Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani

IslamicEducationalandCulturalResearchCenter(IECRC)

P.O.Box1646,UnionCity,CA94587••

HazratGhaus-e-A'zam

ShaykhSyedAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)

Name

HazratAbuMuhammadMuhiyuddinShaykhAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)

FamousAs

Ghaus-e-A'zam(TheGreatestHelper)/Piran-e-Pir

Birthplace

Jilan,Iran

Birthdate

Ramadan1,470Hijri

Shaykh

HazratShaykhAbiSaeedMakhzumi(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)

Tareeqat

Qadri

FamousIncidentsBe/oreAroundhisBirth

YHazratJunaydBaghdadi(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)oncesaidduringoneofhisexhortations:"Hisfootisonmyneck".Uponinquirybyhislistenersastoanexplanationforthisstatement,HazratJunaydsaid:"ItwasshowntomethroughKashf(opening)thatthelaterpartofthe5thcenturyHijriwillwitnessthebirthofagreatsaintandwaliofAllahAlmightywhosenamewillbeAbdulQadirandwhowillbepraisedasMuhiyuddin.HisbirthplacewillbeJilanandrestingplacewillbeBaghdadandhewillsay,"Myfootisontheneckofeverywali".Uponwitnessinghisgreatness[throughthisKashf],Isurrenderedmyneckandsaidthewordsthatyouheard.

YShaykhAbdulQadirJilani's(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)father,HazratAbuSalihMusaJangiDost(mayAllahhavemercyonhim),onceduringhisspiritualexerciseswaspassingalongthesideofariver.Hehadnoteatenforseveraldays.Hesawanapplefallenonthesideoftheriver.The intensehunger resultingfromnothavingeatenforoverthreedaysmadehimeattheapple.However,aftereatingit,herealizedthatsomeonemusthaveownedthisapplewithoutwhosepermissionhehadeatenit.Consequently,hesetoutinsearchoftheowneroftheapplealongthesideoftheriver.Hehadonlygoneashortdistancewhenhesawagardenwhichhadtreesladenwithripeappleswhichwerehangingoverthewater[due totheirweight]. HazratAbuSalih(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)understoodthattheapple

hehadeatenmusthavecomefromthisgarden.Upon inquiring, he found out that theownerofthegardenwasHazratAbdullahSomi(mayAllahhavemercyonhim).Hethereforepresentedhimselftotheownerandsoughtanapologyforhavingeatenanapplefromhisgardenwithouthispermission.HazratAbdullahSomi(mayAllahhavemercyon him), whohimselfwasamanofGod,recognizedthisyoungman'sextraordinarypietyandrighteousness.HazratAbdullahSomi(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)thereforedecidedtokeepHazratAbuSalih(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)asthecaretakerofthisgardenforawhileandtoldhimthatattheendoftheappointedterm,hewouldconsiderhisapology.HazratAbuSalih(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)workedwithmuchdedicationandtheendoftheappointedtermapproachedHazratAbdullahSomi(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)inregardstohisapology.Atthispoint,HazratAbdullahSomi(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)saidthattherewasonemoreconditionthatHazratAbuSalih(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)wouldhavetofulfill.Hesaidthathehadadaughterwhowasblindintheeyes,deafintheearsandhandicappedinthearmsandlegs.HazratAbuSalih(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)wouldhavetoacceptherinmarriageinorderforhisapologytobeaccepted.HazratAbuSalih(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)acceptedthis.HoweveronthemarriagenightwhenHazratAbuSalih(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)foundhiswifetobefreefromalltheseaforementionedexternaldefectsandonthecontraryfoundhertobeblessedwithexternalbeauty,hebecameapprehensivethatperhapshe hadmarriedthewronggirl.Perplexed,helefttheroom.HazratAbdullahSomi(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)sensedhisdilemmaandsaid,"OPrince,thisisyourwifeandwhateverIhadsaidaboutherisalltrue.Sheisblindinthatshehasneverliftedhereyestowardsanon-Mahram.SheisdeafinthatshehasneverheardanythingagainsttheShariah.SheishandicappedinthehandinthatshehasneverdoneanythingagainsttheShariahwiththemandsheishandicappedinthelegsinthatshehasneversteppedoutofthehouseagainsttheShariah."HazratAbuSalih(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)wasecstaticuponhearingthesewordsandthankedAllah,MostHigh.HazratGhaus-e-A'zamistheblessedsonofthesetwoextraordinarily pious individuals.

YHazratAbuSalihMusaJangiDost(mayAllahhavemercyonhim),ShaykhAbdulQadirJilani'sfather,hadadreaminwhichhesawourBelovedProphet(prayersandpeaceofAllahbeuponhim)whosaidtohim,"OmysonAbuSalih,Allah,MostHighhasgivenyouanoffspringwhoismysonandbelovedandalsothebelovedofAllah.AndhisrankingamongtheAwliya(FriendsofAllah)isakintomyrankingamongtheProphets."

