Lecture at Amritsar's GNDU delves into Sufism and Urdu’s genesis & symbiotic rise

Urdu and Sufism go long back — both served as the primary medium for dissemination of mystical and spiritual values in Central Asia and, later, Punjab.

Baba Farid, Shah Hussain, Sultan Bahu and likes promoted the concepts of Sufism in this part of the world.

Spotlighting Sufi traditions in India and their correlation with Urdu/Persian, the department of Urdu and Persian at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) recently hosted a day-long seminar, inviting linguistic scholars.

Iraq Raza Zaidi, faculty, department of Urdu and Persian, GNDU, while delivering the keynote address, said Persian and Urdu scholars held varying views on mysticism and Sufism.

“Of course, my view is different from everyone else,” Zaidi remarked.

Referencing the couplet, “Yah alag baat ke tamir na hone paay/Verna har zahin mein ek Taj Mahal hota hai”, Zaidi said elements of mysticism and Sufism were present in everyone.

“The only difference is that some have little, and some more inclination towards treading that path,” he said. “Defining ‘sufi’ shouldn’t be an objective — anyone who houses spirituality, self-purification, inner improvement, tolerance of humanity, an aim to build and improve society, divine love, and the ability to keep the world’s corruptions away can be called a ‘sufi’.” The lecture was presided over by Manmohan Singh, Chairman, Sahitya Akademi, Chandigarh.

He said Sufism had a profound impact on Indian tradition. Manjinder Singh, Head of Department (Urdu and Persian), in his inaugural address, said Punjab had a great tradition of Sufism, and Punjabi Sufis had played an important role in the propagation of Sufism.

“The contribution of Sufism to Indian culture cannot be forgotten, especially the role played by Sufis in promoting religious harmony, tolerance and brotherhood,” Singh said.

Addressing the gathering, Rihan Hasan, also from the department of Urdu and Persian, said, to understand Sufism, it was necessary to understand Persian and Urdu traditions.

“Most Urdu poets have been associated with Khankahs, or ‘sufi’ monasteries, including Mir Dard, Khwaja Haider Ali Atish and Amir Minai. These monasteries became the epicentres of Sufism, and respite for scholars who travelled long distances, exploring lands,” Hasan said.