moustache, and his outward appearance suggested he was a non-Muslim. Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه made him recite the testimony of faith and embrace Islam. Then, he had his head and moustache shaved, gave him a head covering to wear and named him ‘Muhammad’. Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه then addressed the six people that were there from the start, saying, “We have appointed this one in place of that seventh one.”

Having said this, Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه left, walked a few steps and arrived at Baghdad. I remained behind him until he went into his home, and I entered the seminary.                            

I was astounded and thought what had just happened? Which city was that? Who passed away? Who did the Shaykh recite the testification of faith to? My night passed absorbed in these thoughts.

In the morning, when I sat to study before the Shaykh, I was unable to speak due to awe of him.

The Shaykh said, “O son! Why are you not reading?”

I replied, “My master! What was that incident at night? Please inform me.”

He replied, “That was the city of Nahawand in Persia. Those six individuals were the Abdāl (substitute saints) of this age. The person whose crying and moaning you heard was the seventh of them, passing away.

The man who recited the testimony of faith and entered Islam was a non-Muslim from Constantinople. I made him embrace Islam and