Sufi Tariqa of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (r.a)

The Sufi Tariqa of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani
Muslims follow Tariqa (spiritual path leading to Allah Ta’ala) based on Shari’a (sacred Muslim law). In matters of Shari’a (sacred Muslim law), Mahbub Sub-hani Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu ‘Anhu was an authority in the Hanbali madhhab (school of sacred Muslim law) as well as the Shafi’i madhhab, and a chief exponent of the Ahl u’s-Sunnah wa’l Jama'ah (the people who follow the lifestyle of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and of his blessed Companions).
The way to draw nearer to Allah Ta'ala is through the fulfilment of obligatory religious duties, additional voluntary prayers day and night, through constant remembrance (zikr) of Allah, unceasing salawaat (invocations of blessings) on the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Sunnah fasting, charity, zuhd (abstinence) and juhd (exertion in the way of Allah Ta'ala) as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad himself. This then is the tariqa (spiritual path leading to Allah Ta'ala) which is rooted in shari’a (sacred Muslim Law).
Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani learned about the mysteries of tariqa and imbibed spiritual culture (tasawwuf) at the hands of Shaykh Hammad ibn Muslim al-Dabbas, Rahmatullahi ‘alayh. Traditionally, when someone is initiated into a tariqa, he is given a khirqa (sufi robe). Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani was bestowed the khirqa by Shaykh Qadi Abi Sa’id al-Makhzumi, Rahmatullahi ‘alayh, (referred to as Al-Mukharrimi or Al-Makhrimi in some texts).
A Shaykh (spiritual master), musk-scented in shari’a, tariqa and haqiqi ma'rifa (knowledge of spiritual realities), is able to ascertain the spiritual level of a murid (spiritual seeker/disciple) and can assign additional awraad and azkaar (regular voluntary invocations) to be performed to attain spiritual progress. Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani went on to become the epitome of such spiritual masters.
The tariqa followed by Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu ‘Anhu came to be called after him as the Qadiriyya tariqa and it came to be universally accepted as a divinely-guided path to spiritual progress through zikr (remembrance) of Allah to cleanse one's heart of all evil, to lead a virtuous life, to attain the love of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, the love of the Ahl u’l Bayt (the Prophet's blessed Household), the love of his Sahaba (Companions) and the love of the awliya Allah (friends of Allah); and to follow the shari’a (sacred Muslim law) according to the teachings of any one of the four Imams of madhhab, that is Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi’i, Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah Ta'ala be pleased with them all.
Yaa Hayyu Yaa Hayyu Yaa QayyumYaa Hayyu Yaa Hayyu Yaa Qayyum