This study is mainly concerned with the involvement of Baluchi Women in Religious and Sufistic Rituals and Poetry. Another objective of the study is to explore the links between Central Asian and Baluch traditions in this regard. The study focuses on the participation of women in Sufi practices in Baluchistan particularly in the context of devotional poetry, songs and vocals as practiced in daily life. Despite the strong gender component of Sufi rituals discourse, women’s contribution to this is less known and has been ignored despite the fact that women have done much to educate the renowned male Sufis. The dilemma is that though how strong, women are only referred to as mother or sisters or spouses of the members of a Sufi order (silsila). The paper mainly focuses the rituals and folklore of Baluchis with female participation and the voices in the ceremonials and poetry used in devotional settings.

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Dr Farhat Naz Rahman, is Associate Professor and Chairperson Division of Islamic Studies and Research, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi (e. mail: [email protected])
Dr Muhammad Rashid Kamal, is Professor of Mathematics at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Karachi ([email protected])
1.    Introduction

As regards area, Baluchistan is the largest province of Pakistan. Though, population wise the density is low but in many aspects it is more important than other provinces. It is rich in minerals and natural gas.  The recent cultural history of the province dates back to the first century A. D. Area wise Baluchistan is prominently demarcated in terms of coastal, deserted and hilly areas. Every part has its own cultural and societal links. Ethnic division is more diverse than the spatial division. It is distressing that the attitude towards women is miserable in all the ethnic and spatial segments. In 7th century Islam was introduced in Baluchistan through Arab invasion. Though, the tribal traditions overwhelm, the cultural roots are much influenced by Islam.  Islam was introduced to Baluchistan via Iran so the culture has strong Persian and Turkish impressions. Particularly the Sufi traditions from Turkey and Iran are most popular and influential. The Central Asian Sufi traditions have close ties with the Sufi traditions of Turkey and Iran. It is important to mention that feministic traditions and rituals are quite different from masculine segment. These rituals include both Islamic (Sufi) and the traditional tribal ceremonies and practices. These rituals include Dhikr, Milad, Dances and Songs and religious recitations [10]. These activities have a close resemblance with the activities in Iran, Turkey and Central Asia including Bosnia, Macedonia, Balkan and the areas earlier in the Turkish control. This study not only discusses the feministic rituals and traditions in Baluchistan but also explores its links with Central Asian traditions rituals.

1.1    Baluchistan in History and Geography
Baluchis are the early race of Iranians who are famous for their special celebrations and feats. They moved to the region in the early twelfth century.  At the Moghul era, this terrain became known as “Baluchistan.”
There is still a controversy over the name of “Baluch/Baloch.” Some declare it “nomad,” while others argue that it is an Aryan (Old Persian) word which stands for “the cock’s crest.”
Balochi language is spoken in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, India, Turkmenistan, the Arab-States of Persian Gulf, and East Africa. It is categorized as a component of the Iranian group of the Indo-European language family which includes, Dari, Persian, Pashto, Kurdish, Tajik. It is said that Baluchi is closely related to Kurdish and Persian.

To regulate social behaviors there were no laws and regulations formulated. Due to vacuum caused by the absence of laws the traditions and customs in fact filled the space which were used in the regulation of many social affairs and hence have the benefit of special recognition among the Baluchi tribal people.
The book named ‘Gashin’ [7]  by Abdol Ghaffar Nadim written in Baluchi language says: “The Baluchi folklore is being inspired by the Baluchi way of life and, therefore, could have addressed many needs of the tribal people who were forced to settle their disputes on the basis of their traditions and customs in the absence of a powerful central government.” A prominent aspect of Baluchi tradition is storytelling in which they are rich and self sufficient. Poets and storytellers traditionally held in high places. The oral tradition conveys the theme of Baluchmayar, the Baluchi code of honor.

1.2    Sufism and its General Impacts in Baluchistan
Divine knowledge is possible through physical sciences and only if there is a deep insight which according to Dr. Iqbal would give a fresh meaning to the physical science. The scientific observation of Nature, he says, keeps man in close contact with Ultimate Reality, and thus sharpens his inner perception for a deeper vision of it. All searches for knowledge are essentially a form of prayer [6]
The Muslims first entered Central Asia in the middle of the Seventh century through raids during their conquest of Persia. The new way of life brought by the Muslims then spread throughout the region. In the ensuing centuries native cultures were replaced or transformed as Islam moulded the people into a single community – the Islamic Ummah

Although geographical boundaries of India were dominated by Muslim rulers, the spiritual domain of Indian people was conquered not by the foreign invaders but by the saints who were actually emperors of the emperors. They won the hearts of Indian people by their teachings, and resultantly Hindus willingly embraces Islam. Muslim saints advocated the teachings of Islam which were based on equality, brotherhood, and love. This is the same as that happened in Central Asia, Persia and even in Russia. Baluchistan was the first privileged area where message of Islam was accepted by a group of Baluchis who reached Madina to embrace Islam during the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) [ (See p.43-44 Qais Abdul Rasheed and seventy leading people went to Arabia from Zhob)].[9]

