Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

Praise to Allah almighty, The powerful, without Whose support and guidance nothing is possible in this entire universe.

I express heartful gratitude to Prof.Miss Farhat Iftikhar Gill, who motivate me to take this assignment with vigor and interest.________________________________________________

Moqudas Rauf

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

TABLE OF CONTEXTSDefinition:

1.1 Rituals…………………………………………………………………………….

1.2 Tradition………………………………………………………………………….

1.3 Mazars(Shrines)

…………………………………..............................Introduction of Chakwal and choa sadein shah …………………...

1.1 Geographic Location of Chakwal……………......................................

3. Hazrat sakhi saiden shirazi.(Cho Seedan shah)…………………..

3:1 Introduction 3:2 Urs

4.Rituals and traditions of Mazars……………………………………...

4.1 langer………………………………………………………………………………….4.2 Qawwali……………………………………………………………………………..4.3 chaokhat……………………………………………………………………………4.4 Shadar Poshi………………………………………………………………………...4.5 Agger Batti…………………………………………………………………………..4.6 Agger Batti…………………………………………………………………………...4.7 Floweriest……………………………………………............................................4.8 Holy Qur’an…………………………………………………………………………4.9 Rituals on lailatul Qadar…………………………………………………………..4.10 Khatam Sharif……………………………………………………………………...4.11 Ritual of Deva or Chagagha…………………………………………………….4.12 Namak Pori………………………………………………………………………...4.13 Lachi danay…………………………………………...........................................

5. Architecture……………………………………………………………...

5:1 Mehrab in shrine…………………………………………………………………..5:2 Shoe Racks………………………………………………………………………5:3 Associated Shops………………………………………………………………

6. The belief system of Shrines…………….. …………………………

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

6:1 Health seeking practices related with belief System of Visitors at shrine……………………………………………………………………………………..6:2 Native Beliefs related to their Health……………………………………………6:3 Belief in Supernatural beings…………………………………………………….6:4 Bay’at…………………………………………………………………………………

7. Summary and conclusion……………………………………………Photographs of the shrine…………………………………………….

8. Bibliography

8:1 http://www.freebase.com/view/en/choa_saidanshah

8:2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakwal_District

8:3 Danner, V. 1988 The Islamic Tradition: An Introduction, NewYork : Amity House.

8:4 Denny, F.M. 1985 “Islamic Ritual: Perspectives and Theories”, in Martin, R.C. (Ed), Approaches to Islam in Religious Studies,Tucson : The University of Arizona Press.

8:5 The development of Islamic ritual By Gerald R. Hawting

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

Definitions:

Rituals

A ritual is a set of actions, often thought to have symbolic value, the performance of which is usually prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community by religious or political laws because of the perceived efficacy of those actions

Rituals (According to Archaeology)

“A favorite but deplorable term commonly used by archeologists looking to explain unfamiliar patterns in material culture that seems to have no functional explanation. Rituals strictly refer to practice connected with magical, supernatural. Or religious experiences and beliefs, ritual deposits being the result of material culture deployed as part of such practices. It is now wide recognized, however, that in non capitalists between what is ritual and secular, between the sacred and profane

. Tradition:

The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "a giving up, delivering up, handing over, passing on surrendering", and is used in a number of ways in the English language: Beliefs or customs taught by one generation to the next, often orally. ...

tradition - an inherited pattern of thought or action tradition - custom: a specific practice of long standing

The culture of Chakwal is primarily based on the way of living as thought of Islam: but owing to the fact that Chakwal before independence was an area where a large number of Hindus lived, it is influenced by Hindu rites, rituals and even ideas. the ceremonies of mayun and mehdi, the extravagant expenditures made on feasting guests at death, the hosting of a lavish meal by the bride’s parents on the barat, large dowries for brides, the belief that parents must not stay in the houses of their married daughters and meals at the mausoleums. Besides this, the people of Chakwal live a simple and straight life as enjoined by the religion.

Mazars (Shrines)

The word “shrines” is derived from Latin. Meaning containers of sacred meaning and power shrines can be views from different angles and they fulfill variety of functions, which include social, economic political, educational, culture and religious function. He word shrine has a deep association with the concepts of sacredness and danger

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

“ Sufi is a person who believes that it is possible to have direct link with God and who is prepared to go out of his way to put himself in a state, where by he may be enable to reach that pedestals.”

