sheikh al rifa'ei RA

Abdul Qadir al Geylani

The Qadiri path is the Shattariya path. The people in this path neither concentrate on dieting, nor converse much with the awam (general people). They have no business but joy, thankfulness, and zikr.

Ahmed ar Rifai

One day somebody asked Abdul Qadir al Geylani (who was Ahmed ar Rifai's cousin) "Ya Hazret, what is love?" Hz. Geylani told the person to go ask this question to Sayyid Ahmed ar Rifai. When Ahmed ar Rifai heard this question, he stood up, saying, "Love is fire, love is fire." He began whirling until he passed into the unseen and disappeared.

When the person saw this, he was disturbed because he didn't understand what was happening. At that moment, the spiritual presence of Abdul Qadir al Geylani appeared and told him to look for the spot where his brother Ahmed ar Rifai had vanished, and to pour rosewater on that spot. The person did this and within a couple of moments, Sayyid Ahmed ar Rifai appeared, whirling in the exact same place.