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The Sufi saint Sheikh Nasiruddin Mahmud of Delhi is popularly known as:
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Answer: Option A — Chiragh-i-Dilli (Lamp of Delhi)
Detailed Solution
The Sufi saint Sheikh Nasiruddin Mahmud (died 1356) is popularly known as "Chiragh-i-Dilli" ("the Lamp of Delhi").
About Sheikh Nasiruddin Mahmud:
- He was born in Ayodhya (Awadh) around 1274.
- He came to Delhi and became a disciple of the great Chishti saint Nizamuddin Auliya.
- After Nizamuddin Auliya's death in 1325, he became his successor (khalifa) in the Chishti order at Delhi.
- He lived a life of simplicity, prayer and service to the poor.
- He was known for his deep spirituality, humility and patience.
Why he was called "Chiragh-i-Dilli":
- He is said to have been given this title because he spread the light of spiritual knowledge in Delhi.
- According to a legend, when oil for lamps was not available during the construction of a stepwell (baoli) for Nizamuddin Auliya, the lamps were lit with water, through his spiritual power.
Relations with the Sultans:
- He had difficult relations with Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who tried to make the Sufi saints serve the state.
- He is said to have been attacked by a qalandar (wandering mystic) with a knife, but he forgave the attacker.
His death and dargah:
- He died in 1356 in Delhi.
- His dargah (tomb shrine) is located in the area of south Delhi now called "Chirag Delhi", named after him.
- Firoz Shah Tughlaq is said to have built his tomb.
His disciples:
His most famous disciple was Syed Muhammad Gesu Daraz (Bande Nawaz), who moved to Gulbarga in the Deccan and spread the Chishti order there.
The Chishti order in India:
- Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti (Ajmer): "Gharib Nawaz" (protector of the poor).
- Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (Delhi).
- Baba Fariduddin (Pakpattan): "Ganj-i-Shakar" (treasure of sugar).
- Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi): "Mehboob-e-Ilahi" (beloved of God).
- Nasiruddin Mahmud: "Chiragh-i-Dilli".
Why not the other options?
- ✗Mehboob-e-Ilahi, Ganj-i-Shakar and Gharib Nawaz were titles of other Chishti saints.
Quick tip
Remember: Chiragh-i-Dilli = Sheikh Nasiruddin Mahmud (successor of Nizamuddin Auliya; died 1356; disciple Gesu Daraz went to Gulbarga); Gharib Nawaz = Muinuddin Chishti; Ganj-i-Shakar = Baba Farid.
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Bhakti & Sufi Movements — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Bhakti & Sufi Movements, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Bhakti and Sufi movements emphasised personal devotion to God over ritual and caste. This topic covers Bhakti saints such as Ramanuja, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Mirabai, Tulsidas, Surdas, Chaitanya, Namdev and Tukaram, and the Sufi orders (silsilas) such as the Chishti and Suhrawardi orders and their saints. Questions usually link a saint to their region, language, teacher or ideas, or ask which Sufi order a saint belonged to. For example, Moinuddin Chishti brought the Chishti order to Ajmer, and Kabir was a disciple of Ramananda. A table of saint, region and key teaching makes these questions easy. Practise the Bhakti and Sufi movements questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.