To review the movement for implementation of ‘Deen’ in the Sub-Continent, it will be in the fitness of things to briefly go through the corridor of history. As a matter of fact, during the course of history many invaders conquered India, but they could not hold on any part of the sub-continent for long and Hinduism absorbed and assimilated all foreign invaders and cultures after short durations. Even the invaders like Greeks, Kushans, Bactrians, Sakas, and Huns could not hold their political and cultural control over India and with the passage of time, all these foreign cultures were absorbed into Hinduism. The situation, however, changed qualitatively when Islam came to India with a highly developed philosophy and theology. Despite Hinduism’s constant political and cultural onslaughts, Islam could not be absorbed in Hinduism. Islam first came to sub-continent, with the advent of Muhammad Bin Qasim during the eighth century from the Arab world, and later on through the gateways of Kabul and Kandhar in North-West. Hence Islamic principles of equality, moral ethics, distribution of Zakat among poor and offering prayers, based on Quranic teachings and the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), attracted the local Hindus towards Islam.

This fact may not be ignored that with Islamic conquests, Ulema, Masahikh and Sufia Ikram (Muslim Saints) also came to India and established Mosques, Madrassas, Khanqas, and religious Darbars to preach Islam, resultantly a large number of Hindus and Sikhs accepted Islam during Muslim Rule in Sub-Continent spread over 1000 years. In spite of being one-fourth of the population, until Muslims followed the teachings of the Quran and the Tradition of the Prophet, they remained the masters of their destiny, but when they digressed from the Islamic rituals and teachings, their commanding position also declined gradually.

After Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the unity of Ummah remained intact, as Sahaba e Ikram and the Family of the Prophet based their lives on fear of Allah and love of the Prophet, therefore, Shariah and Tariqah remained unified as a single entity in Islam. The word ‘Tasawaf’ signifying spiritual love for Allah and His Messenger was used much later for describing Tariqah. However, Hinduism failed to control the conversion of Hindus to Islam despite adopting harsh social measures including the complete social boycott of Hindus who converted to Islam. In further accelerating the social movement against Muslim growth in the sub-continent Hinduism encouraged ‘Bhakti Movement’ for creating a schism in the House of Islam. Hinduism was successful during the period of Emperor Akbar, who was forced to review the religious policy under the influence of Rajputs. Akbar removed Jazya (Islamic Tax) and started inducting Hindus in the royal court through compulsory military service, which considerably lowered the influence of Muslims in the royal court.

Taking advantage of the changed policy of the royal court, Hinduism encouraged Bhakti Movement to launch a spiritual attack against the decaying Muslim position in the royal court and check the numerical growth of Muslims in Sub-Continent. Hindu and Sikh Bhakats preached identity of religion and brotherhood of man by propagating the so-called similarities in Islam and Hinduism i.e., Ram and Rahim, Kishwar and Karim, Kaaba and Kailash, Quran and Puran in their lectures and devotional songs. In view of Akbar’s secular-religious policy, the Muslim Saints saw the transformation of Hindu revivalism under the umbrella of Emperor Akbar, with anxiety. Mujaddid Alif Sani, a Muslim Saint of his time, however, raised voice against the secular policy of the Mughal king. He was arrested during Emperor Jehangir’s era but was set free due to likely reaction of Muslim Ulema and Sufia Ikram. Bhakti Movement though succeeded in creating some sort of schism in Muslim Ummah but failed to absorb Islam in Hinduism. However, Bhakats gradually succeeded in promoting internal conflicts among Muslims by dividing the House of Islam into two cults i.e., ‘Wahadtul Shahood’ and ‘Wahdatul Wajood’. The situation continued as such during the era of Jehangir and Shah Jehan until Emperor Aurangzaib reversed the process once again converting sub-continent into Darul Islam. But, in spite of being a staunch Muslim, Aurangzaib never crossed the limits of Islam and his attitude remained tolerant of other religions. Aurangzaib knew it well that since the days of Akbar, the tie of Islam had slackened so he wanted to bring back the waning glory of Islam in the Sub-Continent. He reversed Akbar’s secular policy by re-imposing Jizya (Islamic Tax) on non-Muslims and abolished compulsory military service for Hindus in lieu of Jizya. Aurangzaib was criticized by Hindu writers and historian for being harsh on Hinduism but a British political scientist Alexander Hamilton, who visited India during the latter part of Aurangzeb’s reign, greatly appreciated the tolerant policy of the Emperor. In one of his write-ups, Hamilton wrote, “Everyone is free to serve and worship God in his own way”.

Aurangzaib’s era was important as Hadrat Sultan Bahoo emerged as a popular Saint of Punjab. His 140 books were written in Farsi, the then Royal-Court language. Sultan Bahoo, being a practicing Sufi and religious Aalim, preached fundamental principles of Islam to his students by following the path of both Shariah and Tariqah in a well-balanced manner. He used to advise his students to develop the pure habits of devotional faith, self-belief, honesty, truthfulness and strong desire to learn, for achieving nearness to God and the Prophet. He used to offer special prayers and often passed through the divine ‘Maraqba’ achieving nearness to God and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Sultan Bahoo’s mystical Punjabi poetry having a unique wave of ‘Hoo’ mostly reflected his love for God and the Prophet. In fact, through the medium of his devotional poetry and divine guidance, Sultan Bahoo inculcated truthfulness and spiritual vision amongst his students as well as general masses. His mystical poetry was recited with religious zeal particularly in most of the villages and towns of Punjab, while the message of his Farsi write-ups spread beyond Punjab. He pursued his religious thoughts in a well-balanced manner to bring the outer (Zahir) and inner (Batin) dimensions of man in consonance with divine guidance as reflected in the philosophy of ‘Wahdatul Shahood’ and ‘Wahdatul Wajood’. The first one through Islamic Shariah by acquiring the perfection of outer dimensions of religious knowledge and the second through his mystical vision following the path of Tariqah for purifying the inner self and getting nearness to God and the Prophet. In one of his poetic expressions Sultan Bahoo says:

