He was born in Iran and came to India with the earliest Turkish conquerors. He became a disciple and, later, the spiritual heir of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. Qutb Sahib had his preferences as far as the rulers of Delhi went; he is reputed to have disliked Ghori, was a friend of Qutbuddin Aibak and was at the height of his popularity in the regin of Iltutmish, during whose regin he died in AD 1236.
The dargah of Qutb Sahib is a focal point of the celebrations during the phoolvalon ki Sair, much enjoyed by contemporary visitors to Delhi but whose history and significance remain surprisingly unknown. Too often Qutb sahib continues to be wrongly confused with one of the reputed builders of the Minar, and his grave as an annex of it.
Like the cluster of medieval streets and buildings surrounding Nizamuddin’s more centrally located shrine, those around the tomb of Qutb Sahib are not deserted relics of the past. The locality is maintained as a living complex, its inhabitants related to and maintaining the tradition that has enriched Delhi for centuries. Like Nizamuddin, Qutb Sahib was a magnet for the devout, the learned and the powerful, and the dargah is surrounded by symbols of their regard.