Hazrat Syed Ghous-ul-Azam Dastagir

Syedina Ghous-ul-Azam is not only known as the greatest of all helpers, but was also a great preacher, a great educationalist, a great moralist and a great doctor of Muslim law. He was the glory of the learned and the light of Islam; the Spokesman of theologians, the Interpreter of men of spiritual knowledge, the unique Leader of Leaders; the Leader of nations; the Chief of the chiefs; the Succourer of men and the Jinn; the Reviver of Religion; possessed of very high and perfect spiritual knowledge; and hailed as the Hon our of Religion

Introduction

In Persia, in a place called Naïf in the district of Jilan, in the South of the Caspian Sea, there lived a pious and God fearing man. He was Hazrat Abu Saleh Jangi Dost. He used to spend most of his time in the contemplation and love of Allah (God).

Once he was sitting on the bank of a river in deep contemplation, when upon opening of his eyes, he saw an apple floating down the river. The apple, which reached him near the bank, was taken up and eaten by him. Soon after, his conscience questioned the propriety whether the apple eaten by him was lawful. He got up and walked along the bank of the river towards the sides from where the apple had come, in order to find out the owner of the garden where from the apple had fallen into the river. Hazrat intended to pay him the price for the apple in order to make the energy derived from that apple lawful, since he had eaten it, without his permission.

After a long journey, he reached a spot where appeared a large garden on the bank of the river, which convinced him that the apple eaten by him had fallen from that garden. Upon inquiry he learnt that the garden belonged to Hazrat Abdullah Swamis. Hazrat Abu Saleh approached him and begged his pardon for eating the apple of his garden without his prior permission. Such approach made Hazrat Abdullah Swamis to perceive that Hazrat Abu Saleh was a pious and a noble man. He therefore, asked him to pay the price of the apple before his request for pardon was considered. The price was to serve under him as long as he desired. Hazrat Abu Saleh agreed to serve Hazrat Abdullah Swamis for as long a period as his service was considered necessary.

After a few years service, Hazrat Abu Saleh asked the owner of the garden to grant him pardon and release him. Hazrat Abdullah Swamis, before pardoning and allowing him to leave, asked Hazrat Abu Saleh to agree to marry his daughter who, he was told, was blind, deaf, lame and paralytic of hands. After marriage he was also to stay with them until a child was born to them. These were the qualifying conditions of his release.

In order to obtain his pardon, Hazrat Abu Saleh Jangi Dost agreed to the proposal and the marriage was accordingly fixed up. When he entered the chamber of the bride, he saw instead a beautiful and healthy lady. He turned his eyes from he assuming that he had entered a wrong chamber because the lady before him did not tally with the description given to him.

By his Kashf (Clairvoyance) Hazrat Abdullah Swamis understood the predicament of Hazrat Abu Saleh about his bride. He called him and explained to him that he had stated that his daughter was blind, because her eyes never fell upon any outsider other than members of their family; she was said to be deaf, because she had never heard untruthful statements; she was supposedly lame, because she never undertook and stepped on towards committing acts, alien to the laws of Islam.

Such a description of his wife enlightened Hazrat Abu Saleh with a new light and he began to live happily with his wife whose name was Umul Khair Fatima. She was the pious daughter of Hazrat Abdullah Swamis, who was himself a great Sufi and Saint of his time and was a direct descendent of Hazrat Syedina Imam Hussein (r.a.)

Birth

In this Sayed family of Saints, Hazrat Umul Khair Fatima gave birth to a son in 470 Hijri during the month of Rabi-ul-Akhir. The child was named Abu Muhammad Abdul Qadir. Abu Muhammad was his Kuniet that is the name by which he was familiarly called by relatives and neighbors.

Some of the Saints of the time of foresaw the birth of his Imam-ul-Auliya Saiyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani. Hazrat Abu Bakar Bin Hawara once told some of his disciples that in the near future a great Wali (Saint) would be born in Ajam a non-Arab country – who would be God fearing and highly respected by the people of his time and thereafter. His foot will be on the neck of all Walis (Saints) and Walis of his time would testify to the truth of his claim. Another Saint, Hazrat Ahmed Abdullah Bin Ahmed stated about 468 AH, that shortly a child would be born in Ajam whose miracles would be numerous and whose rank among Walis (Saints) would be very high.

From the above details, it will appear that Saiyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani was a direct descendent of Hazrat Imam Hussein (r.a.) on his father’s side. From his mother’s side he descended from Saiyidina Imam Zainul Abed in son of Hazrat Imam Hussein. He was therefore both a Hasani and Husaini Saiyed tracing his lineage thereby to the two grandsons of Nabi Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi WA Sallam).

All the writers agree that the age of Hazrat’s mother was much above the normal age of child bearing, when this great Saint of Jilan was born to her. Despite having taken birth in such an advanced age of his mother, he was nevertheless, possessed of all the good faculties normally expected of a healthy child. The child was a born Wali (Saint). From the very birth, he was endowed with germs of Psychic powers. His Wilayat was obviously felt from his infancy.

Miracles

His first Kara mat was witnessed, when as an infant child during the month of Ramzan, he would take his mother’s milk only at night and not during daytime. This fact has been proved on the evidence of his mother. Once the new moon of the month of fasting was not visible in the evening on account of clouds. In the morning people came to his mother to inquire whether the day was the first of Ramzan. She replied that her child did not take her milk during daytime, which indicated that the day was the first of Ramzan.

As a child, Saiyidina Hazrat Abdul Qadir would not play with other children. The Psychic powers, which were exhibited by him in his infancy, naturally developed as he grew up, and were visible in all the stages of his holy life. Once the children of the vicinity, where Saiyidina Abdul Qadir with his mother was living, invited him to play. He led the game and asked all the children to say IL-LAL-LAH, when he would recite LA-ILAHA. This play of the children reciting LA-ILAHA-ILLAllah (There is no God but God) could very well show the inclination and pursuits of the Leader.

He was quiet and sober from his early childhood and was generally disposed towards contemplation. His mother and his maternal grandfather, who themselves were, Walis (Aulia Akram) naturally gave him the training that was necessary for a Wali. It may be said, that he was brought up in the cradle of Sufism. Whenever he thought of playing, he will hear a voice questioning him where he was going. At this, he would be frightened and would run back to take shelter in his mother’s lap.

At the age of ten, however, he attended school. The teacher would ask his fellow students to make room for the Wali of Allah to sit in the class. He lived in Jilan up to the age of 18 years. In one day Hazrat would learn by heart as much of his lessons as others would take a week to master. One day, he was going to the fields for an excursion. A plough bullock was ahead of him. The animal suddenly turned round and seemed to tell him that he was not born for the purpose of utilizing his time on excursions. Frightened at this incident, he turned back to his house and climbed its roof. With his spiritual vision, he saw vast assembly standing on Jabl-ul Arafat.

He then requested his mother to dedicate him to Allah (GOD) and also allows him to proceed to Baghdad, which was then famous in the Muslim World as a great seat of learning for the acquisition of knowledge. The desire to acquire knowledge was intensely burning in the Hazrat’s heart and he overcame the love his mother, his hearth and home, for the sake of Allah. He was not deterred by the prospect of hardships of a long and dangerous journey, and residence in a remote city without friends or relatives.

