Shams ud-Din (شمس الدین) renowned as Amir Kulal (امیر کلال) (died 1363), was born in Bukhara, Uzbekistan to the well known scholar Saif ud-Din Hamza (سیف الدین حمزہ) a descendant of Nabi Muhammad. Saif ud Din Hamza (sometimes called Saif ud-Din Kulal) was also Amir (chieftain) of Tribe of Kulal (Amir-i-Kulal), hence the title Amir. After Saif ud-Din Hamza’s death Shams ud-Din took up the role of head of the tribe by which time his reputation as a scholar and religious figure had spread through Turkistan, and the title Amir-i-Kulal had become synonymous with Shams ud-Din, which stays to this day. He had number of students who later became prominent figures in history including Baha-ud-Din Naqshband and Amir Timur. He is buried at Sokhar (Sukhar), near Bukhara. After rise of the Timurid Dynasty a symbiotic relationship began between the houses of Amir Timur and Amir Kulal which continued through the Mughal line in India.

It might be noted here that Amir Kulal’s grandfather (also called Shams ud-Din) was the spiritual mentor of Barlas Tribe and Turghai (Amir Timur’s father) and is buried at Shahrisabz. Sometimes Amir Kulal’s grandfather is confused with Amir Kulal (both having the same name).

Family Lineage and Kulal Tribe[link]

Shams ud-Din’s father, Amir Saif ud Din Hamza (امیر سیف الدین حمزہ) was head of the Kulal Tribe and a direct descendant of Husain ibn Ali, grandson of Nabi Muhammad. In fact the entire tribe of Kulal had descended from Nabi Muhammad and settled at Vabkent (Wabkana)–30 kilometers north of Bukhara. Around 1340 the city was visited by Ibn Battuta (1304–1359) who spent a night a night there as a guest. Ibn Battuta described the small city of Vabkent as beautiful with many gardens and rivers^[1]. Kulal Tribe had settled at Vabkent a number of generations back, near the end of the twelfth century. Their date of settlement can be approximated with the madrasa which was constructed at Vabkent in 1198 under the patronage of Burhan ud-Din Abdul Aziz II, whose name adorns madrasa’s minaret, the only surviving segment of the building. It is interesting to note here that the engineers working on construction of the madrasa were all from the Kulal Tribe and copied the Kalyan Mosque (Po-i-Kalyan) style, though few upgrades were made in the design and technology. In essence the Vabkent Madrasa was a more refined form of Kalyan Mosque.^[2]

Kulal Tribe quickly established a small industrial base at the central market of Vabkent and number of mills in the surrounding areas which continued to operate well into the sixteenth century. Minting of coins, steel, pottery and milling were the main industries. Though, the highly glazed pottery and tiles, unmatched in quality and quantity were their main export earning them the title of Kulal (potter). Their kiln designs were highly efficient and were able to produce up to 1500 pots in each batch. Utilizing wind and water resources for milling and industrial processes coupled with efficient kiln designs resulted in considerably higher returns per capita leading to a healthy lifestyle for the entire tribe.

Kulal Tribe lived in the surroundings of Burkhara and Bukhara city amidst the most turbulent times but remained safe and stayed out of the line of fire. Never in their history of few centuries were they attacked or their stronghold city destroyed. The reason lied in the threefold strategy.

Firstly, they were famous as an entire tribe of descendants of Nabi Muhammad, attracting considerable respect from the neighboring tribes, thus anyone bad-eyeing them had to think twice-the entire region being a Muslim dominated country. Secondly, the city was surrounded by a terrain of gardens and greenery crisscrossed by numerous rivers and streams at one side and an endless desert at the other, which was barren and uninhabited. This coupled with nothing much of material value in the small city was big enough deterrent for any invading army which would have to travel at least one day to reach the city which lied at the boundary of Kyzyl Kum (Qyzlqum) desert and no major city to north of the city.

