Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani – A Story from the Life of a Great Sufi

 Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani (Ghaus-e Azam)

Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani, also known as Ghaus-e Azam, was a revered Sufi saint and the founder of the Qadri Sufi order, named in his honor. Born in 1078 in Gilan, Iran, he spent his early years in his hometown before setting off at the age of eighteen, in 1095, to study in Baghdad.

Journey to Baghdad

Before departing, Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani bid farewell to his mother, promising her he would always remain truthful. He joined a caravan headed to Baghdad, as traveling in groups provided safety from bandits in those times. The journey was initially uneventful until they reached a forest where they were ambushed by a group of sixty notorious bandits led by Ahmed Badawi.

The bandits seized valuables from the travelers, and while they overlooked the young Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani, one of them eventually asked if he had any valuables. Without hesitation, Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani replied that he had forty dinars, surprising the robber, who assumed he was joking and left. When a second robber asked the same question, he also received the same answer and dismissed it as a joke.

Honesty Tested

Curious about the boy’s claims, the bandits mentioned it to their leader, Ahmed Badawi, who called Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani over and asked if he indeed had any valuables. Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani calmly confirmed and showed them forty dinars sewn into his coat. Shocked, Ahmed Badawi asked, "Why would you reveal your money to us, knowing we are robbers?"

Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani replied, "I promised my pious mother I would never lie. How could I break that promise for anyone, even bandits?"

Transformation of the Bandits

Ahmed Badawi, moved by the young boy's integrity, was filled with remorse and said, "You kept your promise to your mother, yet for years I have broken my promise to God." In a profound moment of regret, he repented, falling at Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani's feet. Inspired, his fellow bandits also repented sincerely, returned the travelers’ belongings, and escorted them safely from the forest.

Later, Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani would recall, “This was the first repentance at my hands by a group of misled people.”