________________ Shaikh Muhammad Qazin Shuttari of Basarh 433 one asked Makhdum Jabanian Syed Jalalul Haq Wad Dinl as to why when he read and wrote the same thing as the addressee, there was no response to his prayers such as to that of the saint, the latter replied in Hindi : "Khanda hai phanda kahan?" ("The pit is there, but where is the noose ?'') meaning thereby that the real means of attaining God was wanting. iv. Linguistic assimilation in Qazin's book and other Sufi writings The Hindi words and expressions occurring in this rare book and in other Malfuzat of even an earlier period are extremely valuable. The verb 'Hai', so characteristic of Khari-Boli, and absent from Prakritic dialects, is significant. It appears to have been directly borrowed from Persian, also an Aryan speech, as is evident from the use of Hai' in old Persian verses. The fact is that we get very good examples of linguistic assimilation in the writings and utterances of the Sufi saints. They utter expressions containing significant Hindustani terms the use of which must have been indispensably necessary for their spiritual work. - 1. The present writer has the honour to trace his direct lincal descent from this celebrated saint who died, at the age of 81, in 788 A. H., and lies buried at Uchch in Sindh. 28
