Necklaces of Gems : Qala'id al-Jawahir

Necklaces of Gems :
Qala'id al Jawahir fi Manaqib ash-Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
A Biography of the Crown of the Saints,
*[A5+] Paperback - 627 pages,
by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yahya at-Tadifi (d. 963_H),
Translated by Shaykh Muhtar Holland,
Published by Al-Baz, USA.

Description :

A Biography of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah be well pleased with him; on the Marvelous Exploits of the Crown of the Saints, the Treasure-trove of the Pure, the Sultan of the Awliya', the Sublime Qutb, Shaykh Muhyi'd-din 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani.


This is the life story of the man who has been called the Sultan of the Saints (awliya') of Allah. In the history of the Saints of Islam, Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir, may Allah be well pleased with him, stands out as being unique, in the broad scope of perfection that includes his lineage, his complete development, piety, knowledge of the religion and adherence to the Sacred Law (Shari'a), his intimate and direct knowledge of the Divine, and his establishment by the Lord of All the Worlds at the level of Reality (Haqiqa).
 

                                           
As for the friends of Allah,
a-la inna awliya'a 'llahi
            surely no fear shall be upon them,
la khawfun 'alai-him   
nor shall they grieve.
wa la hum yahzanun.
                                              _{[ Al-Qur'an 10:62 ]}

 In this extensive biography we are given vivid glimpses of his charismatic exploits (karamat), many of which seem to defy the ordinary rules of nature. The book is also a small history of more than forty of the Shaykhs of his time, his companions of that day and age, as well as a description of his children, grandchildren and descendents.


''The venerable 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah sanctify his secret, passed on to the Realm of Divine Beauty in 561_A.H /1166 _C.E. He is noted for his extraordinary spiritual experiences and exploits, as well as his memorable sayings and wise teachings. It is rightly said of him that 'he was born in love, grew in perfection, and met his Lord in the perfection of love.' May the All-Glorious Lord bring us in contact with his lofty spiritual influence!''_{---Shaykh Muzaffer Ozak Efendi, in Ziynet ul-Qulub (The Adornment of Hearts)}.






Small sample of the Contents :


---Publishers Preface,
---Acknowledgements.


---Translator's Introduction,
------Concerning the author of Necklaces of Gems,
------Concerning the contents of Necklaces of Gems,
------Concerning the literary works of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------A confession by the translator,
------Some final invocations.
---Prologue by the Author.

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Genealogy,

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Birth,

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Life and Exploits,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir leaves home and sets out for Baghdad,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir meets Shaykh Hammad ad-Dabbas,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir embarks on the quest for knowledge,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir embarks on the Spiritual Path [Tariqa],
------Abu Sa'id al-Mukharrimi and his schoolhouse [madrassah],
------Enlargement of the madrassah [528 AH] to accomodate ever growing audiences.

---Scholarly Shaykhs who became affiliated with Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's physical build and bearing,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's pre-eminent position in Baghdad.

---The Shaykhs' outspokenness in enjoining what is right, & forbidding what is wrong,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's generous hospitality and his remarkable patience.

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's paternal aunt is asked to pray for relief from the drought,

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir bids his mother farewell, and promises to commit to truthfulness,
------How seasoned highway robbers were moved to repentance at the hands of Shaykh,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's response to when he first became aware of his status,
------Young & newly arrived in Baghdad, the shaykh faces a hard struggle for survival,
------The shaykh is on the brink of death from starvation when he meets another man,
------A hungry Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir finds himself on a strange paper trail.

---The Shaykh finds relief from unbearable pressure, by reciting 2 verses from the Qur'an,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir experiences a spiritual crisis.

