Ghous e Azam Sheikh Syed Abdul Qadri Jilani
Early Life
Syedina
Ghous-ul-Azam is not only known as the greatest of all helpers, but was
also a great preacher, a great educationalist, a great moralist and a
great doctor of Muslim law. He was the glory of the learned and the
light of Islam; the Spokesman of theologians, the Interpreter of men of
spiritual knowledge, the unique Leader of Leaders; the Leader of
nations; the Chief of the chiefs; the Succourer of men and the Jinn; the
Reviver of Religion; possessed of very high and perfect spiritual
knowledge; and hailed as the Honour of Religion
In
Persia, in a place called Naif in the district of Jilan, in the South
of the Caspian Sea, there lived a pious and God fearing man. He was
Hazrat Abu Saleh Jangi Dost. He used to spend most of his time in the
contemplation and love of Allah (God).
Once
he was sitting on the bank of a river in deep contemplation, when upon
opening of his eyes, he saw an apple floating down the river. The apple,
which reached him near the bank, was taken up and eaten by him. Soon
after, his conscince questioned the propriety whether the apple eaten by
him was lawful. He got up and walked along the bank of the river
towards the sides from where the apple had come, in order to find out
the owner of the garden where from the apple had fallen into the river.
Hazrat intended to pay him the price for the apple in order to make the
energy derived from that apple lawful, since he had eaten it, without
his permission.
After
a long journey, he reached a spot where appeared a large garden on the
bank of the river, which convinced him that the apple eaten by him had
fallen from that garden. Upon inquiry he learnt that the garden belonged
to Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai. Hazrat Abu Saleh approached him and begged
his pardon for eating the apple of his garden without his prior
permission. Such approach made Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai to perceive that
Hazrat Abu Saleh was a pious and a noble man. He therefore, asked him to
pay the price of the apple before his request for pardon was
considered. The price was to serve under him as long as he desired.
Hazrat Abu Saleh agreed to serve Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai for as long a
period as his service was considered necessary.
After
a few years service, Hazrat Abu Saleh asked the owner of the garden to
grant him pardon and release him. Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai, before
pardoning and allowing him to leave, asked Hazrat Abu Saleh to agree to
marry his daughter who, he was told, was blind, deaf, lame and paralytic
of hands. After marriage he was also to stay with them until a child
was born to them. These were the qualifying conditions of his release.
In
order to obtain his pardon, Hazrat Abu Saleh Jangi Dost agreed to the
proposal and the marriage was accordingly fixed up. When he entered the
chamber of the bride, he saw instead a beautiful and healthy lady. He
turned his eyes from he assuming that he had entered a wrong chamber
because the lady before him did not tally with the description given to
him.
By
his Kashf (Clairvoyance) Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai understood the
predicament of Hazrat Abu Saleh about his bride. He called him and
explained to him that he had stated that his daughter was blind, because
her eyes never fell upon any outsider other than members of their
family; she was said to be deaf, because she had never heard untruthful
statements; she was supposedly lame, because she never undertook and
stepped on towards committing acts, alien to the laws of Islam.
Such
a description of his wife enlightened Hazrat Abu Saleh with a new light
and he began to live happily with his wife whose name was Umul Khair
Fatima. She was the pious daughter of Hazrat Abdullah Sawmai, who was
himself a great Sufi and Saint of his time and was a direct descendent
of Hazrat Sayidina Imam Hussain (R.A)
In
this Saiyed family of Saints, Hazrat Umul Khair Fatima gave birth to a
son in 470 Hijri during the month of Rabi-ul-Akhir. The child was named
Abu Muhammad Abdul Qadir. Abu Muhammad was his Kuniet that is the name
by which he was familiarly called by relatives and neighbours.
Some
of the Saints of the time of foresaw the birth of his Imam-ul-Auliya
Saiyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani. Hazrat Abu Bakar Bin Hawara once told some
of his disciples that in the near future a great Wali (Saint) would be
born in Ajam a non-Arab country ? who would be God fearing and highly
respected by the people of his time and thereafter. His foot will be on
the neck of all Walis (Saints) and Walis of his time would testify to
the truth of his claim. Another Saint, Hazrat Ahmed Abdullah Bin Ahmed
stated about 468 AH, that shortly a child would be born in Ajam whose
miracles would be numerous and whose rank among Walis (Saints) would be
very high.
From
the above details, it will appear that Saiyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani was
a direct descendent of Hazrat Imam Hassan Ilaihe-salam (R.A) on his
father?s side. From his mother's side he descended from Saiyidina Imam
Zainul Abedin Ilaihe-salam son of Hazrat Imam Hussain Ilaihe-salam. He
was therefore both a Hassani and Hussaini Saiyed tracing his lineage
thereby to the two grandsons of Nabi Muhammad Mustafa (Sallalahu Alaihi
Wa Sallam).
All
the writers agree that the age of Hazrat's mother was much above the
normal age of child bearing, when this great Saint of Jilan was born to
her. Despite having taken birth in such an advanced age of his mother,
he was nevertheless, possessed of all the good faculties normally
expected of a healthy child. The child was a born Wali (Saint). From the
very birth, he was endowed with germs of Psychic powers. His Wilayat
was obviously felt from his infancy.
