Introduction
In terms of population, Islam is the largest religion in Pakistan, with nearly 97 percent of the people adhering to it. In the modern democratic era, Pakistan and Israel are the two states that were established on the basis of religion. Therefore, it is perhaps not surprising that the state religion of Pakistan is also Islam.
Despite Muslims being the overwhelming majority, Pakistani society remains divided into numerous sects and groups. Among them is the Saifi Sufi Order, which is relatively new in the society. The followers of this order are distinguished by their specific attire and their unique Sufi practice of dhikar known as “wajd” (ecstatic remembrance). However, this group has increasingly gained recognition by aligning itself with another Barelvi movement, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), particularly on the issue of blasphemy.
Founder Pir Saifur Rahman Mubarak
The present form of the Saifi Order does not have a very long history. It began to emerge and expand in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province during the late twentieth century, and later it gained prominence in Pakistan. The founder of the Saifi Order was Akhundzada Pir Saif ur Rahman Mubarak, who was born on 10 August 1925 in the village of Baba Klay, Tehsil Kot, District Klaywali of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. This village is located only 20 kilometers away from the famous Afghan city of Jalalabad. Pir Saif ur Rahman belonged to the Musa Khel sub-branch of the renowned Pashtun tribe, the Mohmand. This tribe is found in large numbers on both sides of the Durand Line, between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pir Saif ur Rahman received his early religious education from his father in the village of Baba Klay. For advanced religious studies, he traveled in 1940, before the partition of India, to the renowned city of Peshawar, Pakistan. For the people living on both sides of the Durand Line, the religious seminaries of Peshawar have always held a special significance. In Peshawar, Pir Saif ur Rahman studied and mastered the Quranic exegesis (Tafsir), Hadith, principles of jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh), theology (Aqaid), and Quranic recitation (Tajwid).
After completing his education, he returned to Afghanistan as a teacher. He was appointed to a madrasa in the northern Afghan city of Archi, near the border with Tajikistan, where he served as Imam, preacher, and teacher for the instruction of the Quran and Hadith. In Archi, Pir Saif ur Rahman dedicated himself to teaching the Quran and Hadith, while also establishing ties with local scholars and spiritual figures.
Spiritual Lineage
During this period, he met Shah Rasul Taleqani, a prominent elder from the nearby city of Taloqan, who belonged to the distinguished Sufi order of the Naqshbandiyya. The Naqshbandi spiritual personality of Shah Rasul deeply influenced him. As a result, Saif ur Rahman requested Shah Rasul to initiate him into the practices and litanies of the Naqshbandi order. His request was accepted, and Shah Rasul Taloqani took Saif ur Rahman into his spiritual allegiance (bay‘ah), thereby including him in the Naqshbandi tradition. At that time, Pir Saif ur Rahman was 32 years old.
When Shah Rasul Taloqani approached the end of his life, he instructed his disciples, whom he referred to as salikin (travelers on the Sufi path), to pledge discipleship to his most beloved student, Syed Hashim Samangani. After Shah Rasul Taloqani’s death, Akhundzada Saif ur Rahman became a Sufi disciple of Maulana Hashim Samangani. He quickly developed closeness with Maulana Samangani and advanced rapidly through the stages of Sufism.
After some time, when Maulana Hashim Samangani fell ill, he conferred upon Akhundzada Saif ur Rahman a limited khilafah (spiritual deputation), instructing him to provide Sufi training to all his disciples (salikin). Upon Samangani’s death, Akhundzada Pir Saif ur Rahman became his spiritual successor.
Pir Saif ur Rahman began to expand the circle of his disciples (salikin). Along with this, he also introduced new forms and expressions into the Sufi methods of remembrance (zikr). He emphasized the remembrance of the heart (zikr-e-qalb), which caused his own heartbeat and that of his disciples to accelerate, often leading them into a state of spiritual ecstasy (wajd). During this period, he traveled not only across various regions of Afghanistan but also to the tribal areas of Pakistan, where he preached his Sufi order. As a result, the number of his followers continued to increase.
Migration and Establishment in Pakistan
In 1978, a year before the entry of Soviet forces into Afghanistan, Pir Saif ur Rahman established his residence in Nowshera, a city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. However, he later moved to Bara, a town in Khyber Agency, where he was largely hosted by the Afridi tribe. In Bara, he built a mosque, along with a madrasa and a Sufi lodge (khanqah). There, alongside formal religious education, he introduced his disciples and students to his distinct style of Sufi remembrance (zikr). In fact, Bara was the place where he consolidated and revived his Sufi order.
