Life and Teachings
Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani علیہ الرحمہ was a great عالمِ باعمل and a devoted follower of Shariyah, as well as a distinguished ولی اللہ. His spiritual rank and ولایت become evident through his own books and teachings.
His full name was عبدالقادر بن ابو صالح عبداللہ بن جنکی دومت الجیلی (الجیلانی). His kunyah was ابو محمد, while his titles included محی الدین and شیخ الاسلام. He followed the Hanbali madhhab and his عقائد were those of اہل السنۃ والجماعۃ. He himself stated:
“Our عقیدہ is the same as that of all صحابۂ کرام and سلفِ صالحین.”
He was a حسینی Sayyid through his mother’s lineage and a حسنی Sayyid through his father’s lineage. According to Bahjat al-Asrar and Nafahat al-Uns, his blessed lineage traces back to حضرت علی کرم اللہ وجہہ کریم. Thus, Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani رحمۃ اللہ علیہ belonged to the eleventh generation descending from حضرت علیؓ.
He was born in Jilan in 470 AH (or according to some reports, 471 AH), and due to this connection he became known as “Jilani.”
A Lesson from His Childhood
When Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani رحمۃ اللہ علیہ set out in pursuit of knowledge, his mother stitched forty dinars into the lining beneath his arm and advised him:
“O Abdul Qadir! Always speak the truth and never utter a lie.”
He then departed for Baghdad with a caravan. During the journey, robbers attacked the caravan and looted all its wealth. One robber asked him what he possessed, and he truthfully replied that he had forty dinars. Thinking he was joking, the robber left. Another robber asked the same question and received the same truthful answer. Eventually, they brought him before their chief.
When the chief discovered that the forty dinars were indeed hidden beneath his garment, he asked:
“Why did you not hide this from us, knowing we are robbers?”
Shaykh replied:
“My mother made me promise always to speak the truth. How could I break that promise for forty dinars?”
These words deeply affected the robber chief. He burst into tears and said:
“You did not break your promise to your mother, while I have spent my life breaking my covenant with Allah.”
He repented immediately, and his companions followed him in repentance and returned all the stolen wealth to the caravan.
Education and Teachers
Details of Shaykh’s early education are limited. According to Imam Dhahabi, he arrived in Baghdad during his youth. Among his teachers were:
- Ali Sa‘d Makhzumi
- Abu Ghalib Baqillani
- Ahmad bin Muzaffar bin Sus
- Abu al-Qasim bin Bayan
- Ja‘far bin Ahmad Siraj
- Abu Sa‘d bin Khushaysh
- Abu Talib Yusufi رحمہم اللہ
Students and Children
Among his famous students were:
- Allamah Sam‘ani
- Umar bin Ali al-Qurashi
- Hafiz Abdul Ghani
- Shaykh Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudamah
- Abdul Razzaq bin Abdul Qadir
- Musa bin Abdul Qadir
- Shaykh Ali bin Idris
- Ahmad bin Muti‘ al-Bajisra’i
and others رحمہم اللہ.
According to a narration cited by Imam Dhahabi from Shaykh’s son, he had forty-nine children, including twenty-seven sons.
Passing Away
Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani رحمۃ اللہ علیہ continued benefiting people across the world for nearly ninety years through his blessed teachings and spiritual guidance. He passed away on 10th Rabi‘ al-Thani, 561 AH.
Teachings of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani رحمۃ اللہ علیہ
Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani علیہ الرحمہ held an exalted rank among the علماے ربّانیین. Throughout his life, through both his words and actions, he called people towards Allah and guided them according to the Qur’an and Sunnah. Unfortunately, many who claim love for him today have drifted away from his true teachings and reduced devotion to mere outward rituals.
Below are selected teachings from his sermons and advice.
Everything is in the Power of Allah
He said:
“The King is One alone. The One who causes harm is One. The One who grants benefit is One. The One who gives movement and stillness is One. The One who grants and withholds is One. The Creator and Sustainer is only Allah عزّ وجلّ.”
All Creation is Helpless Before the Creator
He said:
“All creation is helpless. No one can independently benefit or harm you. Allah alone causes matters to occur through them. Whatever is beneficial or harmful for you has already been written by the Divine Pen in Allah’s eternal knowledge.”
The Real Deprivation and the Real Death
He said:
“The truly deprived person is the one who neglects what his Master commanded and remains occupied in matters Allah did not command. This is the real deprivation, the real death, and the true rejection.”
رضا بر قضا
He said:
“O heedless one! Do not become so occupied in seeking worldly things that you neglect Allah and رضا بر قضا. Sometimes the abundance you seek may itself become a فتنه for you while you do not realize it. Remain silent and content in whatever state Allah places you, seeking رضا and شکر in every condition.”
True Servitude Appears During Trials
He said:
“You claim to love Allah during times of blessing, but when trials come, you flee. The true servant is only recognized at the time of آزمائش.”
Trials are Necessary
He said:
“آزمائش and امتحان are necessary, especially for those who make spiritual claims. Without trials, many people would falsely claim ولایت.”
The Consequence of Disobeying Allah
He said:
“When the نفس obeys Allah, رزق reaches it abundantly from every direction. But when it disobeys, the means of رزق are cut off and calamities descend upon it, causing ruin in both دنیا and آخرت.”
Opposing the Nafs
He said:
“O ignorant one! You desire that everything conform to your wishes — are you another deity? Rather than demanding Allah follow your desires, oppose your نفس so that you may find the path of truth.”
The Sign of Ma‘rifah
He said:
“Whoever truly comes to know Allah finds that دنیا, آخرت, and everything besides Allah disappear from the heart. Your speech and preaching must be purely for Allah alone; otherwise silence is better for you.”
Islam is Crying
He said:
“Islam is weeping because of the ظلم of فاسق, بدعتی, and misguided people who falsely claim spiritual ranks they do not possess. Reflect upon the earlier generations — they commanded good, forbade evil, lived their lives, and then departed this world as though they had never been here.