His
first Karamat was witnessed, when as an infant child during the month
of Ramzan, he would take his mother's milk only at night and not during
daytime. This fact has been proved on the evidence of his mother. Once
the new moon of the month of fasting was not visible in the evening on
account of clouds. In the morning people came to his mother to inquire
whether the day was the first of Ramzan. She replied that her child did
not take her milk during daytime, which indicated that the day was the
first of Ramzan.
As
a child, Saiyidina Hazrat Abdul Qadir would not play with other
children. The Psychic powers, which were exhibited by him in his
infancy, naturally developed as he grew up, and were visible in all the
stages of his holy life. Once the children of the vicinity, where
Saiyidina Abdul Qadir with his mother was living, invited him to play.
He led the game and asked all the children to say IL-LAL-LAH, when he
would recite LA-ILAHA. This play of the children reciting
LA-ILAHA-ILLALLAH (There is no God but God) could very well show the
inclination and pursuits of the Leader.
He
was quiet and sober from his early childhood and was generally disposed
towards contemplation. His mother and his maternal grandfather, who
themselves were, Walis (aulia karaam) naturally gave him the training
that was necessary for a Wali. It may be said, that he was brought up in
the cradle of Sufism. Whenever he thought of playing, he will hear a
voice questioning him where he was going. At this, he would be
frightened and would run back to take shelter in his mother's lap.
At
the age of ten, however, he attended school. The teacher would ask his
fellow students to make room for the Wali of Allah to sit in the class.
He lived in Jilan up to the age of 18 years. In one day Hazrat would
learn by heart as much of his lessons as others would take a week to
master. One day, he was going to the fields for an excursion. A plough
bullock was ahead of him. The animal suddenly turned round and seemed to
tell him that he was not born for the purpose of utilising his time on
excursions. Frightened at this incident, he turned back to his house and
climbed its roof. With his spiritual vision, he saw vast assembly
standing on Jabl-ul Arafat.
He
then requested his mother to dedicate him to ALLAH (GOD) and also
allows him to proceed to Baghdad, which was then famous in the Muslim
World as a great seat of learning for the acquisition of knowledge. The
desire to acquire knowledge was intensely burning in the Hazrat's heart
and he overcame the love his mother, his hearth and home, for the sake
of ALLAH. He was not deterred by the prospect of hardships of a long and
dangerous journey, and residence in a remote city without friends or
relatives.
When
his mother heard the proposal, she shed silent tears as she perceived
that on account of her old age, she was not destined to see her dear son
again, whom she had brought up so carefully and tenderly, after the
death of her husband long age. But the Saintly Lady would not stand in
the way of his devotion of ALLAH.
She
sewed forth dinars (Gold Coins) into his garment, so that they might
not easily be lost. It was his half share of the money left by his
father. The other half was kept for his brother. He soon joined a small
caravan, which was going to Baghdad.
From
the time of his childhood, he had never uttered falsehood, but despite
this trait of his character, his mother at the time of parting, took a
vow from him that he should not tell even one lie under any
circumstances. They then parted with heavy hearts. The separation
between the son and the mother was pathetic and sublime. It was no less
similar to that of the leading of Hazrat Ismail by his father, Saiyidina
Hazrat Ibrahim for sacrifice under divine orders, as the separation in
either case was not for wealth, rank or fame, but for the sake of ALLAH.
The
caravan passed quite safely as far as Hamadan, but beyond that place, a
gang of sixty robbers fell upon the caravan and plundered it, but none
laid violent hands upon Hazrat, taking him to be a penniless, religious
youth. One robber however, questioned him whether he had anything with
him. He readily said he had forty dinars sewed into his garment. The man
took it as a joke and went away. Another robber also asked the same
question from Hazrat, and on receiving the same reply, moved off. They
reported the incident to the leader of the gang, who ordered the
production of they youth before him. Accordingly, when he was taken
before the gang leader, he said the same thing, which he had stated
before. The garment was then cut open and the forty dinars were found.
On
seeing the "dinars" the leader was astounded and asked Hazrat what had
made him to tell the truth when he knew that he too would be robbed. He
replied that he had promised his mother not to tell a lie under any
circumstances. Hazrat added that if he had told a lie on the very first
stage of his journey undertaken for the sake of acquiring knowledge of
religion, he would obviously have no chance of acquiring any real
knowledge of religion at subsequent stages of his career. Upon this, the
robber realizing the felonous life he and his companions lad led, burst
into tears and said that he had been breaking the commands of God
throughout his life, while a youth was so conscientiously fulfilling his
vow made to his mother.
By
placing his hands upon the hands of Hazrat, the leader of the robbers
solemnly vowed to give up robbery. The other robbers also followed their
leader and repented. The robbed belongings were returned to their
owners. The conversion of the gang of robbers was not only due to
Hazrat?s strict adherence to truth but to his psychic powers also. Most
of the authorities are of the opinion that this incident showed the
greatness of Syedina, in the making. Had his nature not been truthful in
origin, such a courageous and unwavering stand for truth, even in the
face of such heavy odds, would not have been possible for him.
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