Why Is Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Considered The Greatest Muslim Sufi Saint? – Part 1

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 30 October 2023 Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, Known As Ghaus-e-Pak Or Ghaus-e-Azam, A Spiritual King Of All Sufi Saints, Reintroduced The Core Teachings Of Islam And Encouraged Moral And Spiritual Growth. He Addressed Contemporary Issues, Examined Suffering, And Offered Solutions. His Spiritual Sermons Benefited Both Humans And Jinn, Leading To Their Conversion Into His Disciples. When He Said, "My Foot Is On The Neck Of Every Sufi Saint Of Allah," All The Sufi Saints Who Were Alive Presented Themselves Physically And Those Who Had Passed On, Their Souls Were Present, And The Angels Adorned Him In Hallowed Attire In This Magnificent Assembly Main Points 1. Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, known as Ghaus-e-Pak or Ghaus-e-Azam, is considered the king of Sufi saints by many followers worldwide. He achieved spiritual perfection and is highly respected by Awliya and Great Sufis from various Sufi chains. 2. Over forty years, he performed the Fajr prayer with the same ablution as the Isha prayer, spending the entire night reciting the Holy Quran, sometimes going without food or drink and struggling to sleep. 3. Ghaus-e-Pak's discourses, inspired by higher sources, depict love and Oneness of the Divine Being, characterized by sincerity and enthusiasm, are found in Futah al-Ghaib, al-Fath al-Rabbani, and Jila'l-i Khatir. ------ A large number of followers of Sufism around the world consider Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani known as Ghaus-e-Pak or Ghaus-e-Azam the king of Sufi saints [Sultan al-Awliya]. According to Sufi theologians, Ghaus-e-Azam has attained the zenith of spiritual perfection, which was appreciated by a large number of Awliya and Great Sufis from a number of spiritual Salaasil [sing. Silsila, chains or Paths] of Sufism. Allah Almighty gave him a higher respect among the ordinary Muslims as well as the Sacred spiritual Muslim personalities. Many people had their lives revived by the spiritual words of Ghaus-e-Azam. He was actually a blessing to the Islamic world since he brought back to life the core teachings of Islam and opened up new avenues for moral and spiritual development. Shaikh 'Amr al-Kaisani asserts that Shaikh Abdul Qadir rarely preached a sermon that did not lead numerous Christians and Jews to become Muslims, raiders and thieves to acknowledge their wrongdoings, and heretics and apostates to renounce their false beliefs. [Muhammad Ibn Yahya al-Tadifi, Qalaid al-Jawaahir, Cairo, AH 1303, p.8] According to Al-Jubbai, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani once told him that although he wanted to live a solitary life in the desert, God Almighty had desired that others should benefit from him. Furthermore, he was blessed with the fact that over 5,000 Christians and Jews accepted Islam and that over 100,000 sinners and criminals repented for their wrongdoings as a result of him. [Muhammad Ibn Yahya al-Tadifi, Qalaid al-Jawaahir, Cairo, AH 1303, p.8] Akhbar al-Akhyaar by Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlvi states that one day when a reciter recited a verse from the holy Quran, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani described the first, second, third, fourth, and so on meanings of the verse until he presented forty interpretations from a spiritual and scholastic perspective. Meanwhile, he gave valid proof for each interpretation, explaining it in a way that stunned the assembled audience. He offered a number of interpretations before concluding that we should prioritise a spiritual state of mind over complex academic answers. He then recited La Ilaaha Illallahi Muhammad ur Rasoolullah. The audience was so overcome with the intoxicating power of divine love as soon as he recited this Kalima from his glorious tongue that they hurried to the woodlands to engage in deep meditation and take in the realities of the outside world. He once narrated to have avoided worldly affairs for almost forty years while trekking through the Iraqi deserts that no one else could recognise. He used to counsel and direct the Great Men of Spirituality and the Jinn along the Way of Truth when they came to him. He has performed the Fajr prayer with the same ablution [Wuzu] that he made for the Isha prayer over his nearly forty years of faithful service. After the Isha prayer for around fifteen years, he would stand on one foot and hold onto the wall while reciting the Holy Quran. This was how he was going to spend the entire night until he finished the Quran. Every now and then, he went without food or drink and could not sleep. Hazrat Ghaus-e-Pak was a wise and divinely gifted person who propagated real religious teachings in accordance with the legal principles of Hanbalite Sunni theology, emphasising moral rectitude and spiritual cleansing. The discourses of Ghaus-e-Pak had a magnetic effect. In describing the love and Oneness of the Divine Being he appears to be inspired by higher sources. The reader can still find the spirit of sincerity and enthusiasm running through these sermons in Futah al-Ghaib, al-Fath al-Rabbani and Jila'l-i Khatir. In the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the enlightened saints, Ghaus-e-Pak addressed contemporary issues, examined the reasons behind people's suffering, and offered solutions to allay their fears and shortcomings. His captivating and impassioned attitude was driven by his honesty and fervour for well-being. Ghaus-e-Pak attended daily classes on traditions, jurisprudence, and Quranic interpretation. After midday prayers, 'Abdul Qadir listened to the Quran and dictated fatwas on religious or legal matters. He mainly followed Shafi’ite and Hanbalites school legal theories. Iraqi jurist-scholars highly regarded his legal opinions, demonstrating his sharp intelligence. [Abdul Wahhab Sha’rani, Tabaqat al-Kubra, Egypt, AH 1305, Vol.1, p.126] A man took an oath to perform a religious observance that nobody else could share, but failure to do so would result in irrevocable separation from his wife. Scholars were amazed by this oath and couldn't suggest an observance that could be performed alone. Ghaus-e-Pak suggested that the man circumambulate the Kaaba alone seven times to perform the lesser Hajj, which was considered the only authorized religious observance he could perform alone at a time when nobody else would be engaged in the same act of worship. [Abdul Wahab Sha’rani, Tabaqat al-Kubra, Egypt, AH 1305, Vol.1, p.126] Ghaus-e-Pak, a great spiritual theologian is reported to have discovered the mysteries of the celestial world. He came to a point when he developed the ability to distinguish between the truth and lies, divine intuition, and Demoniac imposition. He was convinced that the Last Prophet's Shariah was true and that any assertion that went against divine decree was a proposal from the devil. He says: "I once saw a bright light that filled the whole sky." Then, from within, a human body appeared and said, "0 'Abdul Qadir, I am Lord, thy God. I have rendered everything that is forbidden to you legal." "Go away from me, Devil," was my response. I said these words and the brightness of the sky turned to darkness, and the human form began to disintegrate into smoke. "Abdul Qadir, I had misled seventy mystics with this device, but God saved you on account of your knowledge and piety," "No, it was just Allah's grace," was my reply. After Ghaus-e-Azam had explained what had happened, someone asked, "How did you know that it was Satan?" In response, Ghaus-e-Azam said, "Since he informed me that he had made the prohibited thing legal for me,'' [Abdul Wahab Sha’rani, Tabaqat al-Kubra, Egypt, AH 1305, Vol.1, p.127/] He used to advise his followers that if they did anything that went against Allah's commands, it was undoubtedly Satan's doing. In such circumstances, it is best to go back to the principles of Islam, cultivate an unwavering faith, and adamantly resist the allure of self-indulgence. After all, everything that the Shariah forbids is manifestly false. [Abdul Wahhab Sha’rani, Tabaqat al-Kubra, Egypt, AH 1305, Vol.1, p.127] (Continued) ------ Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. 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