Inwardly the Same

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Inwardly the Same

 

If Sai Baba was a Sufi saint, one may ask, how is it that he has been so readily interpreted and embraced by the Hindu community? Deccani Sufism with its poet-saints has similarities with the strong devotional heritage of the Bhakthi movement of Central India. Echoing the devotional goal of God-realization of both the Sufis and the bhakthas, which the former call ma'rifa and the latter brahmavilasa. Sai Baba said, "reaching God is the aim". Although the eleventh-century Muslim scholar, Alberuni, visiting India declared, 'The Hindus entirely differ from us in every respect', at the mystic and devotional bhakthi level there is a fundamental similarity of thought and practice, and indeed they share the same goal to have a direct experience of God. Their inner experiences tally closely, although externally they may appear very different - in their customs, languages, rituals, and appearance. In climbing to the top of spiritual mountain, it can

be said that the Sufis take a direct structured route with formal way stations, where as the bhakthas take a more informal, gentler path, but both eventually reaching the summit. Once a bhaktha is able to transcend the boundaries of his formal religion, he enters into a state common to all mystics. The Sufi goes beyond the Muslim law (shar'at) and is preoccupied with the way to enable him to experience (tariqat) the ultimate reality (ma'rifa). The poet saints were also intent on proclaiming through their poetic outpourings how to reach God-realization, placing great stress on saying the name of God (namasmarana), a practice which the Sufis also embrace (dhikr). Essentially they are no different.

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