Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 6.djvu/196

A SYUD OF UPPER SIND. One of the great Sind saints, Ali Shiraz, was, however, a Syud, of whom Captain Burton rehites the following tradition, which is devoutly believed:—"In early youth he went on a pilgrimage to Medinali, where the people declared he was too black to be a Syud. He immediately went to the doorway of the Prophet's sepulchre, and exclaimed, 'O, my grandsire!' a voice from the tomb replied, 'Here I am, my son!' to the great confusion of the listeners. This Syud was so devout, that he would continue a whole week in a state of ecstacy, without eating, drinking, or sleeping. His miracles were very numerous, and some of them sufficiently curious. On one occasion a Tattah grandee built a magnificent mosque in the Mekli hills, but refused to pay the workmen, as the mihrab or arch, which ought to front Mecca, was about one cubit out of the line of direction. The poor people applied to the Syud, who, fortunately for them, was at the time praying with his Peer in a neighbouring place of worship. The holy man arose, walked up to the mosque, and moved it bodily into the required position, each holding one end of the building. After this wonder the Dives paid his workmen. The affair of course became known, and the mosque, which remains to this day, is proof positive of the fact!"—History, p. 225.

Although the modern Syuds of Sind are not walls, or saints, like those of yore, yet their power of miraculous acts is thoroughly credited by the people. Of these Captain Burton gives a long list, out of which a few for the sake of illustration of the subject, may be selected:—"Curing complaints and diseases, which need not be specified; bites of serpents, by passing the hand over the part affected; causing prayers to be granted; appearing in person at a distance to protect a friend against unseen danger; stilling storms; changing female into male children; converting sinners to the true faith by a look; making youths beards to grow; and restoring juvenility to old worn out men; raising the dead; putting to flight the fiend; summoning angels and spirits; causing a pot of water to support a whole caravan without sensibly diminishing;" and many others, which fully account for the superstitious reverence in which the class is held by other Mahomedans.

It is not uncommon for Syudanees, or widows or daughters of Syuds, to assume a religious life, and to profess to perform miracles. In some instances such persons attain high local reputation and become leaders and teachers of others, but their female disciples are, Captain Burton declares, remarkable for their disregard of decency and morality.

A very useful and beneficent measure in regard to the Syuds of Sind was carried out in 1859, principally under the exertion of one of their number, Syud Ameen-oo-deen, moonsiff of Kurrachee, supported by Mr. J. Gibbs, Judicial Assistant-Commissioner in Sind. This was a reform of the expenses attendant upon births, marriages, and deaths in their families, which had become under