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Sayyiduna 'sh-Shaikh
Muhyi'd-din 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, al-Hasani, al-Husaini
Born 470 A.H., died 561 A.H. [1077 - 1166 C.E.]
1. His "nisbba" or genealogy, excerpted from his monumental work Sirr
al-Asrar [Secret of Secrets].
This book contains the words of the Supreme Helper, the Lordly Cardinal
Pole, the everlasting edifice, the radiantly shining lamp, the Sultan of
the saints and the masters of direct knowledge, the proof of the chosen
and those who have reached their spiritual destination, Allah's Gray
Falcon, our patron, our master and our exemplary guide to Allah (Exalted
is He), the noble highborn patrician, the chieftain, Shaikh Muhyi 'd-Din
'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani al-Hasani al-Husaini (may Allah sanctify his
splendid innermost being, and may He illuminate his noble mausoleum),
son of Imam Sayyid Abu Salih Musa Jangi Dost, son of Imam Sayyid 'Abdu'llah,
son of Imam Sayyid Yahya az-Zahid, son of Imam Sayyid Muhammad, son of
Imam Sayyid Dawud, son of Imam Sayyid Musa, son of Imam Sayyid 'Abdu'llah,
son of Imam Sayyid Musa al-Jawn, son of Imam Sayyid 'Abdu'llah al-Mahd,
son of Imam Sayyid al-Hasan al-Muthanna, son of Imam al-Humam Sayyid al-Hasan
as-Sibt, son of our chief and our patron, the Commander of the
Believers, Abu 'l-Husain 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be well pleased
with them all). On his mother's side of the family, the line of descent
of our revered master and patron, Shaikh Muhyi'd-Din 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
(may Allah the Exalted be well pleased with him), is as follows: He is
Sayyid Shaikh Muhyi 'd-Din 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah sanctify
his luminous innermost being), son of Sayyida Umm al-Khair Amat al-Jabbar
Fatima, daughter of Sayyid 'Abdu'llah as-Sawma'i az-Zahid, son of Sayyid
Abu 'Abdi'llah Jamal ad-Din Muhammad, son of Sayyid Mahmud, son of
Sayyid Abu 'l-'Ata' 'Abdu'llah, son of Sayyid Kamal ad-Din 'Isa, son of
Sayyid Imam Abu 'Abdi'llah 'Ala' ad-Din Muhammad al-Jawad, son of Sayyid
Imam 'Ali ar-Rida, son of Sayyid Imam Musa al-Kazim, son of Imam Ja'far
as-Sadiq, son of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, son of Imam Zain al-'Abidin
'Ali, son of Imam al-Humam al-Husain, the Martyr of Karbala', son of
Imam al-Humam, the Commander of the Believers, our master 'Ali ibn Abi
Talib (may Allah be well pleased with him, and with them all).
2. Some of his titles, beautifully rendered in the prologue of Jala' al-Khawatir
[Removal of Cares].
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of All the Worlds, and may Allah bestow
blessings and peace upon our Master Muhammad and his family and his
companions.
The following discourses were delivered by the Shaikh, the Imam, the
most learned scholar, the pious abstainer, the dutiful worshipper, the
knower by direct experience, the avoider of excess, the Shaikh of
shaikhs, the proof of Islam [hujjat al-Islam], the axis of the human
race [qutb al-anam], the upholder of the Sunna, the suppressor of
heretical innovation, the crown of those who know by direct experience,
the love of those who tread the spiritual path, the pillar of the
Shari'a [the Law of Islam], the mainstay of the Haqiqa [the Experience
of Reality] and the signpost of the Tariqa [the Spiritual Path], the
chief of the saints, the leader of the pure, the lantern of those who
travel the spiritual way, the guide, the captain of those who are
devoted to their duty, the lamp of the people of devotion and purity,
Shaikh Muhyi 'd-Din Abu Muhammad 'Abd al-Qadir, son of Abu Salih Musa
al-Jili the grandson of 'Abdu'llah the Hermit. May Allah sanctify his
spirit and illuminate his mausoleum. May He gather us at the
Resurrection as members of his company, and may He grant that we die in
the embrace of his affection. May He allow us to enjoy the benefit of
his blessed grace and of his spoken words, both in this world and in the
hereafter. And may Allah bless our Master Muhammad and his family and
his companions, each and every one of them, and may He grant them peace
in great abundance. And praise be to Allah, Lord of All the Worlds.
