[Q 367] Questions Regarding Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy’s (Ghawth-ul-A’dham) Statement: “My foot is on the neck of every Waliyy (saint).

Question

What do the Ulama and esteemed Muftis say regarding the following:

(1) “My foot is on the neck of every Waliyy.” Has Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy رضي الله تعالى عنه said this? What is the ruling upon the person who denies it?

(2) If this is indeed the statement of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy, which Awliya (saints) are included in this? If someone objects that this would entail that Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy is superior even to the Sahabah, as every Sahabiyy is also a Waliyy, what is the response to this?

(3) Is it true that even before the birth of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy, people of insight had foretold that he would make this declaration?

(4) One person declares that upon hearing this statement, Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ), and even the Jinn, bowed their heads. Is this statement correct?

(5) Furthermore, is it true that due to the denial of this declaration, some individuals lost their sainthood? Kindly provide a detailed answer to these questions.

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

The answers to the above questions are provided sequentially as follows:

(1) Without any doubt, this blessed statement:

“قَدَمِیْ ھٰذِہٖ عَلٰی رَقَبَۃِ کُلِّ وَلِیِّ اللہِ”

Translation: “This foot of mine is on the neck of every Wali of Allah.”

is indeed the saying of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ). It has been transmitted through mass-transmission (Mutawatir) from him, leaving no room for doubt regarding its veracity.

The majority of the great Awliya from the blessed era of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy until today have acknowledged and accepted this statement. Furthermore, this declaration was not made by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ) of his own choosing, but rather by the specific command of Allah Almighty. Therefore, those who deny this noble statement of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ) are deprived.

(2) The Blessed Companions (رضی اللہ عنہم), certain prominent Tabi’un (the righteous from the generation after the Companions), the Imams of Ahl-ul-Bayt, and Imam Mahdi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہم اجمعین) are excluded from this declaration of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ).

Apart from them, all previous, contemporary, and following Awliya (saints) are included.

This superiority of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ) is undeniable until the time of Imam Mahdi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ). Then, Imam Mahdi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) will be bestowed with the rank of being the great Ghawth.

Hence, the argument that this declaration implies Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy’s superiority over the Sahabah is entirely incorrect, as the Sahabah are not entailed by this statement. Their superiority is proven by explicit texts of the Qur’an and Hadith.

(3) Many people of spiritual insight (Ahl-ul-Kashf) among the Awliya (رحمۃ اللہ علیہم) had foretold this declaration of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ), even before his blessed birth.

Among them were Abu Bakr bin Hawar Bata’ihi, Shaykh Abu Ahmad Abdullah bin Ali bin Musa Juniyy, Taj-ul-Arifin Abu-ul-Wafa, Shaykh Aqil Munji, and others (رحمۃ اللہ علیہم اجمعین).

(4) It is undoubtedly true that upon hearing this declaration of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ), all Awliya (saints) of the world bowed their heads, including Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ).

Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) said:

“بل علیٰ رأسی و عینی”

Translation: “Rather, your blessed foot is on my head and my eyes”.

As for the Awliya from among the Jinn bowing their heads, that is also correct, as mentioned by the distinguished Hadith scholar, Hafiz Ibn Hajar Makkiyy Shafi’iyy (علیہ الرحمۃ).

(5) There are reports of a non-Arab man who did not bow his head upon hearing this declaration, and thus all his sainthood (Wilayah) was taken away.

