THE CHISHTI SILSILAH

Muslim mystics came to India long before the establishment of Muslim political power, but organized Silsilahs appeared only with the foundation of the Sultanate of Delhi. The Chishti Silsilah, which claims the largest number of followers today, was introduced in India by Shaikh Mu’in u’d-din Sijzi (d. A.D.  123).

He reached India before the Battle of Tarain and Settled at Ajmer which, besides being the citadel of Chauhan power, was a great religious centre of the Hindus. His simple, pious, and dedicated life had tremendous impact on those who happened to come in contract with him he had two eminent disciples-Shaikh Qutbu-din Bakhtiyar Kaki (d. A.D.  1235) and         

SHAIKH HAMIDU’D-DIN SUFI (A.D. 1274).

Shaikh Hamid ud-din lived like a simple peasant and cultivated a bigha of land. He was a vegetarian with his innate catholicity of view and cosmopolitanism he refrained from calling nay Hindu a Kafir.

He refused Iltutmish’s offer of a grant of some villages to hi. Bakhtiyar Kaki, the other disciple of Shaikh Mu’inu’d-din, came from Isha, a centre of the Hallaji mystics and was thoroughly imbued with their pantheistic philosophy.

        SHAIKH FARIDU’D-DIN GANJI-I-SHAKAR (A.D.  1265)

 The Principal Khalifah of Kaki popularized the Silsilah in Northern India. To convey his message, he spoke in the local dialects, and recommended the use of Punjabi for religious purposes.      

NIZAMU’D-DIN AULIYA’ (D. A.D. 1325)

 The Nizamiah branch assumed an all-India status and a network of Chishti Khanqahs (Monasteries) Jama’at-Khana’s (Assembly Halls), Zawiyahs (CONVENTS) and Takiahs (Hermitages) appeared in India from Delhi to Devagiri and from Multan to Lakhnauti. The heads of the Chishti order had independent lives and sought no favours from the rulers. Shaikh Nasiru’d-din Chiragh (d. A.D. 1357) of Delhi put up a spirited resistance when Muhammad bin Tughluq interfered with the life of the mystics.

SHAIKH AHMAD ‘ABDUL’L HAQQ (D. A.D. 1433)

        The Sabiri branch came into prominence under Shaikh Ahmad ‘Abdu’l Haqq (A.D. 1433) and under saints like Shah Muhibbullah of Allahabad (A.D. 1648). Shah Abu’l Ma’ali (d. 1700) and Shah ‘Abdu’l Hadi of Amroha (d. 1776) it came to play an important role in the religious life of the Indian Muslims.