The Chain of Naqashbandia: (Beginning and Evolution) A Research study

سلسلہ عالیہ نقشبندیہ ( آغاز و ارتقاء )۔۔۔۔ ایک تحقیقی مطالعہ

Abstract

The services of Islamic Sufis about the spiritual aspect of Islam extends around the entire world. The names of Islamic Sufi orders vary from place to place throughout the Islamic world. It was because that people started entitling the Sufi order in connection with the personality of the Sufi saint guiding people to the path of spirituality in that region. In fact,  these diverse Sufi orders are the branches of four main Sufi orders. Since our topic of research is the beginning and evolution of Naqshbandi Sufi order, therefore we delimit our discussion mainly to the history and progress of the said Sufi order. Naqshbandiyah Sufi order is the oldest of all Sufi orders. It was known as “Siddiqiyah” from its beginning in the first century (A.H) to the time of Bayazeed Bistaami in the third century (A.H). From Hazrat Bistaami  to Khawaja Abdul Khaliq in 6^th Century(A.H), this very Sufi order was known “Taiforiyah”. From the 6^th century (A.H) to the time of Khawaja Bahauddin in 8^th century(A.H), it came to know as “Khawjgaan”. Since then, centuries have passed but the name of this Sufi order remains the “Naqshbandiyah” in connection with the personality of  Khawaja Bahuddin Naqshband.