By,Peer Syed Mohyuddin Hanafi Qadiri
Sheikh Syed Sultanul auliya Sheikul kul Abdul Qadir Jilani Alhasani wal husaynee- (Radi ALLAH-u ta'ala anhu)- also known as al-Ghawth-ul-Azam or the Supreme Helper, Sultan-ul-Awliya, Qutb-ul-Azam, Piran-e-pir( the Pir of Pirs), Mehboob-e-Subhani (the one who is the Beloved Of ALLAH (SWT)), Sayyaduna 'ash-Shaykh (Our Master, the Sheikh), Muhy-ud-din( Reviver of the religion), Al-Baz-al-Ashhaab (The Gray Falcon)- are amonst a few of titles and honorifices bestowed upon this legendary saint- who is blessed to be a Hassani-Hussain Sayyed.
Mention of Sheikh Syed Abdul Qader Jilani- the Sultan-ul-Awliya would be incomplete without the mention of Imam-ul-Awliya-Sayyedna Amir-ul-Momineen-Ali (Radi ALLAH-u ta'ala anhu) and mention of Imam-ul-Awliya is incomplete without mentioning about Sarkar-e-do aalam-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The Beloved Prophet (PBUH) ,Mawla Ali (AS) & Tasawwuf :
The roots of tasawwuf lie embedded in Islam itself. There are numerous passages in the Qur'an al-karim which are of a mystical character. The Beloved Messenger of ALLAH Salla ALLAH –u- ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam himself displayed mystical inclinations and he very often retired to the cave known as Hirah for the purpose of devotions, meditation and contemplation. The Beloved of ALLAH Salla ALLAH u ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam was the recipient of two types of revelations, one embodied the Qur'an al-karim, and the other illuminated his heart. The former was meant for all, the latter for those selected few whose hearts could be illuminated with the Divine Light. The knowledge of the Beloved Messenger of ALLAH Salla ALLAH u ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam was thus both book knowledge (Ilm-i-Safina) and heart knowledge (Ilm-e-Sina).
Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu received his heart knowledge from the Beloved Prophet Salla ALLAH u ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam. It is related that after the Ascension, the Beloved Messenger of ALLAH Salla ALLAH u ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam awarded a mantle to Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu which led to the illumination of his heart.
Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu was endowed with all the qualities that make a man great. He was not only great; he was regarded as a superman, an ideal man. He was the paragon of virtue. He enjoyed fame for his piety and religious devotions. He was the embodiment of Islamic values.
In his love of God and His Beloved Messenger Salla ALLAH u ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, he was second to none. When praying to God, his absorption was so intense that he often lost consciousness. His mind was so sure that he could hold communion with God. He had learned the Noble Qur'an by heart, and he could quote appropriate verses to suit every occasion. He was most truthful and honest. He was most humble. He was simple in his habits. He avoided display and luxury. He lived the life of an ascetic. Even when he was Caliph he lived in an ordinary house. The door of his house remained open to everyone at all times. He was most generous. He was most liberal in giving charity. He always came to the help of those who were distressed and involved in any difficulty. He looked after widows and orphans as if they were members of his own household.
Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu was the most learned man of the age. He was a living encyclopedia of knowledge. The Beloved Prophet Salla ALLAH u ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam said,
"If I am the City of Knowledge , verily Ali is the Gate of it."
He was the first person to have learned the Qur'an al-karim by heart. He possessed a prodigious memory and he was a keen observer; he was a deep thinker; he had an enlightened mind and he carried a vast storehouse of knowledge in his brain. He was a versatile genius and he exhibited extraordinary talents in all disciplines of knowledge. He was a master of philosophy and rhetoric. He was a distinguished poet. He was a great teacher and preacher. His knowledge extended to such disciplines as logic, mathematics, physics, astronomy, medicine and history.
Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu held that the principal aim of knowledge was the inculcation of virtue, promotion of faith, and understanding of God. He held that knowledge enlivens the soul, for it kills ignorance. He defined knowledge as the sum total of excellence. He held that the pursuit of knowledge is better than the pursuit of riches, that knowledge is the ornament of the rich and the riches of the poor and that knowledge is better than riches. He held that the learned live even after their death. He maintained that the learned were the living ones in the dead mass of ignorance. He observed that to respect the learned was to respect God. With regards to the respect of the teacher, he held that one who teaches you a letter binds you with the fetter of gratitude. He maintained that the talk of the learned man carried within it the fragrance of the garden of Paradise .
'Amir al-Momineen' (Leader of the Faithful); Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu, is acclaimed as the father of Sufism [tasawwuf]. Most Sufi orders claim their descent from Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu.
