Sarmad Kashani

Who was Sarmad Kashani?

Muhammad Sa'id, mostly known as Sarmad Kashani or simply as Sarmad was a Persian mystic, poet and saint who travelled to and made the Indian subcontinent his permanent home during the 17th century. Originally a Jew, some claim he renounced his religion to adopt Islam, while others say he even converted once more to Hinduism - Sarmad described himself in his poetry as a Sufi, a Hindu priest, a Buddhist monk, a rabbi, an infidel and a Muslim. Since he was known for ridiculing the major religions of his day as well as writing quatrains affirming his religious identity, modern scholarship remains divided on Sarmad's ambiguous religious affiliation. For these religious views and outrageous statements, Sarmad is often counted among the antinomian Sufis.