Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) – Famous Caravan Journey and Accounts
SHEIKH ABDUL QADIR JILANI (RA) FAMOUS CARAVAN JOURNEY AND BANDITS
After bidding farewell to his mother, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) joined a caravan, which was on its way to Baghdad. In those days, people travelled in groups for the sake of safety. The caravan of al-Ghawth al-A’zam (ra) reached the city of Hamdaan without incident. After leaving Hamdaan, they journeyed further.
The journey took them into a vast forest wherein they were attacked by sixty bandits. The leader of this band of robbers was a very notorious person called Ahmad Badawi. The travellers did not have the means to defend themselves against the bandits and were forced to surrender their belongings and valuables to them. After raiding the travellers, the bandits gathered together all the loot and began to distribute it amongst themselves. Whilst all this was happening, al-Ghawth al-A’zam (ra) was standing very calmly amongst the travellers.
None of the bandits approached him as he was regarded as just a young boy, until one of them decided to approach him. He went up to Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) and asked him if he had any valuables. Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) said that he had in his possession forty Dinars. When he heard this, the robber laughed at the young Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) and walked away, thinking that he was lying.
After some time, another robber asked him the same question and he received the same answer. He too dismissed the reply of al-Ghawth al-A’zam (ra) as a joke. When the bandits gathered together, then both these bandits began to joke about the young boy who said he had forty Dinars. Their leader, Ahmed Badawi, asked them to bring the young Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) to him. When he was brought before Ahmed Badawi, the leader of the bandits asked him if he had any valuables in his possession. The young Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) replied that he had forty Dinars on him.
Ahmed Badawi asked for the forty Dinars and Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) showed him where he had hidden it. When they tore open the coat of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) they found the forty Dinars sewn under the armpits. When they saw this, Ahmed Badawi and his bandits were taken aback. Ahmed Badawi asked:
” O young man, none of us knew that you had any money. Knowing that we are bandits, why did you still tell us where the money was hidden? ”
The young Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) replied by saying:
” When I had left on this journey, I had promised my elderly and pious mother that I would never lie. How then could I break this promise just for the sake of sixty bandits. ”
When Ahmed Badawi heard this, he felt great shame and, in tears, said,
” Oh young boy! You are so loyal in your promise to your mother. Shame on me, that for years I have been disloyal to my promise with my Creator Almighty Allah. ”
After saying these words, the bandit cried bitterly and then fell to the feet of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) and repented for his sins. When his accomplices saw this, they too did likewise and repented sincerely from all their sins. They then returned all the belongings of the travellers and escorted them out of the jungle.
It has been stated that the tauba (repentance) of these bandits was so sincere that they were blessed with Wilayah, through the Sadqa of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) Referring to this incident, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) stated: “This was the first tauba (repentance) that a group of misled persons had made at my hands.”
(Source Sufiwiki.com)
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STORY OF THE PRIEST PLAYING CHESS
There was a wise and influential priest in Baghdad who had many followers. He knew Islam and the Holy Qur’an and had great love and respect for Rasul Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). He was ready to accept Islam except for one thing; he could not understand and therefore accept the physical ascension (Me’raj) of Rasul Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) to the heavens and beyond. The caliph introduced all the wise men and teachers of the time to the priest, but none could remove his doubts. The caliph then sent word to Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma requesting him to convince the priest.
When Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma came to the palace he found the caliph and the priest playing chess. As the priest lifted a chess piece to move, his eyes met with those of the Shaykh. He blinked his eyes and as he opened them he found himself drowning in a river. He was shouting for help when a young shepherd jumped into the water and saved him. As he came out of the water he realized that he was naked and had been transformed into a young girl. The shepherd asked the girl where she was from and she answered from Baghdad. The shepherd said that they were at a distance of a few months journey from Baghdad. He honoured and protected her but as she had nowhere to go he eventually married her and had three children who grew up.
One day as she was washing laundry in the same river where she had appeared many years earlier, she slipped and fell in. As she opened her eyes…. the priest found himself sitting across the caliph, holding the chess piece and still looking into the eyes of Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), who said to him, “Now venerable priest, do you still disbelieve?” The priest was unsure of what had happened and thinking that it was a dream asked, “What do you mean?” The Shaykh asked, “Perhaps you would like to see your family?” and as he opened the door, there stood the shepherd and the three children. Seeing this the priest immediately believed, and he and his followers of about five thousand Christians all became Muslims at the hands of Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma.
