Tufail Niazi was born in 1916 in the only Muslim family in the Sikh village of MadairaN in Jalandhar district. Like his family members, Niazi sahab started singing Guru Nanak's bani at the Gurdwara in the village of Pumba near Amritsar. His family members were rababis at the Gurughar. 

At the time of partition, Tufail Niazi sahab was uprooted from East Punjab, his ancestral land, and dis placed to Multan. He hardly knew anyone there and in order to survive he opened up a milk shop. It was fortuitous that in 1949 a police inspector who had known Tufail sahab in East Punjab and had been a fan of him, had come to learn that Tufail had abandoned his music because he had no instruments and no other way to make a living. The police inspector was quick to intervene. He got Tufail sahab some instruments from the state coffers and organized a mehfil to introduce him to the people of Multan. It would have been a misfortune to have lost Tufail Niazi's voice if it weren't for an ordinary fan who saved him from potential obscurity. We owe that unknown officer a deep debt of gratitude.  

Tufail sahab later became a legend in Multan and went to sing for Radio Pakistan and was honored to be the first singer who performed on Pakistan TV. 

Some of his shabads have been lost to time, but this one was fortunately saved and is thus marked as a prized collection to be recalled, marveled, and recited along. 
The shabad performed here was recited by the 10th Sikh Master (Guru Gobind SIngh ji) while he was in Machhivarra forest, separated from his family and his brethren. This bani is registered in the Dasam Granth Sahib as Khyal (p1348)


ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਨੂੰ ਹਾਲ ਮੁਰੀਦਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ॥
ਤੁਧੁ ਬਿਨੁ ਰੋਗੁ ਰਜਾਈਆਂ ਦਾ ਓਢਣ ਨਾਗ ਨਿਵਾਸਾਂ ਦੇ ਰਹਿਣਾ ॥
ਸੂਲ ਸੁਰਾਹੀ ਖੰਜਰੁ ਪਿਆਲਾ ਬਿੰਗ ਕਸਾਈਆਂ ਦਾ ਸਹਿਣਾ ॥
ਯਾਰੜੇ ਦਾ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਸੱਥਰੁ ਚੰਗਾ ਭੱਠ ਖੇੜਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਰਹਿਣਾ ॥੧॥੧॥

Convey to the dear friend the condition of the disciples,
Without Thee, it feels as if I have taken over a quilt of disease, and thus living in the house with serpents;
The flask is like the spike, the cup is like a dagger, and (the separation) is like enduring the chopper of the butchers, 
The pallet of the beloved Friend is most pleasing, while the worldly pleasures is like a furnace.







Mittar Pyaare Nu Haal MureedaN Da Kehna

Jasleen