Abu Ishaq Shami

Who was Abu Ishaq Shami?

Abu Ishaq Shami was a Muslim scholar who is often regarded as the founder of the Sufi Chishti Order because he was the person in the Chishti silsila who was the first to live in Chisht. The name Shami implies he came from Syria or even from Damascus. He died in Damascus and lies buried on Mount Qasiyun, where later on also Ibn Arabi was buried.

Looking at the date of his death it is considered that the Chishti Order is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, existing Sufi order. However, like the Chishtiyya, most of the Sufi orders claim a silsila starting with the Prophet Muhammad himself.