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Q : Would you please give us a short biography of Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani and his contribution to Islam. Some people believe that he memorized the Qur’an when he was still a fetus. Is this true?
A : Much is said about Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani who is still revered by millions of Muslims throughout the world. However, much of what is being said about him is not true. As a scholar and dedicated worker of Islam, Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani would not approve of anything extraordinary being said about him. An example of which is that which has been provided by the questioner. That Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani had memorized the Qur’an while still a fetus is a claim that cannot stand to the shortest of serious examinations. Nevertheless, we know that Allah is powerful to accomplish any purpose. If he wanted Abdul Qadir to memorize the Qur’an before he was born, He would certainly have enabled him to do so. But Allah has a purpose and a wisdom behind any action He takes. What purpose would be served by giving Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani, or indeed any other human being, that accomplishment before birth? Besides, how can one prove such a claim? Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani himself did not make it. Then how can anyone say that this was the case? And then why would this be needed? Would Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani have been able to talk to other fetuses in their mothers’ wombs and explain to them the Qur’an?
The fact is that such idea reflects badly on anyone who repeats it, and indeed on the man himself. Many people who are aware of the true concepts of Islam adopt a very suspicious attitude to anyone around whom such myth is woven. No one does Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani any good service by claiming for him any of the miraculous acts that he is said to have accomplished. Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani was not a Prophet. If a miracle is worked out by Allah through him, he had no choice in it and he could not have determined its happening. Such miracles are worked by Allah when He chooses and for a purpose He determines. Therefore, before we begin to read about Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani, we have to put out of our minds any notion about his being a human being of a superior type.
To do justice to Sheikh Abdul Qadir, I have referred to the invaluable work of Sheikh Abu Al-Hassan Ali Nadwi which is given the title of Saviors of Islamic Spirits. He devotes a chapter in the first volume to the life and work of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani. Here is a brief summary of what Sheikh Abu Al-Hassan has written.
Abdul Qadir was born in Jilan, which is also known as Vailam, in the North-West of Iran, south of the Caspian Sea. He was an Arab by descent, but belonged to Iran by migration of his ancestors. In the year 488 A. H., when he was still 18, he went to Baghdad. Although inclined to penance and cultivation of religious observances from an early age, Abdul Qadir addressed himself whole-heartedly to the acquisition of education under the most reputed teachers of the time such as Ibn Aqeel, Al-Baqillani and At-Tabrizi, turned to mysticism and was guided in its tenets and practices by Sheikh Abu Al-Kheir Al-Dabas and Mubarak ibn Ali. After completing his education of religious sciences, Abdul Qadir began his career as a teacher in the seminary of his teacher Mubarak ibn Ali Al-Makhrami. He soon acquired great fame and people flocked from all areas of Baghdad to listen to his sermons. Ibn Qudama, a famous Hanbali scholar, records that he had not seen a man more reverent for his piety and religious learning than Abdul Qadir. The king and his ministers attended his sermons along with the rank and file.
Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani himself was always modest, humble and unpretentious. He often left his work to attend to the needs of a child, a destitute or a slave girl. Never evading the company of the poor, he even washed their clothes or performed similar personal services for them. He never stood up in the honor of any person of high rank. If he got information that the Caliph would be visiting him, he deliberately went inside his house so that he might not have to stand up to welcome him. He used to come out of the house after the Caliph had seated himself in the mosque. Abdul Qadir never paid back such a courtesy call. Those who have seen Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani have paid a glowing tribute to his moral excellence and large-heartedness, modesty and hospitality, generosity and goodness of the heart. Held in such high esteem by the people, Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani showed great respect to his elders, met the youngsters with a good grace, was always the first to salute those whom he met, and hailed the poor courteously. Two great scholars, each of whom came later to be known as Sheikh Al-Islam, Izzuddin ibn Abdul Salan and Ibn Taimiyah are of the view that Abdul Qadir’s work was miraculous, but his miracle of miracles was filling the hearts of the despaired and the broken-hearted with faith, hope and enthusiasm. He infused a breath of new life, zeal and self-confidence into countless persons through his power of speech and the spiritual power of his heart. He was, in truth, a blessing for the world of Islam for he renovated and revived the true content of the faith and tapped the sources of moral spiritual strength for a religious renaissance.
Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani was a follower of the Hanbali school of thought and he endeavored to root out innovations and deviations from the orthodox faith and practices. Because of his forceful defense of the need to follow the Sunnah strictly, scholars of Hadith and their disciples came to be held in high esteem by the masses. Abdul Qadir used to hold classes on daily basis teaching the Qur’an, the Hadith and Fiqh, and explaining the differences between various schools of thought in Islam. The classes were held in the morning and evening, while Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani recited or listened to the recitation of the Qur’an after the mid-day prayers. Thereafter, he dictated his rulings on religious or legal questions referred to him. His rulings, or fatwas, generally followed the Shaf’ie and Hanbali schools of thought.
