Glance of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir Jīlānī turned a thief into a Quṭb

Having visited the blessed city of Madinah, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه departed for Baghdad barefoot. He came across a robber on the path, who was waiting for travellers to pass by. “Who are you?”, the great shaykh asked.

Although the robber replied by saying he was but an ordinary villager, his transgressions and immorality became apparent to the shaykh by means of a saintly marvel. The robber noticed something was taking place. “Perhaps this is Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir himself”, he contemplated.

The shaykh became aware of what he thought and declared, “I am indeed ꜤAbd al-Qādir.” The robber then fell at his feet in astonishment, and began to plead, یَا سَیِّدِیْ عَبْدَالْقَادِرِشَیْئًالِلہِ - “O my master ꜤAbd al-Qādir! Assist me for the sake of Allah!”

The shaykh felt sympathy for the robber and made duꜤā for him. A voice then rang out from the unseen, “O ꜤAbd al-Qādir! Show him the upright path, direct him towards guidance, and make him a saintly pole (quṭb; a high-ranking station of sainthood).”

With the blessings of spending a few moments with the renowned gnostic, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه and by his blessed gaze, a robber was elevated to an exceedingly high rank of sainthood.^[1]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! With but a glance from Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir Jīlānī, notice how the stained heart of the robber was cleansed and any inclination he had towards stealing or any other evil was removed instantly, and he became the quṭb of his time.