(Source Seeker of Scared Knowledge.com)
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
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VANISHING TEXT
One of the great Shuyukh of the time, Shaykh Muzaffar Mansoor ibn Al Mubarak (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states, “I came to visit Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma with some students and I was carrying a book on philosophy. He greeted us and then said to me, “What a bad and dirty friend you are holding in your hand! Go and wash it!” I was awed by the Shaykh’s anger, he could not have known the contents of this book which I loved and had almost memorized.” When I thought of hiding the book somewhere and fetching it later, he ordered me to give the book to him. As I opened the book for the last time, I saw only empty white pages; all the writing had disappeared. When I gave the book to him, he browsed through it and gave it back to me saying, “Here it is, ‘The Book of Excellences of the Qur’an’ by Ibn Daaris Muhammad.” When I opened it, indeed it had been transformed as he said, and was written in the most beautiful calligraphy. Then he said to me, “Do you wish your heart to repent when you voice your repentance?” I said “Indeed I do.” He told me to stand up, and as I did I felt all of my knowledge of philosophy descend from my mind and sink into the ground, and not a word of it remained in my memory.”
(Source: Seeker of Scared Knowledge.com)
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
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YOUNG GIRL KIDNAPPED by JINNS
Once ShyaykhAbu Sa’eed Abdullah bin Ahmad Baghdadi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) came to Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma and complained about his sixteen-year old daughter Fathima, who had gone onto the roof of the house and suddenly disappeared from there. Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma told him to go to a certain jungle at night. On entering this jungle he would see many sand heaps. He should sit on the fifth sand heap that he passed. He should draw a circle around him saying ‘Bismillah’ and he should then say ‘Abdul Qadir’. Towards the third portion of the night, he would find an army of Jinns passing by. They will look really frightening and fierce, but he should not fear. He should remain seated and wait. Exactly at the time of the first light, the most powerful King of the Jinns would pass that way and he would personally come to him and ask his problem. On the King’s request, he should explain to him his situation and then tell him that Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma has sent him.
Shaykh Abu Sa’eed Baghdadi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states, “I did as Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma said. After some time, I saw armies of Jinns in frightening forms passing by. They were very upset with me sitting in their path, but they passed without saying a word, as they did not have the courage to enter the circle. In the morning, the King passed and asked my request. When I explained my problem to him and told him that Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma had sent me, he got off his horse and stood with respect listening to me. He then sent the Jinns to summon back the Jinn who had captured my daughter. My daughter was brought back and the King ordered the mischievous Jinn to be beheaded.” When Shaykh Abu Sa’eed Baghdadi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) asked the King about his respect for Huzoor Ghaus-e-Azam (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), the King replied, “By Allah, when Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma looks at us, all the Jinns begin to tremble.”
(Source Seeker of Scared Knowledge.com)
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
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FlLYING WOODEN SHOW STOPS ATTACKER
A young girl who was a follower of Hazrat Ghaus E Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani Alayhi Rahma lived in Ceylon. One day she was attacked in a lonely place by a man intending do dishonour her. Helpless, she shouted, “Save me O my Shaykh Abdul Qadir!” At that moment the Shaykh was performing his ablution in Baghdad. People saw him stop, angrily grab his wooden shoe and throw it in the air. However, they did not see the show fall down. That shoe fell on the head of the man who was attacking the girl in Ceylon and killed him. That shoe is still kept in Ceylon as a relic.
(Source Seeker of Scared Knowledge.com)
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
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WOODEN CLOGS SAVES TRAVELLERS
We were together in the company of Shaikh Abdal-Qadir Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him), at his schoolhouse, on Sunday the 3rd of Safar in the year 555 A.H. While we were there, the Shaikh got up and performed the ablution for the ritual prayer a wearing high wooden clogs [to keep his feet from getting muddy].
He performed two cycles of prayer and then, as soon as he had pronounced the final salutation, he uttered a tremendous shout. He grabbed one of the clogs, and hurled into the air, so far that we lost sight of it. Then he uttered another shout, and threw the other clog, so that it also disappeared from our view. Then he sat down, but neither of us dared ask him what that was all about.
“Twenty-three days later, a caravan arrived from Persia, and the newcomers said: ‘We have brought with us an votive offering for the Shaikh.’ At their request, we asked the Shaikh to receive them, and he permitted them to present their offering. ‘Accept it from them,’ he told us, so they gave us a gown made of silk, or of silk and fur, some gold—and the pair of clogs that the Shaikh had thrown away! When we asked them: ‘Where on earth did you find these clogs’ they said:
‘While we were traveling along, on Sunday the 3rd of Safar, some Arabs launched a raid against us, led by two chieftains. They plundered our goods, and killed several of our number. Then they went down into a valley, where they divided our goods amongst them.