Lastly, and most importantly their social system. The social system was devised into three sections, namely: political system; monetary system; and publicity system. Their political system was simple. The most learned of the tribe was chosen as the head. Main goal of the head, other than being the qazi and administrator was to represent the tribe and politically maneuver through times of war. Also the post was not hereditary. No hereditary claim to the “throne” meant there wasn’t one family in the tribe which would grow up to have amassed huge portions of tribe wealth in a couple of generations, in-case the head turned out to be corrupt. Also, this avoided any mutual tussles between heirs of any deceased chieftain, as there was nothing to fight for. Their monetary system was even more advanced (for their time) than the political system. All of the mills and manufacturing plants were owned in essence by the community. Anyone willing and skilled was allowed to operate and earn a living as long as he kept the structure maintained and donated for construction of newer structures. The system worked superbly well and at least at a smaller scale of a couple of thousand individuals proved could be sustained for a number of centuries. Strict code of intermarriages within the tribe, relatively small birthrate (compared to the one prevalent at the times), single marriages and continuous outward migration meant the population stayed nearly constant throughout the time period.

The tribe used an ingenious method of publicity to deter any invaders. Although they were mainly craftsmen (engineers and scientists) but had strapping and tall builds. They used this to their advantage by encouraging young members of the tribe to learn the necessary fighting skills and take up wrestling as a sport which by the time of Shams ud-Din Amir Kulal had become a tribal trademark sport. The tribe held regular contests both at Vabkent and Bukhara in which outsiders also competed. Almost always success of Kulal’s youth meant instillation of the idea of Kulal Tribe as superior and fierce warriors. Thus, without ever going to war for a period of more than three centuries the tribe held its reputation as fierce warriors and wrestlers.

The full nasb of Amir Kulal is as follows:- hamsudeen=Amir Kulal ibn Hamzah ibn Ibraheem ibn Muhammad ibn (Muhammad) Hasan ibn Abdullah AlShaheed ibn Jafar ibn Husain ibn Ali ibn Hasan AlQayem ibn (Muhammad) Husain ibn (Ahmad) Husain ibn (Muhammad) Ali=AlDaynori ibn Moussa=AbuSobha Moussa AlThani ibn Ibraheem AlMurtdha ibn Moussa AlKadhim ibn Jafar AlSadiq ibn Muhammad AlBaqir ibn Ali Zainualabdeen ibn AlHusain AlSebit, son of Fatimah ibnt Nabi Muhammad, ibn AlImam Ali ibn AbiTalib AlHashemi AlQurashi.

Early life[link]

Shams ud-Din Amir Kulal (شمس الدین امیر کلال) was born at Bukhara. His father Saif ud-Din Hamza was head of Kulal Tribe and a renowned scholar of his time. As head of the tribe, Saif ud-Din Hamza was titled Amir-i-Kulal (Leader of Kulal Tribe). Shams ud-Din was educated in his childhood and early in his life took the position of head of the madrasa at Vabkent. At the same time he started gaining fame as a wrestler. By the time he assumed the position of the head of Kulal Tribe his fame as a scholar and religious figure had spread through the surrounding region with many noble and powerful families sending their children to study under him, most notably from the Barlas Tribe.

Amir-i-Kulal[link]

Shams ud-Din was elected as tribe’s head after his father’s death. Although all the heads of Kulal were called Amir-i-Kulal (meaning chief of Kulal tribe), it was Shams ud-Din whose name has become synonymous with the designation Amir Kulal. Today he is mostly remembered through the title Amir Kulal rather than his real name.

As head of Kulal, his responsibilities increased but Amir Kulal continued to teach at the madrasa. One of Amir Kulal’s most famous disciples was Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari who used to work as an executioner in Bukhara under the rule of Qazan Khan ibn Yasaur (d. 1346). One day Baha ud-Din was ordered to execute a man who had angered the king. However, right before his execution the accused called upon Amir Kulal, identifying him as his teacher. Amir Kulal intervened and the accused was set free on his intercession. This was Baha ud-Din’s first encounter with Amir Kulal. Impressed by him, Baha ud-Din became his student.

Amir Kulal also had a sizeable following of spiritual protégés (murid). Of these the most prominent was Turghai (Trush) (d. 1356 AD) who had previously been influenced by Amir Kulal’s grandfather. After Turghai’s death his son Timur (d. 807/1405) held Amir Kulal in the same esteem holding him as his spiritual guide.

Around the year 1340 Ibn Battuta made a day stop at Vabkent who later described the city as beautiful with many rivers and gardens. He was Amir’s guest at the city and was guided towards Bukhara, then at a day’s travel from Vabkent.

