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

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THE HERMIT OF LAHORE<br />

not violating the external forms <strong>of</strong> Sunni piety. <strong>The</strong> social composition<br />

<strong>of</strong> the saint’s devotees is extremely varied: as always, the urban lower<br />

strata and beggars predominate but there are also richly dressed<br />

women <strong>of</strong> well-<strong>to</strong>-do families, visiting Dātā Darbār accompanied by<br />

escorts.<br />

However, prejudices, ambitions and discords <strong>of</strong> the mortals are no<br />

longer going <strong>to</strong> disturb the eternal peace <strong>of</strong> the scholar saint, whose<br />

remarkable work was, in his own words, intended ‘for polishers <strong>of</strong><br />

hearts which are infected by the veil <strong>of</strong> “clouding” but in which the<br />

substance <strong>of</strong> the light <strong>of</strong> the Truth is existent’ (al-Hujwiri 1926: 5).<br />

58

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