The Rose of Baghdad- Shaiekh Abdul Qadir Jilaani/Gilani
[Rahmatul Laah Alaieh]
The
month of Rabī‘ul-Aakhir is the month of Shaiekh Abdul-Qaadir Jilaani [Rahmatul
Laah Alaieh]. It is the month of his birth. He
was one of the greatest friends of Allaah [Auliya Allaah]. He is a descendant
of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
He was an ocean of knowledge. His twenty-five yearlong spiritual journeys saw
him travel across the barren desert and ruins in the area around Baghdad living
in complete seclusion where he would experience extreme physical hardships.
During this time, he would be in constant remembrance of Almighty Allaah.
On returning to Baghdad from his spiritual
journey Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] faced a tribulation which Allaah Almighty
permitted him to overcome with majestic wisdom. Many of the Islamic elite of
Baghdad were perturbed by the return of Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] who,
due to his great reputation and spiritual status, had amassed a large following
of disciples.
The scholars gathered and devised a way by
which they could send a clear message to Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir [Rahmatul
Laah Alaieh] indicating their displeasure at his
presence in Baghdad. They ordered a large vessel be filled to the brim and sent
it to the quarters of Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh].
Upon seeing the container, the students of
Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] were baffled as to the meaning behind the
gesture, however, the wise Shaiekh instantly realized the message.
The container represented Baghdad and the water represented the scholars (people of knowledge) in Baghdad meaning that Baghdad was full and did not require a new Shaiekh such as Abdul Qaadir [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh]. With an ingenious stroke of wisdom, the Shaiekh plucked a rose which he then floated on top of the water.
He then ordered the vessel be taken back to
the senders who, on seeing it, immediately acknowledged the great spiritual
wisdom of the Shaiekh and assigned him the title ‘The Rose of Baghdad’.
Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] lived a long and meaningful life which he spent in the remembrance of Allaah Almighty and humbly imparting his knowledge to thousands of students. He was a fearless person and never hesitated to defend absolute justice if he felt that an injustice had been committed.
In one instance it is reported that the Caliph
of the time appointed an unjust man as the head Qadi (judge) and Shaiekh Abdul
Qaadir openly admonished the Caliph saying, ‘You have appointed the worst
tyrant as judge over the believers.
Let us see how you will answer yourself
tomorrow when you will be presented to the great ‘Judge’.
The Lord of the Universe!’,
on hearing this the Caliph was immediately
filled with the fear of Allaah Almighty and dismissed the judge as he wept.
It has been related that in the final days
which Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir’s [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] spent on this earth he was asked by his son if
he felt pain to which he replied, ‘all of me aches except for my heart.
There is no pain in it for it is with Allaah’.
Another son of Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] asked the great Shaiekh for some parting
advice to which he said,
‘Fear Allaah and none other. Hope from Allaah and entrust all your needs in him; hope and want nothing from anyone except him. Rely on Allaah Kareem and on none other. Unite with Him, unite with Him, unite with Him’.
Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir al-Jilani’s [Rahmatul
Laah Alaieh] soul departed this earth in 561 A.H.
(1166 C.E.) at the age of 91. He left behind the great Islamic institution of
the Qaadiriyyah and a wealth of books which have been a great source of
knowledge for the Ummah for more than 800 years. He left this earth with the
parting words,
‘There is no god, but Allaah and
Muhammad is His messenger’.
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