In the year 1357 Timur approached Amir Kulal for his advice on strategic maneuvers for attacking Uzbeks. It was under his advice that Timur changed his attack plan^[3].

Amir Kulal died in 772/1370 and was buried in Sukhar (Sokhar) near Bukhara. Sometimes Amir Kulal’s tomb is confused with the tomb of his grandfather (also Shams ud-Din Kulal). It is Shams ud-Din Kulal (Amir Kulal’s grandfather) who is buried at Shahrisabz(Kesh); the Green City. Amir Kulal’s grandfather had constructed the madrasa Dor-i-Tilavat/Dorut Tilavat (House of Mediation) and was buried here after his death. Later, Timur transferred the body of his father Turghai, to be near the grave of Shams ud-Din (Amir Kulal's grandfather). Amir Kulal's grandfather was Turghai and Barlas Tribe’s spiritual mentor. Majority of Timur’s family is also buried at the same place. Recently, his tomb had been renovated under the orders of Uzbekistan’s President^[4].

None of the books written by Amir Kulal are extant. However, some excerpts and essays have survived in the family library. Also, three copies of a biography of Amir Kulal "Maqamat-i-Amir Kulal" written by his great grandson Shihab ul Din have survived.

Amir Kulal's Descendants[link]

After Amir Kulal’s death his descendants, propagated from his four sons: Burhanudeen, Shah, Hamzah, and Omar, continued to be associated with the Timurid and then Mughal Dynasty Kings and Princes as their friends and teachers. Amir Kulal’s grandson Amir Kalan (Muhammad ibn Shah ibn Amir Kulal) was entrusted with the education of young Ulugh Beg. Although Amir Kalan is renowned for his religious scholarship he was also well versed in mathematics and astronomy, and introduced these sciences to the young prince. At Ulugh Beg’s madrasa Amir Kalan was considered one of the top ten teachers (mudarris) with unparalleled proficiency in ulum-i-yaainia, dinia and ulum-i-shariat^[5]. Amir Sultan (Muhammad Shmsudeen ibn Ali ibn Burhanudeen ibn Amir Kulal), another grandson of Amir Kulal married Ottoman Sultan, Bayezid I’s daughter. After Babur established the Mughal Empire in India many of Amir Kulal’s descendants moved there and continued to enjoy an influence in the Mughal dynasty. They remained as teachers and mentors of Mughal Princes and Kings or their close friends. Last of these was Shah Abbas, tutor of Mughal King Farrukhsiyar. By the time Farrukhsiyar was enthroned the family had parted ways from Mughals. A gap of hundred years follows, after which the family comes to prominence with Sheikh Samad Ali, one of the prominent students of Shah Abdul Aziz. Although his exploits as an engineering entrepreneur overshadows his scholarly work. His son Hakim Qadir Ali earned fame both as a scholar and doctor and his great grandson Shah Altaf was renowned as a scholar and scientist in the area around Delhi, and his school attracted many students from this area. After the founding of Pakistan, majority of Amir Kulal’s descendants moved to Pakistan.

References[link]

