UPSC Prelims 1996·GS1·art-and-culture·religion and literature

The sufi saint who maintained that devotional music was one way of coming close to God was

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  1. AMuin-ud-din ChishtiCorrect
  2. BBaba Farid
  3. CSaiyid Muhammad Gesudaraz
  4. DShah Alam Bukhari

Explanation

The correct answer is Muin ud din Chishti because he was the founder of the Chishtiya order in India, which is well known for popularizing the use of music as a spiritual practice. This order integrated Sama, a form of devotional music or qawwali, into their rituals based on the belief that music helps the soul attain a state of ecstasy and proximity to the Divine. While other saints mentioned also belonged to the Sufi tradition, Muin ud din Chishti is primarily credited with establishing this specific emphasis on music as a path to God in the Indian subcontinent.
art-and-culture: The sufi saint who maintained that devotional music was one way of coming close to God was

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