History
Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari (c. 595-690 AH, 1199–1291 CE) was a Syed (a direct descendent of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH), a Sufi saint, and a revered missionary at heart. He was a follower of Baha-ud-din Zakariya of the Suhrawardiyya Sufi order. Bukhari was born on Friday, the fifth day of the twelfth month (Zil Hijjah) of the year 1199 AD ~ 595 AH in Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan. Bukhari was the son of Syed Ali Al-Moeed and the grandson of Syed Ja’far Muhammed Hussain. Bukhari’s early education was provided under the supervision and guidance of his father. He completed his education in his seventh year and is known to have performed several miracles even in childhood. Before Surk Posh reached Manhood, he had a following of more than 1500 learned men. He was later influenced by Abu Hafs Umar al-Suhrawardi.
Bukhari’s first wife was Syeda Fatima, daughter of Syed Qasim Hussain Bukhari. Surk Posh Bukhari and Fatima were blessed with two sons, Syed Ali and Syed Ja’far. In 635 AH, after Fatima’s death, Bukhari moved at the age of 40 with his two sons from Bukhara to Bhakkar, Punjab Pakistan. However, both Ali and Ja’far went back to bukhara and are buried in Bukhara.
Bukhari’s life was spent travelling. As an Islamic missionary, he converted tribes such as the Soomro, Samma, Chadhar, Sial, Daher, Mazari and Warran. Bukhari was one of the Char Yaar (not to be confused with the Rashideen). The Char Yaar (Four Friends) was the group of pioneers of the Suhrawardiyya Sufi and Chisti movements of the 13th century in South Asia. The char yaar were:
Baha-u-Din Zakaria of Multan (1170 – 1267)
Baba Farid Shakar Ganj of Pakpattan (1174 – 1266)
Lal Shahbaz Qalandar of Sehwan (1177 – 1294)
Surk Posh Bukhari of Uch Sharif (1192 – 1294)
It is said that 17 leading tribes of Punjab accepted Islam at the hands of Baba Farid. Some of these tribes were Kharals, Dhudhyan, Tobian and also Wattoo, a Rajput tribe. Shahbaz Qalandar had a great following in Multan and Northern Sindh. Surk Posh Bukhari founded the “Jalali” section of the Suhrawardiyya order of Sufi. He converted the Samma, the Sial, the Chadhar, the Daher and the Warar tribes of the Southern Punjab and Sindh. Some of his followers (mureed) spread to Gujarat.
Bukhari died at the age of 95 on the 19th day of the 5th month (Jumada al-awwal) 690 AH (20 May 1291 CE) in Uch, Punjab.
Bukhari was known as Surkh-posh (“clad in red”) because he often wore a red mantle. Syed Jalaluddin Surkh Posh Bukhari (c.1198 A.D) made Uch a center of religious education and preaching. Hazrat Jahanian Jahan Gasht (1308-1384) belonged to this land of piety and righteousness. The well-known reference of history “Tabqate Nasiri’s” writer Minhaj Siraj spent most part of his life at Uch.
During his vast travels and preaching of Islam Surk Posh met with some of prominent people of his time.