Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani Rahmatullahi Alayhi

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Most Merciful


A Great Saint: Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Rahmatullahi Alayhi

Sheikh Muhi Uddin Abdul Qadir Jilani (a.k.a Gilani) has been famous for centuries as the most popular and revered Saint of Islam.

He was the founder of the Qadriya order, the most tolerant and charitable of the Sunni order of the dervishes. This order claims countless
followers throughout the Muslim world. His adherents, who knew him as ‘Ghaus-e-Azam’ (the highest in the hierarchy of Saints) revere him for his piety,
 humility, learning and gentleness of spirit.


"And it is thus that We appointed you to be the community of the middle way, so that you might be witnesses before all mankind and the Messenger
might be a witness before you." (Quran 2:143)

Dawa, calling to Islam, is every Muslim's responsibility. There can be no greater encouragement than what Allah says in the Quran, "Who is better
 in speech than one who calls (people) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, "I am of those who bow in Islam"? The good deed and the evil deed
are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were your friend and intimate!
 And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint,- none but persons of the greatest good fortune.
"(Quran 41:33-35)

   Abdul Qadir Jilani r.a.  (Syedina Ghous-ul-Azam )  a great preacher, a great educationalist, a great moralist and a great doctor of Muslim law. He
was the glory of the learned and the light of Islam; the Spokesman of theologians, the Interpreter of men of spiritual knowledge, the unique Leader of Leaders;
the Leader of nations; the Chief of the chiefs; the Succourer of men and the Jinn; the Reviver of Religion; possessed of very high and perfect spiritual knowledge; and hailed as the
Honour of Religion

In Persia, in a place called Naif in the district of Jilan, in the South of the Caspian Sea, there lived a pious and God fearing man. He was Hazrat Abu Saleh
 Jangi Dost. He used to spend most of his time in the contemplation and love of Allah (God).

Once he was sitting on the bank of a river in deep contemplation, when upon opening of his eyes, he saw an apple floating down the river. The apple,
which reached him near the bank, was taken up and eaten by him. Soon after, his conscince questioned the propriety whether the apple eaten by him
was lawful. He got up and walked along the bank of the river towards the sides from where the apple had come, in order to find out the owner of the
 garden where from the apple had fallen into the river. Hazrat intended to pay him the price for the apple in order to make the energy derived from that
apple lawful, since he had eaten it, without his permission.

After a long journey, he reached a spot where appeared a large garden on the bank of the river, which convinced him that the apple eaten by him had
fallen from that garden. Upon inquiry he learnt that the garden belonged to Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai. Hazrat Abu Saleh approached him and begged his
pardon for eating the apple of his garden without his prior permission. Such approach made Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai to perceive that Hazrat Abu Saleh
was a pious and a noble man. He therefore, asked him to pay the price of the apple before his request for pardon was considered. The price was to
serve under him as long as he desired. Hazrat Abu Saleh agreed to serve Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai for as long a period as his service was considered
necessary.

After a few years service, Hazrat Abu Saleh asked the owner of the garden to grant him pardon and release him. Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai, before
pardoning and allowing him to leave, asked Hazrat Abu Saleh to agree to marry his daughter who, he was told, was blind, deaf, lame and paralytic of
hands. After marriage he was also to stay with them until a child was born to them. These were the qualifying conditions of his release.

In order to obtain his pardon, Hazrat Abu Saleh Jangi Dost agreed to the proposal and the marriage was accordingly fixed up. When he entered the
chamber of the bride, he saw instead a beautiful and healthy lady. He turned his eyes from he assuming that he had entered a wrong chamber
because  the lady before him did not tally with the description given to him.

By his Kashf (Clairvoyance) Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai understood the predicament of Hazrat Abu Saleh about his bride. He called him and explained to
 him that he had stated that his daughter was blind, because her eyes never fell upon any outsider other than members of their family; she was said to
be deaf, because she had never heard untruthful statements; she was supposedly lame, because she never undertook and stepped on towards
committing acts, alien to the laws of Islam.

Such a description of his wife enlightened Hazrat Abu Saleh with a new light and he began to live happily with his wife whose name was Umul Khair
 Fatima. She was the pious daughter of Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai, who was himself a great Sufi and Saint of his time and was a direct descendent of
Hazrat Sayidina Imam Hussain (R.A)

There are two narrations concerning the date of birth of al-Ghawth al-A’zam Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. The first narration is that he was
 born on the 1st of Ramadaan 470 A.H.. The second narration is that he was born on the eve of the 2nd of Ramadaan 470 A.H. The second narration
 seems to be the one more favoured amongst the learned scholars. The birth of al-Ghawth al-A’zam Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. was a great
blessing to the Ummah. It was the arrival of the Sultaanul Awliya (King of the Awliya), which had been foretold for centuries before his birth.
Sayyidah Ummul Khair Faatima r.a. was 60 years old when Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. was born. It is widely known that women at this
age are usually incapable of having children. This alone was one of the astounding facts relating to the birth of the great Saint.

