The Status of the Awliya Allah (Friends of Allah)

Brothers in Islam! Allah Almighty has granted a special status to the believers from among His servants, and then from among them, He gave the pious and God-fearing the cup of His love and affection, elevating them to the high station of Wilayah (Sainthood). Through His power, He granted them authority and perfections, freeing them from all kinds of sorrow and grief. These are the great personalities whom the world refers to as the Awliya Allah (Friends of Allah). Among these Beloved ones of God, one important and exalted personality is that of the Piran-e-Peer Dastgeer Roshan Zameer (The Guide of Guides, the Helper with the Enlightened Conscience), our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret), whose lofty status began to be discussed among people even before his birth.

The Glad Tidings of Sheikh Abu Bakr

Honorable companions! One day, Sheikh Abu Bakr bin Hawar (May Allah sanctify his secret) said to his disciples, “Soon, a non-Arab person will appear in Iraq, who will be of high rank in the sight of Allah and the people. His name will be Abdul Qadir. He will reside in Baghdad, and by Allah’s command, he will himself declare, ‘My foot is upon the neck of every saint.’ And all the saints of the time will be his followers.”

Then, when our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret) made this declaration, not only those present in the gathering but also saints engaged in devotions in distant places bowed their heads in submission, adorning their heads with the crown of his love and respect.

And Sheikh Abu Madyan Also Bowed His Neck

The Imam of the Shadhili order, our Master Abul Hasan Shadhili, is the successor of his Sheikh, Abdul Salam ibn Mashish, and he is from Imam Abu Madyan, the Ghawth of the West, who is a successor of the Lord, the Ghawth al-A’zam. Therefore, the Shadhili order is also an extension of the grace of the Qadri order.

Our Master Sheikh Abu Madyan ibn Shu’ayb (May Allah be pleased with him) one day, in the land of Morocco, bowed his neck among his companions and said, “I am also among them. O Allah, I take You and Your angels as witness that I have indeed heard and obeyed.” When his companions asked him about this, he said, “Sheikh Abdul Qadir has just now said in Baghdad, ‘My foot is upon the neck of all the Awliya Allah.'” We noted the date of that day. Later, when our fellow travelers came from Iraq, they informed us that Sheikh Abdul Qadir had uttered these words in Baghdad on the very same date and time that we had noted in Morocco.

The poetic emperor of his time, our Master Maulana Hasan Raza Khan (May Allah have mercy on him), the younger brother of the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (May Allah sanctify his secret), expresses this in a couplet:
“The one whom the crowned kings place upon their heads, Is that your foot, O Ghawth al-A’zam?”

His Birth and Honored Name

The Lord of Baghdad, the Pure Ghawth (May Allah sanctify his secret), has the blessed name “Abdul Qadir.” He was born in 471 AH in the province of Gilan, Iran.

Miracles at the Time of Birth and in Childhood

My elders and friends! Our Master, the Ghawth al-Pak (May Allah sanctify his secret), was born in the month of Ramadan al-Mukarram. From the very first day, he also observed fasting; from the time of Suhoor until Iftar, he would not drink his venerable mother’s milk. Therefore, the mother of our Master, the Ghawth of the Two Worlds, Sayyidah Umm al-Khayr Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her), used to say: “When my son Abdul Qadir was born, he would not drink milk during the daytime in Ramadan. The following year, the sky was not clear, so the Ramadan crescent was not sighted. People came to me to inquire. I said, ‘My child did not drink milk today during the day.’ Then it became known that it was indeed a day of Ramadan. Subsequently, it became famous in our city that a child was born among the Sayyids who does not drink milk during the daytime in Ramadan.”

He Knew of His Sainthood from Childhood

My respected brothers! Someone asked the Beloved of the Divine, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret), “When did you come to know that you were a Wali (Saint)?” He replied, “I was ten years old. I used to go to the Maktab (school) to study, and I would see that upon my arrival, the angels would tell the children, ‘Make space for the Son of the Wali Allah to sit!'”

Respected gentlemen! Reflect on how Allah Almighty honors His saints with dignity and respect and then instills their love in the hearts of His creation! Therefore, we too should avoid disrespecting the Awliya Allah and should love and sincerely value them from the heart.