When his mother heard the proposal, she shed silent tears as she perceived that on account of her old age, she was not destined to see her dear son again, whom she had brought up so carefully and tenderly, after the death of her husband long age. But the Saintly Lady would not stand in the way of his devotion of Allah.

She sewed forth diners (Gold Coins) into his garment, so that they might not easily be lost. It was his half share of the money left by his father. The other half was kept for his brother. He soon joined a small caravan, which was going to Baghdad.

From the time of his childhood, he had never uttered falsehood, but despite this trait of his character, his mother at the time of parting, took a vow from him that he should not tell even one lie under any circumstances. They then parted with heavy hearts. The separation between the son and the mother was pathetic and sublime. It was no less similar to that of the leading of Hazrat Is mail by his father, Saiyidina Hazrat Abraham for sacrifice under divine orders, as the separation in either case was not for wealth, rank or fame, but for the sake of Allah.

The caravan passed quite safely as far as Hamden, but beyond that place, a gang of sixty robbers fell upon the caravan and plundered it, but none laid violent hands upon Hazrat, taking him to be a penniless, religious youth. One robber however, questioned him whether he had anything with him. He readily said he had forty diners sewed into his garment. The man took it as a joke and went away. Another robber also asked the same question from Hazrat, and on receiving the same reply, moved off. They reported the incident to the leader of the gang, who ordered the production of they youth before him. Accordingly, when he was taken before the gang leader, he said the same thing, which he had stated before. The garment was then cut open and the forty diners were found.

On seeing the "diners" the leader was astounded and asked Hazrat what had made him to tell the truth when he knew that he too would be robbed. He replied that he had promised his mother not to tell a lie under any circumstances. Hazrat added that if he had told a lie on the very first stage of his journey undertaken for the sake of acquiring knowledge of religion, he would obviously have no chance of acquiring any real knowledge of religion at subsequent stages of his career. Upon this, the robber realizing the felonious life he and his companion's lad led, burst into tears and said that he had been breaking the commands of God throughout his life, while a youth was so conscientiously fulfilling his vow made to his mother.

By placing his hands upon the hands of Hazrat, the leader of the robbers solemnly vowed to give up robbery. The other robbers also followed their leader and repented. The robbed belongings were returned to their owners. The conversion of the gang of robbers was not only due to Hazrat’s strict adherence to truth but to his psychic powers also. Most of the authorities are of the opinion that this incident showed the greatness of Syedina, in the making. Had his nature not been truthful in origin, such a courageous and unwavering stand for truth, even in the face of such heavy odds, would not have been possible for him.

In Baghdad, Hazrat studied several subjects, under many famous Savants of Islam. He studied Fiqah under Qazi Abu Saeed Mubarak bin Mokarrimi, Abu Ofa Ali Bin Aqil and very many other learned teachers. He learned Hadith and his teachers included the famous Abu Ghalib Ahmed and Abu Qasim Ali. He acquired proficiency in Arabic literature under the learned Abu Zakaria Yahya Tabrizi, who was at that time the principal of Madras a Nizami.

During his stay in Baghdad, he established, by his conduct, that he was truthful and extremely charitable. During his stay, although he had to endure great hardships, by dint of the natural talents and devotion, he very soon became the Master of Quran, Fiqah, Hadith and Arabic literature, with all its connected branches.

He was once teaching Quran and a verse was erad. Several interpretations of the verse citing previous interpretations were quoted. In addition to these interpretations, so many other aspects and meanings of the verse were explained in detail, that Sheikh Jamal-din bin Jowzi, who was amongst the audience and was himself a renowned author of his time, admitted to a companion of his, that he knew of only eleven out of the forty different explanations of the verse given by Hazrat Ghosul Azam.

In 521 Hijri, Hazrat Abu Saeed Mubarik Bin Mokarrimi made over his Madras a to Saiydina Abdul Qadir, In the beginning, there were only very few students; but soon his fame for learning, piety, inner illumination, veracity, and strict adherence to Shari at spread far and wide and people from all over the world began to flock round him to reap the benefits of his lectures and sermons. Gradually the existing building proved too small for the ever-increasing students, and in 528 AH, adjacent houses had to be acquired. For thirty-three years between 528 and 561, he devoted himself to the cause of Education. He himself taught Muslim Law, commentaries on the Quran, Hadith, Syntax (grammar) and other Islamic subjects. Students from every part of Iraq and all over the Muslim world came to his Madras a, where they received free education with boarding and lodging provided.

After completing their course of studies, these students either returned to their own countries or went to some other lands in order to spread the knowledge and virtues acquired from the Hazrat. Education thus spread throughout Iraq and other Muslim Countries to achieve Saiyidina’s sole object of the revival of Islam. Most of his students later became famous Saints and Savants of Islam. Among them were Sheikh Ali bin Haiti-a- Qutub of his time – Sheikh Baqir bin Batu, the head of the Autad, Sheikh Shahabuddin Omar Suharwardy the author of the well known book on Sufism, “Awarif-ul-Maarif” and Head of the Suharwardy Order, Sheikh Abdul Hassan the famous preacher of Egypt and very many others.

As a student, when he was engaged in his studies he did not neglect his efforts to attain spiritual perfection. He therefore, often resorted to fasting and would not ask for food from any one, even if he had to go without any meal for days together.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the world, the first and last, outwardly and inwardly, as many times as the number of His creations and equal to the measures of His words and to the weight of His throne, and to the extent of His own pleasure and to the number of all thins single and in pairs, and things that are wet and dry, and of all that our Lord has created and spread for ever, and in all its purity and blessedness. Praise be to Him, Who has created and then made complete and who has made thins according to their measure and guided them to their goal; to Him who cause death and gives life, who makes one laugh and weep; who gives food and drink; who gives one good and bad luck; by Whose command, the seven strong heavens stand and the mountains are fixed like pegs, and the spread out of the earth is staged and in Whose mercy no one can be disappointed and from Whose planning and enforcement of order and dignity and command, no one can escape, and to Whose service no one can be averse, and of Whose blessings no one can be devoid of.

He is praised, because He has loved and is offered thanks, because he affords safety. He confers benefits on us, protects and keeps us safe, gives us life and keeps away from us all that injures and gives us trouble, and all these just out of His mercy and compassion and as an act of absolute favor, and because of His will to give us standing protection in our expressions and actions both private and open and in our reticence and in our plight and in our pleasure.”

“Surely he is the Absolute Doer of whatever He likes and orders whatever He wills, and knows whatever is hidden, and is informed of all affairs and conditions, both of sins and errors as well as acts of obedience and states of nearness of Him, and I ears and accepts all prayers from whomsoever, He likes and wills, without any contentions and hesitation. His favors on his servants are in abundance and ceaselessly at all hours of nights and day and in all conditions, as He has said “If you enumerate the favors of Allah you will not be able to count them” And whatever of blessings is with you, it is from Allah.”

Blessings be then upon His chosen Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon hum), and any one who follows what he has pronounced receives guidance and whoever turns away from him is misguided and perishes, the truthful Prophet of recognized truthfulness, abstainer from the World, and seeker of the High, the one who has been, from among all his creatures, the selected one, with whose advent the Truth has come and with whose appearance, falsehood has disappeared and with whose light the earth is illuminated. Blessings pure and abundant are upon him as also on the pure among his offspring and companions, and his followers, together waits His favor.

