4 Peer 14 Khanwads

The 4 Main Peer & 14 Khanwads of (Salasul-i-Tariqat) :

The 4 Main Peer's:

The spiritual and temporal head of the Muslims is Huzoor e Poor Noor Sayyadul Aalameen Hazrat Muhammad Mustapha (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam). Spiritually He is the fountainhead from whom all channels of guidance and inner inspiration flow to all directions. Although all the prominent Companions of Sayyadinah Hazrat Muhammad Mustapha (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) continued to provide outer and inner guidance to the Muslim people, wherever they happened to be after the departure of Rasoolullah (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) from this world, the main source of spiritual inspiration and training were the first Caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (Radi Allahu anhu), and the fourth Caliph Hazrat Ali al-Murtuzaa(Radi Allahu anhu) , who has been described in a Hadith as the gateway to the "City of Knowledge", the City being Sayyidinah Huzoor e Akram (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) Himself. Knowledge (Ilm) has been identified with inner esoteric knowledge. Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq(Radi Allahu anhu) was succeded by Hazrat Salman Farsi (Radi Allahu anhu) as a Caliph and the Silsilah Naqshbandiya traces its origin to Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq(Radi Allahu anhu) through Hazrat Salman Farsi (Radi Allahu anhu).

The remaining three great Salasul (Plural of Silsila) sprang from the leadership of Hazrat Ali (Radi Allahu anhu) in the following manner:

Hazrat Ali (Radi Allahu anhu) had four Caliphs:

1. Sayyidinah Hazrat Imam Hasan (Radi Allahu anhu)

2. Sayyidinah Hazrat Imam Hussein (Radi Allahu anhu)

3. Hazrat Khwaja Ibn Ziyad (Radi Allahu anhu)

4. Hazrat Khwaja Imam Hasan of Basra (Radi Allahu anhu)

Sayyidinah Hazrat Imam Hasan & Sayyidinah Hazrat Imam Hussein (Radi Allahu anhu),were succeeded by their sons and the sons of of their sons, all known as Aima-Ahl-Bait, who continued to guide the Muslims throughout centuries.

Hazrat Imam Hasan of Basra (Radi Allahu anhu) had many Caliphs, two of them being prominent:

1. Hazrat Abdul Wahid bin Zaid (Radi Allahu anhu)

2. Hazrat Habib Ajami (Radi Allahu anhu) ( Habib the Persian)

The Fourteen Salasul:

The Caliphs of Imam Hasan Basra (Radi Allahu anhu) went on multiplying during the first and second centuries of the Islamic era till they were grouped into the following fourteen orders or schools each named after their heads:

Hazrat Abdul Wahid bin Zaid (Radi Allahu anhu) was the khalifa of Hazrat Khwaja Imam Hasan of Basra (Radi Allahu anhu) from whom these 5 khanwad started.

1. Silsila Zaidia: It is named after Khwaja Zaid bin Abdul Wahid (Radi Allahu anhu), the Khalipha of Hazrat Hasan of Basra (Radi Allahu anhu). Shaikh Zaid (Radi Allahu anhu) received another robe (khirqa) of khalafat from Shaikh Kumal bin Ziyad (Radi Allahu anhu) as well. Five of the descendants of Hazrat Abdullah bin Auf (Radi Allahu anhu) famous companion of Rasoolullah(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam), also joined this Sisila.

Towards the end of his life, Shaikh Zaid bin Abdul Wahid(Radi Allahu anhu) selected two of his promonent disciples and commissioned them as his deputies (Khalifas) to guide others. They were Shaikh Fuzail Ibn Ayaz(Radi Allahu anhu) and Shaikh Yaqub as-Susi(Radi Allahu anhu) .

2. Silsila Ayaziya: This is named after Shaikh Fuzail Ibn Ayaz(Radi Allahu anhu). He received spiritual guidance from other Mashaikh of the day as well, such as the members of the Blessed Family of Rasool Allah(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam), the Aima Ahl Bait, He was also guided by the Companions of the Companions of Rasool Allah(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam), known as the Tabiyin, who were living in the more prominent places of Arabia in large numbers and guiding the people in the esoteric sciences of Islam.

3. Silsila Adhmiya: This Silsila is named after its head, Shaikh Ibrahim bin Adham (Radi Allahu anhu) who received spiritual guidance and khalafat at the hands of Shaikh Fuzail Ibn Ayaz(Radi Allahu anhu) and Sayyidinah Imam Baqir(Radi Allahu anhu), grandson of Sayyidinah Hazrat Imam Hussein(Radi Allahu anhu), grandson of Rasool Allah(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam), on his Blessed Daughter's side. This Silsila connects up with Sayyidinah Hazrat Ali (Radi Allahu anhu), via Sayyidinah Hazrat Imam Hussein(Radi Allahu anhu) as well as Shaikh Hasan of Basra(Radi Allahu anhu).

