Baba Matka Peer of Delhi: Healing Water, Sama, and Seven Centuries of Sufi Hope
By Adnan Faizi, New Age Islam
16 May 2026
Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi, lovingly remembered as Baba Matka Peer, came from Iran to Delhi in the 13th century and became known for his compassion, healing water, and deep spirituality. Settling near the Yamuna, he created a qanaat that served people with water and hope, turning the riverbank into a place of comfort for travellers and devotees. Today, his hidden shrine near Pragati Maidan still preserves the memory of his famous matkas.
Main Points:
· Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi migrated from Iran to Delhi during the 13th century.
· He belonged to the Haidari-Qalandari silsila linked with Hazrat Haidar Qalandar.
· Settling beside Yamuna, he transformed Delhi’s riverbank into a spiritual refuge.
· His blessed matka water became famous for healing illness, sorrow, and hopelessness.
· His sama gatherings attracted seekers, travellers and ordinary people across Delhi.
Introduction
Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi, widely remembered as Baba Matka Peer, was a renowned Qalandari saint who migrated from Tus, Iran, to Delhi during the 13th century, most likely between 617–655 Hijri. Historical traditions describe him as a contemporary of saints like Hazrat Shaykh Nizamuddin Auliya and Hazrat Jamaaluddin Chishti Hanswi, making him part of Delhi’s early Sufi environment. His spiritual background belonged to the Haideri Qalandari silsila, connected through figures like Hazrat Haidar Qalandar al-Sawai, while his disciple Hazrat Shaykh Rahimuddin Iraqi further continued this spiritual chain. Reliable records about his parents, wife, or children are not available, as his life remained devoted entirely to serving humanity and guiding seekers. His migration from Persia reflected the wider movement of Sufi saints who travelled peacefully across regions to spread spirituality, compassion, and unity during the unstable years of the Delhi Sultanate. Settling near the Yamuna, Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi became known as Delhi’s “river saint,” helping shape the city’s growing Sufi culture through service, simplicity, and healing presence.
Yamuna Khanqah and Miracles of Healing
Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi settled on the banks of the Yamuna near present-day Pragati Maidan, where he established a khanqah that later became famous for healing and spiritual comfort. Using water drawn from the river in earthen matkas, he became known as “Baba Matka Peer,” as people believed the water carried blessings and relief from suffering. His riverside khanqah turned into a place of hope for the sick, poor, distressed, and helpless, symbolising healing through faith, prayer, and compassion rather than wealth or medicine. One of his most famous miracles began when a man suffering from an incurable illness attempted to drown himself in the Yamuna out of despair. Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi stopped him and simply offered water from his matka. By Allah’s will, the man recovered completely, and news of the miracle spread rapidly across Delhi. Soon, countless people visited his khanqah seeking relief from illness, poverty, sorrow, spiritual problems, and hopelessness. His centre became known as a spiritual refuge where faith and prayer restored hope to broken lives.
Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban, curious about these reports, decided to test him. First, he sent a beautiful woman named Tamizun to tempt the saint, but instead she became deeply influenced by his spirituality and entered his service as a devotee. Later, Balban sent iron balls and mud inside clay pots to mock him. Hazrat covered the pots, prayed, and when they were opened, the iron had transformed into roasted gram and the mud into jaggery. The blessed food was shared among the people, and even Sultan Balban became deeply impressed by his spirituality. Through these events, Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi’s khanqah became known throughout Delhi as a place of healing, humility, and divine mercy.
Qalandari Identity, Sama Gatherings, and Spiritual Influence
Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi belonged to the Haidari Qalandari silsila, which gave rise to titles like “Haidari Qalandar” and the popular name “Matka Peer.” His spiritual states and unusual strength amazed people across Delhi. Traditions describe him bending iron rods with ease and shaping them into chains, bangles, and ornaments, much like the famous miracle in which iron transformed into roasted gram. For Sufis, these acts symbolised how a hard human ego could soften and transform through spirituality and divine love.
His sama gatherings became famous across Delhi and attracted seekers, saints, and ordinary people attended his spiritual assemblies and absorbed aspects of Qalandari spirituality that later influenced Chishti sama traditions. Hazrat Jamaaluddin Chishti Hanswi also spent time with him and honoured him with the title “Baaz-e-Safed” (White Falcon), symbolising a spiritually elevated soul. Through music, zikr, hospitality, and spiritual companionship, his gatherings helped reduce social and sectarian tensions, bringing people together in an atmosphere of devotion and peace.
Through his healing water, sama majlises, miracles, and Qalandari teachings, Hazrat Shaikh Abu Bakr Tusi helped shape Delhi into one of the great spiritual centres of Sufism, continuing the legacy of the Haidari-Qalandari tradition linked to Hazrat Haidar Qalandar al-Sawai.
Khalifas, Mureeds, and Social Influence
Although detailed records of Hazrat Shaikh Abu Bakr Tusi’s teachers are limited, his spiritual training clearly belonged to the Haidari-Qalandari silsila linked with Hazrat Haidar Qalandar, reflecting traditions of zikr, sama, muraqaba, discipline, and Sufi ethics. His best-known khalifa was Hazrat Shaykh Rahimuddin Iraqi, who carried forward his Qalandari teachings and was later buried near his mazaar. Along with many unnamed mureeds and followers, he helped build a strong Qalandari spiritual network across Delhi, the Doab region, and Punjab, spreading lessons of compassion, humility, service, and trust in Allah. His khanqah welcomed everyone equally—Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, traders, labourers, rulers, beggars, and travellers—without barriers of caste or status. Traditions such as making mannat, hanging matkas, feeding pilgrims, sama gatherings, and sharing blessed water transformed his dargah into a centre of unity and hope. Through healing practices, spiritual counselling, music, and acts of kindness, he comforted people suffering from illness, poverty, famine, political unrest, and emotional pain.
Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi’s message was simple yet powerful: Allah’s mercy can soften even the hardest hearts, just as iron transformed through divine blessing. Through his teachings and service, he helped give Delhi a spiritual identity rooted in compassion, healing, and Sufi brotherhood beyond political divisions.
Mazaar, Urs, and Enduring Legacy
According to most traditions, Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi attained wisaal on 21 Rajab 655 Hijri in Delhi near his khanqah, although some later records mention different Urs dates. His khalifa, Hazrat Shaykh Rahimuddin Iraqi, rebuilt and preserved his mazaar near present-day Pragati Maidan along the old Yamuna bank. Despite Delhi’s crowded modern surroundings, the shrine still carries a deep atmosphere of peace and spirituality. His annual Urs from 21–23 Rajab gathers devotees, travellers, faqirs, and visitors from different communities. Traditions like hanging matkas, distributing gram and jaggery, sama gatherings, langar, qawwali, and mannat continue preserving his Qalandari legacy of healing, generosity, and unity. Even today, the shrine remains a living reflection of Delhi’s Sufi culture, where people from all backgrounds come seeking hope, comfort, blessings, and spiritual peace.
Hazrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tusi’s life united healing water, sama, miracles, service, and compassion into a lasting Sufi message: Allah’s mercy can heal hearts, soften hardships, and bring humanity together beyond social and worldly divisions.
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Adnan Faizi is a Peace and Harmony activist based in Delhi. He is an alumni of CCS University, Meerut.
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