Poet and Sufi saint Pir Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Shah Jilani was born on 28 September 1913 in the village of Noorani Sharif, District Tando Muhammad Khan, in the household of Pir Syed Haji Shah. From early childhood, solitude, seriousness, and intellectual depth were clearly reflected in his temperament. Even before his birth, a revered saint had given spiritual glad tidings to his father about this child—prophecies that later proved true through the course of his life.
Pir Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Shah Jilani acquired education in the Holy Quran and Hadith, along with Sindhi, Urdu, Persian, Arabic, and English languages. At a young age, he withdrew from worldly attachments and spent twelve continuous years in the caves of Ganjhi Takar, dedicating himself to worship, spiritual discipline, and deep meditation.
During this prolonged period, he completely detached himself from the material world and remained in a state of silence for an extended time. When the spiritual elders of Oti Sharif eventually ended his silence, he was instructed to guide people and spread spiritual blessings among them.
Thereafter, the gatherings of Mehfil-e-Milad remained a permanent feature at his residence, where he continuously offered spiritual guidance, wisdom, and divine grace to his devotees and followers.
In 1956, he traveled to Baghdad Sharif and paid homage at the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA). During this journey, he was also blessed with the sacred visitation of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) blessed hair. In addition, he was honored with the opportunity to perform Hajj.
After the period of silence, his inclination toward poetry deepened significantly. He composed countless verses in Sindhi, Balochi, Siraiki, Urdu, English, Arabic, and Persian. In poetry, he used the pen name “Zainal”. His poetic expression is rich with themes of Divine Love, Sufism, spirituality, and universal human values.
His poetry collection titled “Ishq Bina Asrar Na Koi” was compiled by Faqir Ali Akbar Qadri under the supervision of his esteemed son Pir Ghulam Jilani Shah and was published in July 2012.
Pir Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Shah Jilani passed away on 16 January 1976, yet his spiritual philosophy, poetry, and influence continue to serve as a guiding light for devotees, seekers of truth, and lovers of literature.