In Khyber Agency and its adjoining tribal agencies, the majority of people followed the Deobandi school of thought, which generally disapproved of Sufism. Moreover, the entry of the Soviet Union into Afghanistan soon altered the security and ideological dynamics of the entire region. Very quickly, this area became the launching pad for the Deobandi Mujahideen fighting in Afghanistan. In these tribal areas, Mujahideen were provided not only with ideological training but also with military training. At the same time, Deobandi clerics gained increasing influence in these regions. They were actively engaged in shaping public opinion, constructing the narrative of jihad, and motivating people to join the struggle.
Conflict with Deobandi Ideology
When these Deobandi clerics observed the distinctive practices of Sufi remembrance performed by Pir Saif ur Rahman and his disciples in Khyber Agency, they not only objected to this particular style of zikr but also declared it to be contrary to Islam.
However, this contradiction largely remained at the level of verbal disputes. But after the events of 9/11, when the United States attacked Afghanistan, pro-Taliban activities once again began to emerge in this region. In Pakistan’s tribal agencies, the Taliban intensified their actions against the United States and in support of the Afghan Taliban.
During this period, a young cleric from Khyber Agency, affiliated with the Deobandi sub-branch known as the Panjpiri school of thought, Mufti Munir Shakir, established his own organization called Lashkar-e-Islam. In order to expand his influence among the people, he set up an FM radio station in Bara. Through this radio channel, he began delivering strong criticism against Pir Saif ur Rahman and his order.
In response, Pir Saif ur Rahman also launched his own FM radio station, where he not only countered Mufti Munir Shakir’s criticism but also began to challenge his theological beliefs. As a result, tensions escalated on both sides, and each party started forming its own militant groups. Mufti Munir’s faction, under the banner of Lashkar-e-Islam, took up arms, while on the other side, Pir Saif ur Rahman armed his disciples under the name Ansar-ul-Islam.
On 29 March 2006, bloody clashes erupted between the two groups, resulting in the deaths of more than two dozen people from both sides. Subsequently, a local jirga (council of elders) was convened, which, in the interest of restoring peace and stability, decided to expel both leaders—Pir Saif ur Rahman and Mufti Munir Shakir—from the area.
After the departure of Mufti Munir, the well-known Taliban commander Mangal Bagh took control of Lashkar-e-Islam. Mufti Munir Shakir himself was eventually killed much later, in March 2025, in a bomb attack.
In 2008, the Government of Pakistan formally banned both organizations—Lashkar-e-Islam and Ansar-ul-Islam—and designated them as terrorist groups due to their violent activities.
Observing the tense situation in the region, Pir Saif ur Rahman, along with his disciples, migrated from Tehsil Bara to Lahore, the capital city of Punjab province.
In Lahore, he established a settlement named Faqirabad, where he built a mosque, a madrasa, and a Sufi lodge (khanqah), and continued guiding his disciples. By that time, he had grown old, yet he remained devoted to the spiritual guidance and training of his followers. Eventually, on 27 June 2010, he passed away. He was buried in Faqirabad, where his disciples constructed a shrine over his grave. Each year, devotees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries gather there to commemorate his urs (death anniversary).
Pir Saif ur Rahman Mubarak left behind eleven sons and four daughters. After his passing, the leadership (khilafah) of the Saifi Order was assumed by his son, Pir Maulana Hameed Jan, who has been administering the order from his father’s spiritual center in Faqirabad, Lahore.
Teachings and Practices of the Saifi Order
Within the Saifi Order, emphasis is placed on the four major Sufi traditions: Naqshbandiyya, Qadiriyya, Suhrawardiyya, and Chishtiyya. Disciples (salikin) undergo spiritual training in the practices of all four orders. The disciples progress through various stages, with each stage involving specific Sufi teachings. A disciple who successfully completes the training in all four traditions is granted a khilafah certificate (authorization of spiritual succession). Such an individual then becomes responsible for training new disciples and inducting followers into the Saifi Order. The number of disciples who have obtained the khilafah certificate within the Saifi Order reaches into the thousands. These disciples establish their own khanqahs (Sufi lodges) in different regions and countries, thereby producing more Saifi disciples.
