endeavours. I remained anonymous. Due to my silence people called me mute, illiterate and insane. I would walk over thorns barefoot. I would enter terrifying caves and frightening valleys without hesitation. The world would appear adorned before me, but اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـهِ I would not turn towards it. My carnal-self would sometimes become submissive before me such that it would do as I say.

At other times it would struggle against me, and Allah Almighty would grant me victory over it. I lived for long periods in the wildernesses of Mada’in and engaged my soul in spiritual striving. For one year, I ate food found on the floor and would not drink water at all. Another year I would suffice upon water and not eat anything. I would be afflicted with severe tribulations. Once, I was tested on an extremely cold night; I would repeatedly fall asleep, and the obligatory bathing would become necessary upon me. I would come to the river immediately and perform a purificatory bath each time; that night I had to bathe forty times.^[1]

O devotees of the Prophet! Did you see how Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه exerted effort for many years to attain proximity in the court of Allah Almighty, please the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, overcome Satan and the carnal-self, escape the entrapment of this world, save himself from the ailment of sins, guide creation to the true path, attain the honour of being a preacher of the religion, convey the call of righteousness in the world and bring countless non-Muslims into Islam!

We cannot undertake the spiritual struggles of Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, but we can still aspire to strive as much as we can.

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                            صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد