Abdul Qadir Gilani (Persian: Persian: عبدالقادر گیلانی, romanized: 'Abdul Qādir Gīlānī, Arabic: عبد القادر الجيلاني, romanized: ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī) was a Hanbali scholar, preacher, and Sufi leader who was the eponym of the Qadiriyya, one of the oldest Sufi orders.

[6] Abdul Qadir Gilani held the highest position in the hierarchy of Sufi saints (Awliya) having achieved the rank (Maqam) of the succour (Ghawth).

[1] During his stay in the city of Baghdad, Gilani was called ajami (non-Arab), which according to Bruce Lawrence may have been because he spoke Persian alongside Arabic.

He placed Shafi'i jurisprudence (Fiqh) on an equal footing with the Hanbali school (madhhab), and used to give fatwa according to both of them simultaneously.

[3] Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani converted thousands of people to Islam through his compassionate and inclusive approach to inner purification and devotion towards Allah.

His emphasis on inner purification, divine love, and ethical living resonated deeply with many, attracting followers from diverse backgrounds.

The curriculum included the study of the Quran, Hadith, Fiqh (jurisprudence), and Tasawwuf (Sufism), providing a comprehensive religious education.

Prominent figures such as Nur ad-Din Zangi and Salahuddin Ayyubi were known to respect and follow the principles advocated by the Shaykh, which contributed to their own reforms and successes.