SHAIKH BA-YAZEED – 2  ALIAS PEER ROSHAAN ANSARI
Shrine in Teerah, Waziristan (1525-1580 AD)

Muhammad Abdullah Ansari (Peer-e-Hirat) is regarded as the most famous amongst the descendents of Hazrat Abu Ayub Ansari. And after him if we see, in the history of their family lineage, comes Shaikh Ba-Yazeed-2 (Peer Roshaan), who belongs to the 11 th generation of Moulana Muhammad Ibrahim Soharwardi. He was not only regarded as the inventor of the alphabets of Pushto Language and the very first prose writer of Pushto Language, but also possessed the honour of being the first ever author of Urdu language in the Sub-continent. When he was just 6 years old his family was compelled to migrate from Jalandhar to Kaniguram (Waziristan) because of the brutality and unjust behavior of the recent Mughal emperor. In Waziristan, the critical condition of the family atmosphere (unbearable attitude of the step mother and harsh behavior of father) made him habitual of going into meditation and deep thoughts at his early age. However he had a philosophical and thoughtful mental approach by birth and it came up in the shape of a new approach of ijtehaad.

Dealing with people, spirituality and mysticism (Sufism) :

Shaikh Ba-yazeed wished to perform such a type of worship that could give satisfaction of the heart and soul. The enemity among the so-called religious scholars, the hypocrisy of Qazi and Mulla, and sectarian quarrel among the Muslims had made him worried and sad. In search of his desired aim Shaikh Ba-yazeed became pupil and disciple of many senior and learned religious scholars but could not find a single moment of his desired peace and happiness. Such a situation compelled him to make his own heart a Mufti and thus he started taking interest in reading Quran and pondering upon its message and meanings with deep thoughts and wisdom. After a long period of involving in meditation and deep thoughtfulness the secrets of the universe and the meanings of the life of human beings and the way of righteous path of life
started revealing in his inner eye and heart. Then he started preaching the teaching of Islam. During his early age, Shaikh Ba-yazeed used to perform Tahajjud, recite and read “Auraad and Wazaaef” which was regular practice of the Soharwardi family and their disciples. Like other saints and pious persons (Ahl-ullah), he was also fond of Qawwali (a kind of Muslim devotional music associated with Sufis) that creates over whelming emotions in the listeners. He inherited and possessed great love and affection for Islam and sympathy for the Muslims.

Contrary to the traditional values in vogue he adopted the way of Tareeqat and Sulook. Because of this the Mufties and religious scholars turned against him and fiercely opposed his thoughts and teachings. Shaikh Ba-yazeed blew a new soul in the dead body of ‘Tasawwuf’ and preached the peers and disciples to get rid of the Monk’s life and assume an active life of Mujaahid-e-Islam. His life was a reformer’s life. He acquired excellence in eight stages of “Asraar and Mafaaheem” (The divine  mysteries, and connotation) of spiritualism. After that, he established a Khaanqah in Mastoorah, a village in Tiraalah and started preaching  Soharwardi way of Tareeqat. Obviously, the faiths and ideology of Peer Roshaan was that of the Ahl-e- Sunnat Wal Jama’at.
It is a fact that his preaching raised the sentiments and emotions of the people and still its influence is evident in that area. He preached to stop rivalry among the people specially the Muslim brotherhood and to keep away from the anti- Shariah acts and activities. He possessed a great ability to interpret the meanings and explanation of the Ayaat of the Holy Quran. (He was a great interpreter of Holy Quran). Taking care and bringing up the orphans, providing provisions to widows for their living, serving and helping the helpless and weak people, feeding the poor and needy people, and rendering help to all without any discrimination, were included in his daily routine. Moreover, he used to give education and knowledge of Quran and Hadees, Zikr and meditation to his disciples and followers of Silsila-e-Soharwardia in Halqa. Because of  his noble services and preaching a large number of people from other regions including Kaniguram and people of Burki Tribe living in Teerah velley entered the fold of his disciples. (From Hindustan, Mullah mawdood, author of ‘Maqsood-ul-Talebeen’, and well known poet Mulla Deewan Shah, author of ‘Mirat-ul Muhaqqeqeen’ and writer of poetry Book (Deewan) also adopted his discipleship. People started to call him as ‘Peer Roshaan’. The Pakhtoons called him ‘Peer Rokhan’. People speaking old Punjabi and Hindko languages, called him ‘Wajeed’.

TAUHEED (Belief in Unicity of Allah).

