By Allamah Muhammad Yousuf
Gabriel
It was the year 1968 or so, and I used to walk from my residence in Shahdarrah
Lahore where I resided, to the Shah Chiragh Building in Lahore where I worked in
the Department of Auqaf West Pakistan as Research Investigator; and then used to
walk back to Shahdarrah daily. On my way back from Shah Chiragh Building stood
the Lahore English College whose founder Principle was Wasif Ali Wasif. I do not
remember how but one day I found myself with Wasif Ali Wasif. Thereafter it
became my daily routine to visit Lahore English College on my return from Shah
Chiragh Building. There I would find a small literary company generally engaged
in some literary discussion. I had composed some poetry in Urdu comprising about
three thousand verses, about-which Dr. Javaid Iqbal the son of famous Allamah
Iqbal expressing his critical review had said:-
"The style of thought is exactly like that of Allamah Iqbal. In a way it appears
to be the echo of Allamah Iqbal. I pray to Allah that the possibilities for the
achievement of the purpose which the poet has aimed at while expressing his
views may appear".
The purpose I aimed at in my poetry was the establishment of the Kingdom of
Heaven in this world, and world's escape from the dreadful hazards and the
consequent ills of this materialistic and unspiritual civilization. And peace,
prosperity and contentment everywhere. There in Lahore English College I was
generally asked to recite some of my poetry, and whenever I recited my Poetry,
Wasif was deeply moved. The pattern of my poetry may be viewed in the following
stanzas:
Loosely rendered into English these will read as follows:-
(1) The clouds of material worship gather. See the winds of worldly freedom
blow. Lightenings of atheism and shadows of heresy appear. Woes are that appear
in the guise of blessings. Witches you mistake for fairies. Crows and vultures
are that you take for the lovely partridge.
(2) The deception of the simulating Anti-Christ is at its height in the world.
Mankind is proud of the worldly abundance of this age, and is dancing with joy
at the great prevalence of knowledge. Yet the heavenly judge does scorn their
folly. Lightening is restless to consume this world, in order to annihilate the
existence of mankind".
The mind of Wasif was affected by my poetry and my talks, and his genius took
fire. I left Lahore. Wasif had found a line and a purpose in my discussions.
Soon a storm of intellect rather supernatural intellect burst upon his mind and
I received a very long poem composed and published by Wasif in Urdu. Wasif had
completely followed my views. Four books in Urdu Prose followed in succession. A
wonderful product of Wasif's mind, but the pattern of his views was the exact
replica, a real picture of my views. There is no wonder if the views of Wasif
and mine have assumed identity. The storm which had burst upon my mind and had
become the cause of the appearance of fourteen volumes in English and an equal
number in Urdu had in turn burst upon the mind of Wasif, and had caused this
appearance of his very valuable four volumes in Urdu and some good poetry.
Writings very much needed by the people of this age in distress. Wasif had
enough academic education but I had without a teacher or a school learned both
the ancient and the modern knowledge, that is four languages, and their
literatures, Urdu, Persian, Arabic , English , to the highest standard, the
books of Divine Revelation, namely, the Quran, the Books of the old Testament,
the books called Apocrypha, and the Books of the New Testament, Histories,
philosophies, and most of the branches of modern science, and at last as the
product of all that struggle appeared all the hitherto unpublished volumes that
are meant to save this world from the hazards of this modern culture of atomism,
to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth, before the appearance of atomic
war, and to eradicate the possibility of atomic war. My ordeal lasted for forty
years, and all-these years I spent in a state almost like that of a man
possessed. It was a very painful ordeal and still is. The writings of Wasif may
rightly be regarded as the echo of my views, just as the son of Iqbal had called
my Urdu poetry as the echo of Iqbal's voice. My Urdu poetry only. No wonder if
Wasif had produced the works which may well be considered as miraculous. Among
the writers in this world whose writings will cause the universal revolution to
liberate the mankind from the calamities of the modern materialistic, one sided
culture, surely the Name of Wasif will deserve respect and reverence. No doubt
in a state of mind produced by a sort of a celestial storm, Waif produced
writings which do appear as the product of some supernatural intellect. A line,
however, has been established between my writing and those of Wasif, and my
views and those of Wasif.
A link has been established between the works of Wasif and those of mine, namely
that under my influence Wasif became inspired and consequently a celestial storm
of intellect burst upon his mind and he produced the works that cast a spell on
the reader. Wasif has heartily acknowledged such influence. He has devoted the
preface of his book "Kiran Kiran Suraj" to his acknowledgment of the favour of "Sahiban-e-Haal"
and the description of the Sahiban-e-Haal. Sahiban-e-Haal is a term that means
loosely the persons that may be called as the Muslim saints or walis. About his
book, writers Wasif:-
"These are a few petals of the spiritual rapture, that are picked from the
garden of mysticism, and by these the achievement of the reform of the thought
is possible. “It is all due to the favour of someones glance (attention)". It is
not my claim but is only the expression of faith in those Sahiban-e-Haal by
whose nearness the word of desire (request) becomes the word of content. What is
Sahib-e-Haal? It is very difficult to explain".
