A brief look at Abdul-Qadir Jilani and Moinuddin Chishti, and their ‘aqeedah (doctrine)
Question

                Could you tell me about the historical figures Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani and Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti? Because there are many of their followers around the world, hence I want to know how close they were to the path of truth?
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    1.

    Abdul-Qadir 
    al-Jilani 

    His full name 
    is Abu Muhammad ‘Abd al-Qaadir ibn Abi Saalih ‘Abdullah ibn Jangi Dost 
    al-Jeeli al-Hanbali. 

    2.

    Shaykh ‘Abd 
    al-Qaadir was born in Jeelaan (Jilan) in Tabaristan, in 471 AH; he died in 
    561 AH. 

    3.

    He learned 
    from Abu Ghaalib al-Baaqillaani, Ahmad ibn al-Muzaffar and Abu’l-Qaasim ibn 
    Bayaan. 

    As-Sam‘aani, 
    al-Haafiz ‘Abd al-Ghani and Shaykh Muwaffaq ad-Deen ibn Qudaamah narrated 
    from him. 

    4.

    Imam 
    adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said of him: The shaykh, imam, 
    scholar, ascetic (zaahid), ‘aarif (devoted worshipper), Shaykh al-Islam, 
    ‘Alam al-Awliya’ (The most prominent of the close friends (awliya’, sing. 
    wali) of Allah). 

    Siyar 
    A‘laam an-Nubala’, 
    20/439 

    Imam 
    as-Sam‘aani (may Allah have mercy) said of him: ‘Abdul-Qaadir was one of the 
    people of Jilan, the imam and shaykh  of the Hanbalis of his time, a 
    scholar, righteous, religiously committed, charitable; he remembered Allah a 
    great deal (dhikr), was always deep in thought and was quick to weep. 

    See: Siyar 
    A ‘laam an-Nubala’, 20/441 

    Ibn Katheer 
    (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He had a dignified bearing, and he kept 
    quiet except for enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil; he had 
    very little interest in worldly gain (i.e., he was an ascetic); miracles 
    were attributed to him; his followers and companions spoke a great deal 
    about him and narrated from him his words, actions and miracles, but most of 
    the reports about his miracles are exaggerated. He was righteous and pious, 
    and wrote books called al-Ghunyah and Futooh al-Ghayb, in 
    which there are good things and in which he also quoted da‘eef (weak) and 
    mawdoo‘ (fabricated) hadeeths. To sum up, he was one of the leading 
    shaykhs. 

    Al-Bidaayah 
    wa’n-Nihaayah, 
    12/768 

    5.

    Some students 
    decided to research the ‘aqeedah (doctrine) and life story of Jilaani, as 
    did Shaykh Sa‘eed ibn Musfir  in his book Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qaadir Jilani wa 
    Araa’uhu al-I‘tiqaadiyyah wa’s-Sufiyyah (Shaykh Abdul-Qadir Jilani and 
    his doctrinal and Sufi beliefs), which was his doctoral thesis in Umm 
    al-Qura University [in Makkah]. Summing up his research, he said: 

    Firstly: 
    Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilaani was Salafi in his ‘aqeedah (beliefs), in 
    accordance with the methodology of Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah in all 
    matters of ‘aqeedah, such as issues of faith, Tawheed (affirming the Oneness 
    of Allah), Prophethood, and the Last Day. He also affirmed that it is 
    obligatory to obey those in authority, and that it is not permissible to 
    rebel against them. 

    Secondly: He 
    was one of the leading Sufi shaykhs during their early stages, when their 
    concepts were moderate and closer to the Sunnah, and in most cases were 
    based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, with a particular focus on deeds of the 
    heart (spirituality). 

    Thirdly: with 
    regard to his learning the sciences of tasawwuf from shaykhs who lacked 
    knowledge based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, such as his shaykh ad-Dabbaas, who 
    was illiterate and could neither read nor write, he – may Allah have mercy 
    on him – fell into some mistakes and practised some innovations in worship, 
    but these slips are superseded by the vast number of his good deeds. Nobody 
    is infallible except the Prophets; all others are subject to error, and if 
    the volume of water reaches two large vessels, it cannot be contaminated by 
    impurity (as stated in the books of fiqh). 

    Fourthly: most 
    of what is attributed to Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani of miracles (karaamaat) 
    are exaggerated, and some of them are not soundly narrated. Of those that 
    may be accepted, they either come under the heading of insight (firaasah) or 
    of miracles (karaamaat) which Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah believe may 
    happen, subject to shar‘i guidelines that are explained in the appendix to 
    this thesis. End quote. 

    Shaykh ‘Abd 
    al-Qaadir al-JIlaani wa Araa’uhu al-I ‘tiqaadiyyah wa’s-Sufiyyah, 
    p. 660, 661 

    See also the 
    answers to questions no. 12932, 
    45435

    Secondly: 

    With regard to 
    Mu‘een ad-Deen Chishti (Moinuddeen Chishti): 

    1.

    His full name 
    is: al-Khawaja Mu‘een ad-Deen Hasan ibn al-Khawaja Ghiyath ad-Deen al-Sijzi, 
    who is known as “Ghareeb Nawaaz” (“the helper of the poor” or “the giver to 
    the poor”). 

    2.

    He was born in 
    Sistan – in north-eastern Iran – in 536 AH and he died in 627 AH. 

    3.

    He is one of 
    the most famous awliya’ (“saints”) in northern India – if not the 
    most famous of them – and his grave is one of the most shrines frequently 
    visited by Sufis and those who believe in myths; it is even visited by 
    Hindus! 

    4.

