of Texas, spoke about Kabir. "He was not a single ideology - instead Kabir was a multicultural tradition. He has said things but they have meant nothing," he said. Taking the cue from Indian movie The Dirty Picture, he quoted the song Mera Ishq Sufiyana, terming it 'a jarring testament, but one that should be known for the depth of its discourse'.

Virani said there is a community in India that sings Kabir but more importantly 'praises formless divinity and the voice of the saints'. He said in contemporary times, Sufi is used in India to refer to a Muslim who 'does not scare anyone'.



Another researcher, Fahad Zulfiqar, discussed two Bollywood songs from Imtiaz Ali films Rockstar and Highway, where the woman is depicted as a Sufi in the songs Patakha Guddi and Katiyan Karun.

"These female actors portrayed the reality of freewill and freedom that extends beyond love in these songs to prove their worth," he said.

Shaikh Mirani, a teacher at Sindh University, while speaking about the philosophy of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai said, "There are many emotions in the poetry of Bhittai, but what is most important to note is that we like to be surrounded by the beloved and unison is the ultimate goal, be it in the form of life or death."

Lal Baksh Jiskhani, a teacher from Sindh University, Jamshoro, said, "Sindh will be looked towards for love, peace and harmony when the world is fighting extremism. Sindhi society is known to be a diverse community and has an ethos of a single language, which seemingly identifies with peace."

He said, "Islam won through the Sufis, who spoke of peace and love and won many humans within the folds in this region". He urged upon Muslims to raise Sufi ideological barriers to end barbaric acts.