Among the profound contributions of Khwāja Mahmud Faghnavī, perhaps the most significant was the mentorship of his spiritual successor, Khwāja Azizan Ali Ramitani, commonly known as Nassaj, meaning «the Weaver.» This guidance had a lasting impact on the Khwajagan tradition and beyond.
Khwāja Azizan Ali Ramitani, born in the village of Romitan, located about 17 kilometers from Bukhara, was more widely known as Khwāja Azizan, or «The Highly Esteemed One.» His reputation spread far beyond the Amu Darya region during his lifetime. His teachings reached cities like Samarkand and Balkh, which were emerging from their ruins, and extended throughout Turkistan, Kashgar, and even parts of Persia.
A significant aspect of Khwāja Azizan’s influence was his role in the conversion of Mongol khans and nobility to Islam. This strategic move by the Khwajagan allowed Masters to teach openly and impact the powerful without falling into dependency. The great Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi acknowledged Azizan’s exceptional spiritual stature in one of his verses, reflecting on how the Master’s presence alone could transform people, even without overt actions or speeches.
Khwāja Azizan traveled extensively across Turkistan and Khorasan, imparting his knowledge. His practical wisdom and discretion in dealing with authorities were exemplified in a notable incident:
When Khwāja Azizan arrived in Khwarezm to teach, he did not immediately enter the city but stationed himself at its gate. He sent a message to the Shah, stating: «The poor weaver (Nassaj) has come to enter your domain and seeks permission to reside here. If permission is granted, he will enter; if not, he will return.» Azizan requested written authorization signed by the Shah. Upon receiving this, he entered Khwarezm and gained considerable fame. His influence grew to the extent that the Shah and his officials, fearing Azizan’s impact on the city’s population, asked him to leave. However, Azizan presented the signed authorization, which the Shah could not dispute. According to the story, even the Shah of Khwarezm eventually became a disciple of Ramitani.
Khwāja Azizan adeptly used formal logic and adherence to protocol to neutralize opposition, demonstrating the Khwajagan Masters’ preference for effecting change from within without direct confrontation. Azizan’s reflections included: «Had a follower of Abd al-Khalik Ghijduvani been present during the time of Hallaj, Mansur would not have been executed.» This statement refers to the Sufi martyr Mansur al-Hallaj, who was executed for declaring, «I am the Truth,» considered heretical by orthodox clergy.
The influence of Khwājagan on Mongol rulers and their growing prominence prompted other spiritual leaders of the time, who were not part of the Khwajagan order, to seek the «secret» of Khwāja Azizan’s success. His responses to questions collected by the Turkish Sufi Hasan Shushud in «Khwajagan Khanadani» illustrate the distinction between a true Sufi Master and mere imitators:
Question: «We serve those who come to us, as you do. We provide for them, while you do not. Yet people praise you and consider us misguided. Why is this?»
Answer: «Many serve others, thinking it a virtue or merit, but few truly understand what it means to serve as a duty. Serve others with a sense of obligation rather than seeking gratitude or admiration. Then your reputation will change.»
Question: «It is said you received initiation directly from Khidr. What does this mean?«
Answer: «There are servants of Truth whose Love is so genuine that Khidr himself is enamored by them.»
Khwāja Azizan emphasized that initiation is not a mere external act but a profound transformation of the heart through Love. He also remarked: «The path to realization requires much abstinence and effort. However, there is a shorter path—entering the soul of one who has surrendered completely to the Creator.«
In response to the question, «What is faith?» Khwāja Azizan said: «Faith is the reunion through separation: separation from the worldly, and reunion with the Creator.«
Khwāja Azizan also addressed the practice of dhikr (remembrance of God), particularly the shift from silent to audible dhikr. He noted:
Question: «We heard that you moved from silent dhikr to audible dhikr. What is the reason for this?«
Answer: «We have heard that you practice silent dhikr. If it is known and discussed, then it is not truly hidden. The purpose of silent dhikr is to avoid ostentation. If both our dhikr and yours are known, there is no difference in this respect. In this case, hidden dhikr may even be closer to hypocrisy than public dhikr.»
