Salawaat: Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (r.a) Part6

Salaams On The Beloved Prophet
It is apt to conclude by presenting the salaams of the Gauth u'l A'zam on the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam as given in Mishkaat u's Salawaat (A Niche For Lit-Up Blessings) of Mawlana Muhammad Elyas Burney Rahmatullahi 'alaih.
Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa RasulAllah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa NabiyyAllah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa SafiyyAllah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa KhalilAllah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa HabibAllah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa man Sharrafahu'llah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa man Karramahu'llah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa man 'Allamahu'llah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa man 'Adh-dhamahu'llah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa man Zayyanahu'llah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Sayyidal Mursaleen

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Khaatam an-Nabiyyeen

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Imama'l Muttaqeen

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Shafi'al Mudhnibeen

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Rahmatallil 'aalameen

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Khaira Khalqi'llah

Assalatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Nura 'Arshi'llahSalawaatu'llahi wa malaaikatihi wa anbiyaaihi wa rusulihi Wa hamalati 'arshihi wa jami'e khalqihi'Alaa Sayyidina Muhammad-in wa 'alaa aalihi wa sahbihee ajma'eenIlaa yaumi'ddeen.
Blessings and salutations on you, O Messenger of AllahBlessings and salutations on you, O Prophet of AllahBlessings and salutations on you, O Sincere Friend of AllahBlessings and salutations on you, O Intimate Friend of AllahBlessings and salutations on you, O Beloved of AllahBlessings and salutations on you, O whom Allah has honouredBlessings and salutations on you, O whom Allah has made nobleBlessings and salutations on you, O to whom Allah has imparted knowledgeBlessings and salutations on you, O whom Allah has exaltedBlessings and salutations on you, O whom Allah has well-endowed Blessings and salutations on you, O master of MessengersBlessings and salutations on you, O last in the line of the ProphetsBlessings and salutations on you, O leader of those who are piousBlessings and salutations on you, O intercessor for sinnersBlessings and salutations on you, O mercy for all domains of existenceBlessings and salutations on you, O best of the creations of AllahBlessings and salutations on you, O light of the Throne of AllahMay blessings of Allah, and His angels, His Prophets and His Messengers,and the bearers of His Throne, and all whom He created, rest onour master Muhammad, on his family and all his companionstill the Day of Judgement.A Blessed Son Of The Blessed Prophet
Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu was a descendant of the Holy Prophet, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. His father, Hadhrat Abu Salih was a descendant of Hadhrat Imam Hasan ibn 'Ali Rady Allahu 'Anhu. His mother Ummul Khair Fatima was the daughter of Shaykh 'Abdullah Sumi who was a descendant of Imam Husain ibn 'Ali Rady Allahu 'Anhu. Thus Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu is both Hasani and Husaini. He is a descendant of the Ahl u'l Bayt (The Prophet's Household) about whom Allah Ta'ala said in the Holy Qur'an Kareem:
Innamaa Yureedu'llahu liyudh-hiba 'ankumu'rrijsa ahla'l baytiWa yutahhirakum tat'heeraa
Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you a thorough purifying. (33:33)
Besides the salawaat (blessings), Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani is famous for his awraad and azkaar (regular voluntary invocations); his qasaaid (hymns), the most famous of which is Qasida Gauthiyyah; and for his khutbas (sermons) and nasiha (advice) which have been compiled and handed down through centuries as classics of Muslim spirituality. His major spiritual works in this field are:
1. Sirr al-Asrar (The Secret of Secrets)2. Futuh al-Ghayb (Revelations of the Unseeen)3. Gunyat-u't-Taalibeen (Wealth For Seekers)4. Al-Fat'hu Rabbani (The Endowment of Divine Grace)
As we read these masterpieces and his salawaat, we are struck by the fact that his style of expression is different from that of any other Shaykh (spiritual master), 'aalim (learned scholar), or wali (saint). He is so saturated with the spiritual power of Tawheed and brimming with the realisation that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam is his ancestor, that his exposition and its flow has a spiritually confident personality all its own. Anyone who reads his khutbas and recites his salawaat, awraad and azkaar, spontaneously admits that he is the muhyuddeen (reviver of faith), the qutb u'l aqtaab (the spiritual authority of all spiritual authorities), the Shaykh u'l mashaaikh (the spiritual master of all spiritual masters), the Gauth u'l A'zam (the greatest spiritual helper) and much more..... a Shaykh who epitomises both mujaddidiyyah (faith revival) and wilayah (sainthood).
Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu is truly a model of a Sufi saint. Through his nasiha, azkaar and salawaat, through giving a living reality to Islam, in his complete surrender to the Will of Allah and in his showing of tawakkul (trust in Allah), as well as through his teachings and preachings, he converted more than five thousand Jews and Christians to Islam. More than a hundred thousand ruffians, outlaws, murderers, thieves and bandits also repented and became devout Muslims and gentle derveshes, explains Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti in his Introduction to Sirr al-Asrar, p.xxxi. The halaqa of zikr (congregations to remember Allah) which he instituted have continued to attract millions of people to Islam through centuries and will continue to do so Insha-Allah, till the Day of Judgement, Aameen Yaa Rabbal 'Aalameen.
The sahaba (companions) of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam are referred to as Rady Allahu 'Anhum wa Radhu 'Anhu (Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him). According to Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani, his own position is equal to the dust under the feet of the sahaba; this should give us some idea of the stature of the blessed sahaba. Their spiritual stature derives from the fact that they were blessed with the opportunity of beholding the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam with the eyes of Iman (faith). As this is the case, is anyone really capable enough to explain in full the sifaat (attributes) of Muhammad-i-'Arabi, Rasuli Rabbil 'Aalameen, Rahmatullil 'Aalameen? Only Allah Rabbu'l 'Izzat is fully aware of what he bestowed on the beloved Prophet, Allahumma Salli wa Sallim wa Baarik 'alaih.