Kabir Das was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint (c. 1440–1518 CE) one of the most influential figures of the Bhakti and Sufi devotional tradition in North India.
Born in Varanasi (Kashi) exact origins debated; raised by Muslim weavers
Disciple of Bhakti saint Ramananda
Wrote in Awadhi, Braj Bhasha, and Sadhukkadi vernacular languages accessible to common people
Compositions: dohas (couplets) and shabads (devotional songs)
Works included in the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy scripture)
Key philosophy: Rejected idol worship, caste system, and religious ritualism; taught devotion to a formless, universal God neither exclusively Hindu nor Muslim
His followers are called Kabir Panthis
Died at Maghar (UP) chosen deliberately to challenge the belief that dying in Varanasi guarantees liberation