Bulleh Shah was a Punjabi Sufi poet, believed to have lived from 1680 to 1758. As is a common practice in Indian poetry, his poems include a signature line which contains his name. Bulleh Shah was settled in Kasur, now in Pakistan. His spiritual master was Shah Inayat Qadiri of Lahore.

The ancestral village of Bulleh Shah was Uch Gilaniyan in Bahawalpur, now a part of Pakistan. From there his family first shifted to Malakwal (Multan District, Pakistan) and then to Pandoke, which is about 14 miles southeast of Kasur, Pakistan. Bulleh's real name was Abdullah Shah, but Bulleh was his nickname at home, and that is the name he chose to use as a poet. His family background was religious, his father being a highly religious person. Bulleh wrote primarily in Punjabi, but also in the local spoken language, Siraiki, which is a dialect of Sindhi. His style of poetry is called Kafi, which was already an established style with Sufis who preceded him. Several of his songs are regarded as an integral part of the traditional repertoire of Qawwali, the musical genre which represents the devotional music of the Sufis. The tomb of Bulleh Shah is in Kasur, and he is held in reverence by all Sufis of India and Pakistan.

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Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun Bulleh!

TRANSLATION

to me, I am not known

Not a believer inside the mosque, am I
Nor a pagan disciple of false rites
Not the pure amongst the impure
Neither Moses, nor the Pharoh

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Not in the holy Vedas, am I
Nor in opium, neither in wine
Not in the drunkard`s intoxicated craze
Niether awake, nor in a sleeping daze

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

In happiness nor in sorrow, am I
Neither clean, nor a filthy mire
Not from water, nor from earth
Neither fire, nor from air, is my birth

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Not an Arab, nor Lahori
Neither Hindi, nor Nagauri
Hindu, Turk (Muslim), nor Peshawari
Nor do I live in Nadaun

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Secrets of religion, I have not known
From Adam and Eve, I am not born
I am not the name I assume
Not in stillness, nor on the move

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

I am the first, I am the last
None other, have I ever known
I am the wisest of them all
Bulleh! do I stand alone?

Bulleh! to me, I am not known
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Ulte hor zamane aaye,
Hun asaan bhed sajjan de paaye.
kaa(n) laggad nun maaran lagge,
chiriyan jurre khaaye
iraqiyan nun chabuk paunde,
gade khood khavaye
aapneyan vich ulfat naahee,
ke-he chaachche taaye
piyo puttran ittfaak naa kaahee,
dheeyan naal naa maaye
sachcheyan nun hun milde dhakke,
jhoothe kol bahaaye
agle jaaye bankaale baithe,
pichliyan farash vichaye
...
Bullah jina hukam hazooron andaa,
tina nun kaun hataaye."
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"Perverse times have come,
I know the mystery of the beloved
crows have begun to hunt hawks,
and sparrows feed on falcons
horses bear the whipping,
while donkeys graze on lush green
no love is lost between relatives,
be they younger or elder uncles
There is no accord between fathers and sons,
Nor any between mothers and daughters
The truthful ones are being pushed about,
the tricksters are seated close by
The front liners have become wretched,
the back benchers sit on carpets
Those in tatters have turned into kings,
the kings have taken to begging
O Bulleh, that which is His command
who can alter His decree."

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arsh, kursi tay baan-gan miliyan
makkay pay gaya shor

Bullay Shah Asan marna naahi
mar jaway koi hor

dha-di muchh mana k tay
kiun ho gaya gothh-ma-gothh

andaro kiun nahin moon-da yara
dis-da ee saara khhot

parh parh aalim faazil hoyon tay naam rakhaya Qazi
Seh (100) wari Hujj Makkay da keeta naam rakhaya Haji

phharh talwaar (saword) dilawar (brave) ban-yon tay naaam rakhaya ghazi
Ajay v Bhulliya kujh na khhatti-ya jay Peer na keeta Razi

ik okhha wela aaway ga
sab saak sen bhaj jaway ga

kar maddad paar langaaway ga
o Bhullay da Sultan kuray

Kar kattan wal dhiyaan kuray

Par Parh ilm kitaban thhaki-on
kadi apnay aap noo parhiya ee nahi

paj paj war-da ae-n mandar maseeta-n
kadi man apnay wich war-ia ee nahi

aewen roz shetan naal lar-da aen
kadi nafs apnay naal lar-ia ee nahi

Bullay Shah asmani ud-diyan phhar-da aen
jeh-ra kar baithha ohnoo phhariya ee nahi

Kaa-n Lugra-n noo maran laggay
chir-yaa-n jiray dhaey