v t e Sufism and Tariqa Ideas Qutb Wali Abdal Fakir Dervish Tazkiah Baqaa Fanaa Haal Keramat Haqiqa Ihsan Irfan Kashf Lataif Manzil Marifa Nafs Noor Sufi cosmology Sufi metaphysics Sufi philosophy Sufi poetry Sufi psychology Sulook Yaqeen Silsila Practices Anasheed Dhikr Haḍra Muraqaba Qawwali Sama Whirling Ziyarat Sufi orders Azeemia Akbarī Alians Ba 'Alawī Bayramī Bektashī Chishtī Galibī Gulshanī Ḥurūfī Idrīsī Jelvetī Jerrahī Khalwatī Kubrāwī Madarī Malāmatī Mawlāwī Mourīdī Naqshbandī Naqshbandi Uwaisī Khalidiyya Nasuhī Ni'matullāhī Nuqtawī Qadirī Qalāndārī Rifa'ī Safāvī Shadhilī Suhrawardī Sunbulī Tijanī Ussakī Uwaisī Zahedī Notable early Sufi saints and mystics Abdul-Qadir Gilanī Abul-Khayr Ahmad Ghazālī Ahmed Yasāvī Al-Ghazālī Al-Hallaj al-Misrī Al-Qāsim al-Qunawī Amīr Kulal Ardabilī Ata Allah Attar Balım Sultan Baha ūd-Dīn Naqshband Bande Nawāz Baqī Billah Bastamī Bhita'ī Bulleh Shah Shah Waliullah Dehlāvī Farīd ūd-Dīn Fozail Gālib Gharīb Nawāz Ghujdawanī Ghulam Farīd Sheik Edebali Gül Baba Hajji Bayram Hajji Bektash Hazrat Mai Safoora Qadiriyya Haddad Hamadānī Hansvī Harabatī Baba Hasan Basri Mahmud Hudayī Hujwirī ibn ʿArabī Jābir ibn Hayyān Jahangasht Jamī Jan-e-Jānāān Jazoulī Junayd Baġdādī Kākī Kaliyarī Karkhī Kharaqanī Kubrā Nāimī Najib al-Suhrawardī Nasīmī Mansur Al-Hallaj Ni'matullāh Nizām ūd-Dīn Nurī Otman Baba Pir Sultan Qutb ūd-Dīn Haydār Rabbānī Rabia Basri Razī Rifa'ī Rukn-e-Alam Rūmī Ibrahim ibn Adham Saadī Salman al-Farisī Sanai Mevlana Halid-i Bagdadi Sarı Saltuk Semnanī Shadhilī Shahāb al-Dīn Suhrawardī Shams Tabrizī Shiblī Shirazī Sultan Walad Surkh Bukhari Taj al-Dīn Gilanī Umar al-Suhrawardī Uwais al-Qarni Yunus Emre Magtymguly Pyragy Zakariya Zarruq Notable modern Sufi saints Auliya Azeemi Nagpuri Meher Ali Sheikh Muhammad Uthman Sirajuddin Qadeer Piya Muhammad Maliki Gohar Shahi Tahir ul-Qadri Tahir Allauddin Taqi Usmani Abdal Hakim Murad Nazim Al-Haqqani Hisham Kabbani Nuh Keller Nooruddeen Durkee Abdalqadir as-Sufi Zaheen Ghulam Mustafa Reshad Feild Ahmad al-Alawi Ashraf Ali Thanvi Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri Omar Shah Haeri Raza Khan Syed Shujaat Pir Zulfiqar Abdullah Naqshbandi Sufi Barkat Ali Hafiz Qamaruddin Saheb Qibla Fultali Feisal Abdul Rauf Osman Nuri Topbaş Sufi studies Aguéli Almqvist Burckhardt Chittick Corbin Ernst Frager Guénon Hixon Lindbom Lings Nasr Schimmel Sells Shah Schuon Topics in Sufism Art Fiction History Music Poetry Shrines Texts Portal

•http://www.alchamaa.com/ansab/showthread.php?t=5597 •http://www.alashrafalalami.com/showthread.php?t=626 •http://www.alnssabon.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2374

Syed Noor (full name Syed Ghulam Mohyuddin Noor) (Punjabi, Urdu: سید نور) (born on February 21, 1951) is a Pakistani film director based in Lahore. He is considered as one of the best filmmaker of Pakistan and is famous for making issue-based films wrapped in entertainment. He has to his credit some of Lollywood's biggest hits like Choorian, Jeeva and Deewane Tere Pyar Ke.

Noor is often credited for re-vitalizing the Lollywood industry during the mid-90s, a period during which he directed hits such as Jeeva, Chor Machaye Shor and Ghoongat. In recent years Noor has often faced criticism for his casting choices and his reliance on outdated technology. Noor countered his critics with his last flick Larki Panjaban where he used some of the best gadgets to make the film. He has the credit of bringing the first Avid machine to Pakistan, a software used for film editing. His latest Punjabi release Majajan is doing very well at the box office.