3. Concerning Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
A Brief Introduction by the Translator [Muhtar Holland]
The Author's Names and Titles
A rich store of information about the author of Sufficient Provision for
Seekers of the Path of Truth is conveniently available, to those
familiar with the religious and spiritual tradition of Islam, in his
names, his surnames, and the many titles conferred upon him by his
devoted followers. It is not unusual for these to take up several lines
in an Arabic manuscript, but let us start with the short form of the
author's name as it appears on the cover and title page of this book:
Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani.
Shaikh: A term applied throughout the Islamic world to respected persons
of recognized seniority in learning, experience and wisdom. Its basic
meaning in Arabic is "an elder; a man over fifty years of age." (The
spellings Sheikh and Shaykh may also be encountered in English-language
publications.)
'Abd al-Qadir: This is the author's personal name, meaning "Servant [or
Slave] of the All-Powerful." (The form 'Abdul Qadir, which the reader
may come across elsewhere, is simply an alternative transliteration of
the Arabic spelling.) It has always been a common practice, in the
Muslim community, to give a male child a name in which 'Abd is prefixed
to one of the Names of Allah.
al-Jilani: A surname ending in "i" will often indicate the bearer's
place of birth. Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir was born in the Iranian district of
Gilan, south of the Caspian Sea, in A.H. 470/1077-8 C.E. (In some texts,
the Persian spelling Gilani is used instead of the arabicized form al-Jilani.
The abbreviated form al-Jili, which may also be encountered, should not
be confused with the surname of the venerable 'Abd al-Karâm al-Jili,
author of the celebrated work al-Insan al-Kamil, who came from Jil in
the district of Baghdad.) Let us now consider a slightly longer version
of the Shaikh's name, as it occurs near the beginning of Al-Fath
ar-Rabbani [The Sublime Revelation]: Sayyiduna 'sh-Shaikh Muhyi'd-Din
Abu Muhammad 'Abd al-Qadir (Radiya'llahu 'anh).
Sayyiduna 'sh-Shaikh: "Our Master, the Shaikh." A writer who regards
himself as a Qadiri, a devoted follower of Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir, will
generally refer to the latter as Sayyiduna [our Master], or Sayyidi [my
Master].
Muhyi'd-Din: "Reviver of the Religion." It is widely acknowledged by
historians, non-Muslim as well as Muslim, that Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir
displayed great courage in reaffirming the traditional teachings of
Islam, in an era when sectarianism was rife, and when materialistic and
rationalistic tendencies were predominant in all sections of society. In
matters of Islamic jurisprudence [fiqh] and theology [kalam], he adhered
quite strictly to the highly "orthodox" school of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
Abu Muhammad: "Father of Muhammad." In the Arabic system of
nomenclature, a man's surnames usually include the name of his
first-born son, with the prefix Abu [Father of--].
Radiya'llahu 'anh: "May Allah be well pleased with him!" This
benediction is the one customarily pronounced-and spelled out in
writing-after mentioning the name of a Companion of the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him peace). The preference for this particular
invocation is yet another mark of the extraordinary status held by
Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir in the eyes of his devoted followers.
Finally, we must note some important elements contained within this even
longer version: al-Ghawth al-A'zam Sultan al-Awliya' Sayyiduna 'sh-Shaikh
Muhyi'd-Din 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani al-Hasani al-Husaini (Radiya'llahu 'anh).
al-Ghawth al-A'zam: "The Supreme Helper" (or, "The Mightiest Succor").
Ghawth is an Arabic word meaning: (1) A cry for aid or succor. (2) Aid,
help, succor; deliverance from adversity. (3) The chief of the Saints,
who is empowered by Allah to bring succor to suffering humanity, in
response to His creatures' cry for help in times of extreme adversity.
Sultan al-Awliya': "The Sultan of the Saints." This reinforces the
preceding title, emphasizing the supremacy of the Ghawth above all other
orders of sanctity.
al-Hasani al-Husaini: "The descendant of both al-Hasan and al-Husain,
the grandsons of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)." To
quote the Turkish author, Shaikh Muzaffer Ozak Efendi (may Allah bestow
His mercy upon him): "The lineage of Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir is known as
the Chain of Gold, since both his parents were descendants of the
Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace). His noble father,
'Abdullah, traced his descent by way of Imam Hasan, while his revered
mother, Umm al-Khair, traced hers through Imam Husain."
