Sufism | History(Prelims) by UPSC Toppers PDF Download

Sufism
The word Sufi is derived from the word “Safa” meaning the coarse cloth made up of wool. It was a reaction against luxurious and extravagant life-style. The basis of Sufism is Quran itself. On Sufism the impact of other religion and sects was particularly visible. The impact of different philosophies like Christanity, Neo-Platoism, Zoroasterism and Hinduism can be explicitly seen. 

The Sufi doctrine was based on union with God which can be achieved through love of God, prayers, fasts and rituals, without reference to Hindu or Muslim. Thus the love between the human souls with supreme God is emphasized in Sufism. However, the love perpetuated by Sufism was the divine love (Ishq Haquiki) and not the worldly love (Ishq Mizazi)

Main features of Sufism

1. Sufis were organized in different Silsilas or orders
2. There were two kinds of Sufi saints i.e 'Ba-sahara'- Who follows the law of Shariat and 'Be-sahar'- Who did not follow the law of Shariat.
3. Sufis aimed at service of mankind through spiritual self development.
4. Sufis propounded that it is love and not the knowledge which is the vehicle for salvation
5. Eager for Hindu-Muslim unity and cultural synthesis.
6. Opposed to orthodoxy, they preached faith and devotion to God.
7. Discouraged materialistic life but not in favor of complete renunciation.
8. In India Sufis were divided into different silsilas, according to Abul Fazal, there were 14 silsilas in India during 16^th century.

Sufi terms

Important Sufi saints

• Khwaja Ali Hujjwiri (11th Century): Also known as Data Ganj Baksh, the earliest Sufi saint of eminence known to have settled in India, the author of the celebrated manual of Sufism entitled ‘Kashf-ul-Mahjub’.
• Shaikh Bahauddin Zakariya (1182-1262): The founder of the Suhara-wardi order who founded the first leading Khanqah in India at Multan. He was given title Saikh-ul-Islam. The other important saints of Suharawadi silsila were Hamiduddin Nagori and Jalluddin Bukhari.
• Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti (1141-1236): He was the founder or the Chisti order the first and most popular liberal Sufi order in India. He settled down at Ajmer about 1206. Other Chisti Sufi saints who followed Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti or Khwaja Ajmeri were:
• Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki in whose memory Qutub Minar was built by Iltutmish
• Baba Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar (1175-1265) popularly known as Baba Farid, built his Khanqah at Ajodan (Punjab) and was the first great Punjabi poet of Sufism.
•  Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya (1236-1325) who gained the popular title Mehboob-i-Ilahi (the beloved of the God) and Sultan-ul-Auliya, he built his Khanqah in Delhi and was one of the most famous Sufi saints of the Chisti Order. He witnessed the reign of 7 Sultans in Delhi. Amir Khousrao, the great poet, was his follower.
• Shaikh Nasiruddin Mahmud : He was the charismatic Chisti saint, who was later known as Chirag-i-Delhi (the Lamp of Delhi)
• Syed Muhammad Gesu Daraz: He settled down at Gulbarga (Karnataka) was popularly known as Bandanawaz (Benefactor of God’s creatures) and authored more than 30 books on Sufism-he was one of the early writers and poets in Urdu.
• Except Nasiruddin Mahmud rest all of the Chisti saints were married
• Shaikh Badruddin Samarkandi (13 Century):  He founded Firdausi order which was restricted to Bihar.
• Mughal Emperor Humayun was the follower of the Sattari silsila. This silsila was founded by Shah Abdullah Sattari. The kankah of this silsila was established at Gawalior. Muhammad Gaus was an important saint of this silsila who was the teacher of Tansen.
• Miyan Mir (1550-1635) was the most popular Sufi saint of the Qadiriya order.
• Khwaja Baqi Billah (1536-1603): He founded the Naqsbandiah order and its most famous saint was Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1625) known as Mujaddid Alif. They opposed the policies of Akbar.