Majid starts scolding the villagers claiming that they haven't taken care of the grave of the Mudassir Pir (which literally means unknown holyman) and tells them a made up story of a pir (Religious magician) showed him a dream that his grave is not being taken care of and that the people of that area are sinners.

Majid then starts living there and becomes wealthy by fooling the people of the village with the means of fake religious teachings.

Majid faces many problems as few people go against him such as Hasuni's grandfather, Khalek Bepari's senior wife, Akkas Mia for establishing a school and the arrival of a great Pir in Awalpur.

Majid's true character is slowly revealed throughout the story but the villagers are too simple-minded to understand his tricks from the very beginning.

The novel was translated to English by the author himself with the title "Tree Without Roots" in 1967 by Chatto and Windus Ltd.[3] The French translation was made by the author's wife Anne Marie Thibaud with the title "L'arbre sans racines" by Editions du Seuil.