Many Muslim saints reached Baluchistan and people were blessed by their teachings in the early days of Islam. However, they did not permanently reside in the region. The other saints who did not reach Baluchistan themselves influenced the residents through their stanch followers who travelled to the region spreading their spiritual teachings. The people of Baluchistan fully benefited from their teachings. The followers of these saints settled in Baluchistan and continued to impart spiritual teachings.
 Baluchistan gains a prominent and significant region in South Asia in terms of its geography, history and politics. The Sufis of various orders settled in the broad deserted plains and high peaks of rugged mountains. Such noble and precious teachings changed the lives of their devotees completely. The four Sufi orders i.e. Chishtiya, Suhrwardiya, Naqshbandia and Qadiriya are very prominent in the Sub-continent. The influence of these Sufi orders can be observed everywhere in Baluchistan, but the impact of Chishtiya and Naqshbandia orders was far greater than the other Sufi orders. It is important to mention that Naqshbandia order is very popular in Central Asia and Balkan and Bosnia etc.  These were the saints of these orders not the conquerors who  hoisted the flag of Islam in the vast plains of Baluchistan.    

1.3    Islam, Sufism and Sufi Practices
Sufism traces its roots back to the origins of Islam and focuses on the inner, mystical dimension of the faith and a personal relationship with Allah (God), especially through meditation. The word Sufism (originally – tasawuf), is derived from the Suffa, a shaded platform outside the home of the Prophet Muhamamd (SAW) where the group of the companions of the Prophet (SAW) sit in exclusive devotion. The root Sufi means “pure”. It corresponds to the spirit of the Sufi teachings and spiritual manifestation of its best representatives. The first ever educational foundation was laid by the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in Madinah and his students were known as Ashab al-Suffah (i.e. the Companions of the Platform) because it was on that raised structure in Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque) called Suffah where they get their education.
It is here necessary to give the opinion of the four prominent jurists of Islam (Faquihs/Imams). They are Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi’I, Imam Malik ibn Anas and Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal
It was reported by Ibn Abidin in ad-Durr al-Mukhtar that Imam Abu Hanifa said: “If it were not for two years, I would have perished. For two years I accompanied Sayyidina Ja’far as-Sadiq and I acquired the spiritual knowledge that made me a Gnostic in the Way” [2].

Imam Malik ibn Anas gives a judicious view regarding the relationship of Tassawwuf and Sharia as follows.
 “Whoever practices Tasawwuf without learning Shari’a corrupts his faith, while whoever learns Shari’a without practicing Tasawwuf corrupts himself. Only he who combines the two proves true.”
It is narrated by the muhaddith Ahmad Zarruq (d. 899) [Qawa`id al-tasawwuf, Cairo, 1310], the hafiz Ali al-Qari al-Harawi (d. 1014) [Sharh `ayn al-`ilm wa-zayn al-hilm, Cairo: Maktabat al-Thaqafa al-Diniyya, 1989, vol. 1, p. 33]

The view of Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal is very clear by his advice to his son Abdullah that is narrated as follows.
“O my son, you have to sit with the People of Tasawwuf, because they are like a fountain of knowledge and they keep the Remembrance of Allah in their hearts. They are the ascetics and they have the most spiritual power” [8]

References

1.    Abbas, Shemeem Burney. The Female Voice in Sufi  Ritual, Texas University Press,
2002, p.43.

2.    Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol. 1, p. 43)]. “Be both a faqih and a Sufi [sufiyyan]: do not be only one of them. Verily, by Allah’s truth, I am advising you sincerely”  (Imam as-Shafi’i, Diwan, pp. 47, 66)

3.    Annemarie Schimmel, Mystical dimension of Islam, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1975, p. 432.

4.    As-Sulami, Abu Abd as Rahman, Early Sufi Women (Dhikr an-nswa al-muta ‘abbidat as sufiyaat) translated by Rkia. E.Cornell, Fons Vitae, Louisville, KY1999.

5.    Helminski, Camille, Women and Sufism, Gnosis #30 (Winter 1994).San Fransisco, CA.

6.    M. Iqbal: The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. Pp. 54, 86 (London 1934).

7.    Pirmohamad M. Zehi , Edited by: Shapour Suren-Pahlav, http://nushkitribe.blogspot.com/p/baloch-cultural.html

8.    Shaykh Amin al-Kurdi, Tanwir al-Qulub, p. 405

9. The Sufis of Balochistan, their teachings and ways of preaching. By Dr Abdul Ali Achakzai and Qari Abdul Rahman, Journal of History and Culture of Pakistan, October 2010-March 2011.

10. Razia SULTANOVA : From Shamanism to Sufism : Women, Islam and Culture in Central Asia, London & New York : I.B. Tauris,