Sufis and the People of Delhi

An interview with Sohail Hashmi on the history of Sufi settlements in Delhi, describing how people were drawn to Sufism because it was inclusive, adopted the language of the people, and laid stress on serving fellow beings rather than on ritual. Sufis were venerated for having superhuman abilities and vision, and celebrated for keeping their distance from worldly power. We may also observe a degree of democracy in Sufi institutions, and syncretic elements in their poetry and ritual performance, that make their legacy meaningful for us today.