Noor, the 60 year old filmmaker suffered a paralysis stroke early on Dec 31, 2011 and was brought to Sheikh Zayad Hospital. According to doctors, he suffered with mild stroke and he is out of danger. However, the doctors suggested him to remain in hospital for some days.^[1]

Early life[link]

Syed Noor achieved a bachelors degree in journalism from Dayal Singh College in Lahore. Syed Noor wasn't going to wait for success, he went looking for it. As a freelance reporter he was ever where looking for that one break, which soon enough came in the form of Mr S. Suliman who having seen Syed Noor's work picked him to be his assistant. This was the turning point for Noor sahib as this opened a lot of doors for him. As Syed was a talented writer he was asked to write some thing which was new, something which would make people see a different side of lollywood. Soon Syed Noor wrote a film called, Society Girl, the film was directed by none other than the famous actress Sangeeta,the film was a super hit at the box office. So far Syed Noor has written over 400 scripts and stories earning him numerous awards such as, The Nigar award and the National Award just to mention afew.^[2]

Personal life[link]

Syed Noor lives in Lahore,Pakistan.On 20 April 1984 he married Rukhsana Noor, they have 4 children. Syed Noor was first romantically linked to the Pakistani actress, Saima in the late nineties. On 1 May 2007, Saima in a press conference said that she married Syed Noor in July 2005..^[3] and he is her husband

Direction[link]

Syed Noor's directorial debut was Qasam, released in 1992, at the time when the Pakistani FIlm Industry also known as Lollywood at its low point. Violent Punjabi blockbusters had taken over the Cinema of Pakistan. Syed Noor's Qasam, came as a breath of fresh air and induced new life and energy into the ailing film industry.The phenomenal success of Qasam was followed by other hits like, Jeeva,Sargam,Sangam.Hawaein,Ghoonghat and Deewanay Tere Pyaar Kay. Syed Noor achieved new levels of success with his major blockbuster,Choorian,Larki Punjaban and the most recent Majajan, which is still playing in around Pakistan for years later.^[4]

Current projects[link]

Currently,Syed Noor is working in partnership with a British producer,Afzal M.Khan, who has already financed and produced 2 successful films. Afzal M.Khan has bought out the former Shabab Studio, occupying some 12 acres-over 100 kanals. Afzal Khan and Syed Noor have established the very first film and theater academy in Pakistan by the name of Paragon Academy of Performing Arts (PAPA), with the hope to introduce creativity and an interest for film making and acting among the youth of Pakistan. Afzal Khan plans to develop and revive the former Shabab Studio to its former glory. The state of the art studio will have floors for shooting films and TV projects. The studio will have state of the art dubbing, music recording and editing facilities.

Syed Noor is currently working on most awaited film of his lifetime called Price of Honour, a film based on Honour Killings in Pakistan. The film is completed and was supposed to be released on Eid-ul-Azha but was delayed as the condition of the country is in critical situation due to the floods. Another Syed Noor project called Wohti Le Kay Jani Aey, was released on Eid-ul-Fitr 2010, making 8 million rupees in just 2 days. The cinematography, editing and the camera's capture are top nosh, he's finally got out of using cheap rusty old cameras.

Filmography[link]

Director[link]

Writer[link]

This section requires expansion with: this article as it requires expansion..

Producer[link]

This section requires expansion with: this article as it requires expansion..

See also[link]

• Lists of Pakistani films
• Pakistani films of 2010
• Majajan
• Choorian
• Cinema of Pakistan

References[link]

External links[link]

• Paragon Academy of Performing Arts

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Dargah of Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, India.
Religion	Islam
Other name(s)	Hazrat Khwaja Gharīb Nawāz
Personal
Born	1141 Khorasan (in modern Afghanistan) or Isfahan (in modern Iran)
Died	1230 Ajmer
Senior posting
Based in	Ajmer, Northern India
Title	غریب نواز Gharīb Nawāz، سُلطان الہند Sultan-ul-Hind (emperor of India) Shaikh, Khalifa
Period in office	Late 12th century and early 13th century
Predecessor	Usman Harooni
Successor	Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki

Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti (Urdu/Persian: معین الدین چشتی‎) (Persian: چشتی‎ - Čištī) (Arabic: ششتى‎ - Shishti) was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" (غریب نواز), he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia. The initial spiritual chain or silsila of the Chishti order in India, comprising Moinuddin Chishti, Bakhtiyar Kaki, Baba Farid and Nizamuddin Auliya (each successive person being the disciple of the previous one), constitutes the great Sufi saints of Indian history.^[1]

Early life and background[link]