“Three things are indispensable for a believer in all conditions of life” said Hazrat Ghous-ul-Azam. He should:

1. Keep the commandments of Allah;

2. Abstain from forbidden things; and

3. be pleased with the decree of Providence.

“A Muslim” he said, should follow faithfully, in the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and should not create innovations and remain obedient to Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him). He should not ascribe any partner to Him nor ascribe any evil to Him but should maintain His truth without any doubt, and remain patient and firm without running away.

“Apply to Allah for your needs, but do not feel annoyed; but wait. Be united in obedience and do not be disunited. Love on another and do not bear spite towards one another. Keep free from vices and do not be contaminated or defiled by them. Beautify yourself with obedience to your Lord. Do not keep away from the doors of Your Master and do not refrain from being attentive to Him. Do not delay your repentance but return to Him. Do not feel weary of seeking forgiveness from your creator at any time during day and night. If you do so, may be, mercy will be shown to you and you will have good luck and be kept away from hell fire. Be united with Allah and enjoy His blessings.

“The first thing which a man of intelligence should see is the condition and composition of his own self, and then of the other creations and inventions. Then he would infer from them the existence of their Creator and Originator, because, creation indicates the creator, and the underlying strong power is the pointer to the wise Actor behind it, because all things are in existence through Allah.”

“In every thing there is an attribute from the attributes of Allah, and every name is a sign for one of His names. So surely you are between His names and His attributes and works, inwardly through His power and outwardly through His wisdom. He is manifest in His attributes and concealed in His person. His person is concealed in His attributes and His attributes are concealed in His works. And He had revealed His knowledge through His will and expressed His will in movements. And He has concealed His skill and His workmanship through His will. So He is hidden in His invisibility and He is manifest in His wisdom and power. There is nothing like a likeness of Him and He is bearing and seeing.”

“Keep away from disobedience to Allah, the exalted, and the Glorious, with utmost effort, and cling to His door with truth. And apply all your power effort in obeying Hum with apologies and entreaties, showing your readiness, in silence with down cast looks not looking at people nor following your animal desires, nor seeking any recompense, whether of this world or of the hereafter, nor yet any promotion to higher positions or honorable stations. And know it for certain that you are His servant, and all that the servant possesses belongs to his Master, so that he cannot any thing against Him.”

“Observe good manners and do not blame your Master. Every thing is in an appointed measure with Him. What he puts forward, no one can push back and whatever He keeps back, no one can push forward. Nothing keeps you off from the favor of Allah and His direct blessings, excepting your reliance on people, and means, and arts and crafts, and earnings. Thus people become a barrier to you. Thus, so long as you remain with people, that is, you yearn for their gifts and favors and solicit from them with expectations at their doors, you are then associating Allah’s creation with Him.”

“Then, when you have renounced your hopes with the people and your associating them with your Lord, you would have thrown away polytheism. If you have discarded your reliance's on your earnings, ability, and power, then you testify Allah that He is the Giver of livelihood, and Creator of causes of care and of strength for earning and Giver of power over everything good.”

“Thus you turn towards Him and throw yourself before Him, the Mighty and the Glorious, when he lifts the veil that intervenes between you and His favor and opens the door of sustenance by His favor at every time of necessity, who is also a fried of the patient as a protection from Him, the Mighty and the Glorious in order to keep you clear from any inclination towards what is besides Him. He thus pleases you by his favors. Thus, when he removes from your heart every purpose and every desire and every pleasure and every object, there remains nothing in your heart excepting His purpose.”

“Thus He wants to bring to you your allotted share which cannot escape from you and which is not meant for any one else from among his creation. He will create in you a desire for that share and will direct it to you, so it will reach you at the time of your need. Then He will give you strength to be grateful to him and he will direct it to you and give it to you as your sustenance so that you may be grateful to Him and may recognize and know it. Thus this will increase your desire for aloofness from people and distance from men and for emptiness of your heart from whatever is besides Him.”

“Then when your knowledge has been strengthened as also your certainty, and your heart has expanded and is illuminated, and your nearness to Allah and your position with Him, and your trustworthiness and worthiness in the matter of guarding His secrets have been increased thereby, you will be given knowledge before hand as to when your share will come to you as a sign in your favor, and as an exaltation of your dignity. This is a favor from Him and an act of kindness and guidance. Allah the Exalted and Glorious says “Those who strive hard for US, we will most certainly guide them in our ways.”

And fear Allah and He will teach you then, He will invest you with the power of controlling the Universe, with a clear permission, which will have no obscurity in it and with clear signs which will be bright like the bright sun and with sweet words which will be sweeter than all sweet things, and with true revelation without any ambiguity and will be free from any evil suggestion of the animal self and from the promptings of the devil, the accursed.

“O child of Adam, I am Allah; nothing deserves to be worshipped excepting me. I say to a thing ‘Be’ it will likewise come into being. Obey Me; I will make you so that if you say to a thing ‘Be’ it will likewise come into being.” And He has endowed this gift to many of His Prophets (peace be upon him) and Awliyas and people specially favored from among the children of Adam.

Verily there is nothing excepting Allah and yourself and you are the addresser. The self of man is opposed to Allah and inimical to Him and all things are subordinate to Allah. The Self of a man really belongs to Allah as a creation and as a possession and the self of man entertains presumptions, wherefrom arises false hopes and passions and sexual pleasure. So if you ally yourself with Truth by opposing yourself and becoming hostile to it you will belong to Allah said to Prophet Dawood (peace be upon him) “Dawood I am your unavoidable Resort, so hold firmly to this Resort. True servitude consists in your becoming inimical to your own self for my sake.” It is then that your friendliness towards Allah and servitude to Him will become a proved fact. And it is then that you will get your share of things holy, wholesome, and pleasant. ; You will then become dear and honorable and everything will become your servant and render you homage and will be afraid of you; because all of them are subordinate to their Allah and in harmony with Him, since He is their Creator and Originator and they acknowledge their servitude to Him.”

Allah says, “And there is nothing that does not glorify Him with His praises, but you do not understand their prayers.” “Do not follow your low desires because they will lead you astray from the path of Allah.” “Shun your low desires because there is nothing that contends with me in my kingdom excepting the carnal desire of man.” And there is a famous incident related to Abu Yazid Bustami that when he saw Allah the Almighty in his dream, he asked Him “How can one get at you?” Allah said, “Discard yourself and come to me.” Thus all good, lies in fighting one’s self in everything and in all conditions of life.

“Get out from your own self and be away from it and be a stranger to your sense of self and surrender everything to Allah. Become His gatekeeper at the door of your heart and keep his commandment by admitting whomsoever he permits to be admitted, and honors His prohibition by keeping away from every thing, which He forbids. Do not will anything, which is not the will of Allah. Any will of yours, which is not the will of Allah, is the wilderness of the fools. It is death for you and a curse of falling away from the sight of Allah and of screening Him away from yourself if you are in this wilderness. Always guard the commandment of Allah and abstain from His prohibitions and surrender to Him always in all that He has ordered and do not associate with Him anything from His creation. Polytheism consists not merely of idol worship. It is also polytheism if you follow the desire of the flesh to adopt anything of this world and of the hereafter in association with Allah. Because whatever is besides Allah, is not Allah. Thus when you are engaged in anything, which is besides Him, you are undoubtedly associating that other thing with Allah.

