Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Inayat Hasan Shah: The Radiant Guide of the Jahangiriya Sufi Order
By Sahil Razvi, New Age Islam
13 November 2025
Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Inayat Hasan Shah, known as Shaikhul Auliya, was a revered Sufi saint and scholar of the Jahangiriya order. A disciple of Dada Miyan, he spread Sufi teachings across India, authored spiritual works, and inspired thousands with his devotion, scholarship, and divine vision of the Hazrat Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Main Points:
1. Born in 1884 in Bhainsori Sharif, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
2. Trained under his brother and Pir, Hazrat Khwaja Nabi Raza Shah.
3. Performed Hajj in 1937 and witnessed the Hazrat Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in a waking state.
4. Passed away in 1941; Urs celebrated annually at Bhainsodi Sharif.
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Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Inayat Hasan Shah was born on 28 October 1884 in Bhainsori Sharif, Rampur district, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Hasan Raza Shah, was a respected spiritual figure. Known as Shaikhul Auliya, Hazrat Inayat Hasan held a distinguished position as a guide for saints and disciples in the Sufi tradition.
Tragically, he lost his father at the age of two. His elder brother, Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Nabi Raza Shah, fondly called Dada Miyan Lakhnavi, took charge of his upbringing. As both a brother and Pir (spiritual mentor), Dada Miyan ensured Hazrat Inayat received a fine blend of worldly education and spiritual training. Under his guidance, Hazrat Inayat excelled in spiritual purification (tazkiya-e-nafs), religious knowledge, and Sufi practices, laying the foundation for his future as a spiritual luminary.
The title Shaikhul Auliya reflects his esteemed status as a master among saints, serving as a beacon of divine wisdom and guidance. In Basti, he was lovingly called Chanda Miyan due to his radiant, moon-like countenance, a beauty that reflected both his spiritual and physical grace, still evident in his descendants.
Aaftabe Deen O Millat Shah Muhammad Inayat Hasan,
Mahtabe Sabr O Tasleem O Raza Ke Wastey
In 1356 AH (1937 CE), Hazrat Inayat Hasan performed the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah and visited sacred sites. His most remarkable spiritual feat was experiencing the divine vision (Deedar) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) while awake during his stay in Madinah Munawwarah. Unlike many saints who see the Hazrat Prophet Muhammad in dreams, Hazrat Inayat was blessed with this vision daily during his time in Madinah, a rare honour indeed. Other saints blessed with similar experiences include Shah Muhaddis Abdul Haq Dehlavi, Qutb Suhaili Sayyid Shah Abdur Razzaq Aba Banswi Husaini, Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Wasif Rasool Mumba Banarasi, and Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan.
As an eminent Islamic scholar (Alim-e-Rabbani), Hazrat Inayat Hasan was revered for his piety and wisdom. His writings enriched the legacy of the Jahangiriya Sufi order. Hazrat Inayat Hasan had many disciples (Murideen), each profoundly influenced by his spiritual charisma and teachings. Though he appointed a limited number of successors (Khulafa), each became a beacon of guidance. Prominent among them were: Hazrat Khwaja Sufi Muhammad Hasan Shah, Hazrat Sufi Muhammad Siddiq Hasan Shah Muradabadi, Hazrat Sufi Bashirullah Shah Lakhnavi, Hazrat Sufi Wakil Yaqoob Ali Shah
His Pir and mentor was his brother, Dada Miyan. At the age of sixteen, Hazrat Inayat took the oath of allegiance (Bay’at) under him, becoming the first disciple of the Gulshan-e-Shah-e-Raza spiritual lineage. As the successor (Sajjada Nashin) of his brother’s legacy, he carried forward the mission of the Jahangiriya order with immense dedication.
In most of his travels, many disciples accompanied him. Hazrat Inayat Hasan Shah held great affection for Hazrat Sultanul Auliya, and through this love and spiritual bond, he attained the divine blessings he had long sought.
In 1912, at the sacred court of Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz in Ajmer Sharif, Hazrat Sultanul Auliya received Khilafat (spiritual succession) and permission from Hazrat Inayat Hasan Shah. At that moment, Sultanul Auliya humbly said, “Huzur, I do not desire a caliphate; I only wish to serve at the door of my Murshid.” Hazrat Inayat Hasan Shah smiled and replied, “Sufi Ji, please accept this.” Out of reverence, Sultanul Auliya bowed in obedience and accepted the divine blessing.
After receiving the caliphate, he travelled with his Murshid-e-Mohtaram to Agra, where they visited the Dargah of Hazrat Sayyadna Amir Abul Ula Sarkar (RA). After paying their respects there, they went to Lucknow to the shrine of Hazrat Nabi Raza Shah (RA) and finally returned to Bhaisodi Sharif.
One night, Sultanul Auliya had a remarkable dream. He saw a celestial palanquin descending from the sky to the earth. When he lifted the cushion of the palanquin, he saw two radiant children seated inside. As he looked closely, one child’s face resembled Hazrat Khwaja Nabi Raza Shah, and the others resembled Hazrat Inayat Hasan Shah. The two faces appeared to be exchanging their luminous features.
The next morning, he appeared before his Pir-o-Murshid. Before he could speak, Hazrat Inayat Hasan Shah (who already knew of the incident) said, “Sufi Ji, I was not worthy of this; it is his blessing that made me what I am.” Hazrat Inayat then embraced Sultanul Auliya and granted him permission to continue the spiritual work of the Silsila.
Following the command of his Murshid, Sultanul Auliya first visited Kaliyar Sharif, the shrine of Hazrat Makhdoom Ali Ahmad Sabir Kaliyari. There he began the spiritual mission of the Silsila Jahangiriya, starting from Jwalapur. Soon, a spiritual wave spread across the land, thousands entered the Sufi order through him. People from India’s major cities and remote villages became his disciples, and even today, thousands of devotees and followers of Sultanul Auliya live in villages near the Pakistan border.
Through Hazrat Sultanul Auliya, the Silsila Jahangiriya attained great prominence, and by the grace of Allah, it continues to thrive to this day.
Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Inayat Hasan Shah passed away on 4 Shawwal 1360 AH (26 October 1941 CE) at the age of 58. As per his will, his funeral prayer was led by Hazrat Syed Naimuddin Muradabadi, a noted scholar and khalifa of Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan.
His sacred shrine is located in Bhaisodi Sharif, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh where his Urs Mubarak is celebrated every year with great devotion and splendour from the 2nd to the 5th of Shawwal.
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A regular contributor to New Age Islam, Sahil Razvi is a research scholar specialising in Sufism and Islamic History. He is an alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia.
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