Regarding this statement of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ), Allamah Ali Qari (علیہ الرحمۃ) writes in Nuzhat-ul-Khatir-ul-Fatir:

کان سلطان الاولیاء و علم الاصفیاء مولانا السید الشیخ محی الدین عبد القادر الجیلانی الحسنی و الحسینی رضی اللہ عنہ یوما جالسا علی بساطہ و کان عامۃ المشائخ قریبا من خمسین ولیا حاضرا عندہ اذ جرٰی علی لسانہ فی اثناء بیانہ قدمی ھذہ علی رقبۃ کل ولی اللہ فقام رئیس المشائخ علی بن الھیتی و صعد المنبر و اخذ قدمہ و وضعھا الشیخ علی رقبتہ تحقیقا لمقالتہ و تسلیما لحالتہ

(Nuzhat-ul-Khatir-il-Fatir, Pg. 24, Lahore)

Allamah Abul-Khayr Nurullah Naeemiyy (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) writes:

“The blessed statement of Hazrat Ghauth-ul-A’dham (رضی اللہ عنہ), ‘My foot is on the neck of every Waliyy of Allah,’ is established through mass-transmission (Mutawatir), and the majority of the great Awliya have accepted it from the blessed era until today. Even before Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ) declared it, and even before his blessed birth, the Awliya had foretold this. It is also agreed that this declaration of his was not made of his own choosing, but rather by the specific command of Allah Almighty.”

(Fatawa Nooriyah, Vol. 5, Pg. 166, Dar-ul-‘Ulum Hanafiyyah Faridiyyah, Basirpur)

Furthermore, even before Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy made this declaration, rather even before his birth, some Awliya foretold this. Imam Abul-Hasan Shaṭnufiyy (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ), while quoting the words of Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Hawar Bata’ihi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ), states:

سوف یظھر بالعراق رجل من العجم عالی المنزلۃ عند اللہ و عند الناس اسمہ عبد القادر و مسکنہ ببغداد یقول: قدمي هذه على رقبة كل ولي الله

(Bahjat-ul-Asrar wa Ma’din-ul-Anwar, Pg. 14, Dar-ul-Kutub-il-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

Sheikh Abu Ahmad Abdullah bin Ali bin Musa Juniyy (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) said:

اشھد انہ سیولد بارض العجم مولود لہ ظھور عظیم بالکرامات و قبول تام عند کافۃ الاولیاء یقول: قدمي هذه على رقبة كل ولي الله

(Bahjat-ul-Asrar wa Ma’din-ul-Anwar, Pg. 15, Dar-ul-Kutub-il-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

Shaykh Taj-ul-Arifin Abul-Wafa (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) would say:

لھذا الشاب وقت اذا جاء افتقر الیہ الخاص و العام و کأنی اراہ قائلا ببغداد علی رؤوس الاشھاد و ھو محق: قدمي هذه على رقبة كل ولي الله

(Bahjat-ul-Asrar wa Ma’din-ul-Anwar, Pg. 16, Dar-ul-Kutub-il-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

Sheikh Aqil Munjiyy (علیہ الرحمۃ) said:

سیظهر هنا و اشار الی العراق فتی عجمی شریف یتکلم علی الناس ببغداد و یعرف کرامتہ الخاص و العام و ھو قطب وقتہ یقول: قدمی ھذہ علیٰ رقبۃ کل ولی اللہ و تضع الاولیاء لہ رقابهم

(Bahjat-ul-Asrar wa Ma’din-ul-Anwar, Pg. 17, Dar-ul-Kutub-il-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

Note: Besides him, Shaykh Ali bin Wahb, Shaykh Hammad al-Dabbas, and other Awliya had also foretold this noble declaration. The detailed mention is found in Bahjat-ul-Asrar wa Ma’din-ul-Anwar.

Upon hearing this declaration of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ), even the Awliya among the Jinn bowed their heads.

The renowned scholar, Allama Ibn Hajar Makkiyy Shafi’iyy Haytamiyy (علیہ الرحمۃ), writes in Fatawa Hadithiyyah:

انھم قد یؤمرون تعریفا لجاھل او شکرا وتحدثا بنعمۃ اللہ تعالی کما وقع الشیخ عبدالقادر رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ انہ بینما ھو بمجلس وعظہ واذا ھو یقول قدمی ھٰذہ علی رقبۃ کل ولی اللہ تعالی فاجابہ فی تلک الساعۃ اولیاء الدنیا قال جماعۃ بل واولیاء الجن جمیعھم وطأطئوا رءوسھم وخضعوالہ

