The Jawhari Diwan is a supra-national entity representing the spiritual lineage of Islam's Sufi tradition, established at the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Sufis hold that this spiritual authority — vested first in the Prophet's Companions, most notably Imam Ali — continues in perpetuity through unbroken chains of transmission and initiation.
In the Islamic tradition, Sufi Shaykhs and the Orders they establish guide their followers in faith and work to improve the quality of life of their communities and the wider society — through institutions, scholarship, and service that unite the spiritual and the material.
Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the last and final Messenger of God ﷺ. The Sufi interpretation of Islam holds that during his lifetime the Prophet ﷺ designated a select number of his Companions to carry on the spiritual authority of the Muslim community. The most famous of these Companions was the Prophet's ﷺ cousin and son-in-law Imam Ali. Those who inherit and are authorized with this authority carry a spiritual role, and the Sufis hold that this role continues in perpetuity.
In the Islamic tradition, Sufi Shaykhs and the Orders they establish help guide and interpret the faith for their followers and help to improve the security and quality of life of their followers' communities and the wider society within which they live. This is done by supporting projects and building institutions to meet these secular and spiritual needs.
"Every dimension of revealed religion has two faces: the outward, exoteric — the law, the ritual form — and the inward, esoteric — the hidden spiritual meaning that lies beneath. Both are necessary. A tradition without an intact esoteric dimension is a body without a soul."