Dargah Huzoor Maharaj — Maulana Fazl Ahmed Khan Saheb

The Saint

Huzoor Maharaj

Hazrat Maulana Fazl Ahmed Khan Sahib Kuddusuruh Naqshbandia, reverently known as Huzoor Maharaj, was born in 1838 in the village of Raipur Khas, Tahsil Kayamganj, District Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh. He passed from this world on 30 November 1907.

Huzoor Maharaj received his spiritual initiation from his guru, Hazrat Ahmed Ali Khan Sahab. His father, Shaikh Gulam Hussain, was himself a master in the Naqshbandi order under Maulana Waliuddin of Kashmir, and his mother was also initiated into Naqshbandi Sufism — he was born into a family steeped in the fragrance of divine remembrance.

By vocation, Huzoor Maharaj served as a madarsa teacher attached to a mosque, living a life of profound simplicity and asceticism. He refused offerings and would not allow disciples to touch his feet. Instead, he served those who came to him, attending to their needs with his own hands.

He taught that "religions are many but their essence is one — to gain spirituality." For Huzoor Maharaj, this was not a philosophical position but lived reality. He saw no barrier between faiths because he had arrived at the source from which all faiths spring. He spent extensive time in meditation and would quietly depart from any gathering where others criticized any religion.

Seekers of all backgrounds came to him naturally, and he shared the Naqshbandiyya spiritual practices with them just as naturally — requiring nothing of anyone except sincerity. Among his disciples was Mahatma Ram Chandra Ji (Shri Lalaji Maharaj), whom he recognized as the one fit to carry the transmission forward, and to whom he entrusted his complete spiritual legacy.

Silsila

The Golden Chain

The Naqshbandiyya spiritual lineage — an unbroken chain of divine transmission stretching from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through 36 realized masters to the present day.

1. Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)

या इलाही अपनी अज़मत और अता के वास्ते,
नूरे ईमां दे मुहम्मद मुस्तफा के वास्ते।

2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radi Allahu Anhu)

The first Caliph and closest companion of the Prophet

दिल मेरा हो नूरे वहदत से मुनव्वर व वहीद,
हज़रते बूबक्र ज़ेबे अत्क़िया के वास्ते।

3. Hazrat Salman Farsi (R.A.)

The Persian companion — a seeker who traversed many masters before finding the Prophet

या इलाही नफ़्से क़ाफिर से मुझे इबलीस से,
ले बचा सलमान मुर्शिद बासफ़ा के वास्ते।

6. Hazrat Bayazid Bistami (R.A.)

Sultan al-Arifin — the king of the gnostics, Bistam, Persia (804–874 CE)

या इलाही ज़ुज़ तेरे भूलूँ मै सब दुनियाँ व दीं,
बायज़ीदे पेशवा मर्दे खुदा के वास्ते।

11. Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Khaliq Ghijduwani (R.A.)

Formulated the eight principles of the Khwajagan — father of silent dhikr

या इलाही इज़्ज़ते दुनियाँ व दीं होवे अता,
अब्दे ख़ालिक़ गुज्दवानी बा हया के वास्ते।

12. Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Arif Rewgari (R.A.)

The gnostic of Rewgar — keeper of the Khwajagan flame

या इलाही कर अता ईमां कि जिसके बाद कुफ्र,
हो न हज़रत ख्वाजा आरिफ बासफ़ा के वास्ते।

13. Hazrat Khwaja Mahmud Anjir Faghnawi (R.A.)

Master of Faghnaw — maintained the tradition of silent remembrance

या इलाही दूर कर जिस्मी अलालत और रुहानी मेरी,
ख्वाजये महमूद मुर्शिद बाज़िया के वास्ते।

14. Hazrat Khwaja Ali Ramitani (Azizan) (R.A.)

Known as Azizan — the beloved master of Ramitan

या इलाही दूर कर दुनियाँ व दीं के दर्द दुख,
हज़रते ख्वाजा अज़ीज़ां बादशाह के वास्ते।

15. Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Baba Sammasi (R.A.)

The master who foretold the coming of Baha-ud-Din Naqshband

या इलाही शरा पर जब तक जिऊँ साबित रहूँ,
हज़रते ख्वाजा मुहम्मद बाअता के वास्ते।

16. Hazrat Khwaja Amir Kulal (R.A.)

The direct master of Baha-ud-Din Naqshband — a potter saint of Bukhara

या इलाही हिफ्ज़े ईमां वक़्त मुर्दन कीजिये,
हज़रते मीरे कुलाले पार्सा के वास्ते।

17. Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband (R.A.)