YAsanewborn,duringtheentiremonthofRamadan,ShaykhAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)didnotdrinkhismother'smilkfromdawnuntilsundown.

YOnthenightoftheMi'raaj(Ascension),theProphetMuhammad's(prayersandpeaceofAllahbeuponhim)blessedfootrodeontheneckofShaykhAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)andthatmarkwaspresentonhisneckwhenhewasborn.

Lineage

HazratGhaus-e-A'zam(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)isa"Najeeb-ut-Tarfayn"Syed,i.e.hisfather,HazratAbuSalihMusaJangiDost's (mayAllahhavemercyonhim)lineagetracesbacktoImamHasan(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)andhismother,SayyidaUmm-ul-KhayrAmat-ul-

JabbarFatimah's(mayAllahhavemercyonher)lineagetracesbacktoImamHusayn(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim).

FamousIncidentDuringhisLi/e

WhenHazratGhaus-e-A'zam(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)wasyoungboy,onthedayof'ArafahinhisvillageofJilan,hebeganploughingthefieldbehindabull.Thebulllookedathimandsaid,"OAbdulQadir!Youweren'tcreatedforthis."Startled,theyoungShaykhreturnedhomeandaskedhismothertosendhimtoBaghdadtoacquireknowledge.Hismotherwasextremelypleasedandpreparedtosendhimoff.Shebroughthimthe80dinarsthathisfatherhadlefther.TheShaykhlefthalfofitforhisbrotherandhismothersewedtheother40dinarsintohisgarments.Sheexhortedhimtospeakthetruthunderanyand allcircumstances.ShebidhimfarewellforthesakeofAllahandsaidthatshewouldnowseehimonYaum-ul-Qiyamah.

HazratGhaus-e-A'zam(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)proceededforBaghdadwithasmallcaravanthatwasheadedinthatdirection.Ontheway,thecaravanwasattackedby60bandits.One of themcametotheyoungShaykhandaskedifhe hadanything onhim, uponwhichtheShaykhrepliedthathehad40dinarssewedintohisgarments.Thebandit[notbeingabletobelievetheboy'shonesty],thoughtthathewasjustjoking.Anotherbanditcameandhadthesameexperience.Theywentandreportedthistotheirleaderwhothencalledtheboyandaskedhimwhathismotivationwasinrevealinghispossession.TheyoungShaykh(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)saidthathismotherhademphasizedthathemustalwaysspeakthetruthandhecouldn'tbreakhispromisetoher. Thesewordspenetrated and touchedtheheartoftheleader ofthebanditsand hefeltextremeremorsethatthisyoungboywasnotbreakinghispromisetohismotherandhehadalltheseyearsbeenbreakinghisvowstohisLord.Theleaderofthebanditsrepentedatthehandsoftheyoung Shaykh(may Allahbe pleasedwith him)and all the other bandits followedsuit.

EducationSpiritualStruggles

HazratGhaus-e-A'zam(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)reachedBaghdadandtookadmissioninMadrasahNizamiya,whichwasthemostprestigiousandworldrenownededucationalinstitutionofitstime,wherehighlyqualifiedteacherstaughtstudentsofknowledge.Inafewyears,HazratShaykhmasteredalltheexternalknowledgesandsciences.

TheShaykh(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)experiencedmuchhardshipduringhisyearsacquiringeducation.The40dinarsthathismotherhadgivenhimdepletedquicklyandhehadreachedthepointofstarvation.Oneday,extremelyweakwithhunger,hewentandsatinamasjid.Ayoungnon-Arabmanenteredthemasjidwithsomebreadandmeatandsathimselfdowninacornerandbeganeating.WhenthemansawtheShaykhheapproachedhim,offeredhimsomefoodandaskedwherehewasfrom.TheShaykhsaidthathewasfromJilanandhadcometoBaghdadtoacquireknowledge.TheyoungmanaskedhimiftheShaykhknewayoungmanbythenameofAbdulQadir form Jilan upon which theShaykhrespondedthatthatwashim.Theyoungnon-ArabmanbecameveryanxiousandsaidthathehadbeensearchingfortheShaykhbecausehismotherhadsentsomemoneyfor

him.However,noonehadbeenabletogivetheyoungnon-ArabmanthewhereaboutsofShaykhAbdulQadir(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim).Theyoungnon-Arab man went on toexplainthatwhenheranoutofhisownprovisions,afterhavingnoteatenforthreedays,hewasforcedtobuysomefoodfromthemoneythatShaykhAbdulQadir'smotherhadgivenforShaykhAbdulQadirandthiswasthefoodthathewasofferinghimatthatmoment.ThismadeShaykhAbdulQadirtherealownerofthefoodasithadbeenboughtwithhismoneyandtheyoungnon-Arabmanwashisguest.TheShaykh(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)wasdelightedandconsoledtheyoungmanandpartookintheeating.

