By Justice Markandey Katju
One day in Delhi the renowned Sufi saint, Nizamuddin Aulia ( 1238-1325 ), was standing with his disciple Amir Khusro ( 1253-1325 ), on the bank of the river Jumna.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nizamuddin_Auliya
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amir_Khusrau
The saint saw Hindu worshippers bathing in the Jumna, and remarked (in Persian) :
“Har Qaum raast raahe
Din-e-wa qibla gaahe”
Which means:
“Every people has a pole (qibla) to which it turns”
i.e.: Every sect has its own right path of worship.
Amir Khusro immediately completed the couplet with a verse of his own:
“Man qibla raast kardam
bar samt kaj kulahe”
Which means:
“I, however turn my face
towards the tilted cap”
P.S.
In other words, Amir Khusro said that his path was that of Nizamuddin Aulia, i.e. Sufiism
(Nizamuddin Aulia used to wear a tilted cap).
(Justice Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. These are his personal views.)
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| Justice Markandey Katju |
