World of Tasawwuf

Sayyadina as-Shaykh Abd 'al-Qadir al Jilani
Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu

INTRODUCTION

HASANI & HUSAYNI

SPIRITUAL STATION OF SIDDIQIN

BIRTH

EDUCATION

FAMILY

SPREAD OF ISLAM

THE SPIRITUAL ROOTS

GHAWTH AL AZAM ON DHIKR

PREACHINGS

MIRACLES/KARAMATS

WORKS

SHARIA, TARIQA & HAQEEQI MA'RIFA

AQEEDA

LINEAGE

WISSAL

SHRINE

THE SHAYKHS NAMES & TITLES

BIOGRAPHIES

SILSILA QADIRIYA | SILSILA CHISTIYA | SILSILA ASHRAFIYA | SUFIS & SHAYKHS

EXTRACTS FROM: AL BAZ.COM |  IQRA.NET

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His mother was Umm al-Khair [Mother of Goodness] Amat al-Jabbar [Maidservant of the All-Compelling One] Fatima, the daughter of Shaykh 'Abdu'llah as-Sawma'i al-Husaini az-Zahid. She had an abundant share of goodness and righteousness. It is related of her that she used to say: "When I gave birth to my son, 'Abd al-Qadir, he would not suck my breast during the daytime of Ramadan. The new moon of Ramadan was hidden by clouds, so people came and asked me about him, and I told them: 'He has not sipped a breast today.' It thus became obvious that the day was the first of Ramadan." The word then spread throughout the towns of Jilan, that a son had been born to the nobles, and that this was a child who refused to be suckled during the daytime in Ramadan. It was also said that his mother had become pregnant with him when she was sixty years of age. It is said that no woman of sixty carries a child, unless she be a woman of Quraish, and no woman of fifty carries a child, unless she be an Arab woman.

When she gave birth to him (may Allah be well pleased with him), he was received by the hand of gracious favour, and he was surrounded by enabling guidance, behind him and in front of him. He never ceased to be nurtured (may Allah be well pleased with him) in the lap of noble kindness, nourished with the milk of blessings, guarded in safekeeping, watched over with providential care.

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Shaykh Abd 'al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu had four wives, each a model of virtue and devoted to him. He had forty-nine children, twenty-seven sons and twenty-two daughters. Four of his sons, Shaykh Abd 'al-Wahhab, Shaykh Isa, Shaykh Abd 'al-Razzaq and Shaykh Musa became famous for their education and learning. This is how Shaykh Tosun al-Halveti explains about the daily life of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu : "He himself had given all of himself to Allah. His nights passed with little or no sleep in secluded prayer and meditation. He spent his days like a true follower of the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam in the service of humanity. Three times a week he would deliver public sermons to thousands of people. Every day in the morning and the afternoon he gave lessons in Quranic commentary, Prophetic traditions, theology, religious law and tasawwuf. He spent the time after the midday prayer giving advice and consultation to people, whether beggars or kings, who would come from all parts of the world. Before sunset prayers, rain or shine, he took to the streets to distribute bread among the poor. As he spent all his days in fasting he would eat only once a day, after sunset prayer, and never alone. His servants would stand at his door asking passers-by if they were hungry, so that they could share his table." (Sirr al-Asrar, p XLIV)

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A few examples suffice to illustrate this. The first example is that of KHAWAJA MUIN AL-DIN CHISTI Rahmatullahi ta'ala alaih who acknowledged Shaykh Abd' al-Qadir al-Jilani as his Shaykh and spread Islam in India among the Hindus. He achieved such a high spiritual stature that he is called Sultan al Hind (the sultan of saints in the Indian sub-continent) and all the saints in that region are under his banner while he is under the banner of the Ghawth al-A'zam. In the same way Shaykh Uways ibn Muhammad Rahmatullahi alaih of Somalia became a khalifa in Tariqat al Qadiriyya at the shrine of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani in Baghdad and spread Islam in the whole of Eastern Africa through congregations of Dhikr. And Shaykh Hamzah Fansuri, considered to be the greatest saint in Indonesia and Malaysia proudly proclaimed that he learned Islam from Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani.

It can truly be said that the mureedeen and muhibbeen (loving disciples) of Shaykh barakaat Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu have spread Islam throughout the world through Dhikr. The (blessings) of Dhikr are truly unending. May Allah Ta'ala make us among the Zaakireen, Aameen.

And the granting of wilayah (the stature of a saint) by Allah Ta'ala to the Zaakireen (those who remember Him), aabideen (those who worship Him) and muhibbeen (those who love the Beloved Prophet) is in all instances mediated by the Most Beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam, Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani and one's own Shaykh. After all the awliya and the ulama (learned) are the Khalifatullah, vicegerants of Allah. And one must always aspire to wilayah so that one becomes 'Aarif Billah (knower of Allah).

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Any tariqa has a silsila or spiritual chain linking the teachings of the Shaykh to the teachings of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu 'alayhi wa Sallam. The spiritual roots of Shaykh 'Abd al Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu 'Anhu are traced back to the Beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as follows:

Imam u'l Anbiya, Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad ibn 'Abdillah, Nurin min Nurillah,
(53 B.H-11 A.H; 571-632 C.E), the master of

Sayyiduna'l Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (23 B.H-40 A.H; 600-661 C.E), the father of

Sayyid-ush-shuhadaa Imam Husayn ibn 'Ali (4-61 A.H), the father of

Sayyidina Imam Zayn u'l 'Abidin 'Ali ibn Husayn (38-94 A.H), the father of

Sayyidina Imam Muhammad al-Baqir ibn 'Ali (59-114 A.H), the father of

Sayyidina Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (83-148 A.H), the father of

Sayyidina Imam Musa al-Kazim (passed away 182 A.H), the father of

Sayyidina Imam 'Ali ar-Rida (passed away 203 A.H), the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh Ma'ruf al-Karkhi (passed away 201 A.H/817 C.E), the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh as-Sari as-Saqati (passed away 251 A.H/866 C.E), the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh Abu'l Qasim, Junayd al-Baghdadi (passed away 298 A.H/910 C.E),
the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh Abu Bakr ibn Jahdar ash-Shibli (passed away 334 A.H/945 C.E),
the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh 'Abdul Wahid at-Tamimi, the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh Abu'l Faraj at-Tarsusi

(Abu'l Farah according to some narrations, instead of Abu'l Faraj), the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh Abu'l Hasan, al-Qurashi al-Hakaari, the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh Qadi Abu Sa'id al-Mubarak al-Makhzumi (passed away 513 A.H),
the master of

Sayyidina Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (470-561 A.H; 1077-1166 C.E).

(Cited in al-Jawhar u'n Nafis, The Most Precious Pearls p. 34).

Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Rahmatullahi 'alayh, (1272-1340 A.H, 1856-1921 C.E) has versified on these spiritual roots in "Shajara Qadiriyya" ("The Spiritual Tree of the Qadiriyya Spiritual Masters"), in Hadaaiqi Bakhshish (The Gardens of Gifts, p. 65-66).

It has been narrated in 'Qalaid al-Jawahir' (Necklaces of Gems) by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yahya at-Tadifi, Rahmatullahi 'alayh that Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Radi Allahu 'Anhu did not start preaching in Baghdad until he reached the age of 50. Before that, for many years, he was a wandering darwish in the wilderness of Iraq practicing zuhd (abstinence), totally immersed in the worship of Allah. Then the Beloved Prophet Sayyidina Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace, and Amir u'l Mu'minin Sayyidina 'Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, came to him in a dream to bless him and to encourage him to start preaching in Baghdad. This then was the direct ijaza (permission) to him to preach from the Beloved Prophet himself who is the Madinat u'l 'ilm (the City of Knowledge) as well as from Sayyidina 'Ali who is Bab u'l 'ilm (the Gate of Knowledge). With such an ijaza, was there anything that the beloved Piran-e-Pir (Shaykh of Shaykhs), Dastagir (the helping hand) could not accomplish?

source: IQRA.NET

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Books by Shaykh Abd 'al Qadir al Jilani [Allah be pleased with him]
Courtesy of Al Baz Publishing

 

Kitab Sirr al-Asrar wa Mazhar al-Anwar
(The Book of the Secret of Secrets and the Manifestation of Lights)


Futuh al-Ghaib (Revelations of the Unseen)
78 discourses, fairly short and to the point but very powerful.


Al-Fath ar-Rabbani (The Sublime Revelation)
62 discourses definitely longer, given in the Ribaat and Madrasa in Baghdad AH 545-546.


Jala' al-Khawatir (The Removal of Cares)
45 discourses, also in the same locations, given in the year AH 546.


Malfuzat (Utterances of Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir)
This is a collection of various sayings and short sections of what the Shaikh said.Generally it is found at the end of the hand copied Arabic manuscripts of Fath ar-Rabbani.


Al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq
(Sufficient Provision for Seekers of the Path of Truth)
also known in the Indian sub-continent as Al-Ghunya li-Talibin
These five volumes, written by the Shaikh at the request of one of his murids, is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of Islam, both the inward and the outward.


Khamsata 'Ashara Maktuban (Fifteen Letters)
These are 15 letters originally written in Persian by Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir to one of his murids.


Al-Fuyudat al-Rabbaniyya (Emanations of Lordly Grace)


Bashair al-Khairat (Glad Tidings of Good Things)
A Salawat by Shaykh Abd al-Qadir by way of inspiration from Allah.


Answers to Various Important Questions by Shaikh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
Contains many concise answers to very important questions regarding a variety of topics.


Special Prayers by Shaikh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
Contains many special invocations taught to us by the Shaikh for their special blessings.


Shaikh Abd al-Qadir - Gate of Poverty
Contains the story excerpted from Necklaces of Gems of the Shaikh's struggle with the Devil Armies, Iblis himself, and his lower self (nafs)

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"Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, the first and last, outwardly and inwardly, as many times as the number of His creations and equal to the measures of His words and to the weight of His throne, and to the extent of His own pleasure and to the number of all thins single and in pairs, and things that are wet and dry, and of all that our Lord has created and spread for ever, and in all its purity and blessedness. Praise be to Him, Who has created and then made complete and who has made thins according to their measure and guided them to their goal; to Him who cause death and gives life, who makes one laugh and weep; who gives food and drink; who gives one good and bad luck; by Whose command, the seven strong heavens stand and the mountains are fixed like pegs, and the spread out of the earth is staged and in Whose mercy no one can be disappointed and from Whose planning and enforcement of order and dignity and command, no one can escape, and to Whose service no one can be averse, and of Whose blessings no one can be devoid of. 

He is praised, because He has been loving and is offered thanks, because he affords safety. He confers benefits on us, protects and keeps us safe, gives us life and keeps away from us all that injures and gives us trouble, and all these just out of His mercy and compassion and as an act of absolute favour, and because of His will to give us standing protection in our expressions and actions both private and open and in our reticence and in our plight and in our pleasure."

"Surely he is the Absolute Doer of whatever He likes and orders whatever He wills, and knows whatever is hidden, and is informed of all affairs and conditions, both of sins and errors as well as acts of obedience and states of nearness of Him, and I ears and accepts all prayers from whomsoever, He likes and wills, without any contentions and hesitation. His favours on his servants are in abundance and ceaselessly at all hours of nights and day and in all conditions, as He has said “If you enumerate the favours of Allah you will not be able to count them” And whatever of blessings is with you, it is from Allah."

Blessings be then upon His chosen Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him), and any one who follows what he has pronounced receives guidance and whoever turns away from him is misguided and perishes, the truthful Prophet of recognized truthfulness, abstainer from the World, and seeker of the High, the one who has been, from among all his creatures, the selected one, with whose advent the Truth has come and with whose appearance, falsehood has disappeared and with whose light the earth is illuminated. Blessings pure and abundant are upon him as also on the pure among his offsprings and companions, and his followers, together waits His favour.

"A Muslim" he said, should follow faithfully, in the footsteps of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) and should not create innovations and remain obedient to Allah and His Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him). He should not ascribe any partner to Him nor ascribe any evil to Him but should maintain His truth without any doubt, and remain patient and firm without running away. 

"Apply to Allah for your needs, but do not feel annoyed; but wait. Be united in obedience and do not be disunited. Love on another and do not bear spite towards one another. Keep free from vices and do not be contaminated or defiled by them. Beautify yourself with obedience to your Lord. Do not keep away from the doors of Your Master and do not refrain from being attentive to Him. Do not delay your repentance but return to Him. Do not feel weary of seeking forgiveness from your creator at any time during day and night. If you do so, may be, mercy will be shown to you and you will have good luck and be kept away from hell fire. Be united with Allah and enjoy His blessings."

"The first thing which a man of intelligence should see is the condition and composition of his own self, and then of the other creations and inventions. Then he would infer from them the existence of their Creator and Originator, because, creation indicates the creator, and the underlying strong power is the pointer to the wise Actor behind it, because all things are in existence through Allah." 

"In every thing there is an attribute from the attributes of Allah, and every name is a sign for one of His names. So surely you are between His names and His attributes and works, inwardly through His power and outwardly through His wisdom. He is manifest in His attributes and concealed in His person. His person is concealed in His attributes and His attributes are concealed in His works. And He had revealed His knowledge through His will and expressed His will in movements. And He has concealed His skill and His workmanship through His will. So He is hidden in His invisibility and He is manifest in His wisdom and power. There is nothing like a likeness of Him and He is bearing and seeing."