As for the many other surnames, titles and honorific appellations that
have been conferred upon Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, it may suffice
at this point to mention al-Baz al-Ashhab [The Gray Falcon].
The Author's Life in Baghdad
Through the mists of legend surrounding the life of Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir
al-Jilani, it is possible to discern the outlines of the following
biographical sketch: In A.H. 488, at the age of eighteen, he left his
native province to become a student in the great capital city of
Baghdad, the hub of political, commercial and cultural activity, and the
center of religious learning in the world of Islam. After studying
traditional sciences under such teachers as the prominent Hanbali jurist
[faqih], Abu Sa'd 'Ali al-Mukharrimi, he encountered a more spiritually
oriented instructor in the saintly person of Abu'l-Khair Hammad ad-Dabbas.
Then, instead of embarking on his own professorial career, he abandoned
the city and spent twenty-five years as a wanderer in the desert regions
of 'Iraq. He was over fifty years old by the time he returned to
Baghdad, in A.H. 521/1127 C.E., and began to preach in public. His
hearers were profoundly affected by the style and content of his
lectures, and his reputation grew and spread through all sections of
society. He moved into the school [madrasa] belonging to his old teacher
al-Mukharrimi, but the premises eventually proved inadequate. In A.H.
528, pious donations were applied to the construction of a residence and
guesthouse [ribat], capable of housing the Shaikh and his large family,
as well as providing accommodation for his pupils and space for those
who came from far and wide to attend his regular sessions [majalis]. He
lived to a ripe old age, and continued his work until his very last
breath, as we know from the accounts of his final moments recorded in
the Addendum to Revelations of the Unseen. In the words of Shaikh
Muzaffer Ozak Efendi: "The venerable 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani passed on
to the Realm of Divine Beauty in A.H. 561/1166 C.E., and his blessed
mausoleum in Baghdad is still a place of pious visitation. He is noted
for his extraordinary spiritual experiences and exploits, as well as his
memorable sayings and wise teachings. It is rightly said of him that 'he
was born in love, grew in perfection, and met his Lord in the perfection
of love.' May the All-Glorious Lord bring us in contact with his lofty
spiritual influence!"
4. The Birth of Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir
Excerpted from Qala'id al-Jawahir [Necklaces of Gems].
According to the two Qur'an-memorizers [hafizan], adh-Dhahabi and Ibn
Rajab, Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir's father was Abu Salih 'Abdu'llah, the son
of Jangi Dost. Allah knows best! The name Jangi Dost is a Persian
expression, meaning "he who loves fighting." Anyway, Allah (Glory be to
Him and Exalted is He) is indeed the One who knows best! His mother was
Umm al-Khair [Mother of Goodness] Amat al-Jabbar [Maidservant of the
All-Compelling One] Fatima, the daughter of Shaikh 'Abdu'llah as-Sawma'i
al-Husaini az-Zahid. She had an abundant share of goodness and
righteousness. It is related of her that she used to say: "When I gave
birth to my son, 'Abd al-Qadir, he would not suck my breast during the
daytime of Ramadan. The new moon of Ramadan was hidden by clouds, so
people came and asked me about him, and I told them: 'He has not sipped
a breast today.' It thus became obvious that the day was the first of
Ramadan." The word then spread throughout the towns of Jilan, that a son
had been born to the nobles, and that this was a child who refused to be
suckled during the daytime in Ramadan. It was also said that his mother
had become pregnant with him when she was sixty years of age. It is said
that no woman of sixty carries a child, unless she be a woman of Quraish,
and no woman of fifty carries a child, unless she be an Arab woman. When
she gave birth to him (may Allah be well pleased with him), he was
received by the hand of gracious favor, and he was surrounded by
enabling guidance, behind him and in front of him. He never ceased to be
nurtured (may Allah be well pleased with him) in the lap of noble
kindness, nourished with the milk of blessings, guarded in safekeeping,
watched over with providential care.
