Hafez Siraji of Bengal : Sufi Fateh Ali Waisi (R.) Sk. Ahmad Ali, P.hd. General Secretary, Waisi Memorial Association

Hafez Siraji of Bengal : Sufi Fateh Ali Waisi (R.)

(Shekar Shekan Shaband Hame Tutiane Hend Jin Kandey Persi Ke Bangale Mirabad)

The Indian parrots will peck to eat the sugar when the sweet message of the Persian language reach Bengal.

The nightingale of Persia, the immortal world poet Khaja Hafez Shiraji, at the invitation of Sultan Giasuddin, the ruler of our Bengal's Sonargaon, sent him a gajal in which he made a prophecy that the sweet message of the Persian language would reach Bengal then the 'asheq' parrots of Hindostan would flock together to get the sweet compositions in a way comparable only with parrots pecking at sugar cones of sugar candy.

The nightingales of Hindostan from Amkir Khasru to Ghalib, lqbal were not only completely submerged in the nectar of Persian language but also immortalised the trend in Persian literature, specially in the domain of poetry, which is known as "Sabke Hindi or Indian trend.

Despite his sincere wishes Khaja Shamsuddin Muhammad Hafez Shiraji could not reach the court of Giasuddin in sonargaon, the capital of Bengal but in a gajal sent by him, he said.

Hafez Je shaoke Majlese Sultan Giasuddin Gafel Mashuke Kare Tu Aj Nale Mirabad

Meaning : Oh Hafez, do not forget the court of Sultan Giasuddin, which is full of love, your hearts desire will be satisfied by repentance and 'fariad'.

The eight-century old domain of love, built and ruled by Persian literature and language was some what knocked down but could not be wholly extinguished even by two hundred years of continuous cannon shots aimed at it by the commercial culture sponsored by the East India Company.

The beautiful princiss of Persian language wet by the wines from Sadi-Hafiz, Attar-Rumi and Jami became martyr at the dagger of the English, yet at the last moment she gave birth to gifted Bengalee Shahajadas.

The eldest among them, our philosopher, poet-laureate, Rabindranath Tagore won from the West, the Nobel prize, for his Gitanjali, which may be said share the same emotion with Diwan-E-Hafez. So Tagore visited twice the Mazar of Hafez in shiraj town and there he knelt in prayer like a darbesh.

Another erudite son of the Persian Shahajadi was our national poet Kaji Nazrul Islam,', whose works include excellent love poetry as well as gale of resistance which went a long way to help ousting the usurper merchant rulers. Rabindra and Nazrul were, so to say, brain child of the sweet language of Rumi and Hafez. Though they did not write in Persian but in their thinking and writing the fragrance of Persian language is well felt.

But in the generation preceding them a healty practice of Persian culture was found among the sons of our Mother Bengal.

It seems surprising that another Hafez Shiraji was born among us. He was Sayed Fateh Ali (R.). With my slight knowledge in Persian language and literature I can say 'Diwan-E-Waisi' is like the dear grand daughter of Diwane Hafez. If khaja Shamsuddin Muhammad became the world poet Hafez then our Sufi Fateh Ali Waisi must be the Hafez Shiraji of Bengal. The ocean of nectar which he created in his 'Diwan-E-Waisi' caused to exist at least thirty five novel nahars of love.

Deen Islam is not any police or military religious system rather it is a divine and universal love, moreover and eternal order of human love this is evident from the Persian poetry and literature as well as from the large

1 | Page Website: http://www.waisimemorial.com Prepared By: http://www.aponzonepatrika.com Hafez Siraji of Bengal : Sufi Fateh Ali Waisi (R.) Sk. Ahmad Ali, P.hd. General Secretary, Waisi Memorial Association contributions made by Bengalee poets and writers who were but ardent followers of Persian literature and culture. The literary works of Rabindranath and Nazrul testify to the fact. Lalan Shah, Hashhan Raja can be called the 'Majnus' absorbed in Persian culture.

But it is a matter of regret that the Diwan of our ancestor and preceptor Sufi Fateh Ali Waisi Pir seems foreign and written in a language not easily understood. But the Diwan-E-Waisi i-- an excellent poetical works, unparallel in the world.

There is noderth of Diwans in persian literature which are famous and immortal in their own right, such as "Diwan-e-Hafiz" Diwan-e-Shamse Tabriji, Diwan-e-Yaraqi. The special feature about Diwan-e-waisi is that it has been composed centring round solely Akheri Nabi Sayedul Ambia Hazrat Muhammad Mostafa (S).

