India has produced some of the world’s greatest religious leaders, sages, saints, philosophers, and spiritual thinkers. They were monks, nuns, and renunciates, nationalists, and reformers. No one religion had a monopoly on them. They range from Mahavira and Buddha, who lived over 2,500 years ago, to medieval saints like Chishti, Avvaiyar, and Guru Nanak, to more recent philosophers and religious icons such as Vivekananda, Ramakrishna, Saint Teresa, and many others. The spiritual and philosophical heritage they left behind is India’s gift to all Indians and the world.

In the ‘Life Lessons’ series we publish the essential teachings of some of India’s best-known spiritual teachers, along with commentaries and biographical notes. Each book will be a handy companion to help the reader along the difficult pathways of life.

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Nizamuddin Auliya (1238–1325), also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, is one of the most revered of the Sufi saints in the subcontinent and the founder of the Chishti Nizami order. Born in Badaun in great poverty, he chose to dedicate his life to the Sufi vision of love and peace and service to the poor. At the age of twenty, he became a disciple of the Sufi saint known as Baba Farid (of Ajodhan), and eventually took over as his spiritual successor. Renowned for his simplicity, he emphasized that love and service to humanity was the way to realize God. Nizamuddin Auliya’s religious vision was imbued with a strong sense of plurality. He believed in the unity of mankind and decried all distinctions based on social or economic inequalities. His life was marked by a disregard for religious orthodoxy and political hegemony. He left an indelible mark on the city where he lived and his disciples spread the message of Sufism all over the world. Centuries later, his teachings continue to inspire his followers who flock to his dargah in Delhi in search of solace and guidance.

Edited by Bela Upadhyay, this volume collects together some of Hazrat Nizamuddin’s core teachings.