The Blessings of His Sermons and Preaching

Our Master, Sayyidna Bazzar (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “I heard our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah have mercy on him) say while sitting on his chair: ‘Before the Dhuhr prayer, I had a vision of the Master of the Universe (ﷺ). The Noble Prophet (ﷺ) said to me, “Son, why don’t you deliver sermons?” I submitted, “O my grandfather! I am a non-Arab person. How can I speak in front of the most eloquent Arab people in Baghdad?” The Lord of Eternal Decree (ﷺ) said to me, “Son, open your mouth.” I opened my mouth, and the Mercy to the Worlds (ﷺ) put his blessed saliva into my mouth seven times and said, “Preach to the people! And invite them to the path of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel.”‘

Then I prayed Dhuhr and sat down for the sermon. Many people came and shouted at me. After that, I had a vision of our Master Ali ibn Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him). He was standing before me in the gathering and said, ‘O my son! Why don’t you preach?’ I submitted, ‘O father! People shout at me.’ Then he (May Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘Open your mouth.’ I opened my mouth, and he put his blessed saliva into my mouth six times. I asked, ‘Why didn’t you put it seven times?’ He replied, ‘Out of respect for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).’

Then he disappeared from my sight, and I recited this verse (the translation of which is): ‘The swimmer in the ocean of the heart, diving for the concerns of the Hereafter, seeks the pearls of Divine knowledge, brings them to the shore of his chest, and with his tongue, through pure words, in beautiful and sacred places, offers them to people’s hearing, and they, liking them, accept them for the obedience of God.'”

That is, the speech emanating from the tongues of the scholars, saints, righteous of the Ummah, and the knowers of God becomes a means for the reformation and betterment of God’s creation, as well as for the recognition of God and success in both worlds.

Completing the Entire Quran Every Night

The Lord, our Master, Ghawth al-Thaqalayn (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “For fifteen years, I completed one entire Quran every night.” May Allah Almighty, through the truthfulness of these special servants, grant us too the love for the Holy Quran and the ability to recite it abundantly!

Praying Fajr with the Wudu of Isha for Forty Years

Sheikh Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Abi al-Fath Harawi (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “I spent forty years in the service of our Master, Sheikh Sayyid Muhiyuddin Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah be pleased with him). During this period, he always performed the Fajr prayer with the ablution of Isha. And it was his practice that whenever he became ritually impure, he would immediately perform ablution and pray two Rak’ahs of voluntary prayer.”

Respected brothers! This is the state of Allah’s chosen servants! And then there are we, who do not even properly fulfill our obligatory and necessary duties. We need to reflect, ponder, and act upon this greatly!!

Confrontation with Devils

Sheikh Uthman Sarifini (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “I heard from the tongue of the Emperor of Baghdad, the Presence of the Pure Ghawth (May Allah sanctify his secret): ‘I used to live day and night in deserts and lonely jungles. Devils, armed and in terrifying forms, would come to me in rows and confront me, throwing fire at me. But I felt immense courage and strength in my heart, and someone from the unseen would call out to me: “O Abdul Qadir, rise! Advance towards them. We will keep you steadfast in the battle and help you!” Then when I advanced towards them, they would flee to the right, left, or the direction they came from. Sometimes only one devil would come to me and try to scare me, saying, “Leave this place!” I would slap him once, and he would run away. Then I would recite La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah al-Ali al-Azim (There is no power nor strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great), and he would burn and turn to dust.'”

Honorable gentlemen! All of this is due to the gifts and honors bestowed by Allah the Generous and the effects of His special immense grace. Allah Almighty grants this strength and power to whom He wills.

