General Studies from the word `Safh`, which means Select Readings shadow or reflection of the Divine’s cleanliness or purity. The Sufis laid name and attributes, when they are great stress on the purity of mind, on Sufism reflected in the mirrors of their oppo- body and behaviour. There is no clear Eternal Garden: Mysticism, history, and site non-beings. He opposed panthe- consensus on the meaning of the term politics at a South Asian Sufi center by istic mysticism (tauhid) or the belief Carl W. Ernst, Bruce Lawrence and its origin. in the unity of Godhead, denouncing Sufis of Bijapur by Richard Eaton it as un-Islamic. Sirhindi condemned The essence of Sufism Mystical Dimensions of Islam by the reign of Akbar for his ‘broad- Yearning for absolute non-existence, Annemarie Schimmel mindedness’ and policy of ‘peace with where only the Almighty’s existence Sufi Martyrs of Love: the Chishti Order in all’. He opposed all those beliefs and is looked upon, is the essence of South Asia and beyond by Carl W. Ernst, practices that had influence of Hin- Sufism. A communion of the self with Bruce Lawrence duism and demanded reimposition the God is the central philosophy of The Sufi Orders in Islam by John Spencer of Jizyah (the tax on non-Muslims). being a Sufi. The pursuit of worldly Trimingham He was imprisoned by Jahangir for pleasures can only lead humans to claiming a status beyond Prophet. becoming victims of suffering and ud-din Suhrawardi, but the actual pain leading to complete downfall. founder of the order in India was Conclusion So one has to use his discretion and Shaikh Baha ud-din Zakariyya born Sufi movement became dormant with choose the correct path. around Multan, in about 1182-83 AD. the decline of Muslim power in India. Wahdat-al-Wujud, the `oneness of Among the Suhrawardis, the succes- With the failure of armed resistance being` has always been considered sion took place within the family against the British and Sikh-Hindu the central doctrine of Sufism. It is unlike the Chistiyya order and they combined, the followers of hard line directly translated as ‘there is no real- believed in maintaining close rela- Sufism were forced to adjust with the ity except Reality’. Sufism teaches tions with the ruling class. They did ground reality of non-Muslim occu- that God can only be known when not mix with the common people. pation of Indian subcontinent but did the human ego is done away with as Shaikh Rukn ud-din and Shaikh Jalal not reconcile with it. The failure of it stands in the way of realization of ud-din Bukhari were other impor- Sepoy mutiny and consolidation of God. One needs to dissolve the men- tant saints of the Suhrawardi order. British power in the Indian subcon- tal chaos, made up of passions and Unlike the Chistiyyas, the Suhrawar- tinent was a further jolt to the radical imagining, which can restrict con- hundreds visit nizamuddin darga in delhi, the mausoleum of sufi saint nizamuddin Aulia and East India. In the sixteenth cen- di saints did not believe in leading Islamists but all the Islamic revival- sciousness and become a roadblock tury, Thaneshwar became an impor- a life of poverty. They accepted the ist movements like Deoband, Aligarh in the communion with God. Sufism rests at Ajmer, which was earlier Awliya and Nasir-ud-din Chirag- tant Chistiyya centre. During Akbar’s service of the State and some of them and Pakistan drew their inspirations is a universal faith with liberal teach- tended by the Sultans of Malwa and i-Delhi. Prior to Awliya, the Chisti reign, Salim Chisti became a vener- held important posts in the ecclesias- from the anti-Hindu syndrome of ing and great tolerance as exhibited in later it was taken under state man- Sufis had a harmonious relation with ated figure as his prayers begot Akbar tical department. Music was rejected Sufi saints like Sirhindi. the conduct of most of the Sufis. agement by Akbar. Among the Sufis, the Delhi Sultans. But Nizam ud- a son in 1569 AD. To show his grati- by this order. However, the Sufi influence contin- the head of the order is referred to as din Awliya kept himself away from tude, Akbar later built Fatehpur Sikri ues to live in various parts of the Indi- Sufi Orders, beliefs the Shaikh or the pir, while his dis- the influence of the Sultans. He was at his hospice. Naqshbandiyya Order an subcontinent through the dargahs and practices ciples are called murids. The Shaikh estranged from Sultan Mubarak Shah The Chisti saints believed in life of This order was popularised in India of the pir, the Sufi music and the rein- Of the various Sufi orders, Muslims along with his murids live in a com- Khilji and Ghiyas ud-din Tughluq. poverty, where personal property was by Babur, who was deeply devoted forcing of the mystic ideologies from of India prominently follow Chisti- plex referred to as a Khanqah, where He had immense following among an impediment to the development to Naqsgbandiyya leader Khwaja time to time. The relevance of Sufi yya, Naqshbandiyya, Qadiriyya and they all meditated, prayed, ate simple the masses and at one point in time of spiritual personality. The Chisti Ubaidullah Ahrar. The Sufi who did ideology in the present world sce- Suharabardiyya. All of them had meals and tended to the woes of com- his power was compared to that of khanqahs were sustained on char- most to make the order renowned nario cannot be undermined. Sufism their own means of communion with mon people. In the Chisti order, the the Delhi Sultan. In his khanqah, he ity of the followers. These Sufi saints in India was Khwaja Baqi Billah of is a universal faith with liberal teach- God, serving the society and day-to- Shaikh was often succeeded by his adopted very difficult means of medi- also adopted musical recitations Kabul (born in 1563-64). Many lead- ings. In a world ravaged by communal day practices. Of them the impact of most devoted disciple. tation as well yogic breathing exer- called sama to create a mood of near- ing men from Akbar’s court became tensions and constant conflicts, Sufi Chisti order is visible even in small The Chistiyya’s work in Delhi was cises, so much so that the yogis called ness to God. The Chistis (especially his devotees. One of his disciples, teachings provide much needed res- villages of the Indian subcontinent. organised by Khwaja Qutub-ud-din him sidh or ‘perfect’. He was suc- from the time of Awliya) kept aloof Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi disliked the pite. The strict adherence to absolute Bakhtiyar Kaki, who was deeply ceeded in Delhi by his disciple Nasir from State politics and shunned the dominance of rational and philo- non-existence, unity of creator and Chisti revered by Sultan Iltutmish. Of the ud-din Mahmud, was later known as company of rulers and nobles. sophical thinking at Akbar’s court. created as well as giving up of worldly The Chisti order or silsila was essen- Khwaja’s disciples, Shaikh Farid-ud- Chirag of Delhi. Initially, he was a follower of Wah- pleasures in pursuit of God still hold tially an Indian order founded by din or Baba Farid became a highly After the death of Nasir ud-din Suhrawardi Order dat-al-Wujud doctrine, but soon he much ground. As a result, the teach- Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti, who venerated saint. He moved to Ajod- Mahmud in the middle of the four- The Suhrawardi order entered India became an exponent of a new doc- ings of Sufism, which spread from came to India around 1192 AD. After han (it was referred to as Pakpattan), teenth century, the Chistis did not around the same time as the Chistis trine, Wahdat-al-Shuhud system. Iraq to large parts of the world, has spending a few years in Lahore and where he built his jamaat khana for have a commanding figure in Delhi. but its activities were confined pri- As opposed to Wahdat-al-Wujud, it found numerous adherents. Delhi, he finally settled in Ajmer, communal living. The most famous of As a result Chisti saints dispersed marily to Punjab and Multan. The believes that God and creation are where he died in 1236 AD. His tomb the Chisti saints were Nizam ud-din and extended their message to South order was founded by Shaikh Shihab not identical; rather, the latter is a by Papia Lahiri 52 Competition360 february 2012 february 2012 Competition360 53.