{{Short description|Punjabi poet and Sufi (1836–1944)}} {{distinguish|text=[[Mullah Shah Badakhshi]], 17th-century Sufi}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2012}} {{Infobox writer | name = Sain Maula Shah | image = Sain Maula Shah.jpg | native_name = Maula Bakhash<br />(Maula Shah) | birth_date = 1836 | birth_place = Majitha, Amritsar, India | death_date = 5 September 1944<br />(17 Ramadan 1369) | period = 20th Century <!-- | influenced_by = * [[Rumi]] * [[Abdul-Qadir Gilani]] * [[Muhammad Qadri]] --> | genres = {{flatlist| * Kafi * C Harfi * Athware * Folk Tales * Baran Mah }} | notableworks = {{flatlist| * Zohra Mushtri * Sassi Punoo * Mirza Sahiban * Heer Ranjha * Bughamal Bishnoo * Chandar Badn * Dachi Maula Shah }} | module = {{Infobox clergy|child=yes | religion = [[Sunni]] [[Islam]] }} }}
'''Maula Shah''' (Punjabi / Urdu :مولا شاہ رحمتہ اللہ علیہ / ਮੌਲਾ ਸ਼ਾਹ) (1836–1944) was a poet associated with [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] [[epic poem]]s and folk tales.<ref>[[#Mi|Mir, p. 88]]</ref> He later became a Muslim [[ascetic]]-[[Sufi]] and mystic poet.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ustad Daman – poet of two Punjabs |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/612048/ustad-daman-poet-of-two-punjabs |publisher=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |date=10 March 2011}}</ref> He wrote seven books of poetry. He was creator of great folk tales in Punjabi literature but his known books of poetry are Sassi Punnu, Bughamal Bishnoon, Mirza Sahibaan, Heer Ranjha, Zohra Mushtari and Chandar Badan.
== Early life == His birth name was ''Maula Bakhash''. Based on his extreme struggle in [[Sufism]], his "[[Murshid]]", or spiritual teacher, awarded him the name Maula Shah. Later he moved to [[Majitha]] in 1836. His father's name was Kareem Bakhash, who was a member of a [[Rajput]] tribe, [[Jandrah]], which was associated with [[Kashmir]].
During his youth, he briefly lived in Katra (Koucha) [[Bhagian]] as well as [[Katra Ghanaian]] of [[Amritsar]]. In old age he lived in [[Tibber District]], [[Gurdaspur]] ([[India]]).
==Writing style==
Maula Shah used verses in different styles known as Se Harfi & Kafi, Additionally, he was a [[sufi]] writer and had command in five [[languages]] [[Urdu]], [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Arabic]] & [[English language|English]] which he used in his writings
==Books==
Maula Shah was a very prolific author. His books include: # Sat Ganj Aarsi # Sassi Punoo # Mirza Sahiban # Bughamal Bishnoo # Chandar Badn # Dachi Maula Shah # Guft Guftar # Latkeen Latkeen Aa Gaya # "Phir Guyyan Rutan" # "Roda Jalali" # "Shajrah Naushahian" # "Baran Imam"
===Legacy=== Maula Shah influenced many people, including; # Sain Haider Shah (Buried in Farooq Abad Distt. Sheikhupura) # Sufi Abdul Raheem Rahim # Muhammad Sharif Faisalabadi, # Muhammad Ismail Manzar, # Dr. Mian Zafar Maqbool # [[Hazrat Babajan|Babajan]] (mentor of mystic [[Meher Baba]])
He also influenced woman Sufi saint, [[Hazrat Babajan|Babajan]] who died in 1931, who in turn became master of mystic [[Meher Baba]].
==Death== He died on 6 September 1944 (i.e.17th Ramadan 1363 (A.H)). He was laid to rest in the back yard of his home.
== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}} * {{cite book |title=The social space of language: vernacular culture in British colonial Punjab|author= Farina Mir|publisher=University of California Press|year= 2010|isbn=978-0520262690 |page=88 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EUPc5pDWKikC&q=%22Maula+Shah%22&pg=PA88 |ref=Mi }}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110129053335/http://www.noshahiqadri.com/ Noshahi Qadri order, website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Shah, Maula}} [[Category:Punjabi-language poets]] [[Category:1836 births]] [[Category:1944 deaths]] [[Category:People from Amritsar district]] [[Category:Indian Sufi saints]] [[Category:Qadiri order]] [[Category:Sufi poets]] [[Category:People from Punjab Province (British India)]]