The Robbers Also Repented

The Lord of Baghdad, the Pure Ghawth (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “I set out from Gilan for Baghdad with a caravan to acquire religious knowledge. When we passed Hamadan, sixty robbers attacked our caravan and looted all the goods, but no one bothered me. Then one robber came to me and asked, ‘O boy, do you have anything?’ I replied, ‘I have forty dinars.’ He asked, ‘Where are they?’ I said, ‘Under my patchwork cloak.’ The robber, thinking this honesty was a joke, went away. After that, a second robber came, and he asked similar questions, and I gave him the same answers. He too, thinking it a joke, went away. When all the robbers gathered before their chief, they told him about me. I was summoned there. They were busy dividing the loot. The chief of the robbers addressed me, ‘What do you have?’ I said, ‘I have forty dinars.’ He asked, ‘Where are they?’ I said, ‘Under my patchwork cloak.’ He ordered the robbers, ‘Search him!’ When the search revealed the truth, he asked in astonishment, ‘What compelled you to tell the truth?’ I said, ‘My venerable mother always instructed me to speak the truth. I cannot break my promise to her!’ Upon this, the robber chief began to cry and said, ‘You did not deviate from the promise made to your mother, and I have spent my whole life in violation of the promise made to my Lord!’ Immediately, that chief, along with those sixty robbers, repented at my hand and returned all the looted goods to the caravan.”

Glory be to Allah! Just as the Presence, Ghawth al-A’zam (May Allah sanctify his secret), through his truthfulness and the blessing of his mother’s good upbringing, guided those who had strayed back to guidance and repentance in his very childhood, we too, in the service of this one accepted in the court of Allah, make this plea in the words of this couplet by Maulana Hasan Raza Khan (May Allah have mercy on him):
“How long will you keep doing good to me, a wicked one? What is your command regarding me, O Ghawth!”

Because, with the prayer and the alchemy-like gaze of these Awliya Allah, Allah Almighty changes the destinies of His servants. On this, someone beautifully said:
“I saw the influence in the gaze of the Saint, I saw the destiny of thousands change.”

His Blessed Appearance

My elders and friends! The Imam of the Saints, Sheikh al-Islam, Muhiyuddin Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret) was of slim build, medium height, broad-chested, with a thick and long beard, joined eyebrows, large eyes, a loud voice, wheatish complexion, and abundant knowledge and virtue.

His First Blessed Sermon

The first sermon of the Presence, Ghawth al-A’zam, our Master Sheikh Muhiyuddin Abdul Qadir Jilani, the Qutb al-Rabbani (May Allah sanctify his secret), took place in the gathering of the Muhalla Baraniyah in the month of Shawwal al-Mukarram, 521 AH, in a magnificent assembly. Awe and splendor enveloped the gathering; the saints and angels had covered it. He called people to Allah with clear words from the Book and the Sunnah, and they all quickly began to advance towards obedience and submission.

Jinn Also Attended His Sermons

The father of Sheikh Abu Zakariyya Yahya ibn Abi Nasr Sahrawi (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “Once I summoned the Jinn through some practice, and they delayed in coming. When they came to me, they said, ‘Do not call us when Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, the Qutb al-Rabbani (May Allah have mercy on him), is delivering a sermon.’ I asked, ‘Why?’ They said, ‘We are present in the gathering of the Presence, Ghawth al-A’zam (May Allah sanctify his secret).’ I said, ‘Do you also go to his gathering?’ They said, ‘Yes! We are greater in number than humans. We have many groups, and all of them have accepted Islam and have also repented at the hand of the Presence, the Pure Ghawth (May Allah sanctify his secret).'”

His Blessed Voice and the Awe on the Congregation

In the blessed gathering of our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret), even though the attendees were very numerous, his blessed voice was heard equally by those near and far alike. He would speak according to the states of the hearts of the attendees and would turn towards them with spiritual insight. When he stood on the pulpit, people would also stand up due to his majesty. Then when he would tell them, ‘Be silent!’, they would become so quiet that, due to the awe of him, nothing could be heard except their breaths.

He Preached Continuously for Forty Years

The son of my Master, the Pure Ghawth (May Allah sanctify his secret), our Master Abdul Wahhab (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “The Presence, our Master, the Beloved of the Divine, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret), continuously preached and advised God’s creation for forty years, from 521 AH to 561 AH.”

Over Five Hundred Jews and Christians Accepting Islam

Honorable gentlemen! Our Master, Sheikh Muhiyuddin Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “Over five hundred Jews and Christians accepted Islam at my hand, and more than one hundred thousand robbers, thieves, sinners, corrupt, and innovators repented, and this is a very great goodness” that Allah Almighty granted.

