Visits of Dignitaries and Communication
Ghaus-e-Azam never stood up to give obedient reception to the Caliph or his ministers. Whenever he was informed about the arrival of such dignitaries, he would go inside his house and return after they had arrived and were seated, with the result that the Caliph and his ministers had to stand up to offer their respects. He used to talk to them in a dignified manner and would often admonish them, using harsh words. All dignitaries would kiss his hand in reverence. His letter to the Caliph included such words:
“This letter is from Abdul Qadir who orders you to carry out his instruction because he is your leader.” It is said the Caliph used to kiss the letter and say to his ministers, etc, “whatever the Shaikh has written is correct.” Whenever cases of injustice, cruelty or oppression were reported the Ghaus-e-Azam’s letter would be sent wherein a commanding tone would be used for redressing the wrongs.
Explanation of a Verse of the Qur’an
Allama Jamal-ud-din Jauzi who was known to be a great Hanbalite (follower of Imam Hanbal) theologian had never admitted the superiority of the Shaikh. Once, in the presence of the Shaikh, Jamal-ud-din and many other people, a Qari was reciting a verse from the Holy Qur’an. The Shaikh began to comment and explained about forty points implied in the verse. The Allama was amazed because he did not know those points. The Shaikh said that he would point out the inner mystical state of the verse and recited “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.” The people were enraptured and the Allama turned restive and tore away his dress.
Dignity and Glory
Shaikh Akbar Muhyiuddin has written in Meccan Revelation that Shaikh-ul-Islam Syed Abdul Qadir Jilani has in Baghdad so much dignity and glory of spiritual rank that all the saints are subordinate to him and he is the supreme leader of all the saints in the world. The same opinion has been expressed in various books by many eminent saints; the names of a few are mentioned here: Shaikh Muhyiuddin Ibn Arabi, Hazrat Shahabuddin Suharwardi, Hazrat Ali bin Idress Yaqoobi, Hazrat Shaikh Rifai, Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi, Shah Waliullah, Sultan Bahu and Hazrat Imam-e-Rabbani Mujaddid Alf-e-Sani, and many others. The luminous Ghaus-e-Azam is commonly known in the mystical realm as ‘White Hawk’ in the domain of the Divine. In the year 559AH he was delivering a sermon and most of the eminent saints and Ulema and jurists were present. All of a sudden, under divine inspiration, he proclaimed, “My foot is on the neck of all the Saints.” All the contemporary, the earlier and the later saints come under the jurisdiction of this proclamation. Hazrat Pir Mehr Ali Shah has said, “Everyone accepts this proclamation of the Sultan of Saints as this was uttered under Divine command and certainly not for his personal gratification.” Hazrat Mian Meer of Lahore elucidated the proclamation, “It means his spiritual order is superior to all others. Bowing of the neck means that all the saints accepted the sovereignty of Ghaus-e-Azam in the domain of Sufism.”
The following great Sufi orders were well known in the Islamic world:
- Qadiriya – Ghaus-e-Azam is the founder.
- Chistiya – Khawaja Mueenuddin Chisti is the founder.
- Suharwardiya – Shaikh Shahabuddin Umar Suharwardy is the founder.
- Naqshbandiya – Shah Faqirullah Naqshband Shikarpuri is the founder.
Chistiya, Suhrawardiyya and Naqshbandiya orders accrued benefit and attained spiritual benedictions directly from Ghaus-e-Azam, therefore Qadiri Mushaikhs are considered superior in their spiritual elevation without infringement of right and obligation of their own spiritual Guides.
Ghaus-e-Azam said, “I swear in the name of the Majestic and the Glorious Allah that my hand of support is over my disciples like the heaven over the earth. If my disciple is not good, not matter, I am good. I swear by the Majesty of my Lord that I would not go to Divine presence until all my disciples had entered paradise. I will be helping my disciple till the Day of Judgement, should he fall down from his ride.”
Poetry in the honour of Ghaus-e-Azam
Well known mystic leaders and founders of different spiritual orders, auliya Allah, large number of people of mystical persuasion and initiation irrespective of their country of origin, language or spiritual brotherhood, have been praising Ghaus-e-Azam right from his advent to this day and this will continue until the Day of Resurrection. Many verses and poems have been composed by the following eminent Aulia Allah, saints and mystic poets.
- Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Hassan Shattanerfi
- Hazrat Khawaja Mueenuddin Chisti
- Hazrat Khawaja Qutubuddin Bakhtyar Oshi
- Hazrat Ali Ahmad Sabir Kalyari
- Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband
- Hazrat Imam Muhammad bin Saeed bin Ahmad bin Saeed.
