Chand Raat Shukarwari Beej- Fasting

The tradition of fasting has been observed by momins since the time of creation.

The only difference was that the day was not particularly a “friday”. The granth of Pir Hasan Kabirdeen called “Hasnapuri” says,

“Jirebhai pehla karta jugmanhe vrat ekadashi mangalwari je jeev karta, te jiv avgatya nahi hota ho jirebhaire”(Verse-12)
Vrat -Rojo, Avgatya-in miserable condition, mangalwar-Tuesday, Ekadashi-eleventh day.

Meaning: O brother in the first jug(Karta jug) the souls that have observed the fast on the 11th day of the month falling on a tuesday will not be in a miserable state.

“Jirebhai bije treta jug manhe vrat chaturdasi ditvari je jeev karta, te jeev avgatya nahi hota ho jirebhai”(Verse-51)

Chaturdasi-14th day of the month, ditvari-sunday

O brother in the second jug (treta jug) the souls that have observed the fast on the 14th day of the month falling on a sunday will not be miserable.

“Jirebhai trije duapur jug manhe vrat amas somvari je jeev karta, te jeev avgatya nahi hota ho jirebhai”(verse-121)

Somvar-Monday, amas- the day before new moon cycle begins.

O brother in the third jug the souls that have observed the fast on the last day of the month (amas) falling on a monday will not be miserable.

“Jirebhai aaj kaljug manhe vrat beej shukravari je jeev karta, te jeev avgatya nahi hota ho jirebhai” (verse- 144)

Beej-second day of the month (Day after the new moon)

O brother in this kaljug the souls that observe the fast on the second day of the month falling on a friday will not be in a miserable state.

So clearly the ginan states that the tradition of fasting has been there since the creation..The fasting here is also symbolic. Our ismaili tradtion is an essoteric tradition so along with the shukravari beej 2-3 times a year, we should always observe the “batuni fast” as Mowla Sultan mohammad Shah says in Kalam-e-Imam-Mubin, Farman  # 128 pg. 292 Kalam –E-Imam-E-Mubin.

“Prophet Mohamad has commanded you to fast. Fasting is for physical discipline. It is necessary to be discreet, so others don’t criticise. It is compulsory for Hakikatis to be fasting for 360 days of the year. These fasts are as follows:

1. Do not lie
2. Do not cheat
3. Do not backbite

“These Hakiki fasts for 360 days are compulsory for Ismailis”

Also Read: Salgirah Mubarak Chand Raat Farmans 2024

Also the following ginan by pir shams talks about how the tradition of shukravari beej started.

Eji Farman kari Nar-ji boliyaa by Pir Shams.

Eji Farman kari Nar-ji boliyaa ,tame saambharo Pir Shams vaat;
tame jaavo aaj jamaat maa,ane parkho teunaa imaan 1

O Pir Shams listen to me, says our Imam (Kassamshah), You go to the jamats and test their Iman(Faith).

Eji Taare Pir Shams boliyaa,Shaah ji saambharo mori vaat;
tame je farmaavo te maangiye,te mang-sun gat jamaat paas 2

That is when Pir Shams told Imam listen to what I have to say;

I will ask whatever you command me to ask from the jamat.

Eji Kaatthaa te ghav-ni maang-jo rottli,ane maang-jo maannas maas;

Je maannas maas aap-se,te paam-se vaikhuntth vaas 3

(Kaathaa Ghau-The hardest type of wheat grains to grind so making Rotli is the most difficult)
Imam says to the Pir go and ask for the rottli that is made from the kaathaa ghav and the flesh of a man. The one who gives his flesh will attain paradise.

Eji Taare te Pir Shams chaaliyaa,aaveyaa unchh multaan maan;
tiyaan gat jumlaa-ji aavi paay laagaa,Gur ji maango tamaari shikh 4

That is when Pir left for the city of north Multan,
Where the entire jamat welcomed the Pir and prostrated and asked the Pir to tell them his wish.

Eji Sikh sampat hoy tevij aapjo, ane paalo te aapna man; pann bhojan karo to aashish daiye, vari dayie te dil aashish 5

Bring whatever you can afford to , but bring with the true intention. And whoever can feed me I shall give them the blessings from my heart.

Eji Taare Pir Shams boliyaa, tame saambhro gat jamaat;

Ettlo amaaro niam chhe, pachhe daie dil aashish 6

That is when Pir Shams said Listen to me O jamats;

This (Verse below) is my principle and then I shall bless you…

Eji Kaatthaa te ghauv-ni rottli, paase joiye te maannas maas;
je maannas maas aap se, te paamse vaikhuntth vaas

I will eat the rottli made from kathaa wheat and have flesh of a man;
He who gives his flesh will attain paradise 7

Eji Taare jumlaa-ji jaai vaat vichaari, konn manas aapse potaanu maas;

Pir Shams sat chhoddaavse,konn jaaiyse te Pir ne paas 8

That is when the jamat went and thought about who is going to give his own flesh;

Who is going to go to the pir and break his fast.

Eji Pir Shams to tasbhi lai betthaa, saaheb raakh-jo hamaari laaj;

Saat divas no rojo raakhio,ane koi na aave Pir ne paas 9

Pir Shams then sits with his tasbih and prays to mowla to save him from humiliation;

Pir had fasted for seven days and no one had come to him until then.

