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.
محمد الزاهد
Muḥammad al-Zāhid
In the order's own chain
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: Naqshbandiyya. Tap a rule to read its basis, sources and checks.
Sources differ on 10 links of this route.
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Bahāʾ al-Dīn Naqshbandبهاء الدين نقشبند1389
two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · Bahāʾ al-Dīn Naqshband to Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī · Two independent sources
Named by TDV among Naqshband's khalifas; Charkhī's disciple Aḥrār spread the order.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Bahâeddin Nakşibend' (Hamid Algar)Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'BAHĀʾ-AL-DĪN NAQŠBAND' (Hamid Algar), Vol. III, Fasc. 4, pp. 433-435 · agreesYaʿqūb Charkhī (d. 851/1448) a third khalifa, who initiated Aḥrār.
Yaʿqūb-i Charkhīيعقوب الچرخي1447two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī to ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrār · Two independent sources
Aḥrār joined Charkhī's circle in 834/1431 and received the khilāfa.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Ubeydullah Ahrâr'Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'AḤRĀR, ḴᵛĀJA ʿOBAYDALLĀH' (John Michael Rogers), Vol. I, Fasc. 6, pp. 667-670 · agreesAḥrār found his pīr at Chaghāniyān in the Naqshbandī Yaʿqūb Charkhī of Badakhshān.
ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrārعبيد الله أحرار1490two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrār to Muḥammad al-Zāhid · Two independent sources
Order's own chain lists Muḥammad al-Zāhid after Aḥrār (state: order's own account).
the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'BĀQĪBELLĀH NAQŠBANDĪ' (Johan ter Haar), Vol. III, Fasc. 7, pp. 728-729 · agreesMuḥammad Zāhed Vakhshī is named as one of Aḥrār's principal khalifas.
Muḥammad al-Zāhidمحمد الزاهد
Other routes (2)
Route 2 of 3: Naqshbandiyya
Sources differ on 9 links of this route.
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Bahāʾ al-Dīn Naqshbandبهاء الدين نقشبند1389
two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · Bahāʾ al-Dīn Naqshband to Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī · Two independent sources
Named by TDV among Naqshband's khalifas; Charkhī's disciple Aḥrār spread the order.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Bahâeddin Nakşibend' (Hamid Algar)Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'BAHĀʾ-AL-DĪN NAQŠBAND' (Hamid Algar), Vol. III, Fasc. 4, pp. 433-435 · agreesYaʿqūb Charkhī (d. 851/1448) a third khalifa, who initiated Aḥrār.
Yaʿqūb-i Charkhīيعقوب الچرخي1447two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī to ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrār · Two independent sources
Aḥrār joined Charkhī's circle in 834/1431 and received the khilāfa.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Ubeydullah Ahrâr'Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'AḤRĀR, ḴᵛĀJA ʿOBAYDALLĀH' (John Michael Rogers), Vol. I, Fasc. 6, pp. 667-670 · agreesAḥrār found his pīr at Chaghāniyān in the Naqshbandī Yaʿqūb Charkhī of Badakhshān.
ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrārعبيد الله أحرار1490two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrār to Muḥammad al-Zāhid · Two independent sources
Order's own chain lists Muḥammad al-Zāhid after Aḥrār (state: order's own account).
the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'BĀQĪBELLĀH NAQŠBANDĪ' (Johan ter Haar), Vol. III, Fasc. 7, pp. 728-729 · agreesMuḥammad Zāhed Vakhshī is named as one of Aḥrār's principal khalifas.
Muḥammad al-Zāhidمحمد الزاهد
Route 3 of 3: Naqshbandiyya
Sources differ on 8 links of this route.
- The Prophet Muhammadمحمد632
- Bahāʾ al-Dīn Naqshbandبهاء الدين نقشبند1389
two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · Bahāʾ al-Dīn Naqshband to Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī · Two independent sources
Named by TDV among Naqshband's khalifas; Charkhī's disciple Aḥrār spread the order.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Bahâeddin Nakşibend' (Hamid Algar)Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'BAHĀʾ-AL-DĪN NAQŠBAND' (Hamid Algar), Vol. III, Fasc. 4, pp. 433-435 · agreesYaʿqūb Charkhī (d. 851/1448) a third khalifa, who initiated Aḥrār.
Yaʿqūb-i Charkhīيعقوب الچرخي1447two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · Yaʿqūb-i Charkhī to ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrār · Two independent sources
Aḥrār joined Charkhī's circle in 834/1431 and received the khilāfa.
TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 'Ubeydullah Ahrâr'Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'AḤRĀR, ḴᵛĀJA ʿOBAYDALLĀH' (John Michael Rogers), Vol. I, Fasc. 6, pp. 667-670 · agreesAḥrār found his pīr at Chaghāniyān in the Naqshbandī Yaʿqūb Charkhī of Badakhshān.
ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrārعبيد الله أحرار1490two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · ʿUbaydullāh Aḥrār to Muḥammad al-Zāhid · Two independent sources
Order's own chain lists Muḥammad al-Zāhid after Aḥrār (state: order's own account).
the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'BĀQĪBELLĀH NAQŠBANDĪ' (Johan ter Haar), Vol. III, Fasc. 7, pp. 728-729 · agreesMuḥammad Zāhed Vakhshī is named as one of Aḥrār's principal khalifas.
Muḥammad al-Zāhidمحمد الزاهد
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 Muḥammad al-Zāhid
1 recorded, each with the chain set it belongs to.
- Darwīsh Muḥammadدرويش محمد
two sourcesin Naqshbandiyya
initiation · Muḥammad al-Zāhid to Darwīsh Muḥammad · Two independent sources
Order's own chain.
the community's own account: naqshbandi.org, 'Origins' (Naqshbandi Haqqani Order's own golden chain)Checked against
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'BĀQĪBELLĀH NAQŠBANDĪ' (Johan ter Haar), Vol. III, Fasc. 7, pp. 728-729 · agreesDarvīsh named as a khalifa of Muḥammad Zāhed Vakhshī.
How to cite
Mashraba Reader, Atlas of transmission, “Muḥammad al-Zāhid”, https://www.mashraba.org/atlas/figure/muhammad-zahid (data of 31 October 2026).