Naqshbandi (Persian: نقشبندی, Arabic: نقشبندي naqshbandī;) also written Naqshibandi, an-Naqshbandiyyah, Nakşibendi, or Naksibendi) is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali,[1] His son-in-law and the fourth Caliph, in keeping with most other Sufis.[2][3]
Contents
Spiritual lineage criteria[edit]
In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad. According to Carl W. Ernst:[4]
Within the Sufi tradition, the formation of the orders did not immediately produce lineages of master and disciple. There are few examples before the eleventh century of complete lineages going back to the Prophet Muhammad. Yet the symbolic importance of these lineages was immense: they provided a channel to divine authority through master-disciple chains. It was through such chains of masters and disciples that spiritual power and blessings were transmitted to both general and special devotees.
This means that a Sufi master has met and taken the way from a master, and that during his lifetime he has explicitly and verifiably invested the disciple—whether in writing or in front of a number of witnesses—as a fully authorized master (murshid ma’dhun) of the spiritual path to succeeding generations of disciples.
Such spiritual transmission from an unbroken line of masters is one criterion that distinguishes a true or ‘connected’ Sufi path (tariqa muttasila), from an inauthentic or "dissevered" path, (tariqa munqati‘a). The leader of a dissevered path may claim to be a Sufi master on the basis of an authorization given by a master in private or other unverifiable circumstance, or by a figure already passed from this world, such as one of the righteous person or Muhammad, or in a dream, or so on. These practices only “warm the heart” (yusta’nasu biha) but none meets Sufism’s condition that a Sufi master must have a clear authorization connecting him with Muhammad, one that is verified by others than himself. Without such publicly verifiable authorizations, the Sufi path would be compromised by the whims of the people.
The chain of spiritual transmission is not tied to a country, family or political appointment, but is a direct heart to heart transmission, at or after the time of death or burial. It is also considered that the appointed sheikhs will be in some communication with past sheikhs. All are joined by their common spiritual allegiance to the master of spiritual lineages, Muhammad.
Spreading of the order[edit]
Yusuf Hamdani and Abdul Khaliq Gajadwani in the 12th century, the latter of whom is regarded as the organizer of the practices and is responsible for placing stress upon the purely silent invocation.[5] It was later associated with Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari in the 14th century, hence the name of the order. The name can be interpreted as "engraver (of the heart)", "pattern maker", "reformer of patterns", "image maker", or "related to the image maker". The way is sometimes referred to as "the sublime sufi path" and "the way of the golden chain."
The path's name has changed over the years. Referring to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, it was originally called "as-Siddiqiyya"; between the time of Bayazid al-Bistami and Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani "at-Tayfuriyya"; from the time of 'Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani to Shah Naqshband the "Khwajagan" or "Hodja"; from the time of Shah Naqshband and on "an-Naqshbandiyya".
Afterwards, a branch or sub-order name was added. From 'Ubeydullah Ahrar to Imam Rabbani, the way was called "Naqshbandiyya-Ahrariyya"; from Imam Rabbani to Shamsuddin Mazhar "Naqshbandiyya-Mujaddadiyya"; from Shamsuddin Mazhar to Mawlana Khalid al-Baghdadi "Naqshbandiyya-Mazhariyya"; from Mawlana Khalid onwards "Naqshbandiyya-Khalidiyya" and so on.[6]
The way or school connected to the late Shaykh Sultan ul-Awliya Moulana Sheikh Nazim, who lived in Northern Cyprus, is undoubtedly the most active of all Naqshbandi orders with followers in almost every corner of the World. It is referred to as the "Naqshbandi-Haqqani" way. According to some estimates there were over sixty million disciples, and centres in almost every country of the world. It also had the largest internet presence. There were disciples in almost all of Europe including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, and in the United States of America, the Middle East, Africa, India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, etc. It was most active in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Brunei. The Sultan of Brunei and the Prince of Malaysia, Raja Ashman Shah were disciples of this order.
India[edit]
Aurangzeb was a member of the Naqshbandi Sufi order.
The Naqshbandiyya order became an influential factor in Indo-Muslim life and for two centuries it was the principal spiritual order in India. Baqi Billah Berang (No. 24 in the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Golden Chain) is credited for bringing the order to India during the end of the 16th century. He was born in Kabul and brought up and educated in Kabul and Samarqand, where he came in contact with the Naqshbandiyya order through Hazrat Khawaja Amkangi. When he came to India, he tried to spread his knowledge about the order, but died three years later.[7]
Among his disciples were Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (No. 25 in the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Golden Chain) and Sheikh Abdul Haq of Delhi. After his death, his student, Sheikh Ahmad primarily took over. Sheikh Ahmad was born in 1561 and his father Makhdum Abdul Ahad was from a high Sufi order. He completed his religious and secular studies at the age of 17. Later he became known as Mujaddad-i-Alf-i-Thani. It was through him that the order gained popularity within a short period of time.[7]
Sheikh Ahmad broke away from earlier mystic traditions and propounded his theory of the unity of the phenomenal world. In particular, he spoke out against innovations introduced by Sufis. For instance, he opposed Emperor Akbar's views on Hindu and Muslim marriages. He stated, "Muslims should follow their religion, and non-Muslims their ways, as the Qur'an enjoins 'for you yours and for me my religion'". Also he did not believe in keeping the state and ruler separate and worked hard to change the outlook of the ruling class. After his death, his work was continued by his sons and descendants.[8]
In the 18th century Shah Wali Allah played an important role in the religious sciences, particularly the hadith and translated the Qur'an into Persian. He also looked at a fresh interpretation of Islamic teachings in the light of the new issues. Furthermore, he played a significant role in the political developments of the period.