TheShaykh(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)experiencedextremephysicalhardships,aspartofhisspiritualtrainingduringhisstayinIraqwherefor25yearshewandereditsbleakandbarrendeserts wherenooneknewhim.Althoughduringthistime,theJinncametohimtotakefromhisknowledge.HazratKhidr(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)alsocontributedtohistrainingbyaskinghimtostayinoneplaceforthreeyears.Duringthesethreeyears,oneyearheonlyatesomeleavesanddidnotdrinkany water,thenextyear he atenothing andonlydrankwaterandthenextyearhedidnoteatordrinkanythingandalsodidnotsleep.Armiesofthedevilswouldtrytoattackhimbuthewouldfeelavoicefromtheunseenencouraginghimtobesteadfastagainstthem.

TheShaykh(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)narratesthatevenafterallthespiritualexercisesandhardships,androotsofthediseasesoftheheartleavinghim,hedidnotfindhimselfathisdestination.HetriedtoenterthroughthedoorofTawakkul(reliance)andfoundahugecrowdatthisdoorandpassedthroughit.HethenarrivedatthedoorofShukr(gratitude)wherehealsofoundalargecrowdandpassedthroughhereaswell.HethenarrivedatthedoorofGhina(independence)wheretherewerealsolotsofpeopleandpassedthroughhereaswell.ThenhearrivedatthedoorofMushahida(witnessing)wherehehadthesameexperienceasthepreviousdoors.Finallyhereachedthedoorof Faqr, which he foundempty.Herehefoundallthosethingsthathehadabandonedinhisspiritualstruggles.Hefoundagreatspiritualtreasurehereandfelttrueliberationofthesoul.

AstheShaykh(may Allah bepleasedwithhim)wasbeingelevatedinspiritualranks,onceduringastayinaveryharshdesert,hesawalightinthe skyandastrangeshapeappearedwhosaid,"OAbdulQadir!IamyourLordandwhateverIhavemadeharamonothers,Imakehalalonyou.Sodowhateveryoufeellike."Uponhearingthis,ShaykhAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)said,"A'oodhubillaahiminashshaytaanirrajeem".Thelightimmediatelydisappearedandwasreplacedbydarknessandtheface became smoke[it wasthedevil]andsaid,"Youweresavedduetoyourknowledge,otherwiseIhavetakenastray70peopleofTareeqatthroughthismethod."

IntroductiontoSilsila-e-Qadriya

OneoftheearliestSufiorderswasfoundedbyShaykhAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,d.1166C.E.),astudentofHanbaliFiqh,inBaghdad.TheSufisoftheQadriyaorderlaidgreatstressonthepurificationoftheself.Accordingtothisphilosophy,purificationofthemirroroftheheartfromtherustofthecarnal,animalandsatanicqualitiesistheessentialpartofonesspiritualaswellasphysicallife.TheseSufismaintain

thatthehumansoulcamefromtheworldofcommandandiscapableofreflectingtheDivineEffulgence.Butduetotheimpuritiesoftheself,itdoesnotdoso.Forinstance,ifthemirrorbecomesrustyitcannotreflectanyformplacedbeforeit,butwhentherustisremoved,itbeginstoreflectclearly.Inthesamemanner,ifonemirrorisplacedbeforeanother,whatisinthefirstmirrorisreflectedinthesecondone.Inthisway,thephilosophyexplainsthatiftheseeker'sheartiscleanlikeaclearmirror,thebeautyoftheBelovedreflectsinit.

TheQadiriyaSchoolofIslamicMysticismisbasedentirelyupontheprinciplesofShariah.InthisTradition,thedisciple(murid)acceptsShaykhSayyidunaAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)ashisShaykh,testifyingthatthe'ahd(bayt,i.e.swearingallegiancebythehand)heistakingisthe'ahdofAlmightyAllahandHisApostle(Allahblesshimandgivehimpeace)andthatthehandoftheShaykhisthatofShaykhSayyidunaAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim),andisexpectedtosubordinatehiswilltohisPir(SpiritualGuide).

HeisourMaster,theexemplarofthesplendidsaints(awliya),theLordlyCardinalPole(al-Qutbar-Rabbani),TheSpiritualHelper(Ghawth),theSultanofthepeopleoftheSpiritualPath(ahlat-Tariq),theincomparable,theuniversalandthepurefoundation.ShaykhSayyidunaAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)oncesaid:

"IamtheShaykhoftheAngels,ofhumanbeingsandofthejinn."

