Shaykh Ibrahim al-Husaini al-Dasuki

Shaykh Ibrahim al-Husaini al-Dasuki, may Allah be pleased with him, was ibn Abi l-Majd bin Quraysh bin Muhammad bin al-Najjar bin ‘Abd al-Khaliq bin al-Qasim bin al-Ja‘far bin ‘Abd al-Khaliq bin Abi l-Qasim al-Zaki bin ‘Ali bin Muhammad al-Jawwad bin ‘Ali al-Ridha bin Musa al-Kathim bin Ja‘far al-Sadiq bin Muhammad al-Baqir bin ‘Ali al-Zahir (Zain al-‘Abidin) bin Sayyiduna l-Husain bin al-Imam ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them.

His Birth

He was born in 633 H. and wore the noble patched robe from Shaykh Najm al-Din Mahmud al-Isfahani. He graduated with Shaykh Nur al-Din ‘Abd al-Samad al-Nathari and with Shaykh Abu l-Hasan al-Shadhili, may Allah be pleased with them.

His Position in the Spiritual World

He is one of the four principle qutbs. He was among the illustrious shaykhs of Egypt who excelled and became well known by the permission of Allah to the existence. The people of his time openly recognized his having a great wilaya and his being a great qutb; eventually he became the head of a tariqah. He studied the fiqh of Imam al-Shafi‘i and then followed in the footsteps of the Sufis. He had the status of the shaykhs and carried the white flag. His du‘as were accepted and he openly manifested many miracles. He was well versed in the rules of wilaya and their application, and there are many quotations attributed to him regarding the tariqah.

His Death

He died, may Allah be pleased with him, in 676 H. at the age of 43 and was buried in the city of Dasuk. Today his grave is still visited.

Shayk Ahmad al-Rufa’i

He is our Liege-Lord the enlivener of the din and shari‘a Abu l-‘Abbas al-Sultan Ahmad al-Rufa‘i the Senior ibn al-Hasan ‘Ali bin Yahya al-Thabit bin al-Hazim bin Ahmad bin ‘Ali bin al-Hasan (Rufa‘i al-Makki) bin al-Mahdi bin Abi l-Qasim Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin al-Husain bin Musa al-Thani bin Ibrahim al-Murtadha bin Imam Musa al-Kathim bin Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq bin Imam Muhammad al-Baqir bin Imam Zain al-‘Abadin (‘Ali al-Sajjad) bin Imam al-Husain bin Imam Sayyiduna ‘Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

His Birth

He was born in Umm Ubayda, a district of Basra, in the house of his grandfather on his mother’s side who was the shaykh of all the shaykhs of his time, Shaykh Abi Sa‘id Yahya al-Bukhari al-Ansari, in the first half of the month of Rajab, on a Thursday, in the year 512 H. He was from the loins of the Shaykh of the Readers of the Qur’an and the Muhadiththeen, Sayyid ‘Ali Abi l-Hasan bin Yahya l-Makki.

While his mother was pregnant with him she used to visit Shaykh Rufa‘i’s future shaykh, Abi Muhammad al-Shanbaki, may Allah be pleased with him. Whenever she entered his presence, he would stand up. When she asked the Shaykh why he stood for her he said, “I stand in honor of the one who is still in your womb. He will be one who is close to Allah.” His mother related that when she gave birth to her son Ahmad she heard him in the cradle glorifying Allah continuously. He refused to breast feed from a wet nurse until she first made wudhu.

His Life

He was brought up in the best possible conditions. When he was a little boy he preferred to sit with the old men of learning and not with his peers. He would listen to recitation of the Qur’an and the lessons of the shaykhs. He sat with the ‘arifin and followed their advise and would not leave them. They recognized that he was a great wali and would praise him a lot.

He read the Qur’an with Shaykh ‘Ali bin al-Qari l-Wasiti, may Allah be pleased with him.