During the 19th century two Naqshbandiyya saints made significant contributions to the chain (silsila) by restating some of its basic ideological postures

Aurangzeb was a member of the Naqshbandi Sufi order.
Syria and Palestine[edit]
The Naqshbandiyya was introduced into Syria at the end of the 17th century by Murad Ali al-Bukhari, who was initiated in India. Later, he established himself in Damascus, but traveled throughout Arabia. His branch became known as the Muradiyya. After his death in 1720, his descendents formed the Muradi family of scholars and sheikhs who continued to head the Muradiyya. In 1820 and onward, Khalid Shahrazuri rose as the prominent Naqshbandi leader in the Ottoman world. After the death of Khalid in 1827, his order became known as the Khalidiyya, which continued to spread for at least two decades. In Syria and Lebanon, the leaders of every active Naqshbandiyya group acknowledged its spiritual lineage, which had retained the original Naqshbandiyya way. Later a strife between Khalid's khalifas led to disruption of the order, causing it to divide.[9]
When political leader Musa Bukhar died in 1973, the pre-Mujaddidi line of the Naqshbandiyya in Greater Syria came to an end. One of the only branches to have survived till recently is the one based in the khanqah al-Uzbakiyya in Jerusalem. The number of its members had increased at the end of the 19th century. The Farmadiyya branch, which practices silent and vocal invocation, is still present in Lebanon and is named after Ali-Farmadi.[9]
We shall speak about the Great Grandsheikh Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani (d. 1973), and quote a small passage from his Biography written by Sheikh Hisham Kabbani:
“ | Sheikh Abdullah moved to Homs, where he visited the mosque and tomb of the Companion of the Prophet , Khalid ibn al-Walid. He stayed briefly in Homs. He moved to Damascus, in the Midan District, near the tomb of Sa`d ad-Din Jibawi, a saint from the family of the Prophet . There he established the first zawiya for the branch of the Naqshbandi Order which had gone to Daghestan. With him the Golden Chain of the Naqshbandi Order which had gone from Damascus to India, Baghdad, and Daghestan, now returned to Damascus. His two daughters were married, Rabiha had four children, three girls and one boy. Madiha was married to Shaykh Tawfiq al-Hibri, one of the great Islamic scholars of Lebanon. Soon people began to crowd into his zawiya. They arrived there from all over the city: Sufis, government people, businessmen, and common people. Murids were coming every day to sit at the door of his khanqah. Daily they served food to hundreds, many of whom also slept there. Then he received a spiritual order to move to the Mountain of Qasyun. It is the highest point in Damascus, from whose vantage the entire city can be viewed. With the help of his two senior murids, Shaykh Muhammad Nazim `Adil and Shaykh Husayn `Ali, he built a house. This house and the mosque next to it still stand, and the mosque is the site of his maqam (tomb). He saw in a vision, while he was building the mosque, that the Prophet, with Shah Naqshband and Sayyidina Ahmad al-Faruqi, came and put posts to mark the shape and location of the walls of the mosque. As soon as the vision ended, the markers were visible, and everyone present saw them. At that mosque, over the years, hundreds of thousands of visitors were received: for healing, for prayers, for training, for all kinds of external and internal knowledge. | ” |
Azerbaijan and Daghestan, Russia[edit]
Naqshbandi silsilah beginning from Muhammad is passed in chain till Ismail Kurdumeri (who is No. 31 in the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Golden Chain). After Ismail Kurdumeri the chain has split in two as he had two Ma'zuns, i.e. Muhammad Salih Shirwani (No. 32) and Khas Muhammad Shirwani. From Khas Muhammad Shirwani the chain goes to Muhammad Yaraghi ad-Daghestani (in Daghestan), and from him to Jamaluddin al-Ghumuqi ad-Daghestani, who had three Ma'zuns, i.e. Mamadibir ar-Rochi ad-Daghestani, Imam Shamil ad-Daghestani (both had no Ma'zun), and `Abdurrahman Abu Ahmad as-Sughuri ad-Daghestani.[citation needed] According to Shuaib Afandi Bagini ad-Daghestani, `Abdurrahman as-Sughuri had two ma'zuns, i.e. Muhammad Haji `Obodi ad-Daghestani and Ilyas Tsudakhari ad-Daghestani (d. 1312 AH). Both had no ma'zuns, and thus the split chain coming from Khas Muhammad Shirwani has ended here.[citation needed] However, there were and still are many people including Sharafuddin ad-Daghestani, Abdullah Fa'iz ad-Daghestani and others claiming that they somehow received Naqshbandi permission in their dream, or by special spiritual experience (rawhani) etc.[citation needed] All these claims and questionable permissions are not recognized and rejected in Daghestan, as permission cannot be given by individuals who themselves had no permission, in dreams or by rawhani or without witnesses.[10] There are strict requirements as to who gives the permission, how it is given and received. The chain from Muhammad Salih Shirwani (No32) on the other hand, is continuous and goes all the way to Mahmud Afandi, Hasan Hilmi Afandi and the rest of the Daghestani Ma'zuns.[11]
Egypt[edit]
