Before Going on Hajj, Imam Ahmad Raza (may Allah be pleased with him) went, in 1294/1877, to Marahra, to receive discipleship (bayat/bai'a) from an elderly Pir of the Barkatiyya Sayyid family resident there. He was about 21 years old at that time, and was accompanied by his father, for both wanted to become murids (disciples) of Sayyid Shah Ale Rasul (may Allah be pleased with him) [d.1297/1879]. Sources indicate that this visit was preceded, for Ahmad Raza, by a period or very painful spiritual longing during which his grandfather appeared to him in a dream and assured him that relief would be forthcoming. This happened as prophesied in the dream when a very good friend and mentor of his father's, Maulana Abdul Qadir Bayduni (may Allah be pleased with him) [1837-1901], came to their humble abode and advised father and son to seek bayat from Sayyid Shah Ale Rasul (may Allah be pleased with him).

Hazrat Abdul Qadir Bayduni (may Allah be pleased with him) was the son of Hazrat Maulana Fazl-e Rasul Badayuni (may Allah be pleased with him) and studied under a number of well-known teachers. Among them was Hazrat Maulana Fazl-e Haqq Khairabadi (may Allah be pleased with him) [d.1861], who was imprisoned by the British in the Andaman Islands for anti-British activities during 1857. Hz. Abdul Qadir Bayduni (may Allah be pleased with him) was active against the 'Wahhabis' and in opposing the Nadwat Ulema in the 1880s.

According to biographical accounts, when Ahmad Raza and his father arrived at Marahra they were welcomed with unusual honors and Sayyid Shah Ale Rasul (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted them both as his disciples immediately, although a 40 day period of waiting and training, called chilla, was customary. Ahmad Raza and his father received permission to accept disciples from all Sufi Tariqas and sources suggest that Ahmad Raza and his Pir, Sayyid Shah Ale Rasul (may Allah be pleased with him) shared an intuitive bond: while Ahmad Raza had experienced this strong internal longing, Sayyid Shah Ale Rasul (may Allah be pleased with him) had been waiting for several days to see him. Now that he had done so, Sayyid Shah Ale Rasul (may Allah be pleased with him) said he could die in peace, knowing that when Almighty Allah asked him what he had brought Him from the world, he could offer Him Ahmad Raza in reply. [Sayyid Shah Ale Rasul (may Allah be pleased with him) was in his eighties.]

Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (may Allah be pleased with him) was admitted to the Qadiriyya Order and was permitted to enroll and train neophytes. He had similar authority in 13 other Sufi orders. As an adult Ahmad Raza also received instruction and sought advice from, Sayyid Nuri Miyan (may Allah be pleased with him) , Shah Al-e-Rasul's successor and grandson. Even though Sayyid Shah Al-e Rasul (may Allah be pleased with him) died soon after Ahmad Riza became his disciple, Ahmad Riza did not consider his relationship with his Pir or the Barkatiyya Sayyid family to have ended. He embraced the Barkatiyya ancestors of Sayyid Shah Al-e Rasul and Sayyid Nuri Miyan as his Pirs (Sufi Masters) and continued in time beyond his death. 

From about 1905 or 1906, until his death in 1921, Ahmad Raza held annual Urs for his Pir on his death anniversary, at his own home in Bareilly. For three days each year, from the 16^th to the 18^th Zul Hijja, the occasion was commemorated with Milad, khatme of the Quran, recitation of na’t poetry, and sermons by the ulema.

Imam Ahmad Raza's relation with his Master transcended death reaching to the chain of spiritual (and actual) and ancestors who were the source of his spiritual authority. Through such eminent figures as the Hazrat Sayyiduna Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him) whose source of authority was in the final analysis their descent from the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). The Shajara or family tree, which listed ones ancestors by name, was an important testimonial of authority linking its bearer to the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace).

Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him)  played a very important presence in Imam Ahmad Raza's (may Allah be pleased with him) life, with which he identified more closely than with other orders, though he was also affiliated with the Chishti, Naqshsbandi, and Suhrawardi Sufi Orders; and finally the place of the beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as a pivotal figure in his life.

He wrote numerous poems in devotion to this great Grand Master [Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him)]. He believed that mediatory power (grace, baraka) inheres most specially in lineal descendants of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace); hence his marked respect for Sayyids, regardless of their social standing. 

Ahmad Riza was an authority on both the rational, traditional branches of knowledge and was recognized as a versatile genius of his age. In his youth he was a perfect master of the different arts and sciences and he left a rich academic memorabilia in all the branches of knowledge before his demise at the age of 65 years.
The rational aspect of the academic knowledge of Imam Ahmad Raza (may Allah be pleased with him) is very important and interesting to our modern age. His valuable research and written work took an analytical view and a critical survey of the scholastic and modern philosophers also the discoveries, research and practical findings of scientists to which he pointed out their shortcomings and mistakes.

He wrote estimated 1000 books and treatises in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu on more than 50 branches of knowledge. Very few have been published and many are lying unpublished in Bareilly. The most voluminous work is the collection of Verdicts i.e. Fatawa-e-Ridawiyya. In 1324/1904, he had completed its seven volumes, which afterwards increased up to 12 volumes of 26x20/8 size and each volume containing more than 1000 pages. 

Ahmed Raza Khan was a genius writer. His first book was the Arabic commentary of "Hidaya al-Nahv" (Arabic grammar), which he wrote at the age of 10. The second book was "Dau al-Nihaya" in Arabic, which he wrote in 1285/1868 at the age of 13. In 1305/1887 at the age of 30 years he has completed 75 books and treatises. In 1327/1909 this number increased up to 500. Apart from these contributions he had written annotations and commentaries on more than 150 books pertaining to various branches of learning. Some of these papers are of such a high degree that the bibliography consists of books innumerable.
         

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