Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari

Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari
Mir Surkh, Mir Buzurg, Makhdum-ul-Azam, Surkh-Posh , Jalal Ganj.
Born	c. 595 AH (690 CE) Bukhara
Died	c. 1199 AH (1291 CE) Uch Sharif
Honored in	Islam, specifically the Suhrawardiyya Sufi order
Influences	Baha-ud-din Zakariya
Influenced	Countless Pakistani and South Asian Sufis, and ordinary people

Sayyid Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari (Urdu: سید جلال الدین سرخ پوش بخاری (c. 595-690 AH, 1199-1291 CE) was a prominent "Suhrawardiyya" Sufi saint and missionary. Bukhari was called Surkh-posh ("Red-clad") on account of the red mantle he often wore.

Names

Bukhari's original name was Jalaluddin, kunya Abu Ahmed (ابواحمد), while Mir Surkh, Sharrif ullah, Mir Buzurg, Makhdum-ul-Azam, Jalal Akbar, Azim ulllah, Sher Shah, Jalal Azam and Surkh-Posh Bukhari were his titles. He was also known as Jalal Ganj. He was formally called Sayyid Jalaluddin Mir Surkh Bukhari as well as Shah Mir Surkh-Posh of Bukhara, Pir Jalaluddin Qutub-al-Aqtab, Sayyid Jalal or Sher Shah Sayyid Jalal.

Life

He was born on Friday, 5th Dhu al-Hijjah 595 AH (Hijri) in Bukhara, present-day Uzbekistan. He was the son of Syed Ali Al-Moeed and grandson of Syed Ja’far Muhammed Hussain. He got his early education in Bukhara under the supervision and guidance of his father. He completed his education in his seventh year and is known to have performed several miracles even in childhood.^{[citation needed]} 1,500 learned men had accepted him as their spiritual leader before he had actually reached manhood.^{[citation needed]}

He spent his whole life in traveling and several tribes, such as the Soomro, Samma, Chadhar, Sial, Daher, and Warar and others adopted Islam owing to his efforts.

His first marriage was with daughter of Syed Qasim in Bukhara, who bore Syed Ali and Syed Ja’far he had a total 22 sons. After the death of his first wife, Syeda Fatima in Bukhara, he along with his two sons migrated at the age of forty years from Bukhara to Bhakkar, Punjab in 635 AH (Hijri). However, as per the book "Mukhdoom Jahaniyan Jahangasht" written by Muhammad Ayub Qadri, both the brothers went back to Bukhara after some time. In Bhakkar, he married daughter of Sayyid Badruddin Bhakkari, Sayyida Sharifa BibiTáhirih, with her he had two sons Sayyid Sadaruddin Mohammed Ghaus and Sayyid Bahauddin Mohamed Masoom (their descendants are settled in and around Thatta , Uch and Lahore). One daughter of Sayyid Sadaruddin Mohammed Ghaus was married to Jahaniyan Jahangasht Later after the death of his second wife he married another daughter of Sayyid Badruddin Bhakkari Sayyida Bibi Fatima Habiba Saeeda. She bore him his youngest son Syed Ahmed Kabir (father of Jahaniyan Jahangasht )

Sayyid Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari died at the age of 95 years on 19th Jumada al-awwal 690 AH (Hijri) (20th May 1291 CE) in Uch Sharif, Punjab.

Career

Bukhari's history and pedigree are given in extend in such works as the Mazher-i-Jalali, the Akber-ul-Akhyar, the Rauzat-ul-Ahbab, Maraij-ul-Walayat, Manaqabi Qutbi, the Siyar-ul-Aqtar, the Siyar-ul-Arifeen, the Manaqib-ul-Asifya etc. These books only exist in manuscript and are generally found in the possession of Bukhari Sayyids. Sayyid Jalal's life is given in brief below:

He also met Chengiz Khan, the Mongol, and endeavoured to convert him to Islam, but Chengiz Khan ordered him to be burnt alive.^{[citation needed]} The fire however turned into a bush of roses and on seeing this miracle Chengiz Khan became inclined to be more sympathetic towards Islam and Muslims^{[citation needed]}. Chengiz offered to give his daughter in marriage to Hazrat Jalaludin. He at first refused to take Chengiz's daughter as his wife but then he heard a divine voice say that his descendants would spread far and wide and were destined to be Qutubs "saints" of the world, he consented to the marriage^{[citation needed]}. This proved to be true as his descendants are quite numerous, and many Sayyid families in the Punjab, Sindh, the United Provinces (Uttar Pradesh), Kachchh and Hyderabad Deccan, claim descent from him, and trace their origins to Uchch Sharrif. His two male issues from his second wife, Fatima, the daughter of Sayyid Qasim Hussein Bukhari, Sayyid Ali and Sayyid Jaffar, are buried in tombs at Bukhara. He brought his son Sayyid Baha-ul-Halim with him to Sindh and he settled in Uchch in 1244 CE.

Sayyid Jalaluddin afterwards married Zohra, the daughter of Sayyid Badar-u-Din Bhakkari, of whom was born Sayyid Mohammad Ghaus. On Zohra's death he married the second daughter of Sayyid Badar-u-Din Bhakkari, who give birth to Sayyid Ahmed Kabir, the father of Makhdoom Jahaniyan Jahangasht and Makhdoom Sadruddin. Firuz Shah Tughlaq sent the Son of Makhdoom Sadruddin,Syed Hassamuddin Hassan Bukhari to Kara-Manikpur and he is buried in Parsaki or Parsakhi,The Kokhraj(Koh-e-Kharaj)OR Koh-e-Inam in the district of Allahabad (near Kara-Manikpur) and his descendents are presently found in pargana Chail of Allahabad and are known as Naqvi ul-Bukhari Sada'at of Chail ) total he had 22 sons. In 642 AH (Hijri) when Nasiruddin Mahmud, son of Shams-u-Din Altamash, was Sultan (ruler) of the kingdom of Delhi^{[citation needed]}, Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari reached Uch, which was then called Deogarh^{[citation needed]}, and its people began through him, to embrace Islam. The Raja Deo Singh, its ruler^{[citation needed]}, was greatly incensed at this, and spared no effort to cause him trouble, but being overawed by the Sayyid's miracles he fled to Marwar^{[citation needed]}. Innumerable miracles are attributed to him^{[citation needed]}. The reverence which he enjoyed may be judged from the fact that rulers used to wait upon him at Uch, for example in 642 AH (Hijri). Nasiruddin Mahmud, the eldest son of Shams-ud-din Altamash, paid him visit at Uch.

He died in 690 AH (Hijri). in the reign of Ghayas-u-Din Balban, and was buried at Sonak Bela 3 miles of Uch, but the river Ghaggar reaching quite close to his grave; his descendants removed his remains to Uch and buried them at the place where the shirne Hazrat Sadar-u-Din Rajan Qattal is now situated. Again in 1027 AH (Hijri). the then Sajjada Nashin Makhdoom Hamid son of Muhammad Nassir-u-Din, removed the remains, buried them in the present spot and erected a building over them. In 1261 AH (Hijri). Nawab Muhammad Bahawal Khan III made some additions to it and built a tank and well, called the khan sir, in compound of the shrine. In 1300 AH (Hijri). Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan IV had it repaired and made some additions. Both Hindus and Muslims in and outside the state have a firm faith in this Khanqah and all kinds of vows are made there.

Mission

He spread Islam to Sindh and Southern Punjab and is responsible for conversion of Samma tribes among others to Islam. He also laid the foundations of a religious school in Uch (also spelled Uchch). He moved back to Bukhara once and later returned to finally settle in Uchch in 1244 CE.

He was founder of the "Jalali " Section of the "Suhrawardiyya" Sufi Order. "Jalali" being named after him. Some of his successors in the line went to Gujerat and became very famous there. This includes Jalaluddin bin Ahmad Kabir, popularly known as Makhdoom Jahaniyan Jahangasht (d. 1384 CE), who made thirty-six visits to Mecca; Abu Muhammad Abdullah, popularly known as Burhanuddin Qutb-e-Alam (d. 1453 CE) and Sayyed Muhammad Shah Alam (d. 1475 CE).

