Abd al-Qadir Isa

Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhammad Isa al-Halabi (1338-1412 AH / 1920-1991 CE) was a Syrian Islamic scholar and Shadhili Sufi master from Aleppo. Born into a scholarly family, he studied under leading scholars of Aleppo and Damascus, becoming grounded in Shafi'i jurisprudence, hadith, and the Shadhili spiritual tradition. He was a student of the great Syrian scholar Sheikh Muhammad al-Hashimi.

Abd al-Qadir Isa is best known for his work Haqa'iq an at-Tasawwuf (Realities of Sufism), a comprehensive guide to Islamic spirituality that became one of the most widely read introductions to Sufi thought and practice in the modern era. Written in clear, accessible Arabic, it presents the doctrines, practices, and fruits of the Sufi path while firmly grounding them in the Quran, Sunnah, and the scholarly consensus of Ahl as-Sunnah. It addresses common misunderstandings about Sufism and defends the compatibility of authentic spiritual practice with orthodox Islamic scholarship.

The book has been translated into numerous languages and is used as a textbook in traditional circles and Islamic institutes around the world. It has also served as an accessible introduction to Islamic spirituality for general readers.

He was a teacher and spiritual guide in Aleppo for decades, training numerous students in both the exoteric Islamic sciences and the Shadhili path. He passed away in Aleppo in 1412 AH, and his Haqa'iq an at-Tasawwuf remains his most enduring scholarly contribution to the understanding of Islamic spirituality.