(Sufism: A dictionary with profiles of Saint Poe, p.5)

“ Sufi is one, who has deep purified from all worldly defilements.”

(Basher libnal Harith, 227, AD/841 Ad)

“sufi is one, who has deep purified from all worldly defilements.”

(Basher Libnal Harith,227 ,AD/841AD)

“Saints is designation that has used to recognize individuals deemed to have lived lives of heroic virtue and who has a result dwells eternally with God.”

(Encyulopedia of Religion, vol. 1)

Actually the impact of their personalities and teachings on the minds of the people is a deep rooted that even after the death of these pirs(saints)people who are seeking help in the case of any problems started visiting their shrines in order to approach their God, with the help oh these Sufis and phir (saints).

Islam is a latest religion, but Islam is the only religion, which is correlated with the development of human consciousness. Some other religion also related to the human development, but Islam is a perfect religion, which is presented in front of human beings in complete form but the main sources are Qur’an and Sunnah” in every century the need was to preach it to the human beings to show them right path and safe them evil. For this, God set some pious people, who were on the height of humanity.

There are “nabi” or “prophet” during their lifetime, they preached Islamic values to the human beings according to Quranic culture, but after their death, this task is diverted to those people, who have devoted their lives for God. They are known as saints and Sufis. It was due to the Sufism that cult of sainthood developed in Islam.

Introduction Of Chakwal:

Chakwal was created as an independent district of rawalpindi division in 1985 by combining subdivision Chakwal of district Jhelum, sub-division Talagang of district attock and police station Choa Saidan Shah, carved out of subdivision pind dadan khan, district Jhelum, and amalgamating it with sub- division Chakwal. Choa Saidan Shah was upgraded to the level of a sub-division in 1993.

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

District Chakwal is bordered by the districts of Rawalpindi and Attock in the north, district Jhelum in the east, District Khushab in the south and district Mianwali in the west. The total area of district Chakwal is 6609 sqauare kilometers, which is equivalent to 1652443 acres, and as enumerated in the 1998 census the total population is 1059451, 87.7%of which lives in rural area and 12.3% in the urban area, making Chakwal a predominantly rural district pvoted on an agrarian economy with a very small industrial sector.

Lying at the beginning of the Potohar plateau and the Salt Range, Chakwal is a barani district and the terrain is mainly hilly. Covered with scrub forest in the southwest, and leveled plains interspaced with dry rocky patches in the north and northeast. The tribes clans and caste that in habit this area are the awans, Rajputs, Mehr Minhases, Kahuts, Mughals, Gujars, Gondals, Syeds, Arains and the Sheikhs. The physical Features of the district, its tribes, its society and its economy all combine to make Chakwal one of the main recruiting areas for the Army and the Air Force. Other main occupations of the people are agriculture and mining. Transport and poultry business is also important.

At present district Chakwal consists of 3 subdivisions-Chakwal, Talagang nad choa Saidan Shah: 1 sub-tehsil-kallar Kahar, 23 qanungois and 198 patwar circles. The police subdivisions correspond with those of the district administration and there are 11 police stations-chakwal City, Saddar, Kallar Kahar, Dhumman, NILA, Dhudhial, Talagang City, Saddar, Tamman, Lawa and choa Saidan Shah. The political establishment of Chakwal comprises of two the national assembly.NA_43 and NA-44, and four in the provincial assembly-PP-16, PP-17 PP**18 and PP 19. There is one district council, two municipal committee Chakwal, and Talagang and one town committee Choa Saidan Shah.

Cho Seedan Shah:

“The dance of the dervish “ is the mystic personified as in the harmony in the universe. The tune of Allah Ho and Haq Allah is the sign al for the mystic to unify with the nature and lose himself in the love of the Almighty who is the magnificence is unquestionable. Mysticism is the product of the fertile soul of Indian sub continent where spirituality is of substance and a solution to the aliments prevalent the spirit in the masses. The soil is the bless with staunch inelination towards the seeking of truth. The realm of sufiism is versatile and abounds with instance where the man left the colour of the world in search of their “one true love”. God which, is the real essence of their lives.

The “Awlia” born to this land have served the cause of Islam devoutly to cure the “spiritual teachings” of the people who led a life with thriving amalgamation of faiths. The crown lies on those “Awlia “ who left hijaz and traveled to hind to spread the divine massage of peace and love. These “sadaats “ developed the trends of “mysticism” or “sufiism” with their qualities and supernatural trades that they achieved the faith of the infidels who believe in seeing, not feeling.

