Sufism: The ‘Sufi’ saints wore woollen clothes from which the term sufi is derived. The other, meaning of Sufi is purity. The influence of Hinduism on Islam in medieval India resulted in the rise of Sufism. It inculcated many Hindu practices into Islamic practices.
The Sufi saints, like the other Hindu exponents of the Bhakti cult, propagated social equality, gender equality, religious harmony, devotion etc. Some of the practices were against Islamic principles, like music and singing as forms of devotion to , worship of the tombs of the Sufi Saints (Darga), both men and ** offering prayers together at the Dargah, etc., The sufi saints became popular by their socio-religious reforms and both Hindus and Muslims became their disciples.
The important Sufi orders are :
Chishti order was founded by Khwaja Abdul Chishti in 966 C.E. Moinuddin Chishti, Sheik Salim Chishti, Fariduddin Shakar and others were the important saints of this order.
Suharawardi order was founded by Sheik Shahabuddin Suharawardi of Baghdad. Sheik Bahauddin Suharawardi was the famous saint among this order.
