importance, his stance was certainly influenced by his connection with the
Hambali School of Islamic jurisprudence. In fact, he made
fiqh
(jurisprudence) and
tasawwuf
(mysticism) complementary to each other,
thus bringing jurists and mystics together. In his elaborations on mysticism,
he was always careful to keep all legal facets in view and, conversely, in
explaining the principles of the law, he emphasized their spiritual
implications.
Like most Islamic reformers of the Middle Ages, Shaykh Abdul Qadir
believed that his mission was inspired by God and that it was at HisWill that
he led people along the path of spirituality. This conviction not only gave
profundity to his mission, but also reinforced his endeavors with a sense of
divine inspiration. He looked upon himself as God’s special envoy charged
with the ethical and spiritual revitalization of society. He regarded “showing
people the way to God” not only as the starting point of all mystic striving
but as an inheritance of the prophetic mission which it was the duty of all
Muslims to perpetuate, regardless of circumstances.He addressed the problem
of inculcating spirituality as a matter of both knowledge and faith. This is
evident from
al-Fath al-rabbani
(The Revelations of the Divine), a
transcription of the sermons he preached in the
madrasa
(college) and the
ribat
(hospice).
The Reform of Islamic Society
Abdul Qadir’s mystic strivings were designed to meet the challenges of
the era in which he lived. The decline of Muslim political power disturbed
the social structure,which subsequently led to the lowering of Muslimmorals.
Spiritual life was eclipsed by material obsession. In this milieu, ShaykhAbdul
Qadir’s movement for spiritual uplift proved so effective that a number of
Th e Qa d r i Or d e r 110
