Khizr Rumi Qalandar
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Shah Khizr Rumi Qalandar | |
|---|---|
| Title | Khizr Rumi Qalandar |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Rum (Anatolia, modern-day Turkey) |
| Died | c. 750 AH / 1349–50 CE (traditional) Rum (Anatolia) |
| Era | Delhi Sultanate period (reign of Iltutmish: 1210–1236 CE) |
| Known for | Introducing the Qalandariyya to India; disciple of Qutb al-Din Bakhtiyar Kaki |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Order | Qalandariyya–Chishtiyya |
| Muslim leader | |
Influenced
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Shah Khizr Rumi Qalandar (Arabic: شاه خضر رومی) was a thirteenth-century Sufi saint of the Qalandariyya path who came from the province of Rum in Anatolia and became one of the earliest Qalandars to arrive in India. He played a foundational role in establishing the Qalandariyya-Chishtiyya fraternity in the Indian Subcontinent during the reign of Sultan Iltutmish.[1][2]
Origin and Qalandari Disposition
Khizr Rumi is described as a Qalandar originating from Rum (present-day Turkey). Many miraculous and extraordinary spiritual acts were witnessed through him, despite the Qalandariyya's characteristic non-conformity toward formal initiation (inabat) and discipleship (bay‘at).[3] Accounts describe Qalandars as outspoken and fiercely independent ascetics, which shaped his distinct spiritual persona.[4]
Arrival in Delhi
Khizr Rumi reached Delhi when Shaikh-ul-Islam Khwaja Qutb al-Din Bakhtiyar Kaki was alive. Desiring guidance, he directed his devotion toward the Chishti master. Kaki sent him a cap and a robe (khirqa) of spiritual authorization, permitting his entry into the Chishti silsilah while allowing him to retain his Qalandari attire and practices.[3]
Although he intended to visit Kaki physically, the shaykh aware of the uncompromising independence of Qalandars sent the formal spiritual lineage (shajra) to him at a distance, granting him initiation without a meeting in person.[4] Foreseeing potential disruptions inherent to Qalandar temperament, Kaki instructed him to refrain from ostentatious or spiritually questionable miracles.[5]
Establishment in Jaunpur
After Delhi, Khizr Rumi travelled to Sururpur (Sarharpur) near Jaunpur. There he initiated Saiyid Najm al-Din Ghaus al-Dahr and bestowed upon him the khirqah of Khilafat, after which the order continued through Shah Qutb's descendants.[6] His lineage thus flourished within the Indian Subcontinent while he returned to Rum.[3]
Sufi Lineage and Influence
Association with Qalandariyya Founder
Traditional narratives describe Khizr Rumi as the disciple of Abdul Aziz Abdullah Alambardar Makki, a semi-legendary figure regarded by Qalandar tradition as extraordinarily long-lived and spiritually connected to early Islamic companions. Through him, Khizr Rumi is linked to the earliest Qalandariyya spirituality.[7]
Integration with the Chishti Order
Through his acceptance into the Chishti silsilah by Kaki, Khizr Rumi became the source of a new derivative path known as the Qalandariyya-Chishtiyya, which gained particular prominence in Jaunpur and the eastern regions of Uttar Pradesh.[5]
Notable Disciples and Successors
Prominent successors included Bu Ali Shah Qalandar of Panipat, whose tomb became a major pilgrimage site and who is cited by later writers as a key authority of the order.[5]