[Special Feature: The Dynamics of Islamic Knowledge and Practice: Across Texts, Rituals, and Societies] Calligraphic and Figurative Representations of ‘Abd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī and Their Hagiographical and Devotional Use

This article explores the representations (paintings, drawings, and calligraphies) of the Sufi ‘Abd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī, eponym of the Qādiriyya order, throughout the Muslim world, in which he is regarded as one of the major saints. These representations are figurative (portraits, etc.), calligraphic, and geometric, and their functions are diverse. The three main types of representations are: 1) Portraits that are actually visual hagiographies describing the life and miracles of the saint, as well as calligraphies that summarize certain aspects of his Sufi doctrine; 2) images with protective virtues in the form of talismans; 3) images intended for mystical devotions or to serve as meditation and contemplation aids (dhikr, etc.)