The Life Story and Karamah of Sultanul Auliya’ Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani (part 4) [Stories of the Auliya’ and the Sheikhs are highly recommended to be read, particularly for the seekers in the spiritual path (tariqah) so that they may become a source of guidance and example for those treading the spiritual path, and generally for the muslimin and muslimat, because there is a hadith which states: “Remembering the auliya’ (saints of Allah) causes the showering of mercy.”] As a further reminder to people who are fond of denigrating or mocking the saints of Allah, a sacred tradition (hadith qudsi) has stated: “Allah declares war upon those who become the enemies of His saints.” May Allah glorify the soul of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani. He was an Imam, an expert in problems relating to religion, tauhid and fiqh, and a leader of Islam from the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools of thought. He was most intelligent and widely knowledgeable; all of mankind would benefit from him. His supplications were immediately answered, whether he was supplicating for goodness or for punishment. He was one who performed many marvels (karamah). He was a perfect human being, who was always conscious of and remembered Allah Azza Wa Jalla, reflecting (muraqabah), thinking, accepting and giving knowledge. He had a heart that was gentle, attributes that were noble and a countenance that was always smiling. He was very alert and possessed excellent attributes, with excellent manners in his habits and generous in giving money as well as advice and knowledge. He loved the people, but in particular the believers who submitted themselves to, and performed acts of spiritual devotion for, the Essence with whom none is associated, and he was helpful towards anyone who had faith. He was handsome, always neatly attired, and his words were neither excessive nor in vain. When speaking, even though he spoke quickly but every word and syllable was pronounced clearly. He spoke beautifully and truthfully. He spoke about the truth without hesitation because he did not care whether he would be praised, criticized or scorned. When Caliph Al-Muqtafi promoted Yahya bin Sa’id as the qadhi (chief judge), Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani accused him in public, saying, “You have promoted the worst possible tyrant as a judge over the believers. Let us see how you will answer for yourself later when you are presented before the Most Majestic Judge, Allah Azza Wa Jalla, Lord of the worlds.” When he heard this, the Caliph was shaken, shedding his tears, and immediately fired the judge. The residents of Baghdad city experienced progress in terms of manners, spirituality and conduct. Through his influence, most of the city’s residents repented and expressed their regret, conducting themselves with excellent manners and heeding the commandments of Islam. Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani was loved and respected by everyone, and his influence spread far and wide. Good people loved him, while the tyrants and the evil ones feared him. Many people, including kings, ministers and intelligent people came to him to ask him questions and to seek answers. In fact, many Jews and Christians accepted Islam through him. In his teaching of and service towards mankind, he utilized attributes that were inherited from the One Most High. Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani RA said, “A spiritual (Sufi) sheikh is not a true teacher unless he possesses twelve attributes. Two of the said attributes are the attributes of Allah Most High, that is, concealing the shortcomings of man and the other creations, not just from other people but also from themselves; and possessing the feeling of compassion and the desire to forgive even the worst sins.” Two attributes that were inherited by Prophet Muhammad SAW were love and gentleness. Sayyidina Abu Bakar Ash-Shiddiq RA, the first of the four caliphs, a genuine Sheikh, inherited truthfulness, honesty and sincerity of the heart, as well as loyalty and generosity. From Sayyidina Umar bin Kaththab RA, the attributes were fairness and the upholding of truth and the prevention of that which is wrong. From Sayyidina Utsman bin Affan RA, the attributes were humbleness and awakening to supplicate while others were asleep, and from Sayyidina Ali bin Abi Talib RA, the attributes were knowledge and valour as well as courageousness.” Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani RA deeply loved his thousands of followers, just as a father would love his children. He knew their names and monitored their worldly problems and spiritual conditions. He helped and saved them from calamities, even if they were far away from him. He was a father with his children and treated them full of gentleness and compassion. To those who were odler than him, he became as though he was older than them and treated them with respect. He forged friendships with the poor and the weak, and never sought friends among the famous and the powerful; such people regarded him as though he was the king of all kings. One of the sons of his assistant related how his father, Muhammad bin Al-Khaidir served Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani for thirteen years, and throughout that time, he had never witnessed a single fly land on him, and he had never seen him clear his nose in public. Even though the Sheikh treated the weak and the poor with immense respect, his assistant never saw him stand when rulers came to visit him, and he did not visit them, nor did he eat their food except on one occasion. When a king came to visit him, he would leave the dining area and returned after the king and his party had finished their meal, until they greeted him by standing up. Whenever he wrote a letter to the caliph, he would state that Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani had instructed the caliph to do such and such, and that it was an obligation for a caliph to obey him because he was their leader. When the caliph received such a letter, he would kiss the letter before reading it and say, “Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani is right, indeed he speaks the truth!” Abu Hasan, one of the grand judges of the time, related, “I heard Caliph Al-Muqtafi say to his minister, Ibnu Hubaira, ‘Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani laughs at me and it is very clear to the people around him that the one he meant is me. It has been reported to me that he had pointed to a date tree in his garden and said, ‘You had better work. Don’t go too far away or I will cut your head off!’ Now, you, O Ibnu Huraira, go and speak to him by yourself and say, ‘Don’t you mock and threaten and caliph. You should know that the position of a calioh is noble and should be respected.’ The minister Ibnu Huraira went to Shaikh Abdul Al-Jailani and saw him in a large congregation. In his speech to one particular tree, suddenly he said, ‘Indeed I will still cut his head off, regardless.’ The minister felt that the one the Sheikh meant was him, and he became frightened and terrified. He thus fled and stated what had happened to the caliph. The caliph cried and said, “Truly, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani is a great man.’ He then went to see the Sheikh himself. The Sheikh gave him plenty of advice and the caliph cried and kept on crying. To be continued...
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 01:27:01 +0000
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