Ghunyat al-Talibin is a work of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, son of Abdullah, son of Janki Dost, may Allah have mercy on him (488-561 AH).
Its chain up to Shaykh Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, is “Sahih” (authentic), as:
➊ The muhaddith of Iraq, Umar bin Ali bin Umar al-Qazwini, may Allah have mercy on him (683-750 AH), says:
وجميع مؤلفات الإمام العارف محيي الدين ابي محمد عبد القادر ابن أبى صالح بن عبد الله الجيلي، رحمه الله تعالىٰ، ككتاب (الغنية)، وغيره، مع جميع مروياته، أرويها عن أبى عبد الله محمد بن عبد الله بن عمر بن أبى القاسم، وأبي بكر بن أبى السعادات بن منصور الأنباري الخطيب، والقاضي سليمان بن حمزة بن أحمد المقدسي وغيرهم إجازة، عن أبى العباس أحمد بن يعقوب بن عبد الله المارستاني كذلك، عن الشيخ عبدالقادر الجيلي كذلك. ح، وبرواية الأول أيضا، عن نقيب النقباء متين الدين أبى القاسم هبة الله بن أحمد بن عبد القادر ابن المنصور بالله أمير المؤمنين، وغيره، إجازة أيضا، عن الشيخ عبدالقادر كذلك .
“I narrate all the works of the Shaykh, the Imam, the Arif, Muhyi al-Din, Abu Muhammad, Abdul Qadir bin Abi Salih bin Abdullah al-Jili, may Allah have mercy on him, such as Ghunyat al-Talibin and others, along with all his narrations, by way of ijazah from my teachers Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Umar bin Abi al-Qasim, Abu Bakr bin Abi al-Sa’adat bin Mansur al-Anbari al-Khatib, Qadi Sulayman bin Hamzah bin Ahmad al-Maqdisi and others. They all narrate from Abu al-Abbas Ahmad bin Ya’qub bin Abdullah al-Marstani in the same way, and he from Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani in the same way. The second chain is that these same three teachers of mine narrate by way of ijazah from Naqib al-Nuqaba’ Matin al-Din Abu al-Qasim Hibat Allah bin Ahmad bin Abdul Qadir bin al-Mansur bi-Allah, the Commander of the Faithful, and others, and he narrates from Shaykh Abdul Qadir in this way.”
Now observe the authentication of all the narrators of this chain:
(a) Regarding the muhaddith of Iraq, Umar bin Ali al-Qazwini:
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
الحافظ الكبير، محدث العراق، سراج الدين.
“He was a great hafiz and the muhaddith of Iraq. His title was Siraj al-Din.”
(b) Regarding Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Umar bin Abi al-Qasim al-Baghdadi (623-707 AH):
◈ Qazwini himself, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
الشيخ، العالم، رشيد الدين، المقري.
Regarding him:
◈ Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
الإمام، العالم، المحدث، الصادق، الخير، بقية السلف، رشيد الدين، أبو عبد الله بن أبى القاسم، البغدادي، المقري، المحدث، شيخ المستنصرية.
(c) Regarding the khatib Abu Bakr al-Anbari (628-710 AH):
◈ Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
الإمام، نجم الدين .
◈ Hafiz al-Safadi, may Allah have mercy on him (696-764 AH), says about him:
الإمام، الفاضل، نجم الدين.
(d) Regarding his teacher Sulayman bin Hamzah bin Ahmad bin Umar, the Qadi (628-715 AH):
◈ Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
وكان كيسا، متواضعا، حسن الأخلاق، وافر الجلالة، ذا تعبد، وتهجد، وإيثار.
“He was wise, humble, of good character, of great dignity, devout, a worshipper who prayed the night vigil, and one who preferred others (over himself).”
◈ Hafiz al-Safadi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
الشيخ، الإمام، المفتي المذهب، مسند الشام.
“He was a shaykh, an imam, a mufti of his school, and the muhaddith of Syria.”
◈ Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (701-774 AH), says:
القاضى، المسند، المعمر، الرحلة.
“He was a qadi and a muhaddith of advanced age. He travelled extensively in seeking knowledge.”