During the middle of the 19th century Egypt was inhabited and controlled by Naqshbandis. A major Naqshbandi khanqah was constructed in 1851 by Abbas I, who did this as a favor to Naqshbandi sheikh Ahmad Ashiq. Ahmad Ashiq headed the order till his death in 1883. Ahmad Ashiq's was a practicer of the Diya'iyya branch of the Khalidiyya. In 1876 sheikh Juda Ibrahim amended the original Diya’iyya, which became known as al-Judiyya, and gained a following in al-Sharqiyya province in the eastern Nile Delta.[9]
During the last two decades of the 19th century two other versions of Naqshbandiyya spread in Egypt. One of these was introduced by a Sudanese, alSharif Isma'il al-Sinnari. Al-Sinnari had been initiated into the Khalidiyya and Mujaddidiyya by various sheikhs during his time in Mecca and Medina. Initially, he tried to obtain a following in Cairo but was not able to, therefore he resorted going to Sudan. It is from there that the order spread into Upper Egypt from 1870 onward under Musa Mu’awwad, who was al-Sinnari's successor. Muhaamad al-Laythi, son of al-Sinnari, was the successor after Mu’awwad's death.[9]
The Judiyya and the Khalidiyya branches spread in the last decades of the 19th century and continued to grow and are still active today. Khalidiyya of Muhammad Amin al-Kurdi is headed by his son Najm a-Din. The Judiyya split into three main branches:one led by the founder's son Isa, another led by Iliwa Atiyya in Cairo, and another led by Judah Muhammad Abu’l-Yazid al-Hahdi in Tanta.[9]
Unfortunately, none of the early orders survived far into the 20th century. The longest living group of khanqah based Naqshbandis lived in the khanqah of sheikh Ahmad Ashiq, which closed in 1954. This is when all the khanqahs in Egypt were closed and the awqaf supporting these establishments were taken over by the Ministry of Awqaf. The buildings were either assigned a different function or demolished as part of urban renovation programs.[9]
China[edit]
Ma Laichi's mausoleum (Hua Si Gongbei) in Linxia City, is the earliest and most important Naqshbandi monument in China.
Ma Laichi brought the Naqshbandi (نقشبندية) 納克什班迪 order to China, creating the Khufiyya (خفيه) 虎夫耶 Hua Si Sufi 华寺; ("Multicolored Mosque") menhuan. Ma Mingxin, also brought the Naqshbandi order, creating the Jahriyya (جهرية) 哲赫林耶 menhuan. These two menhuan were rivals, and fought against each other which led to the 1781 Jahriyya Rebellion, Dungan revolt, and Dungan Revolt (1895).[12]
Some Chinese Muslim Generals of the Ma Clique belonged to Naqshbandi Sufi menhuan including Ma Zhan'ao and Ma Anliang of the Khufiyya Naqshbandi menhuan. Ma Shaowu, and Ma Yuanzhang were other prominent leaders from the Jahriyya Naqshbandi menhuan.
Many disciples of the Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order remain in China today.[citation needed]

Ma Laichi's mausoleum (Hua Si Gongbei) in Linxia City, is the earliest and most important Naqshbandi monument in China.
Prominent sheikhs[edit]
Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari[edit]
Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari (1318 – 1389) was the founder of the Sufi Naqshbandi Order. He was born in the village of Qasr-i-Hinduvan near Bukhara. He uplifted the hearts of humanity causing them to soar in the sky of spirituality. He made kings to stand at his door. He spread his guidance from North to South and from East to West. He left no one without heavenly support—even the wild animals in jungles. He is the greatest Ghawth, Arch-intercessor, the Sultan of Saints, the Necklace of all the spiritual Pearls that were bestowed on this world by the Divine Presence. By the light of his guidance Allah caused the good to be the best and transformed evil into goodness.[13]
Ahmad Sirhindi[edit]
Shaykh Ahmad al-Farūqī al-Sirhindī (1564–1624) was considered a Mujaddid and a leading Naqshbandi Sheikh from India. He was from an ashraf family claiming descent from caliph Umar, he received most of his early education from his father, Shaykh 'Abd al-Ahad and memorised the Qur'an. He was trained in all Sufi orders by the age of 17 and was given permission to initiate and train followers in the Naqshbandi Order.
Practices[edit]
Criteria of a sheikh[edit]
The following would always apply to genuine Sufi Naqshbandi teachers or sheikhs:
- They comply with the law.
- They must be knowers. There can be no Sufism without knowledge.
- Spiritual allegiance is openly and regularly given to the leader of the order, not the local teacher or sheikh.
- They accept interaction with other disciples of the order.
- They do not accept personal certification of dead persons, or in dreams, or through special spiritual experience (rawhani). There are exceptions to this rule according to the uwaisi concept of transmission where someone who lived before can train and transmit knowledge to someone who came later.
- They only accept written personal certification in the presence of witnesses.[citation needed]
11 principal teachings[edit]
Known as the Eleven Naqshbandi principles, the first eight were formulated by Abdul Khaliq Gajadwani, and the last three were added by Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari.[5]
- Remembrance (Yad kard - Persian: یاد کرد): Always orally and mentally repeating the dhikr.
- Restraint (Baz gasht - Persian: بازگشت ): Engaging in the heart repetition of the al-kalimat at-tayyiba phrase - "La-ilaha il-allah muhammadur rasul-allah".
