Sufi Tradition in Rajasthan

The Sufi Orders

Sufism reached Rajasthan primarily through two silsilahs (orders/chains):

Silsilah	Founder	Key Figure in Rajasthan	Base	Period
Chishti	Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti	Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti himself	Ajmer	c. 1193 CE onward
Suhrawardi	Shihabuddin Suhrawardi	Hamiduddin Nagori	Nagaur	c. 1200 CE onward

Source: S.A.A. Rizvi, "A History of Sufism in India"; RPSC 2026 Mains syllabus, Unit 1

Chishti Order

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti:

• Born: 1141–1143 CE, Sistan (modern Iran/Afghanistan border region)
• Arrived in India: c. 1193 CE, during Muhammad Ghori's conquests
• Settled at Ajmer — which was then the capital of the Chahamana (Chauhan) kingdom; his choice of Ajmer was deliberate — a political and commercial centre
• Teaching method: Sama (devotional music) was central to Chishti practice; controversial with orthodox ulama but beloved by the populace
• Philosophy: Sulh-i-kul (universal peace and harmony), emphasis on love over law, accessibility to all castes and communities
• Silsila chain: Chishti → Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (Delhi) → Farid ud-Din Ganj-i-Shakar (Pakpattan) → Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi) — the four founding pillars of the Chishti order in South Asia
• Death and dargah: Died c. 1236 CE; Dargah Khwaja Sahib in Ajmer is the most visited Sufi shrine in South Asia
• Urs (death anniversary): Rajab 1–6 in the Islamic calendar; draws 1.5 lakh+ pilgrims; visited by the Mughal emperors — Akbar made a foot pilgrimage from Agra to Ajmer multiple times (1562, 1568, 1570 CE)

Significance of Ajmer Dargah:

• Muslim pilgrims from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia attend Urs
• Hindu pilgrims also visit — the dargah exemplifies the syncretic tradition (ganga-jamuni tehzeeb)
• Deeg — two giant cauldrons (Akbar's and Jehangir's) in the dargah courtyard; food cooked on Urs for communal distribution
• The dargah holds UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status (proposed) for its qawwali tradition

Subordinate Chishti figures in Rajasthan:

• Moinuddin Chishti's disciples: Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, Hamid al-Din Sawali (Nagaur)
• Shaikh Hamid al-Din Sawali Nagori (c. 1193–1274 CE) — though classified with Suhrawardi by some scholars, many categorise him as Chishti; established khanqah at Nagaur

Suhrawardi Order — RPSC PYQ 2021

Founded by: Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi in Baghdad

Core characteristics:

• Emphasis on strict observance of sharia (Islamic law) alongside Sufi practice
• Suhrawardi masters accepted state patronage — unlike Chishtis who rejected royal gifts; this made them influential courtiers
• Less use of sama (devotional music); more orthodox in practice compared to Chishtis
• Founding text: Awarif ul-Maarif — the authoritative Suhrawardi manual

In Rajasthan — Hamiduddin Nagori:

• Hamiduddin Nagori, also called Hamid al-Din Sawali — primarily Chishti-associated but Suhrawardi chain also credited
• Settled at Nagaur under Iltutmish's period; lived as a strict ascetic
• Known as "Sultan al-Tarikeen" (Sultan of Renunciants) — ironic given his extreme austerity
• His dargah at Nagaur is an active pilgrimage site; Urs held annually

Suhrawardi connection to Sindh-Rajasthan border region: The Suhrawardi order dominated the lower Sindh-Gujarat-western Rajasthan zone, represented by figures like Makhdoom Jahaniyan Jahangasht (Uch, Punjab) and their networks extending into Sindh and Marwar.

Qadiri and Other Orders

• Qadiri Silsilah: Founded by Abd al-Qadir Gilani (1077–1166 CE, Baghdad); present in Rajasthan primarily in Jodhpur and Barmer regions
• Naqshbandi Silsilah: More prevalent in Jaipur and northeastern Rajasthan; prominent during Mughal period

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