Ans. The first question was, “who is the wisest person”?
The answer of all the Fakirs was, “the one who has forsaken worldly goods is the wisest person.
The second question was, “who is the greatest person”?
The answer of everyone was, “the one who considers joy and sorrow the same is the greatest person”.
The third question was, “who is the richest of all”?
Everyone answered, “the one who is contented is the richestof all”.
The fourth question was, “who is the poorest of all”?
The answer of everyone was, “the one who is greedy is the poorest of all”.
Baba Farid is the only Sufi Fakir whose poetical compositions are included in Guru Granth Sahib. He is also known as the first recorded poet in Punjabi.
Farid’s father, Shaikh Jamanuddin Sulaiman, whose family was related to the rulers of Kabul, migrated to Punjab in twelfth century A.D. Shaikh Farid was born in 1173 A.D. at village Kathowal, near Multan (Pakistan). His father died when Farid was still a child and his mother, Kalsum Bibi, who was a very pious lady, brought him up in a way that he grew up to be a great saint.
As a child he was very fond of sugar. His mother used sugar to induce him to do his prayers regularly by placing a lump of sugar under his prayer mat as a reward. As a result the title of “Shakar Gany” or the treasure of sugar, got associated with his name.
He got his spiritual training under Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. Shaikh Farid is considered one of the founding fathers of Chishti Sufi order in India and the most revered Sufi Fakir in Punjab. He died in 1265 A.D.