- Watchfulness (Nigah dasht - Persian: نگاه داشت): Being conscientious over wandering thoughts while repeating Al-kalimat at-tayyiba.
- Recollection (Yad dasht - Persian: ياد داشت): Concentration upon the Divine presence in a condition of dhawq, foretaste, intuitive anticipation or perceptiveness, not using external aids.
- Awareness while breathing (Hosh dar dam - Persian: هوش در دم): Controlling one's breathing by not exhaling or inhaling in the forgetfulness of the Divine.
- Journeying in one's homeland (Safar dar watan): An internal journey that moves the person from having blameworthy to praiseworthy properties. This is also referred to as the vision or revelation of the hidden side of the shahada.
- Watching one's step (Nazar bar qadam): Do not be distracted from purpose of the ultimate journey.
- Solitude in a crowd (Khalwat dar anjuman): Although journey is outwardly in this world, it is inwardly with God.
- Temporal pause (Wuquf-I zamani): Keeping account of how one spends his or her time. If time is spent rightfully give thanks and time is spent incorrectly ask for forgiveness.
- Numerical pause (Wuquf-I adadi): Checking that the dhikr has been repeated in odd numbers.
- Heart pause (Wuquf-I qalbi): Forming a mental picture of one's heart with the name of God engraved to emphasize that the heart has no consciousness or goal other than God.
Types of concentration[edit]
Muraqaba[edit]
Muraqaba is known as spiritual communion. In this practice one tries to unveil the mystery of life by losing oneself in it. One imagines his heartbeats calling out the name of the almighty. It is highly believed that it is true that our heart calls out for Allah with every beat. But it's our hearts which are draped by sins and so the heartbeat is heard as dhak dhak and not Allah Allah. Muraqaba is done by sitting in a lonely place with eyes closed and maintaining a calm position. Imagining your exterior eyes closed, and interior eyes opened. ( zahiri aankhen band krke batini aankhain kholiye) And imagine your heart calling out for Allah, try to hear the word 'Allah' in each and every heartbeat.
Tawajjuh[edit]
Tawajjuh is derived from wajh (face) and means confrontation. It is used in relation to the act of facing the point of adoration during ritual prayer. Knowing the direction of adoration is incumbent on the Sufi master who is the gateway to God. To the uninformed the sheikh is often made the point of adoration. The goal is that the worshipper cleanses his clouded heart so that it is pure enough that God may be reflected in it.[5]
Subtle substances[edit]
The seven substances of ‘Ala al-Dawla were used by the Kubrawi school of Sufism, while others used six known as the Lataif-e-sitta, to aid in meditation and invocation. They were linked to a part of the body, a prophet, and a color. The Naqshbandi school linked them to the following subtle energy centers of the body. The qalb (heart) is located two fingers below the left breast and its color is red. The ruh (spirit) is located two fingers below the right breast and its color is white. The nafs (soul) is beneath the navel and its color is yellow. The sirr (conscience) is at the center of the breast with the color green. The khafi (mystery) is above the eyebrow with the color blue. The akhfa (arcanum) is at the top of the brain and its color is black.[14]
According to Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi, humans are made of ten Lata'if or components of creation. Five of them pertain to Alam-e-Amr (the divine world) and the remaining five pertain to Alam-e-Khalq (Created world). The five lata'if of Alam-e-Amr are Qalb, Ruh, Sirr, Khafi and Akhfa. The five lata'if of Alam-e-Khalq are Nafs, Soil (solid), Water (liquid), Air (gas) and Fire (energy).[15] The last four (corresponding to earth, water, air and fire) are collectively called lataif qalbia, referring to the physical human body (qalib), also referred to as Sultan al-Azkar in many sufi orders.[15]
Some Naqshbandis correlate them as follows:
Name | Place | Light | Effective against | Prophet |
---|---|---|---|---|
Qalb | Two fingers below the left breast | Yellow | Lust (Sexual and other desires) | Prophet Adam |
Ruh | Two fingers below the right breast | Red | Anger | Prophet Nuh and Ibrahim |
Sirr | Two fingers beside left breast towards center | White | Greed | Prophet Musa |
Khafi | Two fingers beside right breast towards center | Black | Jealousy and scrimping | Prophet Isa |
Akhfa | Exactly between breasts at the center of chest | Green | Arrogance and proudness | Prophet Muhammad |
Nafs | Forehead-Below the starting of hair | Colorless | ||
Qalibi | Center of top of head |
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43.Tasawuf.info (Shadili Darqawi Alawi) http://www.tasawuf.info/en/
44.Tasawwuf.110 (Silsila Naqshbandia Mujadadia Alayeia) – http://www.tasawwuf.110mb.com/index.htm
45.Tasawwuf (Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – www.tasawwuf.org
