________________
Sufism-The Essence of Islam
"Our Heritage", though the basis of Sufi thinking already existed in Koran, it was seriously influenced by Indian thinking which played a prominant role amongs all other influences which shaped its thinking. Sir Charlse Eliot has expressed in his book "Hinduism and Buddhism" that Bagdad and Bulkh had strong connections with India much before the birth of the Prophet Mohamad and hence that part of the world was greatly influfenced by Indian thinking. As Encyclopaedia of World Religions" puts it, "Sufism is the Islamic version of Vedantic philosophy and a thinking which is collateral with Buddhism, having some influence of early Christian saints."
147
The life of the Sufi saint RABIA who flourished in 713 or 717 A.D. supplies a glorious illustration of Sufi living. It is said that when once she lost her sewing needle in the darkness of her hut, she began to search it in the light outside her hut. People who passed by, asked her what she was searching; she said she lost her neele in her hut. When people asked her why she was searching outside if it was lost inside the hut, she said there was not sufficient
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