It is narrated that Makhdoom Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari had urged Genghis Khan to spare the innocent people and embrace Islam. Enraged by this bold act of Jalaluddin, Genghis Khan ordered that he might be thrown in fire. But to the utter surprise of Genghis Khan and his courtiers the fire did not hurt Jalaluddin Bukhari^{[citation needed]}.

The great pioneers of the 13th century Sufi movement in South Asia were four friends known as "Chaar Yaar":

1. Baba Farid Shakar Ganj of Pakpattan [1174-1266CE]
2. Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari of Uchch [c. 1199-1291CE]
3. Baha-ud-din Zakariya of Multan [1170-1267CE] and
4. Lal Shahbaz Qalandar of Sehwan [1177-1274CE ] .

It is said that 17 leading tribes of Punjab accepted Islam at the hands of Baba Farid . Some of these tribes were Kharal, Dhudhyan, Tobian and also Wattu, a Rajput tribe. Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari converted the Samma tribes of Sindh as stated earlier, the Sial, Chadhar, Daher and Warar tribes of Southern Punjab and Sindh, and several other tribes while Shahbaz Qalandar had a great following in Multan and Northern Sindh.

Present city of Jhang is also said to have been founded by Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari (in 1134 CE according to some sources). Its first inhabitants were Sials who were followers ( mureed) of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari . It was then destroyed by the river and re-founded during the reign of Aurangzeb by his descendant Syed Mehboob Alam Naqvi-ul Bukrari Al-Maroof Shah Jewna who asked his (mureed) followers to settle again in that area.

He is also reported to have met Makhdum Shah Daulah, a saint buried in Bengal, at Bukhara where he presented Makhdum Shah Daulah with a pair of gray pigeon (Common indian gray pigeon) as a token of good wishes. From Bukhara the Makhdum Shah Daulah party proceeded towards Bengal and settled at Shahzadpur, a locality under the jurisdiction of a Hindu king whose kingdom extended up to Bihar. The king ordered for the expulsion of Makhdum Shah Daulah and his companions. Consequently there ensued a severe fight between the two parties in which Makhdum Shah Daulah with all his followers, except Khwaja Nur, embraced martyrdom and is buried beside the old Shahi mosque at Shahzadpur..

Mai Heer of the Sial tribe and of the "Heer Ranjha" fame was daughter of Choochak Sial who was disciple of Hazrat Syed Ahmed Kabir, son of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari .

Family

Sayyid Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari was Naqvi Sayyid. "Syed" or "Sayyid" is an honorific title that is given to males accepted as descendants of Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, who were the sons of his daughter Fatimah and son-in-law and Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Whereas Naqvi is a family name used by the "Syed" or "Sayyid" who are through the lineage of Ali al-Hadi (Arabic: الإمام علي الهادي).

His family was one of the most revered and prominent Muslim families during the rule of the Turkish dynasties in India including the Tughlaq and Mamluk dynasties of Delhi. His descendants are called Naqvi al-Bukhari. The part of Uchch where this family settled is called "Uchch Bukharian" to this day.Some of his family members migrated to Biloot Sharif and the Tribal Areas of Kurram ,Orakzai Agency and Kohat District. The well known spiritual head of the Bukhari's Syed in Kurram Agency was Syed Pahlawan Shah who was the son of Syed Hussain Ali Shah popularly know in the spiritual circles as Fakir ul Fukara. While in Orakzai Agency Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari was presented by Syed Pahlwan Shah's elder brother Syed Gul Badshah who was both a worldly and spiritual head of his followers. Syed Pahlawan Shah was against the British rule in the Sub-Continent and his consistent resistance towards English Lords made him an alarmingly acclaimed figure for the British Political Agents in Kurram Agency . He and his followers proved as a lead wall against the tyrannic rules and laws of the British in the Tribal Areas of Kurram and Orakzai Agencies . His self evident miracles made him a legendary figure among his followers in both of the Tribal Areas. There are magnificent tombs of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari descendants and disciples all across Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These include Hazrat Jahaniyan Jahangasht, Hazrat Rajan Qittal; Hazart Shah Esa Qital (Biloot), Bibi Jawindi (c. 1492 CE, she is great grandauther of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari ),Hazrat Mir Mohammad Masoom (Forefather of Jam Bokhari Naqvi family) and Channan Pir among others. Tomb of Bibi Jawindi and tomb and Mosque of Jalaluddin Bukhari are on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004 , they are also listed in the 1998 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund, and again listed in 2000 and 2002. Many of his disciples are buried in Bhambore and Makli near Thatta.