Therefore, be aware and do not remain indifferent; seek and then alone will you attain security. Do not ascribe any condition and position of yours to your own self and do not claim anything among these, for yourself. Thus, if you are placed in any condition or raised to any position do not speak of it to any one. Because in the changing circumstances from day to day, the glory of Allah manifests itself in an ever-new aspect and Allah intervenes between His servants and their hearts. It may be that the thing about which you may speak may be removed from you and the thing, which you think to be permanent and abiding, may under go a change so that you will be put to shame before those to whom you spoke about them. You should rather reserve the knowledge of this within your own self and should not communicate it to others. Then if the things continue in existence, know it to be the gift of Allah and ask for power to be thankful and for an increase in the favors of Allah. But if the thing ceases to exist, it will bring progress and light and wakefulness and regard. So do not ascribe any shortcoming to His decree and His procedure and do not entertain doubt about His promise.

All good lies in being regardful of the existing condition and in being contended with it and in warding off desires for any thing, which is besides it. Because such things must be either one that is allotted to you or one, which is allotted to nobody, but has been created by Allah as a trail. So if it is destined for you, it is bound to come to you, whether you like it or dislikes it.

It is not proper, therefore, that any unmanned lines should be manifested from you or by any greed in your desire for it, because it is disapproved by the standards of intelligence and knowledge. If it is destined for another man, why should your, bear ill will for a thing, which you could not get, which is never destined to reach your hands? It is a thing, which but to fall to the lot of any man to whom it is only a trail. How can an intelligent person like and approve that he should call for himself a trial and yet actively seek for it. Thus it is proved that good and safety lie wholly in paying regard to the existing condition. When Allah the Mighty and Glorious gives you wealth and you are diverted by it from obedience to Him, He screens you away, on account of it from Himself both in this world and as well as in the hereafter. And it is also possible that He may take away the gift from you and change you and reduce you to poverty as a punishment for your turning away from the Giver.

And if you engage yourself with obedience to Him and become indifferent towards the wealth, Allah will make a free gift of it to you and will not lesson it even by an atom. Remember wealth is your servant and you are the servant of the Lord. Therefore, live in this world under His loving care and in the hereafter honorably and in the garden of Abiding residence in the company of the truthful (Siddiq) the witnesses (Shahids) and the virtuous (Salih).

Do not ask from Allah, the Mighty the Glorious, any thing other than forgiveness of your past sins and protection from sins in the present and the future and the power of goodly obedience, in order to perform His commandments and to abstain from prohibited things and to be pleased with even the bitterness of the decree of Providence and to be patient in the fact of abundance of comforts and gifts and lastly to die achieving a good end of the life in order to become united with the Prophet, Siddiques and Shahids and virtuous men, who are a goodly band of companions.

“He has kept the knowledge of things hidden from you and He is alone in His knowledge of good and evil of things. Allah knows what is good and what is bad and you do not know.”

Never be proud of your own deeds. The best course for you is to give thanks and praise to the helper and to praise Him continuously and to ascribe your achievement to Him in all conditions of your life unless it is evil, and sinful acts, should be ascribed to your own self.

You should ascribe to your own self injustice and bad manners and blame yourself for these, for it is your own self, which had deserved these things more than any one else, since it is the seat of all-evil is also your self. When all grants prayer of a servant of His and gives him what he asks for, His own purpose does not thereby become frustrated. On the contrary such a prayer is in conformity with the object of the Lord and occurs in time. So the acceptance of the prayer and the fulfillment of the needs take place in due time and in accordance with a set plan which Destiny has arranged before hand in the beginning of time which have been marking time for fulfillment at the appointed hour.

D not say, I will not pray for anything to Allah because if the prayed for object has been allotted to me, it will surely come to me whether I ask for it or not. Whereas if it is not in my lot, He will not give it to me even if I ask for it. No, You should ask from Him all that you want and need of good things of this world and of the hereafter, provided there be nothing in it which is forbidden and injurious, because Allah has commanded us to ask from Him and has urged us to do so in that respect. ; He says in Holy Quran “Call on me; I will accept your prayers.” “Ask from Allah His favors.” ‘Ask from Allah while you are fully confident of the acceptance of your prayers.” You should persist in your prayers to Him, so that if it is a thing, which is allotted to you, He will send it to you after you have asked for it, and thus increase your faith and certainty in realizing His unity. He will help you in keeping away from soliciting from people and in diverting you to Him in all your conditions and in enhancing your confidence that all your needs are fulfilled by Him.

And if it is not in your lot, He will give you self sufficiency with regard to it and will give you pleasure with Himself, the Mighty and the Glorious, in spite of your poverty. And if you are in the midst of poverty and illness, He will make you pleased to reconcile yourself with such affliction.

And if it is a question of debt He will turn the heart of the lender from an attitude of severe demand into that of gentleness towards you; and of deferment and of provision of facility up to the time when it is convenient for you to repay the debt or make a reduction of it, or to a mood which will make him write off the debt. But if it is not written off in your behalf or reduced in this world, Allah, the Almighty, the Glorious, will give you in the life after death a considerable amount of reward in exchange for what He has not given you in response to your prayers in this world, because He is generous, free from want and merciful. He will not disappoint one who prays to Him to this world and in the hereafter. So it cannot but bring in some benefit and acquisition, sooner or later.

A saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) runs to the effect that the believer will see in the record of his deeds, on the Day of Judgment, some acts of merit which he had not performed nor was aware of them. So he will be asked, “Do you not know where these are from.” So it will be said to him. Surely this is in recompense of your petitions which you made in your prayers to Allah, the Mighty, the Glorious whom you were remembering and acknowledging His unity, keeping things in their proper places, and giving a person his due, and discarding the assumption of Might and power to your own self and renouncing pride and vanity and boastfulness. All these constitute good deeds, for which there has been a reward in the eye of Allah, the mighty, the Glorious.

Do not say O penniless man; from whom the world and its people have turned away their face, who is without any fame, and is hungry and thirsty, Whose body is meager of clothing, who wanders about every corner of the world, in every mosque and in every desolate place and is yet turned away from every door, and who is fed up and disappointed with all the desires and longings of his heart, that Allah has made me so poor and deprived the world from me and brought about my fall and has forsaken me as an enemy and made me distracted and denied me of any composure of mind and has not given me enough in this world and has reduced me to obscurity and has not made my name exalted among people and my brothers, while He has given other plenty of His blessings and made them superior to me and to the people of my house, although both of us are Muslims and believers, and have our common mother in Eve and common father in Adam, the best of mankind.

Well, Allah has dealt with you in this manner because your nature is pure and the moisture of the Mercy of Allah is to come to you incessantly in the form of patience and cheerful surrender. Certainty and reconcilement and knowledge and the light of the faith and of monotheism are to be heaped on you. Then the tree of your faith with its root and seed will be established and it will become firm and grow and spread out shady branches, shooting forth twigs. Thus, every day it will enlarge a will grow without need for any manure to help its growth and development. The things which Allah has allotted to you will come to you in due time whether you welcome it or are averse to it. So you should not be greedy or eager for what will be yours. And do not feel sorry for what is meant for another person and not for you. What is in your possession must be either of the two, yours or another person’s.

