| Kabir Das (IAST: Kabīr, Hindustani pronunciation: [kəbiːr d̪aːs]; 1398/1440 – 1448/1518) was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib. Kabir was born in the city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
Kabir is known for being critical of both organized religion and religions. He questioned meaningless and unethical practices of all religions primarily the wrong practices in Hindu and Muslim religion. During his lifetime, he was threatened by both Hindus and Muslims for his views.: 4 When he died, both Hindus and Muslims he had inspired claimed him as theirs.Kabir suggested that Truth is with the person who is on the path of righteousness, considered everything, living and non living, as divine, and who is passively detached from the affairs of the world. To know the Truth, suggested Kabir, drop the "I" or the ego.: 4 Kabir's 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. |