"Keep away from disobedience to Allah, the exalted, and the Glorious, with utmost effort, and cling to His door with truth. And apply all your power effort in obeying Hum with apologies and entreaties, showing your readiness, in silence with down cast looks not looking at people nor following your animal desires, nor seeking any recompense, whether of this world or of the hereafter, nor yet any promotion to higher positions or honorable stations. And know it for certain that you are His servant, and all that the servant possesses belongs to his Master, so that he cannot any thing against Him."

"Observe good manners and do not blame your Master. Every thing is in an appointed measure with Him. What he puts forward, no one can push back and whatever He keeps back, no one can push forward. Nothing keeps you off from the favour of Allah and His direct blessings, excepting your reliance on people, and means, and arts and crafts, and earnings. Thus people become a barrier to you. Thus, so long as you remain with people, that is, you yearn for their gifts and favours and solicit from them with expectations at their doors, you are then associating Allah’s creation with Him."

"Then, when you have renounced your hopes with the people and your associating them with your Lord, you would have thrown away polytheism. If you have discarded your reliances on your earnings, ability, and power, then you testify Allah that He is the Giver of livelihood, and Creator of causes of care and of strength for earning and Giver of power over everything good."

"Thus you turn towards Him and throw yourself before Him, the Mighty and the Glorious, when he lifts the veil that intervenes between you and His favour and opens the door of sustenance by His favour at every time of necessity, who is also a fried of the patient as a protection from Him, the Mighty and the Glorious in order to keep you clear from any inclination towards what is besides Him. He thus pleases you by his favours. Thus, when he removes from your heart every purpose and every desire and every pleasure and every object, there remains nothing in your heart excepting His purpose."

"Thus He wants to bring to you your allotted share which cannot escape from you and which is not meant for any one else from among his creation. He will create in you a desire for that share and will direct it to you, so it will reach you at the time of your need. Then He will give you strength to be grateful to him and he will direct it to you and give it to you as your sustenance so that you may be grateful to Him and may recognise and know it. Thus this will increase your desire for aloofness from people and distance from men and for emptiness of your heart from whatever is besides Him."

"Then when your knowledge has been strengthened as also your certainty, and your heart has expanded and is illuminated, and your nearness to Allah and your position with Him, and your trustworthiness and worthiness in the matter of guarding His secrets have been increased thereby, you will be given knowledge before hand as to when your share will come to you as a sign in your favour, and as an exaltation of your dignity. This is a favour from Him and an act of kindness and guidance." Allah the Exalted and Glorious says "Those who strive hard for US, we will most certainly guide them in our ways."

"And fear Allah and He will teach you then, He will invest you with the power of controlling the Universe, with a clear permission, which will have no obscurity in it and with clear signs which will be bright like the bright sun and with sweet words which will be sweeter than all sweet things, and with true revelation without any ambiguity and will be free from any evil suggestion of the animal self and from the promptings of the devil, the accursed." 

"O child of Adam, I am Allah, nothing deserves to be worshipped excepting me. I say to a thing 'Be' it will likewise come into being. Obey Me, I will make you so that if you say to a thing 'Be' it will likewise come into being." And He has endowed this gift to many of His Prophets (peace be upon him) and Awliyas and people specially favoured from among the children of Adam." 

"Verily there is nothing excepting Allah and yourself and you are the addresser. The self of man is opposed to Allah and inimical to Him and all things are subordinate to Allah. The Self of a man really belongs to Allah as a creation and as a possession and the self of man entertains presumptions, wherefrom arises false hopes and passions and sexual pleasure. So if you ally yourself with Truth by opposing yourself and becoming hostile to it you will belong to Allah said to Prophet Dawood (peace be upon him) "Dawood I am your unavoidable Resort, so hold firmly to this Resort. True servitude consists in your becoming inimical to your own self for my sake." It is then that your friendliness towards Allah and servitude to Him will become a proved fact. And it is then that you will get your share of things holy, wholesome, and pleasant. ; You will then become dear and honourable and everything will become your servant and render you homage and will be afraid of you; because all of them are subordinate to their Allah and in harmony with Him, since He is their Creator and Originator and they acknowledge their servitude to Him." 

Allah says, "And there is nothing that does not glority Him with His praises, but you do not understand their prayers." "Do not follow your low desires because they will lead you astray from the path of Allah." "Shun your low desires because there is nothing that contends with me in my kingdom excepting the carnal desire of man." And there is a famous incident related to Abu Yazid Bustami that when he saw Allah the Almighty in his dream, he asked Him "How can one get at you?" Allah said, "Discard yourself and come to me." Thus all good, lies in fighting one's self in everything and in all conditions of life. 

"Get out from your own self and be away from it and be a stranger to your sense of self and surrender everything to Allah. Become His gatekeeper at the door of your heart and keep his commandment by admitting whomsoever he permits to be admitted, and honour His prohibition by keeping away from every thing, which He forbids. Do not will anything, which is not the will of Allah. Any will of yours, which is not the will of Allah, is the wilderness of the fools. It is death for you and a curse of falling away from the sight of Allah and of screening Him away from yourself if you are in this wilderness. Always guard the commandment of Allah and abstain from His prohibitions and surrender to Him always in all that He has ordered and do not associate with Him anything from His creation. Polytheism consists not merely of idol worship. It is also polytheism if you follow the desire of the flesh to adopt anything of this world and of the hereafter in association with Allah. Because whatever is besides Allah, is not Allah. Thus when you are engaged in anything, which is besides Him, you are undoubtedly associating that other thing with Allah. 

Therefore, be aware and do not remain indifferent; seek and then alone will you attain security. Do not ascribe any condition and position of yours to your own self and do not claim anything among these, for yourself. Thus, if you are placed in any condition or raised to any position do not speak of it to any one. Because in the changing circumstances from day to day, the glory of Allah manifests itself in an ever-new aspect and Allah intervenes between His servants and their hearts. It may be that the thing about which you may speak may be removed from you and the thing, which you think to be permanent and abiding, may under go a change so that you will be put to shame before those to whom you spoke about them. You should rather reserve the knowledge of this within your own self and should not communicate it to others. Then if the things continue in existence, know it to be the gift of Allah and ask for power to be thankful and for an increase in the favours of Allah. But if the thing ceases to exist, it will bring progress and light and wakefulness and regard. So do not ascribe any shortcoming to His decree and His procedure and do not entertain doubt about His promise. 

All good lies in being regardful of the existing condition and in being contended with it and in warding off desires for any thing, which is besides it. Because such things must be either one that is allotted to you or one, which is allotted to nobody, but has been created by Allah as a trail. So if it is destined for you, it is bound to come to you, whether you like it or dislike it. 

