Sajid Chishti: An analysis of a Sufi Poet’s Na‘atiya Legacy

Abstract

Sajid Chishti stands out as a distinguished and unique voice in Urdu Na‘atiya (Prophetic praise) poetry, whose poetic compositions are a beautiful and profound expression of love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). His Na‘at collection titled "Bahār-e-Sukhan" (The Spring of Speech) was published twenty-three years after his demise, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Syed Irfan Nayyar. The title was chosen by Sajid Chishti himself, and it aptly encapsulates the thematic richness and spiritual fragrance embedded in the work. Bahār-e-Sukhan is more than a mere title—it signifies a blossoming garden of devotion and aesthetic creativity rooted in the love of the Prophet (PBUH). Chishti's other collections—"Naghma-e-Rāz" (mystical praise poetry) and "Gulzār-e-Sukhan" (ghazals)—are currently in preparation for publication, indicating his sustained poetic output and creative diversity. Sajid Chishti was among the few Sufi poets of his era whose poetry gained widespread popularity among qawwals (devotional singers) across Pakistan.