- Hazrat Maulana Abdur Rehman Jami
- Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dihlawi
- Hazrat Shah Abu-al-Maali Qadiri
- Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya Multani
- Hazrat Sultan Bahu
- Shaikh Nurullah Soorti
- Hazrat Mian Muhammad Baksh
- Hazrat Maulana Ahmad Raza Khan Brelwi
- Hazrat Khawaja Muhammad Karimullah Abbasi Qadiri
- Sahibzada Shabbir
And many others. Furthermore, many Qasa’ids are sung melodiously by qawwals.
Illuminative and Inspiring Sermons
The austere life of young Ghaus-e-Azam, his severe vigils of self denial, his dedication to prayers and unreserved devotion to Allah resulted in developing in him contentment, determination, purity of soul and heart and also made him a strict observant of Shariah. He was so much immersed in the love of Allah that he had lost all world lust, passion, appetitive desire and greed. He had devoted himself entirely to the service of Islam through his teachings and sermons. His Shaikh Hazrat Abu Saeed Mubarak Makhzoomi had handed over his Jamia with full confidence to him before his demise on 18th of Muharram 513 AH (1119 AD). The period of teaching by Ghaus-e-Azam is spread over forty years.
It was on the 16th of Shawal 521 AH, before the Zuhar prayers that he saw the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in a dream who enquired, “Why do you not preach?” He said, “I am but a Persian, how can I speak the beautiful Arabic of Baghdad.” The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “Open your mouth.” He opened his mouth and the prophet spat seven times into his mouth and advised him, “Go and address mankind and invite them to the path of your Lord with wise and beautiful words.” After Zuhar prayers he saw many people waiting for him to speak, but he became nervous and tongue-tied. Then he saw the blessed Imam Ali, the ocean of Islamic esotericism in personified form. He came to him and asked him to open his mouth, then he spat six times into it. He asked, “Why did you not spit seven times like the Messenger of Allah?” “Because of my respect to him” and disappeared.
Due to the miraculous effect of the saliva of the Holy Prophet and Hazrat Ali, an unfathomable ocean of thought was opened to him. The Shaikh says, “I asked my mind to dive deep into the sea of the heart to find the pearls of divine wisdom and eloquent and meaningful words and phrases began to gush out of the mouth. There was such an immense amount of knowledge of Shariah and Tariqah that he felt if he did not speak and pour it out, he would be choked. In the beginning two or three persons in total formed his audience but soon his fame spread in Baghdad and the Muslim world. Crowds began to flock to hear his sermons and their number increased to seventy thousand at one time. It was during a sermon that Ghaus-e-Azam under divine command and in sobriety proclaimed, “My foot is on the neck of all the saints.” These words were revealing the spiritual state of Ghaus-e-Azam as the SULTAN OF THE SAINTS.
Among the audience included a large number of learned men, Faqihs (master of religious law) the Mashaikh, ministers, caliphs and jinn. More than 5000 Jews and Christians embraced Islam at his hand and more than one hundred thousand ruffians, outlaws, and bandits became devout Muslims and dervishes. The impact of the sermons was that a large number of people present would remain in a state of intoxication for many days. Thousands would tear off their clothes and look half dead.
In every session there used to sit four hundred divines, sages with pen and ink to record his speech. It was a sort of miracle of Ghaus-e-Azam that even those sitting a long distance away would hear the sermon clearly.
Once a Christian clergyman came from Yemen and accepted Islam in one of the assemblies wherein Ghaus-e-Azam had delivered a sermon. He narrated in the assembly that when he decided to embrace Islam at the hand of the best man of Yemen, sleep overtook him. He saw Jesus Christ in a dream who directed him to go to Baghdad and accept Islam at the hand of Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani who was indeed the best man of the time in the entire world.
Karamat
It is well known that Prophets were accorded miracles (Mujizat) and the saints of Islam have been accorded charismatic miracles (Karamat). Shaikh has the ability of soul reading. He can see by Allah’s light. He has inside into his disciple’s heart, he is able to tell his secret wishes, hopes and dislikes, the very moment the disciple entered his presence. The saint is capable of coming to the aid of his disciples.
