Biography of sheikh abdul qadir jilani history
Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (RAA)
T he venerable Muhyiddin Abu Muhammad ‘Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, may his soul be sanctified, is al-ghawth al-a’zam — the manifestation of Allah’s attribute ‘the All-Powerful’, who hears the cry for help and saves the ones in need, and al-qutb al-a’zam — the pole, the centre, the summit of spiritual evolution, the spiritual ruler of the world, the source of wisdom, container of all knowledge, the example of faith and Islam; a true inheritor of the perfection of the Prophet Muhammad; a perfect man; and the founder of the Qadiriyya, the mystical order that has spread far and wide and preserved the true meaning of Islamic Sufism throughout these centuries until our time.
He was born in 470 A.H. (1077-78 C.E.), in the region called al-Jil in what is today Iran. This date is based on his statement to his son that he was eighteen when he went to Baghdad, in the year that the famous scholar al-Tamim died. This was 488 A.H. His mother, Ummul-Khayr Fatima bint al-Shaykh ‘Abdullah Sumi, was from the line of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, through his grandson, the venerable Husayn.
I went to my mother, who was then a widow, and asked her, ‘Send me to the path of Truth, give me permission to go to Baghdad to acquire knowledge, to be with the wise and those who are close to Allah.’ My mother asked me what was the reason for this sudden request. I told her what had happened to me. She cried, but she brought out eighty pieces of gold, which was all that my father had left as inheritance. She put aside forty pieces for my brother. The other forty she sewed into the armpit of my coat. Then she permitted me to leave, but before she let me go she made me promise her that I would tell the truth and be truthful, whatever happened. She sent me off with these words: ‘May Allah protect and guide you, my son. I separate myself from that which is dearest to me for Allah’s sake. I know that
Abdul Qadir Gilani
Muslim preacher, mystic and theologian (1078–1166)
Abdul Qadir Gilani (Persian: عبدالقادر گیلانی, romanized: 'Abdulqādir Gīlānī, Arabic: عبد القادر الجيلاني, romanized: ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī) was a Hanbali scholar, preacher, and Sufi leader who was the eponym of the Qadiriyya, one of the oldest Sufi orders.
He was born in 1077 or 1078 in the town of Na'if, Rezvanshahr in Gilan, Persia, and died in 1166 in Baghdad. Gilani (Arabical-Jilani) refers to his place of birth, Gilan. He also carried the epithet Baghdadi, referring to his residence and burial in Baghdad.
Titles
He had the honorific title of Muḥyiddīn, denoting his status with many Sufis as a "reviver of religion".
Abdul Qadir Jilani holds the unique position in the hierarchy of Sufi Saints (Wali) having achieved the Rank (Maqam) of "Ghawth" (the Helper). He uses the title of "Ghawth" (the Helper) in the dialogues between himself and Allah in 'The Ghawthiyya' where Allah refers to him as "Ghawth 'l-A'zam" (the Supreme Helper). He most famously declared that: "My Foot is raised over the neck of every Saint of Allah", in reference to his station of "Ghawth 'l-A'zam" (the Supreme Helper).
Followers of the Qadiriyya Sufi Order are required to call out the 'names of 'Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani' also known as the 'Plea for Help' (al-Isti'ana) which includes statements such as:
- "O Gray Falcon!" [Ya Bazu 'l-Ashab]
- "O presence of Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir (may Allah sanctify his innermost being and illuminate his mausoleum)!" [Ya hadrata 'sh-Shaikh 'Abdi 'l-Qadir (qaddasa 'llahu sirra-hu wa nawwir dariha-h)]
- "O master of dispensation in this world, and in his grave, by Allah's leave!" [Ya sahiba 'l-akhlaqi 'l-hasanati wa 'l-himam]
- "O master of the foot raised over the neck of every saint of Allah!" [Ya sahi
Life and Teachings of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
At the end of 5 century and the beginning of 6 century Allah blessed the Ummah with Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. He is known by many names among us today. Some names befit his stature but some are plain wrong which contradict the Uluhiyyah of Allah like Gauth-e-Adham and Mukhtar-e-Gul. This was a man who has left his mark on many of the Sciences of Islam.