The table lands of Potohar were blessed when the sufi sent hazrat sayedan shah shirazi, dismissing the moral splendors of world took upon the job of rejuvenating the Islamic spirit in the area which now form Chakwal. The great saint had a direct lineage with imam Hussain was 28thin line. His forefather had lives of piety had set firm ground for him, to embark upon the noble lines. His father syed shah Muhammad had migrated

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

from iran to sub-continent and had led a moving life spreading the message and unity of God. Syed shah Muhammad educated his son with immense knowledge of Islamic dogma. Hazrat shah shirazi massed and dwelt in the benevolence and bounty of Allah and acquired tremendous spirituality, to such an extend that his whims rose beyond all worldly desires he successfully curbed the cries and complexities of mire and blood. He became a part of “kalandri lineage “ and excised to mould his “Nafs” into a state of selflessness and assume the spirit of itinerant . he roamed around the area to the eastern dhani to educated himself and acquired a group of disciples who traveled in their mission of spreading virtue and divinity. Syed shah shirazi was held great esteem where ever he went and masses embarrassed Islam on his hand. In his life time of 71 year he propagated the light of islam and his immense peace with every material object led people to believe that he was beyond greed, lust and relevant vices. His spirituality led him to sainthood and he acquire a share in “miracles” of the “Awlia Akram” due to matchless love for the science of Quran and Sunnah of Holy Prophet(PBUH). He had devoted his life to the service of islam by using all his physical and mental faculties for the establishment of true religion where the Hindus abounded and the Muslims were Muslim in name. the strong character and lofty integrity of his person attracted multitudes of non-muslims to the fold of islam. His life was exemplary for restraining his human Vegas and a never ending struggle “jihad” to establish God’s name in the society as the sole creature of mankind. Syed shah has a magnetic personality and masses surrounded him the whole day long divulging their issues and problems into him and seeking guidance. The admirers were not from any distinct class or religion but all and sundry paid their homage. Their love and affection for him as “sakhi” for he was open to all in poring out knowledge. He revolutionized the social structure by tireless efforts to propagate Islamic teachings.

Many a times infidels challenged for his growing repute and influence over the mind and hurt of multitude. Syed shah sirazi arrived at the Jandiyal which was the hub of anti Islamic non-muslims to spread guidance among them Gharen tall singh, who was master of occults and magic caste spell upon him and later went to shirazi riding on a lion and asked him to keep his lion, shirazi asked him to tie the lion with his bull. In the morning the news came that the bull had eaten the lion. Shirazi used to take cattle of the people for grazing into the pasture and gave them sermons. The cattle were seen praying with him in the pastureland.

He by Almighty grace order the water from the “katas” which was the temple for the hindu to start flowing towards Jindals to alleviate the difficulties of the poor people. A Kashmiri prince paid homage to shah shirazi with his army and was so deeply inspired by his spiritual potential that the prince refused to go back to his kingdom he chose to serve Syed shah. The prince could not cop with the water of the area and developed the health problem. Syed shah hit the floor with his stick and a sweet water stream started flowing. Syed shah’s life is a history of never ending miracles and continuance animations of spiritual guidance to the people. It is the life of unflinching struggle to call a spade, a spade in the direst circumstance where anti-Islamic elements were at their height to destabilized the noble efforts taken up by this saint, who had left the worldly colour to seek the blessing of Almighty and His Prophet(PBUH). His unprecedented dean and humanity are ever lasting on the minds of the people.

Urs:

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

Every year admirers and appreciators rush from all parts opf village and the surrending area to pay attribute to their beloved saint and celebrate his life and his death in festivities and rejuvenate their faith. His shrine is particularly taken over by Auqaf department, like those of barri imam at nurpur shah. The government of Pakistan renovated the shrine of harzrat sakhi saiden shirazi and hug amount was spent on it’s construction, under the supervision of Auqaf department, Punjab, and the federal government and all the economical activities of the shrine are controlled by the management namely “festival in the village”. The only festivel in the village in the “urs” of hazrat sakhi sadein shirazi which is celebrated at least for three days. It begins in the last Thursday of Punjabi month “cahit” and continusce for three days. Whole the period of urs , people from all over the country participate in the urs . people who came to the urs , live in the tashil village for two or three days and spent nihts there. Almost 40% of the total shops remain empty for the whole years, except urs , whenm business increases in the villages . these shopes are own by the mujawrs and are either run by them are given on rent to the people other than mujawrs. A large amount of rent is also obtain from these shops. As thousands of people come to attain the urs, transport in the village increases. Mujawrs have their own vehicles and they also got a lot of money from transportation. In short urs period played a very vital role in tehsilder village economic structure.

