Hazrat Ishaan

Two paternal Sayyid lineages of him are currently known. From one line he is a direct descendant of the seventh Imam Musa al Kadhim, through his son Ibrahim al Murtadha and of the well known Sufi master Khwaja Sayyid Mir Alauddin Atar. Sayyid Alauddin Atar was the successor and son in law of Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband. Therefore, Hazrat Ishaan is also from the progeny of Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband, who was himself a descendant of the eleventh Imam Hasan al Askari, through his son Sayyid Ali Akbar as well as Sayyid Abdul Qadir Gilani through his grandmother. Hazrat Ishaan Saheb is also known to have a familiary relationship with the Sufi saint Farid ul-din Attar and Khwaja Ubaidullah Ahrar. Khwaja Ahrar was his ancestor, which also indicates Hazrat Ishaans descent from Caliph Umar ibn Al Khattab[1]

From his maternal line Hazrat Ishaan is of Hashimi descent from two lines. One line is linked to Imam Hussein though his maternal grandfather Mirak ibn Zayn ul Abideen. Another line is linked to Imam Muhammad Ibn al Hanafiyyah.

Hazrat Ishaan was the second son of Khwaja Sayyid Mir Sharif Naqshbandi. His older brother was Khwaja Khawand Muhammad Naqshbandi, known as Khwaja Khawand Aftab, who also was a saint. Hazrat Ishaan had issued 5 daughters and 6 sons, who are all regarded as saints.

Hazrat Ishaan was a descendant of Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Hazrat Ishaan was influenced by his ancestors´ teachings and was therefore a disciple of his father. Hazat Ishaan was granted permission from his father to study in a royal college and had become an accomplished scholar. In the age of 23 years Hazrat Ishaan Shah Saheb has received a letter to visit his father and to accompany him in his last days.[2] Upon his father, passing away, he concentrated on the mystical quest.[3] In this he first left to Wakhsh,[4] where he became Shaykh ul Islam, performing his duties there.[5] While staying in Wakhsh, he got to know Khwaja Hajji.[6] They have met a second time in Balkh, where Khwaja Hajji has introduced him to his future master Khwaja Ishaq Dahbidi and has become his disciple.[7] He met him the second time in Bokhara and has become his disciple.[8] After twelve years of spiritual training Hazrat Ishaan Saheb has reached the level of a Shaykh in Tasawuff in year 1598.[9] Khwaja Ishaq Wali has welcomed him in his circle as the "Shahanshah-e-Awliya" (English: Emperor of all Saints of the time). On the advise of Khwaja Ishaq Wali Hazrat Ishaan Saheb went to Lahore to propagate the Ishaqqiya path. Instead he went to Srinagar in Kashmir. In Srinagar he attracted many people, who have later followed him. The fame of his piety has reached many areas of Central Asia.[10] Hundreds of thousands of disciples in Khorasan, modern-day Afghanistan, especially in the cities of Kandahar, Kabul and Herat, followed him. He has sent disciples in all over Central Asia under, whom 2 have been sent to Tibet. Unlike other Naqshbandi Masters he attracted many people, who were not only official patronages.[11] Hazrat Khwaja Khawand Mahmud was invited by the Moghul Emperor Jahangir to attend to his court in Agra. Attending there several times, he was able to create firm connections to the court, because Jahangir was a disciple of his. Jahangir firmly believed in him, being taught by his father Akbar that he was born through Hazrat Ishaan´s prayers, when Akbar desperately wished to have a child.[12] Becoming entangled in the struggle against the Shia community there, Moghul emperor Shah Jahan evacuated him in year 1636 to Delhi. Hazrat Ishaan spent his last six years in Lahore, where Jahangir's son Shah Jahan has built a Palace for him, that later became his mausoleum.[13][14][15]