Discuss the attitude of the Chishti saints towards the state. How were the Suhrawardi saints different in their attitude towards the government?

Answer:

The two major Sufi orders of the Sultanate period — the Chishti and the Suhrawardi — differed sharply in their attitude towards the state and worldly power.

Attitude of the Chishti Saints

Detachment from the state:

• Chishti masters (Moinuddin Chishti, Nizamuddin Auliya) kept a deliberate distance from rulers and the court.
• They refused state grants and offices, living on futuh (unsolicited gifts) and distributing them.
• Nizamuddin Auliya famously avoided sultans; his hospice was open to all, stressing service, love and tolerance.

Attitude of the Suhrawardi Saints

Cooperation with government:

• Suhrawardi saints (Bahauddin Zakariya of Multan) accepted state patronage, land and official positions.
• They believed a Sufi could hold wealth and even office to do good, and maintained close ties with rulers.

Significance

• Chishti aloofness gave them wide popular appeal; Suhrawardi involvement linked them to the political establishment.

Therefore, while the Chishtis practised austere detachment from the state, the Suhrawardis embraced cooperation with government, reflecting two contrasting models of Sufi engagement with power.