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir meets al-Khidr, without knowing who he is,
------The Shaykh covers an enormous distance, unaware that he is running at high speed,
------The Shaykh struggles with the devil armies, with Iblis, and with his own nafs,
------The Shaykh passes by many attractive gates but finally enters the gate of poverty,
------The Shaykh hears an unseen speaker urging him to apply for a loan,
------The Shaykh meets a righteous man called ash-Sharif al-Ba'qubi near Baghdad,
------The Shaykh experiences a spiritual state and scares the local vagabonds,
------The Shaykh is asked to return to Baghdad by an unseen speaker,
------The Shaykh is greeted by a stranger who is in fact Shaykh Hammad ad-Dabbas,
------The Shaykh moves his majlis to another site due to ever increasing numbers,
------The Beloved Prophet appears to the Shaykh and spits seven times in his mouth,
------A different version of the Shaykh meeting with the Prophet and Hadrat 'Ali,
------The Shaykh is examined by al-Khidr, to whom he gives a surprising response,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir suddenly strides through the air, in the course of a lecture.

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir describes twelve special qualities that a Shaykh must establish,
------Some verses of poetry & sayings attributed to Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir tells how the Beloved Prophet taught 'Ali the basics of Dhikr.

---The blessed state of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's muridun, and of his pupils' pupils,
------Merciful relief from torment of death for any Muslim who crossed the Shaykhs door,
------The companions of Shaykh Hammad seek answers from Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------Hundreds of shaykhs in distant countries regard Shaykh Abd al-Qadir as their guide,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir & his companions are involved with the new Baghdad wall,
------Shaykh Hammad forsees the day when Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir will be commanded
         to say: ''This foot of mine is upon the neck of every saint of Allah.''
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir explains the difference between talk & earnest speech,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir invites Shaykh Hammad to read what is written on his palm,
------More reports of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's muridun, and of his pupils' pupils,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir walks on the water of the River Tigris,
------What price the egg, and what price the chicken?
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir has potent influence in every sphere,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir believes that problems are best referred to Allah,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir has much to say about the case of Husain al-Hallaj,
------Concerning the special benefits enjoyed by Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's pupil's,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Wahhab describes Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's public speaking,
------Jews and Christians embrace Islam at the hands of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir tells how he recited the Qur'an, while perched on one leg,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir accepts the invite from Abu Sa'id al-Mukharrimi via al-Khidr,
------When Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir sneezes, the Caliph is terror-stricken by the response,
------Some examples of the extraordinary deference accorded to Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir entertains the chieftains of Mount Qaf.

---The Caliph voices a complaint about Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------Iraq's Grand Mufti provides a description of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's character,
------Shaykh Musa tells how Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir outwitted a cunning devil,
------Some Questions & Answers regarding Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Spiritual Path [tariq],
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir turns a falsafa book into a well known work on the Qur'an,
------A braggart benefits from Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's intercession,
------Profound impressions left by Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir on those who met him,
------An earlier shaykh predicts that Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir will be one of the awtads'
------The Prophet comes through the air, along with Moses to Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir is extolled by a shaykh.

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir declares ''My foot is upon the neck of every saint of Allah.''
------Questions and Answers concerning the significance of this declaration,
------Further commentaries on the famous declaration,
------Shaykh Abu 'l-Baqa explains his hesitance & acceptance of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------Even whilst young many clearly foresee the future role of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------The righteous Jinn respond to Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's declaration,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's son was present during the declaration,
------More reports concerning Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's declaration,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir uses his staff to check the rising level of the River Tigris,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir uses his staff to satisfy a pupil's curiosity,
------According to Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir there was one saint of Allah in the Hanafiyya,
------A pupil comes to Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir from Jerusalem in a single stride,
------Some utterances of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir, incl. ''I am the Shaykh of the Angels ...''
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir interrupts his sermon and demands a hundred gold coins,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir visits the tomb of Shaykh Hammad ad-Dabbas,
------An enormous light emanates from Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir on Laylat al-Rajab,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir answers some questions about spiritual experiences,
------A mysterious visitor settles Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's financial debts,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir surprises his personal servant, Abu 'r-Rida,
------A shower of rain steers clear from Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's audience,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir comes to be known as ''The Falcon [al-Baz],''
------Shihab ad-Din Umar al-Suhrawardi & his uncle visit Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
------Stories about Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir seem farfetched to Abu'l-Faraj until they meet,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir offers advice to a would be recluse,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir delivers a rebuke to an Imam of the 'Abbasid dynasty,
------Heretics are moved to repent at Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's hand,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's equerry tells about the Shaykh and the scorpion,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir stresses the confidential nature of his sessions,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir works at loosening knots,
------A student of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir is present during an initiation of an Abdal,
------The King of the Jinn helps a man's daughter on Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's command,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir prescribes an effective cure for epilepsy,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir strips a young flyer of his spiritual state,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir receives an inner warning, just in time, before roof collapses,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir proves to be an expert in Arabic grammar,
------Beardless youth with notorious habits repents at Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's hand,
------A dying wise old shaykh advises son to follow guidance of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir.