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him (773-852 AH), writes:
مسند المصر، وكان جيد الإيراد لدروسه.
“He was a muhaddith of Egypt and conducted his lessons well.”
(e) Regarding Abu al-Abbas Ahmad bin Ya’qub bin Abdullah al-Marstani (545-639 AH):
◈ Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
الشيخ، المسند، وكان صالحا، خيرا، معمرا، وسماعه صحيح، وكان رجلا صالحا.
“He was a shaykh and a muhaddith. He was a righteous and pious man of advanced age. His hearing (of hadith) is sahih, and he was a man of piety.”
◈ Hafiz Ibn Naqtah (579-629 AH) says:
سمعت منه، وسماعه صحيح، وكان رجلا صالحا.
“I heard hadiths from him. His hearing is sahih and he was a righteous person.”
(f) Regarding Abu al-Qasim Hibat Allah bin Ahmad bin Abdul Qadir bin Mansur:
◈ Qazwini, may Allah have mercy on him, himself says:
نقيب النقباء، متين الدين.
Thus this entire chain is completely sahih, and through this chain Ghunyat al-Talibin is established as coming from Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him. والحمد لله
➋ Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes about Ahmad bin Mutee’ bin Mutee’ Abu al-Abbas al-Bajsara’i (d. 621 AH):
صحب الشيخ عبد القادر، وقرأ عليه كتاب (الغنية) تصنيفه.
“He stayed with Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, and read Ghunyat al-Talibin, his work, under him.”
From this it is known that Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, also considered Ghunyat al-Talibin to be the work of Shaykh Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him.
➌ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (661-728 AH), also declared Ghunyat al-Talibin to be the work of Shaykh Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him.
➍ Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (701-774 AH), writes:
وقد صنف كتاب (الغنية)، و (فتوح الغيب) .
“Shaykh Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, authored the books Ghunyat al-Talibin and Futuh al-Ghayb.”
➎ Hafiz Ibn Rajab (736-795 AH) says:
وله كتاب (الغنية لطالبي طريق الحق)، وهو معروف.
“His book al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq is well known.”
He further says:
وللشيخ عبدالقادر رحمه الله تعالىٰ كلام حسن فى التوحيد، والصفات، والقدر، وفي علوم المعرفة موافق۔۔۔۔۔ للسنة………. وكان متمسكا فى مسائل الصفات، والقدر، ونحوهما بالسنة، بالغا فى الرد على من خالفها، قال فى كتابه (الغنية) المشهور : وهو بجهة العلو مستو على العرش، محتو على الملك محيط علمه بالأشياء : ﴿إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ﴾
﴿يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ﴾
، ولا يجوز وصفهٔ بانهٔ فى كل مكان، بل يقال : انهٔ فى السماء على العرش، كما قال : ﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾
، و ذكر آيات و احاديث، إلى أن قال : وينبغي إطلاق صفة الاستواء من غير تأويل، وأنه استواء الذات على العرش، قال : وكونه على العرش مذكور فى كل كتاب انزل على كل نبي ارسل، بلا كيف، وذكر كلاما طويلا، وذكر نخو هذا فى سائر الصفات
Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke in accordance with the Sunnah on Tawhid, the attributes of Allah the Exalted, qadr, and the sciences of gnosis. He, may Allah have mercy on him, held firmly to the Sunnah in matters of the attributes, qadr and the like, and he rigorously refuted those who opposed it… In his famous book Ghunya al-Talibin he said: Allah the Exalted is above the heavens, on His Throne. He encompasses the entire creation, and His knowledge encompasses all things. The statement of Allah the Exalted: ﴿إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ﴾
, and he also said ﴿يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ﴾
Holding the belief that Allah is present in every place is impermissible (haram). The belief to be held is that Allah the Exalted is above the heavens, on His Throne, as the statement of Allah the Exalted says: ﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾
The Shaykh, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned several other verses and hadiths on this issue. Then he, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The attribute of istiwa’ of Allah is to be accepted without interpretation. It is the istiwa’ of the Essence of Allah over the Throne. Shaykh Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, also said that Allah’s being over the Throne is recorded in every book revealed upon every messenger prophet. No modality has been stated for it. Then the Shaykh made a lengthy discussion. In the same way, he spoke about the other attributes in accordance with the Book and the Sunnah…
➏, ➐ Allama Ibn al-Qayyim (691-751 AH)
and Allama al-Mardawi (d. 885 AH)
also accepted Ghunya al-Talibin as the book of the Shaykh, may Allah have mercy on him.