His Tariqa

He wore the noble patched robe given to him by his cousin from his father’s side, Sayyid ‘Uthman, who took it from Sayyid ‘Ali al-Makki, who himself took it from Sayyid Yahya al-Rufa‘i who took it from Sayyid Thabit Hazim who took it from Sayyid ‘Ali al-Hazim who took it from Sayyid Abi al-Fadha’il who took it from Sayyid Hasan Rufa‘a who took it from Sayyid Abu l-Qasim bin al-Baghdadi al-Husaini who took it from Sayyid al-Hasan al-Qasim who took it from Sayyid Abd al-Rahman al-Muhaddith who took it from Sayyid Ahmad al-Salih al-Akbar who took it from Sayyid Musa l-Thani who took it from Sayyid Ibrahim al-Murtadha who took it from Sayyid Musa al-Kathim who took it from his father Ja‘far al-Sadiq who took it from his father Muhammad al-Baqir who took it from his father Zain al-Abidin who took it from his father Imam al-Husain who took it from his father Imam ‘Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, who took it from al-Mustafa, Sayyiduna Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

He was well known to be a great qutb that lead the Rufa‘i Tariqah by following in the footsteps of the Messenger of Allah. He took the Qur’an as his imam and the Sunnah as his method for his behavior and actions in this life. He was very humble and broken to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. He was modest and poor for the sake of Allah. Allah gave him great openings, showing him the secrets of revelation. From his school numerous awliya and scholars graduated.

His Death

He died on Thursday the 12th of Jumad al-Ula, 580 H. in Umm Ubayda, may Allah be pleased with him.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab related that the Messenger of Allah said: “Among the servants of Allah are individuals who, though they are neither prophets nor martyrs, are envied by the prophets and martyrs for their rank with Allah on the Last Day.” A man asked ‘Umar, “Who are they and what are their deeds that we may love them?” He said, “People who love each other by the ruh of Allah without being related by blood and without sharing wealth between them, by Allah, their faces have light, and they are on minbars of light without fear when others are afraid and without sadness when others are sad.” Then he read from the Qur’an: “Surely for the Awliya of Allah there is no fear upon them nor are they sad.

Laylat al-Qadr: the Night of Power

Sídí Muhammad al-Jamal ar-Rifá‘í in Tafsir of Juz’ ‘Amma

[The Qur’ánic Súrah al-Qadr] was revealed in Makkah and consists of five verses. The reason behind its revelation was that when Allah commanded prostration and drawing near to Him [in the previous Súrah, al-‘Alaq], He then mentioned the moment in time which is most conducive to the greatest nearness and proximity to Him, so He said:

‘innáá ‘añzalnáhu fí laylati-l-qadr
“Indeed, We revealed it (sent it down) in the Night of Destiny” [Q97:1]

He extolled the rank of the Qur’án in that He confirmed its descent from Him and reinforced the attribution to Him by employing the use of the plural particle of dignity “We”, which shows His complete attentive care to it and for it; and it did not even mention the name of the Messenger himself (salla-lláhu ‘alayhi wa-sallim). This apparently is for plainly announcing the Messenger’s fundamental role, as if he is already present in the minds of the listeners.

Then He magnifed the moment in which it was sent down in revelation, when He said:

wa máá ‘adráka má laylatu-l-qadr
“And what will make you conceive what the Night of Decree is?” [Q97:2]

Phrasing the statement in this way is for the purpose of explaining that its reality is beyond the circle of understanding of the creation. None can truly know the full import of its immense reality except the One who is completely knowledgeable of the unseen… just as He says:

laylatu-l-qadri khayrum-min alfi shahr
“The Night of Power is better than one thousand months.” [Q97:3]

It is a summarized explication of its prestigious rank. And in the above two occasions where that Night is mentioned, there is no doubt of the supreme exaltation of its nature and affair. And the intended meaning of “revelation” (inzal) could be two meanings:

1) Its complete descent from the Preserved Tablet [Q85:22] to the lowest heaven, as the Prophet said that Allah caused the whole to descend at once from the Preserved Tablet to the lowest heaven on the Night of Qadr, and then for the next 23 years it descended from the lowest heaven piece by piece;

or 2) It could mean the beginning of its revelation, which is the more apparent meaning.

