Who is Kabir?
Kabir was a religious guru who lived in the 15th century in Varanasi, India. He is considered as one of the greatest poets in Indian literature and is known for his critical views on divine powers and creation. There is no clear information about his childhood, but it is said that he was raised by a very poor Muslim weaver family in India.
Kabir is known for his poetry and teachings in which he puts the practice of mainstream religions into perspective with his unique philosophy. These works include The Bijak of Kabir, Granthawali, Anurag Sagar, and Sakhi Granth. Kabir is said to be a “nirgun poet” among the people of his time and today. The term “nirgun” is used for individuals who believe that the Creator has no form and does not belong to a particular religion. Kabir’s rejection of the barriers between religions and caste fueled Hinduism’s Bhakti movement that sought to bring oneness among religions across all strata of society.
At the time his poems became popular, Kabir was perceived as a deity by many. This was due to his striking views that deviated from the mainstream religious beliefs of his time, mainly Islam and Hinduism. However, his increasing popularity fueled the upcoming of a negative reaction among members of organized religions. Kabir spent some time in prison due to his opposing views of Islamic and Hinduistic philosophies. Despite the increasing numbers of his supporters, many believed believed that Kabir was an imposter who pretended to have a divine vision. In response to the attacks against him, Kabir said:
Saints, I see the world is mad. If I tell the truth they rush to beat me, if I lie, they trust me. Hindus claim Ram as the one, Muslims claims Raheem. Then they kill each other, knowing not the essence (Kabir, Shabad 4).
Those who believed in Kabir’s religious philosophy were named as the Kabir Panth sect, which still exists to this day. The followers of this sect celebrate the “Kabir Jayanti” festival every year on a full moon night in May or June to commemorate the famous poet.
Let’s take a look at the religious philosophies of the Kabir Panth sect.
God is everywhere and within
The Kebirpanthi sect believed that God exists within every individual and therefore there is no need for a specific religion to reach God, unlike the Hindus and Muslims. This idea comes from the concept of “Brahman” in Hinduism. In Hinduism, Brahman represents the highest universal principle and the essence of the cosmos. This philosophy believes that everything in the universe – the sun, humans, and gods – is created from the essence of the universe, and therefore God exists within everything visible to us. Kabir writes:
It’s one, one of every body! How did you make it two? Every man and woman born they are all your forms, says Kabir. I am Ram-and-Allah’s foolish baby. He is my guru and pir.
(The Bijak of Kabir, Poem 97, Page 73-74)
Kabir’s religious view that God exists everywhere reminds me of verse 16 in Surat Kaf in the Quran:
We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (Pickthall)
However, according to most known interpretations, this verse does not imply that the creator is a part of us just because they are close to us. In the interpretation of Hafiz Ibn Kathir, the angels of Allah who sit on our right and left shoulders and record our deeds are being referred to; Allah’s angels are closer to man than his jugular vein.
Every religion believes in the same creator
According to Kabir Panth’s, Ram, Hari, Govinda, Allah or Sahib all refer to the same creator despite appearing to have different names in different religions. This belief further puts emphasis on their philosophy of oneness and that God is everywhere. Interestingly, Kabir strongly condemned idol worship like in Islam and unlike Hinduism, did not believe in the incarnations of the creator (avatars). However, his most criticized idea was disregarding formal worship practices such as performing Hajj and Umrah or bathing in holy rivers. In his book, The Bijak of Kabir, the poet writes:
Does Khuda live in the mosque? Then who lives everywhere? Is Ram in idols and holy ground? Have you looked and found him there? Hari in the East, Allah in the West-so you like to dream. Search in the heart, in the heart alone: there live Ram and Karim. Which is false, Quran or Veda? False is the darkened view.
(The Bijak of Kabir, Poem 97, Page 73-74)
Definitions:
- Hari: a name of God in Hinduism and is often associated with the deity Vishnu
- Ram: one of the incarnations of Vishnu
- Karim:one of the 99 names of Allah (God) mentioned in the Quran and Hadith
- Khuda: referring to Allah
- Vedas: the collection of authoritative scriptures in Hinduism
If you are interested in more of Kabir’s poems, here is a link to the e-book version of the Bjak of Kabir: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/63717125/the-bijak-of-kabir-pdfdrivecom