Abdul Qader al-Keilani
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Abdul Qader al-Keilani Islamic scholar, congressman, and nationalist | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Ottoman Parliament for Homs and Hama | |
| In office 1908–1918 | |
| Deputy from Hama to the Syrian National Congress | |
| In office 1919 – 17 July 1920 | |
| Minister of Agriculture | |
| In office 1928–1931 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1874 |
| Died | 1948 (aged 73–74) |
| Occupation | Political leader and Islamic scholar |
Abdul Qader Husni al-keilani al-Hasani (1874–1948) (Arabic: عبدالقادر حسني الكيلاني) was a Syrian nationalist, statesman and religious authority.[1]
Sayed Abdul Qader was born in Aleppo in 1874 to the prominent Keilani family. The family descends from a famous religious figure and greatest saint of his time, Sayyid Abdul Qader al-Jilani al-Hasani (1078–1166 AD), the father and founder of the Keilani Sufi order (also called Qaderiya) which still has thousands of followers all over the Islamic world today. The family first appeared in Hama more than 800 years ago when a certain ancestor, Sayed Sayf al-Deen Yehya al-Keilani (died 1334 AD), a direct descendant of Sayyid Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, decided to reside in the city in 1285 AD, permanently moving from his original birthplace of Baghdad. Sayed Sayf al-Deen built homes for his family, a lodge and a bridge over the Orontes river, this section of the city later became known as "al-Keilaniah district", attesting to the influence and rich historical depth of this family in the city of Hama. Soon after, the Keilanis became the leading family of the town, owing not only to the historical and religious significance of their ancestor but also to the fact that they belonged to the Ashraf class, the recognized descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. As such, they held the post of naqib al-ashraf (the head of the Ashraf group), a prestigious Islamic post that had been officially reorganized by the central government of the Islamic Empire. This position was handed down through the generations within the Keilani family in Hama. Members of the family also succeeded in gaining access to other important offices, such as that of the Mufti (the highest jurisconsult), the Qadi (the supreme Islamic Judge), and of course, they held on to their traditional leadership of the Sufi Qaderiyah sect, which prospered to a great extent during the Ottoman era. These offices were the highest in any Ottoman city, and in fact, there were instances when several Keilanis were appointed to all these positions at the same time. Many scholars who identified with the Hanafi school of Fiqh were produced by the family. The family glory had reached a remarkable stage in the 17th and 19th century.
Abdul Qader's father had died while he was a young child, and so he was raised by his maternal grandfather, Sayed Mohammad Ali al-Keilani, the Mufti of the city. He was educated locally studying under the scholars of his time, and like most of his relatives and ancestors, he followed the path of religious scholarship.