It was called the Night of Qadr because it is the night wherein affairs are decided and matters are decreed (taqdir), and in which all that is decreed during that particular year is manifested and enacted, in accordance with His saying, “In it every wise command is differentiated and enacted.” [Q44:4]. So Qadr can both refer to this enactment of the decrees, and can also mean its nobility and rank above other nights. It is commonly said that it falls on the night of the 27th of Ramadan.

And know that the Prophet saw that the life-spans of his followers would be shorter compared to the past nations, and he was afraid they would not reach the same amount of deeds performed by past nations because they had longer lives, so Allah honored him with this night which is better than 1000 months [83 years and four months]. Then He further unveiled some of its honor by saying:

tanazzalu-l-maláá’ikatu wa-r-rúhu fíhá
“The angels and the Spirit descend in it in hosts…” [Q97:4a]

The ‘Spirit‘ can refer to the archangel Jibríl (‘alayhi-s-salám), or another angelic creature that cannot be seen by the angels. And the meaning of ‘descending’ is their descending to the earth and greeting the people and saying “Amín” after their supplications.

bi-‘idhni rabbihim
“…by the permission of their Lord…” [Q97:4b]

They descend by the command of Allah, as a mercy to the believing and humble slaves of Allah, who invoke His Great Name and seek His forgiveness.

miñ kulli ‘amr
“…with all decrees (alt: on every errand).” [Q97:4c]

Their descent is for the purpose of every decree which Allah decreed for that particular year; for Allah informs the angels of all that is to occur during that year. Since this is their most important task, He said that this is the reason for their descent; although this does not conflict with their other tasks of greeing the believers and bringing blessings to them and supplicating for them.

salámun hiya
“Peace it is!…” [Q97:5a]

Because “it is” (hiya) is the 27th word of the Súrah, many commentators have stated that it falls on the 27th night of the month of Ramadan. Then Allah mentioned its limit in time when He continued:

hattá matla‘i-l-fajr
“…until the rising of the dawn.” [Q97:5b]

And know, my beloved, that for the people of hearts among the gnostic knowers, all moments are “nights of power,” and all places for them are ‘Arafah (the mount of Hajj), and all days for them are Fridays. Because the reason for exalting a certain time or place above others is because of the blessings that lie in them, such as opportunities for drawing closer, unveilings, openings, etc. And for the gnostic knowers, all moments are such, as one poet said:

Were it not for [my] witnessing Your effulgent beauty in my essence,
Then I would not be content for any hour of my life.
The ‘Night of Power’ has no special distinctions and honor,
If it is not with You that I fill up my moments.
Indeed, if the lover is established in his love,
And love does not depend on specific moments,
Then all nights become ‘Nights of Power’ if [the Beloved] appears,
Just like all days become Fridays when the meeting occurs.

And we say: And the praise belongs to Allah, that all of our moments are ‘nights of power’ if our hearts are fully facing Allah, and if we do not stand up except by Allah, or act except by Allah, or not see any but Allah; sincere in one’s devotion to Him, leaning away from all falsehood towards the truth, bowing to, standing for, prostrating to, and invoking Him in all states, all places, and all moments.

And know that the reward for acts of worshipful devotion in this blessed night in this blessed month is nothing less than unveiling of the veil, opening of the door, and witnessing of the Holy Essence, which cannot be measured or compared to anything!

I ask Him, Most High, that He keep us constantly in His protection,
and grant us His satisfaction,
for He hears and responds.

Amín!