Now if it were yours it will come to you and you would be drawn towards it and the meeting will take place very soon. And what is not yours, you will be turned away from it and it will turn away from you, and so there will be no meeting between your and the thing. So be occupied in the best manner with what you are after in the time present before you in obeying your Lord. Do not raise your head nor pay any heed towards what is besides Him. God says in the Holy Quran, “And do not stretch your eyes after that with which we have provided different classes of them (of) the splendor of this world’s life, that we may thereby try them; and sustenance (given) by your Lord is better and more abiding.”

“So certainly Allah has forbidden you to pay attention to anything else but that, on which He has maintained you and has given you your provision of obedience, and has bestowed on you out of His all, outmen provisions and favor. And He has warned you that whatever is besides possess a trait with which He has been trying them (others) and that your cheerful acceptance of your portion is better for you and purer and preferable. So let this be your way and resort; your objective and longing through which you will attain every object and reach every station to receive blessing, freshness and joy. Allah has said in the Holy Quran, “No soul knows what is in store for them of that which will refresh the eyes, a reward for what they did.” So there is no deed beyond the five prescribed ways of service, eschewing all sins. There is nothing greater and more honorable and more liked by and pleasing to Allah than what we have mentioned for you already. May Allah by his favor give you and us the power to do what is liked by him and is pleasing to Him?

Therefore, cultivate patience and cheerful submission; pay regard to the present and practice obscurity; remain quiet, composed, and silent; Be aware; Make good your escape; Make haste, Fear Allah; And again fear Allah; Cast down your looks; Turn away your eyes; Be modest; till the destined reaches its appointed time and you are taken by your hand and brought to the forefront.

Then will be removed from you all that you feel heavy, after which you will be made to plunge in an ocean of favors and kindness and mercy; and will be clothed with the robe of light and Divine secretes and rare knowledge. Then you will be made near and spoken to, and given gifts, and made free from need, and made courageous and exalted, and addressed with the words, “Surely you are in our presence to day in honorable and faithful one.”

Then guess and appraise from the condition of Yoosuf when he was addressed through the tongue of the king of Egypt, its chief. Apparently it was the tongue of the king that was speaking, but in fact, the speaker was Allah, who was speaking through the tongue of knowledge. To Yoosuf was given the material kingdom, namely the kingdom of knowledge both spiritual and intellectual and of nearness to Allah, and of distinction and high position before Allah. Thus it is that Allah says “And thus did we give to Yoosuf power in the land, he had mastery in it wherever he liked.” The land here stands for Egypt. With regard to kingdom of Spirit, Allah says, “Thus (it was) that we might turn away from him evil and indecency, surely he was one of our sincere servants.”

With regard to the kingdom of knowledge he says, “This is what my Lord has taught me; surely I have forsaken the religion of a people who do not believe in Allah.” When you are thus addressed O truthful one, you are given an ample share of great knowledge and blessed with strength, goodness, power and saintliness, and an order which affects the spiritual and non spiritual matters and are vested with the power of creation, with the permission of Allah, of things in this world even before the coming of the hereafter. Then in the hereafter, you will be in the abode of peace in Paradise. And the sight of the countenance of Allah will be an additional favor, which is an objective without limit or end.

It is a parting advice of mine that you should never complain about any mishap that may befall on you to any one either a friend or a foe. You should not blame your Lord for what He does to you, and for His test of you. You should rather give publicity to what good happens to be with you and to express your thankfulness on that account. Who is there that is devoid of the blessing of Allah? The mighty and Glorious says “And if you count the blessings of Allah, you will not be able to enumerate them.” How many are the blessings with you, but you do not recognize them, you should look to no body else, because in nothing else is there harm of good or appropriation or renunciation or honor or dishonors or elevation or fall or poverty or affluence or movement or pause. Matter is the creation of Allah and in the hand of Allah lays the source of its movement by His command and permission. It continues to exist up to a time fixed by Him. And every thing exists according to a measure so fixed by Him. Whatever He has made posterior can by any means be made anterior and whatever He has made anterior can by any means be made posterior. If any harm is to befall you, no one can avert it excepting Him. And if any good is to accrue to you, no one can withhold His favor.

Thus if you complain against Him while you are in comfort enjoying some of his blessings in your desire for an increase of them, shutting your eyes to what has been bestowed upon you as very poor you will offend Allah. He will remove them from you and make your own false complaint real and double your misery and intensify His chastisement and anger and displeasure for you. He will make you fall off from His sight. Therefore, beware of complaint, even if your flesh is cut into pieces by means of scissors. Save yourself, Fear Allah, Fear Allah, Fear Allah.

Verily most of the various calamities that befall the son of Adam are due to complaint against his Lord. How can one complain against Him? He is the most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Best of all judges Patient, Aware, Compassionate, Merciful, and kind towards His servants. He is not unjust to His servants and is like a patient, affectionate, loving, and kind physician related to the patient. Can any fault be found in an affectionate and kindhearted father or mother? The holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said, “Allah is more merciful towards His servants than a mother is towards her son,” O’ poor man; show the utmost of good manners. Exhibit patience at the time of calamity, even if you become exhausted by patience. Hold on to patience, even if you get exhausted through your cheerful submission to and harmony with Allah.

In the self of a man, there are various kinds of sins, faults and blemishes, on account of which he becomes unworthy of the company of Allah. Unless purged of impurities of sins, no one can kiss His threshold. None other than those who are purified from the dirt of self-conceit can kiss His threshold just as no one can be worthy of the company of kings, except those who are cleaned of impurities, bad smell and dirt. Thus, calamities are atonements and purifiers. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said, “The fever of one day is atonement for the sins of a whole year.”

Regard good and evil as two fruits coming out from two branches of one single tree. One of the two branches yields sweet fruit and the other bitter. So you leave cities and countries and their outskirts where fruits plucked from this tree are sent, and keep away from them and their people. But approach the tree itself and become its guard and attendant servant, and acquire knowledge of these two branches and of the two varieties of fruits emerging there from and remain near the branch, which yield the sweet fruits. Then it will be your food and your course of strength. But beware, lest you should approach the other branch and eat the fruit thereof, because its bitterness shall kill you. When you persist in this attitude, you will be in ease, in security and safety from all misery because troubles and tribulations are born of this bitter fruit. “O, you who believe, be patient and excel in patience and remain steadfast and be careful of your duty to Allah.” He has commanded you to be patient, O, believer, then to see one another cultivate patience. To be steadfast and to remain on guard and to make this incumbent on yourself. He further warns you against discarding patience in the words “Be careful of your duty to Allah” when referring to discarding this virtue. Thus good and safety lie in patience. And the holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said, “Patience stands in the same relation to faith, as the head stands in relation to the body.” And it is also said “for everything there is a reward according to a measure but for the reward of patience, its prize has no measure.” And Allah says, “Verily the patient will be given their reward without any measure.”

The Walis of Allah, acting on behalf and under the stamp of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and not proclaiming their existence and position' until commanded by Allah serve humanity, by their precepts and examples and pray incessantly for the general forgiveness of human sins.

