On December 14, 1903, Hazrat Mirza published a small booklet titled Sirat-ul-Abdal, which is really a continuation of Alamaat-ul-Muqarrabin — the final section of Tazkirat-ul-Shahadatain. The book is written in highly eloquent Arabic, and presents the qualities of saints who have an extremely close relationship with God.
These saints have been called abdal in a hadith and are also referred to by the same name in Sufi literature. Hazrat Mirza included himself in the class of abdal. This is also clear from his book Tiryaq-ul-Qulub in which he writes in these Persian verses:
زآہِ زمرۂ ابدال بایدت ترسید
علی الخصوص اگرآہِ میرزا باشد
“Beware of the sigh of those in the class of saints (abdal),
Especially if it is the sigh of Mirza.”
In this booklet, Hazrat Mirza describes with great clarity and reasoning the distinguishing qualities of saints (abdal). After perusing these qualities, a researcher should have no difficulty in recognizing an abdal who is close to God and on these criteria Hazrat Mirza meets the standard perfectly.
The Great Reformer 