46.Tawwabeen-e-Naqshband (Shaykh Nadeem Qureshi, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad)- http://www.tawwabeen.org
47.Travelling the Path (Shaykh Khalid Abdul Sattar, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.travelingthepath.org/
48.Zawiyah.org (Tareeqah Muhammadiyyah) – http://zawiyah.org
49.Zikr.co.uk (Hadhrat Muhammad Sardar Ahmad Naqshbandi) – http://www.zikr.co.uk/
2.Al-Ma`rifat (Qadaria Rashidia, Islamabad) – www.al-marifat.org
3.Al Naqshbandia (ramo curdo-libanese) – http://www.naqshbandia.com
4.An-Noor (Thanwi Ashrafi) – http://annoor.wordpress.com/
5.Ashrafiyah – http://www.ashrafiya.com/
6.Ashrafiya (vecchio) – http://ashrafiya.blogspot.com/
7.At-Talib – http://attalib.blogspot.com/
8.At-Tazkirah – http://truelife200vi.wordpress.com/
9.Audible Wisdom (Mufti Hussain Kamani)http://www.audiblewisdom.org/
10.Beauty of Islam – www.beautyofislam.org – www.mujaddidi.org
11.Blog Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia (Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar)- http://blog.khanqah.org/
12.Contemplating Chishti – http://alchishti.wordpress.com/
13.Dar al-Mahmood (Tasawwuf by Mufti Ebrahim Desai) – http://www.daralmahmood.org/
14.Dar al-Masnavi (su Jalal ad-Din Rumi) – http://www.dar-al-masnavi.org/
15.Darul Irfan – http://www.darulirfan.org/
16.Ihsan Path (Shaykh Sayyid Muhammad Ibn Yahywa al-Ninowy) – www.ihsanpath.net
17.In Shaykh’s Company (Shaykh Saleem Dhorat) – http://shaykh.wordpress.com – www.shaykh.org
18.Islah-e-Batin (Shaykh Mohammad Mushtaq Ahmed, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad – http://islahebatin.org/
19.Islah-e-Nafs (Hadrat Maulana Hafiz Shaykh Khurshid Ahmed Naqshbandi) – http://www.islahenafs.com/
20.Islah-ul-Muslimeen – http://www.islahulmuslimeen.org/
21.Islamic Spirituality (Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.islamicspirituality.org/
22.‘Umar AbduLlah Kamel (Naqshbandiyyah) – http://www.okamel.com/index.htm
23.Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia (Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar)- www.khanqah.org – www.voiceofkhanqah.com
24.Khanqah-e-Naqshband (Shaykh Naeemullah Farooqi) – http://www.khanqah-e-naqshband.com/
25.Mahad New York (Shaykh Mohammad Sohail Irfan, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.mahadnewyork.org/
26.Mawaiz (lectures by Shaykh-ul-Hadith Hazrat Sufi Mohammad Sarwar Saheb) – http://www.mawaiz.com/
27.Mawaiz-e-Ashrafia (Lectures of Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Ashraf Ali Thanvi ra) – http://www.mawaiz-e-ashrafia.com/
28.Naqshbandi Recordings – http://www.nrrecordings.com/
29.Noor of Nobility (Shaykh Hadrat Maulana Mohammed Nabeel Ahmed Khan Sahib) – http://noorofnobility.wordpress.com/
30.Pir Ghulam Habib – http://www.pirghulamhabib.com
31.Sacred Learning (Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – www.sacredlearning.org
32.The Sanctified Trust (Shaykh Tauqeer Chaudhary, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.sanctifiedtrust.org
33.Shadili Tariqa – http://shadhilitariqa.com
34.Shadhili Teachings – http://www.shadhiliteachings.com/
35.Shariat.info (Haji Shakeel Ahmad Sahab, Tariqa Chishtiya) – http://shariat.info/
36.Soufia – http://www.soufia.org/vb/
37.Sufi Master – Sidi Muhammad Press (Shaykh Muhammad al-Jamal ar-Rafa’i as-Shadhuli) – http://www.sufimaster.org/
38.Sufi Master – Talks with a Sufi Shaykh – http://sufimaster.blogspot.com/
39.Sufi Peace (Irshad Alam Sufi Peace Mission Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi Sufi Tariqa Berkeley, California) – http://www.sufipeace.org/home
40.Sufi Zikr – http://www.sufizikr.org/
41.Sulook.org (Tariqah Qadiri-Akbari) – www.sulook.org
42.Taubah.org (Maulana Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani Naqshbandi) – http://www.taubah.org/
43.Tasawuf.info (Shadili Darqawi Alawi) http://www.tasawuf.info/en/
44.Tasawwuf.110 (Silsila Naqshbandia Mujadadia Alayeia) – http://www.tasawwuf.110mb.com/index.htm
45.Tasawwuf (Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – www.tasawwuf.org
46.Tawwabeen-e-Naqshband (Shaykh Nadeem Qureshi, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad)- http://www.tawwabeen.org
47.Travelling the Path (Shaykh Khalid Abdul Sattar, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.travelingthepath.org/
48.Zawiyah.org (Tareeqah Muhammadiyyah) – http://zawiyah.org
49.Zikr.co.uk (Hadhrat Muhammad Sardar Ahmad Naqshbandi) – http://www.zikr.co.uk/
(10:14) Muhammad Adnan: (Offline) Al-Haqq.net (Shaykh Muhammad Ninowy) – http://alhaqq.net/AlHaqq/
2.Al-Ma`rifat (Qadaria Rashidia, Islamabad) – www.al-marifat.org
3.Al Naqshbandia (ramo curdo-libanese) – http://www.naqshbandia.com
4.An-Noor (Thanwi Ashrafi) – http://annoor.wordpress.com/
5.Ashrafiyah – http://www.ashrafiya.com/
6.Ashrafiya (vecchio) – http://ashrafiya.blogspot.com/
7.At-Talib – http://attalib.blogspot.com/
8.At-Tazkirah – http://truelife200vi.wordpress.com/