Founder of the Naqshbandiyya Order — Bukhara, 1318–1389

या इलाही मुझसे आमाले शनीअ: को छुपा,
शह बहाउद्दीन अक़मल बासफ़ा के वास्ते।

18. Hazrat Khwaja Ala-ud-Din Attar (R.A.)

Son-in-law and spiritual heir of Naqshband — the perfumer saint

या इलाही मुझ पे होवे नूर वहदत आश्क़ार,
शह अलाउद्दीन मुर्शिद रहनुमा के वास्ते।

19. Hazrat Maulana Yaqub Charkhi (R.A.)

Scholar and saint of Charkh — preserved the master's teachings in writing

या इलाही दे अमांमिन कुल्लि दाइन और बला,
हज़रते याक़ूब चर्खी पुरज़िया के वास्ते।

20. Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin Ubaidullah Ahrar (R.A.)

The most influential Naqshbandi of the 15th century — Samarkand and Tashkent

या इलाही पुल पे और महशर में हो पीरों का साथ,
ख्वाजए अहरार रासुल अत्क़िया के वास्ते।

21. Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Zahid (R.A.)

Carried the Naqshbandi teaching through the Timurid era

या इलाही जुहदो तक़्वा और मुहब्बत अपनी दे,
हज़रते ख्वाजा मुहम्मद पार्सा के वास्ते।

22. Hazrat Maulana Darwesh Muhammad (R.A.)

The dervish master — link between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent

या इलाही सारे इस्यां और निस्यां मुआफ़ कर,
शाह दर्वेशे मुहम्मद मुर्तज़ा के वास्ते।

23. Hazrat Maulana Khwajagi Imkinki (R.A.)

Master of Imkanak — the teacher of Baqi Billah

या इलाही दोस्त मेरे होंवे हरदम शादमा,
ख्वाजा इमक़िनकी मुहम्मद बादशाह के वास्ते।

24. Hazrat Khwaja Baqi Billah Berang (R.A.)

Brought the Naqshbandiyya to India — Delhi, d. 1603

या इलाही तू हो बाक़ी और सबको जाऊँ भूल,
ख्वाजा अब्दुल बाक़ी मुर्शिद रहनुमा के वास्ते।

25. Hazrat Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alfasani Shaikh Ahmad Faruqi Sirhind (R.A.)

Reviver of the Second Millennium — founder of the Mujaddidiyya branch (1564–1624)

या इलाही या करीब़ कुर्ब़ कर अपना अता,
गौसुल आज़म शैख अहमद पेशवा के वास्ते।

26. Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Masum (R.A.)

Son and khalifa of Mujaddid Sirhindi — continued the revival

या इलाही हुब्बे पीराने तरीक़त मुझको दे,
हज़रते मासूम रासुल अत्क़िया के वास्ते।

27. Hazrat Shaikh Saifuddin (R.A.)

The sword of faith — son of Muhammad Masum

या इलाही शिर्को कुफ्रो मासियत से दूर रख,
शैख़ सैफुद्दीन मुर्शिद रहनुमा के वास्ते।

28. Hazrat Sayyid Nur Muhammad Badayuni (R.A.)

The light of Badaun — a saint of extraordinary spiritual radiance

या इलाही ग़ैर का मुहताज मत कर मेरे रब,
सय्यिदे नूरे मुहम्मद मुक़्तदा के वास्ते।

29. Hazrat Shamsuddin Habibullah Mirza Mazhar Jaan-i-Jaanan (R.A.)

The great poet-saint and martyr of Delhi (1699–1781)

या इलाही ग़ैब से रोज़ी दे ऐ रोज़ी रहा,
शम्से दीं महबूब मज़हर मीरज़ा के वास्ते।

30. Hazrat Maulvi Shah Naimullah Bahraichi (R.A.)

The revered saint of Bahraich

या इलाही दे मुझे तौफ़ीक़ आमाले हसन,
हज़रते ख्वाजा नईमुल्लाह शाह के वास्ते।

31. Hazrat Maulana Shah Muradullah Lakhnavi (R.A.)

The beloved of God — saint of Lucknow

या इलाही अपनी रहमत से तू दे दिल की मुराद,
शाह मुरादुल्लाह मक़बूले ख़ुदा के वास्ते।

32. Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Abul Hasan Nasirabadi (R.A.)

The light of guidance — Qutub of his era

या इलाही शाद रख अपनी मुहब्बत में मुझे,
कुत्बे आलम बुल हसन नुरुलहुदा के वास्ते।

33. Hazrat Maulvi Ahmad Ali Khan (Khalifa Ji) Mau Rashidabadi (R.A.)

The master of the Fatehgarh region — direct guru of Huzoor Maharaj

या इलाही रहम कर मज़लूम आसी पर सदा,
मौलवी अहमद अली खां रहनुमा के वास्ते।

34. Hazrat Maulana Shah Fazl Ahmad Khan Naqshbandi (R.A.)

Huzoor Maharaj — the radiant master of Raipur (1838–1907)

या इलाही तीरे वहदत से मुझे मज़रूह कर,
फज़्ल अहमद खां इमामुल अस्फ़िया के वास्ते।

35. Hazrat Maulana Shah Vilayat Hussain Khan Naqshbandi (R.A.)

Chhote Dada Huzoor — spiritual successor at the Aastana

या ईलाही साफ कर सीना मेरा हर चीज़ से,
शाह विलायत हुसैन ख़ाँ पुरज़िया के वास्ते।

36. Maulvi Shah Gaffar Hussain Khan Naqshbandi (R.A.)

Custodian of the Aastana Shah-e-Vilayat, Raipur

या ईलाही जिक्र अपना मेरे दिल में दे बसा,
मौलवी शाह गफ्फार हुसैन बासफ़ा के वास्ते।

This silsila represents the spiritual transmission that flows through the hearts of the masters — a living connection to the Divine Source.

Teachings

His Way of Living

Spiritual Transmission

Huzoor Maharaj possessed the rare ability to transmit spiritual grace directly from heart to heart. He spent extensive time in deep meditation, and those who sat in his presence often found their inner condition elevated — not through words or instruction, but through the silent flow of the master's own spiritual state.

Remembrance & Meditation

Constant remembrance of the Divine and deep contemplative meditation formed the twin pillars of practice. Seekers were guided to turn inward — not through elaborate rituals, but through the silent stillness of the heart, where the Divine Presence dwells within every soul.

Awareness in Every Breath

The path taught by Huzoor Maharaj was a complete system of inner refinement — rooted in awareness of every breath, mindfulness in every step, and continuous remembrance of the Divine throughout the activities of daily life. Not a withdrawal from the world, but a way of being fully present within it.

Unity Beyond Religion

Huzoor Maharaj taught that "religions are many but their essence is one — to gain spirituality." He shared spiritual practices with seekers of all faiths without discrimination, and would quietly leave any gathering where someone criticized another's religion.

Humility & Service

Huzoor Maharaj refused offerings and would not allow disciples to touch his feet. Instead, he served those who came to him with his own hands — embodying the principle that true spiritual greatness expresses itself through selfless service, not through displays of authority.

Spiritual Succession

Huzoor Maharaj entrusted his complete spiritual legacy to the disciple he recognized as most fit to carry it forward — regardless of outward faith. For one who had arrived at the source from which all religions spring, such distinctions simply did not arise.

The Disciples

Those Who Carried the Light

Historic photographs of the spiritual masters

Lalaji Maharaj

Param Sant Mahatma Shri Ram Chandra Ji Maharaj, lovingly known as Lalaji Maharaj (2 February 1873 – 14 August 1931), was born in Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh. A Hindu by birth, he was drawn to Huzoor Maharaj by the irresistible pull of spiritual destiny — and Huzoor Maharaj recognized in him the capacity to carry forward the entire spiritual legacy of the Naqshbandiyya silsila.

For one who had realized the highest truth — the one reality from which all religions draw their fragrance — the question of a disciple's outward faith simply did not arise. Huzoor Maharaj recognized in Lalaji a vessel fit to carry the divine current forward, and transmitted his complete spiritual knowledge and authority to him. What the world saw as an extraordinary act of interfaith generosity was, for Huzoor Maharaj, simply the natural consequence of having arrived at that station where all distinctions of creed dissolve in the ocean of the One.

After completing his spiritual training, Lalaji Maharaj became a realized master in his own right. He refined and simplified the ancient Naqshbandi meditation practices, centering them on the heart and making them accessible to householders living ordinary lives in the world. Through his disciples, several spiritual movements arose that continue to nourish seekers across the globe today.

At their core, all of these traditions carry forward the same essence inherited from Lalaji — and through him, from Huzoor Maharaj: meditation on the heart as the seat of the divine, the direct transmission of spiritual energy from master to seeker, a simplicity of method that requires no renunciation of worldly life, and the unwavering conviction that the highest spiritual realization is the birthright of every sincere soul — irrespective of religion, caste, or station in life.

