Why did Sufi saint accept money ? Explain.
Why did Sufi saint accept money ? Explain.
In the story within the extract, Shaikh Fariduddin accepted the money while refusing the land, for charitable rather than personal reasons.
Why the money was accepted:
- For the benefit of the dervishes — the money was meant to be spent on the Sufis and the poor, not for personal enrichment. The Shaikh said, "Give me the money. I will dispense it to the dervishes."
- Money could be redistributed — cash could be immediately given away as charity, keeping the Sufi free of permanent possessions.
Why the land was refused:
- Land ownership meant lasting attachment and worldly entanglement, so the Shaikh told the ruler to keep the deeds and give them to "those who long for them."
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: the money was accepted to be dispensed/distributed among the dervishes (Sufis) and the needy, not for personal use.
- 21 mark: money is easily given away as charity, whereas land creates permanent ownership and worldly attachment, so land was refused.
Hint
The money was accepted not to keep, but to distribute among the dervishes and the poor.
Quick Oral Answer
The saint took the money only to distribute it among the dervishes and the poor, since cash could be given away immediately as charity, whereas land would have created permanent worldly ownership, which he refused.
Analysis & Explanation
The story is told by Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya about his own master, Shaikh Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar, to explain his stance on gifts.
Concept:
- Sufis distinguished between transferable charity and permanent property. Money (futuh) could be instantly distributed to the needy, upholding the ideal of poverty; land created enduring ownership that bound one to worldly and political affairs.
Exam trap:
- Do not say the saint accepted money out of greed. He took it only to pass it on to the dervishes and the poor.
Wider significance:
- This selective acceptance let Sufis serve the community and sustain the hospice while preserving their reputation for renunciation and independence from the state.
Common Mistakes
- 1Claiming the saint accepted money out of need or greed, ignoring that it was for the dervishes.
- 2Failing to contrast money (given away) with land (permanent ownership that was refused).
- 3Attributing the money acceptance to Nizamuddin Auliya rather than the master, Shaikh Fariduddin, in the recounted story.
Interesting Facts
Unsolicited charity received by Sufis was called 'futuh'; Chishti masters usually spent it the same day rather than hoarding it.
Shaikh Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar's dargah is at Ajodhan (Pakpattan, in present-day Pakistan), and his verses were later included in the Guru Granth Sahib.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Sufi saint keep the money for himself?
No. He accepted it only to dispense it among the dervishes and the poor, in keeping with the Sufi ideal of poverty.
Why accept money but refuse land?
Money could be immediately given away as charity, but land created permanent ownership and worldly attachment, which the Sufi masters avoided.