9.Audible Wisdom (Mufti Hussain Kamani)http://www.audiblewisdom.org/
10.Beauty of Islam – www.beautyofislam.org – www.mujaddidi.org
11.Blog Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia (Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar)- http://blog.khanqah.org/
12.Contemplating Chishti – http://alchishti.wordpress.com/
13.Dar al-Mahmood (Tasawwuf by Mufti Ebrahim Desai) – http://www.daralmahmood.org/
14.Dar al-Masnavi (su Jalal ad-Din Rumi) – http://www.dar-al-masnavi.org/
15.Darul Irfan – http://www.darulirfan.org/
16.Ihsan Path (Shaykh Sayyid Muhammad Ibn Yahywa al-Ninowy) – www.ihsanpath.net
17.In Shaykh’s Company (Shaykh Saleem Dhorat) – http://shaykh.wordpress.com – www.shaykh.org
18.Islah-e-Batin (Shaykh Mohammad Mushtaq Ahmed, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad – http://islahebatin.org/
19.Islah-e-Nafs (Hadrat Maulana Hafiz Shaykh Khurshid Ahmed Naqshbandi) – http://www.islahenafs.com/
20.Islah-ul-Muslimeen – http://www.islahulmuslimeen.org/
21.Islamic Spirituality (Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.islamicspirituality.org/
22.‘Umar AbduLlah Kamel (Naqshbandiyyah) – http://www.okamel.com/index.htm
23.Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia (Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar)- www.khanqah.org – www.voiceofkhanqah.com
24.Khanqah-e-Naqshband (Shaykh Naeemullah Farooqi) – http://www.khanqah-e-naqshband.com/
25.Mahad New York (Shaykh Mohammad Sohail Irfan, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.mahadnewyork.org/
26.Mawaiz (lectures by Shaykh-ul-Hadith Hazrat Sufi Mohammad Sarwar Saheb) – http://www.mawaiz.com/
27.Mawaiz-e-Ashrafia (Lectures of Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Ashraf Ali Thanvi ra) – http://www.mawaiz-e-ashrafia.com/
28.Naqshbandi Recordings – http://www.nrrecordings.com/
29.Noor of Nobility (Shaykh Hadrat Maulana Mohammed Nabeel Ahmed Khan Sahib) – http://noorofnobility.wordpress.com/
30.Pir Ghulam Habib – http://www.pirghulamhabib.com
31.Sacred Learning (Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – www.sacredlearning.org
32.The Sanctified Trust (Shaykh Tauqeer Chaudhary, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.sanctifiedtrust.org
33.Shadili Tariqa – http://shadhilitariqa.com
34.Shadhili Teachings – http://www.shadhiliteachings.com/
35.Shariat.info (Haji Shakeel Ahmad Sahab, Tariqa Chishtiya) – http://shariat.info/
36.Soufia – http://www.soufia.org/vb/
37.Sufi Master – Sidi Muhammad Press (Shaykh Muhammad al-Jamal ar-Rafa’i as-Shadhuli) – http://www.sufimaster.org/
38.Sufi Master – Talks with a Sufi Shaykh – http://sufimaster.blogspot.com/
39.Sufi Peace (Irshad Alam Sufi Peace Mission Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi Sufi Tariqa Berkeley, California) – http://www.sufipeace.org/home
40.Sufi Zikr – http://www.sufizikr.org/
41.Sulook.org (Tariqah Qadiri-Akbari) – www.sulook.org
42.Taubah.org (Maulana Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani Naqshbandi) – http://www.taubah.org/
43.Tasawuf.info (Shadili Darqawi Alawi) http://www.tasawuf.info/en/
44.Tasawwuf.110 (Silsila Naqshbandia Mujadadia Alayeia) – http://www.tasawwuf.110mb.com/index.htm
45.Tasawwuf (Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – www.tasawwuf.org
46.Tawwabeen-e-Naqshband (Shaykh Nadeem Qureshi, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad)- http://www.tawwabeen.org
47.Travelling the Path (Shaykh Khalid Abdul Sattar, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.travelingthepath.org/
48.Zawiyah.org (Tareeqah Muhammadiyyah) – http://zawiyah.org
49.Zikr.co.uk (Hadhrat Muhammad Sardar Ahmad Naqshbandi) – http://www.zikr.co.uk/
2.Al-Ma`rifat (Qadaria Rashidia, Islamabad) – www.al-marifat.org
3.Al Naqshbandia (ramo curdo-libanese) – http://www.naqshbandia.com
4.An-Noor (Thanwi Ashrafi) – http://annoor.wordpress.com/
5.Ashrafiyah – http://www.ashrafiya.com/
6.Ashrafiya (vecchio) – http://ashrafiya.blogspot.com/
7.At-Talib – http://attalib.blogspot.com/
8.At-Tazkirah – http://truelife200vi.wordpress.com/
9.Audible Wisdom (Mufti Hussain Kamani)http://www.audiblewisdom.org/
10.Beauty of Islam – www.beautyofislam.org – www.mujaddidi.org
11.Blog Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia (Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar)- http://blog.khanqah.org/
12.Contemplating Chishti – http://alchishti.wordpress.com/
13.Dar al-Mahmood (Tasawwuf by Mufti Ebrahim Desai) – http://www.daralmahmood.org/
14.Dar al-Masnavi (su Jalal ad-Din Rumi) – http://www.dar-al-masnavi.org/
15.Darul Irfan – http://www.darulirfan.org/
16.Ihsan Path (Shaykh Sayyid Muhammad Ibn Yahywa al-Ninowy) – www.ihsanpath.net
17.In Shaykh’s Company (Shaykh Saleem Dhorat) – http://shaykh.wordpress.com – www.shaykh.org
18.Islah-e-Batin (Shaykh Mohammad Mushtaq Ahmed, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad – http://islahebatin.org/
19.Islah-e-Nafs (Hadrat Maulana Hafiz Shaykh Khurshid Ahmed Naqshbandi) – http://www.islahenafs.com/
