The nights of Hadhrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

The nights of Hadhrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani

(May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

When the fame of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him) spread, 100 jurisprudents came to test him.  They had each thought of the various questions that they would put to the Shaykh.  When they were seated before the Shaykh, the Shaykh sat with his head bowed for some time.  A light emanated from the chest of the Shaykh and it passed through the bosoms of all those who had come to test him.  They forgot all they knew.  They were flabbergasted.  They started screaming and tearing their clothes.  Then the Shaykh sat upon a high chair and told them all they wanted to ask.  Everyone accepted the high status of the Shaykh then.

 

It was among the manners of the Shaykh that in spite of his status, he would sit along with the common folk, the slaves and would even remove lice from the clothes of the paupers.  However, he would never stand for any person of worldly significance.  He never went to the door of any king or ruler.

 

Hadhrat Abul Fatah Harawi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says: I remained in the company of Hadhrat Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah be well pleased with him) for 40 years.  He would offer the Salaat of Fajr with the ablution made for the previous night’s ‘Isha Salaat.  Whenever, his ablution would be invalidated, he would immediately remake it and offer a Salaat of 2 Raka’at.

 

He would offer Salaat Ul ‘Isha and go into his private chambers and no one dared go there.  He would come out only at the time of Salaat ul Fajr.  Once, the ruler came to meet the Shaykh and he had to wait till morning to do so.

 

Hadhrat Harawi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says:  I spent one night in the company of the Shaykh.  I saw that in the first part of the night, he would offer brief Salaat and then engage in the remembrance of Allah Most High so much so until the first 1/3^rd part of the night passed.

 

Then he would recite the Holy Quran standing and the second 1/3^rd of the night would pass in this manner.  After this the Shaykh would prostrate for some time and then would sit facing the Qibla in meditation until the time for dawn came.  Then the Shaykh would supplicate the cry before Allah Most High. 

 

Hadhrat Harawi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says:  In these moments, a blinding radiance would envelope the Shaykh.  I would hear the sounds of the Shaykh being greeted with Salaam and the Shaykh would return the greeting.  This would continue till dawn.

 

[Excerpted from Tabaqaat Imam Sha’arani]