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The shrine of Sakhi Sarwar, a 13th century saint is a major hallmark of Dera Ghazi Khan. Devotees from different sects and religions regularly visit the shrine located at the foothills of famous Sulaiman Range.
Syed Ahmed Sultan was given the title “Sakhi” (generous) for his philanthropy and affection towards Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims alike. The followers of Sakhi are also called Sultani.
As a sufi, Sakhi Sarwar travelled to many countries in Central Asia and also Iraq but he preferred to settle in the region now known as Pakistan.
It is believed that emperor Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur renovated his shrine which now reflects the Mughal architecture. The inside of the shrine is decorated by beautiful wooden carvings and complex flower etchings. The back wall of the shrine shows signs of ancient masonry.
The Urs of the saint, celebrated in different places on different dates, starts from Vaisakhi in areas around Chenab to the Jhandon Wala Mela in Peshawar and the Qadmon Wala Mela in Lahore. The Urs is also observed in several other countries including India and Afghanistan.
The celebrations commence in March and last for a few months. Despite a series of blasts in 2010 which claimed the lives of 52 people, a large number of devoted visitors continue throng to the shrine to pay their tribute.
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Comments (21) Closed
Apr 15, 2014 02:46pm
Legend has it Mughal Emperor Babar himself
ordered renovation on the shrine. Truly a great
place to visit anytime. For simple serenity and
peace of mind. The Urs, itself is great,.. during
the traditional days.
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Apr 15, 2014 03:37pm
The writer made a small mistake, in 13th century there was no Sikh community.
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Apr 15, 2014 06:46pm
Today peoples give more importance to the shrines of Sufia Keraam, hardly pay any importance to their teachings which in my opinion is more important & rewarding.
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Apr 15, 2014 06:51pm
The dead cannot even scare a mosquito off their grave. I wonder how people find peace and serenity at such place.
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Apr 16, 2014 01:39am
@Iqbal:
This is the legacy of Hinduism that was the main religion of this land before the advent of Islam. People are looking for peace, if they can find peace in shrine then nothing wrong with it.
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Apr 16, 2014 09:03am
@Iqbal:
Imam Sha'afi wrote that for the peace of mind and for guidance he visits the grave of Imam Abu Hanifa. Imam Bukhari claimed to attain guidance and peace of mind at the grave of Holy Prophet (PBUH). So by your statement were these people also wrong?
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Apr 16, 2014 01:17pm
@Iqbal:
There will always be people like you. Takfiris and Kwarijis.
Abstract thought of inner peace would be beyond you, to
comprehend.
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Apr 16, 2014 01:24pm
Many sufi saints were great humanists... Let peace prevail.
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Apr 16, 2014 01:45pm
@Ahmad:
Yes mate you are right in 13th century there were no Sikhs. And in 7th century there were no Muslims in Punjab( east or west). I wish people of Pakistan understand and live and let live others in peace.
Dhami Singh
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Apr 16, 2014 02:15pm
@Ahmad:
Well Please do not compare shrines with the holy grave of Holy Prophet (PBUH).
And in Islam it's described vividly that you can visit only intentionally to Holy Makah, Madeenah & Aqsa Mosque (occupied Bait ul Muqadas) and by the way I am not falsifying these Olyas & their shrines but they main purpose must be to follow their preechings what have been neglected terribly & comprehensively instead of what is being happened. You can get everything in terms of prostitution, drugs whatever from the people who are located at these shrines.
These is infiltrated by Hinduism as there are no signs of this Islam in the rest of Muslim countries except of Pakistan, India Bangla Desh, I personally visited some Muslim countries of the world. So it means the rest of the Muslim countrymen are not true Muslims?
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Apr 16, 2014 08:38pm
@Iqbal:
Some exceptional people comprehending about inner peace at various targeted shrines are now permanently resting in peace because babas of those graves could not save their devotees.
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Apr 17, 2014 12:28am
@Khan:
So right. When we got people like you
who support half humanoids like the
extremists, the Salafis, Takfiris the Khwarijis
then there is no hope. Even chimps have more
civility then you.
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Apr 17, 2014 01:06am
@Kalam wala:
Saudis are salafis. If you think Imam e Kaaba is an extremist you should get yourself checked up at a mental hospital.
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Apr 17, 2014 06:41am
These are the hindu-muslim culture of the subcontinent. HInduism is a great religion that seeks the truth and islam is a religion where you believe in only one truth. These pirs and also like those like Sai baba, kabir are examples of hindu muslim mingling. The very fact that so many sects are there in islam is proof enough that you cannot conform everyone to follow exactly their version as the true version. In this islam is no different from Hinduism.
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Apr 17, 2014 08:05am
What nonsense. If the only way to practice Islam is the way of the Saudi's then you just reduced the number of muslims from around 2Billion to a few million. Islam assimilated in the cultures of the indigenous people by embracing many local practices, and adopting them to Islamic practice. Understand, respect and move on.
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Apr 17, 2014 03:08pm
@Shoaib D.Kasuri:
You claim you visited many Muslim countries (outside the subcontinent) and did not find any signs of shrines. Were Turkey,Morocco, Tunisia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, Malaysia among the countries you visited or perhaps you do not consider people there Muslims? May be your definition of Muslim countries includes only Saudi Arabia.
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Apr 17, 2014 05:08pm
Though i have not visited the shrine and locality around there ......
however the way a friend of mine described her tour to the area .... it seems that it would be a lovely place to visit ....
"splendorous and quiet of the brown mountains" that's how it is described to me
i wish the article should have captured that aspect of the place as well.
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Apr 17, 2014 06:18pm
@Arshad:
So you mean people who believe in Shrines are true Muslims but custodians of the two Holy mosques in Makkah & Medina are non-believers half human extremists.
Good. Keep it up.
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Apr 17, 2014 07:36pm
@Kalam wala:
If incorrect version of Islam is being followed in two holiest places in Islam, then where is correct Islam being followed, I wonder.
Isn
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Apr 18, 2014 11:29am
@Khan:
See, in a country where women are not allowed to drive.
Let alone step out of the house to go to the corner grocery
store to buy milk, food etc. ..then that alone is self explanatory.
The Sharia police mullahs claim that driving a car will permanently
hurt women's ovaries ! Therefore women should not drive. A woman
cannot even take her baby to the hospital, unless accompanied by
an adult male family member. The examples are numerous. Take
a good look at yourself in the mirror. You will see a phony.
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Apr 18, 2014 07:18pm
@Bannu wala:
You should have added that where no common women can bring even their child to hospital alone or drive car due to EXTRA ORDINARY SHARIAH rules, but the KING's family of the very same country is allowed to wear skirts, jeans, drive cars with open hair and in t-shirts, dammmm...still people think they are HOLY,,, they are just double mind, selfish, power oriented deceiving people who only are playing games with the minds of innocents... Hypocrites don't see their BELOVED country's king's hypocrisy...
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