AHMAD SIRHINDI AND HIS

INFLUENCE ON
NAQSHBANDIYYA IN INDIA
Meryem Cemre Ateşçi

T.C. FATIH SULTAN MEHMET

VAKIF UNIVERSITY

Prof. Bilal Kuşpınar

30 OCAK 2017

ISTANBUL
CONTENTS

AHMAD SIRHINDI AND HIS INFLUENCE ON NAQSHBANDIYYA IN INDIA ................. 2

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 2
NAQSHBANDIYYA IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ....................................................... 2
THE LIFE OF AHMAD SIRHINDI ......................................................................................... 4
INDIA IN THE 17TH CENTURY ............................................................................................. 6
NAQSHBANDIYYA IN THE TIME OF AHMAD SIRHINDI (1564-1624) ......................... 8
THE IDEA OF TAJDID AND RENEWAL OF THE MILLENNIUM ................................ 9
AHMAD SIRHINDI’S OTHER INFLUENCES ON NAQSHBANDIYYA ....................... 9
CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................... 11
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 12

1
AHMAD SIRHINDI AND HIS INFLUENCE ON NAQSHBANDIYYA
IN INDIA
INTRODUCTION

Being one of the most influential mystical ways in Islam, Naqshbandiyya has affected a
lot of people in various geographical places in the world with a lot of its masters and
disciples from its beginning up to now. Mujaddidiyya is its most crucial branch having
surpassed the other branches of Naqshbandiyya. That is, Mujaddidiyya is so integrated
with Naqshbandiyya that all Naqshis today are alleged to the branch of Mujaddidiyya. In
this paper, mainly Ahmad Sirhindi and his influence on the tariqa of Naqshbandiyya and
on Indian people by his way of Mujaddidiyya will be covered. To be more specific, firstly
background information on the Naqshbandiyya and its historical context in India will be
presented. With this, the life of Ahmad Sirhindi will be given since it is important to learn
his life to be able to comment on his doings accurately. In this regard, Indian subcontinent
in 17th century will be briefly given, as well. Following them, Sirhindi’s contributions and
influences on Naqshbandiyya and Indian subcontinent will be discussed including also
the period aftermath of him ending up with a closure and personal comments on the issue.

NAQSHBANDIYYA IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Naqshbandiyya, which is one of the spiritual paths, is thus far the most widespread and
influential of Central Asian Sufi Movements1. The history of Naqshbandiyya can be
regarded in three stages according to Arthur Buehler and each one of these stages is
characterized by a pioneer figure who puts forward new spiritual practices and a new
identity of the Sufi lineage.2 The first stage is with Khwaja Abd al-Khaliq Ghujdavani
and can be seen as the prehistorical stage starting with the Prophet (pbuh) and is called as
the way of masters (tariqa-yi Khwajagan). The second historical stage starts with Baha’
al-Din Naqshband, who is considered to be the founder figure of Naqshbandiyya. Lastly,

1
Olcott, Martha Brill. «Sufism in Central Asia A Force For Moderation or A Cause of Politicization .»
Carnegie Papers , 2007: 1-46 ., p. 4
2
Buehler, Arthur F. "The Naqshbandiyya in Timurid India: The Central Asian Legacy." Journal of Islamic
Studies, 1996: 208-228, p. 208

2
the third stage is regarded with Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi and the people deploying his
teachings and spiritual techniques.3

Khwajagan, the spiritual masters of Central Asia, is the tradition which the
Naqshbandiyya merged with and Abdul Khaliq Ghujdavani is the person who is primarily
associated with this tradition. He introduced the silent dhikr and the eight principles
(kalimat-i qudsiyya) that distinguishes the character and spiritual methods of his lineage
4
at that time. From the 13th to mid-14th century under Chagatai Mongol rule, the
Khwajagan embodied a multiplicity of local groups. Some of them reached late 16th
century, one group of which was the line of Khwaja Baha’ al-Din, who added three
principles of his own to the ones of Ghujdavani while supplementing the legacy of
Ghujdavani in Bukhara. And in the reign of Timor Lang (1370-1405) the Khwajagan-
Naqshbandiyya spread other parts of Transoxiana. 5

