Namaz E Ghousia Ka Tarika — Salatul Ghousia Step-by-Step

What is Salatul Ghousia?

Salatul Ghousia — also spelled Salatul Gausiya, Salat E Ghousia, or Namaz E Ghousia — is a two-rakaat voluntary (nafl) prayer that combines Quranic recitation with a specific supplication (dua) and a set of eleven steps taken toward Baghdad, where Ghawth al-Azam Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani is buried. It is also known as Salatul Asrar — the Prayer of Secrets — because it is performed for the fulfilment of a specific need (hajat) presented silently to Allah.

The name “Ghousia” refers to Ghawth al-Azam (the Greatest Helper), a title of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani and the founder of the Qadri Silsila. Within the Qadiriyya Tariqa, this prayer is considered a means (sabab) of seeking Allah’s help through the spiritual lineage of the Ghawth, accompanied by sincere niyyah and lawful effort. It is a devotional practice of the Qadri tradition, not a prescription from the Quran or the Sunnah.

Why it is known as Salatul Asrar (Prayer of Secrets)

The word asrar means “secrets.” The prayer is associated with needs that a person cannot easily express — burdens of the heart, unsolvable situations, private grief. Practitioners present the need to Allah without describing it aloud, and the prayer’s structure (eleven repetitions, eleven steps) is traditionally understood as a symbolic means of walking toward the help that Allah alone grants.

Why it is a Qadri prayer

The Qadri path places strong emphasis on the spiritual lineage (silsila) reaching from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through Sayyiduna Ali and Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani. Prayers attributed to the Ghawth are transmitted through this lineage and are performed as acts of devotion, not as fixed Sunnah. For an overview of the wider tradition, see our page on the Qadri silsila and its spiritual methods.

Namaz E Ghousia Ka Tarika — Step by Step

This is the full method as transmitted in the South Asian Qadri tradition and documented in works such as Bahjat al-Asrar. The method has seven stages; the sixth stage contains the eleven physical steps toward Baghdad. Where teachers differ, that difference is noted.

Prerequisites

• Timing: after completing the Maghrib Fard and Sunnah prayers.
• Purity: in a state of wudu (ritual purity); women not in a state of menstruation or post-natal bleeding.
• Place: a clean place, ideally facing the qibla for the prayer itself.
• Intention (niyyah): to perform two rakaat of Salatul Ghousia for the fulfilment of a specific halal need. The niyyah wording is given below.

The Niyyah (Intention)

The niyyah is the intention in the heart, as with any prayer. A simple intention statement is:

Nawaytu an usalliya rak’atayni naflan li-Salatil Ghousiyya lillahi ta’ala
“I intend to pray two rakaat nafl of Salatul Ghousia for Allah Most High.”

This is a simple statement of intention, not a fixed transmitted formula. The essential niyyah is the heart’s resolve to perform the prayer for Allah and to present a specific halal need. If your teacher has given you a specific wording, follow that.

Namaz E Ghousia Ka Tarika in Urdu

صلوٰۃ الغوثیہ کا طریقہ — مغرب کی فرض اور سنت نماز کے بعد دو رکعت نفل ادا کی جاتی ہیں۔ پہلی رکعت میں سورۃ الفاتحہ کے بعد سورۃ الاخلاص گیارہ مرتبہ پڑھیں۔ دوسری رکعت میں بھی سورۃ الفاتحہ کے بعد سورۃ الاخلاص گیارہ مرتبہ پڑھیں، پھر تشہد اور سلام کے ساتھ نماز مکمل کریں۔ سلام کے بعد یہ دعا گیارہ مرتبہ پڑھیں:

يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَغِثْنِي وَأَمْدِدْنِي فِي قَضَاءِ حَاجَتِي يَا قَاضِيَ الْحَاجَاتِ

اس کے بعد سیدھے کھڑے ہو کر بغداد کی طرف گیارہ قدم رکھیں — ہر قدم پر یہ کلمہ پڑھیں: یا شیخ محی الدین عبد القادر الجیلانی۔ گیارہویں قدم کے بعد نبی کریم ﷺ اور غوث اعظم کا وسیلہ پیش کرتے ہوئے اپنی حاجت اللہ تعالیٰ کے حضور پیش کریں۔ آخر میں درود شریف پڑھیں اور آمین کہیں۔

Note: The Urdu above is an explanatory rendering in the register of South Asian wazifa manuals. For a formal ruling or for a teacher’s specific instruction, consult a qualified scholar in the Qadri tradition.

