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TRANSLATIONS OF LECTURES BY

Hazrath Maulana Shafee Okarvi al-Qadri t

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Abu Muhammad Hazrath Muhayuddin Abd' al Qaadir Jilaani

Ghaws al-Azam Mahboob e Subhaanit

Allah Y says in the Holy Qur'aan, in the 25^th Sura, al-Furqaan: Verse 64

Allah Y  Averts Punishment Of The Disobedient Because Of Awliya

After praising Allah Y (Hamd) and blessing His beloved Holy Prophet e (Salaat), I recited a verse of the Holy Qur’aan. In this verse Allah Y has mentioned an attribute of His beloved servants. He says that His accepted and beloved servants, their prominence is this that they spend nights in prostration (sajda[1]) before their Creator. He states:

How do they spend it?

The rest of the world is asleep and dreaming but the servants of the Merciful Allah Y, His accepted servants, spend their nights, for Allah Y, soaked in His love, praying salaah, standing (qiyaam), bowing (ruku) and prostrating (sajda).

The reality is this that because of these worshipful and pondering or reflecting (fikr) servants this world retains stability and we are saved from the punishment of Allah Y. There is a Sacred Tradition (Hadith e Qudsi[3]) in which Allah Y says:

From this we know, that the sinful are preserved in this world from the punishment of Allah Y, due to the benevolence  (sadaqa) of the Intimates of Allah Y  (awliya). It is the sadaqa of those beloveds of Allah Y that get up at night and cry to Allah Y, spending nights in worshipful service to Allah Y. Our great Imam, Imam Abu Hanifa t, used to read his Fajr salaah with the ablution performed for the previous Esha salaah, for forty years. Ghaws al-Azam t also used to read his Fajr salaah with the ablution performed for the previous Esha salaah for forty years. They spent their entire nights in worship (ibaadat). Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t says, ‘I spent 15 years, reciting the entire Qur’aan, between Fajr and Esha standing on one foot every night.’ He says, ‘after performing Esha Salaah, I used to retire to my room (hujra) and I had a piece of wood fixed to the wall, which I used to grasp. I would then raise my left foot and stand on my right foot and begin my recitation. I would start from Sura Fatiha and would only put my left foot down, when I completed Sura Naas.’ This was not performed a few nights or a few weeks, but, every night, for fifteen years and during the daytime he used to fast. Even though he was born a ‘friend of Allah Y’ (wali) he strove. On this path, (tasawwuf), worship (ibaadat[6]), striving (riyaazat[7]) and struggle (mujahadah[8]) has to be performed, for without this, nothing can be accomplished. My elders and friends, these Aulia that wake up at night and strive, it is due to their blessings that sinners like us, are saved from the punishment of Allah Y. At this juncture you can understand a ‘Religious Problem’ (mas’ala) very easily. If the existence of Aulia, their personalities, are such a source of mercy and blessing for us, that because of them Allah Y’s punishment is withdrawn. Did the personalities of Aulia become the cause of ‘dispelling calamity’ (dafiul baliyaat)? Yes! Allah Y says that, ‘because of them I recall My punishment even from the disobedient.’ So if Allah Y’s Aulia are the cause of dispelling punishment, then is not the Holy Prophet e, The Repeller of Affliction and Disease and Drought and Illness and Pain (dafi` al-bala'i wal-waba'i wal-qahti wal-maradi wal-alam). Some people say that to recite ‘Invocation of The Crown’ (Darud e Taj) is shirk[9]because in it occurs, The Repeller of Affliction and Disease and Drought and Illness and Pain (dafi` al-bala'i wal-waba'i wal-qahti wal-maradi wal-alam). They say that to consider the Holy Prophet e as being The Repeller of Affliction and Disease and Drought and Illness and Pain is shirk since none can do this besides Allah Y. I say that there is no bigger affliction or disease than the punishment of Allah Y so if this punishment of Allah Y is dispelled due to the Awliya, then why cannot the personality of The Mercy for the Universe (rahmatullil aalamien) be a source of mercy and blessing for us. Of course, the Holy Prophet e has a high status but he says, the soil of his city (Madinah) that touched his blessed feet has cure in it. He e said

Soil! That soil that the Holy Prophet e walked on is The Repeller of Affliction and Disease. It removes sickness. The clothing that touched his blessed body can cure sickness. The Hadith is in Sahih Muslim[10], Hazrath Asma y, the daughter of Hazrath Abu Bakr Siddique y says, ‘We had a cloak (jubba) of the Holy Prophet e and whenever someone got sick, we used to soak a corner of the cloak in water and give the sick person to drink the water and the sick were cured.’

 So the clothing that touched the Holy Prophet e’s  body, the soil that touched his blessed feet, is The Repeller of Affliction and Disease. His is a great status. Through the blessings of his obedient servants Affliction and Disease is repelled. The Holy Prophet e has stated:

If this is the status of the Awliya, then what is the status of the Holy Prophet e, The Leader of The Prophet e’s ? He is a Mercy For The Universe. Due to his blessings, punishment was averted from the unbelievers (kufaar).

Allah Y says in the Holy Qur'aan, in the 8^th Sura, al-Anfaal, Verse 33:

‘If your blessed presence were not amongst them, surely they would have been destroyed. They are deserving of punishment but they are spared because of your existence (wujuud)’. If the punishment of the disbelievers is averted due to his blessed personality: how much blessing must his being be for ‘true believers’ (mumin)? For true believers (mumin) he is Kind and Merciful (Ra’uf ur-Raheem[12]). So these people of Allah Y, worshipful servants, those that wake up at night, worship and perform night vigils (tahajjud), Allah Y speaks about them. I will explain to you, that these that wake up at night and worship, what status and state (maqaam[13]) Allah Y grants them.

This I will present to you but before that I, briefly will present some aspects of the life of Our Master, our Spiritual Guide, Ghaws as-Saqalain, Mahboobe Subhaani, Qutbe Rabbani, Shaykh Sayyid Abd al Qaadir Jilaani Ghaws al-Azam t.

