Ahmad ibn Zafar, grandson of the vizier Ibn Hubayra, reports that his grandfather gave him gold to present to Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani and asked him to convey his greeting. After the Shaykh’s gathering ended, Ahmad hesitated inwardly to hand over the gold because of the crowd. Before Ahmad voiced that concern, the Shaykh told him to give what he had with him and not worry about the people. Ahmad says he obeyed and left astonished.
Ahmad ibn Zafar, the grandson of the vizier Ibn Hubayra, relates a personal meeting with Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him. Ahmad says that he first asked his grandfather for permission to visit the Shaykh. The vizier agreed, placed an amount of gold in Ahmad’s care so that he could deliver it to Abd al-Qadir, and also asked him to convey his greeting. Ahmad therefore arrived at the gathering carrying both a message and a specific trust from his grandfather.
He attended the public assembly until it came to an end. When Shaykh Abd al-Qadir descended from the pulpit, Ahmad approached and greeted him. The gold was still with him, but many people were gathered around. At that moment Ahmad began to hesitate inwardly about handing over the money in front of such a crowd. The fuller form preserved in Tarikh al-Islam makes this point part of the scene: the hesitation was still within him and had not yet been spoken aloud.
The report then reaches its central moment. Before Ahmad expressed what was troubling him, Shaykh Abd al-Qadir addressed the very matter over which he was hesitating. He told him, in substance, to give what he had with him and not to concern himself with the people. He also referred to the greeting for the vizier. Ahmad says that he then handed over the gold as instructed and completed the errand entrusted to him.
What stayed with Ahmad was the timing of the response. His surprise did not come simply from the Shaykh receiving gold, because delivering the gold was the purpose of his visit from the beginning. Rather, Ahmad understood the Shaykh’s words as answering the private hesitation that had arisen in his mind while he stood among the crowd. He says that after carrying out the instruction he left the encounter astonished.
Al-Dhahabi preserves Ahmad ibn Zafar’s report in Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, and a fuller form also appears in Tarikh al-Islam. Immediately after the Siyar account, al-Dhahabi quotes a biographical description of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir as one who spoke about inward thoughts. The story itself remains focused on this single encounter: entrusted gold, an unspoken hesitation in a crowded gathering, the Shaykh’s immediate instruction to hand it over, and Ahmad’s astonished departure.
He attended the public assembly until it came to an end. When Shaykh Abd al-Qadir descended from the pulpit, Ahmad approached and greeted him. The gold was still with him, but many people were gathered around. At that moment Ahmad began to hesitate inwardly about handing over the money in front of such a crowd. The fuller form preserved in Tarikh al-Islam makes this point part of the scene: the hesitation was still within him and had not yet been spoken aloud.
The report then reaches its central moment. Before Ahmad expressed what was troubling him, Shaykh Abd al-Qadir addressed the very matter over which he was hesitating. He told him, in substance, to give what he had with him and not to concern himself with the people. He also referred to the greeting for the vizier. Ahmad says that he then handed over the gold as instructed and completed the errand entrusted to him.
What stayed with Ahmad was the timing of the response. His surprise did not come simply from the Shaykh receiving gold, because delivering the gold was the purpose of his visit from the beginning. Rather, Ahmad understood the Shaykh’s words as answering the private hesitation that had arisen in his mind while he stood among the crowd. He says that after carrying out the instruction he left the encounter astonished.
Al-Dhahabi preserves Ahmad ibn Zafar’s report in Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, and a fuller form also appears in Tarikh al-Islam. Immediately after the Siyar account, al-Dhahabi quotes a biographical description of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir as one who spoke about inward thoughts. The story itself remains focused on this single encounter: entrusted gold, an unspoken hesitation in a crowded gathering, the Shaykh’s immediate instruction to hand it over, and Ahmad’s astonished departure.
Conclusion
The story closes with Ahmad carrying out the instruction and leaving astonished after the Shaykh’s words appeared to answer the hesitation he had not yet expressed.
Sources
Siyar al-A‘lam al-Nubala 20:449 reports Ahmad ibn Zafar ibn Hubayra hesitating to hand over gold in the gathering and Abd al-Qadir saying to give what he had with him.
Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 39, pp. 98–99: Ahmad ibn Zafar, grandson of the vizier Ibn Hubayra, says his grandfather gave him gold to deliver to Abd al-Qadir and asked him to convey a greeting. After the gathering, Ahmad hesitated because of the crowd; Abd al-Qadir anticipated his thought, told him to give what he had with him and not mind the people, and Ahmad says he left astonished.
Al-Dhahabi states in the same biography that many karamat attributed to Abd al-Qadir are not sound and some attributed claims are impossible.
Siyar al-A'lam al-Nubala 20:449–450, immediately after Ahmad ibn Zafar's report, quotes the author of Mir'at al-Zaman describing Abd al-Qadir as one who 'would speak on al-khawatir' (inner thoughts).