Chishtiyya

Chishtiyya, also known as the Chishti Order, is a major Sufi lineage within Sunni Islam that emphasizes love, humility, and service to humanity. It traces its roots to the town of Chisht, near Herat in present-day Afghanistan, where early Sufi teachers developed the Chishtiyya framework. The name and lineage later traveled into the Indian subcontinent, where the order gained prominence through the work of its saintly founders and successors.

In the Indian context, the order's most influential figure is Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (c. 1141–1236), who settled in Ajmer (present-day Rajasthan) and established a model of inclusive hospitality, compassion for the poor, and devotion to God. His emphasis on openness to people of all backgrounds helped shape Sufi practice in South Asia. In Delhi, Nizamuddin Auliya (d. 1325) continued and popularized these ideals, reinforcing the tradition of open spiritual guidance, charity, and a receptive approach to diverse communities. Other important Chishti saints, such as Baba Farid in Punjab, further spread the order across the subcontinent and contributed to its distinctive Punjabi and North Indian Sufi culture.

Practices of the Chishtiyya center on devotion to God (tawhid and ihsan), regular remembrance (dhikr), and devotional music and poetry (sama) associated with Qawwali in many regions. The order emphasizes khidmah (service to others), hospitality, and social welfare, often at their khanqahs and through the local dargahs, or saints’ shrines, which became focal points for spiritual retreat, charitable work, and communal gathering.

The Chishtiyya has had a lasting influence on the religious landscape of South Asia, shaping patterns of shrine culture, interfaith engagement, and the spiritual ethos of many Muslim and non-Muslim communities. Its legacy continues in the numerous dargahs, literary works, and devotional practices associated with its saints.