liberteSince the time of the prophets, mysticism and chivalry have gone hand-in-hand. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that Hazrat Inayat Khan was also a master of spiritual chivalry, or futuwwa. His teachings on the chivalric virtues are thoroughly expounded in the volumes Character Building and the Art of Personality and Moral Culture. In 1926, before returning to India, Hazrat created four Knights of Purity and eight Heralds of the Message. Thus he planted the seed of the Knighthood of Purity.

All sincere devotees of the Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan seeking to study and practice his philosophy and art of life, irrespective of initiatic affiliation or lack thereof, are eligible to receive the squirely designation of Iron Herald.

Upon designation, the task of the Iron Herald is to recite the Iron Rules and to apply their morals in daily life. Each Rule is recited once a day, in the morning, over a forty-day period. The completion of the set of ten thus takes 400 days.

The Iron Herald is to notify the Chancellor upon completing the Iron Rules. He or she may then receive the squirely designation of Copper Herald and commence the recitation and practice of the Copper Rules. This procedure is repeated at the completion of each of the remaining sets of Rules. If no days are missed, the completion of all four sets (Iron, Copper, Silver, and Gold) takes 1600 days (four years and 140 days).

When all forty Rules have been recited and practiced for forty days each, the Golden Herald is qualified to receive, upon invitation, the accolade of Knight of Purity.

Hazrat Inayat Khan also expressed the mystic’s deep kinship with the natural world in his Nature Meditations. Those who wish to develop a chivalric relationship with Nature are invited to practice the Emerald Contemplations inspired by the model of his forty Rules. You can find these contemplations and a way of working with them under the heading of Emerald Contemplations below.

Inquiries and applications may be addressed to knighthood@inayatiyya.org.
For inquiries to European contacts, please consult this list: European contacts

Riding on the horse of hope,
Holding in my hand the rein of courage,
Clad in the armor of patience,
And the helmet of endurance on my head,
I started on my journey to the land of love.
A lance of stern faith in my hand,
And the sword of firm conviction buckled on,
With the knapsack of sincerity
And the shield of earnestness,
I advanced on the path of love.
My ears closed to the disturbing noise of the world,
My eyes turned from all that was calling me on the Way,
My heart beating the rhythm of my ever-rising aspiration,
And my blazing soul guiding me on the path,
I made my way through the space.
I went through the thick forests of perpetual desire,
I crossed the running rivers of longing.
I passed through the deserts of silent suffering,
I climbed the steep hills of continual strife.
Feeling ever some presence in the air, I asked, “Are you there, my love?”
And a voice came to my ears, saying, “No, still further am I.”— Hazrat Inayat Khan, from the Alankaras in Vadan, or The Divine Symphony

The Six Degrees of Knighthood

GRAND MASTER
(Amir[at] al-Ikhwan)

KNIGHT OF PURITY
(Sahab[at] as-Safa)

GOLDEN HERALD
(Naqib[a] Zarin)

SILVER HERALD
(Naqib[a] Simin)

COPPER HERALD
(Naqib[a] Misin)

IRON HERALD
(Naqib[a] Ahanin)

noor_profile

Pirzadi Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan

January 1st, 1914 — September 13th, 1944

George Cross, Croix de Guerre