Blessed Statements of Pious Predecessors
Jīlānī Counsels
Shehzad Anbar Attari Madani
O those who love Allah’s Messenger! اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه RabīꜤ al-Ākhir has arrived. This month has a special connection with the Crown of the Saints, Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه, and the major Ghiyārwī Sharīf is commemorated enthusiastically in this time. Let us look at some of the shaykh’s wise words:
Three matters are binding on every Muslim
Three matters are binding on every Muslim in every state (whether night or day, summer or winter, in happiness or sadness, when preoccupied or free; in short, if one is sane and alive).
1. اَمْرٌ یَمْتَثِلُہٗ - Acting upon the commands of Islamic law.
2. نَہْیٌ یَجْتَنِبُہٗ - Avoiding the prohibitions of Islamic law.
3. قَدْرٌ یَرْضٰی بِہٖ - Being content with divine decree.
The shaykh also said, “The least state of a Muslim entails him not being devoid of any of these three matters, at any time. His heart should have firm intention for them. He should continue to explain them to himself and keep his body preoccupied with their implementation.[1]
Reflect upon how concise and excellent this advice is. Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Haqq al-Dīhlawī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states, “In this concise counsel, Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه presented a summary of the entire religion.”[2]
Action which makes a person beloved to Allah Almighty
On 11th Jumādā al-Ākhirah 545 AH, the shaykh delivered a sermon in his seminary, in which he said:
O the wealthy! If you seek wellbeing in this world and the Hereafter, show empathy to the poor through your wealth.[3] “The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم declared, “People depend on Allah, and the most beloved to Allah are those who benefit His dependants most.”[4]
O those who love Allah’s Messenger! From these words of Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه and the aforementioned hadith, it is apparent that helping people, the poor, orphans, and having empathy for them, are actions which make one beloved to Allah Almighty.
اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه was very generous and compassionate himself.
Four matters which cause harm to the religion
On the evening of 12th Shawwāl 545 AH, the shaykh said:
Harm to your religion lies in four matters:
1) Not acting upon your knowledge.
2) Doing that one has no knowledge of (For example, considering sins to be virtues and vice versa, due to ignorance).
3) Not learning what you do not know, and thus remaining without knowledge.
4) Becoming an obstacle for people who walk the path of knowledge.
O people! Your state is such; you infrequently attend gatherings of knowledge, dhikr, and contemplation. You do not join them consistently. When you listen to a speech, you do not take counsel from it. You instead highlight the speaker’s mistakes, laugh at him, and make fun. Repent from this. Do not become like the enemies of Allah Almighty. Take counsel from the sermon-giver. You must be sincerely pious. Allah Almighty states:
وَ مَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُوْنِ (۵۶)
And I did not create jinn and mankind but to worship Me.[5]
Having recited this verse, the shaykh said:
Allah Almighty did not create mankind and jinn so they fulfil their lower desires. He did not create them for play or for merely eating, drinking, and sleeping. O heedless ones! Awaken from your heedlessness!
You are in such heedlessness, you act as though you will not die, not be resurrected on the Day of Judgement, not held to account before Allah Almighty, and not have to cross the Bridge of Ṣirāṭ. This is your state, yet you claim to be Muslims. This is the Quran; if you do not act according to it, it will be evidence against you on the Day of Judgement.[6]
These wisdom-laden and inspiring words of Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī can awaken a person from heedlessness. May Allah Almighty grant us ability to act upon these counsels.
اٰمِیْنْ بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّٖن صلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہ ِوَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
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