Moinuddin Chishtī is said to have been born in 536 A.H./1141 CE, in Chishti in Sistan region of Afghanistan.^[2] He was a Sayed, a descendant of Muhammad through Ja'far aṣ-Ṣādiq. He grew up in Persia. His parents died when he was only fifteen years old. He inherited a windmill and an orchard from his father. During his childhood, young Moinuddin was different from others and kept himself busy in prayers and meditation. Legend has it that once when he was watering his plants, a revered Sufi, Shaikh Ibrāhim Qundūzī (or Kunduzi) -- the name deriving from his birth place, Kunduz in Afghanistan -- came to his orchard. Young Moinuddin approached him and offered him some fruits. In return, Sheikh Ibrāhīm Qundūzī gave him a piece of bread and asked him to eat it. The Khwāja got enlightened and found himself in a strange world after eating the bread. After this he disposed of his property and other belongings and distributed the money to the poor. He renounced the world and left for Bukhara in search of knowledge and higher education.^[3]

He became the Murid (disciple) of Usman Harooni.

Journeys[link]

This article is part of a series on:
Islam
Beliefs Oneness of God Prophets · Revealed books Angels · Predestination Day of Resurrection
Practices Profession of faith · Prayer Fasting · Alms · Pilgrimage
Texts & laws Quran · Sunnah · Hadith Fiqh · Sharia · Kalam
History & leaders Timeline · Muhammad Ahl al-Bayt · Sahaba Rashidun · Imamate Caliphate · Spread of Islam
Denominations Sunni · Shia Sufi · Ibadi · Ahmadiyya · Quraniyoon · NOI · Liberal
Culture & society Academics · Animals · Art Calendar · Children Dawah · Demographics Festivals · Mosques Philosophy · Politics Science · Women
See also Other religions · Glossary Islam portal This box: view talk edit

Moinuddin Chishtī visited the seminaries of Samarkand and Bukhara and acquired religious learning at the feet of eminent scholars of his age. He visited nearly all the great centers of Muslim culture, and acquainted himself with almost every important trend in Muslim religious life in the Middle Ages. He became a disciple of the Chishtī saint 'Uthmān Hārūnī. They travelled the Middle East extensively together, including visits to Mecca and Medina.

Journey to India[link]

Moinuddin Chishtī turned towards India, reputedly after a dream in which Prophet Muhammad blessed him to do so. After a brief stay at Lahore, he reached Ajmer along with Sultan Shahāb-ud-Din Muhammad Ghori, and settled down there. In Ajmer, he attracted a substantial following, acquiring a great deal of respect amongst the residents of the city. Moinuddin Chishtī practiced the Sufi Sulh-e-Kul (peace to all) concept to promote understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Establishing the Chishtī order in India[link]

The Chishtī order was founded by Abu Ishaq Shami (“the Syrian”) in Chisht, some 95 miles east of Herat in present-day western Afghanistan.^[4] Moinuddin Chishti established the order in India, in the city of Ajmer in North India.

Moinuddin Chishti apparently never wrote down his teachings in the form of a book, nor did his immediate disciples, but the central principles that became characteristics of the Chishtī order in India are based on his teachings and practices. They lay stress on renunciation of material goods; strict regime of self-discipline and personal prayer; participation in Samā' as a legitimate means to spiritual transformation; reliance on either cultivation or unsolicited offerings as means of basic subsistence; independence from rulers and the state, including rejection of monetary and land grants; generosity to others, particularly, through sharing of food and wealth, and tolerance and respect for religious differences.

He, in other words, interpreted religion in terms of human service and exhorted his disciples "to develop river-like generosity, sun-like affection and earth-like hospitality." The highest form of devotion, according to him, was "to redress the misery of those in distress – to fulfill the needs of the helpless and to feed the hungry."

It was during the reign of Emperor Akbar (1556–1605) that Ajmer emerged as one of the most important centers of pilgrimage in India. The Mughal Emperor undertook an unceremonial journey on foot to accomplish his wish to reach Ajmer. The Akbarnāmah records that the Emperor's interest first sparked when he heard some minstrels singing songs about the virtues of the Walī (Friend of God) who lay asleep in Ajmer.

Moinuddin Chishtī authored several books including Anīs al-Arwāḥ and Dalīl al-'Ārifīn, both of which deal with the Islamic code of living.