Shaikh Ba-yazeed Peer Roshaan clearly says that :
“It is mandatory for every Muslim to acquire knowledge of ‘Tauheed’, the oneness of Almighty Allah. After death the first question will be asked about ‘Tauheed’ and only Muslims would be able to answer if they keep worshiping one and the only Allah with true belief in Tauheed. Those Muslims who are ignorant of the facts and reality of Tauheed, will not be able to answer properly. Wise people are those, who acquire and possess the knowledge of religion and only those Muslims who sincerely follow the preaching and teaching of Islam will reach their desired heaven. People must understand the importance of acquiring knowledge of religion”.

Literary services:

The famous German scholar Anne Marie Schimmel writes in her book “Mystical dimension of Islam” that the people living in the neighbourhood of the Sub-continent also included the Soofiana literature in their languages. Prior to the Sindhi and Punjabi mystic poetry, during the rule of Humayun and Akbar, another mystic movement had risen. It was Rokhanian’s movement . The name of the leader of Rokhanian movement was Ba-yazeed Ansari or Peer Rokhan (died in 1580 AD). He was the first soofi who translated and included the Persian Tasawwuf in his mother tongue, Pushto. His book, “Sehrul Bayaan” (magic of speech), is written in a very sophisticated Pushto prose. It is the very first clear and complete attempt to write mystic literature in Pushto language. But these mystic thoughts, fell victim to the opposition of Akhund Darwiza. As a
result, the person who was struggling in search of truth, knowledge, literature and humanity, had been pushed into a war that turned him into a great philosopher, politician and brave military general. Peer Roshaan was the first Pushtoon literary person and an intellectual, who not only faced the opposition of his friends but all other forces simultaneously. The famous Pushtoon poet, ‘Khush haal khan Khatak’ followed the preaching of ‘Peer Roshaan’, who denied and kept fighting with his pen against all the unjust and unreasonable political, philosophical and literary behaviors. The spiritual movement of Ba-yazeed Ansari laid a long lasting revolutionary effect by giving basis for their philosophical, literary and political thoughts.

Peer Roshaan as an Author :

Peer Roshaan was not only a greatly acclaimed religious scholar and a Sufi of Tareeqat but also assumed his credibility as an author, poet and linguistic.

His books and literary work:

One of his greatly acclaimed book is “Khairul Bayaan”. It was discovered from Germany in the year 1960. (It is written in Arabic, Persian, Pushto and Hindi). This book is about Shariah, Tareeqat and religious matters and problems.

The names of his other eight famous books are:

1. Sirat-ul-Tauheed
2. Farhatul Mujtaba
3. Maqsood-ul-Momineen
4. Fakhr-ul-taalebeen
5. Haal naamah
6. Risala-e-ilm
7. Maktoobaat
8. Pushto Rasm-ul-Khat

Moreover, Asiatic Society of Bengal published the translation of his book “Tazkira-tul-Roshnia” in 1878 AD.

Pushto literary work:

Peer Roshaan invented and prepared Pushto Alphabets and style of writing script. Famous researcher Raza Hamdani writes in ‘Adabiyaat-e-Sarhad’: “Peer Rukhan” had a great personality. He was expert in literature, philosophy, preaching and nationalism. Although he was an old hand in every walk of life but his literary life was exceptionally important. In fact, Peer Rukhan brought progressive revolution in Pushto literature. He served Pushto literature through his prose and laid foundation
of a new school of thought”.
He established a greater literary and linguistic school of thought whose followers were expert in and well conversant of Arabic, Persian and Hindi. Those people absorbed the terminology of “Irfan” (awareness of truth) and “Aalam-e-La hoot” (the divine sphere) in Pushto language. He also wrote poetry on complicated matters of ‘Tasawwuf’ (Sufism). He used the said terms in his poetry i.e. Ghazals, Qasayed (eulogies), and couplets. He was the first to show skills of using privileges of ilm-e-Badie (a branch of knowledge dealing with qualities of literary writing) and Bayaan (science of using figures of speech) in Pushto language. The followers of Shaikh Ba-yazeed wanted the people of Pakhtunkhwah, Afghanistan, Iran, Hindustan, and beyond Hindustan to be needled in one string of brotherhood. To achieve this, the school of Rukhan took balanced and compatible steps.

The acceding influence of Shaikh Ba-yazeed was censed by the Mughal rulers as threat to their throne, which led to bloodshed and war that continued for about over half century. The Mughal rulers opposed fiercely this new spiritual movement and school of thoughts and used all of their resources including the so-called and saleable religious scholars to oppose it. They had been using every efforts and possible means to destroy this spiritual movement. The Imperial Gazetteer of India has also given great tributes to his services for Pushto language and literature. Ba-yazeed Ansari as a Poet: Ba-yazeed Ansari (Peer Rukhan), because of his other active participation in politics and war against ruling empire, could not give due attention towards poetry writing, even than he had composed a great deal of his feelings and thoughts in poetry.His Takhallus (pen name) was “Miskeen” in Pushto poetry and “Wajeed” in Punjabi and Hindko poetry. His Punjabi poetry was compiled and published by Awnkar Naath entitled as “Wajeed day Ashloke” (Poetry of Wajeed). Khwaja Ba-yazeed had also indicated some “Raags” on which, if poetry is composed, could be sung. He himself also composed his poetry in Raag Talang, Kaafi, Raag Bilawal, and Chhund etc. Many famous Pushtoon poets have composed their poetry on the foundation laid by Ba-yazeed Ansari. Hence, the period of early Pushto poetry started with the literary work of Ba-yazeed Ansari and his Khulafa (followers) and Murids (disciples)
widened its sphere.