Family lineage

According to "Mara'at Jalali" written by Syed Khalil Ahmad Bukhari Hassami (1918) and Tareekh Gulzar Shams and "Malfuzul Makhdoom" by Syed Jalaluddin,Sayyid Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari's family lineage is as under:

1. Sayyid Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari
2. Sayyid Ali Al-Moeed
3. Sayyid Ja’far Muhammed Hussain
4. Sayyid Muhammad
5. Sayyid Mahmood (he moved from Mashhad and settled in Bukhara)
6. Sayyid Ahmed (his other son Sayyid Ali is forefather of Nizamuddin Auliya)
7. Sayyid Abdulallh (he moved from Samarra and settled in Mashhad)
8. Sayyid Ali Asghar,
9. Sayyid Ja’far (he died in 271 AH (Hijri) and is buried in Samarra)
10. Imam Ali al-Hadi
11. Imam Muhammad al-Taqi
12. Imam Ali ar-Ridha
13. Imam Musa al-Kadhim
14. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq
15. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir
16. Imam Zayn al-Abidin
17. Imam [Husayn ibn Ali]]
18. Imam Ali ibn Abi-Talib

There were many religious leaders and sufia saints in his lineage. Among them Hazrat Shah Mohammad Ghouse migrated from Uchch and settled down in the Punjab, Hazrat Shah Jamal of Ichchra, Lahore' and numerous others.^{[citation needed]}

Part of his family moved back to Turkistan and there were inter-marriages with the Tatar Mongol ruling clan of Bukhara.^{[citation needed]} . It is said that he was married to Genghis Khan's daughter as well. A branch of the family moved subsequently to what is now Bursa in Turkey.^{[citation needed]}.

One of Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari's descendant, Makhdoom Syed Fateh Muhammad Shah Bukhari al-maroof Ghazi Baba travelled to Peshawar, and settled down in western suburbs of Peshawar in a village called Wadpagga Sharif. Syed Fateh Muhammad was the 15th descendant of Syed Nasiruddin Mehmood, who was the son of Makhdoom Jahanian. He had six sons, the eldest being Syed Abdul Wahab Shah, while the youngest one was Syed Abdullah Shah. Four of Makhdoom Syed Fateh's sons settled down in Wadpagga Sharif, while the other two moved to nearby areas, where they settled down. Wadpagga Village comprised predominantly of Bukhari Syeds and the Shrine of Ghazi Baba is the site of attraction of millions of his disciples, where they hold an annual Urs. Ghazi Baba is a comtemporary of Mian Omar, a saint burried in Chamkani village in Peshawar. Some of the prominent elders of wadpagga village include Syed Rifaqat Ali Shah Bukhari, Syed Sadaqat Hussain Shah, Pir Syed Qaim Shah Bukhari, Makhdoom Syed Dawood Bukhari and Makhdoom Syed Basharat Ali Shah.