, Hazrat Umul Khair Fatima gave birth to a son in 470 Hijri during the month of  Ramadaan. The child was named Abu
 Muhammad Abdul Qadir. Abu Muhammad was his Kuniet that is the name by which he was familiarly called by relatives and neighbours.

Some of the Saints of the time of foresaw the birth of his Imam-ul-Auliya Saiyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani r.a. Hazrat Abu Bakar Bin Hawara once told some of
his  disciples that in the near future a great Wali (Saint) would be born in Ajam a non-Arab country   who would be God fearing and highly respected by
the  people of his time and thereafter. His foot will be on the neck of all Walis (Saints) and Walis of his time would testify to the truth of his claim. Another
Saint, Hazrat Ahmed Abdullah Bin Ahmed stated about 468 AH, that shortly a child would be born in Ajam whose miracles would be numerous and
whose rank among Walis (Saints) would be very high.

From the above details, it will appear that Saiyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani r.a. was a direct descendent of Hazrat Imam Hassan  (R.A) on his father's
 side. From his mother's side he descended from Saiyidina Imam Zainul Abedin son of Hazrat Imam Hussain R.A.. He was
therefore both a Hassani and Hussaini Saiyed tracing his lineage thereby to the two grandsons of Nabi Muhammad Mustafa (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Sallam).

All the writers agree that the age of Hazrat's mother was much above the normal age of child bearing, when this great Saint of Jilan was born to her.
 Despite having taken birth in such an advanced age of his mother, he was nevertheless, possessed of all the good faculties normally expected of a
healthy child. The child was a born Wali (Saint). From the very birth, he was endowed with germs of Psychic powers. His Wilayat was obviously felt
from his infancy.
When as an infant child during the month of Ramzan, he would take his mother's milk only at night and not during
daytime. This fact has been proved on the evidence of his mother. Once the new moon of the month of fasting was not visible in the evening on account of clouds. In the morning people came to his mother to inquire whether the day was the first of Ramzan. She replied that her child did not take her milk
 during daytime, which indicated that the day was the first of Ramzan.

As a child, Saiyidina Hazrat Abdul Qadir r.a. would not play with other children. The Psychic powers, which were exhibited by him in his infancy, naturally  developed as he grew up, and were visible in all the stages of his holy life. Once the children of the vicinity, where Saiyidina Abdul Qadir with his mother
 was living, invited him to play. He led the game and asked all the children to say IL-LAL-LAH, when he would recite LA-ILAHA. This play of the children  reciting LA-ILAHA-ILLALLAH (There is no God but God) could very well show the inclination and pursuits of the Leader.

He was quiet and sober from his early childhood and was generally disposed towards contemplation. His mother and his maternal grandfather,
 who themselves were, Walis (aulia karaam) naturally gave him the training that was necessary for a Wali. It may be said, that he was brought up
in the cradle of Sufism. Whenever he thought of playing, he will hear a voice questioning him where he was going. At this, he would be frightened
and would run back to take shelter in his mother's lap.

At the age of ten, however, he attended school. The teacher would ask his fellow students to make room for the Wali of Allah to sit in the class.
He lived in Jilan up to the age of 18 years. In one day Hazrat would learn by heart as much of his lessons as others would take a week to master.
One day, he was going to the fields for an excursion. A plough bullock was ahead of him. The animal suddenly turned round and seemed to tell him
 that he was not born for the purpose of utilising his time on excursions. Frightened at this incident, he turned back to his house and climbed its roof.
With his spiritual vision, he saw vast assembly standing on Jabl-ul Arafat.

He then requested his mother to dedicate him to ALLAH (GOD) and also allows him to proceed to Baghdad, which was then famous in the Muslim
World as a great seat of learning for the acquisition of knowledge. The desire to acquire knowledge was intensely burning in the Hazrat's heart and he
overcame the love his mother, his hearth and home, for the sake of ALLAH. He was not deterred by the prospect of hardships of a long and dangerous
journey, and residence in a remote city without friends or relatives.