The followers or disciples of the Saifi Order generally wear a simple white shalwar kameez (traditional dress) and a large white turban on their heads. According to them, this attire is an expression of adherence to the Prophetic tradition (Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad). Keeping this Prophetic tradition in mind, disciples also prefer to grow long beards, often dyeing them with henna, while keeping their mustaches either completely trimmed or very short.
The most distinctive feature and primary source of recognition for the Saifi Order is its unique style of zikr (remembrance of God). For this practice, Saifi followers gather in their mosques or Sufi lodges (khanqahs) and perform zikr collectively under the supervision of their certified spiritual leader (khalifah). The khalifah sits on a chair or an elevated platform at the front, while the disciples arrange themselves in rows on the floor before him.
Typically, a designated reciter or chanter loudly pronounces the words of remembrance, which the disciples then repeat in unison. At the beginning of the ritual, the participants sway gently while reciting. Gradually, however, the rhythm and intensity increase, and they begin to sway and move more vigorously. The appointed khalifah also encourages and amplifies their enthusiasm. At the height of the ritual, the disciples enter into a state of complete spiritual ecstasy (wajd). They become so absorbed in the remembrance that they begin jumping and moving with such force that they often fall upon one another. Some disciples become so overwhelmed in ecstasy that they collide with the glass windows of the mosque or lodge, sometimes shattering them.
The most significant moment in the ritual—the peak of ecstasy—occurs when the disciples approach their designated khalifah one by one. With full reverence, they extend both hands to him in a gesture of greeting. As soon as a disciple places his hands in the hands of the khalifah, he experiences a state of unconsciousness accompanied by convulsions throughout his body. The khalifah then begins to move his hand slowly, and the disciple mirrors this movement while trembling in a state of spiritual seizure. When the khalifah starts shaking the disciple’s hands more forcefully, the disciple falls into a more intense fit of ecstasy or trance.
When the khalifah feels that he has transmitted enough mystical energy (kashf) to the disciple, such that the latter can withstand it, he suddenly withdraws his hands. At this moment, the disciple falls heavily to the ground in different directions. Many clutch their hands tightly under their arms and display facial expressions as if they have suffered a severe physical blow to their hands.
Their condition appears as if they have received an electric shock. Because of this, critics of the Saifi Sufi Order sometimes refer to them mockingly as the “electric current clerics” or “electric current saints.”
When a disciple falls into such a state, two or three fellow disciples are tasked with restraining him. Their responsibility is to prevent the person from collapsing onto the ground or falling on others. After a short while, however, the disciples usually regain their senses.
Regarding this state of wajd (ecstasy), the Saifi disciples explain that when they engage in the remembrance of God (zikr) in the style taught by their beloved Sufi master, Pir Saif ur Rahman, they are overcome by ecstasy. In such a condition, they say, they lose control over themselves.
When asked where this method of zikr and ecstasy is found within Islamic tradition, they respond that their practice is rooted in the teachings of renowned Sufi saints of the Indian subcontinent, such as Hazrat Baqi Billah and Hazrat Burhanuddin Rabbani. They further claim to be following the footsteps of the famous Indian religious scholar and reformer, Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani.
The Saifis identify themselves as Sunni, Hanafi, and Maturidi in jurisprudence and creed. They emphasize Sufism, spiritual remembrance (zikr), and devotion to the Prophet Muhammad (ishq-e-Rasul). They not only believe in the spiritual authority of Sufi saints (awliya karām) but also consider visiting their shrines and celebrating their annual urs ceremonies as permissible. According to their belief, the saints continue to transmit spiritual blessings (faiz) to their disciples and to all who visit their shrines, even after death.
The majority of the Saifi order’s adherents are based in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nevertheless, substantial communities also exist in Iran, India, Bangladesh, the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, and other regions, where followers have established mosques and khanqahs dedicated to sustaining their distinctive forms of devotional practice.
Political Alignments and Signs of Extremism?
These beliefs place the Saifis in alignment with the Sufi doctrines of the Barelvi movement, which is the largest Sunni group in South Asia. However, members of the Barelvi movement generally refrain from adopting the Saifi-style practices of zikr that involve falling, shaking, or convulsing during ecstasy.
