Bhakti Movement and Sufi Traditions: A Comparative Study

1. What does Bhakti movement mean? Ans. A series of Hindu saints & reformers started religious reform movements which adopted the method of devotion (Bhakti) to achieve salvation. Their method of expression of devotion ranged from the routine worship of deities within temples to singing & chanting of devotional compositions.

5. What were Attitude of the Nayanars & Alavars sects towards the cast? Ans. Some historians are of the view that Alvars & Nayanaras started a movement of protest against the caste system & the dominance of Brahmans or at least made efforts to reform them. This view is supported by the fact that these Bhakti reformers came from diverse social backgrounds; some of them belonged to lower classes such as cultivators, artisans, and untouchables, while some had Brahmin backgrounds. The Alvars & Nayanars claimed that their compositions were as important as the Vedas. The Tamil songs of the Alvars are marked by such depth of feeling & piety that they are looked upon as Vaishnava Vedas. The Nayanaras composed their devotional songs with the highest spiritual sentiments & set up Shaivism on a strong footing. These songs are still popular in South India.

6. What were the similarities and differences between the be-Shari’a and ba – Shari’a Sufi traditions? Ans. Meaning of Shari’a: The Shari’a is the law governing the Muslim community. It is based on the Qur’an and the Hadith, traditions of the Prophet including a record of his remembered words and deeds. Some mystics initiated movements based on a radical interpretation of Sufi ideals. Many scorned the khanqah and took to mendicancy and observed celibacy. They ignored rituals and observed extreme forms of asceticism. They were known by different names – Qalandars, Madaris, Malangs, Haidaris, etc. Because of their deliberate defiance of the Shari’a, they were often referred to as be – Shari’a in contrast to the ba – Shari’a Sufis who complied with it. A group of religious-minded people called Sufis turned to criticism and mysticism in protest against the growing materialism of the caliphate as a religious and political institution. The Sufis sought an interpretation of the Qur’an Sufis on the basis of their personal experiences. The Sufi traditions which were anti-Shari’a (or the law governing the Muslim community) are called ba – Shari’a. Similarities: Both Sufi traditions are critical of the dogmatic definitions and scholastic methods of interpreting the Qur’an and Sunnah (traditions of the Prophet) adopted by theologians. Instead, they laid stress on seeking salvation through devotion and love for God by following His commands and by following the example of Prophet Muhammad, whom they considered a perfect human being. In this way, we can say that both the traditions of the Sufis, i.e., be Shari’a and ba Shari’a, are the same. They sought an interpretation of the Qur’an based on personal experience.

7. Describe the teaching of Kabir? How does he describe the ultimate reality through the poems?

Ans. (a) To achieve inward spiritual bliss (b) Condemnation of empty ritual (c) To foster harmony between Hinduism & Islam (d) He believed in one formless God (e) Rejected both Vedas & Quran and the supremacy of the Brahmins & Mullahs (f) He opposed the caste system & image worship (g) He taught the unity of God & the path of love & devotion (h) He emphasized on Bhakti to achieve salvation or Moksha. Kabir gave different names for the ultimate reality. In Islam, these include Allah, Hazrat, Khuda, and Pir. He also used terms taken from Vedantic traditions like Alakh, Nirankar, Brahman, and Atman.