05/10/2025
✨ THE BEAUTIFUL QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES OF SHAYKH ABD' AL-QADIR AL-JILANI قَدَّسَ اللّٰهُ سِرَّهُ
Shaykh Abd' al-Qadir al-Jilani قَدَّسَ اللّٰهُ سِرَّهُ ٱللَّٰهُ was the authority, the imam, in religious matters, theology and law, and the leader of the Shafi’i and Hanbali branches of Islam. He was a man of great wisdom and knowledge. All men profited from him. His prayers were immediately accepted, both when he prayed for good and when he prayed for punishment. He performed many miracles. He was a perfect man, of continuous consciousness and remembrance of Allah, meditating, thinking, taking and giving lessons.
He had a soft heart, a gentle nature and a smiling face. He was sensitive and possessed the best of manners. He was aristocratic in character, generous and giving both of material things and of advice and knowledge. He loved people, but especially those who were believers and who served and worshipped the One in Whom they believed.
He was handsome and well-dressed. He did not speak excessively, but when he did speak, though he spoke fast, every single word and syllable was clear. He spoke beautifully and he spoke the truth. He spoke the truth without fear, for he did not care whether he was praised or criticised and condemned.
In his teaching and his service to mankind he applied qualities which he inherited from the highest. He said, "A spiritual teacher is not a true teacher unless he possesses twelve qualities. Two of these qualities are from the attributes of Allah Most High. They are to hide the faults of man and the rest of creation, not only from others, but even from themselves and to have compassion and forgiveness for even the worst of sins. Two qualities are inherited from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — love and gentleness. From Hadrat Abu Bakr, the first of the four Caliphs, a true teacher inherits truthfulness, honesty and sincerity, as well as devotion and generosity. From Hadrat ‘Umar, justice, and imposing the right and preventing the wrong. From Hadrat Uthman, humility, and staying awake and praying while the rest of mankind are asleep. From Hadrat ‘Ali, knowledge and courage."
He was as devoted as a father to all his tens of thousands of followers. He knew them by name, and cared for their worldly affairs as well as their spiritual state. He helped them and saved them from disasters, even if they were at the other end of the world. He was a child with the children, and treated them with the utmost tenderness and compassion. With those much older than he, he became as if older than they, and treated them with respect.
He kept the company of the poor and the weak; he did not seek the company of the famous and powerful. With such people he behaved as if he were the king’s own King.
May Allah shower His mercy upon Shaykh Abd' al-Qadir al-Jilani قَدَّسَ اللّٰهُ سِرَّهُ and allow us to benefit from his beautiful prophetic examples and his light that still shines so piercingly bright around the world today.
Credit: https://shaikhabdalqadir.org/about-him/biography/
