14th August, 2022

(Reference of Chishti Sufi order taken from Aiman Khizar Research article)

There have been different orders of Sufism and one of the most important of these is the “Chishti Sufi order”.

“Chishtia Order originated in Indian Sub-continent by the efforts of Moen-ud-Din Chisti who initiated the first Sufi order there.

He founded it in Ajmer but then it extended to other areas. Today it's one of the most widely accepted Sufi Orders in the Indian sub-continent. While explaining the origins of the Chisita order Amin mentions, “It is beyond any doubt, that it has been the most dominant Sufi Order of India and Pakistan. Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti as the founder of the Order has his reverence not just in Muslims’ hearts rather we find Hindu accounts equally occupied with his praise as Rai Bahadur Harbilas Sarda wrote in his book on Ajmer that …. He never preached aggression and was a man of peace and goodwill towards all God’s creatures. The Chishtiya Order broadened quickly due to Chishti Sufis’ simple and determined doings which were purely based on love of God and affection for humanity. It highly impressed many Hindus, in particular, those from the lower castes, it was a big socio-religious change during that period that led to the transposition in India. The fact is that the Chishti monasteries kept away from any intolerance between the disciples and carried out a classless society that involved a huge number of people in their fold. If truth be told the Islamization of the country was achieved largely by the preaching of the dervishes, not by the sword. In the cast-ridden social setup, those were the sayings and actions of the great Chishti Sufis that disclosed the true spirit of their wisdom that facilitated to put down the basis of Islamic Humanism. The Order acquired a highly integrated social organization that was effectively controlled by the center and directed the actions and behaviors of those who were connected with it”

“Sufi orders trace their origins ultimately to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who is believed to have instructed his successor in mystical teachings and practices in addition to the Qur'an or hidden within the Qur'an. The Chishti, though Sunni, trace their lineage through Ali. This is not unusual for Sufi orders, which tend to stress devotion rather than legalism and sectarianism.

The traditional Silsila (spiritual lineage) of the Chishti order is as follows:

'Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 728, an early Persian Muslim theologian)

'Abdul Wāḥid Bin Zaid Abul Faḍl (d. 793, an early Sufi saint)

Fuḍayl ibn 'Iyāḍ Bin Mas'ūd Bin Bishr al-Tamīmī

Ibrāhīm bin Adham (a legendary early Sufi ascetic)

Ḥudhayfah al-Mar'ashī

Amīnuddīn Abū Ḥubayrah al-Baṣrī

Mumshād Dīnwarī

Abu Ishaq Shamī (d. 940, founder of the Chishti order proper)

Abu Ahmad Chishtī

Abu Muhammad Chishtī

Abu Yusuf Nasar-ud-Din Chishtī (d. 1067)

Qutab-ud-Din Maudood Chishtī (Abu Yusuf's son, d. 1139)

Haji Sharif Zindani (d. 1215)

Usman Harooni (d. 1220)

Mu'īnuddīn Chishtī (1141-1230)

Qutab-ud-Din Bakhtyar Kaki (1173-1228)

Farīduddīn Mas'ūd (Baba Farid, 1173 or 1175 - 1266)

After Farīduddīn Mas'ūd, the Chishti order was divided into two branches:

Chishtī Sabri, who follows Alauddin Sabir Kaliyari (Sabiri/Sabriya branch)

Chishtī Nizami who follow Nizāmuddīn Auliyā. (Nizami/Nizamiya branch)”

Hazrat Syed Nizam Uddin Chishti (RA)

One such seventeenth-century shrine of Chisti order is located on Allama Iqbal road on Muhammad Nagar stop Gari Shahu Lahore. The Shrine belongs to Hazrat Syed Nizam Uddin. He died in the year 1795 and his Urs is celebrated every year on 10th of the November.

Also, one still can see old Badshahi bricks used in masonry and tomb construction.