Yet Wasif tries to explain Sahib-e-Hall. And devotes three pages to the
explanation of the characteristics etc. of the Sahib-e-Hall. He tells that the
nearness of Sahib-e-Hall produces the quality of Haal (the state of reverie and
ecstasy) just as the nearness of fire produces the quality of fire in a piece of
iron. And this was exactly the case between me and Wasif. No doubt the
explanation of the Sahib-e-Hall by Waif is admirable and full of valuable
information. Regarding his faith in the Sahiban-e-Hall he writes:-
“I am presenting this book as the expression of my faith in the Sahiban-e-Hall.
The virtue therein is their's, the Flaw is due to my human infirmity".
The preface of his another book, "Dil Darya Samundar" Wasif has devoted to the
universal scenes that are seen by the discerning eye.
"In the seed of mustard" writes he, "may be seen the scenes of the entire
universe".
The preface, all of it is very interesting and very instructive. About the
relation of the disciple and the master, Wasif in his book "Kiran Kiran Suraj"
on page 99 writes:-
"It is the sincerity of the faith of the disciple that carries him to his
destination. If he is fortunate to reach his destination, then what is the doubt
in the perfection of his Master. If on the other hand, the disciple would not
reach the destination, then what is the necessity of mentioning the Master's
perfection or imperfection? The Fortunate disciple always remains grateful to
his Master, but the unfortunate disciple always puts the blame on his master for
his own infirmity".
In my gruesome endeavour and unabounding zeal to save this world from the
dreadful end in the flames of atomic hell, I myself fell in hell since decades
when I began my mission, though I never left the patience and never complained.
In that state of my mind I saw one day, Wasif himself standing before me. He had
come from Lahore to see me. You cannot imagine the state of my inward feelings
at that meeting. Joy and sadness joined together, though I was much pleased to
see Wasif. In Wasif's face could be seen the signs of extreme. Sadness but a
peculiar kind of sadness. He spoke very little. All the time he remained with
me, he lay on a bed gazing continually towards the roof. Then he departed never
to be seen again. Soon after that he died. I read the news of his death in the
Newspapers. The news made me extremely sad. Alas then. Wasif had come to pay his
last visit to me before his departure. There was in his eyes a tinge of Some
request, some desire, some expectation, which I could not understand during our
meeting. But when I heard the news of his death, the fact was exposed to me. He
had wanted my blessings like a disciple who has done his work, and expected the
blessings of his Master. And I blessed him. And also after I heard the news of
his death, and I recalled to my mind the features of his face, the mode of his
talking and something clandestine in his eyes, when he met with me during his
visit, I realized, that all that was due to the inward premonition about his
approaching death, and the feeling of sadness for leaving me which prevailed
upon his mind. May Allah bless you and your work, my dear Wasif. May Allah
accept your labour and grant you a favourable place in heaven.
Wasif as I found him was, sincere, and friendly. He was simple, though had a
deep sense of self respect. He was honest, truthful, pure, shining. Nature had
bestowed him with great excellence of mind and had granted him very keen
intellect. It was difficult to judge from his elegant appearance that a Dervish
sat within him. I saw in him a paragon of humanity. Things like rancour, enmity,
jealously, slander had no place in his heart. He was pure gold, and well
deserved the place he was ordained in the world of mystic writings and humanity.
Mankind today is in great distress inspite of plenty of facilities provided by
the scientific material progress. There is no contentment. Selfishness prevails
in an atmosphere of mutual mistrust and distrust and hatred. Blood relation has
lost its meanings, and faith has lost its strength in human mind. Moral and
spiritual values are regarded as the things of the past and unnecessary. Dismay,
depression, fear, sense of no personal safety have reached the mark of
psychological ailment. Maddening greed and the necessity of wealth have changed
the men into animals. Man today considers the life as a course of torture and
punishment, and finds no way out of it. The fear of the painful atomic hazards
are besides. And despite all these hellish troubles man of today does not know
the causes that have produced such a braying, burning hell for the mankind.
Corruption and crime are reaching the highest point, and man does not know how
to stop all this, and how to find peace and peace of mind.
Wasif has written four books, namely, Kiran Kiran Suraj and Dil Darya Samundar
and Qatra Qatra Qulzam and Harf Harf Haqiqat. In these books He has given
writings in which may be found the remedies for the maladies of the present-day
mankind as are given above. These marvelous works which Wasif has written with
the blood of his heart and with supernatural skill are specially suited to the
mankind of this modern age, and are effective, and may well be included in the
list of the great books of Islamic mysticism written by great Islamic sages of
the past ages. Wasif will gradually rise as a great benefactor of humanity.
And now at last let us sing a very prescient and popular song of the past age
with Wasif, which Wasif has quoted, in his Dil Darya Samudar page 239, namely:-
That is :-
“Come friends let us go together to pick the peeloon (a wild seasonal fruit,
which is generally picked in teams). They all came to pick the peeloon, and
eventually became like Freedun dazed. Leaving rest, quiet and stability come
friends, let us go to pick together pee-loon".