Sufi Movement
Key Pointers
- Meaning: Sufism is the mystical strand of Islam that stresses love and devotion to God, inner purity, and union with the divine. Doctrinal basis often linked to Wahdat-ul-Wujud (unity of being, Ibn Arabi).
- Organisation: Orders called silsilas; Sufi centre is a khanqah; teacher is pir/shaikh, disciple murid; successor is khalifa. Practices: sama (music), zikr (chanting), and qawwali.
- Chishti Silsila (most popular in India): Founded in India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer). Others: Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, Baba Farid (Ganj-i-Shakar), Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi; disciple Amir Khusrau), Nasiruddin Chiragh-i-Dehli. Chishtis avoided state patronage and lived in poverty.
- Suhrawardi Silsila: Bahauddin Zakariya (Multan); accepted state patronage and had a stronger presence in Punjab and Sindh.
- Qadiri Silsila: Spread by Shah Nematullah and Mir Muhammad (Lahore); later associated with Dara Shikoh (Mian Mir).
- Naqshbandi Silsila: Introduced by Khwaja Baqi Billah; Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (Mujaddid Alf-i-Sani) stressed orthodoxy and opposed Akbar's liberal policy.
- Firdausi Silsila: Sharafuddin Yahya Maneri (Bihar).
- Link with the state: Akbar visited Ajmer and Sheikh Salim Chishti (Fatehpur Sikri).
- Literature: Kashf-ul-Mahjub (Hujwiri), Fawaid-ul-Fuad (Amir Hasan Sijzi, on Nizamuddin Auliya).
MCQs
Q1. The Chishti Silsila was introduced in India by: (a) Bahauddin Zakariya (b) Moinuddin Chishti (c) Baba Farid (d) Nizamuddin Auliya Answer: (b).
Q2. Which Sufi order is associated with Multan and accepted government patronage? (a) Chishti (b) Suhrawardi (c) Naqshbandi (d) Qadiri Answer: (b).
Q3. Which poet was a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya? (a) Amir Khusrau (b) Zia Barani (c) Hujwiri (d) Jayasi Answer: (a).