SUFI SILSILAS IN MEDIEVAL INDIA

Sufism or taawwuf is defined as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. Sufism is a tradition
rooted in the Quran and Prophet Muhammad. It includes the study of religious Islamic
learning, which then takes on a mystical quality from the interpretation of traditional subjects
in terms of internal experiences of the soul. Sufism seems to have originated first in Iraq and
then became established in iran, especially Khurasan. By the 10th century Sufism was a well-
established movement with a large literature. Everything has an external (zahir) and an
internal (batim) aspect. If religious Islamic law is the external form, then Sufism is its inner
meaning. It emphasized on devotion to god and universal brotherhood. Earliest Sufi saint in
India was Datta Ganj Baksh.
They are divided into
Be-Shara - deviated from Shariat
Ba-Shara - followed Shariat.
The Sufi movement crystallized into a series of orders (silsilas) which were formed around
a number of charismatic Sufi leaders in the 12th and 13th centuries. The concept of the
master-disciple relationship was the basis of the Silsila.
CHISTI SILSILA
The order was founded by Abu Ishaq Shami who taught Sufism in the town of Chisht, some
in present-day western Afghanistan, in India it was Moinuddin Chishti, he set up his base in
Ajmer. A Chisti saint was known Pir, his disciple saint was known Murid, his successor
was called Wali. One of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishtis disciples, Khwaja's disciple Qutub-din-
Baktiyar Kaki established Chisti Silsila in Delhi; the Qutub Minar is named after him. Kaki's
disciple Baba Farid Ganj-e-shakar based himself in Ajodhan. Known as founder of Punjabi
language and his verses are found in Guru Granth Sahib. His famous diciple was Nizamudin
Auliya in Delhi. Amir Khusaro also known as Mehboob-e-Illahi was a disciple of auliya.
They were active in and around Delhi including Rajasthan, parts of Punjab and Western U.P.
They believed in Wahadat-ul-Wajud-unity of being. They promoted the spirit of equality and
brotherhood. The contempt of the Chishti saints for the rulers was obvious from their refusal
to accept any land or money from them, they considered anything given by them unlawful.
Chistis often came in conflict with rulers but identified with common people. The Chishtis
follow five basic devotional practices (dhikr)- Reciting the names of Allh loudly, sitting in
the prescribed posture at prescribed times (jhikr-i djahr), Reciting the names of Allh silently
(jhikr-i khaf), Regulating the breath (ps-i anfs), Absorption in mystic contemplation
(mur-ba)and Forty days of spiritual confinement in a lonely corner or cell for prayer and
contemplation (illa). They are still one of the most influential sufi silsilas in India.


SUHRAWARDI SILSILA
The Suhrawardiyya Silsila founded by the Sufi Diya al-din Abu 'n-Najib as-Suhrawardi. It
was popular in Multan, Lahore and Sindh and is considered as more orthodox than Chisti. It
is a strictly Sunni order, guided by the Shafi`i school of Islamic law. It played an important
role in the formation of a conservative new piety and in the regulation of urban vocational
and other groups, such as trades-guilds and youth clubs particularly in Baghdad. Unlike the
Chisti silsila they accepted royal patronage and donations also; they acted as political
emissaries and ambassadors and held important posts as advisers in the royal court and
excepted jagirs and gifts as royal patronage. They frowned upon sama and other practices of
Chisti's like shaving of head etc. Baha-ud-din Zakaria was one of the greatest saints of this
silsila; the founder's nephew Abu Hafs Umar al-Suhrawardi directed his disciple Baha-ud-din
Zakariya to make Multan in present-day Pakistan the centre of his activity.
NAQSHBANDI SILSILA
The founder of this silsila was Bahauddin Naqshband from Central Asia, who was a
descendent of the great Imam Yusuf Hamadhani, Hamadhani was in turn spiritually affiliated
to Abu-l-Hasan Ali al-Kharaqani an illiterate but distinguished mystic and an uwaysi (a Sufi
who has been initiated not by a living master but the powerful spirit of a departed Sufi). This
silsila claims to trace its direct spiritual lineage and chain (silsilah) to the Islamic prophet
Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first caliph and Muhammad's companion. The centre of
their beliefs was the silent dhikr and breath control. They also emphasised saubat the
intimate conversation between the master and the disciple. This spiritual bonding gave rise to
various paranormal phenomenon such as telepathy and faith healing. It was a sober and
rather orthodox silsila which disapproved music and sama. Baqi Billah Berang (is credited for
bringing the order to India, he came to India to oppose Akbar's liberal policies and his
disciple Sheikh Ahmed Sarhindi called himself Mujaddin (renovator of I millennium of
Islam.), they opposed both Shias and Hindus. Aurangzeb was a follower of this silsila.

QADARIYA SILSILA
This derives its name from Syed Abdul Qader Gilani Al Amoli who was a native of the
Iranian province of Mazandaran. The order relies strongly upon adherence to the
fundamentals of Islam. Qadiri leadership is not centralised, each centre of Qadiri thought is
free to adopt its own interpretations and practices. The symbol of the order is the rose. A rose
of green and white cloth, with a six-pointed star in the middle, is traditionally worn in the cap
of Qadiri dervishes. Robes of black felt are also customary. Teachings emphasise the struggle
against the desires of the ego. Gilani described it as "the greater struggle" (jihad) This has
two stages; first against deeds forbidden by religious law and second against fundamental
vices such as greed, vanity, and fear. A true seeker of God should overcome all desires other
than wishing to be taken into God's custody. Names of God are prescribed as wazifas
(mantras) for repetition by initiates (dhikr). Formerly several hundred thousand repetitions
were required, and obligatory for those who hold the office of sheikh
The most popular Qadri saints in India are Bulle Shah (d.1768) and Sultan Bahu (d. 1691) in
the north, and Hazrat Shahul Hameed Qadir Wali of Nagore in the south. MIYA MIR or MIR
MOHD was an important saint of the silsila He was associated with Guru Ramdas in laying
the foundation of the Golden Temple at Amritsar. Dara Shukoh and Jahanara joined Qadariya
silsila under the influence of Mullan Shah Badakshi. Dara Shukoh (elder son of Shahjahan)
was of liberal nature and wrote Majma-ul-Bahrain.

SHATTARIYYA SILSILA
The Shattariyya are members of a Sufi mystical order (tariqah) that originated in Persia in the
fifteenth century and formally developed, completed and codified in India. Later secondary
branches were taken to Hejaz and Indonesia. The word Shattar, which means "lightning-
quick", "speed", "rapidity", or "fast-goer" indicates a system of spiritual practices that lead
quickly to a state of "completion", however the name derives from its founder, Sheikh
Sirajuddin Abdullah Shattar. He used to judge disciples even with their eating habits and
would extend his teachings only to those who did proper justice to the food. Shah Ghawth
developed the Shattariyya more fully into a "distinctive order" and also taught the Mughal
Emperor Humayun,[6][9] He wrote the book Jawahir-i khams, (The Five Jewels).[10] The
influence of the Shattari Order grew strong during Ghawth's leadership and spread through
South Asia. Royals like Babur, Humayun, and Akbar held him in very high esteem. He
was a pioneer in adapting ancient Indian yogic practices and meditative techniques in folds of
Sufism and was instrumental in promoting secular values in lives of royals and commoners
around him.
Thus in medieval India sufi silsilas kept springing up as many times disciples of the Heads of
the main silsilas left and set up their own orders. Some other silsilas include Firdousiyya and
Shadiliyya.