Great Excellence of Self-Sacrifice, Worship and Patience: Inspiring Karamaat of Ghaus-e-Azam

Great excellence of self-sacrifice

Dear Islamic brothers! The foregoing parable contains innumerable Madanī pearls for us. On the one hand, our beloved Ghauš-e-Azam عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْأَكْرَمِ set an excellent example of self-sacrifice by giving food and money to the young man even in the state of extreme starvation and poverty, on the other, there are we, the so-called devotees of Ghauš-e-A'zam. Our condition is that even if we eat the meal of the Niyaz of Giyārhwin, we miss no opportunity to gobble food voraciously, depriving others of their share.

O admirers and devotees of Ghauš-e-A'zam! Whenever your Nafs tries to make you devour food in big morsels without chewing them properly while eating with others, recall the foregoing parable of Ghauš-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ as well as the following Hadīš of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم: "Whoever gives the thing that he needs for himself to any other person, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will forgive him."

(Ihyā-ul-'Ulūm, pp. 779, Vol. 9)

10. A strange way of staying awake

Advising his disciples and devotees, Ghauš-e-Azam عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ الْأَكْرَمِ said, الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ I spent 25 years of my life in the jungles of Iraq. I managed to offer 'Isha and Fajr Şalāh with the same Wudū for 40 years. Similarly, I kept the routine of reciting the whole Quran, for 15 years, in Nafl Şalāh after 'Ishā. At the beginning, I would fasten a rope around my waist and tie the other end of the rope to a hook in the wall so that I would not fall asleep.

(Bahjat-ul-Asrār, pp. 118)

One night, when I intended to perform my usual worship, my Nafs suggested that I take a little rest first and perform worship afterwards. At the very same moment and place where that thought occurred to me, I recited the whole Quran standing on one leg.

(Bahjat-tul-Qādiriyyah)

11. Help of a person in the grave

On Wednesday 27th Żul-Hijjah, 529 A.H., Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jīlānī قُدِّسَ سِرُّهُ الرَّبَّانِي along with a Qāfilah of Islamic scholars and pious men visited the grave of his honourable teacher Shaykh Hammad عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ الْحَوَّادِ in the 'Shuniziyah' cemetery. Ghauš-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ kept making supplication at the grave till it became scorching sunny. As he رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ returned, his face showed signs of delight. He رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ was asked as to why he made supplication for so long. He رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ replied: On Friday, 15th Sha'bān 499 A.H., I and my respected teacher Shaykh Hammad رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ who is resting in this grave were on our way to Jāmi'-ur-Ruşāfah with a Qāfilah to offer Şalāt-ul-Jumu'ah. On the way, while crossing a bridge, Shaykh Hammad عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْحَوَّادِ suddenly pushed me, causing me to fall into a canal. It was very cold but I recited بِسْمِ الله and made the intention for Friday bath. Having performed bath, I came out, squeezed the water from my woollen robe and joined the Qāfilah.

The disciples of Shaykh Hammad عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْحَوَّادِ began to laugh, but he رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ rebuked them saying, 'I did so just to test 'Abdul Qadir and I found him as strong as a rock.' Ghauš-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ further said, 'While supplicating, I saw my respected teacher Shaykh Hammad عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْحَوَّادِ in his grave, dressed in clothes embroidered with diamonds with a ruby crown on his head, golden bracelets around his hands and golden shoes in his feet, but the odd thing was that his right hand was not moving. I asked him the reason for it, he replied, "This is the hand whereby I shoved you, causing you to fall into the canal. Will you forgive me?" I forgave him. He then said, "Please make supplication to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ so that He enables me to use my right hand." I prayed to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and five thousand saints of Allah said آمين from inside their graves. By the grace of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ he became able to use his right hand. He then shook hands with me out of happiness.'

The news spread throughout Baghdad. Listening to it, the disciples of Shaykh Hammad عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْحَوَّادِ were somewhat offended and made their way to the court of Ghauš-e-A'zam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ to enquire about it, but no one had the courage to do so. Ghauš-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ got to know about their inner state and said, 'Choose two Shuyūkh for the solution to this problem.' The disciples of Shaykh Hammad عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْحَوَّادِ chose Shaykh Yūsuf Ĥamdānī and Shaykh 'Abdur Rahman Kurdi رَحْمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى who had spiritual insight and gave Ghauš-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ two days' respite that both the chosen Shuyūkh should express their approval for what Ghauš-e-A'zam had said within two days. Ghauš-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ said, إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ this problem will be solved even before you leave.' Ghaus-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ then lowered his blessed head. Seeing that, all others present over there also lowered their heads. Suddenly, Shaykh Yūsuf Ĥamdānī قُدِّسَ سِرُّهُ التَّوْرَانِي entered barefoot and said, 'With Allah's command, I have just seen Shaykh Hammad عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْحَوَّادِ who asked me to go to the Madrasah of 'Abdul Qadir Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ and declare what Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ has said about him (Shaykh Hammad) is true.' Meanwhile, Shaykh 'Abdur Rahman Kurdi عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ الْقَوِى also arrived and said the same. Upon hearing that, the disciples of Shaykh Hammad apologized to Ghauš-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ.

(Bahjat-ul-Asrār, pp. 107)

Dear Islamic brothers! The foregoing faith-refreshing parable contains many words of wisdom for us. If our Islamic teacher or Murshid ever carries out any such act whose logic we could not comprehend, we should not object to it as it may result in loss for our Hereafter. Instead, we should stick to patience, as our Ghaus-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ set an excellent example of patience when his respected teacher Shaykh Hammad رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ pushed him, causing him to fall into the canal. He made the intention of Ghusl for Jumu'ah and did not utter even a word of complaint.