About The Book

Shaikh Abd al-Qadir al Jilani lived almost a thousand years ago, but his words transcend the time and space in which they were recorded to span the centuries without difficulty. Revered to this day as the supreme spiritual helper (al-Ghawth al-A’zam), the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) addresses his audience at a level that bypasses the obstacles of the hearth and mind.

This book, The Secret of Secrets (Sirr al-Asrar) is perhaps one of his most important works, expounding different aspects of the spiritual path, both exoteric and esoteric. Divided into twenty-four sections, the essential stages and prerequisites for the journey back to Allah are laid out in detail. Any seeker of the spiritual life will find immense benefit in reading the wise words of Shaikh Abd al-Qadir, written so many years ago.

Translated by Muhtar Holland, one of the foremost translators of classical Arabic, secrets of secrets and our other volumes of the Shaikh’s works should be a welcome addition to the library resources of scholar and layman alike and of great interest to students, teachers, and seekers of understanding everywhere.

About The Author

Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir is widely known by the honorific, 'the Sultan of the Saints (awliya) of Allah'. In the history of the Saints of Islam, Shaikh Abd al-Qadir stands out as being unique, in the broad scope of perfection that includes his lineage, his complete development, piety, knowledge of the religion and adherence to the Sacred Law (Sharia), his intimate and direct knowledge of the Divine, and his establishment by the Lord of All the Worlds at the level of Reality (Haqiqa). Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir lived almost a thousand years ago, but his words transcend the time and place in which they were recorded to span the centuries without difficulty.

Revered to this day as the supreme spiritual helper (al-Ghawth al-A'zam) the Shaikh addresses his audience at a level that bypasses the heart and mind. His discourses are justly ranked among the most beautiful oratory the world has ever known.

He is justly described as a "towering figure" in the history of Islam. He was born in the Iranian town of Tus, studied Islamic law and theology at the Seljuq college in Nishapur, and became a distinguished professor at the famous Nizamiyya University in Baghdad.

Despite his glittering success, he was inwardly dissatisfied, so he abandoned his career for the life of hardship, abstinence and devotion to worship. During ten years of wandering, he experienced a spiritual transformation, in which the Truth came to him at last, as something received rather than acquired.

Blessed with an inner certainty, he then applied his outstanding faculties and vast learning to the task of revitalizing the whole Islamic tradition. Through his direct personal contacts, and through his many writings, he showed how every element in that tradition could and should be turned to its true purpose.

About The Translator

Muhtar Holland was born in 1935, in the ancient city of Durham in the North East of England. This statement may be considered anachronistic, however, since he did not bear the name Muhtar until 1969, when he was moved-by powerful experiences in the latihan kejiwaan of Subud-to embrace the religion of Islam. His freelance activities have mostly been devoted to writing and translating in various parts of the world, including Scotland and California. He made his Pilgrimage [Hajj] to Mecca in 1980.