Editing Sai Baba of Shirdi (section)

==Teachings and practices==

[[Image:Shirdi sai3.jpg|thumb|Sai Baba, leaning against the wall of Dwarakamayi, with devotees]]

Sai Baba opposed all persecution based on religion or [[caste]]. He was an opponent of religious orthodoxy – Christian, Hindu, and Muslim.<ref name="Rigopoulos1993" />{{rp|139}}

Sai Baba encouraged his devotees to pray, chant God's name, and read holy scriptures. He advised Muslims to study the [[Qur'an]] and Hindus to study texts such as the [[Ramayana]], [[Bhagavad Gita]] and [[Yoga Vasistha]].<ref name="saibaba.org">Dabholkar/Gunaji ''Shri Sai Satcharita''/''Shri Sai Satcharitra'' chapter 27.</ref> He instructed his devotees and followers to lead a moral life, help others, love every living being without any discrimination, and develop two important features of character: faith (''Shraddha'') and patience (''Saburi''). He criticised [[atheism]].<ref>Dabholkar/Gunaji ''Shri Sai Satcharita''/''Shri Sai Satcharitra'' chapter 3 {{cite web |url=http://www.saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai3.html |title=SAI SATCHARITRA – Chapter 3 |access-date=2007-06-17 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070525013202/http://www.saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai3.html |archive-date=25 May 2007}}</ref>

In his teachings, Sai Baba emphasised the importance of performing one's duties without attachment to earthly matters and of being content regardless of the situation. In his personal practice, he observed worship procedures belonging to Islam; although he did not engage in regular rituals, he allowed the practice of [[Salah]], chanting of [[Al-Fatiha]], and Qur'an readings at Muslim festival times.<ref>{{cite book | last = Warren | first = Marianne | title = Unravelling The Enigma: Shirdi Sai Baba in the Light of Sufism. | publisher = [[Sterling Publishers]] | year = 1999 | page = 29 | isbn = 0-7914-1268-7}}</ref> Occasionally reciting the Al-Fatiha, Baba enjoyed listening to [[mawlid]] and [[qawwali]] accompanied by the [[tabla]] and [[sarangi]] twice daily.<ref>{{cite book | last = Warren | first = Marianne | title = Unravelling The Enigma: Shirdi Sai Baba in the Light of Sufism. | publisher = [[Sterling Publishers]] | year = 1999 | page = 30 | isbn = 0-7914-1268-7}}</ref>

Sai Baba interpreted the religious texts of both Islam and Hinduism. He explained the meaning of the Hindu scriptures in the spirit of [[Advaita Vedanta]], with a strong emphasis on the path of ''[[bhakti]]'' (devotion). All three of the main Hindu spiritual paths – [[Bhakti Yoga]], [[Jnana Yoga]], and [[Karma Yoga]] – influenced his teachings.<ref name="Rigopoulos1993" />{{rp|261-352}}
Sai Baba encouraged charity and sharing. He said:
{{Blockquote|Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere. If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but receive them well and treat them with due respect. Sri [[Hari]] (God) will certainly be pleased if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked, and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If anybody wants any money from you and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him like a dog."<ref>Dabholkar (alias Hemadpant) ''Shri Sai Satcharita'' Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Shirdi, (translated from [[Marathi language|Marathi]] into English by Nagesh V. Gunaji in 1944) [http://www.shirdi-sai-baba.com/sai-books.html available online] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060512203715/http://www.shirdi-sai-baba.com/sai-books.html |date=12 May 2006 }} or [http://www.saibaba.org/saisatc.html downloadable]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060414023134/http://saibaba.org/saisatc.html |date=14 April 2006 }} or on [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DO6QJ42 Kindle.]
</ref>}}Sai Baba stressed the importance of surrender to the true ''[[satguru]]'', who, having trodden the path to divine consciousness, can lead the disciple through the jungle of spiritual growth.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.shirdibooks.com/sai-satcharitra-chapter-48/ |title=Shri Sai Satcharitra – online version |date=19 September 2012 |access-date=10 April 2022}}</ref> True devotees, he said, always meditate upon the ''satguru'' with love, and surrender themselves completely to him. When he spoke of himself in this sense he explained his meaning thus:<blockquote>You need not go anywhere in search of Me. Barring your name and form, there exists in you, as well as in all beings, a sense of Being or Consciousness of Existence. That is ‘Me’. Knowing this, you see Me inside yourself, and in all beings. If you practice this, you will realize all-pervasiveness and thus be as one with Me.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shri Sai Satcharita - online version |url=https://www.shirdibooks.com/sai-satcharitra-chapter-43-and-44/ |access-date=13 April 2023}}</ref></blockquote>