Quṭbuddīn Baktiyār Kākī (d. 1235) and Ḥamīduddīn Nagorī (d. 1276) were Moinuddin Chishtī's celebrated Khalīfas or successors who continued to transmit the teachings of their master through their disciples, leading to the widespread proliferation of the Chishtī Order in India.

Among Quṭbuddīn Baktiyār's prominent disciples was Farīduddīn Ganj-i-Shakar (d. 1265), whose dargāh is at Pakpattan, (Pakistan). Farīduddīn's most famous disciple was Nizāmuddīn Auliyā' (d. 1325) popularly referred to as Mahbūb-e-Ilāhī (God's beloved), whose dargāh is located in South Delhi.

From Delhi, disciples branched out to establish dargāhs in several regions of South Asia, from Sindh in the west to Bengal in the east, and the Deccan in the south. But from all the network of Chishtī dargāhs the Ajmer dargāh took on the special distinction of being the 'mother' dargah of them all.

Dargah Sharif[link]

Dargah of Moinuddin Chishti, Ajmer

Main article: Dargah Sharif

The dargah (shrine) of Chisti, known as Dargah Sharif or Ajmer Sharif is an international wakf (endowment), managed under the 'Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1955' of Government of India. The Dargah Committee, appointed by the Government, manages donations, takes care of the maintenance of the shrine, and runs charitable institutions like dispensaries, and guest houses for the devotees.^[5] The dargah, which is visited by Muslim pilgrims as well as Hindus and Sikhs as a symbol of intercommunal harmony.

In popular culture[link]

His poetry in praise of Imam Hussein ibn Ali is well known, specially the following verse:

Shah Ast Hussein Badshah Ast Hussein

Ruler is Hussain, Emperor is Hussain

Deen Ast Hussein Deen Panah Ast Hussein

Faith is Hussain , guardian of faith is Hussain

Sar dad na daad dast dar dast e yazeed

Offered his head and not the hand to Yazid

Haqaaq e Binaa e Laa iLaha Ast Hussein

Indeed, Hussain is the foundation of La-ilah (the declaration that none but God is Absolute and Almighty)

A Bollywood movie Jodhaa Akbar (2008), directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, includes a qawwālī in praise of Moinuddin Chishti ("Khwāja Mērē Khwāja"). It depicts the Emperor Akbar being moved by the song to join the whirling-dervish-like dance that accompanies the song. The song is composed by A.R. Rahman.

Sufis of the Chishtī order[link]

He had more than one thousand khalīfas and hundreds of thousands of disciples. Sufis of different orders became his disciples and took ijāzah from him. Among the famous Sufis who trace their lineage to him are: Quṭbuddīn Bakhtiyār Kākī, Farīduddīn Mas'ūd, Nizāmuddīn Auliyā', Amir Khusrau, Muhammad Hussain-i Gisūdarāz Bandanawāz, Ashraf Jahāngīr Simnānī, Aṭā' Hussain Fānī and Shāh Jamāl Bābā Bahaya Aurangabadī.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people – Muslims, Hindus, Christians and others, from the Indian sub-continent, and from other parts of the world – assemble at his tomb on the occasion of his 'urs (death anniversary).

An outside view of the Maqbara

Spiritual lineage[link]

1. 'Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib
2. Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī
3. 'Abdul Wāḥid Bin Zaid Abul Faḍl
4. Fuḍayll ibn 'Iyāḍ Bin Mas'ūd Bin Bishr al-Tamīmī
5. Ibrāhīm bin Adham
6. Ḥudhayfah al-Mar'ashī
7. Amīnuddīn Abū Ḥubayrah al-Baṣrī
8. Mumshād Dīnwarī

Start of the Chishtī Order:

1. Abū Isḥāq al-Shāmī
2. Abū Aḥmad Abdāl
3. Abū Muḥammad bin Abī Aḥmad
4. Abū Yūsuf bin Sam'ān al-Ḥusaynī
5. Maudūd Chishtī
6. Sharīf Zandānī
7. 'Uthmān Hārūnī
8. Moinuddin Chishti

Others buried in the Maqbara enclosure[link]