Worldly love turns away from Allah with worries and tension Hoo

Divorce worldly wealth three times Bahoo, if truth to mention Hoo

Among 140 writings of Hadrat Sakhi Sultan Bahu, Ain ul Faqr is one of the most precious and well-known books, which keep the status of … (haq numa) … for the God Seekers. An eternal treasure with heart secrets, the knowledge of God and sitting with Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

Ain Ul-Faqr is the most precious and the most popular of his books, which is known as the compass of truth in the Sufi circles. While highlighting the significance of this fine work, Syed Ahmad Saeed Hamdani writes,

The paramount importance of Ain UL Faqr can be summarized from the fact that special arrangements were made for the male children in the lineage of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) to learn this book on the academic pattern, which implied that the study of this book inculcates some capability to understand the Saintliness and Faqr of Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A).

The study of this book renders a feeling of spiritual tranquility and calm and strange realities are revealed.

Ain –ul-Faqr is a beautiful blend of prose and poetry. By and large, the book is in prosaic form but there is no such page, left unembellished by Sultan ul Arifeen with his poetic taste. Every here and there, his verses are scattered in the form of Mathnavi. Some of these are stanzas, some are couplets and an anthem also which is termed as “the anthem of love” by him. Besides his own poetic verses, the verses of other Sufi poets are also scattered everywhere. Alongside poetry, every page of the book contains the verses from the Holy Quran, The Sacred Narration (Hadith Qudsi), traditions of the Holy Prophet Syedna Muhammad (Hadith e Nabwi) ­SAW and the sayings of the Sufi poets.  The style of the book is very attractive and subtle. The book contains knowledge about mysticism and Gnostic enlightenment, intimate observations, Sufi implications, the preferences of affectionate, the points of wisdom, scholarly explanations, elucidating logics.  The principles of worship and the pearls of righteousness have been assimilated in such a philosophical and established manner that a seeker of divine truth belonging to any era gets the maximum benefit from it, regardless of the age, he belongs to. Besides providing a comprehensive guideline about the path of Spirituality, this book also extends detailed knowledge about the Qadri Sufi mystic order.

The religious and political conditions prevalent at the time of the composition of Ain-ul-Faqr

Before his birth, the seed of Atheism which Jalal ud Din Akbar had sown in the soil of India is the name of the unanimity of all the religions and his intentions were dazed to the ground by a great Sufi Hazrat Sheikh Mujadad Alf Thani (the second), with his spiritual and scholarly powers. The same monotheism appeared again with the grandson of Akbar Dar- Ashikoh in the times of Sultan-ul-Arifeen, Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A). Dara Shikoh belonged to the same sect of Hazrat Sultan Al-Arifeen and intimate to him. Despite that Hazrat Sultan –ul-Arifeen, rejected Akbar and Dara Shikoh’s amalgamation of Right and Wrong (Haq /Batil). He stood with Aurangzeb Alamgir against Dara Shikoh to defend the religion and defeat agnosticism. Aurangzeb, according to prejudiced was very stringent in the matters of religion, but according to the proponents of truth, he was an embodiment of perseverance. He believed in the promulgation of Islamic Sharia in the kingdom. Hazrat Sultan Ul-Arifeen composed a regular digest “Aureng Shahi) for Aurengzeb Alamgeer and in many of his writings he mentioned Aurangzeb Alamgir as Ameer –ul- Momineen (the head of the Islamic state) so that Aurengzeb wins popularity on a public level. According to historical references Aurengzeb made three meetings with Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) and got spiritual vantage. Aurangzeb Alamgir believed in the implication of Islamic Sharia. On the contrary, Dar Shikoh wanted to make use of “Unanimity of Religions” and introduce such a Sufi movement that presented the similarities between the Holy Quran and Veedahs and ultimately merge Islam into Hinduism so that Mughal rule could be made more acceptable for the majority of the population over there.

The Greatness and Significance of Ain-Ul-Faqr 

These were the political and religious circumstances of Hindustan when Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A) wrote this book. With the help of his spiritual powers and guidance and advice, he not only crushed the conflicting Atheism but also dilated upon the true meaning of Sufism, in the light of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (SAW).

Hazoor Sultan Bahoo’s(R.A)  own sayings about Ain-ul-Faqr Shareef

He (R.A) wrote Ain-ul- Faqr at the age of 46 about which he himself mentioned in the following words in the last chapter of Ain –Ul-Faqr.

“This point of the Oneness of Allah (Ain-ul-Faqr) has been written in the reign of Shah Aurangzeb Alamgir in 1085.”

His birth year is 1039, thus in 1085, his age would be 46 years.

Why the book was named as Ain-ul-Faqr Shareef, this question has been replied in the foreword of this book in the following words, “Know this that this book has been named as Ain-ul-Faqr (the eye if the saintliness) because this book provides guidance to those who are the genuine seekers of Divine Truth and those desirous of annihilating themselves in Divinity, on any stage either it’s the beginning of the end of their journey and keeps them on the straight path and blesses them with the observation of the secrets of Divinity and the observation of the celestial Divine lights and eventually leads them to the knowledge of the truth, witnessing the truth, and believing the truth.