# Abdul Qadir Gilani

Abdul Qadir Gilani (Persian: Persian: عبدالقادر گیلانی, romanized: 'Abdul Qādir Gīlānī, Arabic: عبد القادر الجيلاني, romanized: ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī) was a Hanbali scholar, preacher, and Sufi leader who was the eponym of the Qadiriyya, one of the oldest Sufi orders.
He was born in 1077 or 1078 in the town of Na'if, Rezvanshahr in Gilan, Persia, and died in 1166 in Baghdad. Gilani (Arabic: al-Jilani) refers to his place of birth, Gilan. He also carried 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.
Abdul Qadir Gilani held the highest position in the hierarchy of Sufi saints (Awliya) having achieved the rank (Maqam) of the succour (Ghawth). He famously declared that: "My foot is raised over the neck of every saint of Allah", in reference to his station of Ghawth al-Azam.

## Family background

Gilani was born in 1077 or 1078. His father had the Iranian name of Jangi Dost, which suggests that Gilani was of Persian heritage. His nisba means from Gilan, which is an Iranian region located on the southwestern coast of the Caspian Sea. Gilani is claimed to have been a descendant of Muhammad's grandson Hasan ibn Ali and this claim is generally regarded as true by the Muslim community, including the Qadiri Sufi order.
During his stay in the city of Baghdad, Gilani was called ajami (non-Arab), which according to Bruce Lawrence may have been because he spoke Persian alongside Arabic. According to the al-Nujūm al-ẓāhira by the 15th-century historian Ibn Taghribirdi (died 1470), Gilani was born in Jil in Iraq, but this account is questioned by French historian Jacqueline Chabbi. Modern historians consider Gilani to have been born in Gilan. The region was then politically semi-independent and divided between local chieftains from different clans.

## Education

Gilani spent his early life in Gilan, the province of his birth. In 1095, he went to Baghdad. There, he pursued the study of Hanbali law under Abu Saeed Mubarak Makhzoomi and ibn Aqil. He studied hadith with Abu Muhammad Ja'far al-Sarraj. His Sufi spiritual instructor was Abu'l-Khair Hammad ibn Muslim al-Dabbas. After completing his education, Gilani left Baghdad. He spent twenty-five years wandering in the deserts of Iraq.

## School of law

Gilani belonged to the Hanbali school of law. He placed Shafi'i jurisprudence (Fiqh) on an equal footing with the Hanbali school (madhhab), and used to give fatwa according to both of them simultaneously. This is why al-Nawawi praised him in his book entitled Bustan al-'Arifin (Garden of the Spiritual Masters), saying:
   We have never known anyone more dignified than Baghdad's Sheikh Muhyi al-Din 'Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani, may Allah be pleased with him, 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 belonging to his teacher, al-Makhzoomi, and was popular with students. In the morning he taught Hadith and Tafsir, and in the afternoon he discoursed on the science of the heart and the virtues of the Quran. He was said to have been a convincing preacher who converted numerous Jews and Christians and who integrated Sufi mysticism with Islamic Law.
Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani converted thousands of people to Islam through his compassionate and inclusive approach to inner purification and devotion towards Allah. His emphasis on inner purification, divine love, and ethical living resonated deeply with many, attracting followers from diverse backgrounds. One of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani's most significant contributions was the establishment of the Madrasah al-Qadiriyya in Baghdad. This institution became a center for Islamic learning and spirituality, attracting students from various regions. The curriculum included the study of the Quran, Hadith, Fiqh (jurisprudence), and Tasawwuf (Sufism), providing a comprehensive religious education. The influence of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani extended to political and military leaders of his time. His teachings inspired rulers to adopt more just and ethical governance. Prominent figures such as Nur ad-Din Zangi and Salahuddin Ayyubi were known to respect and follow the principles advocated by the Shaykh, which contributed to their own reforms and successes.

## Death and burial

Al-Gilani died in 1166 and was buried in Baghdad. His urs (death anniversary of a Sufi saint) is traditionally celebrated on 11 Rabi' al-Thani.
During the reign of the Safavid Shah Ismail I, Gilani's shrine was destroyed. However, in 1535, the Ottoman emperor Suleiman the Magnificent constructed a new shrine over his grave, which still exists.

## Books

* Kitab Sirr al-Asrar wa Mazhar al-Anwar (The Book of the Secret of Secrets and the Manifestation of Light)
* Futuh al ghaib (Secrets of the Unseen)
* Jila' al-Khatir (The Purification of heart)
* Ghunyat al-Ṭalibeen (Treasure for Seekers)
* Al-Fuyudat al-Rabbaniya (Emanations of Lordly Grace)
* Fifteen Letters: Khamsata 'Ashara Maktuban
* Kibriyat e Ahmar
* A Concise Description of Jannah & Jahannam
* The Sublime Revelation (al-Fatḥ ar-Rabbānī)