Jam lineage(Jam Bokhari Naqvi)

The word "Jam" means Sardar, which is derived from Sindhi ancient language. There are two clans of Jams. One clan consists of Jams in Balochistan and Sindh. They are from the Jamoot tribe. Another Clan lives in Multan and surrounding areas, especially Jams of Dreg, D.G Khan, These are the descendants of Hazrat Sayyid Bahauddin Mohamed Masoom who is of the 22 sons of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari and trace their origin to Uch Sharif^{[citation needed]}. Hazrat Sayyid Bahauddin Mohamed Masoom is the source of information about Jams in Multan^{[citation needed]}. He is the descendent of Hazrat Hassan Jalaludin Bokhari, so the people belonging to this lineage are called “Jam Bokhari Naqvi”^{[citation needed]}. Mostly they live in the Multan City, in very famous area called "Shah Yousaf Gardez Mohallah" and known as "Mithy Waly". The figures shows that the forefathers of Jam Bukharis Naqvis (Mithy Waly), that live in the heart of the Multan city came from Dreg, Dera Ghazi Khan, because of the uncertain conditions there and starting to live besides the very famous place of Multan City, the Mizar of Hazrat Shah Yousaf Gardez R.A after arriving to Multan from Dreg. The three famous Bazurgs of this lineage are Mitha, Kura and Mohabbat shah. Mohammad Mitha and Mohammad Kurra both are the sons of Jam Mohammad Osman Shah of Dreg. He was a reputable person of his territory. He was a very pious and God fearing man. Mohammad Osman’s family lineage traced^{[citation needed]} to Hazrat Sayyid Bahauddin Mohamed Masoom R.A, Uch Sharif, who was the son of Syed Hassan Jalaluddin Bukhari. After the death of Jam Mohammad Osman Shah; the head of the Jam Bokhari Naqvi family, people raised against his family. He had two sons and three daughters. Mitha and Kurra were his sons. Family of Mohammad Mitha is known as "Mitha Family" and family of Kurra is known as "Khurra Family". By seeing the unfavorable conditions, both brothers escaped from Dreg and migrated to Multan and started to live here. One of his cousin Mohabbat Shah also escaped with them. Multan,“Kury Wala”, became associated with the name of Kura, although it is not known where he is buried. The burial places of Mitha and Mohabbat are known. Muhammad Mitha is buried in Shah Hassan Parwana graveyard and Mohabbat Shah buried besides “Bagh Langy Khan” which is famous with the name of Langy Khan.

Family lineage of Mitha is as under: Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari , Sayyid Bahauddin Mir Mohamed Masoom, Jam Abu Feroz-ud-Din Shah, Jam Feroz-ud-Din Shah, Jam Saddar-ud-Din Shah, Jam Rukun-ud-Din Shah, Jam Salahuddin Shah, Jam Saddar-ud-Shah, Jam Nizam-ud-Din Shah, Jam Nasir-ud-Din Shah, Jam Abu Muhammad Osman, Jam Mohammad Osman, Mohammad Mitha (Figurehead of Mithy Waly.)

Role in the Muslim Rishi tradition in Kashmir

His disciple Lal Ded (or Lalleshwari (Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani's First Teacher) exercised a seminal influence on Hazrat Nurani's own spiritual development. Lal Ded's life is shrouded in mystery and legend, the first references to her being made in Farsi Muslim chronicles many years after her death. It is believed that she was born in the village of Sampora, near Srinagar, in 13th century CE in a Kashmiri Pundit family. As was the then prevalent custom, she was married off at a very young age to a Brahmin temple priest from the village of Padmanpora, the present-day Pampore. Her mother-in-law is said to have cruelly mistreated her, and her husband, jealous of her spiritual attainments and her growing popularity among the people, forced her out of his house. She then took to the jungles, roaming about completely naked, performing stern austerities and meditational practices. She met Hazrat Makhdum Jahaniyan Jahangasht (d. 1308 CE) and embraced Islam at his hands, after which she 'ascended the stages of suluk (the Sufi path)', and thereafter travelled widely with him all over Kashmir.