(Fatawa Hadithiyyah, Pg. 414, Beirut)

Regarding Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ), the Imam of Ahl-ul-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan (علیہ الرحمۃ) writes in Mujir-e-Mu’adhdham:

“My father, the foremost of the researchers, narrated to me the story that had reached him from Sayyid Bakhtiar Kaki (رضی اللہ عنہ). He mentioned that one day our spiritual guide, Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ), bowed his blessed head and said:

 ‘بل علی رأسی و عینی’

 Translation: ‘Rather, [your foot] is on my head and my eyes.’

The people were surprised by this action, and Khwaja Saheb said, ‘At this very moment, Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy is giving a sermon from the pulpit in Baghdad, saying:

‘قدمی ھذہ علی رقبۃ کل ولی اللہ’

 Translation: ‘This foot of mine is on the neck of every Wali of Allah.’

All the Awliya have placed their necks before his blessed foot. I, too, have said:

بل علی رأسی و عینی

‘Indeed, on my head and my eyes.’

Nasir al-Millah wa al-Din Chiragh-e-Dehli (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) also stated that Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (قدس سرہ), understanding the Divine command, immediately laid his head on the ground, saying:

بل علی رأسی

‘Indeed, on my head.’

(Mujir al-Mu’adhdham Sharh Akseer al-Azam, Pg. 144, Mubarakpur)

Regarding the one whose Wilayah was revoked for not bowing his head to this noble statement, Imam Nur al-Din Shatnufi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) narrates the saying of Shaykh Abu Muhammad Qasim bin Abdullah Basriyy (علیہ الرحمۃ):

لما امر الشیخ عبد القادر رضی اللہ عنہ ان یقول: قدمی ھذہ علی رقبۃ کل ولی اللہ ،رایت الاولیاء فی المشرق و المغرب واضعین رؤوسھم تواضعا لہ الا رجلا بارض العجم فانہ لم یفعل فتواری عنہ حالہ

(Bahjat-ul-Asrar wa Ma’din-ul-Anwar, Pg. 30, Dar-ul-Kutub-il-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

Allama Ibn Hajar Makkiyy Shafi’iyy (علیہ الرحمۃ) and Allama Ali Qari (علیہ الرحمۃ) mention:

حکی ان واحدا من العجم امتنع من الانقیاد لہ فسلبت الولایۃ عنہ و ھذا تنبیہ بینۃ علی انہ قطب الاقطاب و الغوث الاعظم فی ھذا الباب

(Fatawa Hadithiyyah, Pg. 414, Beirut; Nuzhat al-Khatir al-Fatir, Pg. 24, Lahore)

As for the Awliya who are included in this noble statement, it is clear that the Sahaba (رضی اللہ عنہم) are not included, as their superiority is explicitly established in the texts. Among the Tabi’un, only certain prominent Tabi’in, who are perfect followers, are excluded. The rest of the Awliya are all included in this noble statement until the appearance of Imam Mahdiyy (علیہ السلام).

Imam Ahl-e-Sunnat Ala Hazrat (علیہ الرحمۃ) was asked about this declaration of Hazrat Ghaus-e-Azam (رضی اللہ عنہ):

“Hazrat Ghaus-e-Thaqalain (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:

قدمی ھذہ علیٰ رقبۃ کل ولی اللہ

Translation: My foot is on the neck of every Wali of Allah.

Does this mean he is superior to all previous and future Awliya who are not explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an or Hadith?”