Key Dates

Birth: 2 February 1873, Fatehgarh
Initiation by Huzoor Maharaj: Received spiritual training and bay'ah from Huzoor Maharaj at Raipur Khas
Mahasamadhi: 14 August 1931

Spiritual Legacy

For one who had realized the highest truth, the question of a disciple's outward faith simply did not arise. Huzoor Maharaj saw in Lalaji a vessel fit to carry the divine current forward — and transmitted his complete spiritual authority to him, as naturally as a river flows to the sea.

Chachaji Maharaj

Param Sant Mahatma Raghubar Dayal Ji Maharaj, known to all as Chachaji Maharaj (7 October 1875 – 7 June 1947), was the beloved younger brother of Lalaji Maharaj. Like his elder brother, he was a disciple of Huzoor Maharaj and later received spiritual training under Lalaji Maharaj himself.

A Sufi saint in his own right, Chachaji Maharaj carried the mission forward after the passing of Lalaji Maharaj in 1931, imparting spiritual knowledge to all who came into the fold of Sant Mat. He later settled in Kanpur, where he continued working for the spiritual upliftment of seekers and the service of the needy until his final departure.

Together, the two brothers carried the light of Huzoor Maharaj's grace into the world — Lalaji as the master who transmitted the spiritual current to future generations, and Chachaji as a devoted presence who sustained and nurtured the spiritual work. Their bond as brothers on the worldly plane mirrored their companionship on the spiritual plane — two vessels filled from the same divine source.

Key Dates

Birth: 7 October 1875, Fatehgarh
Initiation: Disciple of Huzoor Maharaj. Later received spiritual training under his elder brother, Lalaji Maharaj.
Mahasamadhi: 7 June 1947, Kanpur

Spiritual Legacy

After Lalaji Maharaj's passing, Chachaji Maharaj carried the mission forward — imparting spiritual knowledge through Sant Mat and serving seekers in Kanpur until his own final departure in 1947.

Huzoor Maharaj

The Golden Chain

1. Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)

2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radi Allahu Anhu)

3. Hazrat Salman Farsi (R.A.)

4. Hazrat Imam Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.)

5. Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq (R.A.)

6. Hazrat Bayazid Bistami (R.A.)

7. Hazrat Khwaja Abul Hasan Kharqani (R.A.)

8. Hazrat Khwaja Abul Qasim Gurgani (R.A.)

9. Hazrat Shaikh Abu Ali Farmadi Tusi (R.A.)

10. Hazrat Khwaja Yusuf Hamdani (R.A.)

11. Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Khaliq Ghijduwani (R.A.)

12. Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Arif Rewgari (R.A.)

13. Hazrat Khwaja Mahmud Anjir Faghnawi (R.A.)

14. Hazrat Khwaja Ali Ramitani (Azizan) (R.A.)

15. Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Baba Sammasi (R.A.)

16. Hazrat Khwaja Amir Kulal (R.A.)

17. Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband (R.A.)

18. Hazrat Khwaja Ala-ud-Din Attar (R.A.)

19. Hazrat Maulana Yaqub Charkhi (R.A.)

20. Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin Ubaidullah Ahrar (R.A.)

21. Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Zahid (R.A.)

22. Hazrat Maulana Darwesh Muhammad (R.A.)

23. Hazrat Maulana Khwajagi Imkinki (R.A.)

24. Hazrat Khwaja Baqi Billah Berang (R.A.)

25. Hazrat Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alfasani Shaikh Ahmad Faruqi Sirhind (R.A.)

26. Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Masum (R.A.)

27. Hazrat Shaikh Saifuddin (R.A.)

28. Hazrat Sayyid Nur Muhammad Badayuni (R.A.)

29. Hazrat Shamsuddin Habibullah Mirza Mazhar Jaan-i-Jaanan (R.A.)

30. Hazrat Maulvi Shah Naimullah Bahraichi (R.A.)

31. Hazrat Maulana Shah Muradullah Lakhnavi (R.A.)

32. Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Abul Hasan Nasirabadi (R.A.)

33. Hazrat Maulvi Ahmad Ali Khan (Khalifa Ji) Mau Rashidabadi (R.A.)

34. Hazrat Maulana Shah Fazl Ahmad Khan Naqshbandi (R.A.)

35. Hazrat Maulana Shah Vilayat Hussain Khan Naqshbandi (R.A.)

36. Maulvi Shah Gaffar Hussain Khan Naqshbandi (R.A.)

His Way of Living

Spiritual Transmission

Remembrance & Meditation

Awareness in Every Breath

Unity Beyond Religion

Humility & Service

Spiritual Succession

Those Who Carried the Light

Lalaji Maharaj

Key Dates

Spiritual Legacy

Chachaji Maharaj

Key Dates

Spiritual Legacy

The Dargah

Visit the Dargah

Location

How to Reach

Etiquette

Annual Urs