Q3

Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani
Q3 :Would you please give us a short biography of Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani and his 
contribution to Islam. In our country, people believe that he memorized the 
Qur'an when he was still a fetus. Is this true? 


A3 : Much is said about Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani who is still revered by millions 
of Muslims throughout the world. However, much of what is being said about him 
is absolutely nonsense. As a scholar and dedicated worker of Islam, Abdul Qadir 
Al-Jilani would not approve of anything extraordinary being said about him. An 
example of which is that which has been provided by the questioner. That Abdul 
Qadir Al-Jilani had memorized the Qur'an while still a fetus is a claim that 
cannot stand to the shortest of serious examinations. Nevertheless, we know that 
Allah is powerful to accomplish any purpose. If he wanted Abdul Qadir to 
memorize the Qur'an before he was born, He would certainly have enabled him to 
do so. But Allah has a purpose and a wisdom behind any action He takes. What 
purpose would be served by giving Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani, or indeed any other 
human being, that accomplishment before birth? Besides, how can one prove such a 
claim? Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani himself did not make it. Then how can anyone say 
that this was the case? And then why would this be needed? Would Abdul Qadir 
Al-Jilani have been able to talk to other fetuses in their mothers' wombs and 
explain to them the Qur'an? The fact is that such nonsense reflects badly on 
anyone who repeats it, and indeed on the man himself. Many people who are aware 
of the true concepts of Islam adopt a very suspicious attitude to anyone around 
whom such myth is woven. No one does Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani any good service by 
claiming for him any of the miraculous acts that he is said to have 
accomplished. Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani was not a Prophet. If a miracle is worked 
out by Allah through him, he had no choice in it and he could not have 
determined its happening. Such miracles are worked by Allah when He chooses and 
for a purpose He determines. Therefore, before we begin to read about Abdul 
Qadir Al-Jilani, we have to put out of our minds any notion about his being a 
human being of a superior type. To do justice to Sheikh Abdul Qadir, I have 
referred to the invaluable work of Sheikh Abu Al-Hassan Ali Al-Hassani Nadwi 
which is given the title of Saviors of Islamic Spirits. He devotes a chapter in 
the first volume to the life and work of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani. Here is a 
brief summary of what Sheikh Abu Al-Hassan has written. Abdul Qadir was born in 
Jilan, which is also known as Vailam, in the North-West of Iran, south of the 
Caspian Sea. He was an Arab by descent, but belonged to Iran by migration of his 
ancestors. In the year 488 A. H., when he was still 18, he went to Baghdad. 
Although inclined to penance and cultivation of religious observances from an 
early age, Abdul Qadir addressed himself whole-heartedly to the acquisition of 
education under the most reputed teachers of the time such as Ibn Aqeel, 
Al-Baqillani and At-Tabrizi, turned to mysticism and was guided in its tenets 
and practices by Sheikh Abu Al-Kheir Al-Dabas and Mubarak ibn Ali. After 
completing his education of religious sciences, Abdul Qadir began his career as 
a teacher in the seminary of his teacher Mubarak ibn Ali Al-Makhrami. He soon 
acquired great fame and people flocked from all areas of Baghdad to listen to 
his sermons. Ibn Qudama, a famous Hanbali scholar, records that he had not seen 
a man more reverent for his piety and religious learning than Abdul Qadir. The 
king and his ministers attended his sermons along with the rank and file. Abdul 
Qadir Al-Jilani himself was always modest, humble and unpretentious. He often 
left his work to attend to the needs of a child, a destitute or a slave girl. 
Never evading the company of the poor, he even washed their clothes or performed 
similar personal services for them. He never stood up in the honor of any person 
of high rank. If he got information that the Caliph would be visiting him, he 
deliberately went inside his house so that he might not have to stand up to 
welcome him. He used to come out of the house after the Caliph had seated 
himself in the mosque. Abdul Qadir never paid back such a courtesy call. Those 
who have seen Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani have paid a glowing tribute to his moral 
excellence and large-heartedness, modesty and hospitality, generosity and 
goodness of the heart. Held in such high esteem by the people, Abdul Qadir 
Al-Jilani showed great respect to his elders, met the youngsters with a good 
grace, was always the first to salute those whom he met, and hailed the poor 
courteously. Two great scholars, each of whom came later to be known as Sheikh 
Al-Islam, Izzuddin ibn Abdul Salan and Ibn Taimiyah are of the view that Abdul 
Qadir's work was miraculous, but his miracle of miracles was filling the hearts 
of the despaired and the broken-hearted with faith, hope and enthusiasm. He 
infused a breath of new life, zeal and self-confidence into countless persons 
through his power of speech and the spiritual power of his heart. He was, in 
truth, a blessing for the world of Islam for he renovated and revived the true 
content of the faith and tapped the sources of moral spiritual strength for a 
