“Ilmon Bas Kareen O Yaar” (Cease this thirst for knowledge, O Friend) is one of the most powerful critiques of intellectual pride by Bulleh Shah. In these thirteen stanzas, he dismantles the ego of the scholar, the judge, and the ritualist, arguing that all worldly and religious learning is a “whirlpool” unless it leads to the Alif—the Divine Unity. Under the guidance of his Murshad, Shah Inayat, Bulleh Shah reveals that true salvation lies in the “Single Point” of Love.
Thematic Connections: Scholarly Pride vs. Divine Love
Bulleh Shah’s message of choosing ‘Alif’ over ‘piles of books’ is echoed by the greatest Sufi masters and poets:
علموں بس کریں او یار
اِکّو اَلف تیرے دَرکار
Ilmon Bas Kareen O Yaar
Ikko Alif Tere Darkar
Cease this search for knowledge, O Friend!
Only the ‘Alif’ is all you require.
علم نہ آوے وچ شمار
اِکّو اَلف تیرے دَرکار
جاندی عمر نہیں اَتبار
علموں بس کریں او یار
Ilm Na Aawe Wich Shumaar
Ikko Alif Tere Darkar
Jaandi Umar Nahin Atbaar
Ilmon Bas Kareen O Yaar
This knowledge cannot be counted or measured
Only the Single Point of ‘Alif’ is what you need
This passing life is not to be trusted
So cease this pursuit of worldly knowledge, O Friend
پڑھ پڑھ لکھ لکھ لاویں ڈھیر
ڈھیر کتاباں چار چُفیر
گردے چانن وچ اَنھیر
پچھو راہ ؟ تے خبر نہ سار
Parh Parh Likh Likh Laawen Dher
Dher Kitabaan Chaar Chufer
Girday Chaanan Wich Anher
Pucho Raah? Te Khabar Na Saar
You read and write until you’ve piled up heaps
Heaps of books surround you on every side
In the midst of all this light, you are in darkness
If asked the Path, you have no news or awareness
پڑھ پڑھ شیخ مشایخ ہویا
بھر بھر پیٹ نِیندر بھر سویا
جاندی وار نین بھر رویا
ڈبا وچ اُرار نہ پار
Parh Parh Sheikh Mashaikh Hoya
Bhar Bhar Peit Neendar Bhar Soya
Jaandi Vaar Nain Bhar Roya
Dubba Wich Ur-aar Na Paar
By reading, you became a Sheikh and a leader
You filled your belly and slept a heavy sleep
At the time of departure, you wept with full eyes
Drowned in the middle, reaching neither shore
پڑھ پڑھ شیخ مشایخ کہاویں
الٹے مسئلے گھروں بناویں
بے علماں نوں لٹ لٹ کھاویں
چھوٹھے سچے کریں اِقرار
Parh Parh Sheikh Mashaikh Kahawen
Ultay Maslay Gharon Banawen
Be-Ilman Noon Lut Lut Khawen
Jhoote Sache Kareen Iqrar
You call yourself a master and a guide
You invent false rulings from your own home
You exploit those who lack formal education
And make false promises of what is true and untrue
پڑھ پڑھ نفل نماز گزاریں
اُچیاں بانگاں چانگاں ماریں
منبر تے چڑھ واعظ پکاریں
کیتا تینوں علم خوار
Parh Parh Nafal Namaz Guzaren
Uchiyan Baangan Chaangan Maaren
Minbar Te Charh Waaz Pukaaren
Keeta Teinu Ilm Khwaar
You offer many extra prayers and rituals
You shout the call to prayer with loud cries
You climb the pulpit to shout your sermons
But this hollow knowledge has only humiliated you
پڑھ پڑھ مُلاں ہوئے قاضی
اللہ علماں باجھوں راضی
ہووے حرص دنوں دن تازی
تینوں کیتا حرص خوار
Parh Parh Mullan Hoye Qazi
Allah Ilman Bajhon Raazi
Howe Hirs Din-on-Din Taazi
Teinu Keeta Hirs Khwaar
You studied until you became a Mullah and a Judge
Yet God is pleased even without such formal learning
Your greed grows fresher with every passing day
Your avarice has brought you nothing but disgrace
پڑھ پڑھ مسئلے روز سناویں
کھانا شک شبہے دا کھاویں
دسے ہور تے ہور کماویں
اندر کھوٹ ، باہر سچیار
Parh Parh Maslay Roz Sunawen
Khana Shak Shubhe Da Khawen
Dassay Hor Te Hor Kamawen
Andar Khot, Bahar Sachyaar
Every day you recite religious rulings to others
Yet you consume that which is doubtful and greedy
You preach one thing and practice another
Deceitful on the inside, posing as truthful on the outside
پڑھ پڑھ علم نجوم وَچارے
گندا راساں بُرج ستارے
