Sharafuddin Maneri شرف الدين أحمد يحيى المنيري

Sharaf al-Din Ahmad Yahya Maneri rahimahullah (d. 782 AH/1381 CE) was one of the most distinguished Sufi masters and Islamic scholars of medieval Bihar, India. A leading figure of the Firdausi branch of the Suhrawardi Sufi order, he undertook rigorous periods of spiritual retreat and is said to have devoted decades to solitary worship and remembrance of Allah. He is most celebrated for his Maktubat - letters addressed to disciples, government officials, and seekers of spiritual guidance. These letters, written in Persian, address the inner dimensions of the spiritual path with remarkable depth and eloquence and are considered among the foremost works of Islamic mystical literature produced on the Indian Subcontinent. He spent much of his life in Maner, Bihar, where he taught and guided a wide circle of students and disciples. He passed away in 782 AH/1381 CE.