religious renaissance. Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani was a follower of the Hanbali 
school of thought and he endeavored to root out innovations and deviations from 
the orthodox faith and practices. Because of his forceful defense of the need to 
follow the Sunnah strictly, scholars of Hadith and their disciples came to be 
held in high esteem by the masses. Abdul Qadir used to hold classes on daily 
basis teaching the Qur'an, the Hadith and Fiqh, and explaining the differences 
between various schools of thought in Islam. The classes were held in the 
morning and evening, while Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani recited or listened to the 
recitation of the Qur'an after the mid-day prayers. Thereafter, he dictated his 
rulings on religious or legal questions referred to him. His rulings, or fatwas, 
generally followed the Shaf'ie and Hanbali schools of thought. Following the 
example of the Prophet, his companions and successors and great past scholars, 
Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani touched on the current problems of his days, analyzed the 
reasons for the miseries and maladies of the people and provided answers to 
their doubts and deficiencies. Along with this, his sincerity and earnest zeal 
for the welfare of the people fired his enthusiasm and enhanced his appeal to 
people's hearts. The forces of worldliness had become so strong during Abdul 
Qadir's time and the entire social and economical life of the community appeared 
to be woven into the context of the prevailing political situation that people 
had developed a tendency to rely on kings and the noble elite for the 
realization of their worldly ends. Abdul Qadir tried hard to drive it home to 
the people that only Allah could bring them benefit and spare them harm. He 
stressed that all worship should be addressed to Allah alone. No false object of 
worship could be entertained. In one of his speeches, he explained this meaning 
by saying: "You put your trust in your own self, in others, in your wealth, in 
your rites and customs, in your trade and business, or in your rulers; but in 
whatever object you place your reliance, it becomes, to say the truth, your 
object of worship. If you fear someone or expect harm or favor from him, or else 
you deem him as your intercessor with Allah, then he is the object of worship 
for you." Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani did not preserve his admonition to ordinary 
people alone. He fearlessly performed the duty of enjoining what is right and 
forbidding what is wrong. This is a duty incumbent on all the Muslims, 
particular their scholars. Therefore, whenever Abdul Qadir considered it 
necessary, he publicly denounced actions of even the highest government 
officials. He bitterly criticized faults of the great ones without the slightest 
consideration for their power or position. Ibn Katheer, the highly renowned 
commentator on the Qur'an, highlights this fact, saying of Abdul Qadir: "He 
admonished all - the caliphs, viziers, kings, jurists, elite and the laity - to 
adopt the righteous course and to forsake what Allah has forbidden. He openly 
and unsparingly criticized everyone to his face. He used to denounce the 
authorities sternly if they appointed anyone to public office who was known for 
his cruelty, heavy-handiness or tyranny. He never cared for anyone if he saw the 
commands of Allah being overstepped." He also criticized other scholars and 
jurists for paying too much attention to the concerns of this world and who were 
prepared to accept office or be in the entourage of the rulers. He held such 
scholars and jurists responsible for the waywardness of the kings and ruling 
chiefs. The moral and spiritual excellence of Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani, his 
unflinching devotion to Allah's cause, the effectiveness of his sermons, the 
inspiring and regenerating influence exercised by him over the people in his own 
time, and the upright character and moral rectitude of those who have had an 
opportunity to be instructed by him, mark him as one of the most eminent workers 
for the Islamic cause. His greatest achievement was brought about by his 
inspiring and impressive teachings which made thousands of people turn away from 
the lust of power and wealth and his ability to inculcate the true spirit of 
faith through self-correction and purification of the soul. In short, his was a 
striking example of the innate power of Islam to produce a true spirit of 
religion, love of Allah and moral righteousness in an age of crass materialism. 
Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani died at the age of 90, in the year 561 A. H. This brief 
account of the life and work of Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani gives a totally different 
picture of this eminent scholar from that held by numerous people who think of 
him as a man of physical miracles. I even heard from some people that Abdul 
Qadir Al-Jilani used to fly over the heads of those attending his circle in the 
mosque. Such stories are absolute rubbish and they do not do any service to 
Sheikh Abdul Qadir or his cause. Sheikh Abdul Qadir was a dedicated worker for 
the cause of Islam and we would do well if we follow his example by purging all 
traces of impurity of faith and mistaken concepts from our hearts and minds. May 
Allah have mercy on Abdul Qadir and reward him for his dedicated efforts. 


Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News - Jeddah )