Badīʿ al-Dīn,
known as Shāh Madār,
and by the title Qutb-ul-Madar 1315–1434),
was a
Syrian
Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...
Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
who migrated to India where he founded the
Madariyya Sufi brotherhood.
He is held in high esteem as a
patron saint.
Biography
Badi' al-Din hailed originally from
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
, and was born in
Aleppo
)), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black".
, motto =
, image_map =
, mapsize =
, map_caption =
, image_map1 =
...
in 1315 CE.
In later centuries, a growing number of legends arose in relation to Badi' al-Din, which resulted in sources continuously backdating his year of birth.
These same sources also disagree about Badi' al-Din's descent.
Some state that he was a ''
sayyid'', that is, a descendant of the Islamic prophet
Muhammad, and trace his descent back to Imam
Ja'far al-Sadiq (died 765 CE).
Others mention descent from Muhammad's companion (''
sahabi'')
Abu Hurayra, who died CE.
The assertion that Badi' al-Din was a
Jew who had converted to Islam is not corroborated by other sources.
His teacher was
Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami.
After making a
pilgrimage to
Medina, he journeyed to India to spread the Islamic faith. He converted many Hindus to Islam in India.
Here he founded the
Madariyya order.
[ His tomb, built by order of Sultan Ibrahim Sharqi (1402–40),]
References
Sufi saints
Islamic philosophers
People from Aleppo
Syrian Sufi saints
Syrian emigrants
Burials in India
1315 births
1434 deaths
{{India-stub