Baha ad-Din Naqshband is another important spiritual person for the order since the tariqa
is named after him. There are also other considerations on the name of the tariqa, as
Hamid Algar puts it;

Baha’ ad-Din is said to be a weaver or a tracer designs in metalwork and the word
Naqshband could be explained in relation to either of these professions. In fact, however,
it appears to have been an epithet he acquired as a spiritual master. Its true meaning
consists of the making of an impress (naqsh) of the Supreme Divine Name ALLAH, upon
the tablet of the purified heart, and then fixing it there permanently (band), to the
exclusion of all other impresses.6

Baha’ ad-Din Naqshband received his fundamental training on the path from Amir Kulal
while he was also instructed by the ruhaniya of Abd al-Khaliq Ghujdavani upon the silent
dhikr, which was ultimately descendant from Abu Bakr7 and an important sign of the
Naqshbandiyya path.

3
Buehler, Arthur F. "The Naqshbandiyya in Timurid India: The Central Asian Legacy." Journal of Islamic
Studies, 1996: 208-228, p. 209
4
Weismann, Itzchak. The Naqshbandiyya Orthodoxy and Activism in a Worldwide Sufi Tradition . New
york: Routledge, 2007, p. 14
5
Ibid., p. 15
6
Algar, Hamid. «The Naqshbandī Order: A Preliminary Survey of Its History and Significance.» Studia
Islamica, 1976: 123-152, p. 137
7
Ibid., P. 137

3
Moreover, Nasir al-Din Ubaydullah Ahrar (1404-1490) contributed drastically to the
formative phase of the Naqshbandiyya brotherhood and with him most of the Naqshbandi
groups in Central Asia were gathered under a well-organized interregional network.8 For
Buehler, he was the most important person behind the Naqshbandiyya’s subsequent
influence with his lineal and spiritual descendants dominating the Indian Naqshbandiyya.
9
His disciples went to many places including India, Turkey, Iran and Arabia.
Additionally, Ahrar set an example for Naqshbandis to develop close relationships with
ruling dynasties since it was on their political agenda to have political leaders promote
Islamic practices and for Ahrar in that time it was crucial to get rid of Turco-Mongol
traditions and laws in opposition to Islamic practice. 10

Coming of the Naqshbandiyya to the Indian subcontinent was with Babur, who is the
founder of the Mughal Empire in 1526 and along with them there were descendants of
Ahrar in Mughal India. Most important of them was Baqi Billah in Delhi, who is the
spiritual master of Ahmad Sirhindi.11

THE LIFE OF AHMAD SIRHINDI

Imam Rabbani Shaykh Ahmad al-Faruq al-Sirhindi was born in May 1564 in the village
of Sirhind in India. He was born into a Kabuli family claiming descent from the second
Caliph Umar al-Faruq. His father, Shaykh Abdul-Ahad, was an intellectual and a Shaykh
of both Chishtiyyah and Qadiriyyah spiritual orders. Sirhindi got his first education from
his father; he memorized the Quran and got some lectures from him. Then, he went to
Sialkot to get further education.12 From Mavlana Kamal Kashmiri he learned rational
sciences; logic and philosophy and with Mavlana Ya’qub Sarfi Kashmiri he studied
science of Hadith. When he turned 17, he returned to his father after having completed
the exoteric sciences and started giving lectures.13

8
Algar, Hamid. «The Naqshbandī Order: A Preliminary Survey of Its History and Significance.» Studia
Islamica, 1976: 123-152., p. 34
9
Buehler, Arthur F. "The Naqshbandiyya in Timurid India: The Central Asian Legacy." Journal of Islamic
Studies, 1996: 208-228, p. 211
10
Ibid., p. 211
11
Weismann, Itzchak. The Naqshbandiyya Orthodoxy and Activism in a Worldwide Sufi Tradition . New
york: Routledge, 2007, p. 49
12
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p. 17-18
13
Ibid., p. 18

