Sufism in India
Islam entered India in the 7th century CE in the form of merchants from Saudi Arabia who traded with the western coastal regions of India. After that in the north, the religion entered Multan and Sind when the regions were captured by Muhammad Bin Qasim in the 8th century CE. Sufism, however, gained prominence in the 10th and 11th centuries during the reign of the Delhi Sultanate.
There
were two broad Sufi orders:
§
Ba-shara – Those who obeyed or followed Islamic laws.
§
Beshara – Those who were more liberal.
The
Beshara was also called ‘mast kalandar’. They comprised wandering monks who
were also called Baba. They did not leave any written accounts.
By the
12th century, the Sufis were organised in 12 orders or Silsilas. The four most
popular Silsilas were the Chistis, Suhrawardis, Qadririyas and Naqshbandis.
The Chisti Silsila
Ø
Established: The
Chisti order was established in India by Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chisti
(also known as Gharib Nawaz) around c.1192 CE.
Ø
Followers: Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq
& Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Ø
Qutub
ud din Bhakhtiyar Kaki established the Chisti presence in Delhi
under the patronage of Sultanate ruler Iltutmish.
Ø
Apart from Muin-ud din Chisti, the other important
Chistis were: Farid-ud-din Ganj-i-Shakar– also known as Baba
Farid. He confined his activities to Hansi and Ajodhan (in modern
Haryana and the Punjab respectively). His outlook was so broad and humane that
some of his verses are later found quoted in the Adi Granth of the Sikhs.
Ø
Nizamuddin Auliya, Nasiruddin Chiragh – i – Dehlavi, Sheikh
Burhanuddin Gharib – He established the Chisti order in the 13th century in the
Deccan. Muhammad Banda Nawaz (Deccan city of Bijapur region).
The Suhrawardi Silsila
Ø
The Suhrawardi order entered India at about the same
time as Chistis but its activities were confined largely to the Punjab
and Multan.
Ø
This Sisila was founded by Shihabuddin
Suhrawardi in Baghdad and was established in India by Bahauddin
Zakariya.
Ø
Unlike the Chistis, the Suhrawardis accepted
maintenance grants from the Sultans and took an active part in politics.
Ø
Suhrawardis believed that a Sufi should possess the
three attributes of property, knowledge and hal (mystical
enlightenment). They, however, did not support excessive austerities
and self-mortification. They advocated a combination of
ilm (scholarship) with mysticism.
The Naqshbandi Silsila
Ø
This Silsila was established in India by Khwaja
Bahauddin Naqshbandi. It was later propagated by his successors, Shiekh
Baqi Billah and Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (1563 –
1624). They practised silent meditation of the heart, so were called “silent
Sufis”.
Ø
The Sufis of this silsila believed that the
relationship between man and God was that of the slave and
the master, unlike Chistis who believed it to be a relation between a lover and
beloved.
Ø
They were against the liberal policies of Akbar like
granting high status to many non-Muslims, abolishment of jizya and the ban on
cow slaughter.
Ø
They also were against sama (religious music) and the
practice of pilgrimage to the tombs of saints.
The Qadri Silsila
Ø
Sheikh Abdul Qadir and
his sons, Sheikh Niamatullah, Mukhdum Muhammad
Jilani and Miyan Mir established the Qadri
silsila during the Mughal rule and this order was popular in Punjab.
Ø
Another famous saint of this order was Shah
Badakhshani. The Mughal princess Jahanara and
her brother Dara were disciples of this silsila.
Ø
Qadris believed in the concept of Wahdat-al-Wajood
meaning “Unity of Existence” or “Unity of Being”,
i.e. God and his creation are one and similar. The saints of this silsila
dismissed orthodox elements.
Important Sufi Terms in India
|
Concept |
Meaning |
|
Sufi,
Pir, Murshid |
Saint(সাধু) |
|
Murid |
Followers(অনুগামি) |
|
Khanqah |
Place
where Sufis lived, hospices (ধর্মশালা) |
|
Khalifa |
Disciples |
|
Zikr |
Recitation
of God’s name |
|
Tauba |
Repentance
over bad deeds |
|
Fanaa |
Spiritual
merging with the Almighty |
|
Urs |
Death |
|
Sama |
Musical
gathering/Religious Music (ধর্মীয় সঙ্গীত) |
|
Vara |
Non-acceptance
of what was not given freely |
|
Julad |
Kindness |
|
Fakar |
Poverty |
|
Suhr |
To
observe tolerance |
|
Sukar |
Acceptance
of obligation |
|
Khauf |
Symbolises
fear |
|
Tawakkhul |
To
observe contentment |
|
Riza |
Surrender
to achieve salvation |
|
Ziyarat |
Practice
of visiting tombs |
|
Wali |
Friend
of God |
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