Eji Ek andho abhiyaagat khaanaa maanhe bettho, te aaveyo Pir ne paas;
sonaa kattaari Gur ji haathe liyo,ane bharkho amaaro maas 10

Then one blind man (guest) comes to the pir and asks to cut off his flesh with a golden sword.

Eji Tame kahiyo to ame bharkheyo,ane dhan ghaddi ne dhan raat;

Jo dine tun sirejio, te mottaa tamaaraa bhaag 11

Pir says “you said and I ate”; (Pir accepts his flesh as our faith is the faith of intention) and says to the blind man, glorious was the moment when you were created, you are truly blessed.

Eji Taare Kaasam Shaah aape aaviyaa, aavi maanddiyaa ghatt-paatt;
Noor naa kancholaa haathe aaleyaa, Pir Shams chaaliyaa tene saath 12

Then during the last moments of Pir ‘s life, Imam Kassamshah himself comes and bestows Abesafa (Hauze Kausar) with His own hands and takes the soul of the pir with Him.

Eji Taare Pir Shams boliyaa,Nar ji saambharo mori vaat;

Ek andho abhiyaagat huaa,tene aaljo Noor Ilaahi 13

That is when Pir Shams said “O Mowla listen to me”; shower that blind guest with Noor Ilahi (Bol)

Noor naa kancholaa te pi gayo, tene sujeyaa nauv-e nand 14

He drank the Abesafa (Internalised the truth) hence realized all the secrets of all the universes.

Eji Taare Pir Shams boliyaa, andhaa saambharo mori vaat;

Tame jaavo gat jamaat maan,have thai chhe haalann velaa 15

Pir Shams then tells the blindman, to go and tell the jamat that it is time for the pir to leave this world (Death)

Eji Taare te andho abhiyaaghat uthiyo, te aaviyaa gat jamaat maanhe;

Have sandhuk lai ne saabdhi karo,Pir ni thaai chhe haalann velaa 16

And the blind man comes to the jamat and tells the jamat to prepare for the Pir’s funeral.

Eji Jumlejiye taare vaat vichaari, andhaa kayaa te sreviyaa Pir;

Kaale bhite bhattak-to hato, hamnnaa chaale chhe jamin thi adhar 17

The jamat is thinking what kind of prayers did the blind man perform to receive such blessings that he is walking above the grounds while until yesterday he was banging his head into the walls.

Eji Ame Pir Shams sreviyaa, ane pidhaa Noor Ilaahi;

Je maannas maas aap-se,te paamse vaikhunth vaas 18

The blind man says “I followed the Pir’s command (surrendered) hence got to drink the Abesafa (Noor Ilahi)”

Eji Taare jumle jiye vaat vichaari, te aaveaa Pir-ji ne paas;

Sonaa kattaari Gur-ji haathe liyo,ane bharkho amaaro maas 19

Then the jamat comes to the Pir with the golden sword and asks the Pir to cut their flesh.

Eji Velaa hati te to vahi gai, konn bharkhe te maannas nu maas;

Have sandhuk laine saabdhi karo, Pir ni thai chhe haalann velaa 20

Pir replies, the moment of the test has passed, now who wants to eat the human flesh, now just prepare for my funeral because it is time for me to leave this world

Eji Taare jumelo ji sarve rovaane laagaa,ane ruve te nar ne naar;

Ruttho Pir iyaanthi darge jaay she,te futtaa aapnnaa nasib 21

That is when the men and women in the jamat started crying in repentance because they could not earn Pir’s happiness and how cursed they were.

Eji Taare Pir Shams boliya, tame saambhlo gat jamaat;

Have chelo javaab tamne mukaane desun,have thai chhe haalann velaa 22

Pir shams says Listen O jamats, “I will give my last answer in the grave”, it is time for me to leave (from this world)

Eji Vaishakh mahinu ne taarikh satarmi,ane bhirespat-vaar nu din;

Te din-e Pir jomu sifaareyo, te sefaariyo unch multaan maany 23

Vaishakh is a gujarati month and the 17th day of that month, and birespatvaar-Friday, is the day when the pir died in the city of Multan.

Eji Satar-soh Pir-naa kaandhi thaayaa,te aaveyaa june mukaam;
janajo laay mukaa-ne raakheyaa, Pir ji aaljo chhelo javaab 24

1700 people lifted pir’s body and came to the cemetery and laid down the body and asked for the last answer (that pir had promised).

Eji Taare Pir Shams boliyaa,tame saambhro gat jamaat;

Baar baar mahine aaj-no rojo raakhjo, to paamso vaikuntth vaas 25

Then pir Shams replied that every twelve months fast on this day then you shall achieve paradise.

Eji Te rojo raakhjo nar ne naar, ane raakhjo te naanaa baal;

Baar mahine rojo raakh jo, to paamso vaikhuntth vaas 26

Everyone including men, women and children should fast every year to achieve paradise

Eji Pir Shams ginaan-j boliyaa, tame saambharo gat jamaat;

To amaaro saraap tamne nahi laage, tame paamso vaikhuntth vaas 27

If you fast then you will be saved from my curse and you shall attain paradise.