Some Aspects Of The Life Of Our Master, Shaykh Sayyid Abd Al Qaadir Jilaani Ghaws Al-Azam t

I request that you patiently sit with tranquil minds and listen to me and I will present Shaykh Sayyid Abd al Qaadir Jilaani Ghaws al-Azam t aspects of his biography in such a manner that, I will recite a few poems of a manqabat, in praise Shaykh Abd al Qaadir Jilaani t that was written by Ala Hazrath Imame Ahle Sunnat, Maulana Shah Ahmad Rida Khan t, of Barailly, and I will expound these verses. All of you join me in reciting the first stanza of this manqabat:

Ala Hazrath t says: 

‘Ghaws’ means ‘The One Who Listens To The Cry’[14] and ‘Gheys’ means ‘Rain’. So Ala Hazrath t is saying, ‘O Ghaws al-Azam! Many Ghaws and Aulia that help have existed in the world, they that listen to the pleas of the afflicted; But you are that Ghaws that all the Ghaws in the world although they are ‘Divine Aiders’, they adore you. And, you are that Gheys; that ‘rain of Fayz[15], that all other Aulia that themselves are ‘rain of Fayz’ are thirsty for your fayz. This is so because you are the Spiritual Guide of all Spiritual Guides (Piro ka Pir); The Spiritual Pivot of all Spiritual Pivots (Qutbo ka Qutb); The Supreme Helper of all Supreme Helpers (Ghawso ka Ghaws)

In this verse there is a point that is worth pondering upon i.e.  ‘Joh wali qabl teh,’ Those Aulia were physically on earth before the birth of Ghaws al-Azam t; and  ‘ ya baad huwe ya hoge’ Those Aulia were born after the birth of Ghaws al-Azam t and those that are still to emerge; i.e. all Awliya possess respect and reverence in their hearts for Ghaws al-Azam t. The question arises that those Aulia were born after the birth of Ghaws al-Azam t and those that are still to emerge would have read of his life and marvelous exploits, would have known his state and status so they would possess respect and reverence in their hearts for Ghaws al-Azam t; but the statement, ‘Joh wali qabl teh,’ those Aulia were physically on earth before the birth of Ghaws al-Azam t, possess respect and reverence in their hearts for Ghaws al-Azam t, then the question is, how did they possess this respect and reverence? So I will provide an answer to this question. My respected elders and friends, before the birth of Ghaws al-Azamt, many Awliya pronounced, ‘Very soon a personality will emerge in Baghdad, whose name would be Abd al-Qaadir t. He will be the leader of all awliya of his era, and he would proclaim:

When he proclaims this all the awliya of his era would lower their necks and would abstain from denying his exalted status.’ Those awliya, before the birth of Ghaws al-Azam t, that have mentioned for our acquisition have also stated that, ‘the awliya of his era would lower their necks on hearing this declaration, and we are lowering our necks in advance and are acknowledging his exalted status.’ So Ala Hazrath, The Imam Of The Upholders Of The Prophetic Tradition, (Imaame ahle Sunnat) t is referring to this that, the awliya born before Ghaws al-Azam t acknowledged his exalted status and lowered their necks.

Listen to another point. Those awliya that expounded this, that Ghaws al-Azam t will emerge, how did they know this? Maulana Rumi t says in the Mathnavi:

As you are aware that everything is inscribed on the Preserved Tablet (Lauh al-Mahfuz).

The Holy Prophet e said:

So these people of Allah Y, read the Preserved Tablet (Lauh al-Mahfuz). This, Allah Y willing, I will also expound how these Intimates of Allah Y  (awliya) are in this world but they see the Preserved Tablet (Lauh al-Mahfuz). I will explain that Allah Y says, ‘I become their faculty of sight. They become the ‘Divine Loci Or Place Of Manifestation (mazhar) of My attributes[17].’  So Allah Y’s awliya know of events. Through the means of the Prophet’s, Allah Y bestows some knowledge of the unseen to awliya. Read Tadhkiratul Awliya and The Mathnavi of Maulana Rumi in which it is mentioned about, Sultan al-Arifin, Hazrath Byazid Bistami t, a perfect wali of Allah Y. Once he passed by Kasbae Firqaan so he stopped and started inhaling, like one smells something. Those that were present, his companions, asked him as to what was he sensing since they did not smell anything. He replied that from this area he is getting the fragrance of a man of God. His companions asked him, ‘Sir! Is this man of God present currently in this place?’ He replied, ‘No! He will be born one hundred years after my death, but I currently get his fragrance. His name will be Abu’l Hassan.’  He then outlined his features, looks etc. He also stated that, ‘He would be from amongst my disciples and would advance my Spiritual Order (silsila).’ According to Hazrath Byazid Bistami’s prediction, 100 years later Hazrath Khwaja Abu’l Hassan Kharqani t was born who was the Spiritual Guide of, a great wali, Hazrath Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi t.  So my friends, Awliya get to know. Allah Y informs them and they get a fragrance. My friends; ponder upon this. He whose nose is blocked (band) can he get a fragrance? He who has a sickness, that his nose is clogged, you can put a bottle of perfume (itr) in front of his nose and nothing will affect his brain, because the channel of fragrance is closed. So those whose nose are closed (band) they cannot smell and those whose hearts are closed they cannot receive guidance (hidaayat). Pray that we do not have this closed (band) problem. Band is a problem. Read the Holy Qur’aan, in the 12^th Sura, Yusuf: Verse 94, Jacob [Yacuub] e says:

Joseph [Yusuf] t was in Egypt; whilst Jacob [Yacuub] t was in Syria but Yacuub t got his fragrance.  The Holy Prophet e used to face towards Yemen and say, ‘I sense the fragrance of love from this direction.’ Whose fragrance was this? It was the fragrance of Hazrath Uwais Qarni t. So the people of love get the fragrance. I was saying that Allah Y bestows the knowledge of future events to His true devotees. So before the birth of Ghaws al-Azam, many Awliya predicted that soon a person would emerge in Baghdad, whose name would be Abd al-Qaadir and he would be the leader of all Awliya.

Birth

Eventually Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam was born in the year 470 A.H. / 1077-8 C.E., in the blessed month of Ramadaan, about 924 years ago from today. In Iraq there is a district that non-Arabs call Gilaan whilst Arabs call it Jilaan, since there is no gaaf in Arabic. They substitute gaaf with jeem. After his birth mother, Fatimah noticed that he did not drink milk in the daytime, but only after sunset. After noticing this for 7 to 8 days, she told her husband Abu Saleh about this occurrence. She said, ‘Abu Saleh, this son that Allah Y blessed us with observes fast (siyaam), he does not drink milk in the day, although I tried to feed him on numerous occasions, he only feeds at night.’ Hazrath Abu Saleh t said, ‘It is no marvel if he is fasting for he is the Leader of the Friends of Allah Y  (awliya) and of all Spiritual Poles (aqtaab).’ Hazrath Fatimah y enquired from her husband, ‘Sir! How do you know that he is the leader of Friends of Allah Y  (awliya) and of all Spiritual Poles (aqtaab)?’

