He is president of the Inayati Order and founder of Suluk Academy, a school of contemplative study with branches in the United States and Europe.

Vilayat made it clear to Zia at an early age that he wished him to take the mantle of his Sufi lineage as passed down from Inayat Khan, and instructed him in meditation and spiritual retreat.

[2] Zia has lectured and taught extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and India on Sufism and its relevance to personal and collective transformation.

Zia has specialized in carrying forward and teaching the spiritual legacy of his grandfather, Inayat Khan.

[citation needed] Zia's writings and talks also focus on connecting the heritage of contemplative wisdom traditions with contemporary society, with an emphasis on responding to crucial ecological and social challenges.