A Qayyum is a special spiritual position in Sufism, especially in the Naqshbandi tradition. The term was first coined by Ahmed Sirhindi, who was the first qayyum. According to him, a qayyum is a dignitary upon whom the whole order of existence depends. The word is derived from Al-Qayyum, a name of God in Islam that has the same meaning. According to the doctrine, only one qayyum is alive at any particular time.
The first four qayyums
The first qayyum was Ahmed Sirhindi. The second was Ahmed Sirhindi's third son, Khwaja Muhammad Masum Faruqi, who was followed by his son Khwaja Muhammad Hujjat-ullah Naqshband. The fourth qayyum was Khwaja Muhammad Zubair, the grandson of Khwaja Naqshband.
Other claimed Qayyums
Several other influential Sufis have claimed the title of qayyum.
Mirza Mazhar Jan-e-Janaan was an important saint of the Naqshbandi Sufi order in the 18th century. He was also a renowned poet of modern Urdu. Shah Waliullah, an Islamic scholar contemporary with Mirza Mazhar, is quoted as saying, "As far as I can see, and I can see the seven continents, there is no saint today like Mirza Mazhar."
Muhammad Safiullah Faruqi was the son of Ghulam Masoom Faruqi Mujaddidi. He passed away in the Hijri month of Dhu al-Qadah in 1844 on his return journey from the hajj. Makhdoomsafi Ullah passed away in Hudaida, a coastal city of Yemen.
Abu Saeed Faruqi Mujaddidi was predicted to be the next qayyum by Ghulam Ali Dehlavi, his own shaykh.
Ahmed Miya Sarkar Naqshbandi Mujadidi Ganj Muradabadi
Ahmed Miya Sarkar Ganj Muradabadi was the Qayyum of his time, he is the eldest son and Janasheen of Gaus-E-Zaman, Owais-E-Dauran Maulana Shah Fazle Rehma Ganj Muradabadi one of the greatest master of Naqshbandi golden chain.
Hazrat khwaja Muhammad Masoom Qayyum e panjm
Qutb e Zaman, Mujaddad e Doran, Mujahid e millat, Alim e Mubalgh e Islam Khawaja e Khawajgan Hazrat khwaja Muhammad Masoom رحمۃ اللہ علیہ was the fifth Qayyum of his time۔ He Was the Youngest son of Mahbob e Subhani, Qutb e Rabani, Shahbaz e La-makani, Sultan ul oliya Zari Zarbakht Hazrat Sufi Nawab udeen رحمۃ اللہ علیہ. He was the greatest master of Naqshbandi Mujaddadi Golden chain. Hazrat Khawaja Muhammad Masoom was predicted to be a qayyum by Hazrat Sufi Nawab udeen, his own shaykh.
Qayyum today
Today, numerous shaykhs belonging to the Naqshbandi Sufi order claim or are claimed by others to be the current qayyum.