➑ Ibn Muflih al-Maqdisi (708-763 AH) writes:
وقال الشيخ عبدالقادر فى الغنية.
“Shaykh Abd al-Qadir, may Allah have mercy on him, said in Ghunya al-Talibin.”
➒ Al-Safiri (877-956 AH), the teacher of Hafiz Suyuti, says:
وقد قال العارف بالله الرباني، سيدي عبدالقادر الكيلاني فى كتابه( الغنية) .
“The gnostic of Allah, the rabbani, Sayyidi Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his book Ghunya al-Talibin.”
➓ Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Salihi al-Shami (d. 942 AH) writes:
وقال الشيخ عبد القادر الكيلاني رحمه الله تعالى، ونفع به، فى كتاب (الغنية) .
“Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his book Ghunya al-Talibin.”
⓫ Allama Ibn Imad (d. 1089 AH) writes:
والشيخ عبد القادر الجيلي الزاهد، صاحب (الغنية) .
“Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, who authored the book Ghunya al-Talibin.”
⓬ Ibn Hajar al-Makki (d. 974 AH) also declared Ghunya al-Talibin to be the book of Shaykh Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him.
⓭ Mulla Ali al-Qari al-Hanafi al-Maturidi (d. 1014 AH) writes:
ووقع فى (الغنية) للقطب الرباني السيد عبد القادر الجيلاني أنه لما ذكر الفرق الضالة، قال : وأما الحنفية، ففرقة من المرجئة، وهم أصحاب أبى حنيفة نعمان بن ثابت
“The Qutb Rabbani Sayyid Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his book Ghunya al-Talibin while mentioning the misguided sects: As for the Hanafiyya, they are a group of the Murji’a, and they are the companions of Abu Hanifa Nu’man ibn Thabit.”
Other names for this book are also mentioned, as Allama Yusuf ibn Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn Abd al-Hadi al-Dimashqi al-Salihi (d. 909 AH)
, Allama Chalabi (d. 1067 AH)
, Allama Zarkali (d. 1396 AH)
and Allama Ibn Rajab
, while mentioning it among the books of Shaykh Jilani, have named it “al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq” or “al-Ghunya li-Talib Tariq al-Haqq.” Some scholars have also mentioned “al-Bughyah fi Takhrij Ahadith al-Ghunya” among the works of Hafiz al-Sakhawi (may Allah have mercy on him) (831-902 AH).
We are content with these references. For an intelligent and fair-minded person, it is enough that Ghunya al-Talibin is established from Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah have mercy on him) through mass transmission (tawatur). The denial of it by some people carries no meaning.
To our knowledge, the first in the world to deny that this book was written by Shaykh Jilani (may Allah have mercy on him) was the well-known Sufi Abd al-Haqq ibn Sayf al-Din al-Dihlawi (d. 1052 AH). In refutation of him, Allama Abd al-Hayy Lucknawi Hanafi (1264-1304 AH) wrote:
اما أولا، فلان نسبتها إليه مذكورة فى كتب ابن حجر وغيره، من الأكابر، فإنكار كونها من تصانيفها غير مقبول عند الأواخر .
“This claim is rejected for several reasons, the first of which is that the attribution of Ghunya al-Talibin to Shaykh Jilani is mentioned in the books of great scholars such as Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) and others, so the denial of it by later scholars is not worthy of consideration…”
Janab Ahmad Raza Khan Barelwi (1856-1921 CE) writes:
“The Muhaddith of Delhi thinks that it is not even the work of Abd al-Qadir Jilani, but this is a bare negation.”
Janab Ahmad Yar Khan Badayuni Barelwi (1906-1971 CE) writes:
“Huzur Ghaws Pak says in Ghunya al-Talibin vol. 2, p. 48…”
