Famous Sufi Orders Around the World

In the history of Islam the movement of ‘spiritual orders’ proved to be the most powerful, honourable, long lasting and successful among all others. The reason behind its success is closeness and gnosis of Allah which occupies one’s inward completely. Islam has its esoteric and exoteric perspectives. The exoteric aspect of Islam is sharia and esoteric is Sufism which leads to the reality and gnosis.

Hazrat Ali and Faqr

First of all, Ali ibn Abi Talib requested Prophet Mohammad for gnosis of Allah. In this regard Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani says:

First of all Ali ibn Abi Talib sought the easiest and the quickest way of reaching Allah from the Holy Prophet. He waited for the revelation so Angel Gabriel came and taught shahada thrice. The Holy Prophet repeated after him in the same way. Then Prophet Mohammad taught shahada to Ali ibn Abi Talib and then to all of his Companions and said, “We return towards the greater jihad from the minor one.” Greater jihad is a fight against one’s innerself. Once the Holy Prophet said to some of his Companions, “Your biggest enemy is your innerself (nafs) which lies between your two sides.” One cannot win love of Allah unless he defeats his esoteric enemies that are inciting innerself, repenting innerself and the inspiring innerself. (Moreover one cannot achieve closeness of Allah) unless he is purified of all the undesirable traits like gluttony, undue sleep, absurd talk and bestial habits like fighting, abusing, aggression, and satanic attributes like ignorance, vanity, jealousy, enmity and other such exoteric and esoteric evils. When a person gets rid of all these vices then roots of sin are eliminated from his being and he is counted among the purified and sanctified ones

Spiritual Successors of Ali ibn Abi Talib

Ali ibn Abi Talib had four spiritual successors:

• Hasan ibn Ali
• Husayn ibn Ali
• Shaikh Hasan of Basra
• Kumayl ibn Ziyad

In Sufism, they are known as the four righteous leaders or the four Mystic Caliphs. From these four Imams, fourteen mystic orders initiated. Through these orders the beneficence of the Holy Prophet is transmitted to the umma 788 spiritually. Thus, the successors of Ali ibn Abi Talib established such a strong system of mystic orders which successfully continues till date. The spiritual order of Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali continued through the Imams who are progeny of the People of Cloak. Even the greatest Saints such as Fuḍayl ibn Iyaḍ, Imam Shafii, Imam Abu Hanifa, Bayazid Bastami got spiritual beneficence from them and achieved high spiritual status.

Shaikh Hasan of Basra had many successors but two of them are more prominent i.e. Shaikh Habib Ajmi and Abdul Wahid ibn Zaid. Fourteen mystic chains started from them, five from Abdul Wahid ibn Zaid and nine from Shaikh Habib Ajmi which are:

1. Zaidiya order
2. Iyyadia order
3. Adhamiyya order
4. Hubayria order
5. Chishti order
6. Ajmia order
7. Taifuriyya order
8. Karkhiya order
9. Saqtiyya order
10. Junaydiyya order
11. Gazruniyya order 
12. Tussia order
13. Suhrawardi order 
14. Firdousiyya order

Before Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani the Islamic world was severely entangled in chaos and disintegration. Muslim rule faced downfall in many countries. The remaining Muslim rulers were either facing internal conspiracies or tyrannies from outside. Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani has mentioned seventy-three Muslim sects in his book Ghunyat al-Talibeen. According to him, only one of them was on the right path and all the others were strayed.

Many new so-called mystic orders had originated, all of which were hypocritical. Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani has discussed these false orders in detail in his book Sirr al Asrar. Its chapter 23 is quoted below:

There are twelve kinds of groups who claim to be the Sufis. First are the Sunnis who follow sharia and Sufism in all their deeds. Some of them will go to heaven without any accountability and punishment whereas others will be forgiven and sent to heaven after minor accountability and punishment. They will not be kept in the hell forever like the misbelievers and hypocrites. All the remaining groups are heretical, which are:

1. Hululiyya
2. Haliyya
3. Awliyaiyya
4. Shamuraniyya
5. Hibbiyya
6. Huriyya
7. Ibahiyya
8. Mutakasiliyya
9. Mutajahiliyya
10. Wafiqiyya
11. Ilhamiyya

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani and  Qadri order

Sultan Bahoo explains the prominence of the Qadri order in these words:

• If you are clever and wise then listen! If you are oblivious then come out of oblivion! If you are practical then believe me! If you are accomplished then always remember these words! The Qadri way belongs to Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani who is the bestower of treasures of Divine secrets and absolves his imperfect disciples from the pain of mystic hardships. His Qadri order is like a sharp sword. It beheads the one who keeps enmity against his disciples and seekers. If the disciple and seeker is virtuous, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani keeps him under his shelter but if he is a sinner  then he keeps him under his scrutiny. If anyone tries to harm them, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani ruins him in both the worlds.
• Know that when the Holy Prophet set for the night journey of Miraj, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani put his neck under the Holy Prophet’s sacred feet. On this the Holy Prophet declared that Abdul Qadir’s foot is upon the neck of all the Saints.

Sarwari Qadri Order

Sultan Bahoo has discussed two offshoots of Qadri order, Sarwari Qadri and Zahidi Qadri. He belongs to the Sarwari Qadri order and declares it the actual and perfect Qadri order. It flourished in the subcontinent due to Sultan Bahoo. He says:

• Qadri order has two offshoots; Sarwari Qadri and Zahidi Qadri. Sarwari Qadri spiritual guide has perfect command over contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat. When he blesses the seeker with the spiritual education and Divine guidance through Ism-e Allah Zaat, he grants him the status equal to his own on the very first day. The seeker becomes indifferent and independent of all needs, his attention remains focused only on the Truth. Hence gold and soil become equal for him. On the contrary, the follower of Zahidi Qadri order has to devote at least twelve years to very hard mystic struggles, so much so that his stomach remains empty. After twelve years he becomes eligible to be present before Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani and attains the status of a majdhub devotee while the status of a Sarwari Qadri is that of a beloved devotee.

Sarwari Qadri order is the ocean of gnosis. Whoever enters it becomes a Mystic. If the disciple of Sarwari Qadri order joins another spiritual order, he becomes accursed and unlucky, no matter how much glorious fate he had. It is a depravity for Sarwari Qadri follower to seek beneficence from any other spiritual way. However it is important to mention that the disciples of other spiritual orders can swear allegiance in Sarwari Qadri order or disciples of man of recitals can pledge allegiance to the man of Divine Essence.

Sultan ul Ashiqeen Hazrat Sakhi Sultan Mohammad Najib ur Rehman is the 31^st Sheikh of Sarwari Qadri Order.

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