The idea regarding the existence of such Walis and their approach towards some form of intercession for humanity is borne out by Verses 20-27 of Sura Yasin, a perusal of which will show that even among a nation doomed to destruction for its inequities, there live persons who testify to the truth of a Prophet appearing among them by their powers of reality, recognizing the will of Allah. The event is begun with the following words, "And from the remote part of the country there came a man running who said, O' my people follow this messenger, "The story of the prophet Loot as given in Sura HUD, gives an indication to the effect that punishment for the sin of a nation is averted by the presence of an eminent man of spiritually.

The deferment of such punishment is out of deference to a spiritual personality living in its midst.

The punishment of Quraish was deferred till the migration of the Holy prophet from Mecca. Al-Quran lay? Down this principle in so many words "Nor is Allah going to chastise them while you are among them" (8:33). The well known Hadith ascribing to Allah the Words "One who is hostile to my Wali receives an announcement of War from Me" presents only the counterpart of this idea. Because if hostility to a Wali excites the wrath of Allah it follows that the attention and prayers of the Wali can induce the mercy of Allah. Of course the Wali spoken of are Walis of the eminence like that of Hazrat Ghosul Azam Abdul Qadir Mohiyuddin.

Miracles are abnormal and extra-ordinary acts that can only be performed by the privileged few like the Prophets and Walis of Allah. Perhaps such acts may sound illogical to the rationalist. But they do occur and are beyond ordinary comprehensive. The partings of the Red Sea for the Prophet Moosa and such like events are examples. Even in the life of ordinary mortals, miracles occur, by the mercy of Allah, to save them from catastrophes or accidents.

The miracles of Hazrat Ghosul Azam recorded are innumerable, when compared to other Saints. Of these innumerable, miracles, a few are given below.

After Hazrat Ghosul Azam settled down in Baghdad remarkable stories about his power circulated in Baghdad. The day to day increase in the circulation of such stories made a large number of great scholars of the town to decide to visit him, altogether in other to test his knowledge by posing one, hundred difficult questions. On their arrival, the Hazrat foretold them of their purpose and gave each question the correct answer, even propounding to them explanations beyond the limits of their comprehension on their own special subjects. This" thought reading was daily manifested by him. It was not necessary for the visitors who came with petitions of desires to tell him, for he looked straight at them and gave them the answers.

On one occasion; two weary and hungry travelers from Arabia joined his audience unobtrusively. The Hazrat immediately s^^ped his discourse saying "Poor travelers; they have just come a long way and have had practically nothing to eat." He then described correctly their last meal to the astonishment of all concerned.

One of the most remarkable things we hear from this Saint's life is that even a man's destiny could be deflected from conscious life into the dream state. A merchant of Baghdad one day approached Sheikh Hamm ad Al-Dabbas for his blessings before taking a caravan to Syria. Sheikh Hamm ad forbade him to undertake the proposed journey because he foresay that the merchant was likely to be robbed and murdered by highway men. The merchant very much depressed, met Hazrat Ghosul Azam on the way and informed

him what the Sheikh had told him. The Hazrat promised the merchant his personal responsibility for his safe journey and asked the merchant to proceed. He reached his destination safely with his goods.

On his journey the merchant forgot to take back his money kept in the place where he had performed his 'ablution. On going to bed he was murdered. On waking he saw blood round his neck and also felt the pain of the blow. However, he realized that what he had seen was a mere dream, but remembering his lost purse, he went back to the place and recovered it.

While he was returning to Baghdad he was confused in his mind to decide whether seeing Sheikh Hamm ad first would be proper, as he was the senior Sheikh or seeing Hazrat Ghous first was appropriate as it was his predictions had proved true. He suddenly saw Sheikh Hamm ad. He asked him instead to first go to Hazrat Ghosul Azam by whose prayers his predestined murder had been changed into a dream and the loss of property the purse changed into forgetfulness.

One of Hazrat's own servants, who visited his master, complained that he had, in a dream slept with man women. Upon this, Hazrat said that it was the servant's destiny to sleep with all those women but this misdeed had been transformed into a dream. Before the servant began to describe the event, Hazrat gave him a list of the names of all the women including those he knew and those he did not.

Khalifa AImustanjid Billah once came to Hazrat and presented him some bags of gold. He refused the gift but when the Khalifa begged and pleaded for their acceptance the Hazrat took two bags and pressed them. Blood seemed to ooze out of them, which was indicative of the fact that the wealth had been amassed by oppressing people, which was represented by the blood seen.

On one occasion a Christian Clergyman came from Yemen and accepted Islam from him in an assembly where he had delivered a sermon. After his conversion, he voluntarily stood up and related to the assembly that he was a man of Yemen and had decided to accept Islam from the hands of the most eminent Muslim in Yemen. He reported that had seen Prophet Easa in a dream who directed him to proceed to Baghdad and accept Islam from Hazrat Abdul Qadir, who was the most eminent at the time in the whole world.

Once three Fiqah, who came to see him offered their prayers under his Imamate (leadership). They did not like his reading of the Quran and formed a low opinion of him. They slept that night and went to the spring for a bath late at night. A Tiger clung to their clothes and caught hold of them. The Fiqah became afraid of their lives. The Hazrat at that moment came out of his closet. The Tiger quiet Ned and crawled (it his feet. Hazrat sternly looked at the Tiger as if to question why it had interfered with his guests though they had formed low opinion of himself. The Fiqah came to him and repented for their conduct and begged his pardon. Hazrat then addressed his guests remarking that while he had been improving his heart, they had only been improving their tongue to speak ill of him and slander people.

Sheikh Shihabuddin Omar Suharwardy in his youth used to read voraciously books on scholasticism, in spite of the advice of his uncle to the contrary. Once his uncle took him to Hazrat Ghosul Azam and informed him that the boy was devoting all his time to scholasticism. Upon this Hazrat asked Sheikh Shihabuddin what books he had read on the subject. On getting a reply, he placed his palm on the breast of Sheikh Shihabuddin. No sooner was the plam removed; he surprisingly forgot all he knew of scholasticism. But in lieu of it, he felt his mind replaced by the knowledge of Allah. Sheikh Shihabuddin Omar Suharwardy ultimately became the Imam of the Suharwardy Order and is the author of the famous book on Sufism named "Awariful Maarif."

Sheikh Muzzafar bin Mansur said that in his youth he saw the Hazrat in the company of a large number of persons. When he sat down with a book on spiritual philosophy, Hazrat without seeing the book but questioning him said that the book was not a good one for him and should be discarded. However, be did not like to discard it owing to his love for the book, but at the same time he neither desired to incur the displeasure of Hazrat also by retaining that book. So he decided to keep it somewhere else and tried to get up to do so. But he could not. He felt as if he was planted to the ground.

Hazrat then asked him to show the book to him. It was given. Hazrat passed his hand over it and said that the book was Ibuzari's "Fazil-ul-Quran" and then returned it to him. I opened it and saw that it was "Fazil-ul-Quran'' but without the chapter on spiritual subject and philosophy "contained therein earlier. Hazrat asked him to repent for what had passed through his mind He first repented and then got up, but found that he could not thereafter remember a single portion of that book.

A relation of the Khalifa was once taken to Hazrat. The man was suffering from dropsy and had an enormously swollen stomach. He sought relief. Hazrat passed his hands over his stomach, upon which it contracted to its normal size.

