Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani(May Allah be well pleased with him) - Life and Teachings

Striving in the path of Allah

Hadhrat Ghouse-Ul-Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) says:  In early youth, when sleep would overwhelm me, I would hear a voice:  O ‘Abdul Qadir!  We haven’t created you for sleeping.  (Bahjah Al Asraar, Pg. No. 21; Safeenah Al Auliya, Pg. No. 63)

He says:  For a long period of time, I stayed in desolate and lonely areas.  I would mortify my Self (Nafs) in various ways.  I singly roamed the forests of Iraq for 25 years.  For 1 year, I lived on grass, etc. and didn’t drink water at all.  Then for 1 year, I drank water as well.  Then the third year, I only drank water and didn’t eat anything.  Then for 1 year, I neither ate anything nor drank anything nor did I sleep.  (Qalaaid Ul Jawahir, Pg. No. 10-11)