Lineage and Orientation
Sirat-i Inayat Interfaith Sufi Path was founded July 5th, 2022, as a continuation of the lineage of Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan. Murshid’s work began in earnest September 13th, 1910, when he sailed from India to carry out the instructions of his beloved teacher, Sayyid Muhammad Abu Hashim Madani, who said:
“Fare forth into the world, my child, and harmonize the East and the West with the harmony of thy music. Spread the wisdom of Sufism abroad, for to this end art thou gifted by Allah, the most merciful and compassionate.”
A visioning circle of ten sincere mureeds established Sirat-i Inayat to share the message of Love, Harmony and Beauty. In alignment with Hazrat Inayat Khan’s instructions, this Sufi tariqa (school) is built on a foundation of spiritual training, moral principles, and initiatic connection.
The Visioning Circle
Abdullah Arshad Belikoff-Strads
Raziya Cruz
Khabir Wali’ Mayer-Glauninger
Malik McGregor
Shahida Nichols
Mirabai Akeela Pope
Rahima Rain
Halim Shadowlight
Themis Waduda
and
Sára Rain
A visioning circle of ten sincere mureeds established Sirat-i Inayat to share the message of Love, Harmony and Beauty. In alignment with Hazrat Inayat Khan’s instructions, this Sufi tariqa (school) is built on a foundation of spiritual training, moral principles, and initiatic connection.
The Visioning Circle
Abdullah Arshad Belikoff-Strads
Raziya Cruz
Khabir Wali’ Mayer-Glauninger
Malik McGregor
Shahida Nichols
Mirabai Akeela Pope
Rahima Rain
Halim Shadowlight
Themis Waduda
and
Sára Rain
Since Sufism is a hand-to-hand, teacher-to-student, generation-to-generation path of spiritual instruction, each Sufi tariqa has a Silsila (unbroken chain), a succession of teachers, tracing the transmission of wisdom and blessings back to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the Angel Gabriel, and to Allah.
While Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan was a Muslim since his birth (July 5th, 1882) in India, he was explicit in saying that the message of Sufism was not tied to any particular faith, belief, religion, prophet or doctrine. In Murshid’s words:
“To a Sufi revelation is the inherent property of every soul, which has worked through all stages of the world’s evolution and developed in every state of individual evolution. It is, to a Sufi, an unceasing flow of the divine stream, which has neither beginning nor end. Our Order is composed of truth-seeking people of different faiths and beliefs, who are not in any way obliged to give up the faith or belief they have nor to accept a certain faith or belief, nor are they, if they have none, compelled to adopt one.
As long as all tread in harmony in the path of love and light no member of the Order is concerned to enquire into the faith of any other. It is not intended that all members of the Order should label themselves followers of a certain faith; the members of the Order should keep whatever faith or belief they have.”
Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan was adamant that the teachings, practices, blessings, and instructions of Sufism are for the benefit of all humanity. He insisted on using the word “Sufi,” because it means “wisdom.” It is an indication of purity, religious freedom, and the baraka that flows from murshid to mureed from age to age.
Murshid spent his life learning, studying, practicing, and observing the inner and outer aspects of life. He immersed himself in spiritual exercises, meditation, prayer, music, and devotion. The last 16 years of his life were dedicated to traveling, teaching, offering all of his wisdom and insight, his blessings and encouragements, to his devoted mureeds, so they could continue his work. He made great efforts to train and empower teachers, leaders, and ministers, so the Sufi message could continue serving humanity for generations to come. This is the lineage Sirat-i Inayat represents.
Spiritual Lineage Silsila of
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
ALLAH
Hazrat Jibra’il
Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Rasul Allah
Hazrat Khwaja ‘Ali Wali Allah
Hazrat Khwaja Hasan Basri
Hazrat Khwaja ‘Abd al-Wahid bin Zayd
Hazrat Khwaja Fuzayl bin ‘Iyaz
Hazrat Khwaja Ibrahim Adham
Hazrat Khwaja Huzayfa Mar’ishi
Hazrat Khwaja Hubayra Basri
Hazrat Khwaja Mumshad ‘Ulu Dinwari
Hazrat Khwaja Abu Ishaq Shami
Hazrat Khwaja Abu Ahmad Abdal Chishti
Hazrat Khwaja Abu Muhammad Chishti
Hazrat Khwaja Abu Yusuf Chishti
Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Mawdud Chishti
Hazrat Khwaja Hajji Sharif Zindani
Hazrat Khwaja ‘Usman Harvani
Hazrat Khwaja Mu’inuddin Hasan Sanjari-Ajmiri
Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Mas’ud Bakhtiyar Kaki
Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin Ganj-i Shakar Ajhodani
Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Mahbub-i Ilahi Badauni
Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin Chiragh Dihlavi
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Kamaluddin ‘Allama
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Sirajuddin
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh ‘Ilmuddin
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Mahmud Rajan
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Jamaluddin Jamman
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Hasan Muhammad
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Muhammad A’zam
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Yahya Madani
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Shah Kalim Allah Jahanabadi
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Nizamuddin Awrangabadi
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Maulana Fakhruddin
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Ghulam Qutbuddin
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Nasiruddin Mahmud Kali Shah
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Jili Kalimi
Hazrat Shaikh al-Masha’ikh Sayyid Muhammad Abu Hashim Madani
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
The founding person of Sirat-i Inayat Interfaith Sufi Path who will be listed in this spiritual succession, is Saraswati Rain.
Since her initiating teachers are not direct successors in the spiritual Silsila, they are not listed as part of the Shajara. They are, nevertheless, the formal connecting links that draw hand-to-hand, heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul connections from Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan to Saraswati Rain.
In honor of these beloved teachers who have given Saraswati their hands in initiation as blessed connection to the Silsila, they are listed here with titles that reflect their initiations and functions. They are each acknowledged teachers, leaders of Sufi orders, and recognized representatives of Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid’s spiritual succession.
Saraswati Rain’s direct initiators, guides and venerated teachers include: Murshid Rahmat Moore, Murshida Leilah Be, Pir-o-Murshida Nuria Sabato, and Shayk al-Mashaikh Moinuddin Clarke.
Through these beloved teachers, the links connect to Pir-o-Murshid Hidayat Inayat-Khan, Pir-o-Murshid Moineddin Jablonski, Pir-o-Murshid Sufi Ahmed Murad Chishti Samuel Lewis, Pir-o-Murshida Rabia Martin, Pir-o-Murshid Amin Richard Macko, and Pir-o-Murshid Vilayat Inayat-Khan.