She is called Lalla 'Arifa ('Lalla, the Gnostic'), Lalla Madjzuba ('Lalla, the Ecstatic') and Rabi'a-e-Sani. According to local lore, Lal Ded died in 1400 CE just outside the Jami'a mosque at the town of Bijbehara. Her body was not to be found, and in its place her followers discovered a pile of flowers. Her Hindu disciples consigned them to the flames, while her Muslim followers buried them, each in accordance with their own religious customs. She in turn influenced Nuruddin Nurani who is considered by the Kashmiris, both Hindus as well as Muslims, as the patron saint of Kashmir. For this reason, he is lovingly referred to as the Alamdar-e-Kashmir ('flag bearer of Kashmir'), as well the Shaikh-ul 'alam ('the teacher of the whole world'). Although he was himself a Muslim and the order that he founded played a major role in the spread of Islam in Kashmir, he is regarded with deep veneration by the Hindus of Kashmir as well, for his message was one of universal love and harmony. Till this day, scores of people from all walks of life and from different religious communities flock to his shrine at Charari Sharief.

Philosophy

The factors which gave birth to organised sufism were indeed serious ailments which had afflicted Muslim society for some time and had assumed menacing proportions by the 12th century CE. It was easily discernible that Muslim political structure was crumbling and its entire moral and social fabric facing extinction. The most redeeming feature of this dark and dismal period was that this challenge was successfully met by the Muslim society from its own resources and from its own inherent strength by employing its own moral and intellectual weapons. The answer to this grave challenge was the sufi movement. Sufism gave a new lease of life to the Muslims, provided them with a bright vision, opened up fresh vistas for them, and guided them towards unexplored horizons. It was a glorious and splendid performance, unparalleled and unsurpassed in human history.

Hundreds of devoted workers left their hearths and homes, spread out over unknown regions hazarding strange climes and conditions with hardly any material resources to aid and assist them. Poverty and privation stalked their efforts while distance and inaccessibility stood in their way. But undaunted and undeterred they marched forward demolishing the distances, breaking the barriers, conquering the climes and finally they succeeded. What was the secret of their success? They had both strength of character and courage of conviction, were selfless and devoted to a cause.

Sufism became organised, and adopted a form and institution in the 12th and 13th centuries CE. The two great pioneers in this field were Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani and Abu Hafs Umar al-Suhrawardi (Persian:عمر سهروردى) 1144 - 1234) a.k.a. Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi. By introducing the system of 'silsila’ which was a sort of association/order, and Tariqa / Khanqah, a lodge or hospice, they invested the movement with a sense of brotherhood and provided it with a meeting place. The 'silsila’ and the Tariqa / Khanqah were the king-pins of the organization. With a stream of selfless workers available and with no dearth of devoted and assiduous leadership, the movement made swift progress and spread far and wide.

The beginning, popularity and propagation of Sufism have been attributed to many causes among which may be mentioned: to free religious thought from the rigidity imposed by the ulema; to emphasise in the Islamic teachings the element of God's love and mercy for His creation rather than His wrath and retribution; to practise what one professes and not merely indulge in slogans and soliloques; to stress the essence of faith rather than mere observance of formalities; to move away towards rural areas from the evil and debilitation effects of wealth, monarchy and bureaucracy concentrated in big cities; to demolish the edifice of false values based on pelf and power and restore morality to its proper place in the niche of Muslim society; to combat the fissiparous tendencies and centrifugal forces which were spreading their tentacles in the Muslim world; to discourage parochial feelings and eliminate racial pride which had assumed primary importance in Muslim thinking relegating the ideal of brotherhood to a secondary place etc.

According to Hasan Nizami, Suhrawardy sufis were the first to arrive in India and made their Headquarters in Sind. Suhrawardy order attained great influence in Pakistan under the leadership of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakaria of Multan. The famous Qadiriyya order later entered India through Sind in 1482 CE and Syed Bandagi Mohammad Ghouse, one of the descendants of the founder (Shaikh Abdul Qader Jilani 1078-1116) took up residence in Sind at Uchch and died in 1517 AD" (An Introduction to History of Sufism By A.J.Arbery.)

Uchch Sharif: Alexandria: Uchch was founded by Alexander the Great as "Alexandria" on the bank of the River Indus. Many followers came to study under him and later spread his theological message throughout the region.

Naqvi family: He is the primary progenitor of the "Syed" sub-clan called "Naqvi al-Bukhari". The clan is known as "Naghavi" in Iran and there are considerable numbers of "Naghavi" Syeds living in Iran and elsewhere. In Jordan and Iraq this surname is spelled "Naqavi".