Hazrat Ghosul Azam had spiritual powers to hasten to the rescue of those who called him in an hour of emergency or adversity even from afar, such as the hearing of a thundering shout that rang, to frighten away marauders who tried to molest and loot owners of a caravan in the desert of Samarkand, who, in their hour of peril, called and appealed for the aid of the Hazrat.

Sheikh Shihabuddin Suharwardy's parents were for long childless; until his mother approached him and begged of him to pray to that she may be blessed with a son. Raising His hands in supplication he prayed and said that Allah the Beneficent would grant her wish. He desired the child when born to be named Shihabuddin and predicted that the child would rise up to be a Sheikh of Sheikhs. In the ceruse of time she bore a son though she was above the normal age of child bearing.

His powers over the souls of this disciples extended beyond the grave. One day in Baghdad a man informed him that his deceased father in a dream had desired him to appeal to him to pray for (he redemption of his dead father's soul, as he was suffering. Hazrat asked the visitor "Did your father ever visit my Madrassa?" Yes he answered. Hazrat remained silent for a while and referred no further on the matter. A few days latter, the man returned to Hazrat saying that his father appeared to him in a dream wearing a green robe and had told him that his punishment has been lifted due to Hazrat Ghosul Azam's prayers.

Abdullah Zayyat once said that one night Hazrat came out of his closet with a walking stick in his hand. Abdullah within himself at that moment wished to see Hazrat performing some miraculous act. No sooner this thought had occurred to him, the Hazrat set up his stick on ground and it became luminous and began to glow. Soon it became so bright that it illuminated the entire house. He then took up his stick, and looked at Abdullah and remarked you desired this sort of act. Abdullah was amazed.

A mother brought his son to the Sheikh to become a murid (follower) A few months later she returned and saw him looking under nourished. She complained that Hazrat was himself partaking the delicious dish of chicken daily whereas his poor son had been made to keep up on dry bread. Hazrat on this complaint picked up the bone of a chicken, by this bone suddenly transformed into a live cock, which crowed as if to testify that there is no Allah but Allah. Mohammad is His Prophet "and Sheikh Abdul Qadir is His Wali". Addressing the terrified woman he commented "when your son is able to do this, then there will be no reason why he should not eat the same as I do."

He once asked nearly three hundred residents of a dwelling place to vacate it immediately. No. sooner these people vacated, (he building fell to the ground. He had for seen the occurrence and warned them in time.

Sheikh Alt Arabi of Spain had no children. At the instance of a Majzoob (a Mon of distracted mind owing to' divine attraction) he approached Hazrat Ghosul Azam for his blessings and prayers for a son. Hazrat said I have one more son yet unborn in my destiny. I give it to you. Rub your back against mine and name him when born Mohammed Mohiyuddin. He would rise up to be a Qutub of his time. The child was eventually born and was named accordingly. He became a great philosopher and attained high spiritual advancement. He gained the title of Sheikh Akbar and is commonly known as Ibn-al-Arabi.

During a famine in Baghdad, Abdul Abbas Ahmed, the servant of Hazrat complained to him of the need for funds and of food grains. Hazrat gave him a reasonable quantity of wheat and asked him to store the grain in a covered receptacle and never to weigh it, but to take out according to necessity, by opening out a small portion of the container. He used to draw grains in this way for an unusually large period. The wife of the servant of Hazrat at last felt very much curious about it and in order to satisfy herself opened the mouth of the container. She surprisingly found almost *he same quantity of grain as was kept in the beginning, still remaining and unexhausted.

Once the water in Tigris rose to an extra ordinary high level on account of an unprecedented flood. The inhabitants of Baghdad became frightened of the imminent danger. They came to Saiyidina Hazrat Ghosul Azam and solicited his help. There upon Hazrat went up to the river side and planting his stick on the river bank said "Remain with in this limit. The flood then began to recede slowly and came down to the Limit demarcated by him.

Once a resident of Baghdad approached Saiyidina Ghosul Azam and stated that his son has been getting fever for a year and a quarter, and could not shake it off by any means. Hazrat instructed him to speak into the ears of his son and say '0 fever leave my son and go to the village of H Allah.' He acted accordingly, and the fever left his son at once.

It is related on the authority of Sheikh Adi Bin Musafir that once Hazrat Ghosul Azam was conversing with some persons assembled to hear his sermon when it began to rain. Hazrat looked upon the sky and solicited "I call together men for your (Allah's) sake but you disperse them." As soon as he had uttered this, the clouds disappeared and rain ceased in the precincts of the Madrassa of Hazrat, though it was raining outside.

Sheikh Osman Sayrifini and Sheikh Abdul Haq Harimi stated ".We were present before Saiyidina Hazrat Ghosul Azam in his Madrassa on third Saffar 555 A.H., when Hazrat suddenly got up with his wooden sandals under his feet and performed ablution. He offered two Rakats of prayers and with a loud shout threw one of the sandles into the air. It disappeared from our sight. With another shout, his Holiness threw the other sandle into the air, which also disappeared. None present dared questioning him on the incident.

But thirty days after this incident a caravan came to Baghdad from Ajam and said that they had brought some presents for Hazrat. Hazrat permitted the acceptance of the presents of valuable things but these the same pair of sandles which were thrown in the air by Hazrat. They related that on the third of Saffar when they were traveling, suddenly a gang attacked them and plundered their merchandise and murdered some of them in the caravan. The gang then entered the jungle to divide the booty. Then they had halted at the outskirts of the jungle and it struck them to solicit the help of Hazrat Ghosul Azam. Just at that time they had heard two loud shouts which reverberated throughout the jungle. They had mistaken the shouts as the aftermath of a scuffle between the gang that attacked us and a stronger gang of Arabs. We were terror stricken. Some members of the gang came to us and said that a calamity had befallen them and requested us to take back the plundered goods. We went to the place where the booty was lying divided and saw two of their leaders lying dead and the two sandles lying close by.

Sheikh Abdul Hassan commonly known as Ibn Astantana of Baghdad stated "When I used to live in the Madrassa of Saiyidina Ghosul Azam for the acquisition of learning, I generally keep awake, at night in order to serve the Hazrat, if and when required. One night in 553 A.H. Hazrat came out of his room, presuming he required water for ablution, I took it to him but his holiness did not take it. Instead, he proceeded towards the gate of the Madrassa. I quietly followed him. The gate automatically opened and when he passed on, it closed itself. He then went towards the gate of the city which also similarly opened and closed automatically. Shortly after this we reached a town, which I had not seen before. On reaching the town he went to a house which was similar to his own Rib at in appearance. There were six persons in the house, who saluted him. He proceeded further on and I, stood, by a pillar. I heard the groaning of a person in a low voice. After a few minutes, the groaning ceased and another person went to the place whence the groaning came and carried away a dead body on his shoulder. Shortly after this, another person bare headed and with long whiskers, came there.

The man sat down in front of Hazrat who made him recite the declaration of faith used in converting one to Islam. Hazrat then cut off his whiskers, put a cap on his head and named him Mohammad. He said that he had appointed him in place of the deceased. The persons residing in the house accepted the decision submissively. He then left the place and in a short time came to the gate of Baghdad, which opened and closed automatically as before. His holiness (hen entered his Madras a. In the morning when I resumed taking lesson from Hazrat I prayed him to explain the incident of the previous night. Whereupon he said that the town I had seen was Nehawand a distant city in the outskirts of the empire under the Khalifa of Baghdad. The six persons in the Rib at were Abdul and Nujaba. The man ^ho died was one of sham. The man with long whiskers was a Christian of Constantinople who accepted Islam and was appointed by him to fill the place of the deceased. The man who carried away the corpse was Hazrat Khizar.