4
While occupying himself with ilm in his youth, when he was 18 or 20, Ahmad Sirhindi
went to Agra, which was the capital of the Mughal Empire. There, he was with one of the
prominent bureaucrats of Akbar Shah, Abu’l Fazl Allami and once he had an argue with
him because of the importance of philosophers over the value of prophets. 14 Therefore,
he wrote ‘Ithbatu an-nubuwwa’ to indicate the necessity and significance of prophethood
and it was directly aiming at an important official leader at that time. In this period, he
also wrote ‘Risala-i reddi Shia’ to refute the humiliating words on Hadrat Aisha and some
15
other companions. This work also carries significance in that it was written in a time
when the Shiites were effective in India and around the palace. These can present some
idea to show the character of Sirhindi.

While he was returning to Sirhind with his father, they stopped by Thanesar where they
visited the noble of that city, Shaykh Sultan and the daughter of whom Sirhindi got
married there. Upon returning, he now developed relationships with the Qadiriyyah and
Chishtiyyah schools of Sufism through his father and devoted himself to tasawwuf.
Ahmad Sirhindi became the Shaykh of two Sufi orders, Chishtiyyah and Qadiriyyah after
the death of his father in 1599.16

An important turning point in his life is his meeting with Shaykh of Naqshbandi,
Muhammed Baqi’ billah. According to what Necdet Tosun describes in his book, Ahmad
Sirhindi set off in 1599 to go to Macca to perform hajj. At that time he was 37 and when
he came to Delhi, upon the advice of his friend Mavlana Hasan Kashmiri, he visited
Baqi’billah and stayed there for a while becoming a disciple of him. 17 After two or three
months he went back to Sirhind and corresponded with him about the spiritual situations
he experienced and visited him again, which resulted in the ratification (icazet) from
Baqi’billah to call upon people to the way of Naqshbandi in Sirhind.18

In 1014, Akbar Shah died and his son acceded to the throne, which actually made Ahmad
Sirhindi contented since he thought that Jahangir was more dedicated to Islam than his
father. While some of his disciples were collecting his writings to form a book in the

14
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri. İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p. 18
15
Ibid., p. 19
16
Ibid., p. 20
17
Ibid., p.21
18
Ibid., p. 23

5
meantime, in 1025 three of his sons and one of his daughters passed away because of a
plague in the village.

Another striking point in his life is when he was called to the capital Agra and questioned
by Jahangir, which ended up his capturing in the Fort of Gwalior for almost a year (or
three years in some resources). There are many claims about the reasons behind this
imprisonment as Necdet Tosun deals with several of them in his book. Among them, the
increase of his disciples in the army, the hostility of Shia bureaucrats towards Sirhindi
and his refutation to make sajdah for Jahangir can be stated. 19

In 1029 Jahangir released Ahmad Sirhindi, yet offered two choices; going back home or
staying with him in the military camp and he chose to stay with him since he might have
thought that it was an opportunity to encourage the emperor for the Islamic practices yet
in some of his letters to his disciples he said he was forced to stay there out of obligatory.20

In 1623-24 he returned his homeland, Sirhind with his sons who visited him in Ajmer and
spent his last year there in a humble way. When he passed away in 1624, he was 60 years
old. Among his works, Mabda wa Ma’ad, Maktubat, Asbat-un-Nubuwwat, Mukashifat-
e-Ainiya, Maarif-e Ladunniya can be sited.

INDIA IN THE 17TH CENTURY

To describe the Indian environment from sociological and political perspective at that
time would be helpful for us to understand the actions of Imam Rabbani. Ahmad Sirhindi,
who lived at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century, witnessed two Indian
rulers from Mughal Empire; who are Akbar Shah and his son Jahangir.21 Although there
were many cultural developments in the country, still the religious and social life were in
turmoil. While there was an ongoing conflict between the Muslims and the Hindus, Akbar
Shah started to develop close relations with the Hindus, most probably to strengthen his

19
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri. İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005 ,
p. 28-29
20
Ibid., p. 30
21
Ibid., p. 14

6
political power. Even he made up a new religion which was called ‘Deen-i İlahi’. 22 This
alone is enough to indicate the religious corruption in that time.

In one of his letters, he mentions the innovations (bida’) which Muslims of India were
engaged in. For instance, women were praying to stones and idols, especially in the time
of smallpox strikes and they were also attending and celebrating the holidays of Hindus
and Jews and the festival of Diwali by sending the similar gifts to the ones of the infidels
along with other polytheistic practices forbidden in Islam.23

Moreover, in his book ‘Ithbat un-nubuwwa’ he explains the milieu in this way; one of the
chief people of our time (He means here Abul Fazl, one of the bureaucrats of Akbar Shah)
punished most of the scholars because of their attachments to the Prophet and religion
and even he avoided saying Prophet’s name in the meetings and changed the names of
some people who have His beautiful name. He banned slaughtering cows, which was the
biggest sign of Islam in India.24 Also, while Hindus were performing their religious
ceremonies easily, Muslims weren’t able to do that. So, what makes Sirhindi even sadder
is that all these things happened under the reign of a Muslim ruler. 25 He, also, states that
the ignorant people pretending to be Sufis and the scholars who were fond of worldly
desires were damaging the society.

As for the deen-i ilahi, although it didn’t spread and reach the large masses at that time
and vanished quickly after the death of Akbar Shah, it still led Muslims to sadness and
concern. According to this religion, people worship to the sun, believe in reincarnation
and pork is thought to be halal. And one has to make sajdah out of respect for Akbar Shah.
26
Ethem Cebecioğlu asserts it can be considered as a movement to gather the religious
communities, which make the society heterogenous, at one and only point. So, he merged

22
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p.14, Cebecioğlu, Ethem. «İmam-ı Rabbani ve Mektubatı .» tarih yok: 193-241.
23
Friedmann, Yohanan. Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi An Outline of His Thought and a Study of His Image in the
Eyes of Posterity . New Delhi : Oxford University Press, 2000., p. 70
24
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p. 14
25
Ibid., p. 14
26
Ibid., p. 15

7
the faith elements and worshipping practices of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and
Zoroastrianism under this new religion.27

In sum, it can be inferred that this religious life in India provoked him to bolster Islam
and purify it from the superstitions thereby leading to the idea of tajdid (renewal). With
this aim, he encouraged most of the prominent bureaucrats of that time by writing many
letters to them and he endeavored to direct people with his works and letters written for
his friends, as well.28

NAQSHBANDIYYA IN THE TIME OF AHMAD SIRHINDI (1564-1624)

Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, who is known as the renewer of the second millennium
(mujaddid-i alf-i thani) contributed the Naqshbandiyya to have an Indian lineage. Being
the most famous disciple of Baqi’billah, he redefined the role of Sufi practice in the
society and got Naqshbandi mystical exercises further and better more than any other
Indian Naqshbandi after Baha Uddin Naqshband.29 The importance of his influence
reflects itself in the renaming of the path to Mujaddidiyya, which later makes him be
considered as a co-founder of the later Naqshbandiyya. 30

For Mujaddidiyya, the focus of Sirhindi’s ideas was to follow in the footsteps of the
Prophet and his definition of Indian Muslim identity regarding a certain interpretation of
Sunni aqa’id directly contradicted to the political views of Akbar, which advocated the
eradication of the distinctions between the religions and which didn’t consider the pivotal
role of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) for Muslims.31 Therefore, many of his disciples
who were from the members of Akbar’s court were intrigued by his spiritual attainments
and after a short period of time the universalist interpretations of Islam in Mughal
Government was dissolved thanks to the Mujaddidi political influence and affiliation,
32
which also affected Muslim self-identity in the subcontinent in the long run. In other
words, it can be stated that the Mujaddidiyya, as did earlier Central Asian Naqshbandis,

27
Cebecioğlu, Ethem. «İmam-ı Rabbani ve Mektubatı .» tarih yok: 193-241., p. 201-202
28
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p. 15
29
Buehler, Arthur F. Sufi Heirs of The Prophet . South Carolina : University of South Carolina , 1998.
30
Ibid., , p. 68
31
Buehler, Arthur F. "The Naqshbandiyya in Timurid India: The Central Asian Legacy." Journal of Islamic
Studies, 1996: 208-228, p. 218
32
Ibid., p. 218

8
tried to affect the arenas in terms of both politics and mystical practices and achieved this
goal much more than the other Indian Sufi lineages.33

THE IDEA OF TAJDID AND RENEWAL OF THE MILLENNIUM

According to what Friedmann discusses in his dissertation, the notion of religious renewal
(tajdid) and revival of the prophetic usage (ihya’ al-Sunnah) developed at a very early
stage of Islamic history. Since it is thought that the period of the Prophet (pbuh) was the
ideal one, the concept of ihya’ al-Sunnah is about its recapturing.34 Furthermore, there is
a Hadith saying by Abu Da’vud that ‘God will send to this community on the eve of every
century a man who will renew this deen.’ In relation to this, it can be seen that Ahmad
Sirhindi uses this concept to refer himself as mujaddid but not overtly; the name of
mujaddid-i alf-i thani was given to him by his descendants later. However, Sirhindi
mentions tajdid for the first time in one of his letters to his son, Muhammad Sadiqi in his
Mektubat and defines his times as being full of darkness and asserts that in such times in
pre-Islamic period paygambar-i ulu al-azm was sent to establish a new sharia in the
ancient communities.35 Nevertheless, in the Islamic community, which is the best of all
and whose prophet is the seal of the prophets, this is impossible. So, the same rank that
had previously been given to the Prophets of Israel is now given to the Muslim ulama.
That means, a mujaddid is chosen among them on the eve of every century to revive the
existing religion and not to bring a new one.36 And Sirhindi connects it to the fact that
this is necessary even after a thousand year.37

AHMAD SIRHINDI’S OTHER INFLUENCES ON NAQSHBANDIYYA

Being one of the pivotal figures of both his time and even after him, he brought some new
ideas to the path of Naqshbandiyya. Among them; he offered some new notions about the
journey in tasawwuf (seyru süluk). For example, he is the first one who explained the
levels of seyru süluk in detail.38 Moreover, he presented many new terms for the

33
Buehler, Arthur F. "The Naqshbandiyya in Timurid India: The Central Asian Legacy." Journal of Islamic
Studies, 1996: 208-228, p. 224
34
Friedmann, Yohanan. Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi An Outline of His Thought and a Study of His Image in the
Eyes of Posterity . New Delhi : Oxford University Press, 2000., p. 13
35
Ibid., p. 17
36
Ibid., p. 17
37
Ibid., p. 17
38
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p. 115

9
terminology of seyru süluk in Sufism while asserting that haqiqat-i Ka’ba is superior to
haqiqat-i Muhammadi.39

Other than this, he is also known for his concept of wahdat-i shuhud as a counterpart for
wahdet-i wujud. As Necdet tosun states, although prior Sufis set the basis for this wahdat-
i shuhud concept, Ahmad Sirhindi is the first Sufi who covers it comprehensively and
who criticizes wahdat-i wujud in detail. 40 In other words, his experience of the unity of
contemplative witnessing opposes to the experiences involved with the unity of being that
is mostly associated with Ibn al-Arabi.41

In addition, writing letters and compiling them as books became a significant tradition in
Naqshbandiyya. From the beginning of the history of Sufism, of course, there have been
compiled letters of some sheikhs like Junaid Baghdadi and Aynul-kudat Hemedani and
Ubaydullah Ahrar, yet they were small letters containing just social and ethical issues
without Sufism content. Thus, Sirhindi set a precedent for the ones coming after him in
covering the mystical issues deeply.42

What is more striking about his influence is that although there have always been the
critics of him on his ideas, there have been also some pivotal figures who took him as an
example. That is to say, Mujaddidi order affected the political reshaping of Islam in South
Asia, as Arthur Buehler discusses it in his article.43 He says after Aurangzeb’s reign
Mujaddidi political influence decreased, yet it could be sited that in certain aspects
Pakistan is the twentieth century political outcome of a religious crystallization process
initiated 350 years ago.44 In an article written by Arthur Buehler and translated into
Turkish by Mehmet Atalay, it is stated that Muhammad Iqbal, who is the godfather of
Pakistan, actually affected by Mujaddid-i alf-i thani and wrote a part about him in his