IncommonwithotherSufiorders,theQadiris institute certain ritesandsymbols, whichdifferfromcountrytocountry.Theyappeartohavefavoredgreenasacolor.ItismentionedthatatShaykhSayyidunaAbdulQadirJilani's(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)handsmorethanfivethousandJewsandChristiansbecameMuslims.Morethanahundredthousandruffians,outlaws,murderers,thieves,andbanditsrepentedandbecamedevoutMuslimsandgentleDervishes.TheSultanofSaintsexplainedthathereachedthatblessedstatebywandering25yearsthroughdesolatedesertsofIraqandsleptinthelonelycoldruinstofightthevoiceofhisdisobedient,unrulyego.Notanyonecandothis,ittakesaspecialperson,a'spiritualsoldier',towalkawayfromthe'comfortzone'andfighthisegofor25yearsinthedesolate,cold,lonelydesert.

WhyBaytisimportant

HazratAllamaIqbal(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)says:

"What!Hasanyoneattainedperfectionbyonlybooks?Itissimpletounderstandthatonecannotbecomeacarpenterwithoutsittinginthecompanyofacarpenter,onecannotbecomeatailorwithoutthecompanionshipofatailor,andonecannotbecomeacalligraphistwithoutthecompanyofacalligrapher.Inshort,onecannotattainperfectionorbecomeanexpertwithoutthecompanionshipofanexpert."

Inthesamemanner,thecompanionshipofapiousmanwillinducepietyinyou.Similarly,thecompanionshipofanevilmanwillinduceevilinyou.Hewhosearchesforassociation

withAllahTa'ala,hastoacquire the association of the Auliyaa-e-Kiram. CompanionshipwiththepiousforevenamomentissuperiortoacenturyofZuhd(abstention)andItaa'at(obedience).

ShaykhAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)said"IfapersonisunabletodifferentiatebetweenatrueandafalseMurshid,heshouldreadtworakatsNafilforachievingrecognitionofAllahatTahajjudtime.ThenheshouldaskAllahtoinformhimofthosepiouspeoplewhowouldbeabletoguidehimontheRightPath.HeshouldbeseechAllahtoshowhimthepersonwhowillintoxicatehimwithAllah'sloveandadorntheeyesofhisheart withthelightofAllah'scloseness andinform himofunseenhappeningsthathepersonallywitnessed."InshaAllahbydoingso,onewillreceivetheanswer.(Al-Fath-ur- Rabbani,p146)

ThestateofTazkiyah(self-mortification)cannot beachievedifonedoesnotassociateone'sselfwithaShaykh.Thereareteachers foreverysubjectandknowledge.Ifforexample,itisaquestionofFiqh,wehavetoapproachaMufti,whoknowstheanswers.Howeveritisdifficulttostudytheconditionoftheinnerselfandtorecognizethemaladieswithinanyonewithoutpropereducationandguidance.Thehiddenweaknessesareveryimperceptibleandfine.Somethingmaybeverygoodandanothermightbeevilbutitisverydifficulttodistinguishbetweenthetwo.Forexample,arroganceisanunlawfultraitanditiswajib(compulsory)toshunitbecauseitistherootcauseofallmaladiesbutthereisanotherquality,self-respect,whichiswajibtodevelop.However,thelinedividingthetwomustbedetermined,i.e.atwhichpointdoesself-respectendandarrogancebegins.Itisnotpossibleforeverybodytodeterminethelineofdemarcationbetweentheformer(Fadail)andthelatter(Razail).Therefore,inordertoknowandtreatthespiritualailmentoneneedstohaveaSpiritualMasterorShaykh.TheSalik(seeker)shouldgettheRazailcorrectedbyhisShaykh,onebyone.

Deathdate(Urs)

Rabi-uth-Thaani11,561Hijriattheageof91

BurialLocation(Mazaar)

BaghdadShareef,Iraq

ItisAllahAlmighty'sgreatmercyandblessingthatHehassentShaykhAbdulQadirJilani(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)totheUmmahofHisBelovedProphetMuhammad(prayersandpeaceofAllahbeuponhim)astheGreatHelpertocalluponduringourtimesofdistressandneed.Today'stumultuousandconfusingtimesneedhissuccormorethanever.MayAllahAlmightyguideusalltofollowinthefootstepsofHisbelovedFriendsandtoseektheirhelpandguidanceonourjourneytoourLord.(Aamin).

In/ormation Source

1.Mazhar-e-Jamal-e-MustafaibySufiSyedNasiruddinHashmiQadriRizwiBarkatipublished1985,PakistanInternationalPrintersLimited,Lahore

2.LivingintheAbodeofPeaceandPurificationbyProf.Dr.MohammadAhmedQadriDr.SyedaSaiqaZubedapublished2003, IECRCNA, California