He Embodied Both External and Internal Praiseworthy Qualities

Brothers in Islam! The Mufti of Iraq, Muhiyuddin Sheikh Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ali Baghdadi (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “Our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, the Qutb al-Rabbani (May Allah sanctify his secret), was one who would weep quickly from the fear of God, awe-inspiring, whose prayers were answered, of noble character, whose perspiration was fragrant, who stayed away from evil things, closer to the truth than other people, who controlled his base desires, not angry for his own sake, who would not rebuff a beggar, refined by knowledge, the etiquettes of the Shari’ah were his external attributes, and Reality was his inner being.”

He Used to Deliver Discourses in Thirteen Sciences

My dear brothers! Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Khidr Husayni Musili (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “I heard my father say: ‘Our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah be pleased with him) used to deliver discourses in thirteen sciences. In his exalted seminary, people would study Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, and Kalam with him. He would teach people Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, Kalam, Usul, and Nahw both before and after noon. After Dhuhr, he would teach the Quran with different Qira’at (recitations).'”

His Knowledge, Practice, Piety, and God-Consciousness

Respected brothers! Our Master Sheikh Imam Muwaffaq al-Din ibn Qudamah (May Allah have mercy on him) said, “We went to Baghdad in 561 AH and saw that Sheikh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah have mercy on him) is among those who have been granted kingship in knowledge, practice, spiritual state, and issuing Fatwas there. No student intends to go anywhere else because all sciences are combined in his person. He was patient in teaching all the students who learned from him. His chest was broad, he was open-hearted. Allah Almighty had gathered in him the beautiful qualities and esteemed spiritual states.” May Allah Almighty grant us a share of these virtues!

The Blessings of Visiting Him

Dear respected ones! The father of Sheikh Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ali Sanjari (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “Our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret) is unique among the leaders of the world. He is one individual from the Awliya Allah, a gift from Allah Almighty to creation. Extremely fortunate is the one who saw him. May he remain forever happy who kept his company. May he remain forever joyful who spent a night at the abode of our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret).”

He is an Ocean of Knowledge

My respected brothers! Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi (May Allah sanctify his secret) narrates a tradition concerning his scholarly perfections: “One day, a reciter recited a blessed verse of the Quran in his noble gathering. In the commentary of that blessed verse, he first gave one meaning, then two, then three, until, according to the knowledge of the attendees, he explained eleven meanings of that blessed verse. Then he explained other aspects, whose number was forty, and for each aspect, he presented scholarly proofs, and with each meaning, he also mentioned the chain of transmission. All present were amazed and astonished by the detail of his scholarly arguments.”

His Blessed Demise

Our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret), passed away on the 9th of Rabi’ al-Thani, 561 AH. At the time of his demise, his blessed age was approximately ninety years. In Pakistan and India, for a long time, the Gyarahwin Sharif (the Eleventh) has been observed on the 11th of Rabi’ al-Thani for the transfer of reward to him.

An Important Note

Dear brother! Consider the food served in the Gyarahwin Sharif and similar occasions as spending in the path of Allah and be generous. For the Khatm Sharif, arrange for good food, clothes and cash for the deserving, fruits and medicines for the sick, and set up a fund from donations for the unemployed. From this fund, provide living allowances for the unemployed, arrange marriages for poor girls, educational scholarships for needy students, care homes for the disabled, and help for those affected by disasters. Establish welfare, educational, and training institutions. Make arrangements for the general care of widows and orphans.

The reward of all these righteous deeds should be conveyed to the Lord, Ghawth al-A’zam, and our other elders so that their favors may be repaid to some extent, and their ranks may be elevated further, and their blessings may become more widespread. Also, convey the reward to general Muslims so that it may be a means of their salvation in the Hereafter.

Through the charity and means of these good deeds, prayers should be made to the Lord that the calamities befalling the Muslims are averted, their honor and freedom are restored, their weaknesses, subjugations, and deprivations are removed, their mutual differences and disputes are annihilated, and that they, armed with the weapons of knowledge, action, and continuous struggle, enter the field of competition and regain their lost status and honor.

This is the correct way of observing the Urs, Gyarahwin Sharif, and death anniversaries. Goodness is goodness, whenever it is done! Wherever it is done! The question of when it started is meaningless. There are different methods and names for Isal al-Thawab (transfer of reward); they existed in every era and, God willing, will remain in every era. However, it is extremely necessary to remove the corruptions that have entered them!! Infuse the color of sincerity and devotion for Allah’s sake in every action. Keep the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger and the betterment of God’s creation in view! The paths of goodness are many and open, but the need is for sincerity, zeal, and action.