The spiritual system of mazar(shrine):

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

The spiritual system of shrines owes it’s origin to and is drawn from the sufi order of islam. According to Sufism the universe is divided into two spheres namely “majaz” and “haqiqat”. Both spheres are believed to be the creation of the supreme being. As such both operate under his absolute power and control nothing move in both the worlds, without his command and will. “Majaz” is the word of reality which one can see observe and feel through his sensory perception. However the ultimate objective f a man is not to immerse himself complete into majaz for it is purely temporary in it’s existence. The reality is to be found into the realm of “Hiqiqat” which is sublime, unalloyed and ever lasting. It is the ultimate truth and ideal beauty. While sufiism is consider as a separate system, the orthodox view of islam does not believe that there is no connection between the two only the contrary it is believed that “Majaz” is the first step towards “Haqiqat”, as is express in the Arabic proverb “AL- Majazo-Qantaraht-Ul- Haqiqa” (Majaz is the ladder of Haqiqat). Majaz may, therefore be taken as a reflection of Haqiqat. One can achieve true experience of haqiqat only when one has pasted through the stage of majaz. Thus majaz and haqiqat are the parts of continuum interconnected as well as complimentary to each other. For instance beauty is to be seen and observe in majaz and eventually it is to be experience. The concept of haqiqat and majaz is not a new one, it is found in one form or other. In ancient Greek thought and there have been such schools and those of Orpheus and Pythagoras(6th c.B.C)Plato (c.429-347 B.C)also describe it in his doctrine of ideas in which he hold that the forms (Haqiqat have real existence outside the world of majaz). It is the unchanging reality behind the changing appearances as the forms are absolutely distinct from things. So, our apprehension of them( which is knowledge) is absolutely distinct from opinion which is faculty set over things. There can be no true knowledge of the changing. Opinion is changeable, fallible, irrational and the result of persuasion, knowledge is enduring, infallible, rational, exact, clear. Knowledge comes from teaching rather than persuasion, but from recollection rather than teaching. It is our recollection of the forms, we saw with the minds, eye before the body imprisoned and confused us. The things we see now remind us of the forms they imitate, and the love of the beautiful person can lead us to the wisdom and of the form of beauty itself. The supreme form is that of the good, in which all the others are ultimately founded. Plato has also staed that the God is fountain head of the three virtue in the extreme degree beauty, truth and goodness. Philosophers and poets tend to identify the three virtue in various combination for example, Edmund Spenser (1552-99) identified beauty with goodness, when he said that “All that fears is by nature Good”. Gwen Keats (1795- 1821). However identified beauty with truth. When he said in the “Ode on a Grecian Urn that” Beauty is truth and truth is beauty….. that’s all ye know on earth and all ye need to know”.

It’s believe that a person seeking Haqiqat should take a guide to lead him to the “ Right path”, self mortification, meditation, complete sub mission to the will of God. Having gone through all these stages leading to Haqiqat he is capable of the holding the hand of the seeker or truth and led him to the destination.

The Bay’at:

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

The bay’at mean to give one hand into hand of another and make a vow, a vow od spiritual allegiance to a pir, usually accompanied by a simple ceremony. It’s binds the follower to the pir as a “ Murid” and in a formal sense inducts him into the institutional structure of sufiism . it is another words a system of accepting an intermediary for attaining spiritual guidance. There is almost a universal practice in all esoteric discipline that the coming together of the hands of two person symbolizes an initiation rite of self realization. In all love, perhaps the coming together or hands significance a bond, a promise and is necessary and is desirable because of it’s psychological significance. It is also signifies that one of prepared to impose one self a limitation and is ready to see that one is finite. Once he limits himself thus, through the agency of byat it is only than that the infinity will be revealed to him. The bayat thus symbolizes the first break with the vicious circle of though. In those shrine there is no bayat in “Ghaddi system”.

Rituals and Tradition of Mazars:

1. langar2. qawali3. chaokhat4. agar batti5. floweriest 6. Holy Quran7. lailat-ul-qadar8. Khatam shrief 9. deval or charaghi10.namak puri 11. lachi danay

Historically speaking, langar started in the time of “Alp Arsalan” at the mausoleum of the Imam Abu Hanifa in the Baghdad. Langar was at it zenith in the period of abd-al –qadir jilani and pir mehr Ali shah followed the tradition by starting a langer called large number of people visit the shrine.

Langer:

Langer is a sort of alams house from where free meals are served. Setting up a langer has been the Ritual (tradition) of all great shrines, where all comers get free meals three times a day i.e. in the morning, at noon and in the evening. At small shrines, where the number of visitors of visitors is small, langer is organized by their annual “urs” only. At most of the Shrines, particularly, those taken over by the Auqaf Department like those of, the visitors themselves bring cooked items like rice and distribute it among those present at the shrine. It is believed that in order to gain God’s favor, it is necessary either to give directly to the poor in directly through a tribute to a saint who in turn , is expected to use it, if it is a food item or a sacrificial animal, for the langer for the people the community. Preferably the food is given to the visitors, who have come from far off places. However, the regular beneficiaries of the langer are the people of nearby village, who come there daily to get food.

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

Similarly the “Mujawars”( caretakers and “Malangs” of the shrine are also regular consumers of the langer. Sometimes the vistors take the langer with them as “ Khurde” for barket.

Qawwali:

The word “Qawwali”m is derived from the derived from the Arabic word Qael, Which mean “ A axiom” or “ dictum”. A qawwal is one, who sings Wqllai, or the dictums of the prophets and praises of God. The Qawwali is closely linked to the spiritual and artistic life of Pakistan.

Historical Background of Qawwali:

The origin of Qawwali (spiritual song) goes back to the time, when Muslim Sufis came to India, during the 13th and 4th c.c. they promptly realized that the most important mode of religions expression was music, which was monopolized by the hindu priests as past of their worship. Since the Sufis, too, were motivated by a desire to spraed Islamic faith in the new environments, they began to enjoy the local varieties of music, so that they could communicate religious ideas of the masses. They worked hard to bring about a synthesis of two systems(local and Muslim), which suited and serve them ideally in their proselytizing efforts. As a result, a new and vibrant genre of music began to take shape, which was later named Qawwali. It can therefore, be traced back to the period between 1223 and 1345.

Chaokhat: There is Jali. Visitors of the shrine were kissing “Jali” to show their sincereity and repect. The Chaokhat is located in the located in the center of the mausoleum is hut shaped woods.

Chadar Poshi:

The grave of the shrine is covered with a dark back chadar the visitors came and offered them as vows. Original chadar is changed early in the morning every day. In other words chadar is parda among people. So people offer the cadar to the saint. It is a sign of beauty and love as human body, Khana Kaabba and dead body all are covered with chadar, so it is the sign of respect.

Agger batti:

A beautiful agger batti stand is present in the veranda and through out the day especially in the evening the visitor came and fragrant the environment of shrine by lightening the agger batti and in agger batti stand sand and vex is present to support these sticks. The fragrance and the spirituality are just to feel.

Floweriest: Floweriest sits near left side of the door at the mausoleum. Flowers are liked by the saints because fragrance is holly thing and we get saint’s pray because they feel happiness we also get “swabvirtue). Flowers and fragrance is priceless.

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

Holy Qur’an:

Visitors recite the Holy Quran by placing it on the “Rahal” and fateha near the grave. The recite of “Holy Qur’an” is for “Esaal-e-swab”.

Ritual of Lailaltul Qadar:

On night 26th of Ramadan, the ritual of lailatul Qada is celebrated. Because at that night the revelation of the Holy Quran was completed on Holy prophet (PBUH). All the time of Maghrib prayers the Aftaari was given to the visitors. After the Isha prayers, the “Mehfiil-e-Shab-e-Baidaari” was started, which was continued till late two O’clock. After this the prayers of Salat –ul-Tasbeeh was offered, which ended four O’ clock and then sehri is offered to the visitors to keep their fast. Every year this ritual is performed in the same manner.

