Hadhrat Mawlānā Shāh ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh

Hadhrat Mawlānā Shāh ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh was born in his maternal village of Dadhiyā in the district of Sargodha, Punjab, a region that later became part of Pakistan. The exact date of his birth is not known, but based on incidents from his childhood, biographers have written that he was born in Rabi al-Awwal 1292 AH (1875 CE). His parents originally named him Ghulām Jilānī out of their deep reverence for Shaykh ‘Abdul Qādir Jilānī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh. During his first encounter with his spiritual mentor, Hadhrat Mawlānā ‘Abdur Rahīm Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh, he was asked his name. When he replied “Ghulām Jilānī,” his mentor responded, “You are ‘Abdul Qādir.” From that time, he became widely known as ‘Abdul Qādir.

Education and Upbringing
Hadhrat Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh was taught the Qur’ān and the primary books of Dīn mainly by his two uncles, both of whom were ‘Ulamā: Mawlānā Kalīmullāh Ṣāḥib and Mawlānā Muhammad Yāsīn Ṣāḥib. He memorised the Qur’ān under the supervision of Mawlānā Kalīmullāh Ṣāḥib in Khewra, in the district of Jhelum.

After completing his Hifz, he studied the books of Ṣarf and Naḥw under the guidance of the pious scholar Mawlānā Khalīl Ahmad Ṣāḥib and his son Mawlānā Rafīq Ahmad Ṣāḥib, who was spiritually connected to Qutb al-Irshād Hadhrat Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh. These studies took place in a locality called Jhawiryā.

To further his education, he travelled to various parts of India to study Manṭiq, Fiqh, and Hadith. His academic journeys took him to Saharanpur, Rampur, Panipat, Delhi, and Bareilly, where he completed different stages of his studies.

Immersion in Acquiring Knowledge
Hadhrat Mufti Mahmūd al-Hasan Gangohī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh mentions that during his student days, Hadhrat Mawlānā Shāh ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh would not read or reply to the letters he received. Instead, he would place all the letters in an earthen pot. After completing his studies, he finally opened them and discovered that a niece or nephew had been born during that period, upon which he said, “Alhamdulillah.” He also discovered that some relatives had passed away, upon which he recited, “Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāji‘ūn.”

In the Company of A‘lā Hadhrat Shāh ‘Abdur Rahīm Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh
After completing his studies, Hadhrat Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh taught in Bareilly, where he initially instructed the sons of Mawlānā Khudāyār Khān Ṣāḥib. After approximately eleven months, he began teaching the sons of Mawlānā Ahmad Razā Khān, namely Muṣṭafa Razā and Hāmid Razā.

After some time, however, he felt spiritually unsettled and sensed no benefit. His heart became further disinclined when he heard Mawlānā Ahmad Razā Khān speaking against the ‘Ulamā of Deoband. In his search for the truth, Hadhrat Raipūrī even communicated with Mirzā Ghulām Ahmad Qādiyānī but found no solace.

While residing in Afḍalgarh, he began reading the writings of Haji Imdādullāh Muhājir-e-Makkī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh. These writings inclined his heart towards Hadhrat Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh, whose spiritual rank and influence were well known. However, because of the long distance, he turned his attention towards A‘lā Hadhrat Shāh ‘Abdur Rahīm Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh, who frequently travelled through Punjab delivering lectures.

He wrote a letter requesting permission to come into his company. A‘lā Hadhrat replied with humility, advising him instead to go to Hadhrat Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī. Hadhrat ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī was astonished by this sincerity and wrote another letter explaining that although he knew the spiritual connection of A‘lā Hadhrat ultimately came through Hadhrat Gangohī, his own heart was inclined towards A‘lā Hadhrat. He requested permission to join his company and assured him that he would arrange his own food and lodging.

After reading the letter aloud, A‘lā Hadhrat remarked, “This is what you call zeal.” Permission was then granted, and Hadhrat ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī travelled to Raipur, where he remained in the blessed company of A‘lā Hadhrat for a week.
Hadhrat Shāh ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh later said, “If it were not for the company of Mawlānā ‘Abdur Rahīm Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh, I would have become a Qādiyānī.”

Relentless Khidmat of His Shaykh
Hadhrat Mawlānā ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh travelled to Raipur for the second time shortly after his first visit, in the company of his Shaykh, Shāh ‘Abdur Rahīm Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh. When he set out, he had no provisions or means for the journey and had intended to walk all the way to Raipur. When his brother saw his condition, he sold a goat and gave him the money for travel.

Upon reaching Raipur, he took bay‘ah at the hands of A‘lā Hadhrat Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh and made a firm intention to remain permanently in the khānqāh. When asked about his family, he explained that he was responsible for his mother, two brothers, a sister, and a spouse whom he had left at home. A‘lā Hadhrat expressed his wish that they remain together, and Hadhrat ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī replied that he had come with the sole intention of staying with him.

Circumstances unfolded such that, shortly after his arrival, his wife passed away. This became an indication that allowed him to remain in Raipur for the rest of his life. He subsequently served A‘lā Hadhrat Raipūrī with unwavering devotion for fourteen years.

He would wake A‘lā Hadhrat at 1 a.m. every night after taking a short rest following ‘Ishā. He would prepare the water for istinjā and wudū’, then occupy himself in ma‘mūlāt until Fajr Ṣalāh.

Hadhrat ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī himself narrated that he would put A‘lā Hadhrat to rest in the afternoon for his siesta and massage his body while he rested. After a short while, A‘lā Hadhrat would tell him to go and rest. He would leave, but the thought that A‘lā Hadhrat might need something would cause him to quietly return and check whether he was resting peacefully. This continued until Zuhr.
For approximately fourteen years, he served his Shaykh in this manner, day and night, both at home and during journeys. Although A‘lā Hadhrat Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh had a son, it was Hadhrat ‘Abdul Qādir Raipūrī Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh who accompanied him everywhere and became his closest companion in life.