Shaikh Bahauddin Zakriya was born in 1182 at Kot-Kur, not far from Multan, when his grandfather, originally from Makkah, had finally settled. After receiving his early education in Multan he went to Khurasan and completed his advanced studies under well-known scholars at Bukhara and Madina.
At Baghdad he got himself enrolled as a disciple of Shaikh Shahabuddin Shorwardhi (1145-1234) who conferred Khilafat on him and then directed him to return to his father-land to serve the people.
In Multan he set up his Khanqah and soon became a highly respected and popular figure and a large number of people were attracted by him and joined the circle of his disciples. The well-known Shaikh of Sehwan, Usman Marwandi, popularly known as Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, was also his disciple.