It is not proper, therefore, that any unmanned lines should be manifested from you or by any greed in your desire for it, because it is disapproved by the standards of intelligence and knowledge. If it is destined for another man, why should your, bear ill will for a thing, which you could not get, which is never destined to reach your hands? It is a thing, which but to fall to the lot of any man to whom it is only a trail. How can an intelligent person like and approve that he should call for himself a trial and yet actively seek for it. Thus it is proved that good and safety lie wholly in paying regard to the existing condition. When Allah the Mighty and Glorious gives you wealth and you are diverted by it from obedience to Him, He screens you away, on account of it from Himself both in this world and as well as in the hereafter. And it is also possible that He may take away the gift from you and change you and reduce you to poverty as a punishment for your turning away from the Giver. 

And if you engage yourself with obedience to Him and become indifferent towards the wealth, Allah will make a free gift of it to you and will not lesson it even by an atom. Remember wealth is your servant and you are the servant of the Lord. Therefore, live in this world under His loving care and in the hereafter honourably and in the garden of Abiding residence in the company of the truthful (Siddiq) the witnesses (Shahids) and the virtuous (Salih). 

Do not ask from Allah, the Mighty the Glorious, any thing other than forgiveness of your past sins and protection from sins in the present and the future and the power of goodly obedience, in order to perform His commandments and to abstain from prohibited things and to be pleased with even the bitterness of the decree of Providence and to be patient in the fact of abundance of comforts and gifts and lastly to die achieving a good end of the life in order to become united with the Prophet, Siddiques and Shahids and virtuous men, who are a goodly band of companions. 

"He has kept the knowledge of things hidden from you and He is alone in His knowledge of good and evil of things. Allah knows what is good and what is bad and you do not know."

Never be proud of your own deeds. The best course for you is to give thanks and praise to the helper and to praise Him continuously and to ascribe your achievement to Him in all conditions of your life unless it is evil, and sinful acts, should be ascribed to your own self. 

You should ascribe to your own self injustice and bad manners and blame yourself for these, for it is your own self, which had deserved these things more than any one else, since it is the seat of all-evil is also your self. When all grants prayer of a servant of His and gives him what he asks for, His own purpose does not thereby become frustrated. On the contrary such a prayer is in conformity with the object of the Lord and occurs in time. So the acceptance of the prayer and the fulfillment of the needs take place in due time and in accordance with a set plan which Destiny has arranged before hand in the beginning of time which have been marking time for fulfillment at the appointed hour. 

Do not say, I will not pray for anything to Allah because if the prayed for object has been allotted to me, it will surely come to me whether I ask for it or not. Whereas if it is not in my lot, He will not give it to me even if I ask for it. No, You should ask from Him all that you want and need of good things of this world and of the hereafter, provided there be nothing in it which is forbidden and injurious, because Allah has commanded us to ask from Him and has urged us to do so in that respect. ; He says in the Noble Quran "Call on me, I will accept your prayers." "Ask from Allah His favours.” ‘Ask from Allah while you are fully confident of the acceptance of your prayers." You should persist in your prayers to Him, so that if it is a thing, which is allotted to you, He will send it to you after you have asked for it, and thus increase your faith and certainty in realising His unity. He will help you in keeping away from soliciting from people and in diverting you to Him in all your conditions and in enhancing your confidence that all your needs are fulfilled by Him.

And if it is a question of debt He will turn the heart of the lender from an attitude of severe demand into that of gentleness towards you; and of deferment and of provision of facility up to the time when it is convenient for you to repay the debt or make a reduction of it, or to a mood which will make him write off the debt. But if it is not written off in your behalf or reduced in this world, Allah, the Almighty, the Glorious, will give you in the life after death a considerable amount of reward in exchange for what He has not given you in response to your prayers in this world, because He is generous, free from want and merciful. He will not disappoint one who prays to Him to this world and in the hereafter. So it cannot but bring in some benefit and acquisition, sooner or later. 

A saying of the Beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) runs to the effect that the believer will see in the record of his deeds, on the Day of Judgement, some acts of merit which he had not performed nor was aware of them. So he will be asked, "Do you not know where these are from." So it will be said to him. Surely this is in recompense of your petitions which you made in your prayers to Allah, the Mighty, the Glorious whom you were remembering and acknowledging His unity, keeping things in their proper places, and giving a person his due, and discarding the assumption of Might and power to your own self and renouncing pride and vanity and boastfulness. All these constitute good deeds, for which there has been a reward in the eye of Allah, the mighty, the Glorious. 



Do not say 'O penniless man; from whom the world and its people have turned away their face, who is without any fame, and is hungry and thirsty, Whose body is meager of clothing, who wanders about every corner of the world, in every mosque and in every desolate place and is yet turned away from every door, and who is fed up and disappointed with all the desires and longings of his heart, that Allah has made me so poor and deprived the world from me and brought about my fall and has forsaken me as an enemy and made me distracted and denied me of any composure of mind and has not given me enough in this world and has reduced me to obscurity and has not made my name exalted among people and my brothers, while He has given other plenty of His blessings and made them superior to me and to the people of my house, although both of us are Muslims and believers, and have our common mother in Eve and common father in Adam, the best of mankind. 

Well, Allah has dealt with you in this manner because your nature is pure and the moisture of the Mercy of Allah is to come to you incessantly in the form of patience and cheerful surrender. Certainty and reconcilement and knowledge and the light of the faith and of monotheism are to be heaped on you. Then the tree of your faith with its root and seed will be established and it will become firm and grow and spread out shady branches, shooting forth twigs. Thus, every day it will enlarge a will grow without need for any manure to help its growth and development. The things which Allah has allotted to you will come to you in due time whether you welcome it or are averse to it. So you should not be greedy or eager for what will be yours. And do not feel sorry for what is meant for another person and not for you. What is in your possession must be either of the two, yours or another person’s. 



Now if it were yours it will come to you and you would be drawn towards it and the meeting will take place very soon. And what is not yours, you will be turned away from it and it will turn away from you, and so there will be no meeting between your and the thing. So be occupied in the best manner with what you are after in the time present before you in obeying your Lord. Do not raise your head nor pay any heed towards what is besides Him. Allah says in the Noble Quran, "And do not stretch your eyes after that with which we have provided different classes of them (of) the splendour of this world's life, that we may thereby try them; and sustenance (given) by your Lord is better and more abiding."

"So certainly Allah has forbidden you to pay attention to anything else but that, on which He has maintained you and has given you your provision of obedience, and has bestowed on you out of His all, otment provisions and favour. And He has warned you that whatever is besides possess a trait with which He has been trying them (others) and that your cheerful acceptance of your portion is better for you and purer and preferable. So let this be your way and resort; your objective and longing through which you will attain every object and reach every station to receive blessing, freshness and joy. Allah has said in the Noble Qur'an, "No soul knows what is in store for them of that which will refresh the eyes, a reward for what they did." So there is no deed beyond the five prescribed ways of service, eschewing all sins. There is nothing greater and more honourable and more liked by and pleasing to Allah than what we have mentioned for you already. May Allah by his favour give you and us the power to do what is liked by him and is pleasing to Him?

