#28 The Spring of Reflection: The Living One Who Sees - Sarajevo International Sufi Conference 2025

Pir Zia Inayat Khan
(Tariqa Inayatiyya)
Pir Zia Inayat Khan is the first son of Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan and Taj Inayat. Raised in the United States, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Persian Literature from the University of London and his doctorate in Religion from Duke University. Pir Zia’s father trained him in Sufism, and in 2000, he was confirmed as his spiritual successor. Since the passing of Pir Vilayat in 2004 (God keep him), Pir Zia has been serving as Pir-o-Murshid and President of the Inayatiyya, guiding Sufi communities worldwide. To create opportunities for focused spiritual study, Pir Zia established the Suluk Academy, which offers in-person courses in North America and Europe, as well as a Suluk Global Online Course. Pir Zia works from two central lodges: Fazal Manzil in Suresnes, France, and the Astana in Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A. Pir Zia’s writings encompass “Immortality: A Traveler’s Guide”, “Dream Flowers: The Collected Works of Noor Inayat Khan”, which includes a critical commentary by Pir Zia Inayat Khan, “Mingled Waters: Sufism and the Mystical Unity of Religions”, and “Saracen Chivalry: Counsels on Valor, Generosity, and the Mystical Quest”. He acts as the editor for “Caravan of Souls: An Introduction to the Sufi Path of Hazrat Inayat Khan” and “A Pearl in Wine: Essays on the Life, Music, and Sufism of Hazrat Inayat Khan”. Pir Zia and his wife, Sartaj, divide their time between Richmond, Virginia and Suresnes, France.

Murshida Amat-un-Nur
(Tariqa Inayatiyya)
Murshida Amat-un-Nur is a Sufi Guide in the Inayatiyya Tariqah and serves as its Regional Representative for South Asia. She resides in Lahore, Pakistan, where she operates a Sufi centre and regularly conducts classes, seminars, and courses. A student of Pir Zia Inayat Khan, Amat-un-Nur has been on the Sufi path of learning and teaching for 22 years. In addition to holding a Master's in Comparative Philosophy: Islamic and Western Mysticism, she offers the wisdom of her intuitive spiritual journey, contributing to the rich tapestry of inspirational guidance she presents to the world. She also has the honour of being a presenter at various international conferences and symposia. Amat-un-Nur has one publication titled "The Door of Peace: Pearls of Sufi Wisdom." More information about her can be found at www.inayatiyyasouthasia.com.

Muhammad Valsan (Tariqa Shadhiliyya)
Born in Paris, Muhammad Valsan is the son of Michel Valsan (Sheikh Mustafa Abd al-Aziz), the first major interpreter of Ibn Arabi in the West.
As the director of the publication Science Sacrée, he carries on his father’s work and explores the universal expression of initiatory doctrines. Indeed, his teachings form part of the legacy of René Guénon (Sheikh Abd al-Wahid Yahya), who remains a significant figure in traditional studies. The principles of sacred texts are fundamental when Sheikh Muhammad Valsan examines applications in the arts and sciences, particularly in architecture.
Nowadays, he is engaged in interreligious dialogues and participates in many international conferences. As a beekeeper and breeder of purebred Arab horses, he also pays special attention to the symbolism of animals, especially as depicted in the Quran. He is the author of two books, “La Burdu du Désert" and “Histoires des Prophètes." In addition, he has written numerous articles and worked on translations of Ibn Arabi, following in his father's footsteps.

Fawzia Al-Rawi
(Tariqa Shadhiliyya)
Rosina-Fawzia Al-Rawi Al-Rifai was born in Baghdad and spent her childhood in Iraq and Lebanon. Her grandmother introduced her to the culture and traditions of the Middle East, where belly dancing played a significant role as an expression of the feminine world.
Fawzia Al-Rawi holds a PhD in Islamic Studies. She completed her Arabic, Islamic, and ethnological studies at the universities of Vienna and Cairo. She then spent twelve years in Jerusalem, where she raised her children and worked at the Institute for the Promotion of Palestinian Agriculture and the University of Jerusalem, while deepening both her
theoretical and practical knowledge of Sufism under the guidance of Sidi Shaykh Muhammad Al-Rifai. Since 2001, she has been living in Vienna with her husband and their three children. Fawzia Al-Rawi has been teaching Sufism for over 25 years. She conducts workshops in various countries, particularly focusing on women. Her teachings draw from an extensive wealth of experience rooted in a bicultural background, which enables her to create a bridge of understanding between diverse cultures, fostering a space for their convergence and contributing to peace. She has published several books in Arabic, German, English, and French, including The Call of Allah, Divine Names, Midnight Tales, and Grandmother’s Secrets.

Sufi Ba
(Tariqa Muridiyyah)
787 Cheikh Sufi Ba is someone Hu died a long time ago in the Holy City of Touba Senegal at the hands of his master Serigne Salihu Mbacke, the last living son of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Khadim Rasool. He founded the Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba International Sufi School and The Darrah Awlia (School of the Friends of Allah), with teachings and practices from the
Qadaria Shadalia Yaqubi Tariqat in Morocco. He has given over 1000 Shahada to seekers of Sufism in the West. Cheikh Sufi Ba currently lives in Fez Morocco. He has Ithin (Permission) from his Masters to give the Wird and Bayat (Initiation) into the Murid Order of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, The Qadaria Shadalia Yaqubi Tariqat of Morocco and the Tijani Tariqat of Cheikh Ahmed Tijani Sharif r.a.

Fatime Bahar Can
(Tariqa Mevlevi)
Fatime Bahar Can was born and raised in Istanbul, Türkiye. She completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at İnönü University and later graduated as a Food Engineer from the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich). With extensive experience in quality assurance management in the food industry, she currently holds the position of Director of Food Law at a Swiss food company. Fatime Bahar Can was deeply immersed in Sufi culture from an early age, growing up in a Sufi family tradition. She attended the gatherings of many esteemed spiritual leaders, gaining profound insights from their teachings. She was also a devoted disciple and spiritual daughter of the late Şefik Can, a Mevlevi Murshid and one of the most renowned masters of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi in the last century in Türkiye. Under his guidance, she explored the spiritual depths of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi’s teachings and embraced the Mevlevi path as a way of life. Following the passing of Şefik Can in 2005, she became a founding member of the Şefik Can International Mevlâna Education and Culture Foundation in Istanbul. Through this foundation, she has participated in numerous national and international events and conferences. Ms. Can considers her devotion to Sufism and Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi's understanding of universal unity, peace, and service to humanity as an essential part of her life. She has embraced these invaluable principles as commitments of her life and continues her work with this consciousness in the field of Sufism with dedication to this path.