===Worship and devotees===

[[File:Sai gold full.jpg|thumb|Sai Baba's Temple in Shirdi]]
[[File:Sai_baba_samadhi_mandir_.jpg|thumb|The [[Mandir Kalasha]] Of The Samadhi Mandir, Shirdi]]

A local [[Khandoba]] priest, Mahalsapati Nagre, is believed to have been Sai Baba's first devotee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://holyshirdi.saibaba.com/houses/mahalsa-house-1.html|title=Holy Shirdi {{!}}Mhalsapati's House|website=holyshirdi.saibaba.com|access-date=2017-03-13|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720084742/http://holyshirdi.saibaba.com/houses/mahalsa-house-1.html|archive-date=20 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ssbf.co.in/About_SaiBaba/CharanPaduka.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140927100629/http://www.ssbf.co.in/About_SaiBaba/CharanPaduka.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-09-27|title=Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation|website=www.ssbf.co.in|access-date=2017-03-13}}</ref> In the 19th century, Sai Baba's followers were only a small group of inhabitants of Shirdi and a few people from other parts of India.<ref name=":0" /> 

Today, because of Sai Baba, Shirdi has become a famous [[Religious tourism|religious tourist]] destination in India and is counted as one of the most popular Hindu places of pilgrimage.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.amazingmaharashtra.com/2012/05/shirdi.html|title=Amazing Maharashtra: SHIRDI SAIBABA TEMPLE|last=Mhatre|first=Shridhar|work=Amazing Maharashtra|access-date=2017-03-13|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414192758/http://www.amazingmaharashtra.com/2012/05/shirdi.html|archive-date=14 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tourmyindia.com/blog/top-30-famous-temples-in-india/|title=Top 30 Famous Temples in India: Tour My India|date=2013-12-04|work=Tour My India|access-date=2017-03-13|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314063551/https://www.tourmyindia.com/blog/top-30-famous-temples-in-india/|archive-date=14 March 2017}}</ref> The first Sai Baba temple is situated at [[Kudal]], [[Sindhudurg]]. This temple was built in 1922. 

The Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi is visited by an average of 25,000 pilgrims a day. During religious festivals, this number can reach up to 100,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org/new_eng%20template_shirdi/shirdi/templecomplex.html|title=shirdi|date=2016-04-23|access-date=2017-03-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423104659/http://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org/new_eng%20template_shirdi/shirdi/templecomplex.html|archive-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> Both the interior of the temple and the exterior cone are covered with gold. Inside the temple, the statue of Sai Baba is carved out of Italian marble and is seen draped with royal cloth, wearing a gold crown and adorned with fresh flower garlands. The temple is managed by the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust.

Following rituals and traditions dating back to when Baba was still alive, four [[Aarti|''aartis'']] are held daily (corresponding to the time of the day) inside the Samadhi Mandir. {{cn|date=June 2024}}

* Kakad Aarti ''(The Morning Aarti)'' at 04:30
* Madhyan Aarti ''(The Afternoon Aarti)'' at 12:00
* Dhup Aarti ''(The Evening Aarti)'' at 18:30
* Shej Aarti ''(The Night Aarti)'' at 22:30

The Palanquin procession of Sai Baba takes place every Thursday from the Samadhi Mandir to Dwarkamayi, onward to Chavdi and back to the Sai Baba Mandir. Devotees belonging to all faiths are welcome to take Darshan in the Samadhi Mandir and have free meals in the Prasadalaya, irrespective of caste, creed, and religion. {{cn|date=June 2024}}