It seems desire able here to explain that according to the Sufis, there exists a sort of hierarchy of Saints at all times in the world through whom Allah manifests His mercy to the world of humanity. In the absence of the Prophet, they are the vice gerents of Allah on earth on the Prophet's behalf. They are of three different grades; Abdal is a plural of Badal meaning literally "substitute", so called because should any one of these saints die, Allah immediately substitutes him by another (Sihah). They are righteous persons of whom the world is never destitute. But on more authoritative view is that they are given this name, because of their ever changing spiritual condition. They are influx; and are not allowed to remain in one state. Being on their way to Realization, they are not allowed to settle down at any intermediate point. As to their exact number and their locations, opinion, is divided. They seem to be the lowest in rank amongst the spiritual successors of the Prophet, Ghosul Azam and Qutubs.

According to the best authorities they are a hierarchy of the saints of a particular generation and are supposed to be pre-eminently endowed with sanctity and faculties to even perform miracles. If anybody is a Qutub or a Ghous, he is recognized as such only by his agents. Abdals, themselves reveal their position to a. particular person. The literal meaning of Qutub is axis or pivot, the point upon which a thing turns, the chief around whom the state of affairs turns. So a Qutub is he, whose attention and prayers decide the course of events in a particular society of people? He may be regarded as a kind of spiritual agent in a particular community.

The literal meaning of Ghous is 'AID' or 'Succor' in the midst of difficulties. So Ghous is a kind of intercessor, who intercedes at a moment when the sins of a nation or humanity are at the point of being punished. These great men appear to be particularly tender hearted like the Holy Prophet. Their hearts melt at the woes and sufferings of humanity and as such become a means to be able to avert Divine punishment. With the assurance of acceptability of their prayers, their prayers become a plea for Divine forgiveness and mercy. Hazrat Ghosul Azam has once said that the Almishty has given him the knowledge of all his murids up to the end of the world, and His Holiness has proclaimed that none of his murids would die without repentance, and attain the seventh degree to allude in paradise. Once he remarked that he would not have the presence

of Allah unless He did not accompany him and his murids to enter paradise. His Holiness was once questioned as to the position of a devotee who has regard and loves for him, but was not actually his murid nor wore Khirqa from him. He said that such a person was also his murid although the real process of his becoming a murid was not complete. Even a person who had love and reverence for him would not be disappointed by the graciousness of the Almighty.

Hazrat Ghosul Azam lived an extraordinary sternous and glorious life mainly engaged in service to mankind during day time and occupied at night in prayer in contemplation of Allah. It is beyond common comprehension to assess his nearness to Allah, which by sheer devotion and sacrifice he had attained. His exemplary life was transparently glorious. Every lunar month, an angel in the guise of an Arab, used to wait upon him and inform him of the good and bad events that would take place in its course. In 560 A.H. in the month of Ramzan the said Arab bade him farewell thereby indicating that Hazrat would. Not-survive to see the next Ramzan. In the beginning of Rabi-ul.Akhir of 561 A.H. he fell ill. The illness grew worse daily and it became evident that his end was drawing nearer.

His son Sheikh Abdul Wahab requested him to declare his parting admonition. He then said. It is incumbent on you to fear Allah and not to fear anyone else excepting Him and not to hope for anything from anyone else excepting Him. Entrust all your needs to Him and do not rely on anyone else excepting Him. Ask everything you need from Him and do not place your trust on anyone else, besides Him. He further said "when the heart becomes right with Allah, nothing is felt missing and nothing comes out of the man".

During his illness he expressed "I am the core without the shell". "Others have come to me so make room for them and show courtesy to them "Here is great mercy. Do not make the place con-gusted for them". He was also heard saying "upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah and His blessing May He protect me and you and turn with mercy to me and to you. I begin with the name of Allah unceasingly". He kept on saying this one day one night. I do not fear anything or any angel, or even the angel of death. Addressing the angel of death, he said it is not you who has befriended me but one who has been bounteous to me.

During his illness his son Sheikh Abdul Aziz was with him and enquired often his pain and condition. Hazrat said, "Let not any one ask me about anything about my being turned over and over again in the knowledge of Allah". Sheikh Abdul Aziz further asked him about his disease. To this, he "said, "Surely no one, be it a man, a Jin or an angel knows and understands my disease. The knowledge of Allah is not diminished by the command of Allah. The command changes but knowledge does not change. The Command may be abrogated but not so is, knowledge "Allah" causes things to pass away and establishes what Helpless] and with Him is the basis for the book. The Quran says," And He is not questioned what He does, and it is they who are questioned.

Once he said "I wanted death which has no life in it and a life which has no death in it". So I enquired what kind of life and death he was eluding to the death that has no life in it, is the death of my own species. I do not see in it either benefit or harm. My death from my own self, my own desire, my own purpose, and my own wishes in my worldly life and my life after death is all that I could see. I do not live in any of these nor am I bound in them. As for the life that has no death in it, it is my life with the act of my Lord assimilated in such a manner that I have no existence in it, and my death in it, is my existence with him.

There is no Wali. Sheikh or Alim who has not proved the glory of Hazrat Ghosul Azam. Hazrat Sheikh Wali-Ullah has said that although Hazrat Ali was the first "Majzoob" among "Umat-Mohammadi" yet the only person after him who had accomplished the path of Jazb successfully was Saiyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani, who fully imbibed within himself the ways and attributes of the Holy Prophets. (Peace be upon him.)

Sheikh, Abdul Wahab was told by Sheikh Abdul Razzak and Sheikh Musa that Hazrat on the evening before his death uttered aloud raising his hands and stretching them out was heard saying; "And on you be peace and the mercy of Allah and His blessings". Repent and join the line. Presently I will be coming to you". He said" Between myself and you, and the creation there is distance as between the heaven and the earth. So do not identify me by any one of them nor any one of them by me".

His son Abdul Jab bar asked him what part of his body was ailing. He said "All parts of my body are ailing excepting my heart which has no pain in it. It is in sound condition with Allah. As death approached Him he was saying, I seek the help of Allah with

"LA-ILA.HA.ILLAllah MUHAMADUR RASOOL Allah". There is no object of worship excepting Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah. Glory be to Him and be He exalted, the Everlasting, who does not fear annihilation. Glory be to Him who has established His superiority through His power and over powered His servants by means of death. There is no object of worship excepting Allah and Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon Him) is the Prophet to Allah. He was continuously repeating Allah, Allah, Allah and his voice grew fainter and fainter and stuck to his palate, then came to him the ultimate moment to breath away from this world of woe to the Infinite Beyond. His breath ebbed out slowly and peacefully. His exalted soul then lofts his body He was no more. It was 11th Rabi-ul-Sani. This date is commemorated by his admirer's up to this day and is known Girrwani Sharif. May He Allow His blessings to benefit us-and grant us all the Muslims a good end without abasing us and putting us in trial, 'and may He thus enable us to join the men of piety Ameen