assalaamoualaikoum

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Greatest Imam (al-Imam al-Aa'zam) Abu Hanifa


Imam al-A'zam Abu Hanifa's (Alaihir raHma) full name was Nuʿmān ibn Thābit ibn Zuṭā ibn Marzubān. He was born in Kufa in Iraq in 80 A.H. He belonged to the pious period of the Taabi'ins (Successors of the Sahabas).

DIVINE MISSION

It is stated in a Hadith Shareef which Imam al-Harizmi reported from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhumA) that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Among my Ummah, there will come a man called Abu Hanifa. On the Day of Resurrection, he will be the light of my Ummah." Another Hadith Shareef states: "In every century, a number of my Ummah will attain to high grades. Abu Hanifa will be the highest of his time." These two Ahadith are recorded in "Durr al-Mukhtar."

Hadrat Sayyiduna Shaykh Sirri Saqti Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho


HIS POSITION IN THE SILSILA : Saalik-e-Hadrat-e-Malakoot, Shaahid Izzat-e-Jabroot Hadrat Shaykh Sirruddeen Sirri Saqti Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho is the tenth Imam and Shaykh of the Silsila Aaliyah Qaadiriyah Barakatiyah Radaviyah Nooriyah.

BIRTH : He was born around the year 155 Hijri in Baghdad Shareef.

NAME : His name is Sirruddeen and he was also known as Abul Hassan.

SHAYKH-E-TARIQAT : He was the mureed and Khalifa of Hadrat Ma'roof Karkhi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. He also served Hadrat Habeeb Raa'ee Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. He says, "Once I was sitting in my shop, when Hadrat Habeeb Raa'ee Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho passed by my shop, and I gave him some bread. He then made dua for me, and since then I decided to change my life for the better." [Masaalik as-Saalikeen]

HIS FATHER : His father's name was Hadrat Mughlis Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. [Masaalik as-Saalikeen]

HIS EXCELLENCE : He was the Imam of the Ahle Tasawwuf and he possessed in-depth knowledge. He was a huge mountain of knowledge, yet he was blessed with kindness. He was amongst the students of Hadrat Fuzail ibn Ayaaz Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and was also a Tabbe Taabi'een. He was amongst the first persons to openly spread the knowledge of tasawwuf in Iraq. Various great Shaykhs of Baghdad were blessed with being in his Silsila. He was also the maternal uncle, and the Peer-o-Murshid of Hadrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. Hadrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho says, "I did not see any person as Kaamil (perfect) as my Peer-o-Murshid." Hadrat Bishr Haafi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho said, "I never used to ask for anything from anyone but Hadrat Sirri Saqti Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, as I was very well aware of his piety and I knew that he was always happy to give." [Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol 1, Page 292].

It was his habit, that he performed one thousand rakats of nafil salaah daily. Hadrat Junaid Baghdadi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho says, "I have never seen a more greater Aabid and Zaahid than him, and I did not see this in anyone else, that he had reached the age of 98, and the only time I saw him rest, was at the time of his demise." [Masaalik as-Saalikeen]

He was the perfect example of his illustrious predecessors. Once some of his devotees came to him, and asked him to explain the reality of Sabr (patience). He thus began to deliver a lecture on the topic of patience. Whilst he was delivering his lecture, a scorpion stung him on his feet. He continued delivering his lecture. Those, present said, "Huzoor! Kill the scorpion and move it away." On hearing this, he said, "I am ashamed to behave contrary to that which I am discussing, in other words show impatience due to the sting of the scorpion."

DUA OF HIS SHAYKH : He says, "Once my Peer blessed me with the opportunity of clothing an orphan child. After I did this, he made dua for me and said, 'May Allah make the world your enemy and may he grant you freedom from this.' The power of his dua was such, that my entire life changed, and I divorced myself from the world."

