Kabir

Kabir Das (IAST: Kabīr) was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduisms Bhakti movement and his verses are found in Sikhisms scripture Guru Granth Sahib. His early life was in a Muslim family, but he was strongly influenced by his teacher, the Hindu bhakti leader Ramananda. Kabir was born in the Indian city of Varanasi but spent most of his life in the city of Faridabad near Delhi.Kabir is known for being critical of both Hinduism and Islam, stating followers of both were misguided by the Vedas and Quran, and questioning their meaningless rites of initiation such as the sacred thread and circumcision respectively. During his lifetime, he was threatened by both Hindus and Muslims for his views. When he died, both Hindus and Muslims he had inspired claimed him as theirs.Kabir suggested that Truth, which he often called Raam, is with the person who is on the path of righteousness, considered all creatures on earth as his own self, and who is passively detached from the affairs of the world. To know the Truth, suggested Kabir, drop the I or the ego. Kabirs legacy survives and continues through the Kabir panth (Path of Kabir), a religious community that recognises him as its founder and is one of the Sant Mat sects. Its members are known as Kabir panthis.

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