Manghopir & Crocodiles The oldest Sufi Shrines in Karachi Pakistan 1 April 2010

Manghopir & Crocodiles The oldest Sufi Shrines in Karachi Pakistan 1 April 2010

Pir Mangho Urs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pir Mangho Urs (Urdu: عرس پیر منگھو) is an annual festival (urs) at the shrine of Sufi Pir Mangho Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan at Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The urs marks the death anniversary of Pir Mangho and is held annually in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah. The Urs entirely separate from the more widely known Sheedi Mela that is also helt at the Manghopir Shrine.
Contents [hide]
1 Manghopir
2 Sheedis and festivals
3 Crocodiles
4 Hot springs and healing resort
5 See also
6 External links
[edit]Manghopir

Manghopir has the oldest Sufi shrines in Karachi, hot sulphur springs that are believed to have curative powers, and many crocodiles - believed locally to be the sacred disciples of Pir Mangho. Balochs often call this place as 'Mangi' or Garm-aap / Sard-aap (due to the presence of the hot & cold springs).
[edit]Sheedis and festivals

Manghopir is mostly inhabited by one of Pakistan's smallest ethnic communities, Makrani or Sheedi. Sheedi are said to be the descendants of African slaves brought from Zanzibar and maintain their distinct African identity in the midst of the dominating South Asian cultures.
Presently, these African-Pakistanis live in various parts of Karachi. Most are found in Lyari, but they are also found in Malir, Moaach Goth, Manghopir, and further interior at Sindh and Balochistan. Due to Lyari's ethnic population, it is often called 'Little Africa'. In Baghdadi, Lyari (an abode of such ethnicity) vicinities have names like Shedi Village and Nairobi. During the British rule or possible before, Baghdadi and many areas in Lyari functioned as a slave market where African slaves were brought and sold. Women from these black families worked as nannies for the children of traders. Later, these people amalgamated themselves with local Balochs and also adopted various Balochi and Islamic traditions, in addition maintaining their distinct African cultural heritage. For example, some African touch festivals like Gowaati, Layvaa (dancing over the fire), dhammal, beating Congo Drums and many forms of witch craft are still practiced. A prominent Urdu poet and Lyari citizen, Noon Meem Danish, proudly claims to be the great-great-grandchild of an African slave from Zanzibar. "Now after centuries of amalgamation, these peoples proudly call themselves as Baloch or Makrani."
[edit]Crocodiles

The crocodiles are an integral part of the shrine, chronicle of the saint, and are so tightly interwoven that it is almost impossible to judge between fact & fiction. There are many traditions about myth of crocodiles, as if it is believed that Baba Farid gifted the reptiles to Manghopir. The second myth is quite factious - during a visit of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (the celebrated saint of Sindh) in order to make the barren valley more inhabitable, he caused a hot spring to issue forth from the rock and a grove of date palms to spring up from the ground and the crocodiles were originally the lice of a saint, which he gifted to Pir Mango, to put them into the pond and then each turned into a crocodile. According to a third legend, the crocodiles were introduced in Manghopir by Mor Mubarak (also a saint), who brought them from a cave in Korangi, as a result, after the name of saint, the chief of crocodiles (the eldest one) came to be known as 'Mor Sahib'.
According to scientific explanations, these crocodiles were carried through some heavy floods, during ancient times and later gathered or collected at this pond. Archaeological investigations have also suggested the existence of a Bronze Age settlement (2500-1700 BC) near Manghopir, who worshipped crocodiles and before the advent of Islam crocodiles were also thought sacred for Hindus. More to the point, certain signs of crocodile-myth in form of animal magic & witchcraft are also seen in the African countries like Guinea and Zaire. Certainly, these trends are because of the unique nature of the reptile, which is always quick and ruthless and one who maintains a cool behavior at the surface of water, while paddling like a devil underneath.
[edit]Hot springs and healing resort

There are hot and cold springs about a kilometer from the shrine. Warm water passing through the sulphur rocks is said to contain some medicinal qualities. Many people with skin diseases regularly come from long distances to have a bath to cure them. There are separate swimming pools and shower rooms for men and women. Scientific analysis has shown that this warm water is naturally saturated with carbon dioxide, besides containing some sulpher & other skin friendly nourishments, which are no doubt suitable for many skin-diseased patients.

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• April
• 2010

[TM15C]

My dear brothers and sisters in Islaam, the worst thing to affect our Muslim Ummah is that people worship other than Allaah. There are now places where people go to shrines built above graves and there they worship the dead by calling upon / dua / supplicating to the dead - Indeed this is Shirk and expels from Islaam.

Another evil matter that has affected the Muslim Ummah is terrorism - the targetting of innocent people - This is forbidden (haram).

I hope we can love each other as brothers.

[MunawarAhmed7]

@TM15C yes u r right :)

[AYAZ0001]

good munawwar bhai bohat achi movie hai main khud yehan rehta hoon magar k pond k peeche mera ghar hai

apne ilaake ki ye video dekh kar bohat khushi hui thanks

[MunawarAhmed7]

@AYAZ0001 :)

[miran282]

wow great excilent

[MunawarAhmed7]

@miran282 :)

[mastfaqir]

@TM15C you are a ghair muqalid.and a terrorist.

[TM15C]

Hadeeth - The Prophet Muhammad said: "Allaah cursed the Jews and the Christians for taking the graves of their prophets as Masjids." --- Refer to the English Translation of Saheeh Bukhari, Book of Prayer, volume 1, Book 8, Hadeeth no: 427 & 428

In Islaam it is FORBIDDEN to take graves as mosques

In Islaam it is FORBIDDEN to worship created beings and objects.

In Islaam - The mosques are only for Allaah and ALL worship is only due to Allaah - Who is the sole Lord, Creator & Provider of all things

[TM15C]

@azim8111 Sufis supplicate to people who died many centuries ago. For example Sufis pray/ dua/ invoke/ supplicate as follows: "O Chisti help me" - THIS PRAYER/ DUA IS SHIRK because it involves worship to a human being

Shias supplicate as follows: "O Alee help me" or "O Husain intercede for me" - AGAIN, THESE SHIA DUAS ARE ALSO SHIRK because they involve worshipping humans

Catholic Christians supplicate as follows: "O Jesus help me" or "O Mary intercede for me" - THIS IS ALSO SHIRK

[TM15C]

@azim8111

HADEETH - The Prophet Muhammad said: "If you ask, ask of Allaah, and if you seek help, then seek the help of Allaah." [Tirmidthee, good and authentic]

HADEETH - The Prophet said: "Dua is worship". [SAHEEH (authentic) - Reported by Ahmad and the compilers of the Sunans].

The above 2 narrations imply that when a Muslim supplicates/ dua, then he should only call upon Allaah.

DUA is an act of worship, which can only be directed to Allaah.