4. Silsila Hubairiya: It is named after Khwaja Abu Hubaira Aminuddin(Radi Allahu anhu) of Basra, who was a Khalifa of Khwaja Huzaifa Marashi(Radi Allahu anhu), the Khalifa of Hazrat Ibrahim bin Adham(Radi Allahu anhu) , Khalifa of Shaikh Fuzail Ibn Ayaz(Radi Allahu anhu) , Khalifa of Shaikh Abdul Wahid bin Zaid(Radi Allahu anhu), Khalifa of Shaikh Imam Hasan of Basra(Radi Allahu anhu).

5. Silsila Chishtiya: The head of this Silsila is Khwaja Mamshad Ali Dainuri(Radi Allahu anhu) who was the Khalifa of Khwaja Abu Hubaira Aminuddin Basri(Radi Allahu anhu). Khwaja Mamshad Ali Dainuri (Radi Allahu anhu) was succeeded by Khwaja Abu Ishaq Shami (Radi Allahu anhu) who was deputed by the Shaikh to settle down at a place called Chist in the neighbourhood of Herat in Afganistan. Shaikh Abu Ishaq Shami(Radi Allahu anhu) was the first Shaikh who was called Abu Ishaq Chisti(Radi Allahu anhu). It is thus that a great Silsila Chishtiya came into existence. He was succeeded by Khwaja Abu Ahmad Abdal(Radi Allahu anhu) who was a dignitary of Chist. Khwaja Abu Ahmad(Radi Allahu anhu) was succeeded by Khwaja Abu Muhammad Chishti (Radi Allahu anhu), who was succeeded by Khwaja Abu Yusuf Chishti(Radi Allahu anhu), who was succeeded by Khwaja Qutubuddin Maudud Chishti(Radi Allahu anhu). These five Shaikhs are known as the pillars of Silsila Chishtiya and are buried at Chist.

Hazrat Habib Ajami (Radi Allahu anhu) the second Persian after Hazrat Sulaiman Farsi (Radi Allahu anhu), carried the torch of the spiritual light of Sufism to hishomeland, Iran, and many Arab and non-Arab Shayukh (plural of Shaikh) received training from him. These are the 9 khanwad which started from him.

6.Silsila Ajamiya: It is named after Khwaja Habib Ajami(Radi Allahu anhu) who was the Khalifa of Shaikh Imam Hasan of Basra.

7. Silsila Taifuriya: It is named after Shaikh Sultan-al-Arifin, Khwaja Abu Yazid Bistami(Radi Allahu anhu) whose original name was Taifur. It is stated in Tazkarat-ul-Awliya by Shaikh Fariduddin Attar (Radi Allahu anhu) that Shaikh Abu Yazid(Radi Allahu anhu) received spiritual Faizan from a hundred and sixteen Shaikhs and that He lived twelve years with Sayyidina Imam Jafar as-Sadiq(Radi Allahu anhu), the sixth Imam of the family of Sayyidinah Rasoolullah(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam), and received spiritual blessings and benefits. Some are of the opinion that he received inspiration from Sayyidinah Imam Jafar as-Sadiq(Radi Allahu anhu) by the way of Uwaisiya (i.e. after the latters demise through spiritual presence). However, both of these methods are recognised by the Spiritualists as effective. It is said that in Lataif Ashrafi He received Khalafat from Khwaja Habib Ajami (Radi Allahu anhu) as well who is also nown as Habib Pak-e- Dil(Radi Allahu anhu). Hazrat Badiuddine Zinda Shah Madar(Radi Allahu anhu) got khilafat from Hazrat Khwaja Abu Yazid Bistami(Radi Allahu anhu) and Silsila-E-Madariya came to existance. Plz see the Shijra Mubarak of Madariya for detailed overview.

8. Silsila Karkhiya: It is named after Khwaja Maaruf Karkhi(Radi Allahu anhu) who received Khalafat from Sayyidinah Imam Musa Kazim(Radi Allahu anhu), the seventh Imam of the Blessed Family of Sayyidinah Rasoolullah(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam). He received another robe of Khalafat from Khwaja Daud Taiy(Radi Allahu anhu) who was the Khalifa of Shaikh Habib Ajami(Radi Allahu anhu) .

9. Silsila Saqtiya: The head of this Silsila is Shaikh Khwaja Sari Sakti(Radi Allahu anhu) who was the Khalifa of Shaikh Ma'ruf Kharki(Radi Allahu anhu) .