When his mother heard the proposal, she shed silent tears as she perceived that on account of her old age, she was not destined to see her dear son
again, whom she had brought up so carefully and tenderly, after the death of her husband long age. But the Saintly Lady would not stand in the way of his
 devotion of ALLAH.

She sewed forty dinars (Gold Coins) into his garment, so that they might not easily be lost. It was his half share of the money left by his father.
The other half was kept for his brother. He soon joined a small caravan, which was going to Baghdad.

From the time of his childhood, he had never uttered falsehood, but despite this trait of his character, his mother at the time of parting, took a vow
from him that he should not tell even one lie under any circumstances. They then parted with heavy hearts. The separation between the son and the
mother was pathetic and sublime. It was no less similar to that of the leading of Hazrat Ismail by his father, Saiyidina Hazrat Ibrahim for sacrifice under
 divine orders, as the separation in either case was not for wealth, rank or fame, but for the sake of ALLAH.

The caravan passed quite safely as far as Hamadan, but beyond that place, a gang of sixty robbers fell upon the caravan and plundered it, but none laid
 violent hands upon Hazrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  Rahmatullahi Alayhi, taking him to be a penniless, religious youth. One robber however, questioned him whether he had anything with him.
He readily said he had forty dinars sewed into his garment. The man took it as a joke and went away. Another robber also asked the same question
from Hazrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  Rahmatullahi Alayhi, and on receiving the same reply, moved off. They reported the incident to the leader of the gang, who ordered the production
of they youth before him. Accordingly, when he was taken before the gang leader, he said the same thing, which he had stated before.
The garment was then cut open and the forty dinars were found.

On seeing the "dinars" the leader was astounded and asked Hazrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  Rahmatullahi Alayhi what had made him to tell the truth when he knew that he too would be robbed.
He replied that he had promised his mother not to tell a lie under any circumstances. Hazrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  Rahmatullahi Alayhi  added that if he had told a lie on the very first stage of his
 journey undertaken for the sake of acquiring knowledge of religion, he would obviously have no chance of acquiring any real knowledge of religion at
 subsequent stages of his career. Upon this, the robber realizing the felonous life he and his companions lad led, burst into tears and said that he had
been breaking the commands of God throughout his life, while a youth was so conscientiously fulfilling his vow made to his mother.

By placing his hands upon the hands of Hazrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  Rahmatullahi Alayhi, the leader of the robbers solemnly vowed to give up robbery. The other robbers also followed their leader
 and repented. The robbed belongings were returned to their owners. The conversion of the gang of robbers was not only due to Hazrat's Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  Rahmatullahi Alayhi strict
adherence to truth but to his psychic powers also. Most of the authorities are of the opinion that this incident showed the greatness of Syedina Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  Rahmatullahi Alayhi,
in the making. Had his nature not been truthful in origin, such a courageous and unwavering stand for truth, even in the face of such heavy odds,  would not have been possible for him.



In Baghdad, Hazrat studied several subjects, under many famous Savants of Islam. He studied Fiqah under Qazi Abu Saeed Mubarak bin Mokarrimi,
Abu Ofa Ali Bin Aqil and very many other learned teachers. He learned Hadith and his teachers included the famous Abu Ghalib Ahmed and Abu Qasim
Ali. He acquired proficiency in Arabic literature under the learned Abu Zakaria Yahya Tabrizi, who was at that time the principal of Madrasa Nizami.

During his stay in Baghdad, he established, by his conduct, that he was truthful and extremely charitable. During his stay, although he had to endure  great hardships, by dint of the natural talents and devotion, he very soon became the Master of Quran, Fiqh, Hadith and Arabic literature, with all its
connected branches.

He was once teaching Quran and a verse was erad. Several interpretations of the verse citing previous interpretations were quoted. In addition to these
interpretations, so many other aspects and meanings of the verse were explained in detail, that Sheikh Jamal-din bin Jowzi, who was amongst the
audience and was himself a renowned author of his time, admitted to a companion of his, that he knew of only eleven out of the forty different
explanations of the verse given by Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  Rahmatullahi Alayhi( Hazrat Ghosul Azam.).

In 521 Hijri, Hazrat Abu Saeed Mubarik Bin Mokarrimi made over his Madrasa to Saiydina Abdul Qadir, In the beginning, there were only very few students;
but soon his fame for learning, piety, inner illumination, veracity, and strict adherence to Shariat spread far and wide and people from all over the world
began to flock round him to reap the benefits of his lectures and sermons. Gradually the existing building proved too small for the ever-increasing students,
and in 528 AH, adjacent houses had to be acquired. For thirty-three years between 528 and 561, he devoted himself to the cause of Education. He himself
taught Muslim Law, commentaries on the Quran, Hadith, Syntax (grammar) and other Islamic subjects. Students from every part of Iraq and all over the
Muslim world came to his Madrasa, where they received free education with boarding and lodging provided.

