SHAH Abdul Latif Kazmi was the Muslim saint living in a Village in Modern Islamabad. Shah is also named as bari sarkar or Sakar bari or imam bari sarkar. He was 17th Century sufi saint born in 1617 and died in 1705. He was one of the most famous and popular saints of Qadiri order or tariqat. Qadri Order is derived from Persian sufi saint Abdul Qadir Jillani or Gillani (1077 to 1166).
Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi was born in a small village Karsal in District Chakwal, Punjab. His father’s name was Syed Mehmood Shah who was a farmer by profession. Shah Abdul Latif used to help his father in some activities like looking after the animals to graze in the fields and forests.
Syed Mehmood Shah along with his family migrated to Baghan Village, now Aabpara Islamabad. At the time Shah Abdul Latif was 8 years old. It was an Islamic religious family, hence Shah Abdul Latif was sent to another village named as Ghourghushti in Attock District renowned for Islamic schools in the area. There he studied fiqah, hadith and Quran disciplines for two years.
Shah Abdul Latif also visited Iran, Iraq and Central Asian States in search of more knowledge about Islam. Shah also went on pilgrimage to holy cities of Makkah and Madina to perform Hajj. After his return to the native country, Shah Abdul Latif rejoined his father to work as a farmer. He used to go to a nearby hilly area to feed his animals. The area was then known as Chourpur.
Chourpur means an area full of theives. Reason for the name was that area was known to be notorious and residents were mainly involved in criminal activities. Imam Bari propagated the teachings of Islam to them, which are about peace, love and harmony. The name of the area was then changed as Nurpur or Nurpur Shahan.
Shah Abdul Latif also regularly used to travel to a cave in the Margalla hills for meditation. He used to remain in the cave for several days for meditation and prayers. This area is called as Loai Dandi. One can reach Loai Dandi after a tough hike of around 2/3 hours. It is along a ridge of the hills. Now some shops and food stalls along the trail can be seen. Its a long walking trail on Margalla hills and is a bit difficult one. It has 11,000 steps, 1100 feet high and is 4.6 miles long.
Bari Imam’s teachings were based on the principles of Islam and Sufism, which emphasize love, compassion and selflessness. He preached the message of unity and brotherhood, and believed in the power of prayer and meditation as a means of connection with the Divine.
Bari Imam’s spiritual teachings attracted a large number of followers, and he became known for his healing powers and ability to perform miracles. He is said to have cured many people of various ailments and helped them overcome their problems through his spiritual guidance. Devotees and followers of Imam Bari are in millions and are from all across the country. They pay regular visits to the shrine, especially during Urs or Mela which is around May to June every year.
From morning till night people come to offer Fatiha at the grave of Bari Sarkar. There is also arrangements for free food called langar for the visitors. devotees also arrange food for fellow devotees. Approach to the shrine is the main highway between Murree and Islamabad near Lake view Park. Bari Imam was a great spiritual leader and his teachings continue to inspire people to this day. His shrine is a testament to his enduring legacy and is a place of great spiritual significance for Muslims in Pakistan and beyond.
Because Bari Imam Sarkar did not transmit any of his doctrines to writing; as such, it may be rightly presumed that he bequeathed all of his teachings orally. Bari Imam was renowned in his own life for being an ascetic who subjected himself to great self-humiliation in the public sphere, “living among the pariahs and consciously exposing himself to the disdain of the people.”
Bari Imam is also described in regional lore as one through whom God performed many marvels to convince the local people of the truth of Islam; thus, some of the most popular miracles ascribed to him are his having caused water to gush forth from rocks and his having brought back to life the dead water buffaloes of a peasant who had earlier provided the saint with milk during his ten years of spiritual seclusion. Shrine was originally built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who revered Bari Sarkar, in the 17th century. It has since been renovated many times, and is now maintained by the Government of Pakistan.
—The writer is editor, book ambassador political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad.
Email: [email protected]
