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The Marvels of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani
Sayyidi wa Imami, Imam ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad, Rady Allahu ‘Anhu, (1044-1132 A.H) in expounding on tawakkul (trust and reliance on Allah) in his spiritual masterpiece Risalat u’l Mu’awanah (The Book of Assistance) explains the signs of tawakkul and supports his position with the example of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani, Rady Allahu ‘Anhu whom he calls “sayyidi” (“my master”).
“The one whose reliance is sincere has three marks. The first is that he neither has hopes in nor fears other than God. The sign of this is that he upholds the truth in the presence of those in whose regard people usually have hope or fear, such as princes and rulers. The second is that worrying about his sustenance never enters his heart, because of his confidence in God’s guarantee, so that his heart is as tranquil when in need as when his need is fulfilled, or even more. The third is that his heart does not become disturbed in fearful situations, knowing that that which has missed him could never have struck him, and that which has struck him could never have missed him. An example of this was related of my lord ‘Abdal-Qadir al-Jilani, may God spread his benefit. He was once discoursing on Destiny when a great viper fell on him, so that his audience panicked. The viper coiled itself around the shaykh’s neck, then entered one of his sleeves and came out from the other while he remained firm and unperturbed, and did not interrupt his discourse”. (Risalat u’l Mu’awanah, The Book of Assistance, translated by Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi, p. 121-122).
This incident demonstrates that Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani was matchless in a very special way. It also reminds us about the following verses of the Holy Qur’an on the awliya Allah (friends of Allah):
Surely, on the friends of Allah, there is no fear, nor do they grieve. Those who believed and guarded (against evil). For them are glad tidings in this world’s life and in the Hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the Supreme Triumph. (10:62-64)
It has been narrated in the biographies of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani that once he saw a dazzling light which filled the whole sky. Then a human frame appeared in it and told him he was his lord and that he had made everything that was prohibited in Islam lawful for him. Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani recognized him as the devil and told him to get lost. Then the sky turned dark and the human frame fizzled out into smoke. Following this, Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani heard someone say to him that he had misled seventy people in this way but that his knowledge and piety had saved him. To this the Shaykh responded that it was through the Grace of Allah that he had been saved! The machinations of shaytan could obviously never make Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani abandon the shari’a (sacred Muslim law).
Professor Shetha al-Dargazelli and Dr. Louay Fatoohi explain in their “Introduction” to the translation of Jila al-Khatir how Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani came to be called Muhyiddin. Once on a Friday in the year 511 A.H, Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani came across a frail old invalid who greeted him and asked him to help him to sit up. When he helped him to sit up, he became well again and his whole condition improved. He told Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani that he was the religion of Islam which had been forgotten but which he had helped to revive. Following this incident, Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani went to the congregational mosque where people greeted him as “Muhyid Din” (Reviver of Religion). He had never been called by that name before!
All the biographers of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani marvel at his miracles. Dr. Muhammad Haroon Rahmatullahi ‘alayh of the Raza Academy in England has described the miracles of the Shaykh in detail in "The World Importance of Ghawth al A’zam Hadrat Sheikh Muhyiddin Abdul Qadir Jilani". To gain baraka (blessings), let us at this juncture recall one of these miracles which relates to fasting in the month of Ramadan. It is related that as it was cloudy, the new moon had not been sighted and people were confused whether to fast or not to fast. They came to Ummu’l Khayr and asked if the child had taken milk that day. As he had not, they surmised that they had to fast. His mother relates; "My son 'Abdul Qadir was born in the month of Ramadan. No matter how hard I tried he refused to suckle in the daytime. Throughout his infancy he would never take food during the month of fasting." (Sirr al-Asrar, “Introduction” by Shaykh Tosun al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, p. XIII)
This is how Shaykh Tosun al-Jerrahi al-Halveti explains about the daily life of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani, Rady Allahu ‘Anhu: "He himself had given all of himself to Allah. His nights passed with little or no sleep in secluded prayer and meditation. He spent his days like a true follower of the Prophet in the service of humanity. Three times a week he would deliver public sermons to thousands of people. Every day in the morning and the afternoon he gave lessons in Qur'anic commentary, Prophetic traditions, theology, religious law and sufism. He spent the time after the midday prayer giving advice and consultation to people, whether beggars or kings, who would come from all parts of the world. Before sunset prayers, rain or shine, he took to the streets to distribute bread among the poor. As he spent all his days in fasting he would eat only once a day, after sunset prayer, and never alone. His servants would stand at his door asking passers-by if they were hungry, so that they could share his table." (Sirr al-Asrar, p. XLIV)
Shaykh Hammad al-Dabbas Rahmatullahi ‘alayh had predicted that one day Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani would be commanded to proclaim that his foot is on the neck of every Waliyallah (friend of Allah). This prediction was fulfilled when Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani declared at one of his majalis (religious sessions) in the presence of more than forty mashaayikh (spiritual masters) of Iraq that his foot was on the neck of every Waliyallah. All the mashaayikh, those that were present as well as those in far off lands and places acknowledged and accepted this fact. Qutb u’l Irshad Imam ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad has versified on this spiritual reality in one of his qasaaid (eulogies) in Ad-Durr ul Manzum li Dhawil ‘Uqul wa’l Fuhum (Poetic Pearls For Discerning and Understanding Minds). A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Rahmatullahi ‘alayh has versified on it in his “Salaams”, while Shaykh ‘Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehlawi has expounded on its spiritual reality in Akhbar u’l Akhyar (Narrations About The Chosen Ones).
But the initiate sometimes wonders why Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani revealed so many spiritual secrets when most other shuyukh (spiritual masters) are reticent. To answer this question, we will need to turn to Sayyidi wa Imami Qutb u’l Irshad al-Habib Mawlana ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad, Rady Allahu ‘Anhu. In It-haaf i’s-saail (Gifts for the Seeker), he explains that Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani, Rady Allahu ‘Anhu had received permission to divulge these spiritual secrets - "for the man who receives such permission is under an order which he can but obey - and the secret of the permission granted in such matters is itself one that cannot be divulged." (Gifts for the Seeker, translation by Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi, p.11).
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