10. Silsila Junaidiya: This Silsila is named after Khwaja Junaid of Baghdad(Radi Allahu anhu) who was a Mureed and Khalifa of Khwaja Sari Saqti(Radi Allahu anhu). These Shaikhs were so great that all the various branches and their offshoots were known after them under seperate names.

11. Silsila Gazruniya: Which is known after the name of Khwaja Abu Ishaq Gazruni(Radi Allahu anhu) who was the king of Gazrun. He left his kingdom and became the mureed of Khwaja Abdullah Khafif(Radi Allahu anhu) who was the Khalifa of Khwaja Muhammad Roem(Radi Allahu anhu), the Khalifa of Shaikh Junaid of Baghdad(Radi Allahu anhu) who traced his origin with Hazrat Ali(Radi Allahu anhu) .

12. Silsila Tusiya: The head of this Silsila was Shaikh Ala ud-Din Tusi (Radi Allahu anhu) , Khalifa of Khwaja Wajhuddin Abu Hafs (Radi Allahu anhu) who was connected up with Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi (Radi Allahu anhu) through intermediary Shaikhs. Shaikh Ala ud-Din Tusi (Radi Allahu anhu) was a friend of Shaikhs Najmuddin Kubra of Firdaus(Radi Allahu anhu).

Shaikh Najmuddin(Radi Allahu anhu) was a contemporary of St. Francis of Asisi who undertook the journey to Baghdad to see the former but could not reach there due to some unknown reasons. Shaikh Najmuddin Kubra(Radi Allahu anhu) was a Khalifa of Shaikh Abu Najib Suharwardi(Radi Allahu anhu) .

13. Silsila Suharwardiya: The Suhrawardi tariqah, (way) was initiated by Shaykh Najib al-Din Abd'al-Qahir [d.1168 CE] (Radi Allahu anhu) during the 12th century. This sufi order is named the Suhrawardiya tariqahmurid (disciple) of Ahmad Ghazali(Radi Allahu anhu), Imam al-Ghazali's(Radi Allahu anhu) younger brother, and was the author of one of the most widely read sufi 'student' education guides, 'Adab al-Muridin. This work has been translated into many differrent languages and adopted by many sufi orders.

After the death of Najib al-Din(Radi Allahu anhu), the tariqa was substantially developed by his nephew, the hugely influential Sahib al-Din Abu Hafs Umar ibn Abd'allah Suhrawardi(Radi Allahu anhu) [1234 CE], who is often said to be the real founder of the order. Sahib al-Din Abu Hafs(Radi Allahu anhu) studied under Najib al-Din(Radi Allahu anhu), and wrote the treatise the Awaarif al-Maarif, which became even more popular and widely read, as it enhanced the influence of the Suhrawardiyya in the sub-continent. The Awaarif al-Maarif is considered one of the real classics of tasawwuf today.
The rulers of Persia Iran had a special respect for him. The Persian poet, Shayh Sa'di, also was his mureed

14. Silsila Firdausiya: The head of this Silsila is Shaikh Najmuddin Kubra(Radi Allahu anhu) who was a dignitary of Firdaus and was a Mureed and Khalifa of Shaikh Abu Najib Suharwardi(Radi Allahu anhu). Mawlaanah Jami(Rehmatullah alaih) has said in his Nafahat al-Uns that Shaikh Najmuddin(Radi Allahu anhu) got another robe of Khalafat from Shaikh Ammar Yasir(Radi Allahu anhu) as well. Shaikh Ammar Yasir(Radi Allahu anhu) was one of the prominent Khalifas of Shaikh Abu Najib Suharwardi(Radi Allahu anhu) who was connected up with Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi(Radi Allahu anhu) through six Shaikhs in-between.

Thus the four Silsilas, Firdausiya, Suharwardiya, Tusiya and Gazruniya, join up with Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi(Radi Allahu anhu) who is connected through another link of Tariqat with Imam Ali Raza(Radi Allahu anhu), son of Imam Musa Kazim(Radi Allahu anhu), son of Imam Jafar Sadiq(Radi Allahu anhu), son of Imam Baqir(Radi Allahu anhu), son of Imam Zainul Abidin(Radi Allahu anhu), son of Amir ul-Mumineen Sayyidinah Imam Hussein(Radi Allahu anhu), son of Amir ul-Mumineen Sayyidinah Hazrat Ali(Radi Allahu anhu), the fourth Khalifa of Aaqaa e Do Jahan Sayyidinah Hazrat Muhammad Mustapha(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam). According to a tradition, Amir ul-Mumineen Sayyidinah Imam Hasan(Radi Allahu anhu) also comes in these four Silsilas. because Najib al-Din Abd'al-Qahir(Radi Allahu anhu) was born in Suhrawardinagar in Jibal province in Iran [persia]. Najib al-Din Abd'al-Qahir (Radi Allahu anhu) was a [disciple].

