`Abdul Qâdir al-Jîlânî’s Censure of Theological Dialectics

Shaykh `Abdul Qâdir al-Jîlânî has for centuries been iconic of Sufism and considered its most exemplary standard of Sufi saints. In our times Sufism has become nearly synonymous with Ash`arism, however, what many do not know is that this is a purely modern phenomenon which resulted from the political alliances made between the Ash`arîs and successive Muslim Empires. This culminated with the Ottomans who aggressively routed out their rivals, the Hanbalîs, from many parts of Iraq, Syria and Egypt where they had been a formidable force of scholarship for hundreds of years. `Abdul Qâdir, endearingly called “Ghawth al-A`zam“, was one such monolithic scholar in the Hanbalite tradition. The greatest irony is that he stood diametrically opposed to everything most of his modern day followers espouse. He was a bitter opponent of Ash`arism and the Ash`arî practice of `Ilm al-Kalâm, or Theological Dialectics.

وقال ابن النجار في تاريخه: سمعت عمر بن محمد السهروردي، شيخ الصوفية يقول: كنت أتفقه في شبابي بالمدرسة النظامية، فخطر لي أن أقرأ شيئًا من علم الكلام، وعزمت على ذلك في نفسي من غير أن أتكلم به، واتفق أني صليت يوم الجمعة مع عمي أبي النجيب في الجامع، فحضر عنده الشيخ عبد القادر مسلمًا، فسأله عمي الدعاء لي، وذكر له أني مشتغل بالفقه، قال: وقمت وقبلت يده، فأخذ بيدي، وقال: تب مما عزمت على الاشتغال به، فإنك تفلح، ثم سكت وترك يدي، قال: ولم يتغير عزمي عن الاشتغال، حتى تشوشت عليَّ جميع أحوالي، وتكدر وقتي عليَّ، فعلمت أن ذلك لمخالفة الشيخ، قاد: فتبت إلى الله من ذلك اليوم، ورجعت عنه، فصلحت حالي، وطاب قلبي.

“Ibn an-Najjâr stated in his historical chronicle: I heard `Umar bin Muhammad as-Suhrawardî, Shaykh of the Sûfîs say: While I was young in the Madrassat an-Nizâmîyyah it occurred to me that I should read something about `Ilm al-Kalâm (Theological Dialectics) and I determined that to myself without saying anything about it. Then it so happened that I performed the Friday ceremonial prayer with my uncle Abû an-Najîb in the Mosque. Then, Shaykh `Abdul Qâdir arrived before him. So my uncle asked him to supplicate for me and mentioned that I was busy with Islamic knowledge. So I stood up and kissed his hand and then he took me by my hands and said, ‘Repent from what you have determined to busy yourself with! Then you will be successful.’ Then he said no more and let go of my hands. However, I did not change my resolve with what I was to busy myself with until my entire condition became chaotic, and my time became blurred. Then I knew that was because what I was doing was against the advice of the Shaykh (`Abdul Qâdir). So I repented to Allâh from that day and left it (`ilm al-kalâm), then my condition was rectified and my heart cured.”

[Dhayl Tabaqât al-Hanâbilah, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalî, under `Abdu-l Qâdir bin Abî Sâlih bin `Abdillâh bin Jangi-dost bin Abî `Abdillâh bin `Abdillâh al-Jîlî]