The Azeemi Sufi Order, known in Urdu as Silsila Azeemiyya (Urdu: سلسلہ عظيمیہ), known in Arabic as Al-Ṭarīqah al-Aẓeemiyyah
(Arabic: الطريقة عظيمية) is a Sufi Tariqa named after and founded by Sayyid Muhammad Azeem Barkhiya, commonly known as Qalandar Baba Auliya. It was established in 1960 (1380 AH) in Karachi, Pakistan.[1] [2] [3]
Silsila Azeemiyya was initiated with the mission of raising the awareness in people that their true status is beyond their physical existence. The mission is also to align mankind to the path of ascension through meditative contemplation (Muraqaba).[4]
The main goal of the Silsila is to awaken people to the higher purpose of their existence, to know and befriend the creator of the universe, God (Allāh). By purifying oneself internally and engaging in the Asbāq of the Silsilah (lessons instructed by the Murshid such as Murāqaba and the remembrance of God), the doors of spiritual knowledge are opened, and one attains Ma'rifah of God.[5]
Currently, there are more than 100 Azeemi centers (Muraqaba Halls) throughout the world with the mission of bringing people closer to God, and spreading the teachings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[6]
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi is the current head of the Azeemi Order. He has been such since 1980, after the passing of Qalandar Baba Auliya. He is a well-known scholar in Pakistan, and has written over 20 books on various matters of Rūhāniyat.[8]
He was born into a family of Islamic scholars in Saharanpur, and he is the son of Anees Ahmad Ansari. He memorized the Qur'ān in childhood, and at the age of 20, at the time of partition, moved to Karachi, Pakistan.
He gave Bay'ah to Qalandar Baba Auliya, and spent 16 years living in his company. After undergoing extensive tarbiyah, he became the spiritual inheritor of Qalandar Baba Auliya.