5. The Shaikh's Death
Excerpted from Futuh al-Ghaib [Revelations of the Unseen] The Shaikh's
final advice to his sons (sanctified be their innermost secrets); some
valuable remarks he made; his last illness and death (may Allah be well
pleased with him, and grant him contentment.) When the Shaikh (may Allah
be content with him and grant him contentment) was in the throes of the
illness of which he died, his son 'Abd al-Wahhab (sanctified be his
innermost secret) said to him: "O my master, leave me with some advice
to put into practice after you are gone." To this he replied (may Allah
be well pleased with him, and grant him contentment): "You must observe
your duty to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), fear no one but Allah,
pin your hopes on no one but Allah, and entrust all your needs to Allah
(Almighty and Glorious is He). Do not rely on anyone but Him, address
all your requests to Him (Exalted is He), and put your trust in no one
other than Allah (Glory be to Him). Affirm His Oneness. All is contained
within the affirmation of His Oneness." He also said (may Allah be well
pleased with him, and grant him contentment): "When the heart is as it
should be with Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), it wants for nothing
and contains nothing superfluous." He said further (may Allah be well
pleased with him, and grant him contentment): "I am a kernel with no
shell." To his sons he said (may Allah be well pleased with him): "Keep
your distance from me, for I am with you outwardly, but inwardly I am
with others." He also said (may Allah be well pleased with him): "Others
have come into my presence, so make room for them and treat them
courteously. A very great kindness here. Do not crowd their space." He
kept saying (may Allah be well pleased with him): "On you be peace, and
Allah's mercy and His blessings. May Allah forgive me and you. May Allah
relent toward me and toward you. In the Name of Allah, farewell!" He
said this for a day and a night. He said (may Allah be well pleased with
him): "Woe unto you! Nothing worries me, not the angel, not even you, O
angel of death! He who cares for us has blessed us with something beyond
you." Then he uttered a loud cry. This was on the day in the late
evening of which he died (may Allah be well pleased with him). It is
reported by two of his sons, Shaikh 'Abd al-Razzaq and Shaikh Musa
(sanctified be their innermost secrets) that the venerable Ghawth (may
Allah be well pleased with him) would raise his hands and stretch them
out, while saying: "On you be peace, and Allah's mercy and His
blessings! Repent and get into line when it comes to your turn." He was
sayng (may Allah be well pleased with him): "Wait!" Then came to him the
moment of truth and the pang of death.
He said (may Allah be well pleased with him): "Between me and you and
all other creatures there is a distance like that between heaven and
earth, so do not compare me to anyone, and do not compare us with
anyone." Then his son Shaikh 'Abd al-'Aziz (sanctified be his innermost
secret) asked him again about his suffering and how he felt, but he said
(may Allah be well pleased with him): "Let no one ask me anything. I am
basking in the knowledge of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He)." Shaikh
'Abd al-'Aziz (sanctified be his innermost secret) asked him again about
his illness, and he replied (may Allah be well pleased with him): "No
one knows the nature of my sickness, and nobody understands it, be he
human, jinn, or angel. Allah's knowledge is not diminished by Allah's
decree. The decree may change, but the knowledge is unchanging. 'Allah
effaces or confirms whatever He will, and with Him is the Essence of the
Book,' (13:39). 'He will not be questioned as to what He does, but they
will be questioned.' (21:23)." The following descriptions have also been
reported:
His son Shaikh 'Abd al-Jabbar (sanctified be his innermost secret) asked
him: "Which part of your body gives you pain?" He replied (may Allah be
well pleased with him): "All my organs are hurting me except my heart.
There is no pain there, for it is with Allah (Almighty and Glorious is
He)." Then death came to him, as he was saying (may Allah be well
pleased with him): "I seek help in the words: 'There is none worthy of
worship but Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, the Ever-Living, Who has
no fear of passing away. Glory be to Him Who exults in His omnipotence,
and subdues His servants with death. There is none worthy of worship but
Allah. Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.'"
His son Shaikh Musa (sanctified be his innermost secret) told us that
when death approached the presence of the Shaikh (may Allah be well
pleased with him, and grant him contentment), he was trying to say the
word "ta'azzaza" ["exults"], but could not get the pronunciation right,
so he kept on repeating "ta-'az-za-za," slowly and emphatically, until
his tongue shot it out. Then he said: "Allah, Allah, Allah," till his
voice grew faint and his tongue was cleaving to the roof of his mouth.
Then his noble spirit went forth.
The good pleasure of Allah (Exalted is He) be upon him!
Sources: Mukhtar
Holland, Al Baaz Publications, Inter-islam.org |
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His mother was a saintly lady and also the daughter of a famous saint of that
time.