BABA FARID (1175 A.D.) – Farīd al-Dīn Masʿūd Ganj-i-Shakar (c. 4 April 1179 – 7 May 1266) was a 12th-century Punjabi Sunni Muslim preacher and mystic, who went on to become “one of the most revered and distinguished … Muslim mystics” of the medieval period. He is known reverentially as Bābā Farīd or Shaikh Farīd by Muslims, Sikhs of the Punjab Region, or simply as Farīduddīn Ganjshakar.

“Do not give me scissors, give me a needle. I sew, I do not cut.” Thus Baba tried to sew mankind to the all pervading power of Divine Love. He was not a man of miracles but he could penetrate the secret recess of the heart with his overflowing compassion. Even visitors who sometimes took liberties melted in his Love.

Once a young insolent lad tried to insult him, but Farid was so kind to him and gave him clothes and money. The lad was so overcome that he fell at his feet and begged forgiveness. Farid lovingly bestowed his customary blessing, “May God give you a heart full of Love.”

Baba Farid belonged to a noble family of Kabul and later migrated to North India. From childhood he was filled with Divine love by his mother, a saintly lady. He pursued his spiritual quest under the eminent Sufi saint Qutabudin Bakhtiyar Kaki of the Chishti tradition whom he later succeeded. His master used to give out amulets. One day as the crowd around the master swelled, Farid enquired if he could help in writing the amulets. His master responded, “power to get work done lies neither in your hands nor in mine. The amulets contain the name and word of God, do write and give to the people.”

Baba Farid led a spartan life and chose to live in a mud hut. Often his large family faced starvation even though he was at the height of fame and had disciples all over the country. He refused the endowment of four villages offered by the sultan of Delhi stating that they best be bestowed upon those who desire them.

He warned his disciples to keep away from the princess of Royal blood. He refused to accept guaranteed payment or immovable property like land, villages or buildings. All cash donations were distributed to the needy and poor. Once when the sultan sent him a tray of gold coins, he immediately ordered its distribution. As the sun set, his disciple kept back the last coin to give away the following morning. When Farid went to the mosque to lead the prayers, he broke down thrice. Something was amiss him, he interrogated his disciple if all the coins were distributed. When he learnt that a coin had been kept behind, he immediately gave it away and then resumed the prayers peacefully.

Baba Farid did not advocate any philosophy or intellectual doctrine but rather showed a way of life according to the sufi way (Tariqat)- the love of God, awakening of the soul (Haqiqat) and self-realization (Marifat). He emphasized the purity of mind and detachment. The love of God manifests in love to mankind, kindness, consideration and courtesy. Inner purity entails a mind free from ego, anger and greed.

Says Farid,

“This patience is the main object; if Thou, O mortal adopt it,
Thou shalt become a great receiver and
not a separate branch thereof”

The Sufi way adheres to the Islamic code of life (Shariat) which covers religious, moral, social and political norms a Mohamedan must follow:
The love of God contains the element of ecstasy (Ishq). Under sufi poets it gained an emotional fervor of ecstasy described as the union of lover with his beloved. As the consciousness of the Durewesh merges with God consciousness he goes into ecstasy.

Farid uses the symbol of a woman’s yearning for her lover to depict his painful separation,
“I slept not with my beloved last night; my body is pining away
Go, ask the wife whom her husband has put away, how passeth the night”

In another verse he refers to the nightingale who has been burnt black by the separation from the beloved.
“Thou Koel sable-winged, what had darkened thee?
Sorrow of separation from the beloved hath singed my wings.
Without love even beauty withers away,
I dread not the departure of beauty if
My spouse’s love departs not herewith.
Farid, how often hath beauty become dry and withered without love.”
“Those alone are true devotees whose heart is sincerely in love with God.
The one whose heart is belied by their tongue are false and inconstant.
The true devotees soaked in God’s love are ever in ecstasy of realization.
Those indifferent to him are burden on earth.”

Love comes to be exalted to the level of worship and culminates in ecstasy. To share their ecstasy, Sufis took to collective singing and dancing. Music was employed as a medium to escalate the ecstatic state. Baba Farid’s mystic songs were so charged with his spirit that they still resonate in the human soul. Many of them are to be found in the Holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib.

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Farid warned of the day of judgment. One had to assume responsibility for one’s action, and not transgress one’s maryadas.

Warning those who cross the limits,
“O river, break not thy banks,
For, thou has to render account to thy God;
So flow within thy limits, as it’s the Lord’s will.”
Their inner love led the Sufis to have complete trust in God (Tawakkul).

“O cursed be the life,
If one has to depend on someone other than God.”
Total surrender to the will of God constitutes the bedrock of the Sufi way.

“God hath accomplished such things
As could never have been conceived.”

In everything Farid saw the wonderous hand of God.

“O Farid, the creator dwelleth in Creation and Creation in the Creator,
Whom calleth thou bad, since there is none besides Him.”
In a subtle way he tried to induct his disciples towards self realization. Silence and deep meditation was practiced by disciples daily. He did not want his disciples to waste time in idle talk.

“One should work and not lose himself in the talk of people. Many utterances lull the heart and make it indifferent to the Divine message.”

Nor did he favour seclusion,
“One should abstain from idle seclusion because it makes one’s heart neglectful.”
“Farid, why wanderest thou wild in places,
Trampling thorn under thy feet?
God abides in the heart; seek Him not in lonely wastes.”

Some disciples wanted to leave studies in quest of spirituality. He advised them to carry on their studies along with spiritual pursuit as knowledge also was necessary for a seeker.

He could be very severe with a disciple. He explained to his close disciple Nizamudin that this was necessary for the perfection of the disciple, for “a pir is a dresser of brides.”

But anger was considered a sign of weakness. He revealed, one should not quarrel in a manner which leaves no room for reconciliation. He often quoted the Prophet,

“That blessed is the man whose knowledge of his own faults prevents him from disclosing the faults of others.”

At the age of ninety three, Farid wanted to pass on his mantel to his dearest disciple- Nizamudin. Nizamudin thanked him for the honour but declined to shoulder the responsibility.
Farid assured him that he would be able to perform the task well, saying,

“Though I do not know if I will be honoured before Almighty or not, I promise not to enter the paradise before your disciples in my company.”
Seekers from all faiths, caste and creed clustered around Farid. He did not believe in converting any one, but sew all the hearts together.