Some incidents from the life of Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him)

Some incidents from the life of Hadhrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani

(May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

Shaykh Jaleel Abu Saleh Maghribi says:  I was ordered by Shaykh Abu Madyan (May Allah sanctify his secret) to go to Baghdad and learn from Hadhrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him).  I came to Baghdad and met the Shaykh.  In my whole life, I had never seen anyone as awe-inspiring as him.  The Shaykh made engage in worship for 120 days.  Then he came to me and asked me to turn towards the Qibla. I saw Shaykh Abu Madyan from there itself.  I expressed my desire to go back to Shaykh Abu Madyan.  Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: Will you go in a single step or do you want to go back the way you came here.  I entreated:  I want to go back the way I came.  He said:  That’s nice.

 

The Shaykh said:  Unless you achieve one thing, you will not be granted Faqr (a spiritual state).  That one thing is Tauheed (belief in the oneness of Allah Most High) which will wipe away all impurities.

 

I requested:  I need your help in this regard. The Shaykh looked at me and my heart became free of all desires and worries.  I started feeling that my heart has been purified and I am looking at everything with my spiritual foresight.

 

The emperor comes to visit the Shaykh

 

Shaykh Abul ‘Abbas Hussaini Mausili (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says: One day, I saw the caliph sitting before the Shaykh.  The caliph said:  Please show me some miracle which will assure my heart.  The Shaykh said:  What do you want? The caliph said: I want apples (there were no apples in Baghdad in that season).  The Shaykh extended his hand and produced 2 apples.  He gave one to the caliph and kept one for himself.  When the Shaykh split his apple, a fragrance like that of musk could be smelt.  When the caliph split his apple, he found worms inside it.  The caliph was astonished and asked the Shaykh about this.  The Shaykh said: The hand of a tyrant spoils fruit as well.

 

Abu Ghalib invites the Shaykh

 

A group of shaykhs have related reliably that a famous businessman of Baghdad Abu Ghalib came to the Shaykh and said:  Your great forefather, Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), the Prophet of Allah, has said:  When one is extended an invitation, one should accept it.  In light of this, I trouble you to grace my poor hovel.  The Shaykh meditated over this for some moments, then said: Fine, let us go.

 

The Shaykh mounted his mule and Shaykh Ibn Haiti (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) held the reins and walked alongside the Shaykh.  When they reached the house of the businessman, they saw that the elite of Baghdad, many scholars and shaykhs are gathered there.  The meal cloth was spread and many different varieties of food are present for the gathering.  Then Abu Ghalib brought a huge pot whose mouth was sealed and kept in one corner.  Then he said:  Please start with the name of Allah!

 

However, the Shaykh sat with his head bowed.  Neither did he have anything nor did he order his companions to do so.  In awe of the Shaykh, everyone present sat stock-still.  The narrator of the incident says:  The Shaykh ordered me and Shaykh Ibn Haiti to bring the huge pot which Abu Ghalib had brought.  We kept the pot in front of the Shaykh.  When we opened it, we saw that the son of Abu Ghalib who was blind, lame and paralyzed was lying in it.  Hadhrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him) saw him and said:  Up!  Stand up straight all fit and fine.  The boy stood up fully healthy.  It was as if he did not have any disease.

 

When the people saw this, there was a huge tumult in the crowd.  The Shaykh quietly left the place and did not have anything.

 

The incident of a man with miraculous powers

 

One day, Shaykh Ibn Haiti (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) came to the house of the Shaykh and found one man lying in a very pitiable state.  When Shaykh Ibn Haiti (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) passed by him, he clung to the garments of Shaykh Ibn Haiti and said:  Please intercede for me.

 

When Shaykh Ibn Haiti (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) presented himself to the Shaykh, he spoke for that man as well.  Hadhrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  For your sake, I forgive him. 

 

When Shaykh Haiti (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) told this to that man, he flapped his arms and flew away.  When Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him) was asked about his, he said:  That man was flying over Baghdad and was thinking:  Today, there is no one in Baghdad with a better spiritual state. To break his ego, I did that to him.

 

The incident of Hadhrat Abul Hasan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

 

Hadhrat Shaykh Abul Hasan Izji (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) fell ill and Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him) called on him.  He saw a pigeon and a Qumri (a bird of the dove family).  Shaykh Abul Hasan said:  This pigeon has not laid any egg for the last 6 months and this bird hasn’t said anything for the last 9 months.  Hadhrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him) stood before and said to the pigeon:  Benefit your master.  To the Qumri, he said: Glorify your Lord.

 

From that day, the Qumri sang so beautifully that the people would be overjoyed to hear it and the pigeon laid eggs regularly till it died.

 

[Excerpted from Nuzhatul Khaatir]