Sayings of Ghawth al-A’zam (May Allah sanctify his secret)

1. Our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, the Qutb al-Rabbani (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “One must not disobey Allah, and one must not let go of the garment of truthfulness. One must believe that you are Allah’s servant and are in Allah’s ownership. You must not assert your right over anything of His; rather, you must respect Him because all His actions are certainly correct and right. You must always consider Allah’s matters as paramount.”
2. The blessed saying of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah have mercy on him) is: “When a servant closes all the paths to creation, the desires of the self, intention, and the hopes of this world and the next, then he has no objective except Allah. All these things depart from his heart. Then he reaches Allah. He makes him beloved and accepted in His court. He loves him and creates his love in the hearts of the creation. That servant loves only the proximity of Allah. Allah Almighty blesses him with His favor, grants him His bounties, opens the doors of His mercy upon him, and promises him that these doors will never be closed upon him. At that time, the servant remains belonging to Allah. He manages affairs through His planning, desires through His wish, is pleased with His pleasure, and obeys only His command.”
3. The Presence, our Master, Sheikh Muhiyuddin Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret) said, “Ask Allah for the forgiveness of your past sins, protection from future sins, the ability to act upon His command, and the success for the beauty of obedience! Ask for contentment with Divine Decree, patience in the hardships of trials, gratitude for blessings and gifts, then a good end at death, and the companionship of the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous – all the best companions! And do not ask Allah for the world, and instead of deliverance from trials and poverty, do not ask for wealth and safety! Rather, ask for contentment with His distribution and planning! And pray for the perpetual protection of the state in which Allah has placed you; for you do not know in which of these lies your good – in poverty and need, or in the trial of wealth, or in safety! Allah has hidden the knowledge of things from you. He alone knows their goodness and evil.”

Dua

O Allah! Grant us the ability to act upon the pure character of our Master, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah sanctify his secret). Grant us a full share of his spiritual grace, and grant us Your friendship along with Your love and obedience. Make our love and affection for the esteemed saints, based purely on Your pleasure, a source of comfort and ease in this world and a cause of salvation and elevation of ranks in the Hereafter.

Grant blessing in lawful sustenance, always protect us from the need of creation, grant us the ability for true worship along with Your love and obedience, make our chests broad and our hearts soft for Your creation. O Divine! Make our character good and our works excellent. Accept our good deeds. Protect us from all sins. Grant freedom to our Kashmiri and Palestinian Muslim brothers and sisters. Protect their lives, wealth, and honor. Resolve the issue of Kashmir for them with goodness and blessing.

O Divine! Protect the lives, wealth, and honor of all Muslims. Grant them deliverance from the trials and sufferings they face. Protect our beloved country from internal and external dangers and conspiracies. Protect us all from all kinds of terrorism, strife, discord, bloodshed, killing, devastation, looting, and all accidents. Grant our rulers religious and political understanding and insight to reform the system of this God-given state and grant them the ability to serve the country and nation with sincerity. Immerse in mercy those who sacrificed their lives for the protection of the faith and the beloved homeland, elevate their ranks. Grant us the ability for Your true obedience and the true obedience of Your Beloved Prophet (ﷺ).

O Allah! Purify our outer and inner selves from all filth. Grant us the ability to reform our lives according to the Quran and Sunnah, acting upon the instructions of Your Beloved Prophet (ﷺ), and grant us the ability for the true love and sincere obedience filled with devotion for the Master of the Two Worlds (ﷺ) and his noble Companions. Grant us goodness in this world and the Hereafter. Grant us an abundant share from the beloved prayers of the Beloved Mustafa (ﷺ). Make us Your and Your Beloved Prophet’s (ﷺ) favored servant. O Allah! Have mercy on all Muslims, protect them all, and make us all do that work in which Your pleasure is included. Grant goodness to the entire Muslim world, Amen, O Lord of the worlds!

And may Allah Almighty send blessings upon the best of His creation and the light of His Throne, our Master, our Prophet, our Beloved, and the apple of our eyes, Muhammad, and upon his family and all his companions, and bless and grant peace. And all praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds!