to populate by shifting most of the population of Delhi to this newdestination.
This shift was supposed to include religious scholars and the Sufis.Thus, the
activities of the
khalifas
of Shaykh Nizamuddin must be seen against this
historical backdrop.
The main
khalifas
who contributed to spreading the Chishti order and
its ideas over a large geographical area were: Qadi Muhiuddin Kashani,
Maulana Wajihuddin Yusuf, Maulana Shamsuddin, Shaykh Qutbuddin
Munawwar, Maulana Husamuddin of Multan, Maulana Fakhruddin Zarradi,
MaulanaAlauddin Nili,Maulana Burhanuddin Gharib, ShaykhAkhi Sirajuddin
Usman and Shaykh Nasiruddin Mahmud Chiragh.
Qadi Muhiuddin Kashani was one of Shaykh Nizamuddin’s senior khalifas.
After becoming the Shaykh’s disciple, he abandoned worldly life in favour of
asceticism.The Shaykh accorded him great respect and it is on record that he
wrote out his khilafat nama with his own hands adding at the bottom:
“Lead the life of an ascetic; pay no attention to the things of this world
and its authorities. Do not accept gifts from the rulers.”
MaulanaWajihuddinYusuf was a
khalifah
whom the Shaykh delegated to
Chanderi to accompany the imperial army whose task it was to win the
area for the Sultan. The military commander of Sultan Alauddin Khilji had
specifically asked Nizamuddin Auliya to send him one of his disciples for
spiritual support, and the Shaykh had obliged.
Maulana Shamsuddin, son of Yahya, came from Awadh and settled in
Delhi, becoming one of the most humble and devoted disciples living in
the
jamaat khana
.
Shaykh Qutbuddin Munawwar was the son of Shaykh Burhanuddin of
Hansi, who at a very young age had been appointed the
khalifah
of Baba