    It was said 
    regarding the reason for his embracing Sufism that whilst Mu‘een ad-Deen 
    Chishti was watering his plants in his garden, he was visited by a Sufi man 
    whose name was Shaykh Ibraaheem Kunduz. The young man Mu‘een ad-Deen Chishti 
    approached him and offered him some fruits, and in return Shaykh Ibraaheem 
    Kunduz gave him a lock from his beard and asked him to eat it! The “saint” 
    Mu‘een ad-Deen did so, and he became enlightened and found himself in a 
    strange world. After this incident he disposed of his garden and all his 
    possessions, and distributed his wealth to the poor. He renounced this world 
    and went to Bukhara to seek knowledge. 

    5.

    Chishti 
    travelled to many places, then he decided to go to India because of a dream 
    in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed 
    him to do so. So he went to India and stayed in Lahore, then after a short 
    while he went to Ajmer – in the region of Rajasthan – where he settled and 
    where he died. 

    6.

    He is the 
    founder of the innovated Sufi order that is known in India as the 
    Chishtiyyah – after the town of Chisht in Herat, in north-western 
    Afghanistan. 

    7.

    The order of 
    Mu‘een ad-Deen is no different from other innovated Sufi orders; indeed, 
    some of these orders hold beliefs that constitute kufr (disbelief). 

    In this order 
    there is something that they call al-muraaqabah al-chishtiyyah (the Chishti 
    meditation). This means spending half an hour a week at the graveside. The 
    mureed (Sufi disciple) covers his head and recites dhikr, saying “Allahu 
    haadiri Allahu naaziri (Allaah is with me, Allah is watching over me).” 

    Undoubtedly 
    this is an innovation and misguidance; indeed there is a fear that it may 
    open the door to ascribing partners to Allah, may He be exalted, because the 
    Sufi may be influenced by the occupant of the grave, and his thinking, 
    meditation and focus may be for him, which comes under the heading of major 
    shirk. 

    Thirdly: 

    The scholars 
    of the Standing Committee were asked: 

    I hope that 
    you will do us the honour of writing for us some brief comments on Sufism 
    and Sufis, what Sufism is, what their beliefs are, the opinion of Ahl 
    as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah concerning them, and what one who is of Ahl 
    as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah should do, or how he should interact with them if 
    these Sufis insist on their beliefs, and they think that they are following 
    truth even after the facts have been explained to them and have become clear 
    to them. 

    They replied: 

    The word 
    Sufism is derived from “soof”, meaning wool, because they wore garments made 
    of wool, and that is linguistically more likely and closer to the reality of 
    their way of life. With regard to the view that the word Sufism is derived 
    from “as-suffah” because they are similar to the poor Sahaabah (may Allah be 
    pleased with them), who used to gather by the suffah (bench) in the 
    Prophet’s mosque, or that it is derived from “safwah” (purity) because of 
    the purity of their hearts and deeds, all of that is wrong and is not 
    correct, because the adjective derived from suffah is suffi, and the 
    adjective derived from safwah is safawi. These two meanings are not 
    applicable to them, because in most cases their beliefs are corrupt and they 
    follow a lot of innovations. 

    All the Sufi 
    orders (tareeqahs) or that which is called tasawwuf (Sufism) nowadays are 
    full of actions that are innovated and constitute shirk, or the means that 
    lead to it, as well as corrupted beliefs that are contrary to the Qur’an and 
    Sunnah, such as seeking the help of the dead and the aqtaab (sing. qutb, 
    meaning a holy man or saint) by saying “Madad ya seedi (Help, O my 
    master)”, or “Madad ya Sayyidah Zaynab (Help, O Lady Zaynab),” or “Madad 
    ya Badawi (Help, O Badawi)” or “Ya Dasooqi (O Dasooqi)” and other cries 
    for help to the shaykhs and “saints”, believing that they can see into 
    people’s hearts and that they have knowledge of the unseen and what the 
    hearts conceal, and that they have secret powers that enable them to do 
    extraordinary things, and calling upon Allah by names that He did not call 
    Himself, such as “Hu Hu Hu” and “Ah Ah Ah.” 

    The Sufis have 
    innovated awraad (sing. wird) and du‘aa’s (supplications) that are not 
    prescribed in Islam. They take a pledge from their disciples (mureeds) that 
    they will mention Allah in their rituals and worship by particular specific 
    divine names, in unison, such as saying “Allah, Hayy (Every-Living), and 
    Qayyoom (Self-Sustaining).” They repeat it every day and night, and they do 
    not recite other names of Allah except with the permission of their shaykhs, 
    otherwise they would be disobeying their shaykhs and would be afraid of the 
    servants of these names. They do all of that whilst swaying, bowing, rising, 
    dancing, singing and clapping, and other actions for which there is no basis 
    and that are not known in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Messenger 
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 

    No Muslim 
    should sit in their gatherings and he must avoid mixing with them, so that 
    he will not be influenced by their corrupt beliefs, lest he fall into the 
    same shirk and innovation that they have fallen into. He should advise them 
    and explain the truth to them in the hope that Allah will guide them at his 
    hands, whilst affirming those matters in which they are in accordance with 
    the Qur’an and Sunnah, and denouncing those matters in which they go against 
    them. In doing so he must adhere to the methodology of Ahl as-Sunnah 
    wa’l-Jamaa‘ah, so as to protect his religious commitment. Whoever wants to 
    know about the Sufis and their beliefs in detail should read Madaarij 
    as-Saalikeen by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah and Hadhihi hiya as-Soofiyyah 
    by ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Wakeel. 

    Shaykh ‘Abd 
    al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh, Shaykh Saalih 
    al-Fawzaan, Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd. 

    Fataawa 
    al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, 
    vol. 2, 88-90 

    See also the 
    answer to question no. 20375 for the ruling on 
    joining Sufi orders. 

    And Allah 
    knows best.