Atlas
About this atlas
The atlas holds the chains of transmission from the Prophet as the standard references and the classical sources record them: the Sufi orders, the chains of Qurʾān recitation, the teachers of the schools of law and ḥadīth, and the lines of the Prophet's family, with the places they spread and the living houses and teachers who carry them today. Every link shows its sources; where they differ, both readings are shown, and we do not rule on any community's claims. Ibn ʿArabī's own life, teachers and readers are on their own page.
أبو علي الفارمذي
Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī
Died 477/1084 (sources differ)
Link in the chain
Sources for this person
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (2 entries)
The chain up to the Prophet
Dates are given where the sources give them. Years are CE; the Hijri year is in each name's detail.
Route 1 of 3, the best-sourced: Naqshbandiyya. Tap a rule to read its basis, sources and checks.
Sources differ on 6 links of this route.
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiqجعفر الصادق765
two sourcesin Naqshbandiyyaspiritual link, without meetingsources differ
spiritual link, without a meeting (uwaysī) · Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq to Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmī · Two independent sources
Pārsā said Bisṭāmī never met Jaʿfar in worldly life but received benefit through the Uwaysī method.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ iii. And Sufism' (Hamid Algar), Vol. XIV, Fasc. 4, pp. 356-362 · agreesNaqshbandīs held Jaʿfar trained Bisṭāmī inwardly (ruhāniyya); Bisṭāmī was born ~86 years after the imam's death.
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 85-86 n. 13, p. 86 fig. 4 · agreesLink is Uwaysī (dotted in Fig. 4); Buehler cites the age gap (Bisṭāmī d. 261, Jaʿfar d. 148) and Shāh Walī Allāh calling the link not valid.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Uwaysī (spiritual) transmission, no meeting (Pārsā, as reported by TDV).TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
- Order's own chain lists Bisṭāmī directly after Jaʿfar, without comment.the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)
- Algar (Iranica): the link between Jaʿfar al-Ṣādeq and Bisṭāmī is 'the most widespread but also least plausible tradition' (chronology); Naqshbandīs explained it as inward training.Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ iii. And Sufism' (Hamid Algar)
- Buehler, citing Shāh Walī Allāh (Intibāh, pp. 38-39): the Bisṭāmī-Jaʿfar link is not ṣaḥīḥ, and any Bakrī affiliation for Naqshbandīs depends on it.Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 88, 90 n. 28
Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmīأبو يزيد البسطامي848one sourcein Naqshbandiyyaspiritual link, without meetingsources differ
spiritual link, without a meeting (uwaysī) · Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmī to Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānī · One source
Pārsā said Kharaqānī never met Bisṭāmī in life and was trained by the Uwaysī method.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'Checked against
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 86 n. 13, 88 · agreesLink is Uwaysī; Buehler notes Kharaqānī (d. 425) could not have met Bisṭāmī (d. 261), a gap of 164 lunar years; Walī Allāh calls them spiritually connected.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Uwaysī transmission (Pārsā, as reported by TDV).TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
- Order's own chain lists Kharaqānī directly after Bisṭāmī.the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)
Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānīأبو الحسن الخرقاني1033one sourcein Naqshbandiyyasources differ
initiation · Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānī to Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī · One source
Chain passes from Kharaqānī to Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)Checked against
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, p. 86 n. 13 · agreesShāh Walī Allāh, as cited by Buehler: Fārmadhī has nisbat of jadhba and quṭbiyya from Kharaqānī.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī (Risāla-yi Unsiyya) inserted Abū l-Qāsim Gurgānī/Kurragānī (d. 450/1058) between Kharaqānī and Fārmadhī.TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhīأبو علي الفارمذي1084
Other routes (2)
Route 2 of 3: Naqshbandiyya
Sources differ on 5 links of this route.
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiqجعفر الصادق765
two sourcesin Naqshbandiyyaspiritual link, without meetingsources differ
spiritual link, without a meeting (uwaysī) · Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq to Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmī · Two independent sources
Pārsā said Bisṭāmī never met Jaʿfar in worldly life but received benefit through the Uwaysī method.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ iii. And Sufism' (Hamid Algar), Vol. XIV, Fasc. 4, pp. 356-362 · agreesNaqshbandīs held Jaʿfar trained Bisṭāmī inwardly (ruhāniyya); Bisṭāmī was born ~86 years after the imam's death.
