Page 102 - SST Class 07

Teaching of the Sufi Saints

The Suhrawardi Silsilah arose in the period of Delhi g God is supreme and should be worshipped
Sultanate. Its founder in Inda was Shaikh Bahauddin through love and devotion. Meditation and
Zakariya. Punjab, Sind and Bengal became three chanting of the God’s name (zikr) is very
important centres of this Silsilah. important.
g Respect all religions. Different religions
Thus, during the 15th and the 16th century, the
preach different ways of reaching to the
Bhakti and Sufi saints had created a common
God.
platform on which people belonging to different
castes, classes and creeds could come together, g Lead a simple life. Keep yourself free from
greed.
understand one another and develop a bond on
the basis of humanism and brotherhood. g Help the poor and needy.
g Follow a guru (pir) who would show the
correct path.
In the different Sufi Silsilah, the Chishti Silsilah was the
g One can come close to god through devo-
most influential. Great teachers like Khwaja Moinuddin
tional music. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, in
Chishti of Ajmer and Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya of
particular, gave importance to musical
Delhi belonged to this Silsilah. Every year thousands of
devotees visit Dargahs of these two Sufi saints. gatherings.
Terminology

Devotees : a person who is very interested in and enthusiastic about someone or something
Renouncing : formally declare one’s abandonment
Meditation : the action or practice of meditating
Surrender : stop resisting to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority
Transcend : be or go beyond the range or limits
Hymns : a religious song or poem of praise to God or a god

Inside Story
Inside Story
g Bhakti Movement began in South India by Alvars and Nayanars.
g Bhakti saints preached a simple religion based on love and brotherhood.

g It rejected caste system, rituals and ceremonies.
g It was open to people of all castes, creeds, classes and genders.
g It was believed that God can be reached through genuine love and devotion.
g It was spread in the language of the common people and through devotional songs, i.e.,
Bhajans and Kritanas.
g Some of the famous Bhakti saints of South India were Shankaracharya, Ramanuja and
Basavanna.
g In Maharashtra, Bhakti saints like Namdev, Eknath, Tukaram and Janeshwar composed
Bhakti songs in Marathi.
g Some of the great Bhakti saints of North India were Kabir, Nanak, Tulsidas, Surdas,
Ravidas and Mirabai.

Social Science-7 102