Therefore, cultivate patience and cheerful submission; pay regard to the present and practice obscurity; remain quiet, composed, and silent; Be aware; Make good your escape; Make haste, Fear Allah; And again fear Allah; Cast down your looks; Turn away your eyes; Be modest; till the destined reaches its appointed time and you are taken by your hand and brought to the forefront. 

Then will be removed from you all that you feel heavy, after which you will be made to plunge in an ocean of favours and kindness and mercy; and will be clothed with the robe of light and Divine secretes and rare knowledge. Then you will be made near and spoken to, and given gifts, and made free from need, and made courageous and exalted, and addressed with the words, "Surely you are in our presence to day in honourable and faithful one."

Then guess and appraise from the condition of Yoosuf when he was addressed through the tongue of the king of Egypt, its chief. Apparently it was the tongue of the king that was speaking, but in fact, the speaker was Allah, who was speaking through the tongue of knowledge. To Yoosuf was given the material kingdom, namely the kingdom of knowledge both spiritual and intellectual, and of nearness to Allah, and of distinction and high position before Allah. Thus it is that Allah says "And thus did we give to Yoosuf power in the land, he had mastery in it wherever he liked." The land here stands for Egypt. With regard to kingdom of Spirit, Allah says, "Thus (it was) that we might turn away from him evil and indecency, surely he was one of our sincere servants." 

With regard to the kingdom of knowledge he says, "This is what my Lord has taught me; surely I have forsaken the religion of a people who do not believe in Allah." When you are thus addressed O truthful one, you are given an ample share of great knowledge and blessed with strength, goodness, power and saintliness, and an order which affects the spiritual and non spiritual matters and are vested with the power of creation, with the permission of Allah, of things in this world even before the coming of the hereafter. Then in the hereafter, you will be in the abode of peace in Paradise. And the sight of the countenance of Allah will be an additional favour, which is an objective without limit or end.

It is a parting advice of mine that you should never complain about any mishap that may befall on you to any one either a friend or a foe. You should not blame your Lord for what He does to you, and for His test of you. You should rather give publicity to what good happens to be with you and to express your thankfulness on that account. Who is there that is devoid of the blessing of Allah? The mighty and Glorious says "And if you count the blessings of Allah, you will not be able to enumerate them." How many are the blessings with you, but you do not recognise them, you should look to no body else, because in nothing else is there harm of good or appropriation or renunciation or honour or dishonour or elevation or fall or poverty or affluence or movement or pause. Matter is the creation of Allah, and in the hand of Allah lays the source of its movement by His command and permission. It continues to exist up to a time fixed by Him. And every thing exists according to a measure so fixed by Him. Whatever He has made posterior can by any means be made anterior and whatever He has made anterior can by any means be made posterior. If any harm is to befall you, no one can avert it excepting Him. And if any good is to accrue to you, no one can withhold His favour. 

Thus if you complain against Him while you are in comfort enjoying some of his blessings in your desire for an increase of them, shutting your eyes to what has been bestowed upon you as very poor you will offend Allah. He will remove them from you and make your own false complaint real and double your misery and intensify His chastisement and anger and displeasure for you. He will make you fall off from His sight. Therefore, beware of complaint, even if your flesh is cut into pieces by means of scissors. Save yourself, Fear Allah, Fear Allah, Fear Allah. 

Verily most of the various calamities that befall the son of Adam are due to complaint against his Lord. How can one complain against Him? He is the most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Best of all judges Patient, Aware, Compassionate, Merciful, and kind towards His servants. He is not unjust to His servants and is like a patient, affectionate, loving, and kind physician related to the patient. Can any fault be found in an affectionate and kindhearted father or mother? The Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) has said, "Allah is more merciful towards His servants than a mother is towards her son," O' poor man; show the utmost of good manners. Exhibit patience at the time of calamity, even if you become exhausted by patience. Hold on to patience, even if you get exhausted through your cheerful submission to and harmony with Allah. 

In the self of a man, there are various kinds of sins, faults and blemishes, on account of which he becomes unworthy of the company of Allah. Unless purged of impurities of sins, no one can kiss His threshold. None other than those who are purified from the dirt of self-conceit can kiss His threshold just as no one can be worthy of the company of kings, except those who are cleaned of impurities, bad smell and dirt. Thus, calamities are atonements and purifiers. The Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) has said, "The fever of one day is an atonement for the sins of a whole year."

Regard good and evil as two fruits coming out from two branches of one single tree. One of the two branches yields sweet fruit and the other bitter. So you leave cities and countries and their outskirts where fruits plucked from this tree are sent, and keep away from them and their people. But approach the tree itself and become its guard and attendant servant, and acquire knowledge of these two branches and of the two varieties of fruits emerging there from and remain near the branch, which yield the sweet fruits. Then it will be your food and your course of strength. But beware, lest you should approach the other branch and eat the fruit thereof, because its bitterness shall kill you. When you persist in this attitude, you will be in ease, in security and safety from all misery because troubles and tribulations are born of this bitter fruit.

He has commanded you to be patient, 'O, believer, then to see one another cultivate patience. To be steadfast and to remain on guard and to make this incumbent on yourself. He further warns you against discarding patience in the words, "Be careful of your duty to Allah" when referring to discarding this virtue. Thus good and safety lie in patience. And the Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) has said,

And it is also said "for everything there is a reward according to a measure but for the reward of patience, its prize has no measure." And Allah says,

source : http://www.algillani.org/saq/preaching.shtml

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The Walis (saints) of Allah, acting on behalf and under the stamp of the Beloved Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) and not proclaiming their existence and position' until commanded by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala serve humanity, by their preccipts and examples and pray incessantly for the general forgiveness of human sins.

The idea regarding the existence of such Walis and their approach towards some form of intercession for humanity is borne out by Verses 20-27 of Sura Yasin, a perusal of which will show that even among a nation doomed to destruction for its inequities, there live persons who testify to the truth of a Prophet appearing among them by their powers of reality, recognising the will of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. The event is begun with the following words, "And from the remote part of the country there came a man running who said, O' my people follow this Messenger, "The story of the Prophet Loot alayhi asalam given in Sura Hud, gives an indication to the effect that punishment for the sin of a nation is averted by the presence of an eminent man of spiritually.



The defernment of such punishment is out of deference to a spiritual personality living in its midst. The punishment of the Quraysh was deferred till the migration of the Beloved Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) from Makkah. The Qur'an al kareem lay down this principle in so many words:

The well known hadith ascribing to Allah the Words "One who is hostile to my Wali receives an announcement of War from me" presents only the counterpart of this idea. Because if hostility to a Wali excites the wrath of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala it follows that the attention and prayers of the Wali can induce the mercy of Allah. Of course the Awliya spoken of are Walis of the Eminence like that of Hadrat Ghawth al A'zam Sayyadina Shaykh 'Abd 'al-Qadir Muhiy al-Din al Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.

