When Abdul Qadir Jilani was a young boy, he lost his father. Despite this early hardship, from a very young age he had a deep love for reading and writing. He was naturally curious and eager to gain knowledge.

He often heard people speak of Baghdad — a great city known for its many scholars, intellectuals, and religious leaders. This filled his heart with a strong desire to go there and study among the wise.

After completing his basic studies, he went to his mother and humbly said,
“Dear Mother, I request you, please allow me to go to Baghdad and continue my studies.”

Though the journey was long and dangerous in those days, his mother agreed. Travel then was not like it is today — people either walked or rode on animals, and there were many risks, especially from thieves and bandits. To stay safe, travelers often moved in groups.

Before he left, his mother sewed forty gold coins into the lining of his shirt, near his armpit, to hide them from potential thieves. While doing this, she gave him one final piece of advice:
“My dear son, never tell a lie — no matter what happens, even if your life is in danger.”

Abdul Qadir joined a group of travelers heading to Baghdad. But not long into their journey, they were attacked by a band of thieves. One of the thieves approached Abdul Qadir and asked,
“Hey boy! Do you have anything with you?”

Abdul Qadir calmly replied,
“Yes, I have forty gold coins.”

Looking at his simple clothes, the thief thought he was joking and ignored him. But when other thieves came and asked the same question, he gave the same honest answer:
“Yes, I have forty coins.”

Eventually, the leader of the thieves heard about this strange boy who kept confessing to having money. Curious, the leader himself came and asked,
“Where are the coins?”

Abdul Qadir answered,
“They are sewn into my shirt, just below the armpit.”

The thieves tore open his shirt and to their amazement, they found the forty coins.

The leader was shocked.
“Why did you tell us the truth when you could have easily hidden it?” he asked.

Abdul Qadir replied,
“Because my mother made me promise before I left that I would never lie, no matter what. I could not break my promise to her or go against the teachings of Allah and His Prophet.”

These words touched the leader’s heart. Overcome with guilt and emotion, he and his group of thieves repented on the spot. They returned all the stolen goods to the travelers and turned away from their life of crime.

From that day forward, they chose to live righteous lives — all inspired by the honesty and integrity of a young boy who honored his mother’s words.