Following the example of the Prophet, his companions and successors and great past scholars, Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani touched on the current problems of his days, analyzed the reasons for the miseries and maladies of the people and provided answers to their doubts and deficiencies. Along with this, his sincerity and earnest zeal for the welfare of the people fired his enthusiasm and enhanced his appeal to people’s hearts. The forces of worldliness had become so strong during Abdul Qadir’s time and the entire social and economical life of the community appeared to be woven into the context of the prevailing political situation that people had developed a tendency to rely on kings and the noble elite for the realization of their worldly ends. Abdul Qadir tried hard to drive it home to the people that only Allah could bring them benefit and spare them harm. He stressed that all worship should be addressed to Allah alone. No false object of worship could be entertained. In one of his speeches, he explained this meaning by saying: “You put your trust in your own self, in others, in your wealth, in your rites and customs, in your trade and business, or in your rulers; but in whatever object you place your reliance, it becomes, to say the truth, your object of worship. If you fear someone or expect harm or favor from him, or else you deem him as your intercessor with Allah, then he is the object of worship for you.”
Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani did not preserve his admonition to ordinary people alone. He fearlessly performed the duty of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. This is a duty incumbent on all the Muslims, particular their scholars. Therefore, whenever Abdul Qadir considered it necessary, he publicly denounced actions of even the highest government officials. He bitterly criticized faults of the great ones without the slightest consideration for their power or position. Ibn Katheer, the highly renowned commentator on the Qur’an, highlights this fact, saying of Abdul Qadir: “He admonished all – the caliphs, viziers, kings, jurists, elite and the laity – to adopt the righteous course and to forsake what Allah has forbidden. He openly and unsparingly criticized everyone to his face. He used to denounce the authorities sternly if they appointed anyone to public office who was known for his cruelty, heavy-handiness or tyranny. He never cared for anyone if he saw the commands of Allah being overstepped.” He also criticized other scholars and jurists for paying too much attention to the concerns of this world and who were prepared to accept office or be in the entourage of the rulers. He held such scholars and jurists responsible for the waywardness of the kings and ruling chiefs.
The moral and spiritual excellence of Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani, his unflinching devotion to Allah’s cause, the effectiveness of his sermons, the inspiring and regenerating influence exercised by him over the people in his own time, and the upright character and moral rectitude of those who have had an opportunity to be instructed by him, mark him as one of the most eminent workers for the Islamic cause. His greatest achievement was brought about by his inspiring and impressive teachings which made thousands of people turn away from the lust of power and wealth and his ability to inculcate the true spirit of faith through self-correction and purification of the soul. In short, his was a striking example of the innate power of Islam to produce a true spirit of religion, love of Allah and moral righteousness in an age of crass materialism. Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani died at the age of 90, in the year 561 A. H.
This brief account of the life and work of Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani gives a totally different picture of this eminent scholar from that held by numerous people who think of him as a man of physical miracles. I even heard from some people that Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani used to fly over the heads of those attending his circle in the mosque. Such stories are absolute rubbish and they do not do any service to Sheikh Abdul Qadir or his cause.
Sheikh Abdul Qadir was a dedicated worker for the cause of Islam and we would do well if we follow his example by purging all traces of impurity of faith and mistaken concepts from our hearts and minds. May Allah have mercy on Abdul Qadir and reward him for his dedicated efforts.
Q : Are the hardships that Muslims suffer in various places a test or a punishment for them? Or Allahu Alam? From what is shown on TV, for example one can see that the Muslim women in one of the countries don’t wear the Islamically required hijab (headscarf), etc. If the people don’t practise Islam is this maybe why there is such harsh living conditions and turmoil in the countries there?
A : Abiding by the rules of Islam is a very important criteria in life in every way and manner, and at all levels. However, in Islamic history, there have been many occasions where Muslims experienced hardship and suffering such as the ‘Battle of the Camel’ (al-Jamal) which occurred between the companions of the prophet (pbuh), and who can say that those people did not abide by the rules of Islam? They were indeed the ones who adhered the most to the teachings of Islam.
Therefore, God has many ways to test those who believe in Him, and one of these tests is ‘wars’. Wars and sufferings are not a sign or a criteria to measure the level of belief of a certain Muslim community since wars occur to non-Muslims too. Also, many people who don’t adhere to God’s guidelines are living in this world in a lot of luxurious conditions but does this mean that God is pleased with them? Of course not. Wars, earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, etc. are all an integral part of our terrestrial life and God has created them for some reason. They can be a punishment, a test, a sign of His Greatness, etc. While only God truly knows why Muslims are suffering so much at the present time, our duty is to return to the right path and abide by Islam in all of its aspects of our lives. This will not guarantee us that we won’t experience wars or natural disasters, but it constitutes the first step on the road of salvation in this life and the hereafter.
