maintains a direct chain of teachers back to the Prophet?

Does "maintains a direct chain of teachers back to the Prophet" refer to "leads a direct chain of teachers back to the Prophet"?

Context:

Sufism or Tasawwuf (Persian: تصوف‎), according to its adherents, is the inner mystical dimension of Islam. Practitioners of Sufism (Tasawwuf), referred to as Sufis (ṣūfī) (/ˈsuːfi/; صُوفِيّ), often belong to different ṭuruq or "orders"—congregations formed around a grand master referred to as a Mawla who maintains a direct chain of teachers back to the Prophet Muhammad.[1] These orders meet for spiritual sessions (majalis) in meeting places known as zawiyahs, khanqahs, or tekke.

More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism