Shah Hussain

Shah Hussain Biography

Shah Hussain was a great Punjabi Sufi poet from Lahore of present-day Pakistan. A pioneer of Punjabi poetry, he is regarded as a Sufi saint, belonged to the Dhudhi clan of Rajputs. He lived during the period - 1538–1599. His poetry consists entirely of short poems known as Kafis. His love for a Brahmin boy called "Madho Lal" is famous, and their names are integrated to be called - "Madho Lal Hussain". Their tombs are placed near, currently located at Baghbanpura, Lahore. He led a saint’s life.

Shah Hussain was the son of a weaver Sheik Usman called Nusikhia. He belonged to the Dhudhi clan of Rajputs. His father was converted to Islam during King Feroz Shah's era. He moved to Lahore and took weaving as profession. It is believed that he was considered as an outcaste by his family following his conversion to Islam and moved to Lahore where he got settled. In those days conversion was mostly done in the lower castes.

Shah Husaain studied at Abu Bakar's madrassa in Taxali Gate of Lahore and started learning Quran. He was initiated onto the spiritual path by Shah Bahlol Dariai of Chiniot. Later he fully memorized Quran. He continued with rigorous worships and used to spent time on the banks of river Ravi. He became a disciple of Sheikh Saad Ullah in his mid-1930s and later he fully abandoned the path of organized religion.

He fell for a Brahmin boy’s love and his name was Madho. His love was so intense that he changed his name to Madhoo Lal Hussain. Not only that Madhoo became the leader after Hussain’s death and was buried next to his lover-Guru. They were openly in love and the society accepted it, though it was not a smooth sailing, as told in his verses. The Imam of Malamti sect, he had more than a 100 followers.

He is the first major classic poet who used the Heer-Ranjha metaphor as expression of Supreme Being. His language is urban and quite close to present-day expressions. Hussain was the most defiant intellectual of Punjab during his period.

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Updated: January 28, 2016