20.Islah-ul-Muslimeen – http://www.islahulmuslimeen.org/
21.Islamic Spirituality (Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.islamicspirituality.org/
22.‘Umar AbduLlah Kamel (Naqshbandiyyah) – http://www.okamel.com/index.htm
23.Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia (Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar)- www.khanqah.org – www.voiceofkhanqah.com
24.Khanqah-e-Naqshband (Shaykh Naeemullah Farooqi) – http://www.khanqah-e-naqshband.com/
25.Mahad New York (Shaykh Mohammad Sohail Irfan, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.mahadnewyork.org/
26.Mawaiz (lectures by Shaykh-ul-Hadith Hazrat Sufi Mohammad Sarwar Saheb) – http://www.mawaiz.com/
27.Mawaiz-e-Ashrafia (Lectures of Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Ashraf Ali Thanvi ra) – http://www.mawaiz-e-ashrafia.com/
28.Naqshbandi Recordings – http://www.nrrecordings.com/
29.Noor of Nobility (Shaykh Hadrat Maulana Mohammed Nabeel Ahmed Khan Sahib) – http://noorofnobility.wordpress.com/
30.Pir Ghulam Habib – http://www.pirghulamhabib.com
31.Sacred Learning (Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – www.sacredlearning.org
32.The Sanctified Trust (Shaykh Tauqeer Chaudhary, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.sanctifiedtrust.org
33.Shadili Tariqa – http://shadhilitariqa.com
34.Shadhili Teachings – http://www.shadhiliteachings.com/
35.Shariat.info (Haji Shakeel Ahmad Sahab, Tariqa Chishtiya) – http://shariat.info/
36.Soufia – http://www.soufia.org/vb/
37.Sufi Master – Sidi Muhammad Press (Shaykh Muhammad al-Jamal ar-Rafa’i as-Shadhuli) – http://www.sufimaster.org/
38.Sufi Master – Talks with a Sufi Shaykh – http://sufimaster.blogspot.com/
39.Sufi Peace (Irshad Alam Sufi Peace Mission Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi Sufi Tariqa Berkeley, California) – http://www.sufipeace.org/home
40.Sufi Zikr – http://www.sufizikr.org/
41.Sulook.org (Tariqah Qadiri-Akbari) – www.sulook.org
42.Taubah.org (Maulana Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani Naqshbandi) – http://www.taubah.org/
43.Tasawuf.info (Shadili Darqawi Alawi) http://www.tasawuf.info/en/
44.Tasawwuf.110 (Silsila Naqshbandia Mujadadia Alayeia) – http://www.tasawwuf.110mb.com/index.htm
45.Tasawwuf (Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – www.tasawwuf.org
46.Tawwabeen-e-Naqshband (Shaykh Nadeem Qureshi, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad)- http://www.tawwabeen.org
47.Travelling the Path (Shaykh Khalid Abdul Sattar, Khalifa of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad) – http://www.travelingthepath.org/
48.Zawiyah.org (Tareeqah Muhammadiyyah) – http://zawiyah.org
49.Zikr.co.uk (Hadhrat Muhammad Sardar Ahmad Naqshbandi) – http://www.zikr.co.uk/
Tasawwuf & Types :-
"Verily, he who has purified the heart is successful and he who has despoiled it has lost."
A lot of people have misunderstandings about tasawwuf. Many think that it is something beyond Qur'an and Sunnah. Errant Sufis as well as the superficial ulema, although on the opposite ends of the spectrum, are together in holding this mistaken notion. Consequently the first group has shunned the Qur'an and Hadith while the second group has shunned tasawwuf. Actually, although the term tasawwuf, like many other religious terms in use today, evolved later, the discipline is very much part of the Shariah. The department of the Shariah relating to external deeds like salat and zakat is called fiqh while the one dealing with the internal feelings and states of the heart is called tasawwuf. Both are commanded in the Qur'an. Thus while commanding Salat and Zakat, the Qur'an also commands gratefulness and love of Allah and condemns the evil of pride and vanity. Similarly, in the books of hadith, along with the chapters on Ibadat, trade and commerce, marriage and divorce, are to be found the chapters on riya (showoff) takabbur, akhlaq, etc. These commands are as much a mandatory requirement as the ones dealing with external deeds.
On reflection it will be realized that all the external deeds are designed for the reformation of the heart. That is the basis of success in the hereafter while its despoiling is the cause of total destruction. This is precisely what is known technically as tasawwuf. Its focus is tahzeebe akhlaq or the adornment of character; its motive is the attainment of Divine pleasure; its method is total obedience to the commands of the Shariah.
Tasawwuf is the soul of Islam. Its function is to purity the heart from the lowly bestial attributes of lust, calamities of the tongue, anger, malice, jealousy, love of the world, love of fame, niggardliness, greed, ostentation, vanity, deception, etc. At the same time it aims at the adornment of the heart with the lofty attributes of repentance, perseverance, gratefulness, fear of Allah, hope, abstention, tauheed, trust, love, sincerity, truth, contemplation, etc.