39
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p. 115
40
Ibid., p. 116
41
Buehler, Arthur F. Sufi Heirs of The Prophet . South Carolina : University of South Carolina , 1998.
42
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p. 116
43
Buehler, Arthur F. "The Naqshbandiyya in Timurid India: The Central Asian Legacy." Journal of Islamic
Studies, 1996: 208-228, p 224
44
Ibid., p. 225

10
most famous poem Gabriel’s Wing. In today’s Pakistan, Ahmad Sirhindi has become a
national hero since he tried for the establishment of Islamic India a lot.45

CONCLUSION
In this paper, I tried to present a general framework about Naqshbandiyya, India in this
context and Ahmad Faruq Sirhindi, who has affected many people with his ideas being a
prominent figure of his time and even today. Each topic needs pages of explanation and
analysis, yet here they are covered only in a limited way.

Ahmad Sirhindi himself is a crucial person and has a very strong personality as we can
deduce from his actions. He called upon his friends, disciples and official leaders to
adhere to the way of Islam by writing them letters. He sent his letters not only to the cities
of India but also to Afghanistan and central Asia. 46
He strived for reorganize Muslims’
conception of religion and Sufism in India and for setting a reconciliation between
scholars and Sufis. He also didn’t abstain from criticizing the official leaders for their un-
Islamic practices.47 Naqshbandiyya started to be called Mujaddidiyya after him referring
to his epithet “Mujaddid-i alf-i thani”. Lastly, even though he has been criticized by some,
he has been seen also as a source of inspiration for Indian Muslim leaders like Abu’l
Kalam Azad and Muhammed Iqbal.

Finally, I would like to state that although this topic, Sirhindi’s influence, is a broad and
comprehensive one since it requires an analysis of his relations from sociological,
political, cultural, religious and mystical perspective, it has made me realize that there is
an ocean about him awaiting to be discovered and read. So, I really enjoyed learning
Sufism in Indian context and would like to get further information for future studies.

45
Atalay, Mehmet. "Ahmed Faruki Serhendi: Milliyetçi Kahraman, Müsbet Sufi, Menfi Sufi ." Journal of
Theology Faculty of Bülent Ecevit University , 2014: 137-156, p. 142
46
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan Yayınları , 2005,
p. 145
47
Ibid., p. 149

11
REFERENCES

Algar, Hamid. «The Naqshbandī Order: A Preliminary Survey of Its History and
Significance.» Studia Islamica, 1976: 123-152.
Atalay, Mehmet. "Ahmed Faruki Serhendi: Milliyetçi Kahraman, Müsbet Sufi, Menfi
Sufi ." Journal of Theology Faculty of Bülent Ecevit University , 2014: 137-156.
Buehler, Arthur F. "The Naqshbandiyya in Timurid India: The Central Asian Legacy."
Journal of Islamic Studies, 1996: 208-228.
—. Sufi Heirs of The Prophet . South Carolina : University of South Carolina , 1998.
Cebecioğlu, Ethem. «İmam-ı Rabbani ve Mektubatı .» tarih yok: 193-241.
Friedmann, Yohanan. Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi An Outline of His Thought and a Study of
His Image in the Eyes of Posterity . New Delhi : Oxford University Press, 2000.
Olcott, Martha Brill. «Sufism in Central Asia A Force For Moderation or A Cause of
Politicization .» Carnegie Papers , 2007: 1-46 .
Tosun, Necdet. İmam Rabbani Hayatı, Eserleri ve Tasavvufi Görüşleri . İstanbul: İnsan
Yayınları , 2005.
Weismann, Itzchak. The Naqshbandiyya Orthodoxy and Activism in a Worldwide Sufi
Tradition . New york: Routledge, 2007.

12