It was a pleasure to see the calligraphy, translation & transliteration by Mr.Qirfiraz Ahmed Siddiqui of the "RISALA ROOHI Shareef" presented by the great saint of Islam in the 17th century A.D. Hadrat Sultan Bahu (1628-1691).

Faqir Abdul Hameed Kulachvi not only showed me this work in Kulatchi last Month but he desired for having a through study of the efforts made by the said calligrapher, translator at South Africa.

The "Risala Ruhi" has already been carefully edited with Urdu Translation in the last year as given under:

1. Risala Roohi with translation & commentary by Prof Syed Ahmad Saeed Hamdani with detailed foreword by this servant of Islam in 1984
2. Risala Roohi with Urdu Translation by Dr. K.B Nasim in Peshawar in 1987
3. Mathnavi Roohi (Persian Translation of Risala Roohi in Poetry) by Hadrat Ghulam Dastigir al Qadari Nashad with Urdu Translation by this humble servant of Islam (Sultan Altaf Ali) Lahore 1981
4. Risala Roohi with Persian Text and Urdu Translation compiled reedited and translation in Urdu with meaningful, simple Urdu by me, Sultan Altaf Ali Pro. Dr Lahore, Quetta, 1993.
5. Hadrat Sultan Bahu of the Spirit (Ruhi) Translated In English by Prof. Syed Ahmed Saeed Hamdani, Lahore, Quetta 1996.

The Risala Roohi Shareef with the efforts of South African brethren is remarkably a fine work. The work shows spiritual attraction & insight.

The Persian Text presented by the new editor was to be corrected at many points. The transliteration has been found quite satisfactory. The English translation of the original is quite meaningful with outline of the mystic depth at proper places.

Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (604-672A.H) had touched the story of 'Ruh' 'Spirit' or 'Soul' by stating the pangs of departing 'Ruh' or 'Spirit' from its real source.

'Bishno az nai chuN hikaayat meekunad 
waz judai-ha shikaayat meekunad'

Listen to the flute, how it relates the story and complaining about the separation (from the real source)

This story ultimately takes to the truth of love & Maulana had to put down more or less twenty six thousand lines of poetry for explanations. But Hadrat Sultan Bahu presents his small booklet of few pages namely 'Risala Ruhi' The Book of soul, wherein he states same important secrets through divine revelations. Hadrat Sultan Bahu (R.A) had highlighted the following points in brief words

a. Creation of Cosmos/Theory of origin
b. The existentialism
c. Description of writer's high places
d. Personal introduction of the writer
e. Light of Ahad (Unity) to multiplicity of objects (Soorat-e-Ahamdi)
f. Revelation about the seven spirits or seven souls of Sultan-ul-Faqar
g. The places of seven spirits/souls of Sultan-ul-Faqar
h. The place of this book, Risala Ruhi
i. Address to the seeker of truth
j. Direction of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
k. A discourse/order of Almighty Allah (Jalle Subhanhu)

The presented translation will serve a lot to introduce this small but the most important book of Hadrat Sultan Bahu (R.A) the contribution is the unique work in the books of mysticism/Sufism of Islam.

It is prayed that Almighty Allah may bestow upon the readers, the editor, translator, helper & publishers His light & show the real path towards His Love.



Date. 22 June 1997 

(Prof. Dr. Sultan Altaf Ali )
Haque Bahu House
(Dastigiria)
Kachi Beg, SARIAB
QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN
PAKISTAN.