However, there are certain political contexts in which some Barelvi groups and the Saifi Order appear together. Issues such as blasphemy against Islam or against the Prophet Muhammad are key points where Saifi disciples have consistently supported the Barelvi movement, Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP). It is important to note that TLP is a religious and political movement that remains highly active in Pakistan on issues related to blasphemy.The primary reason is that, like the Barelvis, the Saifis also describe themselves as ardent lovers of the Prophet (ashiq-e-rasul). One of their central teachings is that those accused of blasphemy should not be given any form of concession. Consequently, the Saifis actively participate in gatherings dedicated to the honor of the Prophet.
In 2011, when Punjab police constable Mumtaz Qadri—associated with Dawat-e-Islami—assassinated the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, the Saifis gave him special reverence for this act. In 2016, following Mumtaz Qadri’s execution, the Saifis not only attended his funeral prayers, qul khwani (third-day commemoration), and chehlum (40th-day commemoration) but also began visiting his shrine regularly, participating in his urs celebrations. They regard Mumtaz Qadri as a true lover of the Prophet.
Within Pakistan and abroad, whenever incidents of blasphemy occur, the Saifis are known to organize protests and sit-ins. However, it is notable that these demonstrations are almost always carried out under the banner of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), first under the leadership of Khadim Rizvi and later his sons Hafiz Saad Rizvi and Hafiz Anas Rizvi. Only on rare occasions have the Saifis staged protests independently under their own organizational identity.
When TLP organized its historic 2016 sit-in in Islamabad over the issue of blasphemy, the Saifis participated in large numbers. During the police crackdown on protesters, Saifi disciples were among those who resisted security forces. Following this event, Khadim Rizvi visited the Saifi Order’s headquarters in Faqirabad, Lahore. On that occasion, he praised the Saifis for their stance on blasphemy and thanked them for their support of TLP.
After Khadim Rizvi’s death, several members of the Saifi Order successfully secured positions within TLP’s central leadership. Notable among them are Maulana Tahir Saifi, M. Shahab Saifi, and Sufi Hammad Raza Saifi.
In Pakistan, when a group of lawyers established the ‘Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan,’ this private body not only documented incidents of blasphemy, particularly in online spaces, but also pursued legal cases in courts, securing convictions and punishments for the accused. However, by 2025 the commission came under severe criticism, with allegations that it had transformed into a gang-like entity deliberately entangling individuals in blasphemy cases. It was accused of extorting money through blackmail, and those unable to pay were reportedly subjected to legal prosecutions leading to convictions under blasphemy charges. When the matter was brought before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the commission defended itself by claiming innocence, arguing that it pursued cases only against individuals genuinely guilty of blasphemous acts. Notably, in these proceedings, Chaudhry Rizwan Ahmed Saifi—affiliated with the Saifi order and serving as the head of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s Islamabad Zone—played a leading role in defending the commission. He is also recognized as the chief legal advisor of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.
Conclusion
In this context, it becomes evident that on certain issues—particularly blasphemy—the Saifi order demonstrates both a capacity for militancy and a discourse that legitimizes such an orientation. Within Pakistani society, which is already marked by multiple social movements and the challenges of diversity, the activism of the Saifi order constitutes yet another wake-up call concerning the intersection of religion, law, and politics.
The Saifi Sufi Order presents a complex picture of contemporary Sufism in Pakistan. Spiritually, it seeks to blend the legacies of four major Sufi traditions, emphasizing passionate devotion and ecstatic rituals. Yet its confrontations with rival groups, its transformation into a militant organization in Khyber Agency, and its alignment with TLP on blasphemy reveal a troubling tendency toward extremism.
In a society already struggling with sectarian diversity and militant religiosity, the Saifi Silsila reflects both the enduring vitality of Sufi traditions and the growing challenges posed by politicization and intolerance.
References
- Abubakar Siddique, “Pakistan’s Islamist Militia Ansar Ul-Islam and Its Fight for Influence,” Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, January 29, 2013.
- Ken Lizzio, Ritual and Charisma in Naqshbandi Sufi Mysticism (ANPERA, February 21, 2007), ISSN 1653-6355.
- Quarterly Anwar-e-Riza, 3rd Quarter, 2008
- Mahnama al-Saif al-Sarim. February 2009. Lahore: Idarah Muhammadiyah Saifiyah Rawai Rayan.
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