Page 100 - SST Class 07

The entire family gets salvation.” According to legends,
The lyricist composition was a favourite of Kabir was the son of a
Mahatma Gandhi. brahman widow who
abandoned him after his
Jalaluddin Rumi
birth and that he was
Jalaluddin Rumi was a
brought up in the house
13th century persian poet,
of a Muslim weaver. He,
jurist, Islamic scholar,
too, became a weaver,
theologain and a sufi
but while living in
mystic. His works are
Benaras, came in contact
written in Persian. His
with Hindu and Muslim Kabir
importance is considered
saints. He rejected all
to transcend national and
rituals and ceremonies and preached a religion of
ethnic borders. His poems
love which will unite all th people. Kabir’s poems
are translated into many
were written in the form of spoken Hindi of the
of the world’s languages. Jalaluddin Rumi
ordinary people. His followers were both Hindus
He believed in the history
and Muslims who were attracted by his message
of music, poetry and dance as a path for reach-
of love and brotherhood. Kabir’s rejection of the
ing to the God. He describes the universal
caste system especially the practice of untouch-
message of love. He believed in the path of love
ability and his opposition to all kinds of discrimi-
and religion. All religions lead to the same God.
nation between human being – on the basis of
“I searched for God among the christians and on caste, religion and wealth-made him very popu-
the Cross and therein I found Him not. I went
lar among the common people.
into the ancient temples of idolatry; no trance of
Here is excerpt from a Kabir’s doha. “Guru is the
Him was there. I entered the mountain cave of
Washerman, disciple is the cloth. The name of
Hira and then went as far as Qandhar but God I
God is like the soap which cleans the mind of its
found not. With set purpose I fared to the summit
dirt to realise the glow of truth.” Kabir who lived
of Mount caucasus and found there only 'anqa's
in the 15th century, said that there is only one
habitation. Then I directed my search to the
God whom he called by several names such as
Kaaba, the resort of old and young; God was not
Rama, Hari, Govinda, Allah, Sain, Sahib, etc. He
there even. Turning to philosophy I inquired
rejected idol worship, rituals and pilgrimages.
about him from ibn Sina, but found Him not
The mission of Kabir was to preach a religion of
within his range. I fared then to the scene of the
love which could unite all castes and creeds. The
Prophet’s experience of a great divine manifesta-
teachings of Kabir are in the form of short poems
tion only a “two bow-lengths' distance from his”
called dohas. After his death, teachings of Kabir
but God was not there even in that exalted court.
were written down as Kabir Vanis. Later, Kabir
Finally, I looked into my own heart and there I
Grantthavali and Bijaka were also composed
saw Him; He was nowhere else.”
which contain the ideas of this great Bhakti saint.
Kabir
Kabir used many languages to reach out to the
Kabir, a weaver by profession, believed that there
people. Hindi, Persian, Arabic and Turkish words
in one God who is given several names.
are found in his teachings. The followers of Kabir

Social Science-7 100