Gilani, Gillani, or Geelani (

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

: گیلانی,

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

: الجيلاني) is a

toponymic surname A toponymic surname or habitational surname or byname is a surname or byname derived from a place name,

and

nisba The Arabic language, Arabic word nisba (; also transcribed as ''nisbah'' or ''nisbat'') may refer to: * Arabic nouns and adjectives#Nisba, Nisba, a suffix used to form adjectives in Arabic grammar, or the adjective resulting from this formation **c ...

. It is used to refer to members of the

Hasanid The Ḥasanids ( or , ) are the descendants of Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī, brother of Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī and grandson of Muhammad. They are a branch of the Alids (the descendants of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib), and one of the two most important branche ...

family that traces their lineage to

Abdul Qadir Gilani Abdul Qadir Gilani (; ; c. 1077/78 – 1166) was a Hanbali scholar, preacher, and Sufi leader who was the eponym of the Qadiriyya, one of the oldest Sufi orders. He was born c. 1077/78 in the town of Na'if, Rezvanshahr in Gilan, Persia, ...

, known for being the founder and

eponym An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...

of the

Qadiriyya The Qadiriyya () or the Qadiri order () is a Sunni Sufi order (''Tariqa'') founded by Abdul Qadir Gilani (1077–1166, also transliterated ''Jilani''), who was a Hanbali scholar from Gilan, Iran. The order, with its many sub-orders, is widesp ...

order of the mystical

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

branch of

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

. Variations of the surname include Kilani or Kailani (

: الكيلاني), commonly used in the

Arab world The Arab world ( '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in West Asia and North Africa. While the majority of people in ...

, and Jilani. The levantine Zoubi family also share the same lineage, as their ancestor Ahmad Ali Al Gilani was titled Al-Zoubi later in life. Members of the Gilani family can be found in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.

Lineage

The Gilani family descends from Abdul Qadir Gilani (1078—1166), the founder of the Qadiriyya Sufi order and a notable

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

Hanbali The Hanbali school or Hanbalism is one of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence, belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It is named after and based on the teachings of the 9th-century scholar, jurist and tradit ...

scholar. Abdul Qadir was considered to be a

Sayyid ''Sayyid'' is an honorific title of Hasanid and Husaynid lineage, recognized as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali, Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali, Husayn. The title may also refer ...

as both of his parents were direct descendants of the Islamic prophet

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

. His father, Musa (Abu Saleh) bin Abdullah, was a direct descendant of Muhammad's grandson

Hasan Hassan, Hasan, Hassane, Haasana, Hassaan, Asan, Hassun, Hasun, Hassen, Hasson or Hasani may refer to: People *Hassan (given name), Arabic given name and a list of people with that given name *Hassan (surname), Arabic, Jewish, Irish, and Scotti ...

, and his mother, Fatima (Umm al-Khair) Bint Abdullah Al Soma'ai Al-Husseini, was a descendant of Muhammad through his grandson Hussein.

Derivation

Gilani is a nisba meaning ''from Gilan.'' Abdul Qadir was given the nisba after traveling to

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

in 1095 AD at 18 years old to pursue the study of Hanbali law.' There are conflicting reports about the birthplace of Abdul Qadir and in turn, the true origin of the surname; while some sources maintain that he was born in the

Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...

province of

Gilan Gilan Province () is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, in the northwest of the country and southwest of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is the city of Rasht. The province lies along the Caspian Sea, in Iran's Region 3, west of the province of ...

, others maintain that he was born in Gilan-e-Gharb, a city in the

Kurdish Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish language ** Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) **Central Kurdish (Sorani) **Southern Kurdish ** Laki Kurdish *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern ...

Kermanshah province Kermanshah province () is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, bordering Iraq. Its capital is the city of Kermanshah. According to a 2014 segmentation by the Ministry of Interior (Iran), Ministry of Interior, it is the center of Regions of Iran ...

, or in the village of Jilan near Baghdad.

Notable Members

Abd Al-Rahman Al-Gilani Qutb-ul Aqtaab Naqib Al Ashraaf Syed Abd ar-Rahman al-Qadri al-Gillani (; 11 January 1841 – 13 June 1927) was the first prime minister of Iraq. He was an important figure during the Ottoman and the British Eras, and he had an important role in ...

(1841–1927), first Prime Minister of Iraq in 1920 *

Abderrazak Kilani Abderrazak Kilani (; born 25 June 1954) is a Tunisian politician and lawyer. In 2010 and during the Tunisian Revolution, he was the chairman of the National Bar of Lawyers In 2012, he served as the Deputy Prime Minister for Relations With the Co ...

(born 1954), Tunisian politician and lawyer * Abdul Qader al-Keilani (1874–1948), early 20th century Syrian statesman and religious authority *

(1077–1166), 12th century Muslim Saint, Scholar and Author of books on spirituality * Abdulfattah Al-Zoubi Al-Jilani (1840-1935), Lebanese Muslim jurist and writer * Abdulhaleem Al-Kailani (born 1957), mayor of

Amman Amman ( , ; , ) is the capital and the largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of four million as of 2021, Amman is Jordan's primate city and is the largest city in the Levant ...

from 2012-2013 * Abdullah Awn ibn Yala al Hashimi al Gilani (c. 1028–1099), medieval Persian Sufi preacher and religious scholar *

Ahmed Gailani Pir (Sufism), Pir Sayyid Ahmed Gailani ( 1932– 21 January 2017), was the leader (Pir) of the Qadiriyyah Sufi order in Afghanistan, and the founder of the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan (''Mahaz-i-Milli Islami ye Afghanistan''), a party ...

(1932-2017), Afghan politician * Ali Hassan Gilani (1974–2024), Pakistani politician * Ali Shah Geelani (1929-2021), Kashmiri

separatist Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, regional, governmental, or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seekin ...

leader and member of the

All Parties Hurriyat Conference All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is an alliance of several political, social and religious organizations formed on 9 March 1993, as a united political front to raise the cause of Kashmiri independence in the Kashmir conflict. Mehmood Ahm ...

* Basil Kilani (born 1960), Jordanian long-distance runner and Olympian * Bahadur Khan Gilani, officer of the Gujarat Sultanate in India *

Benjamin Gilani Benjamin Gilani is an Indian film, television and stage actor who works in Hindi cinema. Early life and career Gilani was schooled at Bishop Cotton School, Shimla. He is a postgraduate from Delhi University having studied and taught English l ...

(born 1946), Indian theatre and television actor * Daood Gilani, pseudonym of

David Headley David Coleman Headley (born Dawood Sayed Gilani; June 30, 1960) is a Pakistani-American Islamic terrorist and the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai islamic terrorist attacks. He played a key role in orchestrating the attacks, working with the ...

, Pakistani−American convict for the 2008 Mumbai attacks * Feras Kilani (born 1976), Palestinian-British journalist, film-maker, and

BBC Arabic BBC Arabic () consisted of the Modern Standard Arabic, Literary Arabic language radio station which was run by the BBC World Service, as well as the BBC Arabic Television, BBC's satellite TV channel, and the website that serves as a Literary Ar ...

's special correspondent * Faleh Al-Kilani (born 1944), Iraqi scholar, poet, and writer * Fatima Gailani (born 1954), Afghan political leader and women's rights activist * Fauzia Gailani (born 1971), Afghan politician * Haifa Al Kaylani, founder and president of the

Arab International Women's Forum Arab International Women's Forum (Arabic: المنتدى العالمي للنساء العربيات) or AIWF is a London-based umbrella organisation which brings together 1,500 associations, individuals, corporations and partnerships from 45 cou ...

* Haji Gilani (died 2003), participant in the 2001 Afghan war * Hakim Ali Gilani (died 1609), 16th-century physician in Mughal India * Hamid Raza Gilani (1936-2004), Pakistani politician and ambassador * Hikmad Zaid Al-Kilani (born 1945), Palestinian politician *

Ibrahim Zeid Keilani Sheikh Ibrahim Zeid Keilani (1937 – 2 April 2013) was a Jordanian Muslim cleric and politician. He served as the minister of awqaf and Islamic affairs in 1990 and served as a member of Jordan's House of Representatives between 1993 and 1997. He ...

(1937-2013), Jordanian Muslim cleric and politician * Iftikhar Hussain Gillani, Pakistani Former Federal Minister for Law and Justice * Imtiaz Gilani (born 1947), Pakistani engineer and academic * Ishaq Gailani (born 1954), Afghan Politician *

Jamila Gilani Jamila Gilani (; ; also spelled Jamila Gallani) is a Pakistani politician who is the spokesperson of the National Democratic Movement (NDM). She served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. She is an activist in the ...