Miracles are abnormal and extra-ordinary acts that can only be performed by the privileged few like the Prophets and Walis of Allah. Perhaps such acts may sound illogical to the rationalist. But they do occur and are beyond ordinary comprehensive. The parting of the Red Sea for the Prophet Musa alayhi asalam and such like events are examples. Even in the life of ordinary mortals, miracles occur, by the mercy of Allah, to save them from catastrophes or accidents. 

After Hadrat Ghawth al Azam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu settled down in Baghdad remarkable stories about his power circulated in Baghdad. The day to day increase in the circulation of such stories made a large number of great scholars of the town to decide to visit him, altogether in other to test his knowledge by posing one, hundred difficult questions. On their arrival, Hadrat foretold them of their purpose and gave each question the correct answer, even profounding to them explanations beyond the limits of their comprehension on their own special subjects. This thought reading was daily manifested by him. It was not necessary for the visitors who came with petitions of desires to tell him, for he looked straight at them and gave them the answers.

On one occasion; two weary and hungry travellers from Arabia had joined his audience unobtrusively. Hadrat Ghawth al Azam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu immediately stopped his discourse saying "Poor travellers; they have just come a long way and have had practically nothing to eat." He then described correctly their last meal to the astonishment of all oncerned.

One of the most remarkable things we hear from this Saint's life is that even a man's destiny could be deflected from conscious life into the dream state. A merchant of Baghdad one day approached Shaykh Hammad Al-Dabbas for his blessings before taking a caravan to Syria. Shaykh Hammad forbade him to undertake the proposed journey because he foresawthat the merchant was likely to be robbed and murdered by highway men. The merchant very much depressed, met Hadrat Ghawth al Azam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu on the way and informed him what the Shaykh had told him. Hadrat Ghawth al Azam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu promised the merchant his personal responsibility for his safe journey and asked the merchant to proceed. He reached his destination safely with his goods. On his journey the merchant forgot to take back his money kept in the place where he had performed his 'ablution. On going to bed he was murdered. On waking he saw blood round his neck and also felt the pain of the blow. However, he realised that what he had seen was a mere dream, but remembering his lost purse, he went back to the place and recovered it.

While he was returning to Baghdad he was confused in his mind to decide whether seeing Shaykh Hammad first would be proper, as he was the senior Shaykh or seeing Hadrat Ghawth al A'zam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu first was appropriate as it was his predictions had proved true. He suddenly saw Shaykh Hammad. He asked him instead to first go to Hadrat Ghawth al A'zam by whose prayers his predistened murder had been changed into a dream and the loss of property the purse changed into forgetfulness.

One of Hadrat's own servants, who visited his master complained that he had, in a dream slept with many women. Upon this, Hadrat said that it was the servant's destiny to sleep with all those women but this misdeed had been transformed into a dream. Before the servant began to describe the event, Hadrat gave him a list of the names of all the women including those he knew and those he did not. 

Khalifa Aimustanjid Billah once came to Hadrat and presented him some bags of gold. He refused, the gift but when the Khalifa begged and pleaded for their acceptance the Hadrat took two bags and pressed them. Blood seemed to ooze out of them, which was indicative of the fact that the wealth had been amassed by oppressing people, which was represented by the blood seen.

On one occasion a Christian Clergyman came from Yemen and accepted Islam from him in an assembly where he had delivered a sermon. After his conversion, he voluntarily stood up and related to the assembly that he was a man of Yemen and had decided to accept Islam from the hands of the most eminent Muslim in Yemen. He reported that had seen Prophet Isa [Jesus] alayhi asalam in a dream who directed him to proceed to Baghdad and accept Islam from Hadrat Abd 'al Qadir, who was the most eminent at the time in the whole world.

Shaykh Shahib'al-Din Umar Suhrawardi Radi Allahu anhu in his youth used to read voraciously books on scholasticism, inspite of the advice of his uncle to the contrary. Once his uncle took him to Hadrat Ghawth al Azam and informed him that the boy was devoting all his time to scholasticism. Upon this Hadrat asked Shaykh Shahib al-Din what books he had read on the subject. On getting a reply, he placed his palm on the breast of Shaykh Shahib'al-Din. No sooner was the palm removed; he surprisingly forgot all he knew of scholasticism. But in lieu of it, he felt his mind replaced by the knowledge of Allah. Shaykh Shahib'al-Din Umar Suhrawardi ultimately became the Imam of the Suharwardi Order and is the author of the famous book on tasawwuf by the name of "Awariful Maarif."

Shaykh Muzzafar bin Mansur said that in his youth he saw Hadrat in the company of a large number of persons. When he sat down with a book on spiritual philosophy, Hadrat without seeing the book but questioning him said that the book was not a good one for him and should be discarded. However, be did not like to discard it owing to his love for the book, but at the same time he neither desired to incur the displeasure of Hadrat also by retaining that book. So he decided to keep it somewhere else and tried to get up to do so. But he could not. He felt as if he was planted to the ground. Hadrat then asked him to show the book to him. It was given. Hadrat passed his hand over it and said that the book was Ibuzari's "Fazil-ul-Quran" and then returned it to him. I opened it and saw that it was "Fazil-ul-Quran'' but without the chapter on spiritual subject and philosophy "contained therein earlier. Hadrat asked him to repent for what had passed through his mind He first repented and then got up, but found that he could not thereafter remember a single portion of that book.

A relation of the Khalifa was once taken to Hadrat Ghawth al A'zam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu. The man was suffering from 'dropsy' and had an enormously swollen stomach. He desperately sought relief. Hadrat passed his hands over his stomach, upon which it contracted to its normal size.

Hadrat Ghawth al Azam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu had spiritual powers to hasten to the rescue of those who called him in an hour of emergency or adversity even from afar, such as the hearing of a thundering shout that rang, to frighten away marauders who tried to molest and loot owners of a caravan in the desert of Samarakand, who, in their hour of peril, called and appealed for the aid of Hadrat.

Shaykh Shahib al-Din Umar Suhrawardi's parents were for a very long time childless, until his mother approached Ghawth al A'zam and begged of him to pray to that she may be blessed with a son. Raising His hands in supplication he prayed and said that Allah the Beneficient would grant her wish. Hadrat desired the child when born to be named Shahab'ad-Din and predicted that the child would rise up to be a 'Shaykh of Shaykhs.' In the course of time she bore a son even though she was above the normal age of child bearing.

