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.
سيد علم الدين علي خان
Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan
Ajmer
Dewan and sajjāda-nishīn of Ajmer before his son
Sources for this person
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: Chishtiyya (Chishti order). Tap a rule to read its basis, sources and checks.
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Abū Isḥāq Shāmīأبو إسحاق الشامي
two sourcesin Chishtiyya (Chishti order)omits: intermediaries the data does not name
gave the khirqa · Abū Isḥāq Shāmī to ʿUthmān al-Hārūnī · Two independent sources
TDV's second chain runs from Abu Ishaq through intermediate masters (Abu Ahmad b. Farasnafa, Abu Muhammad b. Ahmad, Abu Yusuf, Mawdud Chishti, Haji Sharif Zindani) to ʿUthman Harūni; intermediate steps not drawn here. Omits: Abū Aḥmad Abdāl, Yūsuf b. Muḥammad b. Samʿān, Quṭb al-Dīn Mawdūd Chishtī, Aḥmad b. Mawdūd, Ḥājī Sharīf Zandanī (per Iranica).
Nizami, K. A., 'Çiştiyye', TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 8 (1993), pp. 343-346Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering), Vol. V, Fasc. 3, pp. 333-336, section History · agreesIranica gives Abū Isḥāq, Abū Aḥmad Abdāl, family line, Yūsuf b. Samʿān, Mawdūd, Aḥmad, Ḥājī Sharīf, then Khwāja ʿUthmān.
ʿUthmān al-Hārūnīعثمان الهاروني1220two sourcesin Chishtiyya (Chishti order)sources differ
gave the khirqa · ʿUthmān al-Hārūnī to Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtī · Two independent sources
TDV's second chain: ʿUthman al-Harūni is Muʿin al-Din's shaykh.
Nizami, K. A., 'Çiştiyye', TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 8 (1993), pp. 343-346Checked against
- Trimingham, Sufi Orders in Islam (1971), trimingham_sufi-orders-in-islam_1971.txt#L3985-3991 · agreesMuʿīn al-Dīn served his master ʿUthmān Harvānī some twenty years.
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering), Vol. V, Fasc. 3, pp. 333-336, section History · agreesMuʿīn al-Dīn joined Khwāja ʿUthmān's group at Nishapur; link to the Chishti line rests 'on the tenuous link' of ʿUthmān alone.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Böwering (Iranica): Muʿīn al-Dīn's association with the Chishti tradition 'rests on the tenuous link of Ḵᵛāja ʿOṯmān alone'.Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering)
Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtīمعين الدين حسن چشتي1236one sourcein Chishtiyya (Chishti order)omits: the generations between Muʿīn al-Dīn and Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan.
family descent · Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtī to Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan · One source
The Ajmer dewans are the hereditary sajjāda-nishīn lineage descended from Muʿīn al-Dīn (family account, press and Wikipedia); intermediate generations omitted.
Wikipedia (tertiary), 'Syed Zainul Abedin'Checked against
- Wikipedia 'Syed Zainul Abedin', Lineage · agreesDescribes descent from Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti; generation counts inconsistent.
Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khanسيد علم الدين علي خان
Other routes (2)
Route 2 of 3: Chishtiyya (Chishti order)
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Abū Isḥāq Shāmīأبو إسحاق الشامي
two sourcesin Chishtiyya (Chishti order)omits: intermediaries the data does not name
gave the khirqa · Abū Isḥāq Shāmī to ʿUthmān al-Hārūnī · Two independent sources
TDV's second chain runs from Abu Ishaq through intermediate masters (Abu Ahmad b. Farasnafa, Abu Muhammad b. Ahmad, Abu Yusuf, Mawdud Chishti, Haji Sharif Zindani) to ʿUthman Harūni; intermediate steps not drawn here. Omits: Abū Aḥmad Abdāl, Yūsuf b. Muḥammad b. Samʿān, Quṭb al-Dīn Mawdūd Chishtī, Aḥmad b. Mawdūd, Ḥājī Sharīf Zandanī (per Iranica).
Nizami, K. A., 'Çiştiyye', TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 8 (1993), pp. 343-346Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering), Vol. V, Fasc. 3, pp. 333-336, section History · agreesIranica gives Abū Isḥāq, Abū Aḥmad Abdāl, family line, Yūsuf b. Samʿān, Mawdūd, Aḥmad, Ḥājī Sharīf, then Khwāja ʿUthmān.
ʿUthmān al-Hārūnīعثمان الهاروني1220two sourcesin Chishtiyya (Chishti order)sources differ
gave the khirqa · ʿUthmān al-Hārūnī to Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtī · Two independent sources
TDV's second chain: ʿUthman al-Harūni is Muʿin al-Din's shaykh.
Nizami, K. A., 'Çiştiyye', TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 8 (1993), pp. 343-346Checked against
- Trimingham, Sufi Orders in Islam (1971), trimingham_sufi-orders-in-islam_1971.txt#L3985-3991 · agreesMuʿīn al-Dīn served his master ʿUthmān Harvānī some twenty years.
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering), Vol. V, Fasc. 3, pp. 333-336, section History · agreesMuʿīn al-Dīn joined Khwāja ʿUthmān's group at Nishapur; link to the Chishti line rests 'on the tenuous link' of ʿUthmān alone.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Böwering (Iranica): Muʿīn al-Dīn's association with the Chishti tradition 'rests on the tenuous link of Ḵᵛāja ʿOṯmān alone'.Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering)
Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtīمعين الدين حسن چشتي1236one sourcein Chishtiyya (Chishti order)omits: the generations between Muʿīn al-Dīn and Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan.
family descent · Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtī to Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan · One source
The Ajmer dewans are the hereditary sajjāda-nishīn lineage descended from Muʿīn al-Dīn (family account, press and Wikipedia); intermediate generations omitted.