According to 'Data Ganj Baksh'; UTHMAN 'ALI AL-HUJWIRI [d.469H] Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu, the rank of Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu is very high in the lineage of Sufis. According to JUNAYD AL-BAGHDADI [d.298H] Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu, Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu is the Shaykh as regards to the principles and practices of tasawwuf.
Introduction:
Mehboob al Subhani, al Ghawth al A'zam Sayyadina as-Shaykh Abd 'al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi ALLAH (SWT)u ta'ala anhu was a noted Hanbali preacher, Sufi shaykh and the eponymous founder of the Qadiri Sufi order (silsila). He was born in Ramadan AH 470 (CE 1077) in the Persian province of Jilan ( Iran ) south of the Caspian sea . His contribution and renown in the sciences of Sufism (tasawwuf) and Sharia (Islamic Law) was so immense that he became known as the spiritual pole of all time, al-Ghawth al Azam (the "Supreme Helper" or the "Mightiest Succour").
Shaykh Abd'al-Qadir al-Jilani radi ALLAH u ta'ala anhu is Both Hasani and Husayni
The most universally acclaimed saint of all times and the most celebrated in all the aalamin (worlds), among jinn and men as well as among the arwaah (souls), the malaaika (angels), and the rijaal ul ghayb (men of the unseen), the beloved of ALLAH (SWT) Ta'ala who throughout history has been showered the titles of Muhiyuddin (reviver of the faith), Qutb Rabbani (the spiritual axis established by the Lord), and Ghawth al-A'zam (the greatest helper, the greatest saint), Sayyadi wa Imami Abu Muhammad Abd'al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi ALLAH u ta'ala Anhu was born in Ramadan 470 A.H/1077 C.E in Jilan, Persia. His father, Abu Salih, was a man of taqwa (piety) and a direct descendant of Sayyidina Imam Hasan ibn Ali Radi ALLAH (SWT) u Anhu. His mother, Ummul Khayr Fatima was a saintly daughter of a saintly father Shaykh Abdullah Sawma'i who was a direct descendant of Sayyad ash-shuhadaa Imam Husayn ibn Ali Radi ALLAH u Anhu.
Thus Muhyiddin Shaykh Abd'al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi ALLAH u ta'ala Anha was both Hasani and Husayni, a descendant of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Salla ALLAH (SWT)u 'alayhi wa Sallam from his beloved daughter Sayyidatina Fatima az-Zahra (Rady ALLAH u Anha). For this reason, the Sindhis for example, lovingly call him "putar mithe mahbub jo" (the blessed son of the sweet Beloved Prophet - Salla ALLAH u ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam).
The genealogical roots of Shaykh Abd'al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi ALLAH u Anhu can be traced to Habib ul-A'zam Sayyaduna Muhammad Salla ALLAH u ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam as follows:
Ghawth al A'zam Sayyadina Shaykh Abd'al-Qadir al-Jilani, son of
As-Sayyad Abu Salih Musa, son of
As-Sayyad Abdullah al-Jili, s/o
As-Sayyad Yahya as-Zahid, s/o
As-Sayyad Muhammad, s/o
As-Sayyad Dawud, s/o
As-Sayyad Musa, s/o
As-Sayyad Abdullah , s/o
As-Sayyad Musa al-Jawn, s/o
As-Sayyad Abdullah al-Mahd, s/o
As-Sayyad al-Hasan al-Muthanna, s/o
Sayyadina al-Imam al-Hasan, Radi ALLAH u Anhu, son of
Imam ul mashariqi wal magharib, Sayyaduna Ali ibn Abi Talib, Radi ALLAH u Anhu,
Sayyadatina Fatima az-Zahra, (Radi ALLAH u Anha) the blessed daughter of
Khaatam an-Nabiyyin Habibi Rabbil aalamin Sayyadina wa Mawlana Muhammad ibn Abdullah, Nurin min Nurillah, ALLAHumma Salli wa Sallim wa Baarik alayh.
(Cited by Shaykh Abdur Rahman ibn Shaykh Umar Ali al-Qadiri, in Al-Jawhar un Nafis, The Most Precious Pearls, p. 29).
What better way is there to end this section and indeed all the remaining sections than with this hymn which is full of blessings and mercy of ALLAH (SWT).
Yaa Hayyu Yaa Hayyu Yaa Qayyum
Yaa Hayyu Yaa Hayyu Yaa Qayyum
O The Ever-Living, O The Ever-Living, O The Self-Subsisting by whom all subsist
O The Ever-Living, O The Ever-Living, O The Self-Subsisting by whom all subsist
Parentage:
Syedina Ghous-ul-Azam is not only known as the greatest of all helpers, but was also 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 Succour 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 (SWT) .