Namaz E Ghousia Ka Tarika in Hindi

नमाज़-ए-ग़ौसिया का तरीक़ा — मग़रिब की फ़र्ज़ और सुन्नत नमाज़ के बाद दो रकअत नफ़्ल अदा की जाती हैं। पहली रकअत में सूरह अल-फ़ातिहा के बाद सूरह अल-इख़्लास ग्यारह बार पढ़ें। दूसरी रकअत में भी सूरह अल-फ़ातिहा के बाद सूरह अल-इख़्लास ग्यारह बार पढ़ें, फिर तशह्हुद और सलाम के साथ नमाज़ पूरी करें। सलाम के बाद यह दुआ ग्यारह बार पढ़ें:

يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَغِثْنِي وَأَمْدِدْنِي فِي قَضَاءِ حَاجَتِي يَا قَاضِيَ الْحَاجَاتِ

इसके बाद सीधे खड़े होकर बग़दाद की दिशा में ग्यारह क़दम रखें — हर क़दम पर यह कलिमा पढ़ें: या शैख़ मुहयिद्दीन अब्दुल क़ादिर अल-जीलानी। ग्यारहवें क़दम के बाद नबी करीम ﷺ और ग़ौस-ए-आज़म का वसीला पेश करते हुए अपनी हाजत अल्लाह तआला के हुज़ूर पेश करें। अंत में दरूद शरीफ़ पढ़ें और आमीन कहें।

Note: The Hindi above is an explanatory rendering in Devanagari. For a formal ruling or a teacher’s specific instruction, consult a qualified scholar in the Qadri tradition.

Namaz E Ghousia Kab Padhna Chahiye (Timing)

The dominant instruction in the South Asian Qadri tradition is to perform Salatul Ghousia after Maghrib, once the Maghrib Fard and Sunnah are complete. Some practitioners also perform it on the 11th of each lunar month — the Gyarvi Sharif associated with Ghawth al-Azam in South Asian Qadri practice — and especially on 11 Rabi al-Thani, the date observed as his urs[reference:13][reference:14].

What is consistent across the tradition: it is a nafl prayer, not a fixed Sunnah, and it may be performed on any night when the need arises. There is no day on which it is forbidden, though some teachers discourage performing it immediately after Fajr or Asr (following the general guidance on nafl timing).

If you follow a particular teacher or silsila, ask for their specific timing instruction. If you do not, after Maghrib is the safest default.

Salatul Asrar — the Alternate Name

Salatul Asrar (صلاة الأسرار) means “the Prayer of Secrets.” It is another name for Salatul Ghousia, and the method is identical. The name appears frequently in classical Sufi literature and in the titles of the works that document the prayer — most notably Bahjat al-Asrar (The Joy of Secrets).

Search queries for salatul asrar and salatul asrar ka tarika refer to this same prayer. When you perform Salatul Asrar, you are performing Salatul Ghousia — the two names are used interchangeably across the Qadri tradition.

Who Was Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani?

Shaykh Muhyiddin Abdul Qadir Jilani (470–561 AH / 1077–1166 CE) was one of the most influential scholars and Sufi saints in Islamic history. He was born in Jilan (present-day Iran) and later settled in Baghdad, where he taught, wrote, and trained a generation of spiritual seekers. He was given the titles Ghawth al-Azam (The Greatest Helper) and Muhyiddin (Reviver of the Religion).

The Qadiriyya Sufi Order, one of the most widespread spiritual orders in the world, traces its lineage to him. His litanies (awrad) and prayers — including Salatul Ghousia — are practised by millions of Muslims across the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, and the Western diaspora. His shrine is in the Bab al-Shaykh area of the al-Rusafa district, Baghdad, on the east bank of the Tigris[reference:16].

Historical Background & Authenticity

The method of Salatul Asrar has been documented across several centuries by scholars of the Qadri tradition. The chain of transmission is devotional rather than Prophetic — it is a wazifa of the silsila, not a hadith.

For clarity: no verse of the Quran and no authentic (sahih) hadith prescribes this prayer with these exact counts. It is transmitted through the Qadri silsila and is performed as nafl. Practitioners treat it as a means (sabab), not as a guarantee. Where a teacher teaches it, the teacher’s instruction and the silsila’s chain are the source of the method. The dua wording given above is the version widely transmitted in South Asian Qadri manuals; verify it against your own copy of Bahjat al-Asrar if you have access to it.

Benefits of Salatul Ghousia

Within the devotional tradition, the following benefits are associated with sincere and consistent performance of Salatul Ghousia. They are religious tradition, not guaranteed outcomes.

• Fulfilment of needs (hajat): the prayer is taught specifically for the resolution of worldly and spiritual needs.
• Spiritual connection: strengthens the practitioner’s connection with Allah and with the righteous saints of the silsila.
• Relief from difficulties: practitioners report relief from financial hardship and life challenges.
• Spiritual protection: understood as a means of seeking Allah’s protection; it is not a substitute for practical safety measures.
• Increase in lawful provision (rizq): many practitioners report an increase in halal sustenance.
• Peace of heart: the prayer is frequently performed for anxiety, grief, and the sense of being overwhelmed.

