Excerpt from “Ghayr Masnoon Nafli Nawafil” by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Some individuals have fabricated a new form of prayer and named it Ṣalāh Ghawthiyyah, attributing it falsely to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رحمه الله. This practice is a blend of innovations, superstitions, shirk (polytheism), and disbelief.
Islam, as conveyed by the Prophet ﷺ, is defined by adherence to his words and actions. Seeking nearness to Allah through unlegislated means is not only futile but harmful—even though such people may view their actions as good. In truth, declaring such fabricated rituals as religious acts is corruption on earth.
﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ، أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ﴾
"When it is said to them: ‘Do not spread corruption on the earth,’ they reply, ‘We are only reformers.’ Verily, they are the ones who spread corruption, but they perceive it not."
[al-Baqarah: 11–12]
Innovations are a source of mischief on Allah’s earth. Some people invent new religious practices repeatedly, refusing to limit themselves to the pure Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ in acts of worship.
The first to introduce this so-called prayer was the Egyptian Sufi, Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī bin Yūsuf al-Shatnūfī (d. 713 AH). He falsely attributed the following words to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رحمه الله:
"Whoever seeks my help in distress, it shall be removed. Whoever calls upon me by name during hardship, relief shall be granted. Whoever seeks Allah’s help using me as a means for a need, it shall be fulfilled. Whoever prays two rakʿahs reciting Surah al-Fātiḥah followed by Surah al-Ikhlāṣ eleven times in each rakʿah, then sends blessings and salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ after finishing the prayer, then remembers me, walks eleven steps toward Iraq, mentions my name and states his need — his request shall be fulfilled by the permission of Allah."
(Bahjat al-Asrār wa Maʿdan al-Anwār, p. 102)
This statement is a blatant lie falsely attributed to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رحمه الله.
➊ Abū al-Maʿālī ʿAbd al-Raḥīm bin Muẓaffar – No biographical information is available.
➋ Abū al-Qāsim Bazzār – Requires explicit authentication from hadith scholars.
Several scholars have strongly criticized the book for its content and reliability.
"Al-Shaykh Nūr al-Dīn al-Shatnūfī al-Muqri’ compiled a voluminous book on the life and virtues of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir in three volumes. He included truth and falsehood, sound and fabricated reports, because he narrated stories from unreliable individuals."
[Tārīkh al-Islām 12/252]
"Al-Kamāl Jaʿfar said: The book contains strange and odd stories. People have criticized many of its reports and chains of narration."
[al-Durar al-Kāminah 3/141]
"Al-Muqri’ Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shatnūfī compiled a three-volume book on the virtues of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir, filled with truth and falsehood. It is enough to brand someone a liar if he narrates everything he hears. I have seen parts of this book, and I do not feel comfortable relying on any part of it, except what is well-known and independently confirmed. The book contains numerous unknown narrators, exaggerated claims, and baseless content. It is not befitting to attribute such material to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir رحمه الله. Al-Kamāl Jaʿfar al-Adfawī noted that the content of this book is fabricated by al-Shatnūfī himself."
[Dhail Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanābilah 2/194–195]
«من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد»
"Whoever performs an action that is not in accordance with our matter (i.e., religion), it will be rejected."
"This ḥadīth is a great foundational principle in Islam. It serves as a scale for outward actions, just as the ḥadīth 'Actions are judged by intentions' serves as a scale for inward actions. Just as a deed not done for Allah’s sake earns no reward, similarly a deed not sanctioned by Allah and His Messenger is thrown back at the doer. Anyone who introduces a practice into the religion without permission from Allah or His Messenger has nothing to do with Islam."
[Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wal-Ḥikam, p. 8]
"Human actions—whether words or deeds—are of two types: worship that rectifies one’s religion, and customs needed for worldly life. Through thorough study of Sharīʿah, it becomes clear that acts of worship which Allah has made obligatory or recommended are only valid if proven by Sharʿī evidence."
[al-Qawāʿid al-Nūrāniyyah, pp. 78–79]
Thus, inventing a prayer and seeking aid through saints cannot be part of the religion.
"Whoever introduces anything new into this Ummah which was not practiced by its predecessors has claimed that the Messenger ﷺ betrayed the message. For Allah said:"
﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ﴾
"This day I have perfected for you your religion…"
[al-Mā'idah: 3]
"So whatever was not religion that day will not be religion today."
[al-Iḥkām fī Uṣūl al-Aḥkām 6/85 – Chain: Ḥasan]
❖ Salāh Ghawthiyyah – A Fabricated Innovation
Some individuals have fabricated a new form of prayer and named it Ṣalāh Ghawthiyyah, attributing it falsely to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رحمه الله. This practice is a blend of innovations, superstitions, shirk (polytheism), and disbelief.
Islam, as conveyed by the Prophet ﷺ, is defined by adherence to his words and actions. Seeking nearness to Allah through unlegislated means is not only futile but harmful—even though such people may view their actions as good. In truth, declaring such fabricated rituals as religious acts is corruption on earth.
