Sayed Baba (Sayyad Haqaani) (Saiyed Sarawan)

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As mentioned that Hazrat Saiyed Mohammad Haqqni (Saiyed Baba) is the first founder of Khanqah, in the village of Saiyed Sarawan. But there was a long spiritual cut-off after Saiyed Baba. Sultanul Arifin Shah Arif Safi at his time rebuilt the Khanqah and revived the Sufi mission and thus this time Khanqah was named as Khanqah-e-Arifia.

Sultanul Arifin Shah Arif Safi was born in Saiyed Sarawan, Allahabad approximately in 1861/1278. He was in the lineage of Sheikh Bahuddin Usmani of Ghazna. His ancestor Sheikh Bahauddin Usmani, who was the native of Ghazna, came to India along with Saiyed Qutbuddin Madani as a commander and conquered ‘Kara Fort’ near Allahabad. Following this He stayed in Mohiuddinpur and then Charwa. At last his successors began to live in Saiyed Sarawan. All the recent landlords of Saiyed Sarawan belong to his family

Although Sultanul Arifin Hazrat Arif Safi was Sheikh Usmani from his father’s side, but his mother was Saiyyida (a daughter from the Prophet’s lineage).

Hazrat Shah Arif Safi completed his religious and moral education when he was 16 years old. At the age of 20 he went to Shah Qulhuallah Abdul Ghafur Barah Bankawi (1906A.D./1324 A.H.) for ‘baia’t’ (to become a disciple in the Sufi order). He received Ijaza (Special Sufi permission for preaching) and caliphate from his Sheikh Hazrat Qulhuallah Shah Barahbankwi who was the disciple and caliph of Hazrat Makhdoom Shah Muhammad Khadim Safipuri (1287A.H./ 1870 A.D.). This spiritual genealogy also connects to Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya Dehlawi via Head of Chishtia Safwia lineage, Hazrat Makhdoom Abd-us-Samad Shah Safi Safipuri.

After studying the whole life of Hazrat Arif Safi, you will find that he was not only a great Sufi and a true spiritual guide but also the master of Sufism. Getting trained in Islamic spirituality under his supervision his sacred and pious caliphs, propagated peaceful teachings of Islam in India and Pakistan both.

Hazrat Shah Arif Safi has written some Sufi books like:
Mathnawi Marifat (A Poetry of Divine Perception)
Deewan-e-Arif (Collection of his poetry)
Mira’t-ul-Asrar (The Mirror of Secrets)
Ganjeena-e-Asrar (The Treasure of Secrets)
He passed away on 18th Zeeqada, 1320A.H./1903A.D. During his very short span of life that is of only twenty years Sultanul Arifin propagated the teachings of Islam among people, no matter what the status and caste they belong to. It is undoubtedly a credible and unprecedented achievement in the history of Islam and Sufism.

Hazrat Sultanul Arifin appointed his elder son Hazrat Safiullah Shah, known as Shah Neyaz Ahmad (1375 A.H./1955 A.D.), as the successor of this spiritual center. Shah Neyaz Ahmad nominated his younger brother Hazrat Makhdoom Shah Ahmad Safi alias Shah Reyaz Ahmad (1400 A.H./1979) as his successor. Sheikh Abu Sayeed Shah Ehsanullah Muhammadi Safawi the present caretaker of Khanqah is the spiritual successor of Shah Ahmad Safi known as Shah Riyaz Ahmad.