However, sometimes, the “bad things” which happen to us are nothing more or less than the consequences of our actions, as the following verse tells us.
“Whatever good, (O man!) happens to thee, is from Allah. but whatever evil happens to thee, is from thy (own) soul. and We have sent thee as an apostle to (instruct) mankind. And enough is Allah for a witness”. [4:79]
And sometimes disasters and sufferings, can be a signal of a need of an important change in our life style, and in that case thing get worse before getting better. “Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not”. [2:216]
Q. It is said that ablution is not valid if a woman wears nail-polish. At the same time, it is said that ablution is valid if one wipes over one’s stockings, instead of washing one’s feet. If I apply my nail-polish after I take my grand ablution at the end of my menstrual period, why must I remove it before renewing my ablution, if I do not have to remove my stockings for the same ablution?
A : If you have nail polish on, then you have to take it off before every ablution that you take, even if you are making ablution after doing a grand ablution (or ghusl) which is a complete shower. This is because water cannot penetrate through the nail polish. And one of the conditions for the wudu being valid is that no part of the body (that is required to be washed during wudu) must remain dry. As for why we don’t have to take off the stockings, it is simply because the Prophet of Allah [pbuh] said we don’t have to as long as we wore them when we were in a state of Ablution.
Q :Why are Muslims divided into so many rival sects?
A : It is a fact that Muslims today, are divided amongst themselves. The tragedy is that such divisions are not rooted in the Islamic sources, but are later accretions to the understanding of Islam. The Glorious Qur’an says: “And hold fast, All together, by the rope Which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves;” [Al-Qur'an 3:103]
The rope of Allah that is being referred to in this verse is the Glorious Qur’an, the revelation from God Almighty to all humankind. Islam in fact, prohibits its followers from engaging in sectarian disputes. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou hast no part in them in the least: Their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did.” [Al-Qur'an 6:159]
While it may be true that Muslims are divided into several sects, often at odds with each other, a closer scrutiny reveals that there is no disagreement on the fundamental pillars of Islam, among the vast majority of Muslims.
The Glorious Qur’an and Prophet (peace be upon him) refers to the followers of Islam as Muslims. “Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, ‘I am of those who bow in Islam (Muslim)?’ “[Al-Qur'an 41:33]
A Muslim is ‘one who submits’. In that sense, earlier prophets and their true followers were also Muslims.
The ethics of disagreement are very much a part of the Islamic tradition. Muslims have traditionally accepted the existence of a plurality of opinions on various aspects of their religion. While one may hold a certain opinion to be more authoritative as compared to others, there is nothing in the Islamic sources that encourages a Muslim to disparage the views of others.
It was this acceptance of diversity that was a distinguishing feature of the great Islamic civilization. Muslims now need to revive the ethics of disagreement which was in the past, a hallmark of Islamic thought.
Q :I want to how to convert into muslim from hindu.
A:Islam means peace. Islam comes from the root word ’salaam’, which means peace. It also means submitting one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one’s will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).
Bukhari, Vol 2, Book 23. Funerals (Al-Janaa’iz). Hadith 441.Narrated By Abu Huraira : Allah’s Apostle said, “EVERY CHILD is born with a true faith of Islam (i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone) but his parents convert him to Judaism, Christianity or Magainism, as an animal delivers a perfect baby animal. Do you find it mutilated?” Then Abu Huraira recited the holy verses: “The pure Allah’s Islamic nature (true faith of Islam) (i.e. worshipping none but Allah) with which He has created human beings. No change let there be in the religion of Allah (i.e. joining none in worship with Allah). That is the straight religion (Islam) but most of men know, not.” (30.30)
A person enters Islam by pronouncing the kalima (also known as the shahadah: there is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).
A person goes out of Islam by denouncing Islam just as he enters Islam by pronouncing the kalima (also known as the shahadah: there is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). So, he enters and exits from the same door.
The definition of a Muslim is one who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant and final Messenger of Allah; While doing so he/she must also believe in the angels, the Books, the Prophets, the Last Day, and the fact that good and bad are decreed by Allah. Besides, he/she must also accept the Five Pillars of Islam (the five daily prayers, paying Zakah, fasting during Ramadan, and making pilgrimage to Makkah once in a life-time, if one has the physical and financial ability to do so).
Also, he/she must declare as lawful what Allah and His Messenger have declared as lawful and declare as unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have declared as unlawful.
Having said that, we must add that if a person denies the obligation to pray, or fast, or pay Zakah, or make Hajj, then he goes out of the fold of Islam. However, that is different from someone who simply refuses to pray out of laziness; he will be still considered a Muslim if he does not deny the obligation of prayer.”
We further recommend that you go to the nearest Masjid and contact the chief (Imam) for advise.
Wassalam and Allah knows Best.
