Al-Ghawth-ul-Azam Part2

By,Peer Syed Mohyuddin Hanafi Qadiri

The Sheikh’s Education

Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir embarks on the quest for knowledge.

Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) had come to understand that the pursuit of knowledge ['ilm] is an obligatory religious duty [farida], incumbent on every Muslim, and that it is the cure for sick souls, since it is the most explicit route to true devotion, the most effective evidence thereof, the clearest guidance thereto, the highest of all the ladders of certainty, the loftiest of all the degrees of conviction, the most magnificent of all the ranks of religion, and the most splendid of all the stations held by those who are rightly guided. Because he understood this well, he rolled up the sleeve of earnestness and serious endeavor in the effort to acquire it, and wasted no time in the pursuit of its branches and its roots. He sought out the leading Shaikhs, the signposts of right guidance, the scholars of the Islamic community ['ulma' al-umma]. He embarked on the study of Islamic jurisprudence [fiqh], after reading the Glorious Qur'an until he was thoroughly familiar with it.

In studying both the inner content and the obvious meaning of Islamic legal doctrine, he derived benefit from the wise instruction of Abu 'l-Wafa 'Ali ibn 'Uqail al-Hanbali, Abu 'l-Khattab Mahfuz al-Kaludhani al-Hanbali amongst other revered and respected Saints and sheikhs of their time and also, according to some accounts, Abu Sa'id al-Mubarak ibn 'Ali al-Mukharrimi al-Hanbali. He learned to recognize the established doctrine of a school of law [madhhab], as well as areas where expert opinions differ, and he mastered both the branches and the roots of the subject.
He studied customary good manners [adab] under Abu Zakariyya' Yahya ibn 'Ali at-Tabrizi, and heard the Prophetic Tradition [Hadith] from a number of experts.

Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir embarks on the Spiritual Path [Tariqa].

Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) became the pupil of Abu 'l-Khair Hammad ibn Muslim ibn Duruh ad-Dabbas, and from him he acquired knowledge of the Spiritual Path [Tariqa]. From him he received his basic training, and with his help he set out on the spiritual journey. May ALLAH be well pleased with them both.

Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) took to wearing the noble patched cloak [khirqa], which he received from al-Qadi [the Judge] Abu Sa'id al-Mubarak al-Mukharrimi, to whom mention has previously been made. Al-Mukharrimi had worn it after receiving it from Shaikh Abu 'l-Hasan 'Ali ibn Muhammad al-Qurashi, and al-Qurashi had acquired it from Abu 'l-Faraj at-Tarsusi, to whom it was handed down by Abu 'l-Fadl 'Abd al-Wahid at-Tamimi, who had received it from the hand of his own Shaikh, Shaikh Abu Bakr ash-Shibli. Ash-Shibli had acquired it from Shaikh Abu 'l-Qasim al-Junaid, and al-Junaid had received it from his maternal uncle, as-Sari as-Saqati, who upon whom it had been bestowed by Shaikh Ma'ruf al-Karkhi. Al-Karkhi had received it from Dawud at-Ta'i, who had obtained it from my master, Habib al-'Ajami. It had been given to Habib al-'Ajami by Shaikh al-Hasan al-Basri, and al-Basri had received it from our patron, the Commander of the Believers [Amir al-Mu'minin], 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may ALLAH ennoble his countenance and be well pleased with him), who had received it from the Chieftain of the Messengers, the Beloved of the Lord of All the Worlds, Muhammad (on him be the most excellent blessing, and the most perfect greeting of peace). As for Muhammad himself (ALLAH bless him and give him peace), he had received it from Gabriel (peace be upon him), and Gabriel had received it from the Lord of Truth (Magnificent is His Majesty, and Sanctified be His Names).

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 read. 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 Hazrat Ghosul Azam.Someone asked my master, Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir what he had received from the Lord of Truth (Glorious and Exalted is He), and he replied: "Knowledge ['ilm] and good manners [adab]."