After completing their course of studies, these students either returned to their own countries or went to some other lands in order to spread the
knowledge and virtues acquired from the Hazrat. Education thus spread throughout Iraq and other Muslim Countries to achieve Saiyidina's sole object
of the revival of Islam. Most of his students later became famous Saints and Savants of Islam. Among them were Sheikh Ali bin Hiti-a- Qutub of his time .
 Sheikh Baqir bin Batu, the head of the Autad, Sheikh Shahabuddin Umar Suharwardy the author of the well known book on Sufism, Awarif-ul-Maarif
 and Head of the Suharwardy Order, Sheikh Abdul Hassan the famous preacher of Egypt and very many others.

As a student, when he was engaged in his studies he did not neglect his efforts to attain spiritual perfection. He therefore, often resorted to fasting and
 would not ask for food from any one, even if he had to go without any meal for days together.

Farmudat (Gems of Wisdom)

    * Divine Maarfut is acquired only through following the Sunnah (path of the Holy Prophet - S.A.W.);
     
    * Observance of the life of Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be on him) is a way to achieve Love of Allah;
     
    * A person who doesn't offer pray is like dead;
     
    * If uniformity and unity through Sharia'h is developed in our inner and outer life then it can lead us towards singularity and unity of Muslim World;
     
    * The message of Aowlyia is uncontaminated with hatred, friction, prejudice, and strife, on the contrary, their message is totally based on love and kindness,
that is why, their efforts can create unity in Muslim World if they fulfill their right role and they can provide revolutionary service to Islam and the Muslim
 World up to the level that cannot be achieved by any other group;
     
    * You want to be a Pir, a Qutub, a Ghous, then go somewhere else and if you want to be a good muslim(servant of Allah) then come here;
     
    * If heart is filled with duplicity, jealousy, hate, hypocrisy one cannot get reward of his good deeds;
    

 the signs of tawakkul and supports his position with the example of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  r.a.

“The one whose reliance is sincere has three marks. The first is that he neither has hopes in nor fears other than God. The sign of this is that he
 upholds the truth in the presence of those in whose regard people usually have hope or fear, such as princes and rulers. The second is that worrying
about his sustenance never enters his heart, because of his confidence in God’s guarantee, so that his heart is as tranquil when in need as when his
need is fulfilled, or even more. The third is that his heart does not become disturbed in fearful situations, knowing that that which has missed him could
never have struck him, and that which has struck him could never have missed him. An example of this was related of  ‘Abdal-Qadir al-Jilani, r.a.
may God spread his benefit. He was once discoursing on Destiny when a great viper fell on him, so that his audience panicked. The viper coiled itself
 around the shaykh’s neck, then entered one of his sleeves and came out from the other while he remained firm and unperturbed, and did not interrupt
 his discourse”. (Risalat u’l Mu’awanah, The Book of Assistance, translated by Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi, p. 121-122).

This incident demonstrates that Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani r.a. was matchless in a very special way. It also reminds us about the following verses of the
Holy Qur’an on the awliya Allah (friends of Allah):

Surely, on the friends of Allah, there is no fear, nor do they grieve. Those who believed and guarded (against evil). For them are glad tidings in this world’s
life and in the Hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the Supreme Triumph. (10:62-64)

It has been narrated in the biographies of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani that once he saw a dazzling light which filled the whole sky.
Then a human frame appeared in it and told him he was his lord and that he had made everything that was prohibited in Islam lawful for him.
Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani recognized him as the devil and told him to get lost. Then the sky turned dark and the human frame fizzled out into smoke.
Following this, Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani heard someone say to him that he had misled seventy people in this way but that his knowledge and piety
had saved him. To this the Shaykh responded that it was through the Grace of Allah that he had been saved! The machinations of shaytan could
 obviously never make Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani abandon the shari’a (sacred Muslim law).
..................Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani  ra ( some of his saying).......
   ON ENVY.

"Your envy of your neighbour invites the following comparison: A man sees a king with all his might, his armies and his entourage,
his possession and control of vast estates, from which he collects taxes and extracts revenue. He sees the king enjoying all kinds of luxuries,
pleasures and gratifications, but he does not envy him any of this. Then he sees a dog acting as a servant to one of the king's dogs, standing,
squatting, barking, and being given leftovers and scraps of food from the royal kitchen, on which he subsists. The man starts to envy this dog,
becomes hostile toward it, wishes death and destruction upon it and wants to take its place, for mean and petty reasons, not in a spirit of asceticism,
religious piety and humble contentment. Was there ever a man more foolish, stupid and ignorant?"


