Shah Bhittai - A Quest Poet Of East

Shah Latif Bhittai (1689-1752) was a great celebrated Sufi saint poet and a spiritual guide. He had an exceptional spiritual insight, creativity, powerful expression. In his poetry he emphasized that the ills of 'inner self' of a person can only be cured through the selfless love and the spirit of sacrifice to fellow human beings. The crux of Latif's poetry is love combined with humility (without hypocrisy) which is the ethos of civilized human society. His stature is on par with the great poets of the world like Byron, Keats, Shelley, Neruda, Rilke, Rimbaud, Shakespeare etc. Shah's poetry has main features as fear of Allah and obedience to all his commandments, symbol of sympathy and; mercy for the suffering humanity, annihilation of ego, humility and self denial, dignity of human labor and human equality based on love and spirit of justice, decimation of ego and reformation of human society as a whole. He is a heroic figure belonging to all ages, all groups, all races and all classes of people.
About the Author: Author's Profile He was born in Hala New on 01st. July 1940 to Haji Abdul Ghani Arbab alias Mohammad Parial Halo. Did matric in first division in 1956 from M.G.Government High School, Hala New. Did B.Sc. from D.J.Science College, Karachi and MBA from IBA, Karachi in 1966. He pursued with banking career both at domestic and international level for over 35 years in Pakistan and Switzerland, and retired at senior level. He qualified various banking courses and also attained various banking courses sponsored by Commercial Banks and World Bank such as: i."Project Appraisal and Financing" from IDA, Dublin, Ireland in August 1987 under World Bank Training Program, ii."Banking and Financial Management" from The Business School, City University, London in June 1989 under World Bank Training Program, He was nominated on some banking, finance and social organizations as under: i.Member of Finance Committee, KCC & I, Karachi in 1989, ii.Finance Secretary, Bankers Club, Karachi in 1989, iii.Vice President, Pak Swiss Cultural Association, Bern, Switzerland in 1991-92, iv.Director, Pak Swiss Chamber of Commerce, Zurich, Switzerland in 1992-93, v.Worked as member of "Central Anticorruption Committee" formed by GOP, where he conducted many inquiries of white collared financial corruption during the period of 1994-96. Since retirement he entered into a teaching contract with Management Sciences Faculties of a few Universities in Karachi as a Visiting Faculty Member where he used to teach Banking Law & Practice" and "Commercial Banking" to MBA students. His published work includes: Books i.Spiritualis Poetry of Shah Latif Bhittai, ii.Sufi Saints of Indus Valley, iii.Understanding Concepts of Commercial Banking, iv.Hala and Halas in Historical Perspective. Articles i.Anecdotes of Shah Latif Bhittai, ii.Anecdotes of Sachal Sarmast, iii.Uniqueness in the Poetry of Shah Bhittai, iv.Surs (Musical Tones) in Poetry of Shah Latif Bhittai, v.Seven Folk Chaste Women of Sindh vi.Journey to Lahut La Makan.