Khwajagan

Khwājagān(shortened/singular forms:Khwaja,Khaja(h),Khawajaorkhuwaja) is aPersiantitle for"the Masters".Khwajagan, as the plural for "Khwāja", is often used to refer to a network ofSufisinCentral Asiafrom the 10th to the 16th century who are often incorporated into laterNaqshbandihierarchies, as well as other Sufi groups, such as theYasaviyya.In Firdowsi'sShahnamathe word is used many times for some rulers and heroes of ancientIranas well. The specialzikrof the Khwajagan is called 'Khatm Khajagan'.

Interest in the Khwajagan was revived in the 20th century with the publication inTurkeyofHacegan Hanedanı,byHasan Lütfi Şuşud(pronouncedShushud),Istanbul,1958. His sources included:

• Reşahat Ayn el-Hayat, compiled by Mevlana Ali Bin Huseyin Safi, A.H. 993.
• Nefahat el-Uns min Hazerat el-Kuds, byNuraddin Abdurrahman Jami,A.H. 881.
• Risale-i Bahaiyye, by Rif'at Bey.
• Semerat el-Fuad, by Sari Abdullah.
• Enis ut-Talibin wa Iddet us-Salikin Makamat-i Muhammed Bahaeddin Nakshibend, by Salahaddin Ibn'i Mubarek al-Buhari, Istanbul, A.H. 1328.

A short translation of Shushud's work byJ. G. Bennettwas published inSystematics – study of multi-term systemsVolume 6, No. 4 March 1969,Muhtar Holland's full length translationMasters of Wisdom of Central Asiawas published byCoombe Springs pressin 1983. J. G. Bennett also wrote a full-length work loosely based on Shushud's original.

Some authors such asIdries ShahandJohn Godolphin Bennettmaintain thatGeorge Ivanovich Gurdjieff's 'Fourth Way' originated with the Khwajagan.

Prominent Khwajagan

Prominent Central Asian Khwajagan included:

• Khwaja Ubaidullah Ahrar
• Yusuf Hamdani
• Khwaja Ahmad Yasavi
• Abdul Khaliq Gujduvani
• Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari
• Maulana Nur ad-Din Abd ar-Rahman Jami
• Nur Chashme Khwajagan Sayyid Mir Jan

See also

• Malamati
• Sarmoung Brotherhood
• Shamballa

Bibliography

• Beads of Dew from the Source of Lifeby Mawlana Ali ibn Husain Safi,ISBN1-882216-21-0
• The Way of the SufibyIdries Shah,ISBN0-900860-80-4
• Gurdjieff: A Very Great EnigmabyJ.G. Bennett,ISBN0-87728-216-1
• Masters Of Wisdom: An Esoteric History of the Spiritual Unfolding of Life on This PlanetbyJ.G. Bennett,ISBN0-87728-466-0
• Masters Of Wisdom of Central Asiaby Hasan Shusud,ISBN0-900306-93-9
• The Teachers of GurdjieffbyRafael Lefort,ISBN0-87728-213-7
• The Naqshbandi Sufi Way, History and Guidebook of the Saints of the Golden Chainby Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Kazi Publications, USA (1995),ISBN0-934905-34-7

External links

• Online Copy of a short version of Shushud'sMasters of Wisdom,translated by J. G. Bennett and published inSystematics
• The Riddle of Balkh, the Elevated Candle
• Gurdjieff and Sufism