(born 1960), Pakistani politician and leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement * Kamel al-Kilani (born 1958), minister in the Iraqi Interim Council *

Kamel Keilany Kamal Keilany (; 1897–1959) was an Egyptian writer. He was born in Al Qala'a district in Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It ...

(1897-1959), Egyptian writer *

Lamia Al-Gailani Werr Lamia Al-Gailani Werr (, 8 March 1938 – 18 January 2019) was an Iraqi archaeologist specialising in ancient Mesopotamian antiquities. Al-Gailani was born in Baghdad and completed her education in Iraq and the United Kingdom. Her doctoral stu ...

(1938-2019), Iraqi archaeologist * Leïla Kilani (born 1970), Moroccan director, screenwriter, and producer * Majed Kilani (born 1997), Tunisian tennis player *

Manazir Ahsan Gilani Manazir Ahsan Gilani (1 October 1892 – 5 June 1956) was an Indian Sunni Islamic scholar and former Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Osmania University. Some of his notable works include ''Tadwin-e-Hadith'', ''Muqaddama Tadwin-e-Fiqh'', ''Saw ...

, Indian Muslim philosopher from Gilan, Bihar *

Mian Ghulam Jilani Mian Ghulam Jilani (Pashto, ; 1913 – March 1 2004) also known as ''Kaka'', ''Speen Dada'', and ''Jilly'', was a politician, businessman, and former two-star general in the Pakistan Army. As a British Indian Army officer during World War II ...

(1914–2004), critic of the Bhutto government * Mohammad Kilani (died 2016), Jordanian politician and Minister of Water in 1989 *

Mohammad Mohammadi Gilani Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammadi Gilani () (31 August 1929 – 9 July 2014) was a member of the Assembly of Experts of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was the chief justice of the supreme court of Iran, a position different from the head of the j ...

(born 1928), Iranian cleric and religious authority * Mohammad Rasoul Al-Kailani (1933–2003), founder and first director of the Jordanian General Intelligence Department. *

Mubarak Ali Gilani Mubarak Ali Shah Gillani (15 August 1936 – 15 May 2021) was a Pakistani Sufi religious leader in the United States. A member of the Qadiriyya tariqa, he was the founder of The Muslims of America (TMOA) and also founded the International Qur'an ...

(1936-2021), Pakistani Sufi leader * Mumtaz Alam Gillani (born 1940), Pakistani lawyer and politician * Musa Zaid Kailani (1939-2019), Jordanian diplomat and academic * Naguib al-Kilani (1931-1995), Egyptian poet and novelist * Nevine El Kelany (born 1964), Egyptian academic and current Minister of Culture * Nezam al-Din Ahmad Gilani (1585 – c. 1662), philosopher and physician during the Deccan Sultanate in India * Ouided Kilani (born 1982), Tunisian handball player * Rashid Ali al-Gilani (1892–1965), Prime Minister of Iraq in 1933 and 1941 *

Reem Kelani Reem Kelani (born 1963) is a British Palestinian musician. She was born in Manchester, England, and was initially influenced by the jazz music her father played on his record player. Her interest in Palestinian music was sparked by the music ...

(born 1963), British-Palestinian musician *

Sarwat Gilani Sarwat Gilani (; born 22 December 1982) is a Pakistani model, film, television and voice actress. Film career Gilani made her movie debut in '' Jawani Phir Nahi Aani'' where she played a pregnant Pashtun woman opposite Vasay Chaudhary. She ...

(born 1982), Pakistani actress and model * Wafaa El Kilani (born 1972), Egyptian television presenter *

Yousaf Raza Gillani Yusuf Raza Gilani (born 9 June 1952) is a Pakistani politician who served as the 16th prime minister of Pakistan from 2008 to 2012. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan since 2024. Chairman Gilani served as the acti ...

(born 1952), Prime Minister of Pakistan from March 24, 2008, to April 26, 2012 *

Zahed Gilani Taj Al-Din Ebrahim ibn Rushan Amir Al-Kurdi Al-Sanjani (or Sinjani; Persian:تاج الدين ابراهيم كردی سنجانی)‎ (1218 – 1301), titled Sheikh Zahed (or Zahid) Gilani (Persian: شیخ زاهد گیلانی), was an Irani ...

(1216–1301), 13th century leader of the Zahediyeh Sufi order * Zaid Kilani (1938-2019), Jordanian physician and founder of Farah General Hospital

References

{{Reflist Arabic-language surnames Persian-language surnames Toponymic surnames Nisbas People from Gilan province

Lineage

Derivation

Notable Members

See also

References