‘”At that point, we said to one another: “Suppose we were to dedicate some part of our goods, right here and now, as an offering to Shaikh “Abdal-Qadir (may Allah be well pleased with him), if he would rescue us….”We had scarcely finished speaking these words, remembering him, and dedicating something to him, when we heard two tremendous shouts, echoing throughout the valley.
We could see that those Arabs were terrified, and we thought that someone had come to arrest them. Some of them approached us, and said: “Come and take your goods, and see what has alarmed us!’ They led us to their chieftains, and we discovered that both of them were dead.
Next to each of the corpses, we noticed one of a pair of clogs, wet with water. Then they returned all our goods to us, and told us: “This affair has enormous significance for us!”
(Source Islam2jannat)
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
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RELIEF FROM TORMENT AFTER DEATH, FOR ANY MUSLIMS WHO CROSSED THE THRESHOLD of SHEIKH ABDUL QADIR’S SCHOOLHOUSE DOOR.
“Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qadir (may Allah be well pleased with him) also said: ‘For any Muslim who steps across the threshold of my schoolhouse door, the torment of the Day of Resurrection [Yawm al-Qiyama] will be alleviated.”
“A man from among the people of Baghdad once came and said to him: ‘O my master, my father is dead and gone, but I saw him last night in my dream, and he mentioned to me that he was suffering dreadful torment in his grave. “O my dear son,” he said to me, “you must go to Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qadir and ask him to offer a prayer of supplication [du’a’] on my behalf.”‘ On hearing this, the Shaikh said to the man: ‘Did your father ever cross the threshold of my schoolhouse door?’ The answer was yes, and nothing more was said. Then the man paid him a second visit, the very next day, and told him: ‘O my master, I saw my father again last night, but this time he was laughing merrily, and he was dressed in a fine green outfit. He said to me: “The agonizing torment has been lifted from me, through the blessed grace of Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qadir, and, as you can see, I now have a fine suit of clothes to wear! So, my son, you must make sure that you stay very close to him from now on.”‘
“The Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) then said: ‘My Lord (Almighty and Glorious is He) has promised me that He will alleviate the torment for everyone, from among the Muslims, who has ever stepped across the threshold of my schoolhouse door.’
“He was told that the shrieks and screams of a dead man could be heard from a grave, in the burial ground by the Portico Gate [Bab al-Azaj], so he said: ‘Did he ever wear a tattered robe [khirqa], conferred on him by me?’ The answer was: ‘We do not know,’ so he went on to ask: ‘Did he ever attend my session [majlis]?’ Again they said: ‘That we do not know,’ so he said: ‘Did he ever perform the ritual prayer behind me?’ Yet again, they told him: ‘We do not know,’ so he said: ‘The negligent is more deserving of loss!’ He bowed his head in silence for a while, for a sense of awe had alighted upon him, and a feeling of gravity had overwhelmed him. Then he raised his head, and declared: ‘The angels (peace be upon them all) have just told me: “[That man in the grave] did once see your face, and he formed a good opinion of you, and Allah (Exalted is He) has bestowed His mercy upon him because of you” (or, “because of that”).’ No more shrieking and screaming was heard from him after that, through the blessed grace of the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him).”
(Source Islam2jannat)
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
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SHEIKH ABDUL QADIR JILANI’S (RA) EXAMINED BY AL-KHIDR (AS) AND SURPRISING RESPONSE
“Abu ‘l-‘Abbas al-Khidr (peace be upon him) came to put me through an examination, as he had examined the saints [awliya’] before me. He disclosed to me the secret content [sarira] of his being, as he provided me with insights into the subjects I raised with him. Then I said to him, while he bowed his head in silence: ‘O Khidr, if it is true that you used to say to Moses: “You will never be able to have patience with me,” I can tell you, O Khidr, that you will never be able to have patience with me! You are an Israelite [Isra’ili], whereas I am a Muhammadan [Muhammadi]. Here we are, you and I, and this is the polo-ball, and this is the arena. This is Muhammad, and this is the All-Merciful [ar-Rahman]. This is my horse, all saddled and bridled. My bow is strung tight, and my sword is unsheathed.’
“May Allah be well pleased with him!”
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
IN MIDDLE OF A LECTURE, SHEIKH ABDUL QADIR JILANI’S (RA) SUDDENLY STRIDES IN THE AIR
It was al-Khattab, the personal servant of our master, Shaikh Muhyi ‘d-Din’Abd al-Qadir (may Allah be well pleased with him) would said: “One day, while the Shaikh was giving a talk to the people, he suddenly took several steps through the air, and he exclaimed: ‘O Israelite [ya Isra’ili], stop and listen to the speech of the Muhammadan [Muhammadi] !’ Then he returned to his place. When asked to explain what had happened, he said: ‘Abu ‘l-‘Abbas al-Khidr (peace be upon him) was up there, about to pass us by, so I stepped up toward him, and said to him what you heard me say, and he came to a halt.’