Shrine

He was buried in a small town outside Uchch, but his tomb was damaged by floods, so in 1617 CE, his shrine was rebuilt in Mohalla Bukhari in Uchch by the Nawab of Bahawalpur, Bahawal Khan II. In the 18th century, the Abbasi Nawabs annexed Uchch into the princely state of Bahawalpur. The shrine lies a short walk away from the cemetery and is also built on a promontory, so one can look out onto the rolling plains below and the desert in the distance. To one side is an old mosque covered with blue-tile work and in front of a pool of water is the tomb proper. A carved wooden door leads into the musty room containing the coffin of Hazrat Syed Bukhari.

Town of Uch

During the Islamic era in the subcontinent Uch and Multan became the greatest centers of academic and cultural excellence. The twin cities attracted the persons having expertise in various prevalent arts and sciences from every corner of the world. Numerous personalities enjoying reasonable socio-religious and academic status stood attached to the city of Uch. Hazrat Safi-ud-Din Gazruni (980-1007 CE) introduced the first academy of letters at Uch. Ali bin Hamid bin Abubakar Koofi, tranlated from arabic into persian^{[citation needed]} the most authentic historical document " Chach Nama" migrated from Iraq to Uch. Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari made Uch a center of religious education and preaching. Hazrat Jahaniyan Jahangasht (b 1308- d 1384CE) belonged to this land of piety and righteousness. The well known reference of history "Tabqate Nasiri's" writer Minhaj-i-Siraj spent most part of his life at Uch.

Uchch Bukhari is the oldest settlement, dating back to about a thousand years and the monument complex. The complex is located on a mound that is considered the city's highest point. Hundreds of small, unmarked graves lead up to the monuments and palm trees dot the landscape beyond the fields that were once the riverbed of the Sutlej below. The three largest tombs, of Bibi Jawandi, Hazrat Baha Ul Halim and Ustad Nurya, were all once complete mausoleums covered with exquisite glazed tile-work. Now they are in ruins, yet with their intricate tile-work still apparent, it is not difficult to imagine them in the prime of their glory.

There is not much information available on the individuals who were buried in these tombs, the actual graves of Bibi Jawandi, Ustad Nurya and Hazrat Baha Ul Halim are no longer marked by a cenotaph. Ustad Nurya is said to be the architect responsible for Bibi Jawandi's mausoleum while Hazrat Baha Ul Halim was a direct descendant of Syed Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari. Bibi Jawandi's mausoleum is the oldest of the three. The architectural style of her tomb is indigenous to Upper Sindh and Lower Punjab, where moulded bricks are used as decorative elements. According to historian Holly Edwards, who has done extensive research on Bibi Jawandi's tomb, the bastions of the mausoleum are peculiar to the region. She has found only one other similar tomb in Central Asia. In addition, the wedge-shaped tiles that have been knitted into the structural core of the building are unique to this monument.

The Mela (Folk Festival)

Mela Uchch Sharif is usually held in March/April and is a weeklong celebration. A large number of people from southern Punjab come to the historic town Uchch Sharif to pay homage to Bukhari for spreading Islam.

Following the centuries old tradition, people visit the shrine of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surukhposh Bukhari to start the mela. Majority of the people and devotees of Hazrat Syed Jalal spend the entire day at the shrine and offer Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid built by the Abbasid rulers.

The mela is held to mark the historic congregation of sufi saints held in 600 CE on the invitation of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkhposh Bukhari. The mela is celebrated when Hindu calendar month 'Chait' starts where people perform folk dances, circus, plays and traditional bazaars are set up, selling sweets and drinks.

When communication means were poor in the past, people stayed in Uch Sharif for four to five days to enjoy the mela, but improvement in transportation had changed the atmosphere of the mela. Visitors return to their houses at night.

References

• http://www.chowrangi.com/sufism-and-Pakistan-2.html
• http://jabbarshah.com/surkhshah.html
• The Muslim Rishis of Kashmir: Crusaders for Love and Justice, by Yoginder Sikand