A BLESSED SON OF THE BLESSED PROPHET
Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam

Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu was a descendant of the Holy Prophet, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. His father, Hadhrat Abu Salih was a descendant of Hadhrat Imam Hasan ibn 'Ali Rady Allahu 'Anhu. His mother Ummul Khair Fatima was the daughter of Shaykh 'Abdullah Sumi who was a descendant of Imam Husain ibn 'Ali Rady Allahu 'Anhu. Thus Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu is both Hasani and Husaini. He is a descendant of the Ahl u'l Bayt (The Prophet's Household) about whom Allah Ta'ala said in the Holy Qur'an Kareem:

Innamaa Yureedu'llahu liyudh-hiba 'ankumu'rrijsa ahla'l bayti
Wa yutahhirakum tat'heeraa

Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you,
O people of the House,
and to purify you a thorough purifying. (33:33)

Besides the salawaat (blessings), Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani is famous for his awraad and azkaar (regular voluntary invocations); his qasaaid (hymns), the most famous of which is Qasida Gauthiyyah; and for his khutbas (sermons) and nasiha (advice) which have been compiled and handed down through centuries as classics of Muslim spirituality. His major spiritual works in this field are:

1. Sirr al-Asrar (The Secret of Secrets)
2. Futuh al-Ghayb (Revelations of the Unseeen)
3. Gunyat-u't-Taalibeen (Wealth For Seekers)
4. Al-Fat'hu Rabbani (The Endowment of Divine Grace)

As we read these masterpieces and his salawaat, we are struck by the fact that his style of expression is different from that of any other Shaykh (spiritual master), 'aalim (learned scholar), or wali (saint). He is so saturated with the spiritual power of Tawheed and brimming with the realisation that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam is his ancestor, that his exposition and its flow has a spiritually confident personality all its own. Anyone who reads his khutbas and recites his salawaat, awraad and azkaar, spontaneously admits that he is the muhyuddeen (reviver of faith), the qutb u'l aqtaab (the spiritual authority of all spiritual authorities), the Shaykh u'l mashaaikh (the spiritual master of all spiritual masters), the Gauth u'l A'zam (the greatest spiritual helper) and much more..... a Shaykh who epitomises both mujaddidiyyah (faith revival) and wilayah (sainthood).

Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu is truly a model of a Sufi saint. Through his nasiha, azkaar and salawaat, through giving a living reality to Islam, in his complete surrender to the Will of Allah and in his showing of tawakkul (trust in Allah), as well as through his teachings and preachings, he converted more than five thousand Jews and Christians to Islam. More than a hundred thousand ruffians, outlaws, murderers, thieves and bandits also repented and became devout Muslims and gentle derveshes, explains Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti in his Introduction to Sirr al-Asrar, p.xxxi. The halaqa of zikr (congregations to remember Allah) which he instituted have continued to attract millions of people to Islam through centuries and will continue to do so Insha-Allah, till the Day of Judgement, Aameen Yaa Rabbal 'Aalameen.

The sahaba (companions) of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam are referred to as Rady Allahu 'Anhum wa Radhu 'Anhu (Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him). According to Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani, his own position is equal to the dust under the feet of the sahaba; this should give us some idea of the stature of the blessed sahaba. Their spiritual stature derives from the fact that they were blessed with the opportunity of beholding the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam with the eyes of Iman (faith). As this is the case, is anyone really capable enough to explain in full the sifaat (attributes) of Muhammad-i-'Arabi, Rasuli Rabbil 'Aalameen, Rahmatullil 'Aalameen? Only Allah Rabbu'l 'Izzat is fully aware of what he bestowed on the beloved Prophet, Allahumma Salli wa Sallim wa Baarik 'alaih.

Acknowledgement: I am grateful to Brother Mahdy Ali for help with Arabic translation.

• His Most Well-Know Salawaat
• As-Salaatu'l Gauthiyyah
• Kibriti'l Ahmar
• As-Salaat U'l Kubra
• Kanzi'l A'zam
• Huruf U'l Muqatta'at
• Salaams On The Beloved Prophet
• A Blessed Son Of The Blessed Prophet