Qasidah al-Ghawthiyah | سقاني الحب كاسات الوصال | Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilanī (Mostly Translated)

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Today, 11th Rāb’i al-Akhir marks the passing of the Greatest Helper, the Master of Masters, Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir al-Jilanī ‘al-Dastagīr’. He is known as the Greatest Saint of all time. Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir was born in Nayf, Iran. He was called ʿAbd al-Qadir because he was born on the Night of Power ‘Laylah al-Qadr’.

His father was named Sayyid Musa ‘Jangī Dost’ and his mother was Sayyidah Fatima bint Abdullah. Because Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir’s parents were both descendants of the Prophet ﷺ, his lineage is called the Golden Chain. On his father’s side, he was a descendant of Imam Hasan (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and was a descendant of Imam al-Husayn (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) on his mother’s side. Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir is the Greatest Saint of all time.

One of the titles of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir was ‘Al-Bāz al-Ash’hab’, The Grey Falcon. When he was 10 years old, his mother narrated a story to him. Years ago, she was travelling in a desert when a bedouin in black attacked her. At the time, she shouted for help. Suddenly, a great Falcon came and attacked the bedouin until he fled. The Falcon then took Sayyidah Fatima’s head-covering and flew off. His mother mentioned that she often wondered about the Bird. Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir smiled and left the room. A few moments later, he entered the room with the same head-covering and presented it to her, saying “Mother, here is your head-covering. That Falcon you saw was me.”

According to contemporary accounts, Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir was tall and olive-skinned. He had long eyelashes, blue eyes, a beautiful face, and long hair. He was very humble and beautifully dressed. When he spoke, the audience became spellbound and enraptured by his words and personality. Love was always his guide.

The date of the death of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir is actually unknown. Whilst the majority accepts that he passed away on the 11th, some scholars say that it is actually on the 7th Rāb’i al-Akhir. Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir passed away at the age of 91 in Baghdad. His son, Shaykh ʿAbd al-Wahab al-Jilani performed his Janazah and the Ghawth was buried in the room he would teach in. His cousin, Shaykh Ahmad al-Kabīr al-Rīfa’i had much love for Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir and often told his students travelling to Baghdad that whoever went to Baghdad and didn’t visit his tomb would not be accepted by Allah ﷻ or the Saints.

Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir’s tomb became a source of blessings for the city of Baghdad and Iraq. During the tyranny of Ismail of the Shia Safavids, Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir and Imam Abu Hanīfa’s tombs were destroyed. However, when Sultan Suleyman I conquered Baghdad from the Shias, he built a tomb over the blessed Maqam. The iconic blue dome was built by Sultan Suleyman I. The tomb was extended over the years. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Americans bombed Baghdad. One soldier described the city being lit up like a Christmas tree. However, the Blessed Āstanah of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir was unharmed. Witnesses saw missiles headed towards the tomb stopping and turning around, away from the Maqam. Nowadays, the Maqam is visited by saints and commoners. The Urs ceremony attracts thousands each year. May Allah ﷻ have mercy on Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qadir al-Jilani and raise his rank. May his blessed grave be full of Divine Light till the Day of Reckoning. Amīn

۞ - Al-Fatiha for his blessed soul

رضي الله عنهم أجمعين

Fun Fact: the Qasida is called ‘Ghawthiyya’ in the subcontinent. It’s more widely known as the ‘Khamriyya’ in the Arab World or called ‘Saqanī al-Hubū’

The Munshid recites a different version of the line. The translation is the most widely accepted version

** These lines aren’t part of the original Qasidah but they were written by Imam Ahmad Raza Khan al-Qadirī