Khatam sharif:

The rituals of the Khatam-e-Qur’an sharif were started / celebrated after the 20th

of Ramadan in the mosque of shrine. The ceremony of Khatm-e-Qur’an sharif was celebrated on th29th of Ramadan every year. After the Isha Prayers. The Hifiz-ul- Quran completed the recitation of Quran at that night. At the end of the celebration the langer was distributed on this sacred occasion. The ritual of the “Itkaf”aslso started from the 20th of Ramadan. This rituals is performedas all the prayers make a separate corner with the help of curtain, which Is called “Josha-a-Khalwal” in which the prayers offered their prays they were not allowed to go outside the mosque and spend the day till the crescent of the first Shewal appears on the sky. Then they are supposed to free from this ritual. They are congratulated by the people and they celebrate their Eid-ul-Fitr next day.

Ritual of Deva or Charaghi:

The ritual of charagh was very famous and it was performed by the majority of the visitors. Some people had to pay the Narana for charaghi and those who do not bring the deva with them. Majority of the visitors dip their finger into the deva oil and rub their hand to the different parts of the body. Deva is sign of light and light is life and deva is sacred because it comes out the light of God. Lighting the light, the burden on heart decreases and people felt free from the depression. Most of the people stated that to light the deva is a virtuous deed. Some people believe that it is their duty which is allocated by the saint. Light is noor and noor is knowledge and knowledge is God. Most of the people perform this because they consider that it is our duty. Most of them flowed it as a beautiful old tradition.

Namak pori:

In front of mazar (shrine) gate, there was place that was called “Khalifa Ki Gaddi”. There was plate a “Ktora” in the “paatri”. Ceramic plate in the paatri he used to place the distributed sweets and some packets of lachi danay and small packets of salts, which were called’Namak Poriyan”.

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

The visitors tested the salt placed idn the Ktora and purchased these poriyan and the rate of per pori was rupees five and used to bring them to their homes and used them for the different purposes like”shiifa, jadoo tona and barkat”. The mount of namak pori did not go to Auqaf. It goes to those people, who look after the Mazar(shrine).

Lachi Danay:

At the shrine most popularly distributed langer is “Lachi Danay” because it is of low price and easily available at the shop at the rate of Rs.5, 10 and twenty rupees respective of different size of packets. The visitors distribute lachi danny, one by one into the palm of the people, but some people distribute in special style. They open the packets and throw the lachi danny on the court yard. When picking the lachi danay from the court yard it reduces the proud-ness in the people.

Associated shops:

Outside of te shrines, there are many shos. Sweesshops this these shops are especially of halve, tesbeehs, caps, religious books, various kinds of Dal(grains) and flowers shops etc. floweriest of the shrine get their flower from the pills and sell them to the pilgrims.

Architecture:

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

Mehrab in the shrine: There are a beautiful mehrab in the middle. Mehrabs is the heart of shrine. It also indicates the separation from this worldly from other worldly. Mehrab indicates the respect, because sits direction is towards the khanna Kaba. Moreover these mehrabs increase the beauty of shrine.

Shoe Racks: In the narrow corridor of the main entrance in left side,there were shoe racks where the visitors put their shoes before entering in the mazars.shoe racks had people sitting their who were responsible of the security of the submitted shoes. They get paid by pilgrims. The visistors used to submit their shoes and recive a token, which was made of Gutta on which the numbers where printed in pair form.

Health seeking practices related with belief system of Visitors at shrine: Different Health seeking practices related with belief system of visitors at shrine and also native beliefs related to their health problems and precption of different diseases according to their own culture and their own social set up. Among various shrines, the shrines bearing healing powers come at the top of the list and people visit them for the restoration of health that is why the present shrine, which is attributed to have healing power in the study community is frequently visted and is believed to prevent and cure sickness. The popular belief, which persists in many other area that a disease is a result of sin or domestic possession also, exists in the citizens of the Chakwal and their nearby village. For the cure of such disease religious guidance is preferred. For this purpose more commonly spiritual healers are consulted at shrines.

People come there from very long distance areas for the solution of their problems, especially females vist there only for the treatment of their diseases, because they prefer to come there instead to go to doctors only because of their spiritual attachment with shrines.

