By Muhammed Shafeeque CM
The evolution of Islamic mysticism was the key factor behind the sustenance of Islam at a time where religious doctrines were erroneously misinterpreted. It was a need of Islamic world as the authentically teachings were disregarded by the people. Thus people loved to love the god and to have a spiritual journey towards the god. Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him was a renowned Sufi saint who bearded the burden to uplift the Islamic community and purify them from the evils. During twelfth century, even though Baghdad was vividly applauded in terms of knowledge and tradition every scholars and rulers failed to purify the hearts of their community. More over five Caliph of Abbasid caliphate ruled Baghdad. But it was Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him who took the role of a savior which was so called as an impossible task by the intellectuals. He had sacrificed his entire life to Islamic creed and came to be known as Muhyudheen (Sustainer of Creed). Thus Islamic mysticism or Sufism cannot be elucidated discounting the contributions of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him.
His lineage was well blessed as it touches Imam Hasan and Imam Husain, May Allah well pleased with them through the lineage of his father and mother respectively. It was believed that the Sufi saints were in search of him before two hundred years of his birth. He was born on 1077AD (470 H) in the place Niff of Jeelan which now situates in Iran near the Caspian Sea. In Non Arabs Jeelan was popularized as Kaylan. Further his birth date explores miraculous calculations. 470 denote Ishq which means love. His age number (91) was defined as Kamal which means perfection in Arabian word calculations. These all facts well clarifies that the birth of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him was divine which was a bright notification for his spiritual expedition.
Not even a minute point in his life can be ignored as it flourishes with mystical teachings. He lived under the care of his grandfather Sayyid Abdulla who notorious Sufi saint. His mother said: when he was child, he never intended to have milk during the day times of the holy month Ramadan. When he was ten he wished to go library. There he saw angels welcoming and respecting him. When he plans to have a play with friends, a heavenly voice will block him (Oh blessed? towards me!)[1].
In his entire life he kept his pride by finding daily needs from handicraft jobs remembering the words of Prophet Muhammed, peace is upon him. He often engaged in farming. But his peerless desire to gain knowledge led him to think about a Diaspora to Baghdad to find out the jewels of knowledge. His mother gave him Forty Dinars and said “I entrust you in god. (Looking upon his face) This is a face which may not see until the day of resurrection. After passing Hamadan he met a troupe of robbers. He persisted with truth as instructed by his mother. He disclosed the fact that money is in his pocket. The seldom reply made robbers to think about confession and finally they embrace the genuine path of Islam. In real, this event was the flag hosting of an everlasting process of purification[2].
He spent 73 years in Baghdad. The historians call it as two eras exploring his life as a teacher (40 years) and student (33 years). Soon after the education he started his career as teacher in the post of Sa’ad Al Mubarak Ali Al Makhzamiyy. There was a special tent where mystical teachings were upgraded. He always made good belief on Sufi saints. Once he came to know about a saint who was well known as Khutub he joined Ibn Al Siqa and Abdulla Ibn Abi Asroon to visit the so called sheikh. When his friends prepared questions to entrap the saint, he said “May god pardon. I will ask a question to get prosperity by seeing his face”.
To be solitude, he habitually went to desert resembling areas. When he yearns to go away from Baghdad, a heavenly voice will recall him “Please come back, indeed, the people have benefit in you”. When he achieved supernatural knowledge from Hamad bnu Yusuf, Hamad said “You are a mountain which not moves”. It was Yusuf Al Hamadani who gave courage to speak in public when he feared as a Non Arab. Even though kings and ministers respect him, he doesn’t wish to have the seats and facilities of them.
His spiritual world is vast like sea as everyone surrendered in describing it. His Khadim (servant) Abul Fathh Al Havy said “I was his servant for more than 40 years. During those days he done the Subh prayer with the ablution he made for Isha. Loneliness was mandatory in night as entry was prohibited towards his room. Once the Caliph came but he was neglected. Ibn Al Akhas said “During a winter, he wore only a Khamees (a special form of dress popular in Arabs), then also he was sweated.[3]
He gave legal opinions (Fathwa) both in Shafi and Hambali classes. Moreover, he interpreted a single verse of holy Quran with distinguished forty explanations.[4]Once Iblees (Satan) came and said “Indeed, i legalese all prohibited things for you”. But sheikh ignored his statement realizing bamboozle of Satan. Satan cleared that he had seduced more than 40 persons having the position of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him.[5]Once, forty jurists’ reached Baghdad to test him with varied questions. But a luster blustered from the heart of Sheikh wiped out the questions of Jurists. They ran around with fear and grief. In soon, Sheikh elucidated their questions and well replied to it.[6]
When he was teaching about Khal’a (judiciary) jinn in suit of a snake came rolled throughout the body of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him. But he feared not as he was a strong believer of his judiciary.
Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him was so renowned among the world due to his mesmeric mystic language which may influence every sections, disregarding the economic, social and religious inequalities. In a single, nearly 70,000 students attended. Nearly hundred thousand people asked pardon from god by hearing his speech. In each year three thousand people expels from him as the propagators of Islam. Totally more than hundred thousand people explored as the propagators of Islam.[7]
Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him said “I searched the doctrines of ritual deeds and i find out benefaction as the best among those ritual practices. When a person gave him gold, he even not touched it but entrusted it to his servant and instructed him to spend it all for the poor sections.
“My leg is upon the neck of every Sufi saints (Valiyy)”
Before 100 years of his birth, there were predictions about this statement from prominent Sufi scholars. When Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him said this sentence, every scholar from the whole world bowed. Imam Suhravardi, May Allah well pleased with him said (bowed) “upon my neck, upon my neck”. Ahmed Al Rifae, May Allah well pleased with him said “I am among them”. When he was asked about this sentence Sheikh Rifae replied “Shiekh Abdul Khadir has said leg is upon the neck of every Sufi saints (Valiyy). Abu Madyan from West said “I am among them”. Shiekh Ibn Hajar Al Askhalani had well explained the meaning of the sentence of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him. He said “the sentence implicitly says that he was the only person lived in that era who adjoin all qualities of perfection”[8]
The miracles of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him are so popular and authentic among Islamic historians. There are no misconstrued texts upon his miracles.
- Once a mother came with her son and said “my son is so font on you. Please accept him”. After some days she saw her son eating old foods like Khubuz. She was so amazed when he saw Sheikh Abdul Khadar Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him eating the peice of a hen. She said “Oh Master! How you able to eat this while my son is eating old Khubuz”. He suddenly pointed towards the leg and it rose in air, transforming as a hen. Then Sheikh Jeelani said “If your son does like this, he may eat whatever he wishes”.[9]
- Once he made ablution. Suddenly a bird came and urinated in his body. The bird was dead by a single gaze from the Sheikh.
- Once his Master tested him by throwing him in sea, he won with his ultra patience. Then the master said “You are an unmovable mountain”.
- He cured many patients where doctors failed to cure.[10]
The first person who was called as a Sufi saint was Abu Hashim Al Kufy (160 H). The first person who propounded the thoughts of Sufism was Du Nun Al MIsry (246 H). The first person who propagated the ideologies of Sufism was Junaid Al Baghdadi (398 H). The first one who invited people to the path of Islamic mysticism was Al Shibli (334 H).[11] Even though there are many Sufi scholars who lightened the world as mentioned above, Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him who lived in sixth century has a pivotal role in popularizing the dogmas of Islamic mysticism.
He has 49 childrens from four wives. There are lots of books written by Sheikh Jeelani. But Most of them were destructed during the eve of That Har persecution. This vulnerable event was happened after 95 years from his demise in AD 1257. The five prominent books of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him are mentioned below.
- Kithab Al Unyath. It is totally related with mystical teachings of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him.
- Al Fath Al Rabbani Va Al fayl Al Rahmani. It was written by his student Afeef Al Dheen Bnu Mubarak adjoining sixty two lectures of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him.
- Futhuh Al A’ayb. It was organized by his son Abdul Razaq comprising seventy eight articles of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him.
- Al Fuyulath Al Rabbaniyya Fi Al Ma’asir Va Al Awrad Al Qadriyya. It is totally depended upon the ritual practices and remembering of Sheikh Abdul Khadir Jeelani, May Allah well pleased with him.
- Basha’ir Al Khayrath Fe Al Swalath Ala Swahibi Al Ayath Al Bayyinath. It discusses about the Swalath upon the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him.
When he was 91 he met a disease. But he never proposed to see a doctor. He said “I have pain all over my body except heart because Allah is embodied in my heart”.[12]Finally he received the call of god in AD 1168 (561 H) on a Saturday of Rabeeul Awwal 10. He said at the time of demise “I am not afraid of any person, I am not afraid of death, and I am not afraid of the angel of death”. He went apart from the world by reiterating the word “Allah, Allah, and Allah”. Let Allah include us in those who are blessed with his care and love.
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Muhammad Shafeeque is enrolled in a special intensive course in classical Islamic studies from Madeenathunnoor College of Islamic Science, Kozhikode, Kerala, India. His areas of interest are Quranic science, translation, theology, jurisprudence, and contemporary Islamic thought.
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[1] Qalayid Al Jawhir 9
[2] Qalayid Al Jawhir 9
[3] Thabaqath Al Sha’arani volume 1, page 129-129
[4] Noor Al Absar 360
[5] Thabaqath Al Sha’arani volume 1, page 127
[6] Thabaqath Al Sha’arani volume 1, page 128
[7] Al Masdar Al Madkoor volume 20, page 447
[8] AlQalayid Al Jawhir 23
[9] Hayath Al Hayavan of Dumairi, Noor Al Absar 359
[10] AlQalayid Al Jawhir 28
[11] Raji Ibn Khalkan Volume , Page 183,184
[12] Futhuh Al Ayb 131