The designation of the Naqshbandi
Golden Chain has changed from century to century. From the time of
Hadrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu ta'ala anhu to the time of
Hadrat Bayazid al-Bistami radi Allahu ta'ala anhu it was called
as-Siddiqiyya. From the time of Bayazid al-Bistami [d.261H] radi Allahu
ta'ala anhu to the time of Sayyadina Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani [d.575H] radi
Allahu anhu it was called at-Tayfuriyya. From the time of Sayyadina
'Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani radi Allahu ta'ala anhu to the time of Hadrat
Shah Naqshband radi Allahu ta'ala anhu it was called the
Khwajaganiyya. From the time of Hadrat Shah Naqshband [d.791H] radi Allahu
ta'ala anhu through the time of Sayyadina Ubaidullah al-Ahrar radi
Allahu ta'ala anhu and Sayyidina Ahmad Faruqi [d.1034H] radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, it was called Naqshbandiyya.
Naqshbandiyya means to "tie the Naqsh
very well." The Naqsh is the perfect engraving of Allah's Name in the
heart of the murid [disciple]. From the time of Sayyadina Ahmad al-Faruqi [d.1034H] radi
Allahu anhu to the time of Shaykh Khalid al-Baghdadi [d.1242H] radi
Allahu anhu it was called Naqshbandi-Mujaddidiyya. From the time of
Sayyidina Khalid al-Baghdadi [d.1242H] radi Allahu anhu until the time of
Sayyadina Shaykh Ismail Shirwani radi Allahu anhu it was called the
Naqshbandiyya-Khalidiyya.