Who are Syed! It is a title that has only been awarded to Aal-e-Rasul (Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa S.A.W or Ahl-e-Bait). In other words, only those persons have rights to use this word with their names, who are direct descendants of Hazrat Sayyeda Fatima-tu-Zehra (S.A), the only Daughter of Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (P.B.U.H) and her husband Hazrat Maula Ali, Karam Allah Wajho. The meaning of word Syed is Leader or Sardar. However Arabs commonly use Al-Syed for Sir or Janab, but this word has no concern or connection with Syed.
Syed is not a caste:
The caste of Syeds is Bani Hashim (Qureshi Hashemites). There is no Kashmiri, Pathan, Punjabi, Sindhi, Baluchi, Hindustani, Irani or Afghan in Syeds but those are all from Arabic Race or origin. After leaving their native land (Arab) they migrated and permanently settled in different parts of the world that was known in those days. In the beginning they were Arabic speaking but as the time go on, they started adopting not only language but also culture and traditions of those areas, where they chose to reside.
Principal Links of Syeds:
Principally Syeds have only two main links. Descendants of Hazrat Imam Hassan Alaih-s-Salam S/o Hazrat Ali-e-Murtuza Karam Allah Wajho are called Hassni Syeds and children of Hazrat Imam Hussain Alaih-s-Salam S/o Hazrat Ali-e-Murtuza Karam Allah Wajho, named they Hussaini Syeds.
But by the passage of time, children’s of different Imams or dignitaries of both main links included references of their forefathers with their own names. This tradition is known as Nisbat (symbol of attribute or symbol of connection) with their ancestors. So now the Nisbat is not only a sign of distinction but also recognizance of Real Syeds.
Syeds of Hussaini Linage are using so many symbols (Nisbat e Nasab) like Aabdi, Zaidi,Baaqri,Jaafri, Kazmi,Taqvi, Naqvi,Askarvi,Bhukari,Tirmazi, Shirazi Mashadi,Moosvi etc.
But Hassni families continue to use only Hashmi or Hassni for their separate identification some are also known asTabatabaei but a seperate lineage came to be known after the birth of Ghaus-ul-Azam Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani.
Beginning of Gilanis:
Syed Abdul Qadir was born in Jilan or Gilan. This town was in suburbs of Tibiristan (Iran). The other name of this town was Jeel or Geel and by these connections, Syed Abdul Qadir is called Gilani or Jilani.
After coming and settling at Baghdad, common people made Gilani as part of his name and now descendants of Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani all over the world called themselves Gilani with pride, delight and arrogance.
Gilanis are Najib-ut-Taraffain (Nobles on both sides that are to say, Hassani Syeds form father side and Hussaini Syeds from mother side) and it’s an honour to have a linege like that. His father Abu Saleh Musa Jangi was from Hassani Lineage and his mother Syeda Fatima (Her Title was Umat-ul-Jabbar and Kuniyyat was Um-ul-Khair) was from Hussaini Family.
According to a most authentic book about Syed Abdul Qadir Peeran-e-Peer paternal lineage of Ghaus-ul-Azam is as under.
Syed Abu Saleh Musa Jangi S/o Syed Abdullah S/o Syed Yahya Zahid S/o Syed Muhammad S/o Syed Daud S/o Syed Musa Sani S/o Syed Abdullah Sani S/o Syed Musa Al Jaun alias Syed Musa Salas S/o Syed Abdullah Al Mehaz S/o Syed Hassan Musanna S/o Syed Imam Hassan S/o Hazrat Ali-e-Murtuza Karam Allah Wajho.
Maternal lineage of Ghaus-ul-Azam is as under.
Syeda Fatima D/o Syed Abu Abdullah Somai S/o Syed Abu Jamal S/o Syed Muhammad S/o Syed Abu Tahir S/o Syed Abdullah S/o Syed Abu Kamal S/o Syed Abu Alla-ud-Deen S/o Syed Muhammad S/o Syed Ali Areezi S/o Syed Imam Jaffar Sadiq S/o Syed Imam Muhammad Baqir S/o Syed Imam Zain-ul-Abdeen S/o Syed Imam Hussain S/o Hazrat Ali-e-Murtuza Karam Allah Wajho.
There are some differences in respect of number of wives and children of Ghaus-ul-Azam Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani.
It is said that He was not interested in marriage and for a long time he avoided it but once Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (saw) ordered him to get married and four women became wives of Ghaus-ul-Azam.