پڑھے عزیمتاں منتر چھاڑے
اَبجد گنے تعویذ شمار
Parh Parh Ilm-e-Najoom Wachare
Ginda Raasan Burj Sitare
Parhe Azeemtan Mantar Chade
Abjad Ginay Taweez Shumaar
You study the science of stars and astrology
Calculating zodiacs and the movement of planets
You recite incantations and perform magical rites
Counting Abjad letters and writing endless amulets
علموں پئے قضّئے ہور
اَکھیں والے انھّے کور
پھڑے سادھ تے چھڈے چور
دوہیں جہانیں ہویا خوار
Ilmon Paye Qazaye Hor
Akheen Waale Annay Kor
Phare Saadh Te Chadde Chor
Doheen Jahaanein Hoya Khwaar
Knowledge has only led to further disputes
Those with eyes have become completely blind
They capture the saint and release the thief
Becoming disgraced in both this world and the next
عِلموں پئے ہزاراں پَھستے
راہی اٹک رہے وچ رستے
ماریا ہجر ہوئے دِل خَستے
پیا وچھوڑے دا سر بھار
Ilmon Paye Hazaaran Phastay
Raahi Atak Rahe Wich Rastay
Maarya Hijr Hoye Dil Khastay
Paya Wichode Da Sar Bhaar
From this knowledge, thousands of entanglements arose
The travelers are stuck midway on the path
Struck by separation, their hearts are weary and broken
The heavy burden of longing now weighs upon their heads
عِلموں میاں جی کہاویں
تمبا چک چک منڈی جاویں
دھیلا لَے کے چُھری چلاویں
نال قصائیاں بوہتا پیار
Ilmon Mian Ji Kahawen
Tamba Chuk Chuk Mandi Jawen
Dhela Le Ke Churi Chalawen
Naal Qasayan Bohta Pyaar
Because of this learning, you call yourself ‘Mian Ji’
You lift your skirts and run to the market for profit
For a single penny, you are ready to use the knife
Showing more love to the butchers than to the truth
بوہتا علم عزازیل نے پڑھیا
جُھگا جھاہا اوس دا سَڑیا
گل وچ طوق لعنت دا پَڑیا
آخر گیا اوہ بازی ہار
Bohta Ilm Azazeel Ne Parhya
Jhuga Jha-ha Os Da Sarya
Gal Wich Toq Lanat Da Parya
Aakhir Gya Oh Baazi Haar
Great knowledge was possessed by Azazeel (Satan)
Yet his internal home was utterly destroyed
The collar of a curse was placed around his neck
In the end, he lost the entire game
جد میں سبق عشق دا پڑھیا
دریا ویکھ وَحدت دا وڑیا
گھمن گھیراں دے وچ اَڑیا
شاہ عنائت لایا پار
Jad Main Sabaq Ishq Da Parhya
Darya Vekh Wahdat Da Warya
Ghuman Gheran De Wich Arya
Shah Inayat Laya Paar
When I finally studied the lesson of Love
I plunged into the River of Unity (Wahdat)
Though I was caught in the dangerous whirlpools
Shah Inayat (the Murshad) safely carried me across
بلّھا رافضی نہ ہے سنی
عالم فاضل نہ عامل جُنّی
اِکو پڑھیا علم لدّنی
واحد اَلف میم دَرکار
Bullha Rafzi Na Hai Sunni
Aalim Fazil Na Aamil Junni
Ikko Parhya Ilm-e-Ladunni
Wahid Alif Meem Darkar
Bulleh is neither a sectarian nor a Sunni scholar
Neither a learned sage nor a performer of rites
I have studied only the Divinely inspired knowledge
Only the ‘Alif’ and the ‘Meem’ are what I require
The Trap of Intellectual Pride
In this expansive Kafi, Bulleh Shah delivers a scathing critique of the religious establishment of his time. He uses Azazeel (Satan) as the ultimate warning: Iblis was the greatest scholar among the angels, yet his knowledge could not save him because he lacked humility and love.
True knowledge, according to Bulleh, is Ilm-e-Ladunni (Knowledge from the Presence of God). This cannot be found in heaps of books or sectarian debates. It is found in the “Single Point” of Unity (Alif) and requires a Murshad—like Shah Inayat—to navigate the dangerous “whirlpools” of the mind.
Vocabulary: Ilmon Bas Kareen
- Ikko Alif: Only the One (Symbol of Divine Unity).
- Azazeel: The original name of Iblis (Satan).
- Urar Na Paar: Neither this shore nor that (stuck in limbo).
- Ilm-e-Ladunni: Direct, God-given knowledge.
- Shah Inayat: Bulleh Shah’s spiritual guide.