Wikipedia (tertiary), 'Syed Zainul Abedin'Checked against
- Wikipedia 'Syed Zainul Abedin', Lineage · agreesDescribes descent from Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti; generation counts inconsistent.
Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khanسيد علم الدين علي خان
Route 3 of 3: Chishtiyya (Chishti order)
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Abū Isḥāq Shāmīأبو إسحاق الشامي
two sourcesin Chishtiyya (Chishti order)omits: intermediaries the data does not name
gave the khirqa · Abū Isḥāq Shāmī to ʿUthmān al-Hārūnī · Two independent sources
TDV's second chain runs from Abu Ishaq through intermediate masters (Abu Ahmad b. Farasnafa, Abu Muhammad b. Ahmad, Abu Yusuf, Mawdud Chishti, Haji Sharif Zindani) to ʿUthman Harūni; intermediate steps not drawn here. Omits: Abū Aḥmad Abdāl, Yūsuf b. Muḥammad b. Samʿān, Quṭb al-Dīn Mawdūd Chishtī, Aḥmad b. Mawdūd, Ḥājī Sharīf Zandanī (per Iranica).
Nizami, K. A., 'Çiştiyye', TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 8 (1993), pp. 343-346Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering), Vol. V, Fasc. 3, pp. 333-336, section History · agreesIranica gives Abū Isḥāq, Abū Aḥmad Abdāl, family line, Yūsuf b. Samʿān, Mawdūd, Aḥmad, Ḥājī Sharīf, then Khwāja ʿUthmān.
ʿUthmān al-Hārūnīعثمان الهاروني1220two sourcesin Chishtiyya (Chishti order)sources differ
gave the khirqa · ʿUthmān al-Hārūnī to Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtī · Two independent sources
TDV's second chain: ʿUthman al-Harūni is Muʿin al-Din's shaykh.
Nizami, K. A., 'Çiştiyye', TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 8 (1993), pp. 343-346Checked against
- Trimingham, Sufi Orders in Islam (1971), trimingham_sufi-orders-in-islam_1971.txt#L3985-3991 · agreesMuʿīn al-Dīn served his master ʿUthmān Harvānī some twenty years.
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering), Vol. V, Fasc. 3, pp. 333-336, section History · agreesMuʿīn al-Dīn joined Khwāja ʿUthmān's group at Nishapur; link to the Chishti line rests 'on the tenuous link' of ʿUthmān alone.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Böwering (Iranica): Muʿīn al-Dīn's association with the Chishti tradition 'rests on the tenuous link of Ḵᵛāja ʿOṯmān alone'.Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'ČEŠTĪYA' (Gerhard Böwering)
Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtīمعين الدين حسن چشتي1236one sourcein Chishtiyya (Chishti order)omits: the generations between Muʿīn al-Dīn and Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan.
family descent · Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Chishtī to Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan · One source
The Ajmer dewans are the hereditary sajjāda-nishīn lineage descended from Muʿīn al-Dīn (family account, press and Wikipedia); intermediate generations omitted.
Wikipedia (tertiary), 'Syed Zainul Abedin'Checked against
- Wikipedia 'Syed Zainul Abedin', Lineage · agreesDescribes descent from Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti; generation counts inconsistent.
Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khanسيد علم الدين علي خان
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 Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan
1 recorded, each with the chain set it belongs to.
- Syed Zainul Abedin Ali KhanLiving, as of Oct 2026سيد زين العابدين علي خان
two sourcesin Chishtiyya (Chishti order)sources differ
successor of · Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan to Syed Zainul Abedin Ali Khan · Two independent sources
Son and successor as Dewan and sajjāda-nishīn after his father's death (undated in sources read).
Wikipedia (tertiary), 'Syed Zainul Abedin'Deccan Herald, 'Ajmer dargah chief's brother sacks…' (2017)Checked against
- Wikipedia 'Syed Zainul Abedin', Sajjada Nasheen · agreesSon of Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan, succeeded after his death.
- Deccan Herald / India TV (search listing), 2017 reports · agreesDescribes him as Dewan and sajjāda-nishīn.
Where the sources differ, side by side. We do not rule between them.
- Dewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan: holds the office as sajjāda-nishīn; the CEO of the government-appointed Dargah Committee said in 2017 that he continues in the office under the Durgah Khawaja Saheb Act, 1955 (reported by Deccan Herald, India TV).Wikipedia (tertiary), 'Syed Zainul Abedin'Deccan Herald, 'Ajmer dargah chief's brother sacks…' (2017)
- His brother Syed Alauddin Alimi (April 2017) announced that he had removed him from the spiritual headship. The Quint reads the episode as a quarrel between brothers.The Quint, 'Ajmer Dargah Row Turns Out To Be Turf War Between Brothers'Wikipedia (tertiary), 'Syed Zainul Abedin'
- Generation count: Wikipedia gives '22nd generation' and '29th successor' in different places; not reconciled.Wikipedia (tertiary), 'Syed Zainul Abedin'
How to cite
Mashraba Reader, Atlas of transmission, “Syed Ilmuddin Ali Khan”, https://www.mashraba.org/atlas/figure/ilmuddin-ali-khan (data of 31 October 2026).