The QADRI ORDER

                        In  the name of Allah,the most compassionate and merciful .             

Salutations and benedictions upon the Holy Prophet and his descendants and upon the exalted and illustrious Hazrat Syedena Gaus-ul-Azam and his progeny.

The Qadri Order has won its popularity for its tolerant attitude and concern for the welfare of the people .Seeking as it does to propagate the teachings of  Hazrat Gaus-ul Azam,the order is firmly based on the holy Quran and Hadith.When we look into the contribution of the Qadri Order particularly in Bengal we are simply amazed by the very simplicity,dedication,achievement and purity of this foremost order.The tremendous impact of the Qadri order in Bengal in terms of spiritual purification and literary endeavors  of the illustrious  saints in writing eulogies,epitaphs,elegies is beyond our comprehension. Love and affection for all,irrespective of ones identity are unique characteristics  and traits of this Order.

 The Qadri Order is named after Huzur Gaus-ul-Azam, His holiness  Hazrat  Syedana    Abu Mohammad Muhyuddin Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani {1077-1166} (alaihis salam) who figures prominently in Islamic spiritual history. For the first fifty years  after his Wesaal or holy  demise, there was no formal organization to speak of, however his teachings strongly influenced the thinking and conduct  of a considerable number of Muslims during his lifetime. Later on, his disciples  and followers perpetuated his teachings and saw to their dissemination. He eventually came to be regarded as a great saint endowed with  miraculous powers, and an embodiment of perfection Hazrat Syedana Shaykh Abdul Qadir had a highly persuasive way of encouraging people to distance themselves from an obsession with material things and turn instead   to matters of the spirit. Having awakened the spiritual side of their nature,   he dedicated himself to instilling in them a profound reverence for moral  and spiritual values. His religiosity and earnestness made a great impression  on men who flocked to his side. He asked his followers to maintain the same   strict standard of adherence to all the ramifications of Islamic Law, or shariah,   as he did himself, for he looked upon the shariah as the mainspring of all   spiritual progress. Insistence upon this point not only forged a bond between  the jurists and the mystics (Sufis), but also ensured that there would be a   just equilibrium between the varying interpretations of the letter and the   spirit of the Quran.  In his works and sermons, Hazrat Syedana Abdul Qadir Jilani (a.s.) makes frequent mention   of Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal (d. 855), and on many issues of religious importance, his stance was certainly influenced by his connection with the Hambali School of Islamic jurisprudence. In fact, he made fiqh (jurisprudence) and tasawwuf (mysticism) complementary to each other, thus bringing jurists and mystics together. In his elaborations on mysticism, he was always careful to keep all legal facets in view and, conversely, in explaining the principles of the law, he emphasized their spiritual implications.

Hazrat  Hazrat Ghausul Azam (the Greatest Spiritual Helper) is considered the 'The Greatest Saint of All Time'. In the most profound realm of Sufi tradition, he is said to have declared on the command of Allah, 'My foot is on the shoulder/neck of all Saints of Allah'. Hazrat Ghausul Azam is a direct descendant of Hazrat Imam Hasan Mujtaba (a.s.) on his father's side and of Hazrat Imam Hussain  (a.s.) on his mother's side and he is the originator and head of the Qaderiyya Sufi Order. But since Hazrat Ghausul Azam is recognized as the Greatest Saint of all time, by extension, he is the Spiritual Head of all the Sufi Orders that have ever existed. 

Hazrat Ghausul Azam is said to have fathered 49 children all of whom became great saints. Among the more famous of his sons was his first son, Hazrat Syedana Syed Shah Abdul Wahab  Al Qadri Al Jilani (a.s.), and his third son, Hazrat Syedana Syed Shah Abdul Razzak Al Jilani (a.s.). Many of the descendants of Hazrat Ghausul Azam subsequently reached many parts of the world and propagated the Qadri  Sufi Order. Although, other branches of the family of Hazrat Ghausul Azam had reached India before, a great Saint, Hazrat Syed Shah Abdullah Al Jili (AS), directly descended from Hazrat Syed Shah Abdul Razzak (a.s.) came by sea to Bengal, from Hama, Syria, in 1776, accompanied by his 4 sons and 1 grandson and settled in a place called Mangal Court, Burdwan in Bengal. He returned back soon afterward but left behind 2 sons and the grandson among the people of Bengal as a Mercy of the Almighty to them. Thereafter, succeeding generations of Saints have regenerated the faith and glory of Islam through their total devotion to the will of the Almighty, enduring affection for creation and mankind, and their unique charisma of character. 

REFERENCES-  WWW.PROECTSUFISM.COM 

Saiyedena Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Azam-  By Syed Abdus Salik.