Show Notes
The Qadiriyya is often called the most widespread Sufi order in the world — but how did one 12th-century mystic in Baghdad inspire a global movement that still thrives today?
This episode explores the life and legacy of Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, the saint revered across the Muslim world as Ghaus al-A‘zam — “the greatest helper.” From medieval Baghdad to North Africa, Turkey, South Asia, and beyond, we trace how his teachings spread across continents, shaping Islamic spirituality for nearly 900 years.
Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm
Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonate
Sources/Recommended Reading:
Abun-Nasr, Jamil M. (2007). "Muslim Communities of Grace: The Sufi Brotherhoods in Islamic Religious Life". C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd.
Knysh, Alexander (2012). "Islamic Mysticism: A Short History". BRILL.
Malik, Hamza (2018). "The Grey Falcon: The Life and Teaching of Shaykh 'Abd Al-Qadir Al-Jilani". BRILL.
Trimingham, John Spencer (1971). "Sufi Orders in Islam". Oxford University Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Let's Talk Religion
Iblis (Satan) refused to bow to Adam, and the Qur’an condemns him for it. But some of the most daring Sufi mystics read that refusal very differently: as the act of a perfect monotheist and a tragic lover who would not bow to anything but God, even at the cost of eternal separation. In this video we explore how Iblis was reinterpreted in Islamic mysticism, from Mansur al-Hallaj’s Kitab al-Tawasin to the Persian “School of Love” (madhhab-i ‘ishq) of Ahmad Ghazali and ‘Ayn al-Qudat Hamadani.
What is the Anqa? In this episode we explore the Anqa (عنقاء), the elusive, legendary bird of Arabic and Islamic tradition, often compared to the phoenix and the Persian Simurgh. We look at its origins in pre-Islamic Arabian lore, the story of how it vanished from the world, and how "the Anqa of the West" (ʿanqāʾ mughrib) became a proverb for something that exists in name but can never be found. We also trace how Sufi mystics like Ibn ʿArabi and Farid al-Din ʿAttar turned this mythical creature into a powerful symbol of the hidden, the unknowable, and the divine.
In this episode, we explore the fascinating history of alchemy in the Islamic(ate) world, from the writings of Jabir ibn Hayyan, to the Emerald Tablet, Abu Bakr al-Razi & the Sufis.
Ibn 'Arabi's famous "Religion of Love" verses are some of the most striking lines in Islamic mysticism - a declaration that the heart can take the form of every temple, church, and shrine. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the poem itself, its context in the Tarjuman al-Ashwaq, and what it reveals about Ibn 'Arabi's views on love, God, and universality in Sufi thought.
The House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikma) is one of the most mythologized institutions in history, but what do the actual medieval sources say? In this video, we separate legend from evidence, tracing what the House of Wisdom really was in Abbasid Baghdad & what role it played in the translation movement.