Naqshbandi Sufis- The Golden Chain Prophet Muhammad to Indian Sufis

It is said that Prophet Muhammad was given two kinds of knowledge. One, that was given to him in the form of the Ayats (verses) and was collected in the form of the Holy Qur'an and the second in the form of esoteric knowldge, which was transmitted from heart-to-heart to his companions and the Sufis. This esoteric knowledge formed the basis of various Sufi Orders. There are about 41 known Sufi Orders, the Naqshbandi, Chishti, Suhuravardi and Qadri Orders being the most prominent of them. The Naqshbandi Sufi Order is a little different than others in that it lays more stress on silent Sadhana. To create love in the heart of seekers is the peculiarity of this Order. The Satguru through his higher spiritual energy creates love in the heart of the disciple. In this Order the soul attracts the soul and the essence of the Sadhana is to empty oneself of everything so that the Truth can be realized in one's heart. Spiritual progress is based on activation and energisation of spiritual chakras (solar plexus), which is done through Tavajjoh. To perceive the Unity of God in One's heart is the main objective of the Sadhana in this Order. Though the origin of sufism in its present context is Arab but the Naqshbandi Sufi Order has entered into India through Central Asia and now it is one of the prominent Sufi Orders of India, which has traveled beyond the boundaries of cast, creed or religion. The story of the saints is to annihilate their self. The present book `Naqshbandi Sufis : The Golden Chain-Prophet Muhammad to Indian Sufis' narrates the stories of these Sufi Saints. The book gives main events of their spiritual journey and speaks about their birth, departure from the mortal world, their Samadhis and their main preaching with pictures.

Shri R.K. Gupta, is a disciple of one of the greatest saints of the Naqshbandi Order Thakur Ram Singh Ji, an officer in the Police Department of the erstwhile Jaipur State, who earned his livelihood by the sweat of his brow and reared his family. During his lifetime itself he had become a legendary figures because of his honesty and sincerity, and devotion to his Master Mahatma Ram Chandra ji Maharaj of Fatehgarh, UP. Born in 1950, the author had the fortune to visit his Master at the young age of 15 years, when his father, Dr. Chandra Gupta, took him to the pious feet of Thakur Ram Singh Ji. A man of few words, Thakur Ram singh ji left a deep impression and sowed the seed of Love in the heart of the author, in the first sight itself. The author spend his formative years from 1966 to 1970 under.

O the most Gracious and Merciful! Shower a part of the Mercy and Grace on Your this humble servant, which You have showered on the elders of this Silsila-e-Aaliya Naqshbandiya Mujaddidiya Mazhariya Ramchandriya.

Amen! Amen! Amen!

Sufism is no ism; it is neither any cult nor any creed. Simply stated it is ancient wisdom. Sufism is as old as humanity. Traditionally, however, Sufism has been associated with Islam. Although Sufi saints existed even before Prophet Muhammad, but before the Prophet they were not called Sufis. It was only after a few centuries that they were called Sufis. Sufism means acquiring inner knowledge, the enlightenment that could enable one to realise the Truth, which is also the underlying objective of all the religions. This being central to all religions, the Sufi fundamentals existed in all religions and, therefore,Sufism travelled beyond the borders of religion. The Sufis have been assimilating the best of various practices and thoughts in order to attain perfection. Sufism is spiritual activation and evolution through participation, practice and self-experience. The essence of Sufism lies in keeping to the right path and attaining perfection.

Hajrat Abu Yazid al-Bistami (Bayazid) has said that the only way to the Almighty is to leave yourself and come', which means to leave one's self interest in this world and the Hereafter, leaving everything other than the Almighty behind. The Sufi is one, who has emptied himself of everything, who has left everything behind, except what he really is. He has removed all the dust and the rusting from the mirror of his heart, which now shines with Divine Glory and reflects God's Presence.

The Sufis want to be nothing. It is their ideal to lose all their identity i.e. the complete sacrifice of the self, the ego. But then the Sufi is a complete man, with his essential personality reflecting from deep within. Sirajudin, a scholar from Kashmir has said, the Sufi is a rose among roses and a thorn among thorns. Khwaja Hasan Sani Nizami, Sajjadanashin of Hajrat Nizamuddin's Dargah has said: 'A Sufi is liberal like the ocean, kind like the Sun and humble like a river.' As Maulana Rumi has said, the Sufi is drunk without wine; he is lost in his Master's love. He is sated without food; shows opulence in poverty; joy in sorrow and loves even his enemies.

**Contents and Sample Pages**