Question

write the short note on the teachings of sufi saints and the sikh gurus

Answer 1

Islam, like Hinduism, had saints and ascetics who came from Persia and settled in different parts of India. They laid emphasis on love and devotion to God. The Sufi saints were known as pirs. They did not believe in rituals or ceremonies. They were religiously tolerant and hence attracted a lot of Hindus into their silsilas.

Teachings of Sufism:

The main teachings of Sufism are:

1. There is only one God.

2. All people are the children of God.

3. To love one’s fellow men is to love God.

4. Different religions are different ways to reach God. Therefore, one should respect all religions.

5. Devotional music (qawwali) is one way of coming nearer to God.

6. Fasts and rituals are not essential to reach God.

7. There is no need for conversion. One should be a good Hindu or a good Mussalmaan.

8. People should follow the teachings of a pir for he will show the right path to reach god.

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Guru Nanak (1469-1538):

Guru Nanak, from whose teachings the Sikh religion was derived, was born in the village of Talwandi (now called Nankana) in 1469.

Like Kabir, Nanak also preached a casteless, universal, anti-ritualistic, monotheistic and highly spiritual religion.


#He laid great emphasis on the purity of character and con­duct as the first condition of approaching God and the need of a Guru for guidance. His catholic approach aimed at bridging distinctions between the Hindus and the Muslims. Janam-Sakhis are hagiographic narratives of his life. He started free community kitchens called Guru Ka Langar. He died at Kartarpurin 1538.

Teachings of Nanaka:

Nanak had no intention of founding a new religion. He wanted to work only as a bridge between Hindus and Muslims.

He laid emphasis on:

1. The one God, by repeating whose name and dwelling on it with love and devotion one could get salvation without distinction of caste, creed or sect.

Answer 2

Answer:

The most important contribution of Sufism is that it helped to develop a bond of solidarity and brotherhood between Hindu and Muslim communities. The Sufi saints are revered not only by Muslims but also by a huge number of Hindus and their tombs have become a common place of pilgrimage for both communities.

Explanation:

Teachings of sikh gurus

• Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak. He served as the Sikhs' first guru. Guru Nanak Gurupurab is the name of the day that honours Guru Nanak.
• Guru Nanak is regarded as the founder of Sikhism. The Guru Granth Sahib is the Sikhs' sacred text. 974 hymns comprised of Guru Nanak's words make up the Adi Granth Sahib. He was a Punjabi native. The majority of his life stories were concocted 50 to 80 years later using imagination and the scant information that was known about him. One of Guru Nank's most crucial teachings is that there is

1. Only one God.
2. There are no rituals necessary for anybody to gain direct contact to God.
3. The most significant teaching of Guru Nanak was his strong condemnation of the caste system.
4. He held that everyone was created equal, regardless of caste, gender, or religion.
5. In his view, the Guru is the voice of God and the supreme repository of wisdom and redemption.
6. There are three methods to put Guru Nanak's teachings into practise:

• Assist and share with others so that everyone may eat together, says Vans Shaako.
• Kirat karo: Earning a living honestly, without deception or fraud.
• Naam Japo: To ask God for assistance and direction in the name of God.

Teachings of sufi saints

• Like Hinduism, Islam had Persian saints and ascetics who settled in various regions of India. They placed a strong focus on dedication and love for God. Pirs was the name given to the Sufi saints. They had little faith in ceremonies or rituals. Due to their tolerance for many religions, many Hindus joined their silsilas.

Sufi philosophy: Sufism's key tenets are:

• One. There is just one God.
• Every person is a child of God.
• To love God is to love one's neighbour as oneself.
• Different religions provide various paths to God. As a result, everyone need to respect all religions.
• Qawwali is a type of devotional music that helps people become closer to God.
• Rituals and fasts are not necessary to reach God.
• Conversion is not necessary. Being a decent Hindu or Muslim is important.
• People should adhere to a pir's teachings because they will point them in the direction of God.