Proclaiming "Ya Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-

Jilani"

Few amongst the people use to object that to proclaim "Ya Shaykh Abd al-
Qadir Jilani" is Shirk because one is making partnership with Allah Ta’ala
(committing Shirk) by asking for assistance from the creation of Allah Ta'ala.
They say that one can only ask directly from Allah Ta’ala. The Ahle Sunnah wa
Jama'at believes that it is absolutely permissible to say "Ya Shaykh Abd al
Qaadir Jilani" when asking for assistance from those servants of Allah Ta'ala
whom He has appointed as helpers of the Ummah.

We understand from the verse

ُ‫ستَ ِع ۡین‬
ْ َ‫ک ن‬
َ ‫ک نَ ْعبُ ُد َو اِیَّا‬
َ ‫اِیَّا‬
You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help (and may we always).

which is found in Surah Fatiha, that the True Helper is Allah Ta'ala. But it is
Allah Ta’ala who has appointed helpers from within His servants to assist the
creation with His permission.

Sayyiduna Shah Abdul Azeez Muhaddith Delhwi (Alaihir raHmah) explains

the Tafseer of the verse "Iy'ya ka Na'budu Wa Iy'ya Ka Nastaeen" by writing:

"Here, it should be understood that to ask for assistance from anyone other
than Allah, by putting full trust and not thinking of it as a marvel of Almighty
Allah, is prohibited. But, if the attention is towards Allah and then to think of a
person as the splendour of Almighty Allah and by keeping the means and
wisdom of Almighty Allah before you, if one asks from anyone other than
Allah, then this is not far from the Wisdom of Almighty Allah. This action is
permissible and allowed in Shari’ah. To ask for help in this way is not really
asking from someone but Allah, but in reality it is to ask from Allah." [Tafseer-
e-Azeezi]

As long as a person bears this fact in mind that the True and Real Helper is
Allah Ta'ala and no matter whom he asks from, it will be through the Mercy of
Allah Ta'ala, then it is permissible to ask from such a person. This can never
be termed as Shirk.
Sayyiduna Ghawth al-A’zam Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir Jilāni Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala
Anho (d.561/1164), states:

‫من استغاث بي في كر بة كشفت عنه و من نادى باسمي في شدة فرجت عنه و من توسل بي الى هللا عز و جل‬
‫في حاجته قضيت له و من صلى ركعتين يقرء في كل ركعة بعد الفاتحة سورة االخالص احدى عشرة مرة ثم‬
‫يصلى على رسول هللا صلى هللا تعالى عليه و سلم بعد السالم و يسلم عليه ثم يخطوا الى جهة العراق احدى‬
‫عشرة خطوة يذكر فيها اسمي و يذكر حاجتي فانها تقضي‬
If a person in distress or hardships calls out to me, his hardship will be
eradicated. If a person uses my name as a Wasila (medium) when he pleads to
Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala, his need will be fulfilled. One should perform two
Rakats of Salāh and in every Rakat one should recite the Sura Fateha and
thereafter, Sura Ikhlās eleven times. After completing the Salāh, one must
recite the Durood and Salām (Salawāt or Darood Sharif) upon Sayyiduna
Rasoolullah SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam. Then remembering me one should
take eleven steps towards the direction of Baghdad invoking my name in every
step and also one’s need and wish. In this manner, (Allāh SubHanuhu wa
Ta'ala willing), his need and wish will be granted. [Bahjat al-Asrar, Mustafa al-
Babi (Egypt), Page 102 - Zubdat al Asraar, Page 101]

The above method has been mentioned and prescribed by eminent scholars
such as,

Imām Abul Hasan Ali bin Jarir Lakh'mi Shat’noofi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala
Anho (d.713/1314),
Imām ‘Abdullah bin Asad Yafa’i Makki Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
(d.750/1349),
Shaykh Mulla Ali Qāri Makki Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho (d.1014/1606)
author of Mirqāt Shar’h Mishkāt,
Mawlana Abul-Maāli Muhammad Salmi al-Qadiri Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala
Anho and Shaykh-e-Muhaqqiq Mawlana ‘Abd al-Haqq Muhaddith Dehlawi
Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho (d.1052/1642).