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 conscience 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)
In this Sayyed family of Saints, Hazrat Umul Khair Fatima gave birth to a son in 470 Hijri during the month of Rabi-ul-Akhir. 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. 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 was a direct descendent of Hazrat Imam Hassan Ilaihe-salam (R.A) on his father’s side. From his mother’s side he descended from Saiyidina Imam Zainul Abedin Ilaihe-salam son of Hazrat Imam Hussain Ilaihe-salam. 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.
Early life- Childhood:
His first Karamat was witnessed, when as an infant child during the month of Ramadan, 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 Ramadan. She replied that her child did not take her milk during daytime, which indicated that the day was the first of Ramadan.
As a child, Saiyidina Hazrat Abdul Qadir 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 angels 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 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 forth 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, 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, and on receiving the same reply, moved off. They reported the incident to the leader of the gang, who ordered the production of the 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 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 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 felonious life he and his companions had 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, 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 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, 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.
Early Life in Baghdad :
According to Shaikh Imam Taqiyyu 'd-din Muhammad al-Wa'iz al-Lubnani [the Lebanese] (may ALLAH bestow His pardon upon him), in his book entitled "The Garden of the Pious and the Virtues of the Excellent" [Rawdat al-Abrar wa Mahasin al-Akhyar], this is what happened then: When he [Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir] was about to enter Baghdad, he was stopped by al-Khidr (peace be upon him), who prevented him from entering the city, and told him: "I have no instruction to allow you to enter for the next seven years." He therefore settled on the bank [of the River Tigris] for seven years, gathering vegetables of the kind permissible to eat, to the point where his neck was becoming tinged with the color green. Then he got up one night and heard a voice addressing him with the words: "O 'Abd al-Qadir, enter Baghdad !"
He thereupon entered the city. The night was rainy and cold, so he approached the convent [zawiya] of Shaikh Hammad ibn Muslim ad-Dabbas, but the Shaikh said: "Lock the door of the convent, and put out the light!" Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir just sat down by the door, and ALLAH (Exalted is He) cast sleep upon him, so he fell asleep. When he awoke, he was in a state of major ritual impurity [due to the emission of semen], so he performed a total ablution. Then ALLAH (Exalted is He) cast sleep upon him again, and again he lost his state of ritual purity. This same experience was repeated seventeen times, and he performed a complete ablution in the wake of each occurrence. Finally, when the dawn was at hand, the door was opened and Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir stepped inside.
Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir meets Shaikh Hammad ad-Dabbas.
Shaikh Hammad came forward to welcome him, embraced him and gave him a hug. There were tears in his eyes as he said to him: "O my son, 'Abd al-Qadir, today it is our turn to be in charge here, but tomorrow it will be your turn. So, when you have taken charge, deal fairly with this old head of gray hair!"
(This concludes the excerpt from "The Garden of the Pious and the Virtues of the Excellent" [Rawdat al-Abrar wa Mahasin al-Akhyar].)
The following is a quotation from "The Splendor of the Mysteries" [Bahjat al-Asrar], by Shaikh Imam al-Awhad Nur ad-Din Abu 'l-Hasan 'Ali ibn Jarir ibn Mi'dad ibn Fadl ash-Shafi'i al-Lakhmi:
All hail to a newcomer, upon whose arrival the first showers of blissful good fortune began to arrive, for a land in whose towns he alighted, and where the clouds of mercy came in succession, to the general benefit of its modern and its ancient districts, and right guidance was multiplied therein, so that light was shed by its spiritual deputies [abdal] and its mainstays [awtad], and the delegations of good tidings arrived there on one another's heels, so that all its propitious times and festivals [a'yad] dawned brightly, and the heart of 'Iraq began to glow with the light of his love, ecstatic with joy, while the tongue of its frontier access-road responded to the advent of his countenance by uttering encomiums in praise of ALLAH .
[In the words of a poet]:
Upon his arrival the clouds gave forth refreshing rain, and green grass covered the whole of ' Iraq .
Sinful transgression passed away, and the right direction was made quite clear.
Its palm trees flourished, its desert became a haven, its pebbles turned into pearls, and its lights shone plain to see.
Because of him, the bosom of ' Iraq swelled with an ardent longing, and in the heart of Najd his virtues were the cause of ecstasy.
In the East the sparks of his light were seen as lightning flashes, and in the West the mention of his splendor was heard as the clap of thunder.
(This concludes the excerpt from "The Splendor of the Mysteries" [Bahjat al-Asrar], quoted here in abridged form.)
Present By: Kamran Nazir Qadri Mehmoodi
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