 He replied, “Before this child was born, I was blessed with a dream of the Holy Prophet e who informed me,

So if he is fasting it is no surprise because he is the leader of all Friends of Allah Y  (awliya) and of all Spiritual Poles (aqtaab). Therefore someone has stated:

Somebody has also said the same in Urdu:

After 14 to 15 days it had become known in Jilaan, that at the residence of the Sayyids[18] (Saadaat), a son has been born who is fasting since birth and is a wali of Allah Y. Many men and women came to see this child who is a born wali and is observing fasts. After, 29 fasts clouds had gathered and the moon could not be seen. An elderly person said that they should not be perturbed; they should go home eat, read esha and the ‘prescribed additional evening prayer of Ramadaan’ (tarawih) and partake of the ‘pre-fast meal’ (sehri) the next morning. He said, ‘we will go to Abu Saleh’s home and ask if his son is drinking milk or not. Depending on whether he is drinking milk or not, then we would announce Eid or continue fasting.’ They went to the house and enquired and received the reply that the child was not partaking of milk. His mother replied that, ‘this was proof that the moon had not been sighted the previous evening.’ People kept the thirtieth fast. On the Eid Day all the people were partaking of sweets and Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam was drinking his mother’s milk.

Studies

Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam was a born wali. My elders and friends, at a young age, the age of 10, he memorized the Holy Qur'aan.  After memorizing the Qur’aan he began studying books of religion. He states that, “when I used to proceed to study at my school, angels used to accompany me on my left and right side. On reaching the schoolhouse they used to announce to my fellow pupils, ‘make place for The Friend (wali) Of Allah Y.’ Later I realized that they were angels. When I intended playing with the other children, as is the nature of children, then I could hear a voice from the unseen saying, ‘O Blessed One! Come towards Me (illaya Ya Mubaarak), don’t attach you heart to play and folly. Don’t incline yourself to play with these children, Come towards Me.’

I will continue lecturing, leaving out many minute details, for if I have to lecture with commentary then morning will dawn and we would still not have finished Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t’s life-story.

Death Of Father And Desire For Hajj.

At the age of 12 or 13, his father passed on to the Realm Of Divine Beauty. He had been orphaned and he lived with his mother. He heard that a group was leaving for Pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah (hajj) on a certain date and it was announced that those that wanted to go should get ready, and should assemble at a certain house on a prescribed day. In those days there was no need for passport and visa. Groups used to go to Arabia from all sides. When the announcement was made in his city, then he asked his mother permission to go on hajj. His mother refused to give him permission saying that it was time for him to study presently and Allah Y willing he would go in the future. The caravan on hajj left without him on the prescribed date and Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t says, ‘I felt sad at not being able to go and thought if only my mother had allowed me to go, I also would be amongst these fortunate pilgrims. They will reach Makkah, The Ennobled, see the House of Allah Y, and make tawaaf of it, perform salaah there, visit auspicious places be honored with pilgrimage and then leave for Madinah, The Illuminated. They would stand at the Room of the Leader of All Prophets and send their salutations to him, then visit the blessed graves of his companions (sahaaba) and family (ahle bayt). How fortunate are they that as soon as they left home they became the guests of Allah Y and His Messenger e.’ He says, ‘I had this desire that if only I was amongst them but the caravan left and I climbed the roof of my house and saw it going away. I watched it for a long time and thoughts were rushing into my heart like waves, and I sighed, that if only I had been fortunate to go.’ He says, ‘when the caravan disappeared behind the clouds of dust, then I sighed loudly and at the same time the veils were removed from my sight and I saw the House of Allah Y  (Kabah) in front of me and people were making tawaaf. I saw the Kabah as if I was standing on the roof of a house in Makkah, The Ennobled. Allah Y was kind to me, as if He was saying, ‘O My Beloved e , if you have the desire to see My house then I have the power to show it to you from where you are.’ Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t says, ‘I saw The House of Allah Y, Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat and Allah Y showed me the whole scene.’ Remember this was only the beginning for when he attained the status of Supreme Helper (Ghaws), and the station of being the Beloved of Allah e, (Mahbubiyat) then listen to his state. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam says:

That room that I am in, or that tent that I am in the Kabah comes and makes its tawaaf. Ala Hazrath Imame Ahle Sunnat, Maulana Shah Ahmad Rida Khan t depicts this reality in a poem,

At this juncture I would like to tell you something that you will find sweet and beautiful but some people will not like it. What will they say? They will say the Kabah makes the tawaaf of Ghaws al-Azam’s room (hujra)?  What kind of statement is this? It is beyond the grasp of the intellect? They will accuse us of going to extremes saying has the Kabah ever made tawaaf of anybody?

The Holy Prophet e came from Madinah to Makkah to make tawaaf and you people say the Kabah goes to make tawaaf of Ghaws al-Azam. Is this not elevating his status above that of the Holy Prophet e? Some will even say that if Kabah went to Ghaws al-Azam then at that time it would not have been in Makkah? It is a known fact that the Kabah has never been absent from Makkah for a single moment. So there will be many objections. If they don’t object presently then they will when I leave. They will speak behind my back. Some people speak from behind and you know that whatever emits from behind, spreads a bad odour. Therefore let me clarify what I have stated now.

Sweet water tastes bitter to a sick person. He who has fever sweet water tastes bitter to him. He complains to his mother that the water is bitter and she replies that it is not the water but his mouth that is bitter. He who is physically sick finds sweet water to be bitter and he whose heart is devoid of love and certainty does not like the discourse expounding the status of prophets and friends of Allah Y. They are sick. [Allah Y says in the Holy Qur'aan, in the 2^nd Sura, al-Baqarah: Verse 10]

They do not like the discourse expounding the status of prophets and friends of Allah Y. I will present this with proof. But only they will understand whose passages of perception are open. Those that are closed (band) then their hearts will never assimilate this. So let me explain this for our own people’s tranquility. Firstly remember that this is a matter of faith (aqidah). This masala[19] is in the universally accepted books that record the Belief Of The People Of The Tradition And Congregation (aqaaid e ahle sunnah wa jamaat). If somebody objects that we don’t know the books of aqidah, we know Hadith and Qur’aan, then this is also in the Hadith. The Hadith is Tirmizi Shareef. A Tradition from one of the Six Most Authentic Books Of Hadith (sihah sittah):[20]

This is a saying of the Holy Prophet e. This Hadith is also in Mishkaat Shareef. So Aqidah teaches us that a mumins status and honor is above that of the Kabah. Remember this point.