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 85-86 n. 13, p. 86 fig. 4 · agreesLink is Uwaysī (dotted in Fig. 4); Buehler cites the age gap (Bisṭāmī d. 261, Jaʿfar d. 148) and Shāh Walī Allāh calling the link not valid.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Uwaysī (spiritual) transmission, no meeting (Pārsā, as reported by TDV).TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
- Order's own chain lists Bisṭāmī directly after Jaʿfar, without comment.the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)
- Algar (Iranica): the link between Jaʿfar al-Ṣādeq and Bisṭāmī is 'the most widespread but also least plausible tradition' (chronology); Naqshbandīs explained it as inward training.Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ iii. And Sufism' (Hamid Algar)
- Buehler, citing Shāh Walī Allāh (Intibāh, pp. 38-39): the Bisṭāmī-Jaʿfar link is not ṣaḥīḥ, and any Bakrī affiliation for Naqshbandīs depends on it.Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 88, 90 n. 28
Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmīأبو يزيد البسطامي848one sourcein Naqshbandiyyaspiritual link, without meetingsources differ
spiritual link, without a meeting (uwaysī) · Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmī to Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānī · One source
Pārsā said Kharaqānī never met Bisṭāmī in life and was trained by the Uwaysī method.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'Checked against
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 86 n. 13, 88 · agreesLink is Uwaysī; Buehler notes Kharaqānī (d. 425) could not have met Bisṭāmī (d. 261), a gap of 164 lunar years; Walī Allāh calls them spiritually connected.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Uwaysī transmission (Pārsā, as reported by TDV).TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
- Order's own chain lists Kharaqānī directly after Bisṭāmī.the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)
Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānīأبو الحسن الخرقاني1033one sourcein Naqshbandiyyasources differ
initiation · Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānī to Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī · One source
Chain passes from Kharaqānī to Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)Checked against
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, p. 86 n. 13 · agreesShāh Walī Allāh, as cited by Buehler: Fārmadhī has nisbat of jadhba and quṭbiyya from Kharaqānī.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī (Risāla-yi Unsiyya) inserted Abū l-Qāsim Gurgānī/Kurragānī (d. 450/1058) between Kharaqānī and Fārmadhī.TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhīأبو علي الفارمذي1084
Route 3 of 3: Naqshbandiyya
Sources differ on 4 links of this route.
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiqجعفر الصادق765
two sourcesin Naqshbandiyyaspiritual link, without meetingsources differ
spiritual link, without a meeting (uwaysī) · Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq to Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmī · Two independent sources
Pārsā said Bisṭāmī never met Jaʿfar in worldly life but received benefit through the Uwaysī method.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ iii. And Sufism' (Hamid Algar), Vol. XIV, Fasc. 4, pp. 356-362 · agreesNaqshbandīs held Jaʿfar trained Bisṭāmī inwardly (ruhāniyya); Bisṭāmī was born ~86 years after the imam's death.
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 85-86 n. 13, p. 86 fig. 4 · agreesLink is Uwaysī (dotted in Fig. 4); Buehler cites the age gap (Bisṭāmī d. 261, Jaʿfar d. 148) and Shāh Walī Allāh calling the link not valid.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Uwaysī (spiritual) transmission, no meeting (Pārsā, as reported by TDV).TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
- Order's own chain lists Bisṭāmī directly after Jaʿfar, without comment.the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)
- Algar (Iranica): the link between Jaʿfar al-Ṣādeq and Bisṭāmī is 'the most widespread but also least plausible tradition' (chronology); Naqshbandīs explained it as inward training.Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ iii. And Sufism' (Hamid Algar)
- Buehler, citing Shāh Walī Allāh (Intibāh, pp. 38-39): the Bisṭāmī-Jaʿfar link is not ṣaḥīḥ, and any Bakrī affiliation for Naqshbandīs depends on it.Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 88, 90 n. 28
Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmīأبو يزيد البسطامي848one sourcein Naqshbandiyyaspiritual link, without meetingsources differ
spiritual link, without a meeting (uwaysī) · Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmī to Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānī · One source
Pārsā said Kharaqānī never met Bisṭāmī in life and was trained by the Uwaysī method.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'Checked against
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 86 n. 13, 88 · agreesLink is Uwaysī; Buehler notes Kharaqānī (d. 425) could not have met Bisṭāmī (d. 261), a gap of 164 lunar years; Walī Allāh calls them spiritually connected.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Uwaysī transmission (Pārsā, as reported by TDV).TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
- Order's own chain lists Kharaqānī directly after Bisṭāmī.the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)
Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānīأبو الحسن الخرقاني1033one sourcein Naqshbandiyyasources differ
initiation · Abū l-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānī to Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī · One source
Chain passes from Kharaqānī to Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)Checked against
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, p. 86 n. 13 · agreesShāh Walī Allāh, as cited by Buehler: Fārmadhī has nisbat of jadhba and quṭbiyya from Kharaqānī.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī (Risāla-yi Unsiyya) inserted Abū l-Qāsim Gurgānī/Kurragānī (d. 450/1058) between Kharaqānī and Fārmadhī.TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'
Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhīأبو علي الفارمذي1084
How to read the marks
- Two sources: a solid rule. Two independent references give the same link.
- One source: a lighter rule, so labelled.
- The community's own account: a dotted rule. The order tells it; we have not yet read it against a reference source.
- A gap in the rule: the sources omit names between the two. The label says which.
- The sources differ: tap the ≠ to read each reading with its source.
- A ring: a spiritual link, without a meeting (uwaysī).
Who received from Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī
1 recorded, each with the chain set it belongs to.
- Yūsuf al-Hamadānīيوسف الهمداني1140
the community's own accountin Naqshbandiyyasources differ
initiation · Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī to Yūsuf al-Hamadānī · The community's own account
Yūsuf al-Hamadānī says the line reached him from Fārmadhī.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Sıddîkıyye'the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)Checked against
- Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, p. 86 fig. 4 · silentFigure 4 lists Fārmadhī, al-Ghazālī and Hamadānī close together; OCR of the chart does not show which lines join them.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Buehler's Figure 4 (OCR) lists Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī (d. 505/1111) in the tier between Fārmadhī and Hamadānī; whether a link is drawn is not confirmed.Arthur F. Buehler, Sufi Heirs of the Prophet (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998), ch. 4, pp. 88, 90 n. 28
How to cite
Mashraba Reader, Atlas of transmission, “Abū ʿAlī al-Fārmadhī”, https://www.mashraba.org/atlas/figure/abu-ali-farmadhi (data of 31 October 2026).