Page 13 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

The Jats, Balochs, and Pathans mostly profess Sunni faith, whereas Syeds
can both be Sunnis or Shias. The Shias are relatively less in number in the
district, and many of them trace their origin to the times when the Kalhoras
ruled in Dera Ghazi Khan and Mankera. Though scattered all over the
district, the Shias are more numerous in Alipur and Jatoi tehsils.
The titles of respect used in the district are Malik, Chaudhary and Rai for
Jats; Sardar for Balochs; Khan for Pathans, and even Balochs; Shah for
Syeds; Mian for Qureshis, and rarely for respectable men of other tribes, such
as the Mians of Thatta Gurmani, who are Balochs: Jam for Dammar and
other Jats of Sindhi origin; and Makhdum for custodians of the shrines.

SAINTS AND SHRINES
The people of Muzaffargarh have traditionally been very superstitious, and
believe in pirs and faqirs; the trend is on a decline though. There are a
number of ancient shrines in the district, and people visit them as a matter
of respect, and to get their needs met or problems solved, or simply for
amusement purposes. The details of most noteworthy shrines are as follows:
In the town of the same name is the shrine of Din Panah. Hazrat Syed Abdul
Wahab Bukhari Din Panah had come to settle there from Afghanistan around
400 years ago. As the legend goes—and has been narrated in the District
Gazetteer 1929, “He took up his abode in the house of Mussammat Suhagin,
the wife of Akku, a Jat of the Makwal tribe. Mai Suhagin is said to have been
a very ardent votary of the Kaba, and wanted a living relic, lal (son). Din
Panah (a sage) went to Kaba, and was handed over to her; and she was told
that he would come to her when she got home. So it was; Din Panah is said
to have come to Mai Suhagin as a baby crawling about on the bank of the
Indus. With her husband's permission, she began to suckle him and brought
him up. When he grew up, he gave away all Mussammat Suhagin's property
in charity; and, when the time of her daughter Mussammat Rabi's Marriage
came, there was nothing left to give so Din Panah offered himself by way of
dowry. Mussammat Rabi was married to a resident of Sanghar, where Din
Panah went with her and lived the rest of his days. He is said to have been
poisoned and died in A.H. 1012 on the west bank of the Indus, where he was
buried. The date of his death is taken from epitaph Khur-ba-Niqab amadah
by Abjad calculations. The Makwals of eastern bank tried to steal his coffin,
but were prevented. A feud broke out between the Makwals on each bank of
the Indus. At last Din Panah revealed himself in a dream to the brothers of
Akku, and told them to make a coffin for the east bank of the Indus, and that
his corpse would be found in it also, as well as on the west bank. Since then,
there has been a shrine on each bank of the Indus.”

The 1929 Gazetteer also states that “Akbar is said to have come during Din
Panah's time as a sanyasi, and desired to become a mureed by offering a lock
of his hair. Din Panah, however, refused to admit him to his discipleship.”

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