Secondly, Allah Y says,

Therefore Sufi’s say,

The King of the Knowers of Allah Y  (Aarifeen), Maulana Jalalluddin Rumi t says:

Rectify this Spiritual Heart (qalb[22]). This is the Throne of Allah Y  (arsh). Allah Y says, ‘The Heavens and the Earths cannot contain Me, but if you want Me, contained Me in your heart’. So this will make you understand the problem easily. If Kabah makes tawaaf of that heart that contains Allah Y, what is there to be astonished about? You can say that Kabah is making the tawaaf of Allah Y, because Allah Y is in that heart. So rectify your hearts for all this that we speak about are matters of the heart. The heart is sound then everything is sound and if the heart is diseased then everything is diseased.  I am not saying this, it has been said by the Holy Prophet e in the Hadith[23]:

So rectify your hearts. It is Allah Y’s house. It is also Allah Y’s Beloved e ‘s abode. Should I tell you something from a Sufi perspective? If you receive a beloved guest at your home then how much preparation you make in the room in which your guest will reside. How much of cleansing do you perform? Will you house your guest in a filthy room? No! So this heart is whose abode? Therefore keep it clean. Save it from filth for it is the place where Allah Y and His Beloved e reside. Therefore Aulia cleanse their hearts. Shaykul Islam wal Muslimeen

Hazrath Baba Fariduddin Ganje Shakar t says,

The lover is asleep whilst the Beloved is awake this is not the way of Farid. He is awake so you also remain awake. This is the way of lovers. These People of Allah Y from them we receive Intense Love (ishq) and Spiritual Longing (dard). Once Baba Saheb was in the state of istighraaq[24]or being ‘Absorbed In The Love OF Allah Y’ that the birds thought he was a corpse. So crows sat on him and started pecking his flesh. These crows have a habit of making a din whilst eating and this broke his concentration and he regained contact with the world.

He then said the following:

The world of Intense Love (ishq), and Affection  (Muhabba) is something different. Maulana Rumi t says;

Remember one may attain as much knowledge as he can, he can perform countless salaah and keep fasts daily but if the heart is devoid of Intense Love (ishq) and Spiritual Longing (dard) then he has attained nothing.

Allama Iqbal t says:

Allah Y says I reside in broken hearts. These people have not been given the wealth of Intense Love (ishq) and Spiritual Longing (dard). They have not even felt its breeze. This World Of Love is a world on its own.

Cleanse this heart. This is the reason that Awliya remove everything from this heart. Should I tell you something else from a Sufi perspective? They remove even legal desires from their hearts. In ‘La ilaha illallahu’, The La is the la of negation. They negate everything. To the extent they negate themselves also. They slay everything with the sword of la. When they slay themselves then they don’t remain only Allah Y, remains.

Therefore a Sufi says:

That heart (qalb) that Allah Y  resides in which becomes the center of ‘Allah Y’s self-disclosure’ (tajalliyaat[25]) and receiving His ‘lights’ (anwaar[26]); the Kabah circles that heart. Hazrath Ibrahim Adham t went to perform Hajj and when he reached the Kabah, he found it to be ‘Present In Form’ (suratan) but absent in ‘Essential Reality’ (haqiqatan). He asked Allah Y  as to where the Kabah was and he got the reply that, ‘There is a pious servant of Mine whose name is Rabia Basriya y, who is on her way to perform Hajj, so the Kabah has gone to welcome her.” This shows us that there are such pious servants of Allah Y; Kabah itself goes to welcome them. You may ask that if Kabah goes to welcome somebody or circle him or her then is it not absent from Makkah. Listen! Those that don’t understand this are uninformed about tasawwuf [27]and Knowledge of Inner Realities (ilme marifat).[28] Let me explain to you. One form is The Original (asli) and the other is The Symbolic (mithali[29]). e.g.: After you listen to the lecture, you will go and sleep. In your dream some people will reach India, Johannesburg, your office, the market etc. one existence of yours is in bed whilst the other is traveling. So how many beings do you have? Also at the same time you are in the dreams of your friend who is miles away from you. Your have One Essential Existence (wujuud) that is sleeping in the bed and what are these other existences? When a man sleeps his ruh[30] leaves his body, but not in totality, it has a connection with his body. The ruh  leaves the body in a state of sleep. Read the Holy Qur'aan, The 39^th Sura, az-Zumaar: Verse 42:

