Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani

He is a descendant of Hadhrat Imam Hasan (May Allah be well pleased with him) from the side of his father and a descendant of Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) through his mother.  He was born in the area of Jilan near Baghdad.  His Kuniyyah is Abu Muhammad.  He is famously known in the whole Muslim community as Muhiyuddin, Mahboob Subhani, Ghouth Uth Thaqlain, Ghouth Ul A’adham and many other such titles.  He passed away in 561 A.H.

 

His birth and childhood:

 

The night preceding the birth of Hadhrat Ghouse ul A'adham (May Allah shower His Mercy on him), his father Hadhrat Abu Saleh Syed Moosa Jangidost (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) saw in a dream that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), along with the Sahabah, the Imams and the Elite among the Auliya, graced his house with His presence.  He gave glad tidings to him in the following words:

 

Translation: O Abu Saleh! Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) has granted you such a son who is a saint. He is My son.  He is the beloved of My Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) and very soon, his glory among the saints will be like My glory among the Prophets.

 

Apart from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) all other Prophets gave him glad tidings that all the saints will be followers of his son and his foot will be on their neck.

 

The night when Hadhrat Muhiyuddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) was born, that night in Jilan every lady who delivered was granted a baby boy and each of them grew up to be a saint.

 

He was born in the month of Ramadhan and he fasted from the first day itself. He would not have milk from Sahr until Iftaar.

 

His mother herself says: When my son Abdul Qadir (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) was born, he would not have anything from morning to sunset.

 

(Tabaqat al kubra, vol 1, Pg No: 126, Bahjatul asrar Pg No: 89, qalaidul jawahir, Pg No: 3, Nafahatul uns, Pg No: 251, Jame Karamatul Auliya. Vol 2, Pg No: 205, Nuzhatul Khatir al fatir, Pg No: 32, Akhbaar ul Akhyaar, Pg No: 22, Safinatul Auliya, Pg No: 33)

Hadhrat Shaykh Abu Sa’ood (May Allah Ta’ala shower His mercy on him) says that Hadhrat Ghous‑e‑A’adham (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him) said: I have not left even a single method of worship,which I did not take up for my Nafs and in which I was not regular.

 

 For a long time, I spent my life in uninhabited and deserted areas and put my Nafs through various kinds of worhsip and hardships.  For 25 years, I wandered alone in the jungles of Iraq.  Thus, for one year, I lived on grass and the like and did not drink water at all.  Then for another year, I drank water as well.  Then for another year, I lived only on water and did not eat anything and then another year, I neither ate nor drank nor slept.

 

(Tabaqat Kubra, Jame’ Karamat ul Auliya, Qalaaid Ul Jawahar)

 

Hadhrat Shaykh Abu Bakr Tameemi (May Allah Ta’ala shower His mercy on him) says that Hadhrat Ghouse Ul A’adham (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him) said: When Baghdad came in the grips of a famine, I was very hardpressed and for a number of days, I did not eat anything.

 

Once when hunger was its peak, I went to the banks of Dajla (possibly river Euphrates), that I may get some leaves of some vegetable or grass, etc. to eat and subsist.  When I went there, wherever I saw already men were there and I did not consider it correct to compete and overtake them.  I returned to the city.  Here also, I could not get anything.  At last, forced by hunger, I went to the Masjid of Sauq Ar Raihaniyyeen (a famous market) of Baghdad and sat there.  (Qalaaid Ul Jawahar)

 

Fajr Salaat with the Wudhu of Isha for 40 years:

 

Hadhrat Ablu Fatah Haravi (May Allah Ta’ala shower His mercy on him) says: I lived at the feet of hadhrat Ghouse Ul A’adham for 40 years and in this period, I always saw him offering Salaat Ul Fajr with the Wudhu of Salaat Ul Isha.  (Bahjatul Asrar, Qalaaid Ul Jawahar, Akhbaar Ul Akhyaar, Jame’ Karamaat Ul Auliya, Nafhatul Uns, Tabaqat Kubra)

 

Completing 1 Quran in 1 night:

 

For 15 years, Hadhratr Ghouse A’adham (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him) completed 1 recitation of the Holy Quran every night.

 

(Akhbaar Ul Akhyaar, Jame’ Karamaat Ul Auliya)

 

Even a mountain would have been shattered!

 

It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Shaykh Abu Abdullah Najjar (May Allah Ta’ala shower His mercy on him) that Hadhrat Ghouse A’adham (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him) said: I have bore many difficulties and hardships.  If these had descended on any mountain, that mountain would have been shattered.

 

(Qalaaid Ul Jawahar, Tabaqat Kubra)

 

Passing away:

 

 After spreading both Shariah and Tariqah for 40 years, the time had come when Ghouse ul A'adham, the Emperor of the Saints, the Pole of the world should, as per the promise of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) , pass through the doors of death and enter the presence of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala).

 

Two narrations have been mentioned in regard to the passing away of Hadhrat Ghouse ul A'adham (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).

 

The second one is the night of 10th Rabe’e Thani, 561 A.H. or 1166 A.D.

 

His last rites were performed the same night. His eldest son Hadhrat Abdul Wahab (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) lead the funeral Salaat of the Shaykh. The crowd was such that they had to close the door of the Madarsa, where the Shaykh was interred.

 

On every 11th, the kings and the elite of the city would offer their respects to Hadhrat Ghawth ul A’adham (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).  They would congregate on the shrine of the Shaykh.  They would recite the Holy Quran, recite poetry of the Shaykh without any musical instruments.  After maghrib, all the mureedeen (disciples) would sit around the grave and the leader of the group would stand and perform dhikr bil jahr (dhikr in a loud voice).  Here, some people would be overcome with ecstasy.  After this, whatever food or sweet was brought would be distributed among those present.  The people would leave after offering the Salaat of Isha.