- Bibi Madina Gilani D/o Meer Muhammad Masjidi
- Bibi Sadiqa Gilani D/o Muhammad Shafi
- Bibi Momina Gilani
- Bibi Mehbooba Gilani
They were mothers of 27 (and according to some books, 26) sons and 22 daughters. The names of 22 daughters of Ghaus-ul-Azam are as under.
Syeda Afia Gilani, Syeda Yaseen Gilani, Syeda Aleema Gilani, Syeda Taj Gilani, Syeda Zahida Gilani, Syeda Zakirah Gilani, Syeda Um-Al Fazal Gilani, Syeda Sharifa Gilani, Syeda Abida Gilani, Syeda Khadeejah Gilani, Syeda Riji Gilani, Syeda Um-Al Fateh Gilani, Syeda Zahra Gilani, Syeda Jamal Gilani, Syed Khair-un-Nisa Gilani, Syeda Shah Khatim Gilani, Syeda Shah Bibi Gilani, Syeda Fakira Gilani, Syeda Fatima Gilani, Syeda Um-e-Salma Gilani, Syeda Fazal-un-Nisa Gilani and Syeda Taj-un-Nisa Gilani.
Out of above mentioned no one except Syeda Khair-un-Nisa Gilani reached her prime age or got married. Only she was married to Syed Shahab-ud-Deen S/o Abu Ahmed Abdullah S/o Syed Abu Saleh Musa Jangi Dost but stays childless.
Out of 27, names of only 12 sons have been recorded, which are as under.
Syed Saif-ud-Deen Abdul Wahab Gilani, Syed Sharf-ud-Deen Essa Gilani, Syed Abu Abdul Rehman Abdullah Gilani, Syed Shams-ud-Deen Abdul Aziz Gilani, Syed Taj-ud-Deen Abdul Razzaq Gilani, Syed Abu Al Fazal Muhammad Gilani, Syed Abu Zakirah Yahya Asghar Gilani, Syed Abu Ishaque Ibraheem Gilani, Syed Abu Nasser Musa Gilani, Syed Abdul Jabbar Gilani, Syed Abdul Ghaffar Gilani and Syed Abdul Ghani Gilani.
All Gilanis are descendants of above-mentioned 12 (or 27, according to some sources) sons of Ghaus-ul-Azam Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani.
Gilanis Migrated from Baghdad:
According to some authentic histories seven sons of Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani decided to stay in Baghdad. Those were Syed Saif-ud-Deen Abdul Wahab Gilani, Syed Abdul Jabbar Gilani, Syed Taj-ud-Deen Abdul Razzaq Gilani, Syed Muhammad Gilani, Syed Abdullah Gilani, Syed Yahya Gilani and Syed Abdul Rehman Gilani. They all were buried at Baghdad.
But when the cruel and unjust impositions took control of Baghdad, their descendants were compelled to leave their native city. After some time when situation become normal, some members of Syed Abdul Razzaq Gilani family returned to Baghdad for permanent residence. Out of them Syed Abdul Rehman Faiz Allah Gilani, Syed Abdul Aziz Gilani, Syed Ali Al-Kabeer Gilani, Syed Mahmood Gilani, Syed Mohammad Gilani (Naqeeb-ul-Ashraaf) and Syed Rasheed Ali Gilani (Ex Prime Minister of Iraq) were prominent.
Other than seven sons of Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani, mentioned above, Syed Sharf-ud-Deen Essa Gilani migrated to Egypt, Syed Abdul Aziz Gilani, Jabbal (Kurdistan), Syed Abu Ishaque Ibraheem Gilani, Wasta and Syed Musa Gilani migrated to Syria.
Some sons of Ghaus-ul-Azam were died before prime age.
Gilanis in Pakistan & Hindustan:
There is very much difference of opinion, that which was the first Gilani Syed, who came to that area, now called Pakistan and Hindustan (India) but this is a solid fact that Gilanis not came in a row or in shape of a caravan to these areas in some specific period. They came separately, at time to time, individually or with families or their Mureeds and these arrivals are continue till day.
Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Lahori, author of Khazeena-tul-Asfia has written that Syed Abdal Gilani S/o Syed Nasser Gilani (father of renowned Sufi, Syed Ismaeel Gilani) was first Gilani Syed, who came to Hindustan around 1400 A.D (802 H). But unfortunately this is not correct.
