Date of Birth
Born on 11 Rabi Al Akhir 470 AH in the village of Niyf in Gilan
Lineage
He was Abdul Qadir son of Abu Salih Musa Janki Dost son of Imam Abdullah son of Imam Yahya Al Zahid son of Imam Muhammad son of Imam Dawud son of Imam Musa son of Imam Abdullah son of Imam Musa Al Jawn son of Imam Abdullah Al Mahd son of Imam Hasan Al Muthanna son of Imam Hasan son of Imam Ali and Sayyidatuna Fatima peace be upon them.
His Mother
His mother was Umm Al Khayr Fatima daughter of Abu Abdullah Al Sowmi Her lineage went back to Imam Al Husayn. She narrated that when she gave birth to Abdul Qadir he did not nurse during the day in Ramadan and this became known as a sign of sainthood in their land.
Journey to Baghdad
At the age of eighteen he asked his mother to dedicate him to Allah. She agreed and he set out from the Kurdish region of Iraq to Baghdad.
His Struggles and Ascetic Life
He said that he spent twenty five years wandering alone in the wilderness of Iraq eating plants drinking river water and reciting the entire Quran every night.
Meeting Sheikh Hammad Al Dabbas
When he arrived in Baghdad he went to the zawiya of Sheikh Hammad Al Dabbas who embraced him and prophesied that the leadership would pass to him soon after this came true.
His Preaching and Teaching
He preached for forty years. His son said that in each sermon around four hundred scholars would write down his words. His presence attracted thousands and his sermons were attended by up to seventy thousand people.
His Character
He had strong spiritual presence clear vision and powerful words that deeply affected hearts. He spoke about hidden thoughts and internal states with divine insight.
His Education
He studied language and literature with Sheikh Ali ibn Yahya Al Tabrizi and became a poet and eloquent speaker. He mastered religious sciences and received the Sufi cloak from Judge Abu Said Al Makhzumi. He met many prominent scholars and mystics of his time.
Subjects He Taught
- Tafsir
- Hadith
- Fiqh
- Legal differences
- Usul
- Grammar
- Quranic recitation
He gave fatwas in the Shafii and Hanbali schools and his rulings were admired throughout Iraq.
His Sufi Lineage
He inherited the leadership of the Sufi path from Abu Said Al Makhzumi which goes back through Al Hakkari Al Tarsusi Al Tamimi Al Shibli Al Junayd Al Baghdadi Al Saqati Maruf Al Karkhi Dawud Al Tai Habib Al Ajami and Al Hasan Al Basri.
His Status and Influence
He was revered and respected even by the Caliph. He mingled with the poor and treated them equally. His order spread across the Arab world, Asia especially India, Africa, and Europe.
The Qadiriyya School
He took over the school of Abu Said Al Makhzumi in Bab Al Azj and expanded it with help from the community. The school became a center of knowledge spirituality and reform.
Story of the Poor Woman and Her Dowry
A poor woman offered half her dowry for her husband to work in the school. Sheikh Abdul Qadir honored her deed and forgave the remaining amount after her husband worked five dinars worth.
Baghdad Before the Qadiriyya Reform
Before the school, Baghdad suffered from chaos, crime, and neglect of religious life. Sheikh Abdul Qadir reformed Sufism returning it to its original mission of sincerity and spiritual education.
Sufi Unity and Global Influence
He united the Sufi orders through meetings in Baghdad and during Hajj with leaders from Egypt, Maghreb, Levant, Yemen, and beyond. This led to the formation of a unified Sufi leadership.
Outcomes of Sufi Unity
- Coordination of efforts among all Sufi orders.
- Two disciples were sent to Baghdad to complete their training under him.
- Scholars began to embrace both law and spirituality.
- Sufism became active in addressing the issues of the Muslim world.
Role in Crusader Resistance
The Qadiriyya school helped train and return youth to the front lines of jihad in Syria against the Crusader threat.
Some of His Miracles
- Once when the Tigris flooded he planted his staff at the shore and said up to here and the water receded.
- Once he sat calmly while a snake fell on him wrapped around him and left while he continued speaking undisturbed.
- He spoke to the snake saying you are only moved by the will of Allah.
Selected Sayings
- Remove the world from your hearts and hold it in your hands.
- The greatest name is to say Allah with no other in your heart.
- Guard the doors of your hearts accept what Allah commands and reject what He forbids.
- Do not wrong anyone even in thought.
- The more you discipline your soul the more it lives and thrives.
Books and Writings
- Sirr Al Asrar
- Al Wasaya
- Tuhfat Al Muttaqin
- Sabil Al Arifin
- Hizb Al Raja wal Intiha
- Al Risalah Al Ghawthiyyah
- Al Ghunyah
- Al Fuyudat Al Rabbaniyyah
- Al Kibrīt Al Ahmar
- Maratib Al Wujud
- Miraj Latif Al Maani
- Yawaqit Al Hikam
- Jala Al Khater
His sermons were compiled by students in Al Fath Al Rabbani and Futuh Al Ghayb. He also reportedly wrote a rare Quranic exegesis.
His Passing
He passed away on 8 Rabi Al Akhir 561 AH at the age of ninety one.