ON PRAYER.

"Be well-behaved, practice patience, contentment and harmony with your Lord, and repent for your resentment against Him and of your suspicion of
Him where His action is concerned. In the Lord's presence there is no room for demanding payment in full and exacting retaliation where there is no
offence, nor for recourse to natural instinct, as is usual in mutual relations between His servants. He is absolutely alone from all eternity, existing
before all things. He created them, and He created their benefits and disadvantages. He knows their beginning, their end and their fulfillment. He is wise
 in His working and sure in His craftsmanship. There is no inconsistency in what He does. He does nothing uselessly and creates nothing as a futile game.
There can be no question of criticizing or reproaching Him for His deeds.

You should therefore wait for relief, if you are too weak to comply with Him and to submit to His action gladly, until the prescript of destiny expires.
Then the situation will yield to its opposite with the passage of time and the consummation of the course of events, as winter runs its course and
yields to summer, and as night comes to an end and yields to day. If you ask for the light of day between the first two watches of the night, it will
not be given to you. Indeed the night will get even darker, until the darkness reaches its climax, then dawn breaks and the day comes with its light,
whether you ask for this and want it, or say nothing about it and even dislike it. Should you now ask for the night to be brought back, your request will
go unanswered and you will not get what you want, because you have asked for something at the wrong moment and time. You will therefore be left sorry,
deprived, resentful and disappointed. So give all this up and practice compliance, thinking well of your Lord and graceful patience. For what is yours will not
 be snatched from you, and what is not yours will not be given to you. By my life, you pray and make supplication to your Lord, offering humble entreaties
 as an act of worship and obedience in keeping with His commandment: "Call upon Me and I will answer you"[40:60] and His words: "Ask Allah of
His bounty" [4:32], as well as other verses and traditions. You pray, and He will answer you at the appropriate moment and appointed time, when He wills,
 when it is to your advantage in this world and the hereafter, and when it coincides with His decree and the end of the term set by Him."


ON PASSING BEYOND CREATION: ANNIHILATION.

"Become extinct to all created beings by Allah's leave, to your passionate desire by His command: In Allah put your trust if you are true believers. [5:23],
and to your own will by his action. Then you will be fit to receive the knowledge of Allah.
Allah has said: I am with those who are broken-hearted on My account. So Allah will not be with you until you totally disown your desire and your will.
When these are broken, and you contain nothing stable or useful, Allah will create you afresh and install in you a new power of will for you to exercise.
If any element of self creeps into this newly created will, however, the Lord will smash it again. You will always be left broken-hearted, because He will
repeat this process until the book of destiny ends with union. This is the meaning of: I am with those who are broken-hearted on My account. When
we speak of an element of self creeping in, we mean that you become sure and self-confident in relation to the new will.

"So through Me he hears, through Me he sees, and through Me he understands."
This comes about in the state of annihilation and no other. When you become extinct in relation to yourself and to all creatures, the whole creation
being good and evil, as you likewise are good and evil, you neither hope for any good nor fear any evil therefrom. Only Allah remains, Alone as He
ever was. Good and evil are part of Allah’s plan, so He will keep you safe from His evil, and will immerse you in the oceans of His good. You will
become the receptacle of all that is good, a stronghold for every blessing, happiness and joy, a beacon of security and peace.
Annihilation is therefore the aim and object, the final destination of the journey of the saints. This was the direction sought by all previous saints and
Abdaal: to become extinct to their own will, and let the will of the Almighty and Glorious Truth take its place, as a permanent transformation, lasting
until death. That is why they came to be called Abdaal [Substitutes] {may Allah be well pleased with them all}.

When you die to the created world, you will be told: Allah have mercy on you! May He now let you die to passionate desire. When you die to your
passionate desire, you will be told: Allah have mercy on you! May He now let you die to your willing and wishing. When you die to your will, you will
 be told: Allah have mercy on you! May He now restore you to a life beyond which there is no death."


THE ESSENTIAL TASKS OF EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.

"Three things inevitably demand the attention of every believer under all circumstances: A commandment to be obeyed, a prohibition to be
 respected, and a Divine decree to be accepted with good grace. In even the most trivial situation, at least one of the three is bound to apply.
The believer must therefore keep his mind and feelings focused upon them, talk to himself about them, and practice the physical self-discipline
they require of him at all times."