Some well known Karamats are mentioned below:
- Shaikh Muzaffar bin Mansur went to see Ghaus-e-Azam with some of his students. He was carrying a book on philosophy. He was greeted but said, “What a bad friend you are holding. This is not a good companion for you. Go and wash it.” Shaikh Muzaffar was awed by his angry words but he did not want to part with the book as he loved it. He debated with himself whether he should go and hide it. At this Ghaus-e-Azam gave him an angry look and Shaikh Muzaffar was unable to lift himself from his seat as if he was chained to the ground. Ghaus-e-Azam then asked him to hand over the book, browsed it then gave it back, saying “here is it, the wisdom of the Qur’an by Ibn Zaris.” It was written in beautiful handwriting. He admitted his repentance, got up and felt all of his wisdom of philosophy had washed away
- Shaikh Ali Haiti had related that once he and Shaikh Baqa in the company of Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir visited the shrine of Hazrat Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal. The Imam came out of his grave, saluted and pressed Ghaus-e-Azam to his chest and put on him a robe of honour. He then said, “I am in need of your knowledge of Shariah and Haqiqat and your knowledge of States and action in States.”
- During the pilgrimage Ghaus-e-Azam visited the tomb of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and knelt down in prayer near the marble slab that then covered the tomb. He continued in that condition for forty days without interruption. On the 40th day a white hand appeared from the tomb and extended towards Ghaus-e-Azam until it touched his shoulder. Ghaus-e-Azam kissed it and placed it on his head so as to receive the blessings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The hand then withdrew and disappeared into the marble monument.
- Once a woman brought her son to Ghaus-e-Azam and said, “My son loves you too much, I want that you accept him as your servant, I renounce all right to him.” Ghaus-e-Azam accepted the boy and put him to ascetic (self discipline) practice for inner purification. After some time the mother came to see her son and found him thin and pale and eating a crust of dry bread. She was disturbed and angry with the Shaikh who she found well dressed, seated in a pleasant room and eating chicken. She said, “While you eat chicken, my son has nothing but a piece of dry bread to eat.”
Ghaus-e-Azam placed his hand over the bones of the chicken and recited, “In the name of Allah who revives bones from dust, rise.” He lifted his hand and the chicken jumped up, alive, from under his hand. Ghaus-e-Azam turned to the woman and said, “When your son is able to do this, he will also eat whatever he wishes.”
- One day the Caliph Mustenjid Balla came to see Ghaus-e-Azam and asked him, “Sir, for the satisfaction of my mind, show me any Karamat.” Ghaus-e-Azam asked him, “What do you want?” “An apple from the invisible world” was the reply. Ghaus-e-Azam raised his hand although it was not the season for this fruit. Two apples came into his hand. He gave one to the Caliph and kept one with himself. When both apples were cut the one in the hand of Ghaus-e-Azam was found to be white and fresh with a sweet smell. But the one in the hand of the Caliph was maggot eaten. He asked Ghaus-e-Azam the reason for this upon which he said, “The hand of a cruel person touched your apple and rendered it rotten. My apple is in the hand of a saint, that is why it is good and smells good.”
- In the year 560 AH Abdullah Zayal was in the school of Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir. One day he saw the Shaikh leaving the house with a staff in his hand. He said to himself, “I wish he would show me a miracle with that staff.” The Shaikh looked at him, smiled and struck the staff into the sand. Instantly it turned into a beam of light that rose up to the sky, illuminating everything for one hour. He then held that beam of light and it changed into an ordinary staff and he said, “O, Zayal, this is all you wanted to see?”
- Abul Muali Muhammad bin Ali was attending a sermon of Ghaus-e-Azam and felt the need to use toiled due to severe pain in his stomach. But because of the awe inspiring personality of Ghaus-e-Azam he kept silent but looked at him requesting for help. Ghaus-e-Azam came down from his pulpit, step by step and came near Abul Muali and covered his head with his sleeve. As soon as his head was covered he found himself in a wide jungle in which there was a stream and tree on its bank. Abul Muali took out the bunch of his keys and put it on the tree. Then he eased himself and performed ablution in the stream and offered two cycles of prayer. As soon as he finished the prayer Ghaus-e-Azam lifted his sleeve and Abul Muali found himself in the assembly. Some time after this incident he travelled with a caravan and after 14 days of journey the caravan reached the same place where he had eased himself and left the keys on the tree. On approaching the stream he found his keys hanging on the tree. Upon his return to Baghdad he went to the Ghaus-e-Azam but before he could utter a word he was told to remain silent about his travel.
There are many more Karamats of Sheikh Abdul Qadir mentioned in various books but due to constraints of time and space only a few are mentioned above.
