The Sufi order known as Naqshbandi has been described as one of the fastest growing, long lasting and most important order in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, the Balkans, South and Central Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia as well as in other parts of...
moreThe Sufi order known as Naqshbandi has been described as one of the fastest growing, long lasting and most important order in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, the Balkans, South and Central Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia as well as in other parts of the world. There are some important figures contributed to the foundation of Naqshibandiyya tariqah in terms of its practices and beliefs. They’re mainly counted briefly as Abu Yazid al-Bastami who represented malamatiyya tradition; Abu al-Hasan al-Kharaqani who introduced uwaysi tradition; Abd al-Khaliq al-Ghujduwani who introduced silent dhikr based on the example of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, which it become a distinctive character of the order and formulated kalimat-i qudsiyya; Baha' al-Din Naqshbandi who is founder-figure solidified the practices of his masters, eliminated some practices and added some practices such as sohbet, rabita, khatme, and three more principles to eight and these eleven principles constitute basic principles of Naqshibandiyya which all salik (who follows the spiritual path) must follow; Ubaydullah Ahrar who established institutionalized sohbet,, tawajjuh and khalvat dar anjuman and introduced a new kind of religious activism in relation with the political arena and lastly Ahmad Sirhindi who is known as mujaddid at-tsani or Imam-i Rabbani introduced the concept of wahdatus shuhud and emphasized the superiority of shariah rather than sufism and superiority of nubuwwat rather than walayat.
In this paper, formation of Naqshibandiyyah, with above mentioned figures will be studied in the light of its main beliefs and practices.