Ghaus e Azam

SHAIKH ABDUL QADIR JILANI

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani was born on Friday the first of Ramadan in 470 AH (17th
March, 1078 AD). He is blessed with the direct lineage from Prophet Mohammad as his
father Shaikh Abu Saleh Musa Jangi was a descendent of Hasan ibn Ali and his mother
Ummul Khair Sayyida Fatimah was that of Husayn ibn Ali. Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani is
a Sayyid possessing nobility from both bloodlines.

INFANCY

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani was born a Saint who was to be crowned with the leadership of
all the orders of Sufism for not only his era but of all the times to come. Born on the night
of first Ramadan, he did not take feed from dawn until sunset. This miracle continued
throughout the month. He was not like a usual child hence neither cried nor screamed and
never seemed restless for milk. Throughout infancy he kept fast in the month of Ramadan.
His mother said that the two consecutive years of Ramadan that passed in his infancy, he
fasted and took feed only upon sunset

GUARDIAN

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani’s father passed away when he was just a child, like his guide
and master, the chief of the world and the hereafter, Prophet Mohammad. His maternal
grandfather Sayyid Abdullah Saumaee took guardianship of his grandson. He was a great
Saint of his time and it was his beneficence that the parents of Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
were gnostics. Now coming under the affectionate guardianship of his grandfather was
implying some Divine secret.
Sayyid Abdullah Saumaee did not have any son hence all his affection and attention
were directed towards young Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. He came to know through the
spiritual insight that this youth’s forehead is divinely luminous with the destiny of
sainthood therefore he focused all his spiritual beneficence towards him. Hence his first
teacher and spiritual guide was Sayyid Abdullah Saumaee, an elite Mystic of his time

EARLY ACADEMICS

SPIRITUAL ENDEAVOURS

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani had become fully conversant in all kinds of knowledge in 496
AH. Afterwards he engrossed himself in spiritual endeavours. Hence from 496 AH to 521
AH for a duration of twenty-five years he experienced such adversities which shudder a
person. There was no form of hardship which he had not faced. Though how much it
appeared as monastic, it was purely for sanctification of innerself. Monasticism had
nothing to do with it. Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani got practical knowledge of Sufism and
mysticism, severed his ties from worldly affairs in order to seek Allah only and worshipped
the Lord ardently. He reached the levels of annihilation in the Prophet and Allah and
became immortal with Him. His entire existence stormed with ardent love for Almighty
and the Prophet. Such deeds made Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani strenuous and perfect in
determination, perseverance and obedience only towards Him. His tireless efforts were
based on the footsteps of Prophet’s Companions of al-Suffa. It was not possible that he took
any step against Allah’s will nor his sayings and deeds were ever contrary to sharia. The
account of his endeavours is voluminous and words do not have the strength to explain.
Though glimpses are provided in the following few incidents.

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE AND TRANSFERENCE OF DIVINE TRUST

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani was guided in Sufism by two of the undoubted and indisputable
Sufi masters of the time – Shaikh Abu Saeed Mubarak Makhzoomi and Abu’l-Khair
Hammad ibn Muslim al-Dabbas. Both were accomplished Saints. Shaikh Abdul Qadir
Jilani benefitted from their spiritual munificence but had yet to come in the servitude by the
bond of oath of allegiance. Time had come to enter a Sufi order after eight years of
mastering all forms of knowledge and twenty-five years of cleansing the innerself through
spiritual endeavours. Hence according to Allah’s will he went to the court of Shaikh Abu
Saeed Mubarak Makhzoomi and entered the circle of his devotees by pledging oath.
He ate food from the hands of Shaikh Abu Saeed Mubarak Makhzoomi after entering
his circle. Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani said of that instance, “Each morsel which I ate by
my spiritual guide’s hand enlightened my soul.”
Then his spiritual guide presented him the symbol of sainthood and said, “O Abdul Qadir
Jilani! This symbol was given to Ali ibn Abi Talib by Prophet Mohammad who gave it to
Hasan of Basra and ultimately it reached me after passing from one spiritual leader to the
other.”

When Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani wore it, countless Divine lights descended on him.
Shaikh Abu Saeed Mubarak Makhzoomi was very proud of his elite and grand spiritual
status about which Allah Himself had informed. Once Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani was
with him. When he left for a while Shaikh Abu Saeed Mubarak Makhzoomi said, “One
day this youth’s feet will be on the neck of all the Saints and all the Saints of his age will
stand humbly before him.”

THE THRONE OF DIVINE GUIDANCE AND PERSUASION

In 488 AH, when Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani came to Baghdad, the Islamic nations had
become enfolded in evils of Satan and fitna. At the one end there were groups of people
who were polluting faith by inviting towards monastic lifestyle of seclusion and then
there were also groups of people who had forgone sharia and were raising slogans of
esotericism. I seek refuge in Allah, a false belief was initiated claiming Quran was created.
Undoubtedly Quran is Divine. At the other end there was an abundance of fake scholars
who were polluting Muslims. Baghdad which was the centre of Islam had become infected
with immoralities, transgression, pretence and hypocrisy. The caliphate of Baghdad was
deteriorating day after day. Seljuks were fighting among themselves. The ruler who was
raised to power in Baghdad would turn the religious sermons in his favour. Abbasid
Caliphate was subdued. The followers of so-called esotericism had created major
disturbances in the entire country. Pious peoples’ lives and honour were not safe.
In 496 AH when Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani completed studies, tumult of fake esoteric
guides was at its peak to such an extent that even pilgrims of hajj were not safe from their
atrocities. On the other hand first crusade had started and the Christians had united to
attack the Muslim world. This was the era of Mustansir Billah who reigned from 487 AH
to 512 AH. His wisdom had saved Baghdad from political upheaval and it was the same
time when Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani was busy in academics. In 496 AH after completion
he separated himself from worldly affairs and up till 521 AH he remained engrossed in
spiritual endeavours. During that time political disorder in Islamic world was lessening
but people’s morality and values had declined appallingly. The sparks in 488 AH had
become blazing flames. That was the time when Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani stepped into
the arena of jihad armoured with virtue and piety, well acquainted with sharia and armed
with the knowledge of Quran and Sunna. He started war against satanic, false and
spurious beliefs through assemblages during which he guided and persuaded towards piety,
virtue and righteousness.

FAMILY

He married four women who bore twenty-seven sons. History provides names of only ten
as others died in adolescence. His ten sons whose names are mentioned below became
famous and from them the lineage continued. They were also his spiritual successors.

BOOKS

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani wrote numerous books which unfold secrets of Faqr and cleanse
inward of the devoted reader. Following are a few of his works whose translations in
Urdu are available:

1. Al-Fath ar-Rabbani (discourses)
2. Futuh al-Ghaib (dialogues)
3. Sirr al-Asrar (Faqr)
4. Ar-Risala tul-Ghausia (Faqr)
5. Ghunyat al-Talibeen (Fiqh)
6. Diwan al-Ghausia (Persian poetry)

DEATH

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani passed away at the age of ninety-one on Saturday night, 11th
Rabi ath-thani, 561 AH (12th February, 1166). His shrine is in Baghdad and is to date the
centre for devotees. His ardent followers hold religious gatherings on eleventh of every
month. His death anniversary is celebrated on eleventh of Rabi ath-than.