Hadrat Ghawth al Azam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu's powers over the souls of his disciples extended beyond the grave. One day in Baghdad a man informed him that his deceased father in a dream had desired him to appeal to him to pray for (the redemption of his dead father's soul, as he was suffering. Hadrat asked the visitor "Did your father ever visit my Madrassa?" Yes he answered. Hadrat remained silent for a while and referred no further on the matter. A few days latter, the man returned to Hadrat saying that his father appeared to him in a dream wearing a green robe and had told him that his punishment has been lifted due to Hadrat Ghawth al Azam's prayers.

Abd 'allah Zayyat once said that one night Hadrat came out of his closet with a walking stick in his hand. Abd 'allah within himself at that moment wished to see Hadrat performing some miraculous act. No sooner had this thought occured to him, then Hadrat set up his stick on ground and it became luminous and began to glow. Soon it became so bright that it illuminated the entire house. He then took up his stick, and looked at Abd 'allah and remarked you desired this sort of act. Abd 'allah was amazed.

Ghawth al Azam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu once asked nearly three hundred residents of a dwelling place to vacate it immediately. No sooner had these people vacated, the building fell to the ground. He had foreseen the occurance and warned them in time.

Shaykh al Arabi of Andalusia [Spain] had no children. At the instance of a Majzoob (a sufi totally absorbed in his Love for Allah) the Shaykh approached Hadrat Ghawth al Azam Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu for his blessings and prayers for a son. Hadrat said I have one more son yet unborn in my destiny. I shall give it to you. Rub your back against mine and name him when born Muhammad Muhiy 'al-Din. He would rise up to be a Qutb of his time. The child was eventually born and was named accordingly. He became a great philosopher and attained high spiritual advancement. He gained the title of 'Shaykh al Akbar' and is commonly known as IBN AL-'ARABI, MUHIY AL-DIN  [1240 C.E] Radi Allahu anhu.



During a famine in Baghdad, Abd'al Abbas Ahmed, the servant of Hadrat Ghawth al Azam complained to him of the need for funds and of food grains. Hadrat gave him a reasonable quantity of wheat and asked him to store the grain in a covered receptacle and never to weigh it, but to take out according to necessity, by opening out a small portion of the container. He used to draw grains in this way for an unusually large period. The wife of the servant of Hadrat at last felt very much curious about it and in order to satisfy herself opened the mouth of the container. She surprisingly found almost the same quantity of grain as was kept in the beginning, still remaining and unexhausted.

Once the water in the river Tigris rose to an extra-ordinary high level on account of an unprecedented flood. The inhabitants of Baghdad became frightened of the imminent danger. They came to Sayyadina Hadrat Ghawth al Azam and solicited his help. Thereupon Hadrat went up to the riverside and planting his stick on the riverbank said " Remain within this limit." The flood then began to recede slowly and came down to the limit demarcated by Hadrat.

Once a resident of Baghdad approached Sayyadina Ghawth al Azam and stated that his son has been getting a fever for a year and a quarter, and could not shake it off by any means. Hadrat instructed him to speak into the ears of his son and say 'O fever! leave my son and go from this village.' He acted accordingly, and the fever left his son at once.

It is related on the authority of Shaykh Adi Bin Musafir that once Hadrat Ghawth al Azam was conversing with some persons assembled to hear his sermon when it began to rain. Hadrat looked upon the sky and solicited "I call together men for your (Allah's) sake but you disperse them." As soon as he had uttered this, the clouds disappeared and rain ceased in the precints of the Madrassa of Hadrat, though it was raining outside.

Shaykh Osman Sayrifini and Shaykh Abdul Haq Harimi Radi Allahu anhum stated:

Shaykh Abd 'al Hassan commonly known as Ibn Astantana of Baghdad stated: "When I used to live in the Madrassa of Sayyadina Ghawth al Azam for the acquisition of learning, I generally used to stay awake at night in order to serve Hadrat, if and when required. One night in 553 AH Hadrat came out of his room, presuming he required water for ablution, I took it to him but his holiness did not take it. Instead, he proceeded towards the gate of the Madrassa. I quietly followed him. The gate automatically opened and when he passed on, it closed itself. He then went towards the gate of the city which also similarly opened and closed automatically. Shortly after this we reached a town, which I had not seen before. On reaching the town he went to a house which was similar to his own Ribat in appearance. There were six persons in the house, who saluted him. He proceeded further on and I, stood, by a pillar. I heard the groaning of a person in a low voice. After a few minutes, the groaning ceased and another person went to the place whence the groaning came and carried away a dead body on his shoulder. Shortly after this, another person bare headed and with long whiskers, came there. The man sat down in front of Hadrat who made him recite the declaration of faith used in converting one to Islam. Hadrat then cut off his whiskers, put a cap on his head and named him Muhammad. He said that he had appointed him in place of the deceased. The persons residing in the house accepted the decision submissively. He then left the place and in a short time came to the gate of Baghdad, which opened and closed automatically as before. His holiness then entered his Madrassa. In the morning when I resumed taking lessons from Hadrat I asked him to explain the incident of the previous night. Whereupon he said that the town I had seen was Nehawand a distant city in the outskirts of the empire under the Khalif of Baghdad. The six persons in the Ribat, were Abdul and Nujaba. The man who died was one of them. The man with long whiskers was a Christian of Constantinople who accepted Islam and was appointed by him to fill the place of the deceased. The man who carried away the corpse was Hadrat Khizar alayhis salam.

It seems desireable here to explain that according to the Sufis, there exists a sort of hierarchy of Saints at all times in the world through whom Allah manifests His Mercy to the world of humanity. In the absence of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'alihi wa Sallam, they are the vicegerents  of Allah on earth on the Prophet's behalf. They are of three different grades, Abd'al is a plural of Badal meaning literally "substitute", so called because should any one of these saints die, Allah immediately substitutes him by another (Sihah). They are righteous persons of whom the world is never destitute. But on more authoratative view is that they are given this name, because of their ever changing spiritual condition. They are in a flux; and are not allowed to remain in one state. Being on their way to Realisation, they are not allowed to settle down at any intermediate point. As to their exact number and their locations, opinion, is divided. They seem to be the lowest in rank amongst the spiritual successors of the Prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'alihi wa Sallam, 'Ghawth al Azam' and Qutbs.

According to the best authorities they are a hirearchy of the saints of a particular generation and are supposed to be pre-eminently endowed with sanctity and faculties to even perform miracles. If anybody is a Qutb or a Ghawth, he is recognised as such only by his agents. Abd'als, themselves reveal their position to a. particular person. The literal meaning of Qutb is axis or pivot, the point upon which a thing turns, the chief around whom the state of affairs turns. So a Qutb is he, whose attention and prayers decide the course of events in a particular society of people? He may be regarded as a kind of spiritual agent in a particular community.

