Hazrat Khawaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi

This great saint of 19th centuary was born in 1799 AD (1214 AH); and he was born of a religious family in the Shahpur district of Punjab (now known as Sargodha distrcit). The parents selected the name Shams al-Din for their newborn son. Later on, he became famous as Shams al-‘Arifin (the sun of the gnostics, i.e. those who possess true knowledge of Allah). This is an appellation by which the grand Shaykh of Siyal, Khawaja Muhammad Shams al-Din Siyalwi is known. He is Alwi by genealogy, being a descendant of the fourth Khalifah Ali Ibn Abi Talib (but not Fatimi).

Long before his birth, a great saint of Multan, Ghaus Baha -ul-Haq Zakarya Multani, while traveling to Bhera, got down from his horse when he was right at the place where now the tomb of Khwaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi is situated, and picked handful of soil and kissed it. His disciples were astonished by this gesture. Upon their insistence, he revealed to them that a Ghaus would be born there. He had become the hafiz-e-Quran (one who remembers Quran by heart) at the age of 7 years and went to some of the renowned institutions to get religious education. He went as far as Kabul where he was awarded Sand-e-Hadith (certification of hadith). The most important of his journeys was to Taunsa Sharif (Distt. Dera Ghazi Khan), where he became a devotees (Mureed, Devoted follower) of Khawja Shah Suleiman Taunsvi

He went to Mecca twice to perform pilgrimage (Hajj). He was a staunch follower of Quran and Sunnah. His teachings played an important role in reviving the spirit of Islam in Muslims after Christians Missionarys and oppression by Sikhs.

He established an institute for religious education-he himself used to teach there. Some of his students went to become known Islamic scholars in the subcontinent. Miraat Ul Ashqeen is famous book based on his sayings and unique thoughts. After his death his son Khawja Allama Muhammad Ud Din Sialvi was granted "Khilafat" by Peer Pathan of Tonsa Sharif. As a "Sajada Nasheen" he fulfilled all his duties and did his best in serving Islam. He was a torch bearer of "Khandan e Chisht". Hazrat Khawja Shams-ud-din Sialvi died on 24th of Safar 1300 A.H (4 January 1883 AD).

He was buried in Sial Sharif, where his grave is visited by tens of thousands of visitors every year.

Spiritual Genealogy (Shajarah) of the silsilah Chistiyah Nizamiayh Sialviyah

Shams-ud-din was a disciple and Khalifa of Khwaja Muhammad Sulaiman Taunsvi in the Silsila-e-Chishtia Nizamiyah. The following is the shajarah (spiritual genealogy) of the Sialvi silsilah:

1. Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)
2. Ali ibn Abu Talib (karrama Allah wajhahu)
3. Khwaja Hasan al-Basri
4. Khwaja Abdul Waahid Bin Zaid
5. Khwaja Fuzeel Ibn-e-Ayaaz
6. Khwaja Sultan Ibrahim Bin Adham
7. Khwaja Sadeed-ud-din
8. Khwaja Ameen-ud-din
9. Khwaja Mumshaad
10. Khwaja Abi Ishaq Shami Chishti
11. Khwaja Syed Abi Ahmad Abdal Chishti
12. Khwaja Syed Abi Muhammad Chishti
13. Khwaja Syed Nasir-ud-din Chishti
14. Khwaja Syed Qutb-ud-din Maudud Chishti
15. Khwaja Makhdum Haji Sharif
16. Khwaja Usman Harooni
17. Khwaja Syed Moin-ud-din Chishti of Ajmer Sharif
18. Khwaja Syed Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki
19. Khwaja Baba Fareed-ud-din Ganjshakar
20. Khwaja Syed Nizaam-ud-din Awlia
21. Khwaja Naseer-ud-din Charagh-e-Delhi
22. Khwaja Kamaal-ud-din
23. Khwaja Siraaj-ud-din
24. Khwaja I’lm-ud-din
25. Khwaja Mehmood Rajan
26. Khwaja Jamaal-ud-din Juman
27. Khwaja Jamaal-ud-din Hasan Muhammad Nuri
28. Khwaja Qutb Shams-ud-din Muhammad
29. Khwaja Muhammad
30. Khwaja Kaleem Ullah Jahanabadi
31. Khwaja Nizaam-ud-din Aurongabadi
32. Khwaja Fakhr-ud-din
33. Khwaja Nur Muhammad Mahaarvi
34. Khwaja Muhammad Sulaiman Taunsvi
35. Khwaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi (Pir Sial of Sial Sharif)

Great disciples

 The most well known "Khulafa" (appointed successors) of Hazrat Khawja Shams Ud Din Sialvi were;

1. Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad of Naushera;
2. Khawja Per Mehr Ali Shah Sahb Golra Sharif;
3. Qazi Mian Ahmed Sahb;
4. Khawja Muazam-ud-din Sahb Muazamabadi;
5. Ameer Shah Sahb Bhervi;
6. Khawja Syed Ghulam Haider Shah Jalalpuri;
7. Khawja Syed Muhammad Saeed Shah Zanjani Lahorvi;
8. Khawja Syed Muhammad Hasan Shah Gilani;
9. Khawja Syed Niaz Ali Sahb Gardezi;
10. Mirza Nawab Baig Sahb Delhvi; and
11. Mulla Khushnud Yusafzai Sahb (Kabul).
12. Ghareeb Niwaz Aziz-ud-Din Chacharwi