Already in the latter part of the 14th century many well-known Sufi Shaikh’s from various Tariqats in the Indo-Pak continent, wrote commentaries on the Sultan of Saints, Shaikh Sayyiduna Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him). A Chishti Sufi living in Gulbarga [Deccan], Hazrat Muhammad Husayni Gesudaraz [d.1422] (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed the literate elite by writing a commentary on the conversations between Almighty Allah and Abdul Qadir Jilani. [Jawahir al-ushshaq: sharh-i risala-yi Ghauth al-Azam, Ahd-i Afirin Barqi Press, 1943, where Abdul Qadir asks questions and Almighty Allah responds. There are 65 inspirations (ilham) in this collection.]
In Delhi, Shaikh Abd al-Haqq Muhaddith Dihlawi [d.1642] (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed a similar audience by compiling a bibliographical dictionary called Akhbar al-akhyar, which emphasized that Abdul Qadir was superior to all other Friends of Allah. In addition he was described as the Sultan of creation, the heart of Reality, the successor of Allah on earth, the inheritor of the book (Quran), the deputy of the Prophet, and one who can dispose freely of his favors to all in existence. As the Prophet is the intercessor of the next world, Shaikh Sayyiduna Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him) is the intercessor for people having needs in this world; according to the Bahjat al-asrar, he even has a seat among the Prophets.
The founder figure of the Naqshbandi Mujaddidiyya, Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (may Allah be pleased with him) [d.1624] describes how, through the assistance of Abdul Qadir Jilani’s spirit, he passed through all of the stages along the Sufi path, reaching the origin of origins. [Ahmad Sirhindi, Mabda wa-ma ad with Urdu translations by Ghulam Mustafa Khan (Karachi): Ahmad Brothers Printers, 1984, page 11]. Later, in his collected letters, he affirms Sayyiduna Abdul Qadir’s special connection with the Poles [aqtab] and the outstanding ones [nujaba], which enables him to manifest the brightness of divine guidance. Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi qualifies his status by stating that no one has proved any special connection between Sayyiduna Abdul Qadir Jilani and the early descendants of the Prophet, and he has the closest connection to the Prophet via Hazrat Imam Ali (may Allah ennoble his face).
Shah Wali Allah [d.1762], whose primary Sufi affiliation is the Naqshbandi-Mujaddidyya, praises Abdul Qadir Jilani to a much greater extent. He declares that the most complete Sufi [in terms of having a connection to the Prophet] is Hazrat Shaikh Sayyiduna Shah Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him). Therefore it is said that the spiritual power (tasarruf) at his blessed tomb is as if he were alive. Shah Wali Allah further comments that the Qadiriyya is near the Uwaisiyya and other paths involving disembodied spirits. There is nothing to compare to the Qadiriyya when one learns from an embodied Pir with a connection and access to the spiritual energy of disembodied Pir’s benefiting the aspirant. The deceased Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani is among the highest angels (al-mala al-ala) and he leaves an impression existence, which is felt, throughout the entire world. It is this, from the aspect of the soul (ruh) that one acquires in his spiritual path. Sayyiduna Abdul Qadir has a divine connection, meaning that he is desired by Almighty Allah (murad) and absolutely loved by Almighty Allah [Invincible and Exalted is He]…. making him one of the perfected souls and one of the highest angels. This is why Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Azam [Ghawth-i Azam] is praised to such a high degree. Clearly the Indo-Muslim elite, both Qadiri and non-Qadiri accorded a very high status to Shaikh Sayyiduna Shah Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him) from the 15th century. [Shah Wali Allah – Hama’at (Hyderabad, Sind: Said Press, 1941); al-Tafhimat al-ilahiyya, 2 volumes, ed. Ghulam Mustapha al-Qasimi (Hyderabad, Sind: Al-Matba al-Haydari)]
The hagiography of a Panjabi Chishti reformist Shaikh Mihr Ali Shah [d.1937], states that all friends of Allah have been bound to obey Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, all the contemporary friends of Allah, both present and not present, near and far, outer and inner, all are obedient to him. [Fayd Ahmad, Mihr-i munir: sawanih hayat-i Mir Ali Shah (Lahore: International Printers, 1987)]. Among other honors, Abdul Qadir Jilani is the Pole of the time, Sultan of existence, Soul of gnosis, the Pole of Reality, the Successor of Allah on earth, the Inheritor of Allah’s book, and the Representative of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). After studying with Khidr he achieves all the stages of being a Helper and the Axis of all Ages, finally being crowned with the ultimate degree of being a beloved of Almighty Allah [Invincible and Exalted is He]. The author, a member of the Chishti-Nizami lineage, makes it clear that the method/path of the Qadiriyya is superior to all others, noting that Kwaja Moinuddin Chishti [d.1236], Shihab al-Din Umar Suhrawardi [d.1234], and Abu Yusuf Hamadani [d. 1140] all were allegedly in his service. (Allah bless them all and give them peace).
