Hadhrat Molana Pir Fakir-u-llah Bakoti

Hadhrat Molana Pir Faqir-u-llah Bakoti (died-18 November, 1921) was a religious resistance leader to British rule, he used the idea of Tassawaf (Sufi Theosophy) to recruit his followers, promising freedom.

Note this name is not his real name, but an honorific one made up of several parts.

# Hadhrat - Used to honour religious leaders.
# Molana - Someone who is a scholar.
# Pir - A Sufi master.
# Faqir - Capable of endurance or apparent magic.
# Bakoti - Of the Bakot area.

His appearance was viewed as a miracle by the local people in those days when the British Empire had crushed the people of Murree and Circle Bakote brutally and treated them as a slaves. His arrival from Pajja Sharif district Muzaffarabad (now in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan) through the Kohala Bridge resulted in the reunification of local tribes.

The tribes such as Dhond Abbasi and other were unified and were encouraged to battle the British Authorities under his leadership. Mohammed Ali Shah (Pir of Plasi) was another Saint of circle Bakote who led local tribes in the war of Bala Kote against Sikhs with co-ordination of Seyed Ahmed Shahid and Shah Ismail Shahid but not succeeded.

Early Age

When Dogra forces under the command of Hari Singh Nalwa ruined Hadhrat Molana Pir Faqir-u-llah Bakoti step in younger age, the Kashmir. Pir Bakoti was a fellow of his family shrine in Pajja Sharif, Chikar, but Nalwa's forces gutted mentioned holy place under their foot and set on fire. These circumstances compelled Pir Bakoti to migrate in Hazara Division where his uncle was a priest in a religious school in Baffa, Mansehra. He stopped there for a few months than he went to Swat where a new spiritual horizon awaited him. He stepped down before Ahkoond of Swat known as Pir Abdul Ghafoor and sucked the inner light of soul. He stayed there more than 20 years and analysed the holiness, worriorship and struggle for Jihad against Sikh atrocities. He also participated in many wars with his priest. He completed his religio-spiritual education and practice in Swat and in 1876 see off the beautiful valley on the order of his priest Pir Abdul Ghafoor.

Arrival in Circle Bakote

Pir Bakoti is fond of tourism and mobile himself from his native town Pajja Sharief to Murree through Kohala. His tribe Alvi Awan was living in Birote, so he made his mind to settle there. He came in Birote in 1888, built his house at Khoaas. Local Kamlal, a sub-tribe of Dhond Abbasi tribe donated him 18 canals of agri land where he rebuilt an old masque and started Jumma prayers first time in the history of Circle Bakote.

Bakoti School of Thought

Pir Bakoti was not a spiritual personality but a great saint of area after two centuries of Pir Malik Sooraj (real name is Mohammed Suraj Khan died in 1632) of Potha Sharief Murree, Pakistan. A generation of Circle Bakote and Murree Hills followed him and his massage. Pir of Deval Sharief Abdul Majid Ahmed wrote in his book that he was the tidings of Hadhrat Molana Pir Faqir-u-llah Bakoti. No person or family who did not accepted his spiritual position as well as merged his blessings. It was an age of disheartfullness after Balakot massacre in 1839 and defeat of local tribe in 1857 against British Government, as a result they were totally unable to lead a caravan without a leader of time, an uncourageous personality. That space was filled by Hadhrat Molana Pir Faqir-u-llah Bakoti by highly ethically way of life so he welcomed every where in area. He encouraged and returned them towards life and social activities. He established religious schools, started Jumma Prayers in Bakot and Birote, taught them the lessons of rescheduled their culture and society. He planted Indian olive in his lands but these plants turned into Palestine or Spainish fruitful trees. Nobody can harm these trees without his offspring's permission, if committed any body will lose his any body part today also. He preached the teaching of Islam as a flexible way and never issue any religious directive which cause harmful for culture of his time. He reformed and taught people socially and benefited them spiritually without any difference of cast. He himself was a very simple personality and donated needy people all his belongings through his life. He married those widows had no compensation from their diseased husbands and treated them equally according to teaching of Islamic prophet Muhammad. He never permitted any body that came his house inside or peeped in to his door. His ladies were always in vials day and night, met only with their closest relatives as father, brother, son, grand son only that continued today in his family. He was died by diarrhea but he said that he would never pass away before exit of all his body maleness. He was a practical Sufi who implemented his philosophy of theosophy first on his soul and body then he preached. He is recognized as an elder today every house of area and people walk without shoes towards his shrine and translate into reality their uncompleted deeds.