6.3-Expansion of Worship

The result was that Sai, allowed his worship to be done at the mosque by different people with varying sets of ideas. He was drawing all people to mysticism, the common essence of all religion. Thus He built up a slow but inevitable process of uniting community engaged in worship which ultimately could include at least the whole of India.

Sai devotion means:

1. Tolerance towards all,

2. Faith in god and in Sai as Guru, and

3. the acceptance of the basic principles found in all religions.

Sai Baba stressed these factors from time to time and many time. Sai allowed the Hindus to adopt their puranic method of worship and treat him either as an avatar or ishtadeva.

He allowed muslims approaching him to read their Koran and the shariat at the mosque and to join his flock as his devotees, treating him merely as an Auvlia or a saint with remarkable powers.

All alike noticed that sai was the soul of love and purity, and a storehouse of superhuman power and superhuman enlightenment. Thus Baba has succeeded in drawing the otherwise jarring and warring sects into a peaceful flock of Sai devotees.

During the daytime, when pooja is conducted with all the din, bustle, and formalities of mantras and rituals of Hindu worship in the Mosque or Dwarkamayee, the Muslims did not interfere. When the Muslims on idga day have their rituals or prayers at Baba’s Mosque, the Hindus did not interfere.

During the day, Hindu puranas, Tukaram gathas, Ramayan, Vedas, were being read or recited. At night the Koran or shariat was read or repeated either by Abdul or by a person known as their Rohilla; offerings were brought to Baba were distributed by him to all after fatia was pronounced in true Muslim fashion.

Though Baba did not himself perform the five Namazes every day he encouraged the orthodox Muslims to do so at his place. Baba was displeased and showed his anger when any religious intolerance was exhibited. On one occasion a devotee came up and informed Baba that the newly appointed Foujdar(police sub-inspector) at Rahtha is neither a Hindu nor a Muslim but a Christian. Baba’s immediate reply was, ‘What of that? He is my brother’.