Continued lecture translation of Giyarween Shareef Abdul Qaadir Jeelaani [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh]

  Ghaus al-Azam [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh]  used to read his Fajr salaah with the ablution performed for the previous Ieeshaa Salaah for forty years; spent 15 years, reciting the entire Qur’aan, between Fajr and Ieeshaa standing on one foot every night and spent 25 years in the jungles in spiritual striving, tasting and delighting [Zauq-o-Shauq].
 

Twenty-five years were spent in the longing for and worship of Allaah Kareem. Hazrat Ghaus al-Azam [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] says he ate roots, leaves and grass in the jungles. He says he became so weak and thin from hunger that his body was nothing more than bones and skin, his hair was overgrown and he lost consciousness often in the early stages of this retreat.  For hours he used to, lay unconscious until Hazrat Khizr [Alaiehis Salaam] used to put water on his face and give him to drink. At certain times the Men Of The Unseen World [Rijaalu’l-Ghaib] used to put water in his mouth and disappear as he opened his eyes. He goes on to say that at certain times, the clouds gathered above him and rained. The raindrops used to revive him. He says that he performed Ibaadat, Riyaazat and Mujahidaa to the extent that he killed his ego [Nafs]. He strove to a high degree. He says that he reached a stage that his qualities were only of the soul [Ruh] and his human [Bashar] qualities were totally annihilated.  His sustenance became the remembrance of Allaah Kareem [Zikrul laah] and he ate nothing for three years. Lions, wolves and wild animals used to come and sit close to him and they interacted peacefully. Snakes and scorpions sat on his blessed body but did not harm him. The twenty-five years of striving in the jungles transformed him into an Angelic state. The spiritualized individual was transformed into a being of light. After his three years of abstinence from food Hazrat Khizr [Alaiehis Salaam] brought him some bread and a glass of milk. He refused to eat saying that his sustenance is the remembrance of Allaah Kareem [Zikrul laah]. Hazrat Khizr u told him that Allaah [Ta'aalaa] has ordered that he eat. Hazrat Ghaus al-Azam [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] said he would not eat until Allaah Kareem instructs him directly. Allaah Kareem’s voice from the unseen, swearing by His Majesty instructed him to eat and drink and only then did he eat. 
He says I began to eat and drink. After forty years of Ibaadat, Riyaazat and Mujaahidaa he was rewarded with the presence [Huzuri] of Allaah Kareem.....to be continued -In Shaa Allaah.