“Guru” Worship in Sufi Sect

Abstract

This paper contends that Gurus in the Sufi sect of the Muslim religion were also worshipped similar to Hindu religion where a takes a place higher than God because is the person who introduces God to his disciples. The paper extensively deals with the study of the concept in Hindu and Sufi sects and through comparisons draws the similarities in the worshipping of religious Gurus in Hindu and Sufi sects. The similarities in the concept in the early days, in the Virasaiva sect and in Sufi sect are clearly depicted. It brings out the worship of Muslim saints by the masses, miracles performed by Muslim saints and their healing powers which ultimately lead disciples consider them to be next to God. The paper also deals extensively with the reasons for popular worship of the dargahs and Sufi saints by both Hindu and Islam religions. The study brings out the fact that in its true sense, at first, Godhood was attributed to the Guru or Pīr, during 13 th century the time period graced by Jalaluddin Rumi, Muslim saint and mystic. The present paper eventually concludes that Hinduism is tolerant and flexible enough even ages ago to adapt some Islamic practices into the highly orthodox and traditional religion of the Hindus. It should also be noted that Hindu kings were also patrons of Sufi saints and dargahs. This paper concludes with the impact of Muslim rule in India which extends to the religious sentiments of Hindus.