Socio - Political Role of the Shrine of Sial Sharif

خانقاہ سیال شریف کا سماجی وسیاسی کردار

Abstract

Sial Sharif is a village in the district Sargodha located in Sahiwal Tehsil and lies 48 km (30 miles) away from the city of Sargodha. This Shrine was established by Khawaja Shams al-Din Sialvi (1799–1883), popularly known as Pir Sial, who was a famous Sufi saint. He established an institute for religious education. He himself used to teach there. Some of his students earned repute as Islamic scholars in the Subcontinent. Miraat-ul-Ashqeen is a well-known book based on his sayings and unique thoughts. Hazrat Khawja Shams-ud-Din Sialvi died on 24th of Safar 1300 A.H (4 January 1883 AD). After his death his son Khawja Allama Muhammad-ud-Din Sialvi was granted "Khilafat" by Peer Pathan of Tonsa Sharif. The care of the shrine after his death in 1909, passed to his son Muhammad Zia-ud-Din. It subsequently passed on to his eldest son Khwaja Qamar ul Din Sialvi (7 July 1906 – 20 July 1981), who was president of the Sargodha branch of Muslim League and became famous for donating all his valuables to the Pakistan Army during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. Muhammad Qamar-ud-Din later, in 1970, became president of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan and member of Islamic Ideology Council, in 1981 and was given Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Distinction). Khawja Hamid-ud-Din Sialvi is the eldest son of Khawja Qamar-ud-Din Sialvi and present-day Sajjadah Nashin of Sial Sharif Sharine. His efforts are commandable in Tehreek-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwat in Pakistan. This paper discusses the contribution of Khwaja Sialwi and his four successors for the independence of their country, explores the Socio - political role of the pīrs of Sial Sharif over four generations. The contribution of sajada nashineens’ in different movements like Tehreek-e-Nizam-e-Mustufa, Tehreek-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwat etc. played a vital role in Islamic ideology.