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 Bhai
Haqiqat Rai was born at Sialkot in 1724
A.D. His father was Bhai Bhag Mall Khatri.
His maternal grandparents were Sikhs
and he was married at a young age to
Durgi the daughter of Sardar Kishan
Singh. Bhai Haqiqat Rai became a Sikh
early in his life due to influence of
his mother. During Mughal rule, children
used to go to mosques to study Persian
from Maulvis (Muslim priests). Bhai
Haqiqat Rai was also learning Persian
from a maulvi. He was the only Sikh
while all his other class-mates were
Muslims. One day, the maulvi had gone
out. Bhai Haqiqat Rai-had a quarrel
with a boy. In order to tease Bhai Haqiqat
Rai, he called bad names to mother goddess.
In anger, Bhai Haqiqat Rai called name
to Bibi Fatima in retaliation. When
the Muslim boys heard him calling name,
all of them gave him a sound thrashing.
He returned home weeping.
In the evening, the Muslim boys got
together, went to the maulvi and said,
"Today, when we said to Haqiqat
Rai that their gods and goddesses are
made of clay and all are false, he said
Bibi Fatima to be false and called her
names." The maulvi said, "Did
that infidel call Bibi Fatima names
?" The boys exaggerated the event
and said, "When we said to him
that we would complain to the maulvi,
he replied that he was not afraid of
him. His maternal uncles and inlaws
are Sikhs. He will get the maulvi eliminated
through them." The maulvi was greatly
enraged on hearing this. He said to
the boys, "Call that infidel and
bring him to me."
At the message from the boys, Bhai Haqiqat
Rai and his father went to the maulvi.
As soon as they arrived, the maulvi
caught hold of Bhai Haqiqat Rai and
started beating him The maulvi beat
him to unconsciousness but his anger
did not subside. He arrested Bhai Haqiqat
Rai and sent him to Amir Beg, the administrator
of Sialkot. The next day the qazi said
to Bhai Haqiqat Rai in the court, "You
have hurt the feelings of believers
by calling names to Bibi Fatima for
which you should be given severe punishment.
For this sin you can be burnt alive
after pouring oil on you. you can be
torn apart alive from dogs. But your
sin may be pardoned if you embrace Islam."
Bhai Haqiqat Rai refused to become a
Muslim. By order of Amir Beg, Bhai Haqiqat
Rai was hanged feet up from a tree and
beaten but he did not agree to embrace
Islam.
Amir Beg sent Bhai Haqiqat Rai to Zakria
Khan, the Governor of Lahore. Mother
Goran said to Bhai Haqiqat Rai, "Son
! No doubt I shall lose a son by your
death but if you give up your faith
I shall be called the mother of a deserter
and faithless son. I pray to God to
bestow on you the will to keep your
faith even if you have to sacrifice
your life." When Bhai Haqiqat Rai
did not agree to embrace Islam even
after further torture, he was martyred
by the orders of the Governor in January,
1735 A.D.
Salute to Great Sikh Martyr Bhai Haqiqat
Rai
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Copyright © Santokh Singh Jagdev
"Bed Time Stories"
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