Sufi Saints of South Asia

Sufi Saints of South Asia played instrumental role of spreading Islam in South Asia. These Sufis belonged to different Tariqa (order) of Sufism. Muslims of the South Asia prominently follow Chishtiyyah, Naqshbandiyyah, Qadiriyyah and Suhrawardiyya orders. Of them the Chishti order is the most visible. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, a disciple of Khwaja Usman Harooni, the propounder of this order introduced it in South Asia. He came to South Asia from Afghanistan in 1192 AD and started living permanently in Ajmer since 1195. Centuries later, with the support of Mughal rulers, his shrine became a place of pilgrimage. Akbar used to visit the shrine every year ref|Titus.

Turkic conquests in South Asia were accompanied by four Sufi mystics of the Chishtiyya order from Afghanistan: Moinuddin (d. 1233 in Ajmer), Qutbuddin (d. 1236 in Delhi), Nizamuddin (d.1335 in Delhi) and Fariduddin (d.1265 in Pakpattan now in Pakistan) ref|Claude. During the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq, who spread the Delhi sultanate towards the south, the Chistiyya spread its roots all across South Asia ref|Claude. The Sufi shine at Ajmer in Rajasthan and Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi belong to this order.

Some Sufis under Chistiyya order were not against absorbing ideas from the Hindu Bhakti movement and used even Hindi language for their devotional songs. However, the orthodox Ulama with royal support insisted that Sufis go "back to Shariat" Even though Ulama had certain differences with Sufis over theological and mystic issues, the Shariat remained a cementing force between them. ref|Titus

The Suharawardy order was started by Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi of Baghdad and brought to South Asia by Baha-ud-din Zakariya of Multan. Suharawardiyya order of Sufism gained popularity in Bengal ref|ICCR. The Qadiri order founded by Abdul Qadir Gilani whose tomb is at Baghdad. It is popular among the Muslims of South India.

Baha-ud-Din Naqshband (1318-1389) of Turkestan founded Naqshbandi order of Sufism. Khwaja Mohammad Baqi Billah Berang whose tomb is in Delhi (E.I.Rose ) introduced Naqshbandi order in South Asia. The essence of this order was insistence on rigid adherence to Shariat and nurturing love for prophet. It was patronized by the Mughal rulers, as its founder was their ancestral 'Pir' (Spiritual guide). "The conquest of India by Babur in 1526 gave considerable impetus to the Naqshbandiyya order" ref|Rizvi. Its disciples remained loyal to the throne because of the common Turkic origin. With the royal patronage of most of the Mughal rulers, the Naqshbandi order caused the revival of Islam in its pure form.

List of Sufi Saints of South Asia

See also

* Sufism
* Islam in Pakistan
* Islam in Bangladesh
* Islam in India

External links

References