Sufi Tour

A silsila is the unbroken chain of spiritual masters linking a Sufi teacher to the Prophet. Here is what it means, how it works, and why it matters.

Most zakat errors are not arithmetic errors. They are valuation errors — people count the wrong things, use the wrong nisab, or deduct the wrong debts. Get the method right and the calculator becomes trivial. Rates below are illustrative retail levels of late September 2026 (gold ~₹15,300/g, silver ~₹188/g). Always re-check today’s market rate on…

Part of the Sufi Tour of Iraq series — Sayed Tanveer Hashmi’s group ziyarat across Baghdad, Basra, Samarra and Madayeen. Beyond Baghdad and Basra The journey extended to Samarra, historic Abbasid capital, where the group visited the haram of Imam Ali al-Jawad; to Madayeen (Ctesiphon), the ancient Sassanid capital turned early Islamic garrison city; and…

Part of the Sufi Tour of Iraq series — Sayed Tanveer Hashmi’s group ziyarat across Baghdad, Basra, Samarra and Madayeen. Two Orders, One City Baghdad also holds the masters of two great orders: Shihabuddin Umar al-Suhrawardi (d. 632 AH), author of the Awarif al-Ma’arif, diplomat-saint of the Abbasid court; and, in the Iraqi marshlands, the…

Part of the Sufi Tour of Iraq series — Sayed Tanveer Hashmi’s group ziyarat across Baghdad, Basra, Samarra and Madayeen. The Basran School Also in Basra: Hasan al-Basri (d. 110 AH / 728 CE) — the great Tabi’i, preacher and weeping ascetic, forefather of Iraqi learning and Tasawwuf — at whose astana the group stopped;…

Part of the Sufi Tour of Iraq series — Sayed Tanveer Hashmi’s group ziyarat across Baghdad, Basra, Samarra and Madayeen. Bibi Kalandar South to Basra, city of the first ascetics, to Rabia al-Adawiyya (d. 185 AH / 801 CE) — Bibi Kalandar — the saint of selfless divine love, who said she worshipped neither from…

Part of the Sufi Tour of Iraq series — Sayed Tanveer Hashmi’s group ziyarat across Baghdad, Basra, Samarra and Madayeen. The Imam of Hadith The group visited the shrine of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 AH / 855 CE) — compiler of the Musnad, steadfast through the Mihna, and eponym of the Hanbali school…

Part of the Sufi Tour of Iraq series — Sayed Tanveer Hashmi’s group ziyarat across Baghdad, Basra, Samarra and Madayeen. Three Lamps of Old Baghdad The Baghdad circuit continued to three beloved ascetics: Bishr al-Hafi (d. 227 AH), the barefoot repentant whose conversion story every Baghdadi child knows; Maroof Karkhi (d. 200 AH), at whose…

Part of the Sufi Tour of Iraq series — Sayed Tanveer Hashmi’s group ziyarat across Baghdad, Basra, Samarra and Madayeen. Two Adjoining Shrines In Baghdad the group visited Imam Junayd al-Baghdadi (d. 298 AH / 910 CE) — Sayyid al-Taifa, whose sober, Sharia-bound Tasawwuf became the Sunni standard — and beside him his maternal uncle…

Part of the Sufi Tour of Iraq series — Sayed Tanveer Hashmi’s group ziyarat across Baghdad, Basra, Samarra and Madayeen. The Dargah in Baghdad The tour began where every Qadiri pilgrimage begins: the dargah of Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani (d. 561 AH / 1166 CE) in Baghdad — Ghous-e-Azam, the master whose order flows through…