❖ Allah the Most High says:
﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ، أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ﴾
"When it is said to them: ‘Do not spread corruption on the earth,’ they reply, ‘We are only reformers.’ Verily, they are the ones who spread corruption, but they perceive it not."
[al-Baqarah: 11–12]
Innovations are a source of mischief on Allah’s earth. Some people invent new religious practices repeatedly, refusing to limit themselves to the pure Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ in acts of worship.
❖ Inventor of Ṣalāh Ghawthiyyah:
The first to introduce this so-called prayer was the Egyptian Sufi, Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī bin Yūsuf al-Shatnūfī (d. 713 AH). He falsely attributed the following words to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رحمه الله:
"Whoever seeks my help in distress, it shall be removed. Whoever calls upon me by name during hardship, relief shall be granted. Whoever seeks Allah’s help using me as a means for a need, it shall be fulfilled. Whoever prays two rakʿahs reciting Surah al-Fātiḥah followed by Surah al-Ikhlāṣ eleven times in each rakʿah, then sends blessings and salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ after finishing the prayer, then remembers me, walks eleven steps toward Iraq, mentions my name and states his need — his request shall be fulfilled by the permission of Allah."
(Bahjat al-Asrār wa Maʿdan al-Anwār, p. 102)
This statement is a blatant lie falsely attributed to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رحمه الله.
❖ Issues with the Narration:
➊ Abū al-Maʿālī ʿAbd al-Raḥīm bin Muẓaffar – No biographical information is available.
➋ Abū al-Qāsim Bazzār – Requires explicit authentication from hadith scholars.
❖ Scholarly Criticism of
Several scholars have strongly criticized the book for its content and reliability.
① Imām al-Dhahabī (d. 748 AH) said:
"Al-Shaykh Nūr al-Dīn al-Shatnūfī al-Muqri’ compiled a voluminous book on the life and virtues of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir in three volumes. He included truth and falsehood, sound and fabricated reports, because he narrated stories from unreliable individuals."
[Tārīkh al-Islām 12/252]
② Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī (d. 852 AH) said:
"Al-Kamāl Jaʿfar said: The book contains strange and odd stories. People have criticized many of its reports and chains of narration."
[al-Durar al-Kāminah 3/141]
③ Imām Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī (d. 795 AH) said:
"Al-Muqri’ Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shatnūfī compiled a three-volume book on the virtues of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir, filled with truth and falsehood. It is enough to brand someone a liar if he narrates everything he hears. I have seen parts of this book, and I do not feel comfortable relying on any part of it, except what is well-known and independently confirmed. The book contains numerous unknown narrators, exaggerated claims, and baseless content. It is not befitting to attribute such material to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir رحمه الله. Al-Kamāl Jaʿfar al-Adfawī noted that the content of this book is fabricated by al-Shatnūfī himself."
[Dhail Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanābilah 2/194–195]
❖ Reader, You Now Know:
- The reality of Ṣalāh Ghawthiyyah.
- The unreliable book it is based upon.
❖ Authentic Islamic Principles Regarding Innovations
◈ Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated:
«من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد»
"Whoever performs an action that is not in accordance with our matter (i.e., religion), it will be rejected."
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1718
◈ Imām Ibn Rajab رحمه الله (d. 795 AH) said:
"This ḥadīth is a great foundational principle in Islam. It serves as a scale for outward actions, just as the ḥadīth 'Actions are judged by intentions' serves as a scale for inward actions. Just as a deed not done for Allah’s sake earns no reward, similarly a deed not sanctioned by Allah and His Messenger is thrown back at the doer. Anyone who introduces a practice into the religion without permission from Allah or His Messenger has nothing to do with Islam."
[Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wal-Ḥikam, p. 8]
◈ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله (d. 728 AH) said:
"Human actions—whether words or deeds—are of two types: worship that rectifies one’s religion, and customs needed for worldly life. Through thorough study of Sharīʿah, it becomes clear that acts of worship which Allah has made obligatory or recommended are only valid if proven by Sharʿī evidence."
[al-Qawāʿid al-Nūrāniyyah, pp. 78–79]
Thus, inventing a prayer and seeking aid through saints cannot be part of the religion.
◈ Imām Mālik bin Anas رحمه الله (d. 179 AH) said:
"Whoever introduces anything new into this Ummah which was not practiced by its predecessors has claimed that the Messenger ﷺ betrayed the message. For Allah said:"
﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ﴾
"This day I have perfected for you your religion…"
[al-Mā'idah: 3]
"So whatever was not religion that day will not be religion today."
[al-Iḥkām fī Uṣūl al-Aḥkām 6/85 – Chain: Ḥasan]
Conclusion:
- Ṣalāh Ghawthiyyah is a fabricated prayer with no basis in the Sunnah.
- The book supporting it is unreliable and filled with fabrications.
- True worship must be established on what was legislated by Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
- Adding self-invented practices in worship is rejected innovation and a cause of corruption in religion.