To diagnose and treat the diseases of the heart normally requires the help of an expert mentor or Shaikh. Here are the qualities of a good Shaikh.
1. He possesses necessary religious knowledge.
2. His beliefs, habits, and practices are in accordance with the Shariah.
3. He does not harbor greed for the worldly wealth.
4. He has himself spent time learning from a good Shaikh.
5. The scholars and good mashaikh of his time hold good opinion about him.
6. His admirers are mostly from among the people who have good understanding of religion.
7. Most of his followers follow the Shariah and are not the seekers after this world.
8. He sincerely tries to educate and morally train his followers. If he sees anything wrong in them, he corrects it.
9. In his company one can feel a decrease in the love of this world and an increase in the love for Allah.
10. He himself regularly performs dhikr and shughal (spiritual exercises).
In searching for a Shaikh, do not look for his ability to perform karamat (miracles) or to foretell the future. A very good Shaikh may not be able to show any karamat. On the other hand, a person showing karamat does not have to be a pious person --- or even a Muslim. Prominent Sufi Bayazid Bistami says: "Do not be deceived if you see a performer of supernatural feats flying in the air. Measure him on the standard of the Shariah."
When you find the right Shaikh, and you are satisfied with his ability to provide spiritual guidance, you perform baya or pledge. This is a two-way commitment; the Shaikh pledges to guide you in light of Shariah and you pledge to follow him. Then the Shaikh will give his mureed (disciple) initial instructions. They include the following:
1. Perform repentance for all the past sins and take steps to make amends, e.g. if any salat has been missed so far in the life, you start making up for it.
2. If you have any unmet financial obligations toward another person make plans to discharge them.
3. Guard your eyes, ears, and tongue.
4. Perform dhikr regularly.
5. Start a daily session of self-accounting before going to bed. Review all the good and bad deeds performed during the day. Repent for the bad ones and thank Allah for the good ones.
6. Perform muraqaba-maut (meditation over death) every night before going to bed. Just visualize that you have died. Reflect upon the pangs of death, the questioning in the grave, the plain of Resurrection, the Reckoning , the presence in the Court of Allah, etc This helps bring softness to the heart and break the tendency to commit sins.
7. Develop humility. Even if you observe another individual committing the worst of vices you should not despise him/her, nor should you consider yourself nobler. It is very much possible that the perpetrator of the vice may resort to sincere repentance while the one who despised the sinner become ensnared in the traps of nafs and Shaitan. One has no certainty regarding one's end. One, therefore has no basis for regarding another with contempt.
The essential idea of tahzeebe akhlaq is to bring our natural faculties in a state of balance. The three basic faculties are anger, desires, and intelligence.
Anger:
When in equilibrium it results in valor, forbearance, steadfastness, the ability to restrain anger, and dignity. Excess will result in rashness, boastfulness, pride, inability to restrain anger, and vanity. A deficiency will result in cowardice, disgrace, and feeling of inferiority.
Desires:
Equilibrium here results in chastity, generosity, haya (decency), patience, and contentment. Its excess leads to greed and lust. The other extreme results in narrow-mindedness, and impotence, etc.
Intelligence:
Equilibrium here makes man wise, sharp-witted and one with great insights. Excess here makes one deceptive, fraudulent and imposture. Its lack results in ignorance and stupidity with the consequence that such a person is quickly misled.
A person will be considered as having a beautiful seerah (character) only when these faculties are in the state of balance and equilibrium. Internal beauty varies with people just as external beauty does. The possessor of the most beautiful seerah was Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. The beauty of our seerah is based on its closeness to his seerah.
[Condensed from writings of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi]
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What Is Tasawwuf ?
Tasawwuf is a branch of Islamic knowledge which focuses on the spiritual development of the Muslim.
Allah sent His final messenger, Prophet Muhammad , as a source of knowledge for the entire ummah. He was the fountain of Quran, Hadith, tafsir, rhetoric, fiqh, and so on. After the Prophet, the scholars of this ummah carried and propagated each of these branches of knowledge. Because no one person can attain the perfection of the Prophet , who single handedly assumed all of these roles, various branches of the Islamic sciences developed. For example, Imam Abu Hanifah preserved the science of fiqh and after him thousands of scholars continued in his footsteps. Hence these scholars preserved the fiqh of the Prophet . Similarly Imam Bukhari and the other famous scholars of Hadith, preserved the words of the Prophet. The scholars of tajweed preserved the recitation of the Prophet . And, the scholars of Arabic grammar preserved the language of the Prophet .
Along these lines, the Prophet was the model of spirituality for the world. His God-consciousness, deep spirituality, acts of worship, and love for Allah were preserved and propagated by an Islamic science called Tasawwuf. The aim of the scholars of this science was purification of the heart, and development of consciousness of Allah through submission to the shariah and sunnah.
How is Tasawwuf Related to Sufism?
Studying the life of the Prophet , the scholars who propagated the science of tasawwuf understood that a requisite for approaching Allah was abandonment of the common pursuits of the world. They often wore wool because of its simplicity and low cost. In Arabic the word for wool is suf and thus, those who wore it became known as the Sufis. Another possible derivation of the word comes from the root word safa, which means “to clean.” Because the scholars of tasawwuf focused on cleansing the heart, they later became known as the Sufis.
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