An indispensable element in sufi organization is the spiritual master or Murshid, around whom disciples gather and from whom disciples receive the initiation (baiat) which, through a long chain (silsila), is ultimately derived from the Hazrth Mohammad Sallallahu alaihi wasallam him-self. The family tree of sufi masters, from the earliest times to the present day, is replete with examples of outstandind holiness. The names of these saints have been given to those ‘branches’ of the tree over which their particular radiance shines. These branches are known as turuq (singular tariqa = path), and are indeed so many paths to haqiqa, the Inward, Divine Reality or in other words, to Allah Him-self.

The first great sufi order to appear in the form in which turuq are now known was the Qadiri tariqa, which took its name from its illustrious founder, the Shaikh Abdal Qadir al Jilani (1078-1166 A.D.).

The tariqi family tree of Hazrath Afzal Biabani (R.A.). is as follows:

1. Hazrath Syed-ul-Mursaleen Mohammad Mustafa Sallallahu Alaih Wasallam
2. Hazrath Ameer-ul-momineen Syedna Ali Ibn-e-Abi Talib Karamallahu wajhu
3. Hazrath Khaja Hassan Basri Quds Allahu sirrahu
4. Hazrath Khaja Habeeb Aajami Quds Allahu sirrahu
5. Hazrath Khaja Davood Tayee Quds Allahu sirrahu
6. Hazrath Khaja Maaroof Karkhi Quds Allahu sirrahu
7. Hazrath Khaja Abul Hassan Siri wa saqti Quds Allahu sirrahu
8. Hazrath Khaja Junaid Baghdadi Quds Allahu sirrahu
9. Hazrath Khaja Abu Bakr Shibli Siddiqui Quds Allahu sirrahu
10. Hazrath Khaja Abul Abbas Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Yamni Quds Allahu sirrahu
11. Hazrath Abu Yousuf Tartosi Quds Allahu sirrahu
12. Hazrath Khaja Abul Hassan Qarshi Ali Alhinkari Quds Allahu sirrahu
13. Hazrath Khaja Abu Sayeed Mubarak Mahzoomi Quds Allahu sirrahu
14. Hazrath Mahboob Subhani Qutb-e-Rabbani Ghousus Samdani Peeran-e-peer Meeran Mohiuddin Shaikh Abd al Qadir Al Jilani Razi Allahu Anhu
15. Hazrath Syed Shah Abu Bakr Almaaroof Syed Abd ar Razzaq Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
16. Hazrath Syed Shah Abi Saleh Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
17. Hazrath Syed Shah Abi Nasr Mohiuddin Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
18. Hazrath Syed Shah Tajuddin Almaaroof Sanu Ahmed Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
19. Hazrath Syed Shah Shamsuddin Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
20. Hazrath Syed Shah Najamuddin Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
21. Hazrath Syed Shah Saifuddin Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
22. Hazrath Syed Shah Burhanuddin Arab Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
23. Hazrath Syed Shah Ibrahim sipah salar Zakariyah Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
24. Hazrath Syed Shah Mohammad Zakariyah Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
25. Hazrath Syed Shah Ahmed Zakariyah Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
26. Hazrath Syed Shah Ali Sangday Sulthan Mushkil Asan Quds Allahu sirrahu
27. Hazrath Syed Shah Maqdoom Zia Uddin Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
28. Hazrth Syed Shah Ashraf Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
29. Hazrath Syed Shah Abd al Malik Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu Sirrahu
30. Hazrath Syed Shah Fazil Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
31. Hazrath Syed Shah Ameen Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
32. Hazrath Syed Shah Fazil Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
33. Hazrath Syed Shah Gulam Hussain Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
34. Hazrath Syed Shah Gulam Mohiuddin Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
35. Hazrath Syed Shah Afzal Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
36. Hazrath Syed Shah Sarwar Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
37. Hazrath Syed Shah Gulam Afzal Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
38. Hazrath Syed Shah Abdul Kareem Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
39. Hazrath Syed Shah Abu Mohammad Gulam Afzal Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Quds Allahu sirrahu
40. Hazrath Syed Shah Gulam Sarwar Biabani Rifayee Al Qadiri Madazillahul Aali Sajjada Nasheen Saheb Qiblah