Imam ad-Dhahabi said of him: The Sheikh, Imam, Scholar, Ascetic (zaahid), ‘Aarif (devoted worshipper), Sheikh al-Islam, ‘Alam al-Awliya’ (The most prominent of the close friends (awliya’, sing. wali) of Allah). [Siyar A‘laam an-Nubala’, 20/439]
Imam as-Sam‘aani said of him: ‘Abdul-Qaadir was one of the people of Jilan, the imam and sheikh of the Hanbalis of his time, a scholar, righteous, religiously committed, charitable; he remembered Allah a great deal (dhikr), was always deep in thought and was quick to weep. [Siyar A ‘laam an-Nubala’, 20/441]
Imam Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi said, "I have not heard about anyone from whom saintly miracles (karamat) are reported more than those related about Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir." [al-Dhayl ‘ala Tabaqat al-Hanabilah]
Sultan of the Imams, Sheikh al-‘Izz b. ‘Abd al-Salam went so far as to say, "No karamat from any of the mashayikh have been mass transmitted, save those of Sheikh ‘Abd al-Qadir. His karamat have been related via mass-transmission (tawatur)." [al-Dhayl ‘ala Tabaqat al-Hanabilah]
His Early Life
Born around 29 Shaban 470 AH (1077), he was a resident of a place called Jilan/Geelan. Its also said to be the area of Tabrez. This is located at the border of Russia and a large portion of it lying in Iran. Jilani in Arabic, Geelani being the actual name and Keelani for those who couldn’t read the G of Geelani. (عبدالقادر گیلانی)
There Sheikh would go on to study Hadith from the author of the renowned Musnad Siraj of Abu Muhammad Jafar Ibn Hussain and since Hanbali fiqh was flourishing therein, he
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A Great Saint: Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
Rahmatullahi Alayhi
Sheikh Muhi Uddin Abdul Qadir Jilani (a.k.a Gilani) has been famous for centuries as the most popular and revered Saint of Islam.
He was the founder of the Qadriya order, the most tolerant and charitable of the Sunni order of the dervishes. This order claims countless followers throughout the Muslim world. His adherents, who knew him as Ghaus-e-Azam' (the highest in the hierarchy of Saints) revere him for his piety, humility, learning and gentleness of spirit.
Sheikh Abdul Qadir was born in 1077 in Nif, a village in the district of Gilan , Persia (to the north of current Iran ). On his father's side, his ancestry can be traced back in the direct line to Hazrat Imam Hassan and hence The Prophet Muhammad . His mother was a saintly lady and also the daughter of a famous saint of that time.
Sheikh Abdul Qadir left his home at the age of eighteen in the pursuit of knowledge and he went to Baghdad, the great centre of learning. He attended the classes held by Tibrizi, the well-known Arab Philologist of the age. There he was initiated into the Sufism of the Abul Khair Muhammed School. This was a special mode of religious thinking and feeling. A Sufi lives rather a retired life in voluntary poverty in order to be better able to meditate on the Holy Qur'an by seeking to draw closer to Allah in prayer.
Sheikh Abdul Qadir received the Sufi dress called the Khirka', from his leader and patron Sheikh Qazi Abu Sa'ad Mubarak, head of the Muslim School of the Hambalite law. Not long afterwards, a Khanqah ( monastery ) was built for him. In 1134, the school of Mubarak al Mukharrini was enlarged by public subscription and the popular Sheikh was appointed as its head.
The Sheikh was a great theologian and an earnest, sincere and eloquent preacher. He prayed for all of mankind without distinction of race or creed. His sermons which he gave regularly in the School on Friday mornings and Monday evenings, and
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