Imam Ahmad Rida Khan (علیہ الرحمۃ)  said:

وہ مسلک جو ہمارے نزدیک محقق ہے اوربشہادت اولیاء وشہادت سیدناخضر علیہ الصلٰوۃ والسلام وبمرویات اکابر ائمہ کرام ثابت ہے یہ ہی ہے کہ باستثناء ان کے جن کی افضلیت منصوص ہے جیسے جملہ صحابہ کرام وبعض اکابرتابعین عظام کہ”والذین اتبعوھم باحسان“(اورجو بھلائی کے ساتھ ان کےپیروہوئے ۔ )ہیں ،اوراپنے ان القاب سے ممتاز ہیں ولہذا اولیاء وصوفیہ ومشائخ ان الفاظ سے ان کی طرف ذہن نہیں جاتا ،اگرچہ وہ خود سرداران اولیاء ہیں ، وہ کہ ان الفاظ سے مفہوم ہوئے ہیں حضور سیدنا غوث اعظم رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ کے زمانہ میں ہوں جیسے سائر اولیائے عشرہ کہ احیائے موتیٰ فرماتے تھے ، خواہ حضور سے متقدم ہوں جیسےحضرت معروف کرخی وبایزید بسطامی وسید الطائفہ جنیدوابوبکرشبلی وابوسعید خراز،اگر چہ وہ  خود حضورکے مشائخ ہیں،اورجو حضور کے بعد ہیں جیسے حضرت خواجہ غریب نواز سلطان الہند وحضرت شیخ الشیوخ شہاب الدین سہروردی وحضرت سیدنا بہاؤ الملۃ والدین نقشبند اور ان اکابر کے خلفاء ومشائخ وغیرہم قدس اللہ اسرارھم وافاض علینا برکتھم وانوارھم ،حضورسرکارغوثیت مدار بلا استثناء ان سب سے اعلیٰ واکمل وافضل ہیں، اورحضور کے بعد جتنے اکابر ہوئے اورتا زمانہ سیدنا امام مہدی ہوں گے کسی سلسلہ کے ہوں یا سلسلہ سے جدا افراد ہوں غوث،قطب ، امامین ، اوتاد اربعہ ،بدلائے سبعہ،ابدال سبعین، نقبا،نجبا، ہردورہ کے عظماء ،کبرا سب حضورسے مستفیض اورحضور کے فیض سے کامل ومکمل ہیں۔۔ ہم جو کہتے ہیں خود نہیں کہتے بلکہ اکابر کاارشاد ہے اجلۂ اعاظم کاجس پر اعتماد ہے۔

“The position which is established and verified through the testimony of the Awliya, the testimony of Sayyiduna Khidr (علیہ السلام), and the narrations of the eminent Imams, is that this declaration applies to all Awliya except for those whose superiority is explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an and Hadith, such as the Sahabah (رضی اللہ عنہم) and some of the Akabir Tabi’un.

The verse, “وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ”

Translation: ‘And those who followed them in goodness.’

refers to these select individuals. They are distinguished by their noble titles and thus are not the ones being referred to in the statement by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ). However, the Awliya during the time of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ), such as the ten great Awliya who could revive the dead, and even those who preceded him, such as Hazrat Ma’ruf Karkhi, Bayazid Bistami, Sayyid al-Taifa Junayd, Abu Bakr Shibli, and Abu Sa’id Kharraz, though they were his spiritual predecessors, are included. Even those who came after him, such as Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Sultan al-Hind, Sheikh al-Shuyukh Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi, Baha al-Millat wa al-Din Naqshband, and the great saints following them—may Allah sanctify their secrets—are all recipients of the blessings of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilaniyy (رضی اللہ عنہ). He is superior, more complete, and more perfect than all of them.

After him, all the eminent Awliya and the great ones up until the time of Imam Mahdi (علیہ السلام), whether they belong to a specific spiritual chain or are separate, including the Ghaus, Qutb, Imamein, Otaad Arba’a, Badala Sab’a, Abdaal Sab’een, Nuqaba, and Nujaba, all of them draw their spiritual sustenance from him and are perfected through his spiritual influence. We do not say this from ourselves but from the guidance and instruction of the greatest scholars and saints whose words we rely upon.”

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, Vol. 28, Pg. 362-363, Lahore)

Answered by: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Daruliftaahlesunnat, Dawat-e-Islami
Translated answer