Some of their thesis are,

Bahjah al-Asrār,
Khulāsa al Mafākhir,
Nuzhat al-Khā’tir,
Toh’fa-e-Qadiri yyah and
Zubdat al- ’thār, etc.
Numerous other ‘Ulama and Awliya also promote it. One should also
remember that the great ‘Ulama and Saints attribute extreme authenticity to
the above.

Imām ‘Allama Khayr al-Din Ramli Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, the illustrious
teacher of the scholar who has written the authentic book on Islāmic
Jurisprudence, “Durre Mukhtār”, states in his Fatāwa Khayriyyah:

‫الحر َمةَ؟‬
ُ ‫ب‬ ِ ‫قَولَ ُهم يَا شَيخ عَبدَالقَا ِدر نِدَا ٌء فَ َما ال ُم‬
ُ ‫وج‬
People who proclaim, “Ya Shaykh ‘Abd al Qādir”, are merely emulating a call.
What, therefore, is the reason for it not to be permissible? [Fatawa Khairiyah,
Dar al-Ma'arifah (Berut - Lebanon), Vol 2, Page 182]

Sayyidi Jamāl bin ‘Abdullah bin Umar Makki Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, in
his Fatāwa states:

!‫سالت ع ّمن يقول في حال الشدائد يا رسول هللا او يا شيخ عبدالقادر مثال هل هو جائز شرعا ً ام ال؟ اُ ِج ْبتُ نعم‬
‫مرغوب اال ينكرهٌ اال مكابر و معاند و قد ح ّرم‬
ٌ ‫ع و شيئ‬ٌ ‫سل بهم امر مشرو‬ ّ ‫االستغاثة باالولياء و نداؤهم و التو‬
‫بركة االولياء الكرام‬
I was questioned about those people who in times of difficulty proclaim “Ya
Rasūlallah, Ya Ali, Ya Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir,” and whether these
proclamations were permissible in Islām. The great scholar replied: “Yes,
these proclamations are permissible. To call to them is permissible including
using their names as Wasila. This is allowed in the light of the Shari’ah. Such
an act is desirable and approved. Only the stubborn and arrogant would
oppose or question this reality. These individuals are certainly unfortunate
and deprived of the Barkāt (blessing) of the Awliya Allāh”. [Fatawa Jamāl bin
‘Abdullah bin Umar Makki]

Shah Wali-Allāh Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, records a method for achieving
and fulfilling one’s wishes in his book, Al-Intibah fi al salāsil al-Awliya. He
states:

‫بعد ازاں یک صدو یازدہ بار درود و بعدازاں یک صدو یازدہ بار کلمہ تمجید ویک صدو یازدہ بارشیئا ً ﷲ یا‬
‫شیخ عبدالقادر جیالنی‬
“One should first perform two Rakats of Nafil Salāh. After completion, he
should recite the following - 111 times Darood Sharif (Salawāt), 111 times
Kalima Tamjid and 111 times ‘Shay’an-Lillāh, Ya Shaykh Abd al-Qādir Jilāni’.”
[Al-Intibah fi al salāsil al-Awliya Allah]

From this book, it has been proven that all the afore-mentioned great
luminaries believed in the proclamation of “Shay’an Lillāh” and “Ya” as being
valid and a great solution to many unsolved problems. The Shariah does not
forbid to call on Ambiyā and Awliya for assistance with the Harf of Nidā
(“Ya”). They also gave permission to their students and disciples to practice it
without any hesitation. Sha Wali-Allāh Muhaddith Dehlawi Radi ALLAHu
Ta'ala Anho spent numerous years in the company of his Shaykh and Ustāz of
Hadith Sharif, Shaykh Mawlana Shaykh Abu-Tāhir al-Madani Radi ALLAHu
Ta'ala Anho.