Muslim Saints of South Asia: The eleventh to ... - blog blog blog

THE PEACEMAKER OF DELHI
There are two forms of devotion. One is mandatory (lāzimī),
the other is supererogatory (muta‘addī). 3 Mandatory
devotion is that from which the benefit is limited to one
person, that is, to the performer of that devotion, whether
it be canonical prayers, fasting, pilgrimage to Arabia,
invocations, repetitions of the rosary, or the like. But
supererogatory devotion is that which brings benefit and
comfort to others, whether through the expenditure of money
or demonstration of compassion or other ways of helping
one’s fellow man. Such actions are called supererogatory
devotion. Their reward is incalculable; it is limitless.
(Amir Hasan 1992: 95)
By nature Shaikh Nizamuddin was endowed with a gentle and pliant
disposition alien to vanity and arrogance, possessed the healthy
temperament of a sanguine person, a majestic appearance and, finally,
innate artistry, which to a large extent was the secret of his allconquering
charisma. The feats of asceticism performed by Baba
Farid left him indifferent, although, in contrast to his murshid, he
observed celibacy till the end of his days. Probably, this required selfabnegation
of a high degree, because Nizamuddin was remarkably
handsome: tall, slender, light-complexioned, with beautiful curly hair
(which led Baba Farid to exempt him from having his head shaved,
obligatory during the ritual of initiation). In spite of his celibacy he
was not indifferent to women’s virtues, and treated women of his
immediate environment with touching tenderness and chivalry. The
Shaikh used to say:
Renouncing worldliness (tark-i dunyā) does not mean, for
instance, that one becomes naked, wearing only a loin cloth
and sitting (in solitude). Renouncing worldliness means,
instead, to wear clothes and to take food while at the same
time keeping in continuous use whatever comes to hand,
feeling no inclination to hoard and no attachment to material
objects. That [disposition alone] is tantamount to renouncing
worldliness.
(Amir Hasan 1992: 88–9)
Nizamuddin preached that there is no necessity whatsoever for
asceticism and mortification of the flesh, if a man concentrates only
upon God, and makes use of worldly goods without any personal
interest, but only for sustenance of life or the fulfilment of duty (for
107