The famous Mughal generals Sheikh Mīr and Shāhnawāz Khān were buried in the enclosure of Moinuddin Chishtī's Maqbara after they died in the Battle of Deorai in 1659. Shāhnawāz Khān was the Emperor Aurangzeb's father-in-law.^[6]

See also[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Moinuddin Chishti at Wikimedia Commons

• Anees-ul-Arwah by Moinuddin Chishtī

v t e Sufism and Tariqa Ideas Qutb Wali Abdal Fakir Dervish Tazkiah Baqaa Fanaa Haal Keramat Haqiqa Ihsan Irfan Kashf Lataif Manzil Marifa Nafs Noor Sufi cosmology Sufi metaphysics Sufi philosophy Sufi poetry Sufi psychology Sulook Yaqeen Silsila Practices Anasheed Dhikr Haḍra Muraqaba Qawwali Sama Whirling Ziyarat Sufi orders Azeemia Akbarī Alians Ba 'Alawī Bayramī Bektashī Chishtī Galibī Gulshanī Ḥurūfī Idrīsī Jelvetī Jerrahī Khalwatī Kubrāwī Madarī Malāmatī Mawlāwī Mourīdī Naqshbandī Naqshbandi Uwaisī Khalidiyya Nasuhī Ni'matullāhī Nuqtawī Qadirī Qalāndārī Rifa'ī Safāvī Shadhilī Suhrawardī Sunbulī Tijanī Ussakī Uwaisī Zahedī Notable early Sufi saints and mystics Abdul-Qadir Gilanī Abul-Khayr Ahmad Ghazālī Ahmed Yasāvī Al-Ghazālī Al-Hallaj al-Misrī Al-Qāsim al-Qunawī Amīr Kulal Ardabilī Ata Allah Attar Balım Sultan Baha ūd-Dīn Naqshband Bande Nawāz Baqī Billah Bastamī Bhita'ī Bulleh Shah Shah Waliullah Dehlāvī Farīd ūd-Dīn Fozail Gālib Gharīb Nawāz Ghujdawanī Ghulam Farīd Sheik Edebali Gül Baba Hajji Bayram Hajji Bektash Hazrat Mai Safoora Qadiriyya Haddad Hamadānī Hansvī Harabatī Baba Hasan Basri Mahmud Hudayī Hujwirī ibn ʿArabī Jābir ibn Hayyān Jahangasht Jamī Jan-e-Jānāān Jazoulī Junayd Baġdādī Kākī Kaliyarī Karkhī Kharaqanī Kubrā Nāimī Najib al-Suhrawardī Nasīmī Mansur Al-Hallaj Ni'matullāh Nizām ūd-Dīn Nurī Otman Baba Pir Sultan Qutb ūd-Dīn Haydār Rabbānī Rabia Basri Razī Rifa'ī Rukn-e-Alam Rūmī Ibrahim ibn Adham Saadī Salman al-Farisī Sanai Mevlana Halid-i Bagdadi Sarı Saltuk Semnanī Shadhilī Shahāb al-Dīn Suhrawardī Shams Tabrizī Shiblī Shirazī Sultan Walad Surkh Bukhari Taj al-Dīn Gilanī Umar al-Suhrawardī Uwais al-Qarni Yunus Emre Magtymguly Pyragy Zakariya Zarruq Notable modern Sufi saints Auliya Azeemi Nagpuri Meher Ali Sheikh Muhammad Uthman Sirajuddin Qadeer Piya Muhammad Maliki Gohar Shahi Tahir ul-Qadri Tahir Allauddin Taqi Usmani Abdal Hakim Murad Nazim Al-Haqqani Hisham Kabbani Nuh Keller Nooruddeen Durkee Abdalqadir as-Sufi Zaheen Ghulam Mustafa Reshad Feild Ahmad al-Alawi Ashraf Ali Thanvi Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri Omar Shah Haeri Raza Khan Syed Shujaat Pir Zulfiqar Abdullah Naqshbandi Sufi Barkat Ali Hafiz Qamaruddin Saheb Qibla Fultali Feisal Abdul Rauf Osman Nuri Topbaş Sufi studies Aguéli Almqvist Burckhardt Chittick Corbin Ernst Frager Guénon Hixon Lindbom Lings Nasr Schimmel Sells Shah Schuon Topics in Sufism Art Fiction History Music Poetry Shrines Texts Portal