In sleep there is a connection between body and soul hence you will find breathing. So the soul leaves and inhabits another body that the Sufi’s have termed Copy of the Body (jisme mithali). The original body is asleep in the room whilst the copy of the body is traveling. These days it has become easy to understand this by pondering upon how television works. The person on the television is appearing the same time in millions of places, yet he has one body. The original body is in the studio whilst the copy of the body or jisme mithali is in millions of places. If this is the power of technology, then what must be the Spiritual Power (ruhani)?    Let me provide proof of spiritual power, in this regard, so that no one objects later. When the Holy Prophet e returned after the Ascension (Mi’raj) then the unbelievers in Makkah, sarcastically, asked him that if he went to Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, then he should tell them how many windows, doors, pillars etc. there where. They also wanted details on the structures height and width. Such questions where asked, as is the habit of opposition. I have lectured on many occasions in this Masjid and if on my return to Pakistan if somebody has to ask me such questions about this Masjid, I would fail to reply accurately.  The Holy Prophet e says that when they asked such questions, then Allah Y caused Masjid al-Aqsa to appear on the wall of Abu Talib’s house in Makkah.  The Holy Prophet e says he looked at Masjid al-Aqsa on the wall of Abu Talib’s house and answered their questions. The point is that Masjid al-Aqsa is in Palestine and it appears with Allah Y’s power on the wall of Abu Talib’s house in Makkah. So, Masjid al-Aqsa was in Palestine and its copy appeared in Makkah through the grace and power of Allah Y.  Similarly Allah Y has the power to transport the copy of the Blessed Kabah to wherever He desires whilst retaining the original in Makkah. Listen to what else I have to say. The Holy Prophet e went to Makkah from Madinah to make tawaaf of the Kabah so some may comment that the Holy Prophet e travels to Makkah to make tawaaf of the Kabah and we say the Kabah goes to make tawaaf of Ghaws al-Azam t, which implies Ghaws al-Azam t has a higher status than the Holy Prophet e. They, who speak like this, fail to understand. The Holy Prophet e came to teach us Islam and he had to teach us how to perform pilgrimage (Hajj) so he expounded the methodology for us including tawaaf. So the Holy Prophet e’s traveling to Makkah and Kabah was to teach the Ummah. We go there to emulate this Sunnah of his or else who would have traveled to Makkah? If he e did not kiss the Black Stone (hajre aswad), then we would not have kissed it? Did you not hear the incident of Hazrath Umar t going in front of the hajre aswad stating that, ‘O hajre aswad! You are a stone and I am a human, a companion of the Holy Prophet e, his Khalifah and leader of the faithful (amir ul-Mumineen) I only come to kiss you because my Holy Prophet e kissed you. His blessed lips touched you and made you worthy of being kissed. If he e did not kiss you I would never kiss you’. So if the Holy Prophet e did not travel to perform tawaaf, then how would we have gone? His traveling for, hajj, umrah and ziyara infused zeal in us to also emulate this sunnah. In the commentary of the Holy Qur'aan called Tafsir Khazin, a detailed, authentic Arabic commentary. This commentary was taught in Islamic institutes and is still taught in some. It comprises four volumes. I have myself read in this commentary that Hazrath Sulaiman u once passed by the Holy Kabah whilst sitting on his throne that flew, similar to aircraft. He noticed that within the Kabah and outside the Kabah were idols. When Hazrath Sulaiman u saw this he detested it in his heart so he did not disembark and make tawaaf of the Kabah. The Holy Kabah began weeping. Allah Y sent Jibraeel u to ask the Kabah as to what made it weep. The Holy Kabah replied that it is the House of Allah Y (baitullah) whilst Hazrath Sulaiman u is the Prophet of Allah Y (nabiullah) so there is a link between us. I cry because he passed by without greeting me. To perform Tawaaf is to greet the Kabah. This grief is similar to a friend passing by his friend without greeting him. Allah Y asked Jibraeel u to tell the Kabah not to cry for soon the Beloved of Allah Y, Hazrath Muhammad e will arrive to make it’s tawaaf, cleanse it of idols and his community will make tawaaf, for twenty-four hours, till the Day of Judgment.  The Kabah stopped crying on hearing this. If the Holy Prophet e did not make the tawaaf then what state the Kabah would have been in? It would have cried till the Day of Judgment. Externally the Holy Prophet e came to make tawaaf but actually he came to give the Kabah fayz[31]. He came to further raise the Kabah’s status and cleanse it of idols. If the Holy Prophet e did not come to make tawaaf, it would have cried till Qiyaamah. This is the reason, that on the night of the Blessed Birth Of The Holy Prophet e (Meelad an-Nabie e) the Kabah swayed in happiness and bowed in the direction of the blessed birth. The Holy Prophet e ‘s grandfather Hazrath Abdul Mutallib reports that, ‘I witnessed the Kabah prostrate in the direction of the blessed house in which the Holy Prophet e was born and all the idols within it fell down.’ Ala Hazrath Imam Ahmad Raza Khan t in reference to this says:

You have heard that the Holy Prophet e told the Kabah that the status of a Mu’min is greater in Allah Y’s eyes than that of the Kabah, so how much greater must the status of the Holy Prophet e be? So the Holy Prophet e  going to the Kabah was to teach his ummah and the Kabah coming to Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t was to expound his honour and status. Those who don’t understand this reality object. Sayyidi Imam Abdul Wahab Sharani t writes in his book Lataaiful Minan that, “on the Day of Qiyaamah the Kabah will go from Makkah to Madinah to the Blessed Burial Place (Rauda) of the Holy Prophet e and greet, ‘As salamu alaika Ya Nabiullah’.” Thereafter the Kabah will say, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Arise! Those who performed my tawaaf I will intercede for them and you intercede for the one who has come to visit you.’ The status of the Holy Prophet e!  The Blessed Burial Place (Rauda) of the Holy Prophet e is higher in rank than the Divine Throne of Allah Y (al-Arsh). Therefore Ala Hazrath, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan t says:

So the direction of reverence of the Kabah is the Blessed Burial Place (rauda) of the Holy Prophet e. He e went to the Kabah to grant it fayz, increase its status, cleanse it of idols and to create a passion in his ummah to perform tawaaf.

So Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t says, ‘I was standing on the roof of my house and Allah Y lifted the veils from my eyes and I saw people performing tawaaf of the Kabah. When Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t reached the age of physical maturity, about sixteen or seventeen, then his teacher said, ‘Allah Y has blessed you abundantly and much potential lies within you, so you should leave our little city, which has no facilities for higher learning and go to a bigger city that has a University for higher education.’ Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t conferred with his mother, who agreed with his teacher and said, ‘Allah Y has created you for a great task.  The circles you will move in and the field of Divine Learning (marifah[32]) requires that you be highly educated in the religion.’  Shaykh Saadi Shirazi t says an ignorant person cannot recognize Allah Y. It is important to possess knowledge on the path of tasawwuf[33]. Remember, knowledge of the outward  (ilm al-zahir) develops into and gives birth knowledge of the inward (ilm al-batini). The king of the Knowers Of Allah Y Maulana Jalalluddin Rumi t says:

A perfect guide (pir-e-kaamil) is required to transform milk into butter. Maulana Jalalluddin Rumi t says one should attach oneself, by pledging allegiance to a Spiritual Guide. Do not traverse The Path Of Return To Allah Y without a perfect spiritual guide (pir-e-kaamil). There are many potholes of the ego and Satan on this road and traveling this path without holding the hand of a pir-e-kaamil can lead to one going astray.  Hold the hand of one who has traveled this path of tariqat[34], knows its dangers and how to save oneself from the danger; knows its enticements and intoxicating lure or you will go astray and lose your way. How can those who have no guide, guide others. According to the Hadith, ‘The one who has no guide, his guide is Satan.’ Beware of such guides. They may have knowledge, but are deprived of the wealth of love (ishq) and marifat.

 Pursuit Of Higher Learning

Returning to our main topic, Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t’s mother said; ‘You are my young son, and I am left without a husband in this old age, you are the apple of my eye, the wealth of my life but I will tolerate separation from you and I give you permission to set out in pursuit of higher learning.’ Recording interrupted:

Lecture continues: the robbers mercilessly attacked the caravan. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t stood on one side and watched the pillage.  A robber passed by Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t and asked if he has anything of value. Hazrath said he has forty dinars on him. The robber taught he was joking since he cut a lonely figure standing with no baggage. He left and when the robbers gathered in front of their leader, he enquired if they had robbed all the travelers. They answered in the affirmative. The robber who had passed by Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t said that one boy of eighteen to twenty of age had said he has forty dinars on him but he thinks he is joking. The leader asked loudly, ‘who, is this boy who has the nerve to joke with us. Bring him to me immediately.’ Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t was brought to him and on seeing Hazrath’s beautiful face his life was transformed.’ The faces of the Beloved’s Of Allah possess blessing, spirituality and light as an indication of their sublime status and attachment to enlightened ones. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t was a member of the family of the Holy Prophet e, a born wali and leader of all Aulia.  Wilayat[35] has a class about it. The leader of the robbers had seen many people but this was a unique face possessing, innocence, beauty, spirituality and light. His face indicated that he was a flower from an exceptional garden. The leader of the robbers marveled at the radiance of Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t’s face and asked him if he had anything on him. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t replied that he had forty dinar on him that was sewn into his coat by his mother. The robber was amazed at his honesty. On enquiry Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t told him that his name was Abd al-Qaadir, he was a direct descendant of Imam Hassan t and Imam Hussain t traveling to Baghdad to further his studies. The leader of the robbers said, ‘Abd al-Qaadir if you told me you have nothing on you I would never have suspected you are carrying wealth and it would have helped you in a strange land. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t replied, ‘I could have hidden it from you, but in the process I would have to lie. I left home and promised my mother I would never lie. I could give my life but I cannot break my promise to my mother.’  These words of truth uttered by the truthful one had an effect on the heart of the robber. The words of the Friends Of Allah Y have great effect on the listener. The robber began crying and said, ‘this young man fears displeasing his mother whereas I have transgressed the Laws of Allah Y and thereby earned the displeasure of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e’. The robber repented and sought forgiveness for his sins. He asked Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t to raise his hands and make dua for him with that blessed tongue that has so much of effect in it. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t replied, ‘I will pray for you on condition that you return all the goods you plundered from our caravan to their owners’. The robber returned everything, including the forty dinars. When Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t began his supplication (dua) the other robbers requested that they also be included in the supplication. In the course of the dua the fate of the robbers changed to the extent that Allah Y granted them wilayah. This was only at the beginning of Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t’s wilayah at the latter stages when he reached the level of Ghawsiyat[36] a thief broke into his house and the disciples’ (murids) caught him. They took him to Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t who questioned him as to why he came to steal. The thief replied that he thought many expensive gifts must be brought here since many of the nobles visit this house. He went on to explain that as soon as he put his foot in the house he went blind, was caught and brought to Hazrath after being beaten by the dervishes. He pleaded for forgiveness. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t asked him to sit until he finished reading his wazifa[37]. The robber repented sincerely in his heart whilst sitting there in apprehension that the disciples would beat him. Why should he have not repented seeing that he had come to an Aastana[38] of such a high spiritual standing.  As soon as Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t finished his wazaif (plural of wazifa) he performed his late night prayer (tahajjud), lifted his hand for dua and looked towards the thief. These awliya are overflowing with compassion and grace. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t said, ‘O Allah Y!  If this thief went to a materially rich individual he would have got something for his efforts, how can I send him back empty handed. He came to get the riches of this world, but I pray you give him the wealth of Islam. He came for temporary (fani) wealth, You give him everlasting (baqi) wealth. His physical eye has become blind, O Allah Y! Restore not only his physical eyesight but open his inner eye (basirah[39])’. It was the last third of the night, the time of acceptance of dua and this was the dua of Abu Muhammad Hazrath Muhayuddin Abd' al Qaadir Jilaani Ghaws al-Azam Mahboob e Subhaani t so it was definitely answered. Allah Y! Restored his sight and granted him spiritual sight. He now looked up to the preserved tablet (al-lauw al mahfuz). He fell on the feet of Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t and begged to be admitted as his disciple and servant. He was initiated into the spiritual order and at the same time granted commission as a spiritual successor (Khilafath). Before the Azaan for the Fajr salaah, Hazrath Khizr u came and informed Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t that the spiritual head (qutb) of a certain area had died. Hazrath appointed the very person as the successor to the qutb of that area. The man came as a thief but left as a qutb.

As a result of Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t practicing truthfulness 70 thieves repented, became true Muslim, were admitted in the ranks of the righteous (saliheen) and the plundered goods were also returned. We should also strive to be truthful.  Truthfulness was a recognizing feature of a Muslim but sadly today we lie at every instance. We should rearm ourselves with the weapon of truth. Lies is the root of all-evil, whilst truthfulness is the fount of all virtue. When truth permeates the heart then the person becomes an embodiment of virtue.  Allah Y grant us the strength to be truthful. Keep us amongst the truthful and raise us on the Day of Reckoning with the truthful (ameen).

The caravan proceeded to Baghdad and the fellow travelers now realized that this young man is a wali of Allah Y. They showed great respect and reverence for him. On reaching Baghdad he enrolled into the famous university of Hazrath zubdatul aarifeen Allama Qazi Abu Saeed al Mubarak Makhdumi t a great Aalim, Muhaddith, jurist and wali. The perfect saint was happy that his perfect pupil and successor had arrived. The people of Allah Y are always seeking a worthy pupil to pass on their Allah Y given gifts to. The teacher was delighted that the one he sought had come to his door. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t’s memory was such that when Qazi Saheb taught he retained immediately and could recall everything verbally.  Hazrath Qazi Saheb t spoke on aspects of marifat and Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t with the teacher’s permission always added his points on the topic. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t even astounded his teacher with the points that he made. His teacher completed his training in a few years and in a gathering awarded him the turban of graduation (dastaar bandi) as an aalim and the cloak of spiritual discipleship (khirqae Khilafath) with permission to enroll disciples (ijaazah). Hazrath Qazi Saheb t also said that he was retiring in his old age and leaving the entire university under the control of Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t became so renowned due to his intellect and knowledge that Arabs also enrolled in his classes. He solved complex issues that had confounded many ulama. Every street of Baghdad was filled with his students. He was a great Aalim, Muhaddith, Mufakkir, Faqih of the age and a wali by birth. Despite this Ghaws al-Azam t used to read his Fajr salaah with the ablution performed for the previous Esha salaah for forty years; spent 15 years, reciting the entire Qur’aan, between Fajr and Esha standing on one foot every night and spent 25 years in the jungles in spiritual striving, tasting and delighting (zawq-o-shawq).

