Qazi Qadan
(1463-1551)

Dr. Badruddin Ujan, a noted scholar & former civil servant has started contributing a series of research based articles on well known politico-religious figures of bye gone era. This being the seventh part of the series of high class writeups.

Qazi Qadan son of Qazi Abu Saeed was born in Bakhar. His ancestors lived in Sehwan, Thatta and lastly at ’Bakhar’. The account of first years of his life is yet to be discovered, but the ancient books of history confirm the year of his death and thus the year of his birth has been calculated, which is about 87 Hijri, i.e 1463 A.D. Thus Qazi Qadan died in Hijri 958, 1551 A.D., as stated by Mir Masoom Bukhari, an associate of the poet.

Qazi Qadan lived during Sama-Arghun era. He has witnessed four kings of the above two tribes, viz. Jam Nizamuddin, Jam Firoze, Shah Beg Arghun and Shah Hassan Arghun. The pages of history are damp in revealing the details of Qadan’s life. However, some ancient Persian and Arabic manuscripts establish sufficient identity of Qazi Qadan and his ancestors. It is stated that his ancestors were highly educated and were ’Qazis’ (judges) of their times.

Qazi Qadan’s poetic status has been established by Mian Muhammad Raza alias Mirza Daryai Thatvi in his Persian book ’Bayanul-Arfeen’. We find seven poems of Qadan along with the poetry of ’Shah-Karim of Bulri, in his book. The authentic details of his life are still secret. But Mir Masoom has written about Qazi Qadan, “that he was well-read and practical man. He was Hafiz, a Qari and an scholar of ’Fiqah’, ’Tafseer’, ’Hadith’, ’Tasuaf’ and Islamic legislation.”

Keeping in view the above qualities and capabilities he was appointed a chief justice by the rulers of his time. His justice was famous which he very cautiously and honestly imparted. This status of Qazi Qadan continued throughout the tenure of above named four rulers of his time. He was honest, wise and God-fearing person and thus he executed justice without any fear or favour to his people. After completing near about four scores of his age he quitted his job and his brother succeeded him. When he breathed his last, he left one daughter Bibi Fatima, behind him. She was Hafiz and kind-hearted lady and is lying buried in ’Makli’.

Qazi Qadan was well-versed in ’Tasauf’. He was ’Sufi’ to his finger tips. Moreover his conscience was alive and he pleaded the cause of ’purity of mind’.

Qazi Qadan was the first Sindhi poet. His seven poems were famous till now which were brought before us by Allama Dr. Daud Pota. But recently 112 poems of Qazi Qadan have been found out from the old records of Church at ’Haryana’ in India and thus his poems rose to 117.

Qazi Qadan has taken a bold step is formulating and twisting the trend of Sindhi poetry. Sindhi poetry was pastoral in nature and was of three kinds. Firstly the folk-poetry, secondly court poetry and thirdly religious or dilactic poetry. We find ’Ginans’ or Pir Sadruddin and Pir Qabeeruddin belonging to third form of poetry at that time.

Qazi Qadan gave a new shape to Sindhi poetry. He build the classical structure of Sindhi poetry and gave it a new form by rejecting the myths and legends which were hitherto be sung in it. Arabic and Persian were the official languages of his time, even then he expressed himself in Sindh. Thus he gave new-ness, thought and imagery to Sindhi poetry, which influenced his successors as well, Shah Karim and Shah Latif were among them.

Qazi Qadan has adopted the path of ’Sufism’, in his poetry because he knew that traditional rules of religion and central over the minds of men have made people un-comfortable and thus they wanted relaxation and enjoyment. That is why he dilated upon free style verse and freedom of expression in his poetry.

According to ’sufism’, God is within us, he is not far away from man. Thus ’to know thyself’, is the topic of study for Sufis and we find the same in Qadan:

The poet tells us that I have suffered a lot in searching my beloved, but I came to know that my beloved is within me: 

Further the poet believes that God is Omni-present, in order to reach Him, one has to shun himself for ’Khudi’. 

We find ’mysticism’ in Qadan’s  poetry. He tells us that this universe is the creation of one Supreme, power and it is of no use to forget Him and indulge in worldly affairs: 

Qazi Qadam has pointed out that man has become selfish and has lost contact with God. He has jumped into marshy land which is in the form of worldly needs and cares, just like a from which is eating filth, though there are flowers in the same pond: 

We find folk-stories, instances and local sceneries in Qadan’s poetry. He has taken the topics from the life of common people. He has intentionality avoided the Persian influences of ’Saqi’ ’cup’ ’wine’, and ’Saqi-Khana’.Qazi Qadan has described the simple living and high thinking g of ’spiritual leader’, he says that, I was woken-up by a ’Murshed’ from slumber, when I got up I visualizes and followed the path leading to Him: 

The above lines are in different style in the recently found manuscript. 

In one of his poems, our poet advises us to follow the path shown by God, forget all others. Because you will not feel desolate and distressed in following Him: 

Qazi Qadan has depicted the philosophy of ’vision’ and ’eyes’. He says that eyes are gateway to palace of God which have hundreds of gates and windows, the vision is the same. You can see Him from every-gate of window: 

These are the selections from Qazi Qadan’s poetry. He has tried to express himself in pure form of Sindhis language. His language is simple, his presentation is artistic, sweet and beautiful. These are the qualities of Qazi Qadan’s poetry.

It is a fact that Qazi Qadan was first Sindhi poet and his personality is undisputed in the field of learning and literature. But there are ample reasons that he has remained a disputed person during the period of his service rendered as a ’chief justice’. He has accepted this high seat during the reign of ’Arghuns’, who were aliens. It is said that he has been misused by the foreign rulers and thus democratic and nationalistic elements suffered very much at the hands of Qazi Qadan as ’Qazi’.

The conscience of Qadan became alive very lately, he realized his action, and he quitted the job which we can prove from his poetry, he says: 

He tells us that worldly knowledge and the status through it, has become a dart and is pinching my soul. The experience of my life has become a crocodile who with its sharp teeth is about o devour me. 

Whatever the case may be, Qazi Qadan was the first Sindhi poet of high rank with qualities of head and heart. 

(Dr. Badar Ujan is a noted Sindhi intellectual & a retired Civil servant).