Documented Qadri Centres Worldwide

Salatul Ghousia is performed wherever the Qadri silsila has taken root. The heart’s orientation in the prayer is toward Baghdad, but the practice itself is global. The centres below have a documented Qadri presence — a shrine, a scholar, or a lineage explicitly connected to the Qadiriyya.

Baghdad — The Direction of the Heart

Baghdad, Iraq is the resting place of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani. His shrine and mosque complex stands in Bab al-Shaykh, al-Rusafa, on the east bank of the Tigris, and remains a major site of ziyarat for Qadri pilgrims[reference:20]. The eleven steps in Salatul Ghousia are taken toward Baghdad precisely because the Ghawth’s shrine is there. Visiting the shrine is not required to perform the prayer, but the tradition treats the city as its geographic centre.

South Asia — Documented Qadri Centres

The Western Diaspora

In the diaspora, Salatul Ghousia is performed in Qadri mosques and community centres in London, Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Cape Town, Durban, and Sydney. Many diaspora communities hold monthly or weekly gatherings for the prayer, especially on the 11th of each lunar month and during Rabi’ al-Thani.

Adab — Etiquette of Reciting Salatul Ghousia

• Begin with istighfar — seek forgiveness before presenting the request.
• Praise Allah and send salawat on the Prophet ﷺ before and after the prayer.
• Be in wudu and face the qiblah for the prayer itself; the eleven steps are taken toward Baghdad.
• Ask with certainty — the Prophet ﷺ instructed asking Allah with conviction of response (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3479).
• Keep earnings and intentions lawful.
• Consistency over quantity — the most beloved deeds are the most constant, even if small (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464).
• Avoid attaching the heart to a specific form the answer must take. Present the need and leave the outcome to Allah.

Frequently Asked Questions

Namaz e ghousia ka tarika kya hai?

Namaz e ghousia — also called Salatul Ghousia or Salatul Asrar — is a two-rakaat voluntary prayer performed after Maghrib. In each rakaat you recite Surah Al-Fatiha, then Surah Al-Ikhlas eleven times. After salam, you recite the dua eleven times, then take eleven steps toward Baghdad, reciting the invocation to Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, and present your need to Allah.

Namaz e ghousia ka tarika in Urdu — what does it mean?

It means the method of performing Salatul Ghousia explained in Urdu. This page includes a full Urdu section with the niyyah, the eleven Al-Ikhlas recitations, the dua, and the eleven steps toward Baghdad.

Salatul ghousia ki namaz — how many rakaat?

Two rakaat (nafl), performed after Maghrib Fard and Sunnah. In each rakaat, after Surah Al-Fatiha, recite Surah Al-Ikhlas eleven times.

Namaz e gausiya kab padhna chahiye?

Traditionally after Maghrib, once the Fard and Sunnah prayers of Maghrib are complete. Some practitioners also perform it on the 11th of each lunar month (Gyarvi Sharif) and especially on 11 Rabi al-Thani, the urs of the Ghawth al-Azam.

Salatul asrar ka tarika — is Salatul Asrar the same as Salatul Ghousia?

Yes — Salatul Asrar (The Prayer of Secrets) is another name for Salatul Ghousia. The method is the same: two rakaat after Maghrib, Al-Ikhlas eleven times in each rakaat, then the eleven repetitions of the dua and the eleven steps toward Baghdad.

Is Salatul Ghousia mentioned in the Quran or Sunnah?

No — Salatul Ghousia is a devotional practice transmitted through the Qadri Sufi tradition (Qadiriyya Tariqa) and attributed to Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani. It is documented in classical Sufi works such as Bahjat al-Asrar, but it is not prescribed in the Quran or authentic Sunnah as a fixed formula. Practitioners perform it as nafl and as a means, not as a guarantee.

Can a woman perform Salatul Ghousia?

Yes. The Qadri tradition permits women to perform this nafl prayer, as with other voluntary prayers, with the ordinary conditions of purity and modesty. Some teachers recommend it at home rather than in a mosque, following the usual guidance for nafl. Consult a qualified scholar in your tradition for a formal ruling.

Where is Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani buried?

In Baghdad, Iraq — his shrine is in the Bab al-Shaykh area of the al-Rusafa district on the east bank of the Tigris, and remains a major Sufi pilgrimage site. The eleven steps in Salatul Ghousia are taken toward Baghdad in the direction of his shrine.

In which cities is Salatul Ghousia practised most?

It is practised worldwide, with documented Qadri centres in Baghdad, Lahore (Mian Mir), Bareilly, Srinagar (Dastgeer Sahib) and Karachi, as well as diaspora communities in London, Birmingham, Toronto, New York, Cape Town and Durban.