In the fifteenth century, the Qadiri order was brought to the Indian subcontinent. The Deccan was the location of its original centre. Eventually, another center was founded in Uch, Punjab, which was independent of it. Shihabuddin Ahmad I (1422-1436), the Bahamani ruler of Gulbarga, is said to have sent an envoy to Kirman, where Shah Nematullah Wali, a khalifah of the Shaykh, lived, and initiated the Sultan as his disciple from a distance after being impressed by the spiritual fame and miraculous abilities of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani's descendants.

In order to serve as his spiritual tutor, the Sultan later asked his mentor to send his son, Khalilullah, to his court. The Shaykh sent his grandson, Mir Nurullah, the son of Khalilullah, because he did not want to part with his only son. He was treated with the utmost respect by the Sultan, who named the town Ni'amatabad in his honor. Shah Khalilullah brought his other sons to the Deccan to join his son when Shaykh Ni'matullah passed away in 1431. The Qadiri's influence in the Deccan was increased while that of the spiritual successors of Gesu Daraz and the Chishti order was significantly diminished by the presence of Shah Ni'matullah's son and grandsons in the Bahamanid Sultanate.

In the second half of the 15th century a Qadiri khanqah was established in Uch near Multan, making Punjab the second Indian centre of the Qadiri activities. The khanqah was founded by Shaykh Muhammad al Husaini al Jilani, known as Muhammad Ghawth (d. 1517), who was a direct descendant of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir through his son, Abd al Wahhab. Shaykh Muhammad al Husaini al Jilani, was succeeded by his son, Shaykh Abd al Qadiri Sani, who in turn was succeeded for a brief period of time by his son, Abd ur Razzaq (d. 1535) and then his grandson, Shaykh Hamid (d.1571).

Shaykh Hamid achieved great popularity amongst the masses. His two sons, Shaykh Abdul Qadir and Shaykh Musa, both had the ambition of becoming their father's khalifas. The matter reached the court of Akbar, who disliked Shaykh Abdul Qadir and favoured Shaykh Musa over him. Therefore, while the people of Uch considered Abdul Qadir to be his father's khalifah, the court of Akbar and the Sufis associated with it considered the khalifah to be Shaykh Musa. One of the greatest disciples of Shaykh Musa was Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlawi.

However, Shaykh Dawud was the most notable disciple and successor of Shaykh Hamid. When he had a dream in which the Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani told him to look for Shaykh Hamid as his mentor, he was already an ascetic and a traveling dervish. He accomplished this with success and went on to gain notoriety for his devotions and superior spirituality. He would give away all of the gifts that had gathered in his home once or twice a year, save just a pot and a mat for himself. Approximately 100,000 people would gather close to Sheikh Jilani's Shergarh khanqah to partake in these presents on the anniversaries of his birth and death. He was succeeded by his nephew and son-in-law, Shaykh Abul Maali (d.1554), who was an accomplished poet, writing under the pen name of Ghurbati. Among his admirers was Shaykh Abdul Haqq Muhaddis Dehlawi.

It was during a short stay in the khanqah of Shaykh Abul Ma'ali in Lahore that he completed the Persian translation of Abdul Qadir Jilani's, Futuh al Ghayb, and furnished it with a commentary, Miftah-i Futuh (Key to Futuh).

Shaykh Abdul Haqq (1551-1642) was initiated into the Qadiri order by his pir, Shaykh Musa, who was close to Akbar as well as his courtiers, Abul Fazl and Faizi, but he did not share his pir's liking for life at the imperial court. He soon left Agra and returned to Delhi. He stayed there for a while and then travelled to Makkah where he studied under Shaykh Abdul Wahhab Muttaqi al Qadiri al Shazili, who taught him the importance of strengthening one's beliefs within the framework of the shariah, following this with an analysis of Sufi works dealing with the concept of wahdat al wujud. This counsel appears to have been heeded, as Abdul Haqq's writings consistently strike a balance between the application of the law and mysticism. Among his spiritual instructors and friends are Khwaja Baqi Billah, the Naqshbandi, and Shah Abul Maali Qadiri. He is also recognized for having written a letter to his principal opponent on the subject of wahdat al wujud, Ahmad Sirhindi the Mujaddid, who was his contemporary.

His devotion to Abdul Qadir al Jilani was proverbial. His work, Akhbarul Akhyar (Notes about the Pious), relating to Indian Sufis, is prefaced by a long biography of the Shaykh. As already mentioned, he translated his work, Futuh al Ghayb, into Persian. He shared, to a large extent, the world view of Ibn Arabi though he believed that some of his propositions were difficult for the uninitiated to understand. Nonetheless, he was a most ardent defender and exponent of Ibn Arabi's doctrine of wahdat al wujud and wrote commentaries on controversial passages in Ibn Arabi's work in order to convince the ulama of their true significance. However, he was also a great scholar of the hadith, and some consider his works on the hadith to be more valuable than anything else he might have written.

