John Shaqi

Islam · Saints · 13th–14th century · Delhi, India

Nizamuddin Auliya

Mahbub-e-Ilahi

The great Chishti saint of Delhi, whose teaching of love and service, and whose circle including the poet Amir Khusrow, shaped the spiritual culture of the subcontinent.

Life

Nizamuddin Auliya (1238–1325) was the foremost Chishti master of his age, teaching from Delhi a Sufism of divine love, renunciation of the world, and generosity to the needy, while keeping a famous distance from the sultans' court. His disciples included the poet-musician Amir Khusrow, and his gatherings nurtured qawwali devotional music. His dargah in Delhi remains a living center of devotion, and his influence on Indo-Muslim piety and culture is immense.