Shayk ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani

He was Muhyi al-Din Abu Muhammad ‘Abd al-Qadir ibn Abu Salih Musa bin Abu ‘Abdillah bin Yahya al-Zahid bin Muhammad bin Da’ud bin Musa bin ‘Abd Allah bin Musa al-Jawn bin ‘Abd Allah al-Mahd bin al-Hasan al-Muthanna bin Abu Muhammad al-Hasan bin Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

His Birth

Born in the city of Jilan in 470 H., he was one of the many men of Jilan known for their spirituality and renunciation of the world. He followed the sunnah of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‘ and was endowed with manifest miracles. His mother, Umm al-Khayr, Fatimah bint al-Shaykh ‘Abd Allah al-Sawma‘i al-Husayni al-Zahid, was endowed with great goodness and piety. She said that during Ramadan, when her son ‘Abd al-Qadir was still breast feeding, he won’t suckle during the day. Amazingly, she was 60 years old when she conceived him.

His Life

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani came to Baghdad in the year 488 H. when he was 18. As he entered Baghdad, Khidr appeared before him with instructions to wait for seven years before entering. Obediently, the Shaykh settled outside Baghdad at the bank of the River Tigris. One night, after the passing of seven years, he heard a voice telling him, “O ‘Abd al-Qadir, you can enter Baghdad.” When he entered, it was a cool and wet night, indicating the goodness being bestowed upon the land by his coming.

He obtained Islamic sciences from the teachers of his time. After completing his studies of the Qur’an, he reached great knowledge of the deen of Islam. He studied with the following teachers: Abu al-Wafa’ ‘Ali ibn al-‘Uqayl al-Hanbali, Abu al-Khattab Mahfuz al-Kaluthani al-Hanbali, Abu al-Hasan Muhammad bin al-Qadi Abu Ya‘la Muhammad bin Ibn al-Husayn bin Muhammad al-Farra’ al-Hanbali, al-Qadi Abu Sa‘id, and Abu Sa‘id al-Mubarak bin ‘Ali al-Mukharrimi al-Hanbali. He also studied literature with Abu Zakariyya Yahya bin ‘Ali al-Tabrizi.

He took to wearing the blessed tattered woolen cloak which he received from al-Qadi Abu Sa’id al-Mubarak al-Makharrimi, who had a well-kept little schoolhouse at Bab al-Azaj in Baghdad. This building was placed at the disposal of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir. While he was teaching, great miracles appeared from him. Soon his teaching met with wide acceptance and the school became overcrowded with those who came to attend his majlis. Beside teaching he also gave fatwas. People from far and wide came to him with pledges of support. He was given several titles, among them: Holder of the Two Proofs and the Two Mandates; Imam of the Two Parties and the Two Paths; and Master of the Two Lamps and Two Routes. A great number of ulama, awliya, imams, and righteous men gained knowledge from him.

He was the shaykh who completely renounced the world; he possessed many miracles and spiritual stations; he was a shaykh of both scholars and the common man. He was the imam, the qutb, and the shaykh of all the shayukh of his time.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah be pleased with him, had a student called ‘Umar al-Halawi who left Baghdad for a number of years. When he returned, the Shaykh asked him where he had been. He said that he had wandered through Sham, Egypt, the Maghrib, and other non-Arabi countries where he had met 360 shaykhs of the awliya, all of whom had said that Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir was their shaykh and their perfect example to follow inorder to reach Allah, the Exalted.

His Attributes

Whenever he made du’a Allah accepted it. If he was angry, Allah would take revenge immediately. If he liked something, Allah would make it available to him. When he became old and feeble, he could perform a lot of nawafil. He was always making dhikr, showing outward humility, patience with his condition (in old age), and observing the times for prayer. He was thin, average in height, wide-chested, long bearded, with a light brown complexion, connected eyebrows, and a strong full voice. He possessed great charisma and great knowledge. He listened more than he talked, but when he talked people would listen and accept what he said.

His Death

He died in 561 H when he was 91 years old and was buried in Baghdad.

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