Mujaddidiya Tariqa

Mujaddidiya Tariqa one of the four sufi tariqas (ascetic order). Mujaddidiya Tariqa was founded by Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi (1563-1624) known as Mujaddid-e-Alphe San'i i.e., 'the reformer of the second millenium'. He tried to save Muslims of India from being degenerated by the 'Deen-i-Ilahi', the new religion founded by Emperor Akbar.

The path of reforms of the Muslim society in India, as launched by Shaikh Sarhindi had four phases. In the first phase, he founded a jam'at (association) of the walis and dervishes who devoted themselves to the work of preaching Islamic norms and etiquette. In the second, he informed people about the essence of Islam. The third phase was his attempts to make members of the nobility conscious of their religious responsibilities. In the fourth phase, he made an attempt of convincing the Emperor.

To make Islam free from undesirable effects of innovation, Shaikh Sarhindi advised his followers to go to remote rural areas for preaching of the main lessons of the quran and hadith. Thus the Mujaddidiya Tariqa became very popular. Outraged by this, Emperor Jahangir put Shaikh Sarhindi behind the bars. The Emperor, however, later released him and appointed him his advisor.

In his early years, Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi took lessons on Chistiya School of religious thoughts from his father. Later, he joined the Quadiriya School and became a disciple of Shah Sikandar Kayahili (R), under whom he successfully completed his learning on Quadiriya tariqa. After that he became a disciple of Khawja Baqui Billah Nakshbandi (R) and enriched his knowledge about the Nakshbandia tariqa. Mujaddidia Tariqa introduced by Shaikh Sarhindi is a reformed version of the Nakshbandia Tariqa. Followers of all four tariqas (Qadiriya, Chistiya, Nakshbandia and Mujaddidiya) could become his disciples. But he used to advise his disciples of all these tariqas not to attend sessions of mystic songs such as ghajals, kawalis, and samas. Mujaddid preferred the Nakshabadia tariqa to all other tariqas. Any activity that is inconsistent with the Shariah is not acceptable in the Nakshbandia tariqa. [AHM Mujtaba Hossain]