Praise to Ahl-e-Bait :

Ba-yazeed Ansari has expressed his respect and love for the Ahl-e-Bait-e-Athaar (The pure and pious family of the Prophet PBUH) in his poetry. He has also composed poetry telling about the aims and status of the Ahl-e-Bait . For example he says in his couplets that:

(i) “He (the prophet PBUH) was himself the prophet and beloved of Allah,

He was the head of all the prophets and prophet of Allah,

It is surprisingly that the sons and descendents of the Ummah live and survive

but the sons and descendents of the Prophet (PBUH) die,

O, Wajeed who can dare to plead before Allah to do this and not to do that”.

(ii) “Imaam Hassan and Imaam Hussain  were the grandsons of the Prophet (PBUH) and sons of Bibi Fatima Zehra and Hazrat Ali,

Who were got martyred by the hands of his own Ummah,

O,Wajeed who can dare to plead before Allah to do this and not to do that”.

Before this there were only two or three types of poetry in Pushto language. Ba-yazeed Ansari was the first to introduce Qaseeday, Ghazals, Rubaaiyaat, Qeta’at and Masnavi in Pushto.

Pushto Music (Interest in Samaa, Qawwali):

Like other ‘aulias’, Khwaja Ba-yazeed Ansari also possessed love for Mehfil-e-Samaa or Qawwali. He says that there are three types of Samaa.

(i) Haraam: Whoever listen to samaa for taking worldly enjoyment, he heard haraam.

(ii) Mubaah: Whoever listened to samaa in the greed of heaven, his hearing to samaa is mubaah.

(iii) Halaal. Whoever listened to Samaa for his love for Allah, he heard Halaal.

His devotee, Ali Muhammad Mukhlis, who himself assumed a prominent status in Pushto literature and history, writes about the refined taste of Khwaja Ba-yazeed.

“Besides other beneficences on Pushto literature, he has done more for Pushto music. He and his devotees did a great work in promotion of music of this region. Allah Taala kept two treasures secret from Afghans and two men revealed those treasures to Afghan Nation. The first treasure was that of knowledge about Tauheed which was revealed through Peer Roshaan and the second treasure was knowledge of Music which was revealed to Afghans by Haji Muhammad Khalifa Fazl-ullah Wali, who was a Mureed of Peer Roshaan. Before this, Afghans were playing Ek-taara on Ghanchgeen (a musical instrument) and would play two stings on five sting-Rabaab
(Sarmadah). Because of training of Haji Muhammad, Afghan musicians started using many strings on their musical instruments and created new songs but most of them were not soft sung. But when those musicians met Peer Roshaan, his love and blessings made them sing and play soft and sweet songs.
They created 6 new soft and sweet songs”.

Roshaniya Movement :

Shaikh Ba-yazeed Ansari became widely known as “Peer Roshaan” or “Rokhaan” which in pushto stands for “The Enlightened Sufi Master”. From his base in Kaniguram he started “Roshaniya Movement”. The major focus of it was to create equality between men and women, including the right to learn and listen to lectures of scholars AND to fight against Mughal Emperor after his proclaimation of ‘Deen e ilahi”.The learning and equal trearment for women was a revolutionary concept for the times and even today in South Waziristan. Peer Roshaan was the first local leader to start and lead a major insurgency with a remarkable struggle for about half  century (later by his sons and grand sons), against the cruel and brutal Mughal sovereignty. This was for the freedom of Afghans and to enforce / establish the Islamic   system of social justice / rule. It is difficult to find a parallel example of efforts or struggle done by anyone before him in the history of the Sub-continent. It means, when he was a unique personality in knowledge, literature and Tareeqat, the same time he had a close eye on the political and social atmosphere and situations across the country.
Seeing the popularity of Peer Roshaan, the religious scholars and the tribal heads established an opposition’s front against him and started creating hurdles in his way. The bitter opposition to his Sufiana thoughts and preaching was made by Akhwund Darwiza, well known as Peer Baba of Kaniguram. To the worst of their intention, the opposition forces hatched a conspiracy to get the king’s favour to eliminate Peer Roshaan. For this purpose they gave twelve thousand of the currency of that time
to Habib bakheel and sent to the ruler of Kabul, Mirza Hakeem who was half-brother of King Akbar, with a complaint against Peer Roshaan. They coaxed him to kill Peer Roshaan. For this purpose ruler of Kabul sought the favour of the ministers, dignitaries of Darbar and other tribal heads. Hence, Mirza Hakim commanded the ruler of Peshawar, Mohsin Khan, to arrest Peer Roshaan and bring him to Kabul. Mohsin Khan complied by the order. Peer Roshaan had dialogue with the Qazi-ul-Qazaat (The Session Judge) and made Qazi and the courtiers satisfied with his answers. Mirza Hakim, after being satisfied with him, gave gifts and a horse to Peer Roshaan who left Kabul for home happily.
That caused him to encounter the regime of the then Mughal Ruler Akbar-e-Azam. The Roshaniya movement had been a threat to the Mughal Umpire for a long period of time. This movement not only promoted the Sufiana poetry but also established and gave progress to the Pakhtun nationalism. This also promoted creativity in Pushto poetry, prose and literature.

