Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya

Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (AD 1238–1325), ‘Beloved of God’, is one of the most revered Sufi saints of India and a defining figure of the Chishti tradition. Born in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, he later moved to Delhi, where he lived, taught and performed acts of service.

Following in the footsteps of his Sufi predecessors, Nizamuddin welcomed followers of all religions to his jama’atkhaana. He preached that the path to God was through service to humanity and loving all His creations. Nizamuddin’s teachings continue to resonate and his dargah, located in the eponymous Delhi neighbourhood, is thronged by devotees of all faiths even today.

Exploring Nizamuddin’s reflections on worship, love for God, music, poetry and surrender to the Supreme, this book situates his spiritual teachings within the moral and intellectual currents of thirteenth- and fourteenth-century Delhi. Through accounts of miracles, everyday encounters, acts of compassion and his views on sama (musical assemblies), faqiri (poverty) and the Sufi tariqat (path), it examines how Sufi thought was lived and practised by the saint and his followers. Historian and Sufi scholar Raziuddin Aquil draws on early biographies and hagiographies written by the saint’s disciples, blending philosophy, history and anecdotes to trace the enduring legacy of a saint whose beliefs continue to shape spiritual life in the subcontinent.