Domestic Life, Daily Routine of Ghaus-e-Azam
Ghaus-e-Azam had a large family comprising four wives and 49 children of whom 27 were sons and the rest were daughters. His wives were also great scholars and used to teach the traditions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to female students. The married life of Ghaus-e-Azam was very peaceful. The wives were not jealous of each other. He never hesitated to sweep the floor, fetch water and even cook food. He was attached to his wives and children but inwardly he was deeply absorbed in divinity all the time. Once he was informed that a ship loaded with his merchandize was caught in a sea storm and had sunk. He said ‘Al-Hamdo Lillahi” and continued with his routine. Soon another message contradicted the previous news and informed that the ship had sailed out of the storm. He again said, ‘Al-Hamdo Lillahi”.
His nights passed with little sleep, in prayer. He spent his days like a true follower of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in the service of humanity. He would deliver public sermons three times a week. At noon he would also supervise the arrangements of food for the students and after midday he attended legal questions, issuing Fatwas, presented to him from all parts of the world. Usually he fasted throughout the year. He had a soft and kind heart, a gentle disposition and a smiling face. He was modest, moderate by temperament with an accommodating attitude. But he was firm, fearless and bold with oppressors and with those who violated the law of Shariah. Even when the arrival of the Caliph was announced he would not come out to receive him but would remain inside the room, coming out only after he had been seated. The Caliph always greeted him standing and kissed his hands. Whatever gifts were offered to Ghaus-e-Azam by wealthy devotees, these were either distributed amongst the poor or were sold and the proceeds spent on maintenance of the Khanqah. The Caliph Mustanjid was a devotee of the Shaikh. One day he came to the Jamia and presented ten bags of dinars which the Shaikh refused to accept but the Caliph insisted apologetically claiming it was lawful income. Ghaus-e-Azam picked up two bags of gold in his hands and pressed one against the other. The Caliph was horrified to see blood oozing out of them. Ghaus-e-Azam said, “Do you not fear Allah, the Creator, that you devour blood of the oppressed and the poor and bring the yield to me? This blood could flow up to the premises of your palace if I had no regard for the offspring of the Holy Prophet.” The Caliph began to cry with shame and sorrow.
Passing away of Ghaus-e-Azam
The Sultan of Saints had lived an extraordinary strenuous, resolute, majestic and glorious life. His days passed like a true lover and follower of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). His forty years routine of preaching was unhampered but with the beginning of ninety-one years of age his health started deteriorating. In 560AH the month of Ramadan appeared before him and said goodbye. By the first week of Rabius Sani 561AH he was confined to bed. It is said that on Monday, the 11th Rabi-us-Sani, the angel of death visited Ghaus-e-Azam in the guise of an Arab nomad. A letter was handed over to him which read, “It is imperative for every soul to meet death.” He breathed his last saying “Allah! Allah! Allah!”
His demise plunged the entire city of Baghdad into grief. From the caliph to the beggars on the streets, everyone gathered to have a last look at the Sultan of Saints. Everyone felt that the city had been orphaned by his departure. The grand tomb of Ghaus-e-Azam has been a place for pilgrimage for all the Muslims in general and the saints in particular. His Urs is celebrated on 11th Rabi-us-Sani each year. He left behind many books and pamphlets with the purpose of serving humanity.
Reality of Giarhwain Shareef
According to the top most spiritualists of Islam Giahrwin Shareef was an event celebrated by Ghaus-e-Azam himself in remembrance of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). It is neither the celebration of the death anniversary of Ghaus-e-Azam nor is it deification of him in any form. In reality it is the celebration of the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) which Ghaus-e-Azam himself started to observe in his worldly life under the advice of the Apostle himself and advised his followers to continue celebrating it. In Urdu ‘Milad-e-Mustafa’ is used to denote the birthday of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). It was celebrated on the 11th of Rabi-us-Sani each year and this celebration continues in the entire Muslim world. It is called Giarhwin Shareef from centuries to celebrated mauled-e-Mustafa. Ghaus-e-Azam is called the Pir of Giarhwin Shareef since it is he who innovated it and opened the door of attaining supreme Divine blessings and mercy for the Muslim ummah. It has no concern with the birth or death anniversary of Ghaus-e-Azam.
Note
The above is mostly based on the book, ‘The Sultan of the Saints’ compiled by Muhammad Riaz Qadri for which the writer has based his research on over 60 books (English and Urdu), numerous periodicals and pamphlets. My article (humble contribution) should be considered a gist of the book for the convenience of readers of Defence Journal. Effort has been not to ignore clarity for brevity.
The learned readers of DEFENCE JOURNAL are requested to read Part-I of this article that was published in the June 2013 issue.
