Why Is Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Considered The Greatest Muslim Sufi Saint? – Part 1
By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
30 October
2023
Shaikh
Abdul Qadir Jilani, Known As Ghaus-e-Pak Or Ghaus-e-Azam, A
Spiritual King Of All Sufi Saints, Reintroduced The Core Teachings Of Islam And
Encouraged Moral And Spiritual Growth. He Addressed Contemporary Issues,
Examined Suffering, And Offered Solutions. His Spiritual Sermons Benefited Both
Humans And Jinn, Leading To Their Conversion Into His Disciples. When He Said,
"My Foot Is On The Neck Of Every Sufi Saint Of Allah," All The Sufi Saints
Who Were Alive Presented Themselves Physically And Those Who Had Passed On,
Their Souls Were Present, And The Angels Adorned Him In Hallowed Attire In This
Magnificent Assembly
Main
Points
1.
Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, known as Ghaus-e-Pak
or Ghaus-e-Azam, is considered the king of Sufi saints by many followers
worldwide. He achieved spiritual perfection and is highly respected by Awliya
and Great Sufis from various Sufi chains.
2.
Over forty years, he performed the Fajr prayer
with the same ablution as the Isha prayer, spending the entire night reciting
the Holy Quran, sometimes going without food or drink and struggling to sleep.
3.
Ghaus-e-Pak's discourses, inspired by higher
sources, depict love and Oneness of the Divine Being, characterized by
sincerity and enthusiasm, are found in Futah al-Ghaib, al-Fath al-Rabbani, and
Jila'l-i Khatir.
------
A large
number of followers of Sufism around the world consider Shaikh Abdul Qadir
Jilani known as Ghaus-e-Pak or Ghaus-e-Azam the king of Sufi
saints [Sultan al-Awliya]. According to Sufi theologians, Ghaus-e-Azam
has attained the zenith of spiritual perfection, which was appreciated by a
large number of Awliya and Great Sufis from a number of spiritual Salaasil
[sing. Silsila, chains or Paths] of Sufism. Allah Almighty gave him a higher
respect among the ordinary Muslims as well as the Sacred spiritual Muslim
personalities.
Many people
had their lives revived by the spiritual words of Ghaus-e-Azam. He was
actually a blessing to the Islamic world since he brought back to life the core
teachings of Islam and opened up new avenues for moral and spiritual
development.
Shaikh 'Amr
al-Kaisani asserts that Shaikh Abdul Qadir rarely preached a sermon that did
not lead numerous Christians and Jews to become Muslims, raiders and thieves to
acknowledge their wrongdoings, and heretics and apostates to renounce their
false beliefs. [Muhammad Ibn Yahya al-Tadifi, Qalaid al-Jawaahir, Cairo, AH
1303, p.8]
According
to Al-Jubbai, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani once told him that although he wanted
to live a solitary life in the desert, God Almighty had desired that others
should benefit from him. Furthermore, he was blessed with the fact that over
5,000 Christians and Jews accepted Islam and that over 100,000 sinners and
criminals repented for their wrongdoings as a result of him. [Muhammad Ibn
Yahya al-Tadifi, Qalaid al-Jawaahir, Cairo, AH 1303, p.8]
Akhbar
al-Akhyaar by Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlvi states that one day when a
reciter recited a verse from the holy Quran, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
described the first, second, third, fourth, and so on meanings of the verse
until he presented forty interpretations from a spiritual and scholastic
perspective. Meanwhile, he gave valid proof for each interpretation, explaining
it in a way that stunned the assembled audience. He offered a number of
interpretations before concluding that we should prioritise a spiritual state
of mind over complex academic answers. He then recited La Ilaaha Illallahi
Muhammad ur Rasoolullah. The audience was so overcome with the intoxicating
power of divine love as soon as he recited this Kalima from his glorious tongue
that they hurried to the woodlands to engage in deep meditation and take in the
realities of the outside world.
He once
narrated to have avoided worldly affairs for almost forty years while trekking
through the Iraqi deserts that no one else could recognise. He used to counsel
and direct the Great Men of Spirituality and the Jinn along the Way of Truth
when they came to him.
