Barakat
Also called: Baraka · Topic: Bhakti and Sufi Traditions · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 2 "Bhakti-Sufi Traditions"
Meaning
Barakat is spiritual grace, or blessing, from God. Sufis believed that God gave barakat to a wali, a "friend of God". This grace let the saint work miracles, called karamat. People believed the barakat stayed with the saint even after death. So they made ziyarat, a pilgrimage to the saint's tomb-shrine (dargah), to receive blessings for both everyday and spiritual needs.
Example
Pilgrims went to the dargah of Shaikh Muinuddin Sijzi at Ajmer, especially on the urs, his death anniversary. Akbar visited it fourteen times up to 1580 to seek blessings for his conquests, for his vows and for the birth of sons.
Don't confuse with
- Karamat: the miracles themselves. Barakat is the grace that makes the miracles possible.