It is stated in Nafahat al-Uns that Shakih Abu Najib Suharwardi(Radi Allahu anhu) also received Khilafat from Shaikh Kumal bin Ziyad(Radi Allahu anhu) who was a Khalifah of Hazrat Ali , through the following link:

Shaikh Abu Najib, Shaikh Ismail Misri, Shaikh Muhammad bin Maukil, Shaikh Muhammad bin Daud, Shaikh Abdul Abbas bin Idriss, Shaikh Abdul Qasim bin Ramdhan, Shaikh Abu Yaqub Rabri,Shaikh Abu Abdullah Usman al Makki, Shaikh Abu Yaqub Nahrjori, Shaikh Yaqub as-Suhi, Shaikh Kumail Ibn Ziyad (Radi Allahu Anhum) who was the Khalifah of Hazrat Ali .

It is stated that Shaikh Najmuddin Kubra(Radi Allahu anhu) had as many as seventy Khaliphs of his own status. His followers are divided into two Silsilas: Firdausia and Kibroya.

From the original above fourteen Salasul-i-Tariqat sprang up forty more branches or offshoots. Among the most prominent are the following:-

Silsila Qadriya-Ghawsiya, Silsila Yasuya, Silsila Naqshbandiya, Silsila Nuriya, Silsila Khazruya, Silsila Shattariyah Ishqiya, Silsila Sadat karam, Silsila Zahidiya, Silsila Ansaria, Silsila Safwiya, Silsila Idrusiya, Silsila Qalandariya. We also have the Ashrafi Silsila.

1) Silsila Qadriya, Ghawsia: It is named after Sayyadinah Shaikh Sayyad Abdul Qadir Jilani(Radi Allahu anhu) who was the Mureed and Khalifa of Shaikh Abu Said Makhzumi(Radi Allahu anhu) , the Khalifa of Abul Hasan Ali Qarshi(Radi Allahu anhu) Khalifa of Shaikh Abul Farah al Tartusi(Radi Allahu anhu), Khalifa of Shaikh Abul Fazl Abdul Wahid Yamni(Radi Allahu anhu), Khalifa of Shaikh Abu Bakr Shibli(Radi Allahu anhu), Khalifa of Shaikh Syed al Taifah Junaid Baghdadi(Radi Allahu anhu) till Hazrat Ali Murtuza(Radi Allahu anhu). Sayyadinah Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(Radi Allahu anhu) received a robe of Khilafat through His ancestral link from Sayyadinah Imam Hassan bin Ali al-Murtuza(Radi Allahu anhu) as well as with eleven links in between.

Sayyadinah Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(Radi Allahu anhu) is the Emminent Wali Allah who enjoys the distinction of being Ghaws (Supreme Commander in the Spiritual Hierarchy). He also enjoys the status of MahbubiatFardaniat (Singularity with Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'alaa). (Beloved of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'alaa) and

2) Silsila Yasuya: It was headed by Khwaja Ahmad Yasui(Radi Allahu anhu) who was known as the "Shaikh of Turkistan". He was a Khalifa of Khwaja Yusuf Hamdani(Radi Allahu anhu) , Khalifa of Khwaja Ali Farmadi(Radi Allahu anhu) who was the Murshid of Shaikh Hamid Ghazali(Radi Allahu anhu). Khwaja Ali Farmadi(Radi Allahu anhu) was the Khalifa of Shaikh Abdul Qasim Gorgani(Radi Allahu anhu), Khalifa of Shaikh Abu Usman Maghrabi (Radi Allahu anhu), Khalifa of Shaikh Abu Katib (Radi Allahu anhu), Khalifa of Shaikh Abu Ali Rodbari (Radi Allahu anhu), Khalifa of Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi(Radi Allahu anhu) till Sayyadinah Hazrat Ali al-Murtuza(Radi Allahu anhu). Khwaja Ahmad Yasui(Radi Allahu anhu) is also linked up with Sayyadinah Hazrat Ali al-Murtuza(Radi Allahu anhu) by another link of Mashaikh through Sayyadinah Hanfiya(Radi Allahu anhu), son of Sayyadinah Hazrat Ali al-Murtuza(Radi Allahu anhu) .

This section of 4 Pir 14 Khanwad is taken from the book “Masalikus Salikine Wa Tazkara Tul Waselen” and Islamic Sufism written by Shaykh Wahid Baksh Rabbani Rahmatullahi 'alayh.