Celebrating spiritual connections

One day in the life of a Sufi

Celebrating spiritual connections above formal boundaries of religion 

Raziuddin Aquil 

The dargah or shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was thronged by people of all faith already within 25 years of his passing away. In his mid-14th century biography of Hazrat Nizamuddin, Amir Khwurd Kirmani (author of Siyar-ul-Auliya) has mentioned this, and also written in a manner anticipating later-day pluralistic slogan of Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Isai...: 

musalman-o hindu-o tarsa wa gabr 

ze khake darat jumla afsar kunand 

chu kaafur-o sandal az aan khake paak

be-chashm andar aarand wa daair kunand

Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Magi

make a crown out of the dust of his threshold 

They apply the sacred dust like camphor and sandal in their eyes and circumambulate the shrine

This must be among the earliest examples of public expression of bringing together of people of different faiths. And, no wonder, the dargah in central Delhi continues to attract both the inveterate criminal-minded people in our midst and the most hapless of the oppressed - seeking blessings and benediction. The keepers of the shrine are also consistently praying for the legitimate aspirations of Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Christians - for everyone, for all are creations of the beloved God.