He has
performed the Fajr prayer with the same ablution [Wuzu] that he made for
the Isha prayer over his nearly forty years of faithful service. After the Isha
prayer for around fifteen years, he would stand on one foot and hold onto the
wall while reciting the Holy Quran. This was how he was going to spend the
entire night until he finished the Quran. Every now and then, he went without
food or drink and could not sleep.
Hazrat Ghaus-e-Pak
was a wise and divinely gifted person who propagated real religious
teachings in accordance with the legal principles of Hanbalite Sunni theology,
emphasising moral rectitude and spiritual cleansing.
The
discourses of Ghaus-e-Pak had a magnetic effect. In describing the love
and Oneness of the Divine Being he appears to be inspired by higher sources.
The reader can still find the spirit of sincerity and enthusiasm running
through these sermons in Futah al-Ghaib, al-Fath al-Rabbani and Jila'l-i
Khatir.
In the
footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the enlightened saints, Ghaus-e-Pak
addressed contemporary issues, examined the reasons behind people's
suffering, and offered solutions to allay their fears and shortcomings. His
captivating and impassioned attitude was driven by his honesty and fervour for
well-being.
Ghaus-e-Pak
attended daily
classes on traditions, jurisprudence, and Quranic interpretation. After midday
prayers, 'Abdul Qadir listened to the Quran and dictated fatwas on religious or
legal matters. He mainly followed Shafi’ite and Hanbalites school legal
theories. Iraqi jurist-scholars highly regarded his legal opinions,
demonstrating his sharp intelligence. [Abdul Wahhab Sha’rani, Tabaqat al-Kubra,
Egypt, AH 1305, Vol.1, p.126]
A man took
an oath to perform a religious observance that nobody else could share, but
failure to do so would result in irrevocable separation from his wife. Scholars
were amazed by this oath and couldn't suggest an observance that could be
performed alone. Ghaus-e-Pak suggested that the man circumambulate the
Kaaba alone seven times to perform the lesser Hajj, which was considered the
only authorized religious observance he could perform alone at a time when
nobody else would be engaged in the same act of worship. [Abdul Wahab Sha’rani,
Tabaqat al-Kubra, Egypt, AH 1305, Vol.1, p.126]
Ghaus-e-Pak,
a great spiritual theologian is reported to have discovered the mysteries of
the celestial world. He came to a point when he developed the ability to
distinguish between the truth and lies, divine intuition, and Demoniac
imposition. He was convinced that the Last Prophet's Shariah was true and that
any assertion that went against divine decree was a proposal from the devil.
He says:
"I once saw a bright light that filled the
whole sky." Then, from within, a human body appeared and said, "0
'Abdul Qadir, I am Lord, thy God. I have
rendered everything that is forbidden to you legal." "Go away from
me, Devil," was my response. I said these words and the brightness of the
sky turned to darkness, and the human form began to disintegrate into
smoke. "Abdul Qadir, I had misled
seventy mystics with this device, but God saved you on account of your
knowledge and piety," "No, it was just Allah's grace," was my
reply. After Ghaus-e-Azam had explained what had happened, someone
asked, "How did you know that it was Satan?" In response, Ghaus-e-Azam
said, "Since he informed me that he had made the prohibited thing legal
for me,'' [Abdul Wahab Sha’rani, Tabaqat al-Kubra, Egypt, AH 1305, Vol.1,
p.127/]
He used to
advise his followers that if they did anything that went against Allah's
commands, it was undoubtedly Satan's doing. In such circumstances, it is best
to go back to the principles of Islam, cultivate an unwavering faith, and
adamantly resist the allure of self-indulgence. After all, everything that the
Shariah forbids is manifestly false. [Abdul Wahhab Sha’rani, Tabaqat al-Kubra,
Egypt, AH 1305, Vol.1, p.127]
(Continued)
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Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a
regular columnist for New Age Islam.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/shaikh-qadir-jilani-muslim-sufi-saint-part-1/d/131009
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