Core of your soul

Date: 30-04-2023

You can not choose where you are born. Growing up in Lahore in a sunni muslim family of the chisti order influence is an unrepraceble experience that forms the foundation of who I am.

I am extremely greatful for it. Yes, there are countless challenges at every step when you are born a woman in Pakistan. However, I do love the soul of the Punjabi culture I grew up in and want to share a bit about it here.

Starting in the twelfth century, augmented by the formation of the Delhi Sultanate, teachings of Persian Islam and Sufism mixed with the Indian subcontinent life to create a uniquely beautiful culture of expression, contemplation, wandering dervishes, spirituality, humanism and love.

Additionally, Lahore has rich influnece from Sufi philosophers like Nizamuddin Auliya, Moin-ud-Din Chisti, Ali Hijwari and Qutbuddin Bakhtiar. To this day, we sing songs, ghazals and Qawallis written by poets like Amir Khusrau, Farid Ganjshakar, Shahbaz qalandar, Rumi, Bulleh Shah and Iqbal. These songs are mostly about purification and surrender of self.

The underlying Sufi culture emphasizes being selfless, sympathetic, generous and non-materialistic. It teaches you about the meaninglessness of life, to explore your own self, to let go of desires/ego and to respect and help every fellow creature as much as possible. Some philosophers advocated to live in poverty and to suffer adversity to ease life for others. Hence, it portrays love as a path to the Divine; love for self, others, your partner, nature and all creatures.

In short, it teaches you to put love at the core of your soul.