Shah Abdul Latif, commonly
known as 'Shah' or 'Latif' was a mystic or Sufi poet of Sindh. He lived in Sindh
in the seventeenth century and is considered by far the greatest poet of Sindhi
language. Shah was a very strong yet subtle proponent of the Sindhi Sufi
tradition. His mausoleum is located in Bhit Shah, Sindh, and is visited by
millions of Sindhis throughout the year.
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is held as a national poet and spiritual guide
throughout Sindh. Ranking his among the classical poets of the world, Dr. H.T
Sorley remarked: "But to me, the first place goes to Shah Abdul Latif of Bhit,
in whose verse it is impossible not to detect the music, the ecstasy of sublime
adulation.. He is one of the greatest poets of the world.
He was born in C-1689 A.D in the house of Shah Habib, revered and visited for
religious guidance and spiritual blessings. His great grandfather Shah Abdul
Karim of Bulri, a famous saint and poet, was his constant source of inspiration.
Almost nothing is known about his formal education except the name of one Noor
Mohammad Bhatti who is said to have tutored him in his early days. The tradition
goes that he always carried with the The Quran, the Mathanavi of Rumi and the
verses of Shah Karim. However, nothing has come down to us written in his own
hand.
Urged by the inner call, he traveled far and wide in search the Ultimate Truth,
visiting the men of learning the piety belonging to all shades of faith. Having
reached the spiritual heights, he settled down at Bhit, a mound of sand, and
founded a center of spiritual guidance. He found in poetry a proper medium of
expression, which he used to sing in the accompaniment of music composed by
himself.
He breathed his last in 1752. His holy grave still attracks thousands of
devotees all the year round.
The rich legacy of poetry and music left behind by him will ever remain the
beacons of light for the generations to come.