Shaykh Abd al-Ghani would give special precedence to the days and nights of the blessed month of Ramadan. He would spend his days in service of people, answering their questions and fulfilling their needs. The Shaykh was incredibly generous and would give large sums of money to those in need. He would also check on the brothers on the path and their families, at every masjid and saha (zawiya) of Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari, across Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Malaysia.
One could find Shaykh Abd al-Ghani in his office, with his door always open, welcoming guests, questioners and those with a request. In between these visits, he spent his time reading from the many tall piles of books that surrounded him, reciting the Qur‘an, and teaching and discussing matters of beneficial knowledge. The vast majority of these books are preserved today in his library, located next to his office behind the principal masjid of Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari in Darasa, Cairo.
When the time came to break the daily fast, the Shaykh would be seen moving around the courtyard of the masjid and organising the feeding of hundreds of people. These people included his children, students, murids, and the general public. He would ensure that everyone ate and would say in a kind voice, “Allah Most High has placed many blessings in this food, so eat!”.
Shaykh Abd al-Ghani was steadfast in reading his awrad, adhkar and his regular portions from the Qur‘an (Husn al-Qur‘aniyya and Husn al-Ja’fariyya). He would attend all the daily prayers in congregation, including Tarawih, after which he would sit in his place and encourage groups of people to complete a recitation of the Qur‘an together (by taking a Juz each and completing a full recitation between 30 people). He would then recite the du‘a of completion (of the Qur‘an), and this was his daily habit, in addition to his own, personal recitation of the Qur‘an. After the du‘a of completion, Allah Most High, gathered the faithful and sincere hearts around him, who would sit and listen to the beneficial knowledge he would share in his lessons and his reputation spread; a reputation of being a person of righteous deeds, kind words, truthfulness in actions and speech, generous in giving, deep and beneficial knowledge, and inimitable hospitality.
Whether it was a young person or an older person, whoever asked the Shaykh for advice in worldly matters or indeed spiritual and religious matters, would find him welcoming them with open arms and sincere care and love. He would never get annoyed in this regard. Shaykh Abd al-Ghani did not like distractions or worldly luxuries for himself and he strongly believed that Allah was sufficient for him in all matters. So Allah Most High made him Ghani in all matters!
The Shaykh would read the Fajr prayers in congregation and then read the daily portion from al-Salawat al-Ja’fariyya with the brothers in the masjid. He would stay seated in his place, making adhkar, and after reading the duha prayer (post-sunrise), he would go to his house located behind the masjid and rest for a short while. He could then be found in his office a short while later at 8am, ready for the day’s guests and their needs. The Shaykh used to sleep a few hours only, and this was his habit both in Ramadan and throughout the year. And he did this because of the great responsibilities and trusts, entrusted to him by his noble father, Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari.
Shaykh Abd al-Ghani was and is still an excellent example to follow and be guided by. He would give tarbiya, and instruct the people in righteous deeds and beneficial knowledge, which they saw in his behaviour, actions, and his interactions with those who loved him and even those who disagreed with him. The Shaykh was unique and a spiritual pole in his age. He is the inheritor of his father, who charged him in Makkah where they met during the Hajj (which was subsequently Shaykh Salih’s 27th and final Hajj before returning to His Lord), with the great responsibility and trust of the spiritual upbringing of the brothers. May Allah be pleased with Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari and Shaykh Abd al-Ghani al-Ja’fari, and please them both.