---One hundred clever jurists [fuqaha] conspire to interrogate Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir,
---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Wives,
---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Children,
---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Grandchildren & Descendents,
---More of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Life and Exploits,
---Some of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Invocations, Exhortations and Explanations,
---More of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Exploits,



---The Shaykhs who Extolled the Merit's of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani :
------Shaykh Abu Bakr ibn Huwara,
------Shaykh Muhammad Talha ash-Shunbaki,
------Shaykh Abu'l-Wafa' Muhammad Kakis,
------Shaykh Hammad ad-Dabbas,
------Shaykh 'Azzaz ibn Mustawda' al-Bata'ihi,
------Shaykh Mansur al-Bata'ihi,
------Shaykh Sayyid Ahmad ar-Rifa'i,
------Shaykh 'Adi ibn Musafir,
------Shaykh 'Ali ibn al-Hiti,
------Shaykh Abu Ya'azz al-Maghribi,
------Shaykh Maslama as-Saruji,
------Shaykh 'Uqayl al-Manbiji,
------Shaykh 'Ali ibn Wahb ar-Rabi'i,
------Shaykh Musa ibn Mahan az-Zuwali,
------Shaykh Raslan ad-Dimashqi,
------Shaykh Abu'l-Najib as-Suhrawardi,
------Shaykh Abu Muhammand ibn 'Abd al-Basri,
------Shaykh Abu'l-Hasan al-Jawsaqi ,
------Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman at-Tafsunji,
------Shaykh Baqa ibn Batu,
------Shaykh. Abu Sa'id 'Ali al-Qailawi,
------Shaykh Matir al-Badhirani,
------Shaykh Majid al-Kurdi,
------Shaykh Abu Madyan Shuayb al-Maghribi,
------Shaykh Abu'l-Barakat Sakhr,
------Shaykh Abu'l-Mafakhir 'Adi ibn Abi'l-Barakat,
------Shaykh Yusuf al-Hamadani,
------Shaykh Shihab ad-Din 'Umar as-Suhrawardi,
------Shaykh Jagir al-Kurdi,
------Shaykh 'Uthman ibn Marwan al-Qurashi,
------Shaykh Suwayd as-Sanjiri,
------Shaykh Hayat ibn Qays al-Harrani,
------Shaykh Abu 'Amr 'Uthman ibn Marwaza al-Bata'ihi
------Shaykh Muhmud an-Na-'al,
------Shaykh Qadib al-Ban al-Mawsili,
------Shaykh 'Umar ibn Mas'ud al-Bazzaz,
------Shaykh Makarim ibn Idris an-Nahr Khalisi,
------Shaykh Khalifa ibn Musa an-Nahr Maliki,
------Shaykh Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad al-Qurashi,
------Shaykh Ibrahim al-A'zab,
------Shaykh 'Ali ibn Idris al-Yaqubi,
------Shaykh 'Abdullah al-Jubba'i,
------Shaykh Abu'l-Hassan 'Ali as-Sabbagh.

---Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir's Birth and Death,
---Eulogy of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir by Shaykh 'Izz ad-Din ibn 'Abd as-Salam,
---Eulogy of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir by Shaykh al-Yafi'i in his Tarikh (History),
---Eulogy of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir by Shaykh Muhiy ud-Din an-Nawawi,
---Ode in Praise of Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir by Qadi Abu Bakr,

---Conclusion,
---Postscript,
---Appendix,
------Excerpts from Sufficient Provision for Seekers of the Path of Truth,
---About the Translator.








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*Dimension : 23 x 15.5 x 3cm.