(Source Islam2jannat)
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
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“WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME AWARE THAT YOU WERE THE SAINTLY FRIEND OF ALLAH ALMIGHTY ?”
Shaikh ‘Abdul-Qadir’s (RA) answer to the question:
“Another question put to the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) was this: ‘When did you first become aware that you were the saintly friend [wali] of Allah (Exalted is He)?’ To this he responded by saying: ‘I was just a ten-year-old boy at the time, still in our home country [of Jilan]. I used to leave our house to go to the elementary school, and I could see the angels (peace be upon them) walking along all around me. Then, when I arrived at the school, I heard the angels say: “Clear a space for the saintly friend [wali] of Allah, so that he can sit himself down!” One day, a man passed by us on the road, someone I did not recognize on that occasion, and I heard the angels saying something of that sort to him. The man asked one of them: “Who is this boy?” So one of them told him: “This is a member of the House of the Nobles,” and he said: “A role of tremendous importance lies in store for this young fellow. This is someone who will give and not withhold, who will enable and not raise obstacles, who will be close [to the Truth] and not prone to being cheated or deceived.” Not till forty years later did I finally recognize that man, and then I realized that he was one of the spiritual deputies [abdal] of that historical time.’
“The Shaikh also said (may Allah be well pleased with him): ‘I was a youngster in my family, and whenever I went outside, intending to play with the other boys in the neighborhood, I would hear a voice telling me: “[Come] toward Me, O blessed one [ilayya ya mubarak] !” I would run away in a panic from that sound, and hurl myself into my mother’s lap. How should I not hear this now, in my moments of private retreat?'”
(Source Islam2jannat)
Subhan’Allah -Ya Sheikh Meded Ya Sayyid Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Sheiyn Lillah
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” LOST CAMELS AND ASKING HELP FROM SHEIKH ABDUL QADIR JILANI (RA) “
Hazrat-e-Bishr Qarazi narrates that, ” I was travelling with a group of traders along with fourteen camels carrying sugar. We stopped for the night in a dangerous jungle. In the early hours of the night my four loaded camels disappeared which were not found even after a lot of search. The group also departed. The camel driver stayed back with me . In the morning, I suddenly remembered that my Mentor, The King of Baghdad Huzoor Ghous-e-Pak had told me that whenever you get stuck in any problem then call me (my name), Allah willing, that problem will be solved, hence I requested this way: YA SHEIKH ABDUL QADIR! MY CAMELS ARE LOST! “
” All of sudden I saw a Saintly Man dressed in white clothes on a sand dune towards east, who was signalling me to come to him. As soon as I along with my camel driver reached over there the Saintly Man disappeared from vision. We were strangely looking here and there when we suddenly spotted those four lost camels sitting under the sand dune. Then what happened was that we caught the camels and re-joined the group. When Sayyidina Shaikh Ab-ul-Hasan Ali Khabbaz (ra) was told the incident of the lost camels he said that Hazrat-e-Shaikh Ab-ul- Qassim (ra) has said that I have heard Sayyidina Sheikh Muhi-ud-Din Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA) saying:
” THE ONE WHO CRIES OUT FOR MY HELP DURING SOME PROBLEM, THE PROBLEM GETS SOLVED, THE ONE WHO CALLS OUT MY NAME IN ANY HARDSHIP, THAT HARDSHIP; GETS DISMISSED, THE ONE WHO USED ME AS A SOURCE TO ASK ALLAH FOR SOME NEED, IT WILL BE FULFILLED. THE PERSON WHO PRAYS TWO RAK’AT OF NAFL AND IN EACH RAK’AT AFTER SURAH FATIHA RECITIES SURAH IKHLAS ELEVEN TIMES, AFTER SAYING SALAAM i.e AFTER FINISHING THE PRAYER, SENDS DUROOD-O-SALAAM(SALAWAAT) ON THE KING OF MADEENAH AND THEN WALKS A DISTANCE OF ELEVEN STEPS TOWARDS BAGHDAD SHAREEF AND CALLS OUT MY NAME AND PRESENTS HIS NEED, ALLAH WILLING, THAT NEED WILL BE FULFILLED. “
(Source: www.aulia-e-hind.com)
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There are many more accounts of the stories from Sheikah Abdul Qadir Jilani’s (RA) blessed life and we humbly ask him to accept our requests and duas for his honour and position in Divine Presence. Bir hurmati Habib bir hurmati Al-Fatiha.