When asked why his disciples pronounced dhikr aloud, Khwāja Azizan explained: «One of the Prophet’s instructions is that a person should pronounce ‘La ilaha illallah’—‘There is no god but the One God’—with their last breath, declaring their faith at the moment of death. A true dervish considers every breath as if it were their last.«
In response to a question about whether dhikr should be spoken aloud or from the heart, Khwāja Azizan replied: «Dhikr begins with the tongue and ends in the heart. A novice should speak dhikr aloud because their heart is not yet steadfast, attention easily wavers, and efforts are scattered. Speaking dhikr aloud is necessary. For an advanced practitioner, the heart is polished, and dhikr naturally enters it. The entire being of the adept constantly remembers God. Comparing the effectiveness of their efforts, one day of dhikr from a perfected person equals a year of dhikr from a beginner.«
Sufi Masters often compare the lower self (nafs), which merges basic instincts with social ego, to various animals. The untransformed nafs resists enlightenment and is likened to a wild beast. Khwāja Azizan Ali Ramitani likened the teacher’s work to taming lions. In another instance, he compared a Sufi teacher to a birdkeeper:
«The birdkeeper must know how much and what kind of feed each bird requires. Too much or too little can harm the bird. Similarly, a teacher must prescribe only as much discipline or abstinence as the student can bear, considering their capabilities and weaknesses.»
Khwāja Azizan understood his students’ thoughts and used various methods to address undesirable traits in their minds. An illustrative story from the «Book of Amu Darya,» recounted by Idris Shah in «Tales of the Dervishes,» describes a monkey trapped by its own greed:
A monkey, fond of cherries, saw some on the ground and descended to collect them. The cherries were inside a transparent glass jar. After several failed attempts to retrieve them, the monkey finally managed to put its hand inside but could not pull it out while holding the cherry, as its fist was too large for the jar’s opening.
The trap was set by a hunter who knew how monkeys think. Hearing the monkey’s cries, the hunter emerged from hiding. The frightened monkey, unable to free its hand, was easily captured as it stubbornly clutched the cherry. The hunter, thus, obtained the cherry and the jar without losing either.
Khwāja Azizan Ali was renowned as a «wish-fulfiller,» a healer, and a miracle worker with extraordinary spiritual power. He claimed that he healed people only when he received a sign from his Divine Presence indicating the potential for healing, not upon request.
Numerous stories attest that God granted Khwāja Azizan’s desires almost instantly. However, he lived modestly, having just enough food for one day. Once, unexpected guests arrived late at night, and with no food to offer, Khwāja Azizan prayed for assistance. Shortly afterward, a messenger arrived with a basket of hot bread, a divine gift.
Khwāja Azizan also had the ability to sense the inner state of his students and often answered their unspoken questions. His vision encompassed not only the present and past but also the future. He predicted the emergence of two great Khwajagan Masters, Bahauddin Naqshband and Ubaydullah Ahrar, both of whom described their encounters with Azizan in their visions.
Khwāja Azizan Ali continued teaching into advanced age, making a living through weaving and steadfastly refusing to leave his modest home. Like his predecessor, Khwāja Abd al-Khalik Ghijduvani, who embraced asceticism, Khwāja Azizan delayed starting a family until old age, fathering his youngest son when he was nearly a hundred years old. According to sources, Khwāja Azizan lived to 126 years and passed away in 1321 in Khwarezm, with his remains later moved to Romitan, where his mausoleum stands today.
In his final testament to his followers, Khwāja Azizan Ali expressed:
«If I were to start the Path anew, my prayer would be: ‘Teach me how to learn and what to learn.’ And even before that: ‘May I sincerely wish to learn how to learn, and may this be a true aspiration, not self-deception.‘»