Timeline of Events

1882: Inayat Khan born to Khatidja Bibi (mother) and Rahmat Khan (father) in Baroda, Gujarat, India on July 5.

1888: Ora Ray Baker born to Aletta Margaret Hiatt (mother) and Eurastus Warren Baker (father) on May 8 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

1910: Inayat, already twice widowed, comes to the United States as a musician on tour with relatives.

1910: Inayat and Ora first meet in San Francisco. At her brother’s suggestion, Ora starts taking music lessons from Inayat.

Between 1910 and 1913: Letters between Ora and Inayat, and she escapes from her family.

1913: Ora boards a ship for Europe on February 28.

1913: Ora and Inayat marry in London on March 20.

Later 1913?: Looking for Ora, police inquire about an American girl in Paris.

Later 1913?: After Inayat’s receiving an invitation to perform in Russia, he and Ora go there.

1914: Noor Inayat Khan is born on January 1 in Russia.

Later 1914: Inayat and his family leave Russia, because of revolution, and reach Paris.

Later 1914: Inayat goes to Geneva. (*letter suggests June-ish).

1914: World War I begins in July.

Later 1914: Khan family moves to London.

1915: Inayat and his brothers work for Richard Wagner & Co.

1916: Inayat and his brothers work for the London Opera House.

1916: Vilayat Inayat Khan is born on June 19.

1917: Hidayat Inayat Khan is born on August 6.

1918: In London, Inayat establishes the Sufi Order in the West

1919: Khairunisa (Claire) Inayat Khan is born on June 3.

Late 1920: The family goes to live near Paris, moving from house to house.

1922: Family moves to Fazal Manzil (bought in 1921 by wealthy supporter, Murshida Fazal Mai).

1923: Inayat travels to the United States, visits San Francisco, and visits Murshida Rabia Martin there; sends letters to Ora (April).

1923: Inayat establishes the Sufi Movement in Geneva.

Late 1925: Inayat makes third trip to the United States.

1926: Inayat meets with Henry Ford.

1926: Inayat sets sail for India on August 28 and arrives in Karachi on October 17.

1927: Inayat dies in India on February 5.

1927: Ora and their children travel to India around October to December.

Circa 1939: Hidayat marries Leni.

1939: World War II begins in Europe.

1940: Family flees from France to England. Noor’s SOE training may have begun at this time.

1944: Noor, a British agent in France, is captured and killed by the Nazis in Dachau on September 13.

1945: World War II ends.

1949: Ora dies in Paris on May 2; Claire is with her.

1950s: Claire and Vilayat visit their uncle Pierre and his wife in the United States.