Al-Ghunya
Al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq or simply Al-Ghunya is a 12th-century Islamic book attributed to Abdul Qadir Gilani. It discusses Islamic worship, creed, ethics, virtuous deeds, and Sufi practices, primarily following the Hanbali school and traditional Sunni theology. The text contains some critical remarks regarding Abu Hanifa, which has led to debate over its authorship, though historical sources generally attribute it to Gilani. The work has been referenced in later Islamic scholarship, particularly within the Hanbali tradition, for its treatment of moral, devotional, and theological topics.
Background
Abdul Qadir Gilani composed Al-Ghunya in response to the request of a student who sought guidance on Islamic obligations, including the required duties prescribed by Sharia, the essential pillars of Islam, the recommended practices of the Prophet, and proofs of the existence of God, along with moral instruction drawn from the Quran and hadith. The exact date of composition is unknown, but its emphasis on asceticism and devotion suggests that it may be among Gilani's earliest works.Manuscript copies of Al-Ghunya are organized into ten parts, six books, and 309 sections. The first printed edition was published in Cairo at the Bulaq Press in 1288 AH. Subsequent printings occurred in Mecca and Cairo. A critical edition was prepared by Faraj Tawfiq al-Walid in Baghdad. The work has been translated into Persian, first by Abdul Hakim Siyalkuti in Lahore and later in Delhi, and into Urdu in Lahore.
The first Turkish translation was produced in 1303 AH in Istanbul by Suleyman Hasbi under the order of Abdul Hamid II, titled Umdat al-Salihin fi Tarjamat Ghuniyat al-Talibin. In this translation, Hasbi omitted certain passages that conflicted with Hanafi jurisprudence. Later Turkish editions include Abdulqadir Akcicek's Gunyetut Talibin and A. Faruk Meyan's Ilim ve Esrar Hazinesi. Osman Guman's 2013 translation presents the text in a simple and accessible style, including the Arabic supplications recommended in the hadiths for practical use during acts of worship.
Authorship
The authorship of Al-Ghunya has been a subject of scholarly debate. The controversy arises mainly from its depiction of Abu Hanifa as belonging to the Murji'ah. This claim drew strong reactions from Hanafi scholars, some of whom denied Gilani's authorship. Abd al-Haqq al-Dehlawi questioned the attribution, while Siyalkuti, the Persian translator of Al-Ghunya, and Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi asserted that the disputed phrase was added later by Shia copyists. Ali al-Qari attempted to reconcile the issue by suggesting that there were two types of Murji'ah—one heretical and one within Sunni orthodoxy. He argued that Abu Hanifa belonged to the latter and that Gilani used the term in this limited sense. Nevertheless, this interpretation placed Hanafi followers of the Qadiriyya order in a difficult position. The text also criticizes the Ash'ari and Maturidi schools.Despite these debates, many scholars—including al-Dhahabi, al-Yafi'i , Ibn Kathir, and Ibn Rajab—affirmed that Al-Ghunya is genuinely the work of Gilani. The similarity of its style and content to his other writings supports this conclusion.