Who Was Ghous-e-Azam?
When Indian Muslims say Ghous-e-Azam, Ghaus Pak, Muhyuddin or Mahboob-e-Subhani, they mean one man: Sheikh Sayed Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA), the founder of the Qadiri Sufi order. For nearly nine hundred years, his name has been taken with love in every corner of India, from the khanqahs of Baghdad to the villages of Karnataka. This article gives his complete life story in simple words, with dates and sources, so that every Indian Muslim, young or old, can know whom we remember every Gyarvi Sharif.
Birth and Family
He was born on the 1st of Ramadan, 470 AH (1077 CE), in the district of Jilan, south of the Caspian Sea in present-day Iran. His father’s name was Hazrat Abu Saleh Musa Jangi Dost (RA) and his mother’s name was Hazrat Umm-ul-Khair Fatima (RA).
His lineage is among the noblest in Islam. From his father’s side he descends from Imam Hasan (RA), and from his mother’s side from Imam Husain (RA). He is therefore a Hasani-Husayni Sayyid, a descendant of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) from both parents. Biographers such as those of Bahjat al-Asrar record this double lineage with care, and it is one reason the whole Ummah honours him.
Childhood Signs
Sunni biographies narrate that signs of sainthood appeared from his birth itself. Born on the first of Ramadan, the infant is reported to have refrained from nursing during fasting hours. At the age of five, when taken to a teacher for Bismillah, he is reported to have recited several parts of the Quran from memory, having heard them from his mother. Take these narrations as expressions of love from his biographers. The lesson for us is the value of a pious household: his mother was herself a learned and God-fearing woman.
The Journey to Baghdad
In 488 AH, at the age of 18, he left home for Baghdad, then the capital of the Islamic world and the seat of learning. He arrived with little money but a firm resolve to seek knowledge. In Baghdad he studied:
- Fiqh (Islamic law), chiefly the Hanbali school, under masters such as Abu al-Wafa Ali ibn Aqeel and Qadi Abu Saeed al-Mukharrami.
- Hadith, the sayings and actions of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
- Tafsir, explanation of the Holy Quran.
- Arabic grammar and literature, theology, and the principles of religion.
- Tasawwuf, the science of purifying the heart, under Sheikh Hammad al-Dabbas (RA). The cloak of spiritual succession came to him through Qadi Abu Saeed.
He did not come to Sufism as an alternative to scholarship. He came as a complete scholar who found that knowledge without inner transformation is incomplete.
Twenty-Five Years of Seclusion
After completing his studies, he did not chase position. He withdrew into worship, fasting, night prayer and self-purification in the deserts of Iraq for nearly twenty-five years. He fought hunger, sleeplessness, pride and desire until his heart was emptied of everything except Allah. This long training is the answer to those who want spiritual rank without effort: there is no shortcut.
Return and Public Preaching
Around 521 AH (1127 CE), at about fifty years of age, he returned to Baghdad and began teaching and preaching in public. The effect was extraordinary. Scholars, students, merchants, farmers, rulers and ordinary people crowded his gatherings. Reports say his audiences ran into thousands. His sermons were direct and fearless: repent from sin, earn halal, pray with presence, love the Prophet (peace be upon him), serve people, prepare for death.
In 528 AH, a madrasa with an attached hospice was built for him, his family and his students. He taught Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh and Tasawwuf in the mornings and afternoons, counselled visitors from all ranks after midday prayer, distributed bread to the poor before sunset, fasted by day and prayed by night. Three days a week he preached publicly. It is reported that multitudes, including non-Muslims, were affected, and over a hundred thousand sinners repented at his hands.
His Thirteen Sciences
His biographers note that he taught thirteen sciences, including Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, theology, principles, grammar, recitation and Tasawwuf. Students came from across the Muslim world, and many became saints and scholars themselves, including his sons Abdul Aziz and Abdul Razzaq (RA).
His Books
His major works, still taught today, include Ghunyat al-Talibin (the great manual of belief, worship and spirituality), Futuh al-Ghaib (78 discourses), Al-Fath ar-Rabbani (62 sermons from 545 to 546 AH), Jala al-Khawatir (45 discourses), Sirr al-Asrar, fifteen Persian letters, and collections of supplications. Each will be covered in separate articles of this series.
Passing Away and Urs
He passed away on 11 Rabi-us-Sani 561 AH (1166 CE) in Baghdad at the age of 91. His funeral was attended by multitudes. His shrine in Baghdad remains a place of visitation day and night. Every year on 11 Rabi-us-Sani, and monthly on every 11th, his lovers gather as Gyarvi Sharif with Quran, naat, dhikr and langar.
Why This Life Matters for Indian Muslims Today
Three lessons stand out. First, knowledge plus action: he mastered the law, then purified the heart. Second, courage of truth: he spoke against wrong in an age of sectarianism and luxury. Third, service: he fed the poor daily and never ate alone. This is exactly the JASK message: firm on Aqeedah and Shariah, overflowing with love for all and hate for none.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Ghous-e-Azam born? 1 Ramadan 470 AH (1077 CE) in Jilan.
When did he pass away? 11 Rabi-us-Sani 561 AH (1166 CE) in Baghdad.
Which order did he found? The Qadiriyya, the oldest continuously active Sufi order.
Which school of Fiqh did he follow? The Hanbali school, with respect for all four schools.