According to most reliable sources, arrival of some renowned Gilani Syeds is as under.
1) Syed Abdul Raheem Gilani S/o Syed Abdul Wahab Gilani S/o Ghaus-ul-Azam Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani was first Gilani Syed who came to this area for permanent residence. His marriage was took place with Jamila Khatoon, elder sister of Baba Fareed Ganj Shaker, at Khotwaal, Multan (native town of Baba Fareed Ganj Shaker) but some others said that marriage was took place earlier and he came from Baghdad along with his wife. This is definite that their son Syed Alla-ud-Deen Gilani alias Syed Sabir Gilani also known as Sabir Paak Kalyari, who was greatest Saint of his time, was born at Khotwaal in 1195 A.D (19th Rabi-ul-Awwal 592 H). Historians have mentioned 1187 A.D (596 H) to 1194 A.D (592 H) as period of his migration to Hindustan.
2) One of the ancestors of Syed Abdul Hakeem Gilani, named Syed Yaqoob Gilani came Hindustan from Iran in 1421 A.D (824H) during regime of Irani Badshah Abu Al-Fateh Mubarak Shah. He permanently settled at Multan.
3) Syed Muhammad Ghous Gilani S/o Syed Shams-ud-Deen Gilani S/o Syed Shah Meer Baghdadi came from Halab (Syria) to Uch in 1482 A.D (887 H).
4) Historians have mentioned Syed Shah Feroz Gilani as oldest Gilani who came to Lahore from Baghdad. He died here in 1536 A.D (933 H).
5) Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani S/o Syed Jamal-ud-Deen Gilani came from Baghdad. He went to village Moodi (Distt Amritsar) then Patna, Hindustan but he selected Lahore for his permanent residence. He died here in 1535 A.D (942 H).
6) Syed Abi Al-Hayat S/o Syed Taj-ud-Deen Mehmood Gilani (father of Syed Qumais-ud-Deen Gilani Sadhori) migrated from Baghdad around 1580 A.D (988 H). He resided in Bengal for some time but then permanently settled in Sadhoora (Khizarabad) District Anbala, Punjab.
7) Syed Abdullah Gilani Teehi came Hindustan in 1613 A.D (1021 H) by the order of Allah. He was only 15 at that time. Syed Abdullah Gilani selected a small village named Taaha near Delhi. With reference of this village he is called as Syed Abdullah Gilani Teehi. Some has mentioned the name of village; Bohat and they called him Syed Abdullah Gilani Bohti.
Syed Abdullah Shah Gilani came to Iran from Gilan. After some stay, he went to Qandhaar (Afghanistan) in 1640 A.D (1051 H). Nawab Ali Mardan Khan was the ruler of Qandhaar at that time. He honored him and when he transferred to Lahore, Syed Abdullah Shah Gilani was also with him. Syed Abdullah Shah Gilani died at Lahore in 1655 A.D (1066 H).
9) Syed Mehmood Gilani, an ancestor of Syed Abdullah Gilani alias Syed Abdullah Shah Sahabi (forefather of Gilanis of Kashmir and Hazara etc) left Baghdad and settled at Thatta (Sindh). Year of his migration is not known.
10) Ancestors of Syed Ahmed Sheikh-ul-Hind Gilani S/o Syed Abdul Razzaq Gilani S/o Syed Taj-ul-Arfeen came from Arab and settled near Wazirabad (Punjab). They also found a village named Kotlah near Wazirabad.
11) Syed Hasan Badruddin Gilani (Baghdadi) well known as Baba Shah Badr Dewan is a descendant of Ghaus-ul-Azam Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani.
He was born in Baghdad in 861 Hijra. He left Baghdad in 904 Hijra and came to Lahore where he stayed for several years. Finally he moved to village Masanian (3 miles east of Batala) where he was burried after passing away in 978 Hijra. (Some have reported his passing away in 1018 A.H. or 1609 A.D.)
These are only few examples of migrations of Gilani Saints or their Families to Pakistan and Hindustan. This is a solid reality that Gilani Syeds have played a vital and imperative role in preaching Islam not only in Pakistan, Hindustan and Bengal but also in Iran, Afghanistan, (now) Russian States and neighboring areas.
It is also a historical fact that no District of above-mentioned areas is without shrines of Gilani Saints. Numerous exclusive towns and villages of Gilani Syeds are also existed in different parts of Sub Continent.
Source: Facebook Page Named Gulshan-E-Quadriya
