“_Fakir._”—Much has been previously said under this heading, but it is
well to give here a few of the sayings of the noted Fakir known by the
name generally of “Baba Farīd,” whose shrine is still to be seen in the
town of “Pak Pattan” in the Montgomery district, not far from Mūltān. He
was one of the “Chisti class” and a Shiah, belonging to a tribe of Arab
descent. The Shiahs differ from the Sunnis in the belief that Ali ought
to have succeeded the Prophet, instead of Abubakr, Omar, and Osman.
The shrine is an extensive one, but in order to enter it, it is
necessary to pass in by a small doorway about four feet high and two
feet broad, closed by a door made of sandal wood, to which three locks
are attached, and the key of each is in the custody of a responsible
person. On festival days, however, which happen once a year, the locks
by some magic power fall off of themselves into a cloth held to catch
them.
The devout worshippers enter by the door, and pay each one rupee for the
privilege, and as it is calculated that over 100,000 visit the shrine
each year, the gain to some one class must be enormous. So infatuated do
the devotees become, that it is commonly believed by them that the
parrots cry out “Farīd! Farīd!” as they fly over the shrine.
There are piles of stones near “Ajmere,” arranged in a line, and the
story is that a string of camels carrying bags of sugar were going into
the city, and “Baba Farīd” meeting them enquired of the drivers what the
camels were burdened with. The drivers turned upon him with a sneer and
said, “Stones! Stones!” “Is it so?” replied Farīd, “then let it be
stones!” and lo, and behold, when they came to unload their beasts they
found that the sugar had been really turned into stones, and emptying
all their bags, they left the stones by the road-side, which are to be
seen to this day.
Several verses, or quatrains, have been ascribed to Baba Farīd, and here
are two or three:
Oot! Farīda suthia
Mumm ka deva bââl
Sahib jinnadhay jagthay
Nufferan keah sona nââl