The literal meaning of Ghawth is 'AID' or 'Succour' in the midst of difficulties. So Ghawth is a kind of intercessor, who intercedes at a moment when the sins of a nation or humanity are at the point of being punished. These great men appear to be particularly tender hearted like the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam. Their hearts melt at the woes and sufferings of humanity and as such become a means to be able to avert Divine punishment. With the assurance of acceptability of their prayers, their prayers become a plea for Divine forgiveness and mercy.

Once he remarked that he would not have the presence of Allah unless He did not accompany him and his murids to enter paradise. His Holiness was once questioned as to the position of a devotee who has regard and love for him, but was not actually his murid nor wore Khirqa from him. He said that such a person was also his murid although the real process of his becoming a murid was not complete. Even a person who had love and reverence for him would not be disappointed by the graciousness of the Almighty.

In matters of Shariah (sacred Muslim law), Ghawth al A'zam Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu followed the Hanbal Madhhab (school of sacred Muslim law) but was an authority on the Shafi-i-Madhhab as well, and a chief exponent of the Ahl as-Sunnah wal Jama'ah (the people who follow the Sunnah of the Beloved Prophet and the Jama'ah of his blessed companions). The way to draw nearer to Allah Ta'ala is through additional voluntary prayers day and night, through constant remembrance (Dhikr), unceasing salawaat (Durood) on the Most Beloved Prophet, Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, Sunnah fasting, charity, zuhd (abstinence) and juhd (exertion in the way of Allah Ta'ala) as exemplified by the Beloved Prophet, Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam himself. This then is the tariqa (spiritual path leading to Allah Ta'ala) which is rooted in sharia (sacred Muslim Law).

A Shaykh, musk-scented in shariah, tariqa and haqeeqi-ma'rifa (knowledge of Allah Ta'ala) is able to ascertain the spiritual level of a mureed (disciple) and can assign additional awraad and azkaar (voluntary prayers) to be performed to attain spiritual progress. Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu learned tariqa at the hands of Shaykh Hammad Bin Muslim al-Dabbas, Rahmatullahi alaih. Traditionally when someone is appointed a khalifa of a Shaykh in tariqa, he is given a khirqa. Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu was bestowed the khirqa by Shaykh Qadi Abi Said al-Mukhrami, Rahmatullahi alaih.

The tariqa followed by Ghawth al A'zam Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu came to be called after him the Qadiriya tariqa and it came to be universally accepted as a divinely-guided path to spiritual progress through dhikr of Allah to polish one's heart of all evil, to lead a virtuous life, to attain the love of the Beloved Prophet, Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, the love of the sahaba (companions) and the Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet's blessed household), the love of the awliya (saints), and to follow the sharia (sacred Muslim law) according to the teachings of any one of the four Imams of madhhab, that is Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi-i, Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with them all.

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His aqeeda (beliefs) was that of the Ahl as-Sunnah wal Jama'ah based on the Qur'an al kareem, and the Sunnah of the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam. All the Sufi Saints through centuries have expounded on and lived by this aqeeda. Its cornerstone is Tawheed (Unity of Allah), its nurturing is with Asma ul Husna and Ishq (love) of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam; its daily life is governed by shariah (sacred Muslim law); its growth and spread is through nasiha (good advice), Dhikr of Allah Ta'ala and salawaat and salaam on the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, its peak is jihad and its ultimate is Fana Fillah (annihilation of oneself in the Love of Allah Ta'ala) after which Allah Ta'ala showers you with Baqa Billah (spiritual life everlasting) in His Ridha (pleasure).

So you start with Ridhal Waalidain (in the pleasure of your parents) and end with Ridhallah (pleasure of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala). And the sahaba (companions) of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam are referred to as Radi Allahu Anhum wa Radhu Anh (Allah is well pleased with them and they are pleased with Him). And according to Shaykh Abd al Qadir al-Jilani, his own position is equal to the dust under the feet of the sahaba. If that is the case, what of the stature of the blessed sahaba of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam? Their spiritual stature derives from the fact that they were blessed with the opportunity of beholding the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam with the eyes of imaan (faith). That being the case how can anyone be capable enough to explain in full the sifat (attributes) of Muhammad-e-Arabi, Rasule-Rabbil Aalameen, Rahmatullil Aalameen. Only Allah Rabbul Izzat is well aware of what he bestowed on His Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, Allahumma Salli wa sallim alayh.

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Any tariqa has a silsila or spiritual chain linking the teachings of the Shaykh to the teachings of Sayyadina Rasulullah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam. The spiritual geneology of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu is traced back to the Beloved Prophet as follows:

• Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, disciple of
• Shaykh Qadi Abi Said Ali Mubarak al-Mukhrami, disciple of
• Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali Ahmad Qareshi al-Hankari, disciple of
• Shaykh Abu Farah Muhammad Yusuf Tartusi, disciple of
• Shaykh Raziuddin Abul Fazl Abdul Wahid Abdul Aziz, disciple of
• Shaykh Abu Bakr Abdullah Shibli, disciple of
• Shaykh Abul Qasim Junaid of Bagdad, disciple of
• Shaykh Abul Hasan Siri al-Saqti, disciple of
• Shaykh Maroof al-Karkhi, disciple of
• Shaykh Sulaiman Dawood Tai, disciple of
• Shaykh Habib ul Ajami, disciple of
• Shaykh Hasan al-Basri, disciple of
• Sayyadina Ali ibn Abi Talib, Khalifa of
  
• Sayyidina Muhammad ibn Abdillah, Nurin-min-Nurillah,
  
  
  

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To those familiar with the religious and spiritual tradition of Islam, here is a list of Shaykh Abd 'al-Qadir al Jilani's Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu names, surnames, and the many titles conferred upon him by his devoted followers and contemporaries. 

Al-Ghawth al-A'zam

Sultan al-Awliya'

Qutb al A'zam

Qutb al Rabbani

Qutb

Mehboob-e-Subhani

Shaykh

Sayyaduna 'ash-Shaykh

Abu Muhammad

Muhiy ud-Din

'Abd 'al-Qadir

Al-Jilani

Let us now consider a slightly longer version of the Shaykh's name, as it occurs near the beginning of Al-Fath ar-Rabbani [The Sublime Revelation]: Sayyaduna 'ash-Shaykh Muhiyu'd-Din Abu Muhammad 'Abd al-Qadir (Radi allahu ta'ala 'anhu).

al-Hasani w'al-Husayni

As for the many other surnames, titles and honourific appellations that have been conferred upon Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, it may suffice at this point to mention al-Baz al-Ashhab [The Gray Falcon].

Radi allahu ta'ala 'anhu

Finally, we must note some important elements contained within this even longer version: al-Ghawth al-A'zam Sultan al-Awliya' Sayyaduna 'ash-Shaykh Muhiyi'd-Din 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani al-Hasani al-Husayni (Radi allahu ta'ala 'anhu).

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