The Heart's Chamber: A Sufi's Timeless Quest for God
SAKHI OF Shamaj Tabrez
A Sufi fakir named Shamaj Tabrez, who lived in Multan, endured great suffering in his life—his entire back was peeled of its skin.
In Islam, the concept of reincarnation is not widely accepted, yet Shamaj Tabrez’s deep meditation and relentless chanting of "Allah-Hu" led him to transcend ordinary consciousness. His spiritual practices became so intense that he began witnessing his past lives. When one immerses completely in the divine name, the soul often travels through its previous incarnations.
One day, while sitting among his devotees with his eyes closed, he suddenly began to cry. Concerned, his devotees asked, "Sai Fakir, why are you crying?"
With a heavy heart, Shamaj Tabrez replied, "I have journeyed back through my past lives and have seen nine of them."
Curious, the devotees inquired, "Have you taken birth in this world before? What did you see?"
Shamaj Tabrez nodded and said, "Yes, in each birth, I had different parents and a different family. Every time, my life and circumstances changed, yet my longing for the Divine remained the same."
One of the devotees eagerly asked, "Did you attain the divine vision of Allah-Talaah?"
Shamaj Tabrez sighed deeply and said, "Yes, I meditated on Allah with all my heart, and He always came to meet me. But each time He came, I found myself entangled in worldly affairs. Every time Allah called to me, asking where I had kept a place for Him in my heart, I would insist that I had reserved space for Him.
"But Allah would gently reveal the truth to me, saying, 'Look within your heart. It is already filled with lust, attachment, anger, and worldly desires. You have not made space for Me to dwell within you. That is why I must return.'
"And so, in every birth, this same tragedy repeated—I longed for Allah, but I never truly met Him."
"Dil ka hujra saaf kar, Bhagwan ke rehne ke liye,
Dhyan gehro ka hata, dhyan duniya ka hata,
Apne Sahib ko bithane ke liye."
(Cleanse the chamber of your heart for God to reside,Remove distractions of the world and the mind,So that the Lord may find His place within you.)