Abdul Qadir Gilani


Abdul Qadir Gilani was a Hanbali scholar, preacher, and Sufi mystic leader who was the eponym of the Qadiriyya, one of the oldest Sufi orders.
He was born in in the town of Na'if, Rezvanshahr in Gilan, Persia, and died in 1166 in Baghdad. His epithet, Gilani refers to his place of birth, Gilan, while the epithet, Baghdadi, referring to his residence and burial in Baghdad.

Titles

He had the honorific title of Muḥi al-Dīn, denoting his status according to many Sufis as a reviver of Islam.
According to Sufi Hagiography, Abdul Qadir held the highest position in the hierarchy of Awliya having achieved the spiritual rank of the succour.

Family background

Gilani was born in 1077 or 1078, though details of his early life and family background are uncertain, sources indicate that his father was known by the nickname Jangi Dust, suggesting a Persian lineage.
His nisba, al-Jilani, denotes origin from Gilan, a region on the southwestern coast of the Caspian Sea in present-day Iran. During his stay in Baghdad, Gilani was called ajami, which according to Bruce Lawrence may be because he spoke Persian alongside Arabic. According to the al-Nujūm al-ẓāhira by the 15th-century historian Ibn Taghribirdi, Gilani was born in Jil in Iraq, but this account is questioned by French historian Jacqueline Chabbi. Modern historians consider Gilan to be his birth place. The region was then politically semi-independent and divided between local chieftains from different clans.
Gilani is claimed to be a descendant of Muhammad through his grandson Hasan ibn Ali, this claim is generally accepted within the Muslim community, including followers of the Qadiriyya order. Some scholars, including Lawrence, consider this claim inconsistent with Gilani's apparent Persian background, and suggest that it may have been emphasized or constructed by the later Hagiographers.

Education

Gilani spent his early life in Gilan, the province of his birth. In 1095, he moved to Baghdad where he studied Hanbali jurisprudence under Abu Saeed Mubarak Makhzoomi and Ibn Aqil. He also studied hadith with Abu Muhammad Ja'far al-Sarraj. His Sufi spiritual instructor was Abu'l-Khair Hammad al-Dabbas. After completing his education, Gilani left Baghdad and reportedly spent twenty-five years in ascetic retreat and wandering in the deserts of Iraq.

School of law

Gilani adhered to the Hanbali school of Islamic jurisprudence. He is reported to have treated Shafi'i school of jurisprudence on an equal footing with the Hanbali school, issuing fatwas according to both schools of jurisprudence. Al-Nawawi, in his book Bustan al-'Arifin, praised him for this approach, noting that "we have never known anyone more dignified than Baghdad's Sheikh Muhyi al-Din 'Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani, the Sheikh of Shafi'is and Hanbalis in Baghdad."

Influence

In 1127, Gilani returned to Baghdad and began to preach to the public. He joined the teaching staff of the school established by his teacher, al-Makhzoomi, and became popular among students. In the mornings he taught Hadith and Tafsir, while in the afternoons he delivered lectures on spiritual discipline and the virtues of the Quran. He was reported to be an effective preacher who attracted followers from diverse backgrounds, including Jews and Christians, and integrated Sufi mysticism with Islamic law.
According to hagiographical sources, Gilani is reported to have converted many people to Islam through his emphasis on inner purification, ethical conduct and devotion. He established the Madrasa al-Qadiriyya in Baghdad, which became a center for Islamic learning and spirituality, offering instruction in the Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, and Tasawwuf, attracting students from various regions.
His teachings reportedly influenced political and military leaders, such as Nur ad-Din Zangi and Salahuddin Ayyubi, who respected his guidance.

Death and burial

Al-Gilani died in 1166 and was buried in Baghdad. His urs is traditionally observed annually on 11 Rabi' al-Thani.
During the reign of the Safavid Shah Ismail I, in 1508, Gilani's shrine was destroyed. However, in 1535, Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent commissioned the construction of a new shrine over his grave, which remains in existence today.

Books

  • Kitab Sirr al-Asrar wa Mazhar al-Anwar
  • Futuh al ghaib
  • Jila' al-Khatir
  • Al-Ghunya
  • Al-Fuyudat al-Rabbaniya
  • Fifteen Letters: Khamsata 'Ashara Maktuban
  • Kibriyat e Ahmar
  • A Concise Description of Jannah & Jahannam
  • The Sublime Revelation