A serious mistake committed by the historians:

The historians of 19 th century, while translating the ideologies and thoughts of Peer Roshaan, committed a blunder as they declared ‘Roshaniya movement’ as a separate religious sect. This blunder still prevails in the work of western researchers and historians. Whereas, the ideas and beliefs of Peer Roshaan are that of Ahl-e-Sunnah wal-jama’at. On the other hand Roshaniya movement was a movement against the wrong ideology. It was not a separate sect.

Historian Olaf Caroe admits that “Because of the political diplomacy the importance of the religious movement of Ba-yazeed Ansari was degraded and termed as atheist movement by the bious forces”.
Most of the information about Peer Roshaan’s silsila are taken from “Encyclopedia of Islam” which depends only upon the works of Mughal historians (Sualeh Kamboh and Akhwand Darwiza, the deadliest enemy of Ba-yazeed ) and other traditional Mullas who used to enterprete the messages of Ba-yazeed Ansari in their own way of thinking.
The critical and comparative study of, “Tazkira-e-Sufiya-e-Sarhad” (history of sufis of Sarhad), written by author ‘Ejaz-ul-Haq Quddoosi’ reveals and confirms that Peer Roshaan was a Sunni ul Aqeeda Muslim. He was, neither atheists, nor controversial in his belief as it was wrongly propagated by his political and religious rivals because they were jealous of the popularity of Ba-yazeed Ansari.

Important note:

In the light of above facts, it is very clear that many of the important sectors of the life of Ba-yazeed Ansari, the greatest benefactor and shining star of Afghans and Pakhtuns, are still hidden and need to be discovered. However, the upcoming tough time pushed this seeker of knowledge and literature into a war that he had to fight and after him his descendents and devotees were compelled to continue the war for about further 50 years after his death.

Death and place of Burial:

The followers and Mureeds of Ba-yazeed had a fierce and bloody fight with the armed forces of Mughal Governor of Kabul at a place called “Chooray” and defeated them. After this victory, Khwaja Ba-yazeed Ansari, along with his devotees, launched an attack on Nangar Haar and established his central defence point at a village named “Baro”. Meanwhile, the Mughal forces got re organized and launched an attack with great force on Ba-yazeed at a place ‘Tora Raghe’ (Nangar Haar).
In this battle, the devotees of Ba-yazeed sustained many casualities and were defeated. As his forces were dispersed, Ba-yazeed escaped from the battlefield and reached “Kalpani” (Mardan). Due to hot weather, hunger and thurst , they were surrounded by Yusuf Zai tribe and he was martyred by them.

Akhwund Darwiza, along with his Yusuf Zai followers, continued his opposition even after the death of Ba-yazeed. He instigated ‘Gujjars’ (the Yusufzai neighbours) against Shaikh Umer (eldest son of Peer Roshaan). Gujjars dug out the dead body of Ba-Yazeed and before they take away the coffin, Sh. Umer intercepted and brought the coffin to his house, but due to Akhwund Darwiza’s great pressure, Sh Umar had to quit along with coffin and crossed over into the Mandar’s Teritory. Hamza
Khan Yusufzai chased him out and Umer was betrayed and killed along with his followers, along the river Indus. But the coffin was threw away into river Indus, which was recovered by some followers of Ba-Yazeed and was handed over to the only surviving/injured son Jalaluddin, who buried the coffin in ‘Idak’ at Tochi Valley (N. Waziristan).
After some time Jalaluddin finally carried the coffin to ‘Teerah’ and buried at ‘Bhat Pura’ with great respect, alongside grave of elder brother Kamal-uddin.