Spiritual Striving

Twenty-five years were spent in the longing for and worship of Allah Y. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t says he ate roots, leaves and grass in the jungles. He says he became so weak and thin from hunger that his body was nothing more than bones and skin, his hair was overgrown and he lost consciousness often in the early stages of this retreat.  For hours he used to, lay unconscious until Hazrath Khizr u used to put water on his face and give him to drink. At certain times the Men Of The Unseen World (Rijaalu’l-Ghaib[40]) used to put water in his mouth and disappear as he opened his eyes. He goes on to say that at certain times, the clouds gathered above him and rained. The raindrops used to revive him. He says that he performed ibaadat, riyaazat and mujaheda to the extent that he killed his ego (nafs). He strove to a high degree. He says that he reached a stage that his qualities were only of the soul (ruh) and his human (bashar) qualities were totally annihilated.  His sustenance became the remembrance of Allah Y  (zikrullah) and he ate nothing for three years. Lions, wolves and wild animals used to come and sit close to him and they interacted peacefully. Snakes and scorpions sat on his blessed body but did not harm him. The twenty-five years of striving in the jungles transformed him into an angelic state. The spiritualized individual was transformed into a being of light. After his three years of abstinence from food Hazrath Khizr u brought him some bread and a glass of milk. He refused to eat saying that his sustenance is the remembrance of Allah Y  (zikrullah). Hazrath Khizr u told him that Allah Y  has ordered that he eat. Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t said he would not eat until Allah Y  instructs him directly. Allah’s voice from the unseen, swearing by His Majesty instructed him to eat and drink and only then did he eat. Ala Hazrath Imam Ahmad Raza Khan t in reference to this says:

He says I began to eat and drink. After forty years of ibaadat, riyaazat and mujaheda he was rewarded with the presence (huzuri) of Allah Y.

Mahbubiyat

He became closer to Allah and The Crown Of Beloved Friendship (Mahbubiyat) was placed on his head. Allah Y says in a Hadith e Qudsi in Sahih Bukhari:

The servant becomes the reflector (mazhar) of the attributes (sifat) of Allah Y. Does Allah Y not listen to us from every place? So the wali is divinely equipped to hear from all places by becoming the reflector of Allah Y’s attribute of The All-Hearing (as-Sami). So when we call out Ya Ghaws al-Azam! Hazrath Ghaws al-Azam t listens to us. If this is the status of Aulia Allah, then work out what the status of the Holy Prophet eis? When Allah Y says, ‘I become his faculty of sight whereby he sees’ then the walis seeing is different from the ordinary person. As nothing is hidden from the vision of Allah Y so too nothing is hidden from the wali who reflects the attribute of the All-Seeing.  Allah Y says, ‘I become his hands whereby he grasps’.  What does it mean? I am not explaining this, neither is any 14^th Century Molvi but Imam Fakhruddin Raazi t the writer of Tafsir e Kabeer, a universally accepted commentary who in explaining this very hadith says, ‘when any servant of Allah Y worships Him, attains His pleasure and eventually reaches the state of Mahbubiyat then he does not see with his physical eye but he sees with the light of Allah Y. He sees everything that is near and at a distance equally.  He listens to every near and distant sound. He can institute change through free disposal (tasarruf) with his hands in ease and difficulty.’ His state is such that he can save a ship from sinking, listen to a plea, and help one in distress whilst he sits in Baghdad. Therefore the creation knows him as Ghaws al-Azam t. From wherever one calls him he listens. I will give a reference from one of the books of a Molvi from the opposition to our aqaaid.  Molvi Ashraf Ali Thanvi, the senior Molvi of Deoband, head of Tablighi Jamaat, writes in his book Imdaadul Mushtaaq, which is in my possession at the moment and those wanting to check the reference may do so. He writes that Ghaws al-Azam t was seated in his room in Baghdad, and his face showed strain on it, which indicated to those present that something was wrong. A little while later he came back to normal and those present enquired as to what was the matter. Ghaws al-Azam t explained that his disciples who were on a sinking ship called out to him for help and although apparently he was seated with them he saved the ship with his spiritual power.

He saves a sinking ship because Allah Y says, ‘I become his hands whereby he grasps’. He listens to our call for Allah Y says, ‘I become his faculty of audition whereby he listens’. He sees us in distress for Allah Y says, ‘I become his faculty of sight whereby he sees’. We learn from this that the aqaaid of the Sunnis that he listens, sees and assists is not made up, or based on the saying of any Sufi, but is in accordance with the saying of Allah Y. Insha-Allah on the fourth of July, at the Ur’s of Hazrath Soofie Saheb t, held at his mazaar, when I speak on Khwaja e Khwajagaan Muinuddin Hassan Chishti t, of Ajmer then I will speak on the status of Awliya. These people don’t know for none of them have attained the status of Awliya. I personally have heard them tell simple people that when they leave their homes for tabligh, then on taking the first step they are blessed with wilayah. I said that with the second step you become qutb, on the third Ghaws, the fourth taabieen, the fifth sahaabi and the sixth nabi. Further perhaps the status of God. What nonsense! My friends and elders I am elucidating what is wilayah.  The state of the Prophets (Nabuwat) is beyond our understanding. Sultanul Aarifeen Hazrath Bayazid Bitami t, a great wali of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order, says, ‘In the Realm Of Souls (aalame arwah) my soul traveled for 70 000 years but I could not catch sight of the end of Status of Hazrath Muhammad e, the Chosen One (al-Mustafa).’ You have heard the verse of Qasida Burda where Imam Busiri t the author says:

Allah Y has blessed the Holy Prophet e with an infinite status. Someone remarked about me in Karachi, those that speak behind my back, that I raise the status of the Holy Prophet e beyond limits. I asked them to show me the limit so that I don’t go beyond it. We say there is limit to the Status of the Holy Prophet e. Hazrath Jibraeel u could not fathom the limit of the greatness of the Holy Prophet e. At the point of Sidratul muntaha the Holy Prophet e told Hazrath Jibraeel u, ‘this is your end but the beginning of my journey’. Allah Y only knows the limit of the status of the Holy Prophet e.

