Hafiz Barkhurdar Ranjha

Hafiz Barkhurdar Ranjha ^[a] (Punjabi: [ˈhɑːfɪz bərˈxuːrdɑːr rɑːnˈdʒɑː]; born Barkhurdar Ranjha; c. 1658–1707) was a 17th-century Punjabi poet, religious scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic born in Takht Hazara, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan.^[1][2][3]

Barkhurdar was born in 1658 in Takht Hazara, Mughal Empire. He belonged to the Ranjha clan of Jats.^[4] His birth name was Barkhurdar Ranjha; the title "Hafiz" was later earned for his memorization of the Quran.^[5][6]

Hafiz Barkhurdar Ranjha is widely considered the first poet to write a complete version of Mirza Sahiban in continuous poetic form.^[7] According to oral tradition, he was spiritually inspired by Sahiban, whose spirit approached him after being sent by the earlier poet Peelu. Sahiban's spirit, via a crow, implored him to complete the tale in full poetic form, as earlier versions were fragmented. Barkhurdar honored this request, producing one of the most comprehensive and celebrated renditions of the story.^[8]

He also authored poetic versions of Sassui Punnhun, Yusuf Zulaikha, and Qissa Khatri.^[9]

Hafiz Barkhurdar is credited as the first poet to use the word "Punjab" in a literary context.^[10]

He was the first Punjabi romantic poet to compose a Barah Maha (twelve-month cycle poem) as an independent thematic work. These poems describe the emotional landscape of lovers or spiritual seekers through the cycle of the seasons. Barkhurdar’s Barah Maha explored inner spiritual longing and union, rooted in the traditional symbolism of nature and time.^[11]

Hafiz Barkhurdar Ranjha died in Chitti Sheikhan, Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan. His shrine is located there and remains a site of reverence.

He laid a foundational role in Punjabi literary tradition, especially in Qissa storytelling, combining Sufi thought with folk imagination. His works continue to be sung and recited, particularly among Punjabi Sufi and literary communities.^[12]