Jamal J. Elias's translation of Bahu's famous work, the Abyat, is the first to appear in English outside South Asia. It offers a rare glimpse into the Sufi mystical tradition and the religious lives of rural Muslims during the period of the Mughal Empire. With its emphasis on unrestricted devotion to God, and its skepticism toward the legalistic, institutionalized elements of organized religion, Bahu's poetry embodies many characteristic elements of the mystical tradition.

Translations of the poems are presented alongside the Punjabi script and offer a masterful exploration of a significant but largely neglected South Asian literary tradition. Death Before Dying also illustrates the great diversity of Islamic cultural voices throughout the world.

"With their earthy charm and engaging simplicity, these Punjabi verses convey the immediacy of the spiritual quest as expressed in the popular idiom and imagery of the country-side. A fine choice for courses in Islamic religious studies and spirituality". -- John Renard, author of Seven Doors to Islam