Our aqaaid that Ghaws al Azam t listens, sees and assists is the true aqidah. I implore you people of Durban to remain steadfast on the way of the awliya, pious predecessors and ahle marifat wa tariqah. These are delicate times and the Day of Judgment, is fast approaching, and it will only come when there will be no true believers left although there will be many who recite the Kalimah.

The Holy Prophet e has stated that a time is coming when a man will be a true believer (mumin) in the day but will be a disbeliever (kaafir) by nightfall. This is how delicate these times are. There are many out there wanting to mislead you. Be careful of them and remain steadfast on the path of awliya. Today correct belief (aqidah) and faith (imaan) is found in those that have a connection to some wali. It is this connection (nisbat) that holds one steadfast or else all the rest are straying. Some are like ping-pong balls, pledging allegiance to mumin when they are here and joining the misled when they are there. These are waverering.  Connect to the people of Allah Y and hold fast to their teachings. Don’t sit in the company of the misled nor listen to them and invite doubt. He who cannot swim must not jump into the sea or he will drown. Learn to swim before you step into the sea. If you lack knowledge and don’t understand then you will accept any falsehood presented to you as truth. If you embrace falsehood thinking it is truth, then you will destroy your Imaan. Read authentic books of Aulia and Ulama of the ahle Sunnah wa Jamaat. These people who claim to be Sunni are only saying this to mislead Sunnis. A hunter will imitate the call of his prey to lure it into his trap. The prey is lured toward the sound thinking one of its own is calling. These people are also not Sunni Hanafi, nor are they Chishti, Qaderi nor Naqshbandi they only use these terms to trap us. I am not saying this, Maulana Rumi t says in his poem:

My elders and friends, as I was saying, Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t said that The Crown Of Beloved Friendship (Mahbubiyat) was placed upon his head with the Divine declaration that, ‘I have made you My Beloved’. Hence he is known as The Beloved of The Powerful or Mahboob-e-Subhaani. There have occurred two beloveds who were given a great share of Beloved Friendship (Mahbubiyat). This is the language of Marifat. One is Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t, Mahboob-e-Subhaani and the other is Khwaja Nizamuddin Awliya or Mahboob-e-Ilahi t. Different Aulia receive unique blessings.

Every wali is on the footsteps of a Messenger or Prophet of God. Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t states in his Qasida Ghausia:

There are different duties of the Aulia and they have been blessed differently. We don’t understand. There are 124 000 different degrees of Friendship Of Allah (Wilaya) and every one of them is on the footsteps of a Messenger or Prophet of God. Therefore it is said, ‘Only a wali is able to recognize a wali’. We only look for miracles (karamat). So, two beloveds were given a great share of Beloved Friendship (Mahbubiyat). The Holy Prophet e has a gathering on the eve of Tuesday and Thursday. In this gathering the people of Allah Y are blessed with his attendance.  In this gathering Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t, Mahboob-e-Subhaani is on the right of the Holy Prophet e and   Khwaja Nizamuddin Awliya or Mahboob-e-Ilahi t is on the left. May Allah Y grant us entry into this gathering for the sake of these pure souls. So, Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t said that The Crown Of Beloved Friendship (Mahbubiyat) was placed upon his head and the Holy Prophet e placed his blessed foot on the shoulder of Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t. He says that he placed the blessed foot of the Holy Prophet e on his head, rubbed his eyes on it, kissed it and put it on his neck. He says that the Holy Prophet e told him, ‘My foot is on your neck and your foot is on the neck of all Aulia’. He was then instructed to give fayz to the creation of Allah Y. So Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t returned from this blessed gathering. I have also omitted much regarding this status due to shortage of time.  Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t returned and proclaimed:

This proclamation was not made out of pride but as per the command of Allah Y. When he made this proclamation, all aulia in the North, South, East and West bent their necks in submission. At this time Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti Ajmeri t was a young man in a cave in Khurasan and Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t was in his old age. Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti Ajmeri t heard this declaration and said, "Your foot is on my eye and head not only my neck." As Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti Ajmeri t said this Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t said, ‘Muinuddin, has surpassed everybody and soon the Rule of Hindustan will be given to him’. Therefore Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti Ajmeri t is known as The Spiritual Sultan of India or ‘Sultanul Hind’. As there exists political governance, so too there exists spiritual control. Kings, governors, ministers etc. so too in the spiritual domain. Read authentic books on aulia. So, Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t returned and proclaimed, ‘My foot is on the neck of all Aulia’.

Therefore Ala Hazrath Imam Ahmad Raza Khan t in reference to this says:

To conclude quickly, much spiritual emanation  (fayz) flowed from him, miracles emanated and thousands of unbelievers embraced Islam. In gatherings of hundreds of thousands, transgressors (fussaaq), thieves, robbers and people of wrong belief pledged allegiance on his hands and repented. They reached the state of wilayah. So many miracles emanated from him that ulama have written that, ‘as when rain falls, the drops are not counted, so too Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t’s miracles cannot be counted’. He brought the dead back to life and cured leprosy. As miracles emanated from Prophets so did miracles emanate from him. The Holy Prophet e has stated:

Much benefit was received from this spiritually charged personality. Therefore he is called, Muhayuddin (The Reviver Of The Religion). Imaam e Rabbani, The Reviver Of The Second Millennium, (Mujaddid Alf Saani), Shaykh Ahmad Faruq Sirhindit, the Great Naqshbandi Saint says, ‘As long as Imam Mahdi u is not revealed, Wilayah is in the hands of Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t’. No person can attain sainthood without his blessing and seal of approval. His fayz is flowing presently and will always flow. He is the King of Saints whose grave is at his blessed court (Darbaar) in Baghdad, visited by the spiritual elite and general public. I have made ziyarat, spending eleven days at his darbaar. May Allah Y grant me another visit.  I am connected (Nisbah[41]) to Hazrath Ghaws al Azam t, believe in him and love him. May Allah Y maintain this relationship and raise us with him on the Day of Judgment.