Native Beliefs related to their Health:

Different types of beliefs of people visiting shrines related to their health practices. these beliefs are so strong that they are transmitted from generation to generation. Hunter defined the human beliefs as, “thoughts that are based on the uncritical acceptance of the inherent truth or correctness of the cognitive categories of one’s culture”. (Hunter, David, E.1976) It is often thought belief can only be discussed, within the domin of religious activities. This however, is erroneous as almost all societies hold beliefs, which have religious sanctions as well as secular ones. From this perspective the different types of beliefs of the people especially females have been discussed, which future helpful in determining towards the shrine in district Chakwal.

Beliefs in Supernatural beings:

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

Belief in supernatural beings helps the people to rationalize their experiences. Every visitor, who visit shrine have strong faith on supernatural being. In the category of supernatural beings, They include two types of supernatural beings:

2. Uncontrollable supernatural beings3. Controllable supernatural beings.

They include the God, the supreme power of this world. They include the God in the uncontrollable category. In the controllable category they include Emmons, ghost etc. these things can be controlled by pir, taveez and shrines. The people believe that they are invisible being different in their functions and these supernatural beings physical, mentally, socially and economically. The following are local categories of these supernatural beings:1. Jin2. Churel3. Bhoot

Females are possessed by these supernatural beings. Mostly women and other visitors believed that all worries and hardships and diseases are only because of these supernatural forces. The people of Chakwal visit shrines for the treatment of these supernatural forces. The people of Chakwal and cho sadien shrief have a strong belief on the power of shrines and offer vows for the fulfillment of their desires. They usually visit the shrine of Chakwal especially for the purpose of their curing practices. Belief and knowledge about different disease regulate the behavior of people.

Three important points emerge from this:

1. firstly the Quranic verse themselves were considered efficacious. In this context, we note that twice the Qur’an refer to itself as a healing (Shaia) and mercy.

2. Secondly God is ultimately the healer. Islam preserved a distinction in theory between prayer and amulets and the spells and work of magic (Shar). The former turned on the will of God, which could not be coerced while the latter approximated to a mechanical means of manipulation.

3. Amaliyyat prescriptions of certain prayers, reading and phrases…intended to secure such particular goals as employment increased resources, the end of an unsuitable relationship or the defeat of an enemy.

Since the literacy rates of Pakistan is one of the lowest in the world. Therefore, the climate is congenial for the growth of superstitious believes among the people. They give free vent to their imagination and invent all kind of incredible stories. Due to poverty, they need succor and support of any straw that they can pay their hands on. There are many adventures, who are eager to exploit their state of sloth and ignorance. One can daily read stories of ingenious frauds perpetrated on the common man by unscrupulous vendors of spiritual solace and comfort. Charlatans double their money and mendicants assure them of a bright future.

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

Summary and Conclusion:

Muslim shrines and tombs f Sufi saints represent Muslim culture, tradition and it’s benevolence in totality. These sufi saints still rule over the hearts of pakistnais and Muslims of other countries. With the passage of time, the number of devotees has been increased. The visit of shrine by millions of people every year is an abiding testimony of their absolute and undisputed sway over their followers and of their divine blessings emanating from their hollowed grave.The devotees celebrate the death of anniversary of the saint. They come in crows from far and near to his tomb and reaching there on the days of URs. They pray to the saint in his tomb to ask for children and food. They offer Chadars over the tomb and light lamps and think that with this super fulvous expenditure, they will please the saint. People from different parts of the country arrive the shrine to quench their thirst for spirituality. Si it is more or a less psychological aspect through which a devotee becomes to satisfy for any problem. The shrines also develop network of affliation with oother shrines. These networks include the followers or Murids attached to individual shrine. Thus shrine also ascender of culture activities and present the picture of unity, where thousands of devotees every dayvisit but no harm and no fight is to be seen there. Their social relationship increase and also the source of creating cohesive solidarity among followers although they come from different areas speak different languages belong to different class,casts and sects, but at the shrine they share their association with the saint.

Moqudas Rauf

Shrine of Choa sadein shah.

At the shrine, a variety of counseling and healing services are available. Some are provided by the pir himself; other by his assistants and functionaries. Shrines have an internal organization, are usually led by a resident manager and include a number of functionaries essential for carrying out the diverse activities of the shrine. so we can say shrines in Pakistan are complex social institutions, which fulfill the mutli-furious needs of the associated communities, thus shrines function as linking institutions, bringing to gather people in the common interest despite the diversity of their individual background. In this way, shrines have the capability of making positive contributions to the integration and unity of the Pakistani people.

Moqudas Rauf