Sai Baba of Shirdi is especially revered and worshiped in the states of [[Maharashtra]], [[Odisha]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]], [[Karnataka]], [[Tamil Nadu]], and [[Gujarat]]. {{cn|date=June 2024}}

In recent years, the following of Sai Baba has spread to the Netherlands, the Caribbean, Nepal, Canada, United States, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, United Kingdom,<ref>[http://www.rammandirleicester.org.uk/19.html Shridi Sai Baba] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116053623/http://rammandirleicester.org.uk/19.html |date=16 January 2017 }}. Ram Mandir Leicester. Retrieved on 2017-06-24.</ref><ref>[http://www.shirdisai.org.uk/ Shri Shirdi Saibaba Temple Association of London] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104000536/http://www.shirdisai.org.uk/ |date=4 January 2017 }}. Shirdisai.org.uk. Retrieved on 2017-06-24.</ref> Germany, France, and Singapore,<ref>{{cite book|author1=Brady R. |author2=Coward H. G. |author3=Hinnels J. H.|title=The South Asian Religious Diaspora in Britain, Canada, and the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zsj7MfYXSZ4C&pg=PA93|date=2000|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-7914-4509-9|page=93|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303194030/https://books.google.com/books?id=Zsj7MfYXSZ4C&pg=PA93|archive-date=3 March 2018}}</ref> due to the [[Hinduism by country|Hindu]] [[Indian diaspora|Indian Diaspora]] in those countries.

===Hindus and Muslims===
[[File:Deoghar with Saibaba.jpg|thumb|right|A household shrine (Deoghar) in a Hindu Marathi family with Saibaba at the center]]
In a verse of the midday arti, devotees sing:

{{blockquote|In essence, there is no difference whatever between Hindu and Muslim. You took birth in human body to show this. You look with affection on both Hindus and Muslims. This, Sai, who pervades all, as the soul of all, demonstrates.}}

Baba often talked about the Hindu gods and quoted from sacred texts. On occasion he would comment on passages from the Bhagavad Gita, the Isha Upanishad, and others. The names of Krishna and Rama were sacred to him. With Muslim followers, he talked of Allah and the Qur'an, often quoting Persian verses. He frequently used the expression "''Allah rakhega vaiia rahena''" ("Let us be content with what we have, and submit our will to Allah"). He told his listeners that he, like them, was but a devotee of Allah, a humble faqir with two arms and two legs. In later years, Parsis and Christians would also visit him in Shirdi. He respected all faiths, and taught that all are particular paths toward one ineffable goal.<ref name="Rigopoulos1993" />{{rp|70-71}}

His notion of the unity of all mankind was congruous with both [[Advaita Vedanta|Advaitism]] and [[Sufism]]. "God being one and the master of all also meant that all his creatures were part of one big family," writes Sikand. "This belief was entirely in keeping with both the Bhakti philosophy as well as the teachings of the Sufis, who believed that the light of God exists in every creature, indeed in every particle of His creation."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sikand |first1=Yoginder |title=Sacred Spaces: Exploring Traditions of Shared Faith in India |date=2003 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=India |page=122 |isbn=9780143029311 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RBkwnoDPKgUC&dq=sikand+sufi+sai+baba&pg=PA120}}</ref> For Sai Baba, it is commonly believed that he viewed all religious paths as being equally valid, with him considering "Ishwar" (the Hindu God) and "Allah" to be synonymous. People coming to his abode were so taken aback to see Hindus, Muslims, and others living together so peacefully that in many instances it proved to be life-changing.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pal |first=Amitabh |date=2011 |title="Islam" Means Peace: Understanding the Muslim Principle of Nonviolence Today |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zAfRoIQV97MC&q=Sai+baba+urged+his&pg=PA71 |publisher=ABC Clio |page=71 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914173323/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=zAfRoIQV97MC&pg=PA71&dq=muslim+worship+sai+baba&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj--pKAv6TWAhXLpo8KHSlpDvIQ6AEILzAC#v=onepage&q=Sai%20baba%20urged%20his&f=false |archive-date=14 September 2017|isbn=9780313382918 }}</ref>