Historically speaking, the Naqshbandi Sufi order (Tareeqat) can be traced back to the first of the Rightly-Guided Successors of Muhammad the Messenger (saw). His name was Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra), who succeeded the Prophet in his knowledge and in his role of guiding the Community of Spirituality. Allah said in the Blessed Quran

"he was the second of two in the cave, and he said to his friend: do not be sad, for God is with us."(Quran, 9:40)

Concerning Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, the Blessed Prophet said, "the sun never rose nor set on anyone better Abu Bakr except prophets." (Tarikh al-Khulafa). He also said, "Abu Bakr does not precede you in anything in the way of prayers or fasting but in a secret rooted deep in his heart." (Manaqib as-Sahaba of Imam Ahmad ). The Prophet (saw) also said, "If I had taken to myself a beloved friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as my beloved friend; but he is my brother and my companion." (Sahih Muslim) What distinguishes the Naqshbandi Sufi Way from other Sufi orders was the fact that it took its foundations and principles from the teachings and example of five bright stars in the firmament of the Prophet (saw). These great figures were Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Salman al-Farsi, Bayazid al-Bistami, Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and Muhammad Bahauddin Uwaysi al-Bukhari, better known as Shah Naqshband--the eponymous Imam of the tareeqat.

Behind the word Naqshband stand two ideas: naqsh which means "engraving" and suggests engraving the name of God in the heart, and band which means "bond" and indicates the link between the individual and his Creator. This means that the Naqshbandi Sufi initiate practices her or his prayers and obligations according to the Divine Revelations and Inspirations, and keeps to the Traditions and Perfect Moral Character of the Prophets and their Saintly Disciples and Companions, striving to keep the presence and love of God alive in her or his heart through a direct personal experience of the link between herself or himself and his Lord.

Salman al-Farsi (r)
But who besides Abu Bakr as-Siddiq are these stars in the firmament of the Messenger of Allah? One of them was Salman al-Farsi. His origin was Ispahan in Persia and he was the one who advised the Community to dig a trench in the battle of Ahzab (Khandak), to avoid casualties and bring about a situation conducive to peace. After the passing away of the Holy Messenger, he moved to al-Madain, the capital city of Persia, where he was made Prince and governor of that city and remained there until his death.

Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami(q)
Another star was Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami whose grandfather was a Zoroastrian. Bayazid made a detailed study of the statutes of Islamic shariah and practiced a strict regimen of self-denial (zuhd). All his life he was assiduous in the practice of his religious obligations. He urged his students (murids) to put their efforts in the hands of Allah and he encouraged them to accept sincere and pure doctrine of Unity: Tawhid.
Bayazid al-Bistami's Doctrine of Oneness This doctrine, which consisted of five elements: to keep their obligations according to Divine Revelations and Inspirations and the Traditional Path of the Messenger, to always speak the truth, to keep the heart from hatred, to avoid harmful food, and to shun innovation.

Bayazid said that the ultimate goal of the Sufis is to see God in the Hereafter. To that effect he added:
"There are special servants of God, who if God veiled them from His vision in Paradise, would have implored Him to bring them out of Paradise as the inhabitants of the Fire implore Him to escape from Hell."

Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujduvani (q)
Yet another star in the firmament of the Prophet (s), was Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujduvani, who was born in the village of Ghujduvan, near Bukhara in present-day Uzbekistan. He was raised and buried there. He studied Divine Scripture, Exegesis (tafsir), Jurisprudence fiqh and the Science of the Traditions (hadith) with Shaykh Sadruddin. Having mastered the sciences of Divinity (shariah), he moved on to Spiritual Warriorship (jihad an-nafs ) combatting his lower self until he reached a high station of purity and sincerity. He then traveled to Damascus where he established a school from which many students graduated. Each became the masters of Divinity and Tradition as well as spirituality in their time, both in the regions of Central Asia and in the Middle East.

Abdul Khaliq continued the work of his predecessors by formulating the dhikr (remembrance of God) passed down from the Prophet (s) according to the Sunnah. In his letters he set down the code of conduct (adab) that the students of the Naqshbandiyya were expected to follow. We quote from his sayings:

"O my son, I urge you to acquire knowledge and righteous conduct and fear of God. Follow the steps of he pious precedessors in Spirituality, hold on to the Way of the Prophet (s) and keep company with sincere believers. Read books of Divine Law and Jurisprudence, (fiqh) study the Traditions (hadith) and the Commentary on Divine Revelation (tafsir), avoid ignorant charlatans and keep to the prayer in congregation. Beware of fame and its dangers. Be among the ordinary people and do not seek positions."