Miyan Mir and others like him embodied a different kind of mystical sensitivity and devotional zeal in addition to the mysticism developed from theological stance by the scholarly Sufis. Miyan Mir, also known as Mir Muhammad, (1531-1635) was a contemporary of Abdul Haqq, but was not well educated like him and spoke only the local Sindi dialect. Miyan Mir's pir, Shaykh Khizr, was a Sufi mentioned in Dara Shikoh's Sakinatul Auliya (The Ship of Saints) as a passionate believer in poverty and asceticism. After receiving guidance from him, Miyan Mir went on to Lahore to seek knowledge from the Sufis living there. His fame quickly spread, and he was forced to temporarily leave the town. According to one of the myths about him, he was ill and had a dream in which Sheikh Jilani showed up and healed him of his illness. His philosophy of life was based on trust in God, or tawakkul. It is said that he used to throw out water on a hot Lahore evening to ensure that none remained for the next day. He disapproved of Sufis such as Shaykh Bahauddin Zakariyya, a well-known Suhrawardi shaykh who received expensive presents, and questioned his spiritual accomplishments. Even the Sufi tradition of donning a patched cloak was attacked by him since it unnecessarily highlighted the Sufis, who were then regularly presented with offerings. He himself was not dressed in a khirqa and felt that the student was connected to his master and to the Sufi order by the bay'a, or pledge, rather than by the khirqa.

The most well-known of Miyan Mir's followers was Mulla Shah, the renowned pir of Prince Dara Shikoh, Shah Muhammad (1584-1661). He had his early education in the small Central Asian village of Badakhshan, where he was born. He later travelled to Balkh to study Arabic and theology. He then relocated to Srinagar, Kashmir, where he spent the ensuing years. He later chose to follow Miyan Mir after learning about him while on a trip across Hindustan. He found in him the perfect pir. Miyan Mir was singularly proud of Mulla Shah and prophesied that the Qadiri silsila would gain fame through him. He remained celibate throughout his life, never missing his obligatory prayers, even when sick, and was considered an unsurpassed master of dhikr, as well as a great adept of breath control, or habs-i nafs.

A number of works written by the prince have the Sufis and Sufism as their subject: Safinat ul Auliya (The Ship of Saints a biographical dictionary of the saints, both dead and living), Sakinat ul Auliya (The Peace of the Saints an account of Miyan Mir, his saintly sister Bibi Jamal Khatun and the Miyan's disciples), Risala-i Haqq-numa (The Treatise of the True Guide an exposition of Sufism), Hasanat ul Arifin (The Beauty of the Gnostics a compilation of mystical utterances and sayings of the Sufis). He had also, with the assistance of Sanskrit pandits, translated about 50 Upanishads into Persian and compiled them in a text known as Sirr-i Akbar (The Greatest Secret). In his introduction to it, he claimed that the Upanishads represented the 'hidden books' mentioned in the Qur'an. He saw in them an explanation of the concept of wahdat al wujud. It was through Dara Shikoh's Persian Upanishads that these texts first became known in the West. His other important work is Majma ul Bahrain (The Meeting Place of Two Oceans) known in Sanskrit as Samudara Sangam, in which he expressed his discovery of significant parallels between Hinduism and Islam. He said that there were no fundamental differences between the two religions, making detailed comparisons of related concepts. He also composed verses with mystical themes in Persian and Hindi.

Hazrath Shaikh Amanullah Panipati, also known as Hazrath Shaikh Aman Panipati, was a prominent figure among the saints of the Qadiri order in the sixteenth century. Many Hindus were drawn to him because of his mystic beliefs and his interpretation of Ibn 'Arabi's views. Unquestionably, the saints' interpretations of the idea of wahdat-ul wujud drew the attention of other Hindu saints and fostered an atmosphere that encouraged harmony among the community.

The Advent of Qadiri Order in South India

Sufi saints would have appeared in South India during the start of the 7th century A.D., when Islam first emerged. It was via Arab trade and commerce that Islam and later Sufism made their way into Karnataka. Along with Arab traders, who are identified in inscriptions as Tajjikas, Sufism initially made its way to the Western Coast.

In Karnataka, the first mention of a Sufi saint dates to 1301 A.D. The first saint to visit Gulbarga was Hazrat Sayyid Shah Hisamud-din-Teighbarana. His mausoleum is currently situated in the fort close to Jagath Talab in Gulbarga. Nurulla Qadiri from the Vijayanagara era (1336-1565 A.D.) is mentioned once more. In his honor, a tomb was built at Kadi Ramapuram in the Bellary district's Hospet.

