Hazrat Qibla Haji Ghulam Haider Qadri Ziayee
Born: 2 December 1941 (Baghbanpura, Lahore) • Spiritual Luminary of Silsila Alia Qadria
Spiritual Awakening & Lineage
Hazrat Haji Ghulam Haider Qadri Ziayee is an illustrious spiritual master of the Silsila-e-Aaliya Qadriya. His noble lineage traces its ancestral roots to Shahdara, near Lahore. His paternal grandfather was Hazrat Ilam Deen. Prior to his birth, the family relocated to historic Baghbanpura, near the revered shrine of Madho Lal Hussain.
In the spiritual hierarchy of the Subcontinent and the Muslim world, he received direct discipleship (Bay'ah) from Hazrat Zia-ud-Din Muhajir Madni (R.A.) in the sacred city of Medina Munawwarah. Hazrat Zia-ud-Din Madni was the foremost spiritual successor (Khalifa) and first student of Imam-e-Ahle Sunnat, Hassan-ul-Hind Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi (R.A.). Later, Sarkar Haji Ghulam Haider devoted thirty-five uninterrupted years to the companionship and mentorship of Hazrat Qibla Sufi Siddique Al-Refai (R.A.) in Lahore, becoming a master of both Shari'ah and the deepest mysteries of Tariqat and Faqr.
Auspicious Birth & Noble Parentage
Sarkar Haji Ghulam Haider arrived in this world on 2 December 1941. It was a radiant night of the full moon (14th), corresponding to the month of Bhado in the traditional calendar. He was born in Baghbanpura, Lahore, in the humble and fragrant home of Hazrat Ghulam Muhammad (R.A.).
Hazrat Ghulam Muhammad was an extraordinary Darvesh of his era. A tailor by trade, he was a man of immense contentment (Qana'at), laboring with his hands to ensure that every morsel fed to his family came through lawful (Halal) earnings. He was unfailingly punctual in congregational prayers and fasts. Every morning after Fajr prayer, he recited the entire Panj Surah, and after Maghrib prayer, he invariably performed six Nawafil dedicated to the soul of Hazrat Uwais Qarni (R.A.), a devotion he sustained until his last breath.
Education, Khudi & Public Service
Raised under the pious gaze of his father and the affectionate canopy of his mother, he received his primary education at the Corporation School in Baghbanpura, followed by Muslim High School for standards 3 and 4, and Government High School Baghbanpura up to matriculation.
Possessing sharp intellect and a scholarly disposition, he enrolled at the renowned Islamia College Railway Road, Lahore, in F.Sc. Pre-Engineering. Keen to preserve self-respect and embody the philosophical ideal of Khudi (Selfhood) articulated by Allama Iqbal, he resolved to support his father financially. On 10 May 1960, he joined the Accountant General (A.G.) Office in Lahore. While serving diligently in government office, he earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from the University of the Punjab as an external scholar and completed the rigorous certification of Fazil Persian.
The Landmark Year (1970): Bay'ah in Medina Munawwarah
The year 1970 was marked by profound milestones. Following the prophetic Sunnah of commerce, he honorably resigned from government service in the A.G. Office to embark upon the trade of cloth on 12 July 1970. The shop was inaugurated by the blessed hands of Hazrat Sufi Siddique (R.A.), who purchased cloth for his mother as the very first customer, praying for divine barakah.
In that same monumental year, he journeyed to Hijaz for the sacred Hajj pilgrimage. While residing in Medina Munawwarah in the street facing Masjid an-Nabawi ﷺ, he received the supreme blessing of Bay'ah on the holy hands of Qibla Zia-ud-Din Muhajir Madni (R.A.), who is laid to rest near the blessed feet of Sayyada Fatima az-Zahra (S.A.) in Jannat al-Baqi. Under this direct connection to the Prophet’s city, he ascended the stations of divine gnosis (Irfan).
35 Years in the Company of Sufi Siddique Al-Refai
While serving in the A.G. Office, he was introduced to Hazrat Qibla Sufi Siddique Al-Refai (R.A.), a towering luminary of the Silsila Refaiyya and authorized successor of Hazrat Muhammad Arab Al-Refai (R.A.). From their very first encounter at Chauburji Chowk, an unbreakable spiritual bond formed.
For thirty-five continuous years, Sarkar Haji Ghulam Haider sat in daily companionship with Sufi Siddique, absorbing the etiquette of spiritual poverty (Faqr), contemplation, and unwavering devotion. Sufi Siddique polished his spiritual faculties until the master declared him fully empowered to guide the seekers of truth.
Reverence for the Friends of Allah (Awliya)
His devotion to the great saints was legendary. Every year, he led delegations of devotees to the Urs of Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah (R.A.) in Kasur, where his presence was met with remarkable reverence by caretakers and pilgrims alike. For decades, he led a weekly caravan every Thursday evening from Astana Haideria to the shrine of the sovereign saint of Lahore, Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hujwiri (R.A.).
He also maintained profound ties of respect with Sayyiduna Tahir Alauddin Al-Qadri Al-Baghdadi (R.A.) (Karachi/Baghdad), Baba Ji Billi Wali Sarkar (R.A.) in Medina Munawwarah, and the presidential award-winning author of Sirat, Hazrat Abdur Rauf Sabzwari Sarkar (R.A.).
Recorded Miracles & Testimonials of Healing
While true saints shun outward display, the divine power operating through Sarkar Haji Ghulam Haider brought undeniable relief and solace to hundreds in distress:
1. Deliverance from Affliction in Sangla Hill
A severely afflicted young girl in a village near Sangla Hill was plagued by an invisible torment that mystifyingly cut her hair in plain sight. A devotee invoked the authority of Sarkar Haji Ghulam Haider, saying: ‘Sarkar Haji Ghulam Haider commands you to depart immediately!’ Instantly, the affliction ceased, and an entire busload of grateful residents arrived at the Astana to express gratitude.
2. Seven Blessed Children after Medical Impossibility
A struggling devotee who had started with meager means was told by senior physicians in Lahore that he and his wife could medically never conceive children. Sarkar Haji Ghulam Haider assured him: ‘Trust in Allah; you will never need separation.’ Soon after, the couple was blessed with seven healthy children in succession.
3. Critical Ventilator Recovery
When a critically ill young man was given up by doctors in the intensive care unit, his frantic family brought water blessed by Sarkar. Upon moistening the patient’s lips, the young man astoundingly stabilized, came off life support within days, and walked into the Astana in radiant health.
4. Protection & Miraculous Bullet Survival
A devotee’s brother was shot in the torso during an altercation. The wife immediately phoned Sarkar for prayer. Sarkar comforted her: ‘Do not fear; the boy will be preserved.’ Despite entering a vulnerable area, the bullet bypassed vital organs with surgical wonder, and within three days, the patient returned home safely.
The Living Continuity: Astana Haideria Today
The profound spiritual sanctuary established by Sarkar Haji Ghulam Haider Qadri continues to radiate guidance from Astana Alia Qadria Haideria, located at Mominpura Sharif near Quaid-e-Azam Interchange, Ring Road, Lahore.
Under the dedicated leadership of his son and successor, Sahibzada Sajjad Haider Qadri, the traditions of daily prayer, monthly Gyarveen Shareef, annual Urs celebrations, free communal dining (Langar), and spiritual counseling remain vibrant, providing refuge for all seekers of divine peace.