I do not know whether anyone has composed a total diwan based only on love for Rasul. Many got immortal fame by writing 'nats' and 'gajals' like 'BalagalulaBekamalihi, Kasida-e-Burda but none wrote a Diwan solely on Nabiji, only this son of Mother Bengal created that on a world standard.

A casual outlook may lead many to conclude that it might be enough to compose one or more than one poems on Rasul Khoda Hazrat Muhammad (S.), what is the utility of writing a complete Diwan?

Yes, it is a superficial out look, but love is a different thing. It does not abide by any hard and fast rule. There is declaration in Al-Quran that Allahatayala and his ferishtas sent 'daruds' on Nabiji under this circumstances a hundred diwans is not enough it seems a particle only.

It is srange as well as interesting that the devotee followers and Murid Khalifas of Sufi Fateh Ali Waisi Hujur know him as 'Rasulnoma Pir'.

'Rasulnoma' means one who has seen and can show Rasul. He at any moment upon his will could see Rasul and could show Rasul to Muridan.

The real and receptive evidence of Kalamaye Shahadat, gets more and more importance to us from Persian poet sufis fame and his title 'Rasulnoma'.

According the intelligence based reason if the universe be the body and its soul or 'ruhu' is Nure Muhammadi, Nabi Mostafa (S.) then naturally the existence and dominace of the 'ruh' is felt every where inside the body. And before the 'ruh' they body is conciously present and obedient to it. This rule is approved and applicable to the, relationship between our body and 'ruh' (soul). Thus the close and concious relationship of the body and 'ruh' will make us under stand and explain the relation between universe and life.

Considering the above we can realize the mystery and intention of the ovewhelming love for that great and universal soul and the cause of dedication to it which has been described in the Diwan of the Hafez of Bengal, Sufi Fateh Ali Waisi. Not only each gajal and kasida of him, rather in each stanza and word of his diwan there is novelty, attraction, liveliness and greatness. It is not an over statement, repetition and stubborn attitude - I have confidently called the Sufi poet of Diwan-e-Waisi - the Hafez of Bengal.

If the serious readers of Diwan-e-Hafez, read Diwane-Waisi, side by side, they would agree with me.

The presence of the language terminology, words, metaphors, similies, names, characters, natural scene, flowers, stars, fairies in a word all of Diwan-e-Hafez is strongly felt in Diwan-e-Waisi. The diagram custom and key for entrance and enjoyment to the kindom of divine live of Diwan-e-Hafez is Diwan-e-Waisi. If the Diwan of Hafez be a satelite seeking the mystery of creation and the world then the Diwan of Sufi Saheb

2 | Page Website: http://www.waisimemorial.com Prepared By: http://www.aponzonepatrika.com Hafez Siraji of Bengal : Sufi Fateh Ali Waisi (R.) Sk. Ahmad Ali, P.hd. General Secretary, Waisi Memorial Association may be the satelite on earth and the radio receiver.

The compass of Diwan-e-Waise would help a confused traveller in the land of Diwan-e-Hafez to ascertain the right path In fact it is impossible for me to explain the deep relationship' between the two and their oneness.

Many have taken part in translating Diwan-e-Waisi through the ages, but till now none has attempted to a full translation in Bengali. Many poets and writers pirs & mashayekh from the great thinker of Bengali language Dr. Muhammad Shahidullaha have tranlated parts of Diwan in Bengali. But a Bengali translation of the whole of Diwane-Waisi has been published in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This abstract cum free translation is by Sufi Waisi Hujur's grand son, an advocate of former East Pakistan, (at present Bangladesh) Sayd Muhammad Jane Alam Marhum Diwan Khanir.

It would be a great injustice to evaluate Diwan-e-Waisi as an emotinal poetical work only. There is divine love as well as love the creation and love for human being or rabubiyat in about two hundred gajals and kasidas of Diwan-e-Waisi. This Diwan of universal love presents most beautifully and attractively the religious thoughts, Phekaha, Kalam, Shariat and literature, the outlines of rules and regulations of Quran-Hadis.

I cannot speak much about different aspects of the Diwan, owing to my little knowledge on this subject. Now I present to you the translation of a few gajals, from which the appreciative persons may get hints on the whole of the Diwan.

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