A number of Muslim dynasties ruled over Karnataka. The first Muslim dynasty to flourish in North Karnataka was the Bahamanis (1347-1538 A.D.), followed by the Adil Shahis (1489-1686 A.D.) during the fourteenth century. Following them, the Mughals, the Barid Shahis of Bidar, the Nizams of Hyderabad, and the Nawabs of Savanur ruled over North Karnataka. Haider Ali and his son Tippu Sultan ruled over the southern region of Karnataka from 1761 to 1799 A.D. Karnataka provided a friendly geographical and cultural home for Sufi flourishing and popularity during the Muslim era. Like the general populace, the Karnataka kings and queens supported Sufism. Because of the friendly atmosphere and the people's genuine concern, Sufi saints from North India, Persia, Arabia, and Baghdad migrated here.

Karnataka was home to a variety of Sufis, including literates, warriors, reformists, landed aristocrats, and dervishes. Sufism has been institutionalized and organized in a variety of ways. It has the practice of taking the pupil into the order (silsilah) and the concept of pir (master) and perzad (pupil). In India, there prevailed six orders and in Karnataka, four orders, namely Chishti, Qadiri, Sattariya and Suhrawardiyya thrived.

It is believed that during the reign of King Firuz Shah Bahman, Hazrat Shah Ruknud-din Tola of the Qadiri order arrived in Gulbarga prior to Gesu Daraz. His dargah is currently at Gulbarga, close to Chor Gumbad. Syed Muhammad Gesu Daraz was a leading figure in the early history of Islamic mysticism in Gulbarga. In 1424 A.D., King Sultan Ahmad Shah I moved his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar. Numerous prominent Sufi saints resided in the region during the Bahamani era. In Bidar, there are up to 37 Sufi saints known as darghas. The descendants of Gulbarga's Gesu Daraz dynasty significantly increased their power in the Bidar area. When Sufi saints from several orders, including Chishti and Qadiri, arrived in Bidar, the Sultans generously assisted them in spreading Sufi doctrine.

Syed Tajuddin is said to have played a vital role in bringing the social and cultural synthesis in Bidar. He was born in Khorasan, a city of Iran, and came to Kalyana (Bidar) in 1387 A.D. He was popularly called “Raja Bagh Sawar” of Kalyana and was also one of the prominent followers of Gesu Daraz of Gulbarga and at the instruction of his master; he came to Kalyana and commenced his Sufi activities. He was also respected by the Bahamani King Alaud-din II (1435-1457 A.D). After his death in 1397 A.D., his dargah was constructed near the Inspection Bungalow at Bidar. Today, Syed Tajuddin’s dargah has a special reputation as a major destination for both Hindus and Muslims.

In the Bahamani realm, Syed Ismail Qadiri from Bagdad occupied a prominent position and seems to have been a favorite of King Alaud-din II. He had an excellent relationship with the Hindu Brahmana folks who lived nearby. Syed Ismail Qadiri’s dargah is situated in Ghorwad, next to Bhalki, a taluka unit in the Bidar district.

Qadiri Order Settlements in Kayalpattanam

By the twelfth century, Sufis had moved to various parts of the Indian Ocean, particularly as a result of the political unrest in West Asia. As a result, the Sufis entered their new countries with the help of merchants. The terms “Thayka” and “Tekke” are also commonly used in Tamil to refer to Sufi hospices, and occasionally they are used to refer to Sufi tombs. While the Sufi hospices in Kayalpattnam were formerly well-known by the same name, this change may take place in the future. In pre-modern times, the Malabar Coast also used the terms “Tekke” and “Thakiya” to refer to Sufi hospices.

In the eighteenth century two important Sufis Thayka Sahib I (1777-1855) and Thayka Sahib II (1778-1850) resided in another Thayka which was a site of the Qadiri path of Sufism in the town. The laity was initiated to this path by Sayyid Muhammad al-Bukhari (1732-1793 CE) who resided in Kannur of modern Kerala. Thayka Sahib I was established around this Qadiriyya hospice and later the influence of this Tariqa expanded in Kayalpattanam. At present these Thaykas were used by the Qadiri devotees to perform Haddad and Bukhari Ratheebs as part of the everyday devotional practices of the Muslim community of Kayalpattnam.

In these Thaykas, a large number of people still attend the yearly Sufi festival known as Kanthuri. In Kayalpattanam, separate Thaykas were designated for women, and women regularly visited these Thaykas. They devoted their time to spiritual pursuits, prayer, and Dhikr. The shrine of Sayyidat Bint Abdul Qadir Wali, a female Sufi, is located in a Thayka that is today known as Sadakkathulla Appa Thayka. In the Thayka of Sahib Wali I, another female saint, Sayyidat Meera Umm al-Wali (d. 1825 CE), was buried. In northern India throughout the Sultanate and Mughal eras, Thayka is generally unknown. At the same time, the Thaykas are primarily observed in pre-modern times around the Indian Ocean’s coasts.