Satsang 'Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi -A God!' by Bapatla Hanumanth Rao Garu

Baba a Hindu or a Muslim!
This question has often been tormenting the minds of the
people who gathered around Baba. From the information
available Baba was born to a Hindu couple. As a proof of
this fact, his ears were pierced in the early years. (Piercing
the ears is a custom of the Hindus but not that of the Muslims).

Baba came into contact with a Muslim Fakir when he two
years old. The fakir's name was not known to us. It is difficult
for us to infer the nature of the Fakir who might have belonged
to the village Manwat near Patri. Baba used to refer the Fakir
in some important contexts and often repeat his words. We can
very well understand that Baba, imbibed exemplary conduct and
discipline with the close association he had with his mentor, the
Fakir, in the formative years. He (Fakir) seemed to be a noble
and saintly person who had conquered his senses, an embodiment
of pure dispassion, and above all a faithful devotee of the Almighty.

Baba acquired qualities necessary to realize God from the training
he had received from the Fakir. (Second to sixth year) Infact the
Fakir was his first Guru. The Fakir must have belonged to the
Sufi sect. Sufies often attain a state of Samadhi (deep meditation)
and utter in Arabic Anal Haque (Aham Brahmasmi), indicating the
state of mind that realizes the Ultimate within them. Several
followers of Baba heard him repeating the words Anal Haque -
(Mai Allah Hum - I am God) every now and then. He revealed
himself to the devotees in the form of Lakshmi Narayana -
Ganapathi-Dutta-Maruthi-Vittal-Sri Rama-Sri Krishna, and said
all those are the forms of Allah and that He Himself was in all
such forms.

Baba often uttered Arabic and Parsi words in the beginning when
he arrived at Shirdi and was singing lyrics especially that - of
Sant Kabir. He used to sing and dance in ecstasy with Chiru in
hands (wooden pieces with metal that produces rhythmic sounds)
and Gajjalu (anklets with bells).

It is stated in the Sufi religion: 1) It is our ignorance alone that
leads us astray. 2) Only God is the doer; our minds and should
be absorbed in God, and He does all his deeds through us..3)
All we need is only a "Guru", who elevates us not only with
preachings but also with the message, showing his wonderful
powers of affection and love. The Guru transmits His wonderful
spiritual powers to his disciple. He merges the soul of his disciple
with his own and transforms him to his state of divinity.

To be contd....
(Source : http://www.saileelas.org/book/agod.htm

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