The Sufi book, ?Sirajul Awaarif?, explains the details of groups of Awliya living on earth at any give time: · There are at any given time 4 000 Awliya living on earth. They are not known and recognized by the general public. In fact, amongst them one does not know the other and they themselves are not aware of the validity of their actions and devotion (Ah?maal). All these are hidden from them and the general public. · Three hundred (300) from this group are statesmen involved in the administration of this world. They control all transactions in this Duniya. They are the leaders of all Pious people in the Divine Court of Allah. They are known as Akhyaar. · Amongst these 300, there are 40 who are known as Abdaal · Amongst these 40, seven are Abraar · Amongst these 7, four are Awtaad · Amongst these 4, three are No?qabah · Amongst these 3, one is known as the Ghous or Qutub. He is the most senior of them all and the head and Chairperson of the spiritual assembly
There are various Ahaadith with regards to the existence of such saints.
However, the number of these differ according to various narrations. Some of
these narrations are as follows:
Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, ‘Abdaals will
be found in Shaam. They will be forty in number. Whenever one of them passes
away, he will be replaced by another. It is through them that Allah Ta’ala
will cause it to rain and also grant the Muslims victory over their enemy
and remove a possible punishment.’ (Musnad Ahmad)
Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, ‘The Abdaals of
my Ummah shall be forty, of which twenty will be in Shaam and eighteen in
Iraq. Every time one passes away, another replaces him. When Qiyaamat,
occurs, all will pass away.’ (Ibid)
Other narrations say that they are thirty in number. Some narrations say
that there are five hundred such saints of which forty are Abdaals. The
Ahaadith only speak about Abdaals. Some Ahaadith make mention of Qutub, some
are correct and some are fabricated.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai