The Dargah is situated in the basti Nizamuddin, an old quarter that originated in the thirteenth century around the burial place of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. People from all continents come to this place for inspiration and meditation. It is a serene oasis amidst the busy city life. Hazrat Inayat Khan, a brilliant Indian musician, came to the West in 1910 at the behest of his Sufi teacher, Sayyed Muhammad Abu Hashim Madani, who charged him with a mission: to harmonize East and West with the music of his soul. He had dedicated his early life to the mastery of the subtle intricacies of classical Indian music under the tutelege of his grandfather Moula Baksh, a musical giant who had integrated the Hindustani and Karnatic musical traditions of Northern and Southern India. While barely in his twenties, Inayat Khan received the highest recognition and honors for his artistic accomplishments. He was initiated by Abu Hashim Madani in the four main Sufi lineages in India, though his primary connection was with the Chishti Order. On September 13, 1910 he began an odyssey which would encompass three continents and transform thousands of lives. He traveled continually in Europe and the United States, first learning about Western culture and mentality, and then conveying the traditional Sufi teachings in a universal form. He eventually settled in Suresnes, a suburb of Paris, where he held annual summer schools. During sixteen years in the West, he created a school of spiritual training. His school is infused with a revolutionary vision, a vision of the unity of religious ideals and the awakening of the human spirit to its inherent divinity. The life of Inayat Khan was dedicated to bringing the universal Sufi message of love, harmony and beauty to the western hemisphere. The movement that Inayat Khan founded is not related to any specific culture or religion and aims at all those who wish to deepen their insight into life. Inayat Khan wanted people to understand that there is only one truth, one source from which all religions and beliefs spring. This Dargah reflects the open and tolerant atmosphere of the Sufi message and has become a meeting place for many people.
