During his lifetime, Zakariya befriended Lal Shahbaz Qalandar - a widely revered Sufi saint from Sindh's, and founder of the Qalandariyya order of wandering dervishes. As "Shaikh-ul-Islam," Zakariya was able to assuage orthodox Muslims, who were offended by the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar's teachings. Zakariya, and Shahbaz Qalandar, together with Baba Fariduddin Ganjshakar of the Chisti order, and Zakariya's disciple Syed Jalalauddin Bukhari, became part of the legendary "Haq Char Yaar", or "Four friends" group, which is highly revered among South Asian Muslims.