Sayyiduna Sirri Saqti Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho

CHARACTER AND HABITS : He was a very kind and honourable person. He was also a very humble personality. Once he said, "Thirty years have passed now, and I am still making tauba because of one thing that I made shukr (thanks) for." People asked what he meant, and he said, "Once there was a fire in the market place and all the shops burnt down except mine. When I was informed of this, I made shukr (thanked Allah). I thus make tauba, since it meant that by saying Alhumdulillah my shop was saved, meant that I felt I was better than my other Muslim brothers and that I was pleased that a worldly possession was saved." [Masaalik as-Saalikeen]

Once Hadrat was delivering a lecture in Baghdad, and one of the ministers of the Khalifa came with great pomp and splendour and sat in his mehfil. His name was Ahmad bin Yazeed. At the time when he entered, Hadrat was saying, "From all Allah's creation, the weakest creation is man, yet he is so brave in committing major sins. It is sad, very sad." These words of Hadrat entered the heart of the minister. He immediately went home and remained in silence. He did not even eat a meal on that night. He remained hungry the entire night and in the morning, he dressed in the clothes of a faqeer and presented himself in the darbaar of Hadrat Sirri Saqti Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. He said, "Yesterday, your lecture made a great impact on my heart, so please help me to gain closeness to Allah." Hadrat said, "The normal method is that you should read your five times salaah with Jama'at and give Zakaat from your wealth, and follow all the laws of Shariah with sincerity. The special method is this, that you should divorce yourself from the world and remain engrossed in the ibaadat of Allah, and that you should only desire the pleasure of Allah and nothing else." Hadrat was still advising him, when Ahmad bin Yazeed stood up and immediately walked towards the jungle. After a few days, his mother arrived crying. She said that he was her only son, and she did not know where he had gone. Hadrat said, "O Dear old woman! Your son will return soon, and I shall inform you when he returns." After a few days, he returned in the garb of a faqeer and only stayed for a while, and then left. He then came to Hadrat once more, and during that visit, he passed away in the hands of Hadrat Sirri Saqti Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. [Masaalik as-Saalikeen]

A DRUNK BECOMES A NAMAAZI: Once he saw a drunk lying on the ground, calling the name of Allah. Hadrat washed his mouth and said, "He does not know that he is taking the most exalted name with his impure mouth." After he left, the drunk man became sober. Those that were present told him what had happened while he was intoxicated. He was very embarrassed, and he began to curse his nafs and weep bitterly. He said, "O shameless nafs! Sirri Saqti has now seen you in this sad state, and he too left. Now fear Allah and repent." That night, Hadrat Sirri Saqti Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho heard a voice from the unseen which said, "You washed his mouth for my sake, and I have washed his heart for your sake." When Hadrat went to the Masjid, for Tahajjud Salaah, he found the once drunk man, now in the Musjid reading his Tahajjud Salaah. Hadrat asked how the sudden change had occurred in him, and he said, "Why do you ask me concerning this, when Allah has already informed you about it." Hadrat Junaid Baghdadi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho says, "Once I presented myself at the home of Hadrat, and I found him very sad and silent. I asked the reason for his condition, and he said, 'A Pari (female Jinn) from amongst the fairies came to me and asked the meaning of (Haya) modesty, and when I explained the meaning to her, she melted like wax.' Even, I saw the water from the body of the Pari."

Aarif Sirri Saqti Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and Aarif Junaid Baghdaadi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho

GEMS OF WISDOM :
  • An Aarif is like the sun with its beauty and qualities, for its light passes over all. He is like the earth, that it holds the weight of the entire creation. He is like the water, through which the hearts gain life, and he is like fire that the entire domain is brightened by him. 
  • Do whatever you can before you become old, since in old age you will be able to do nothing, just as I can not do anything. (Even though not even the young where Like Hadrat Sirri Saqti in his old age).
  • Stay away from the wealthy, those Qaaris who recite for name and fame, and from very wealthy Ulama.
  • One who can not control his own nafs can not be of assistance to others.
  • All become obedient to him, who is obedient to Allah.
  • A man abstains from sins for three reasons., from the fear of Allah, the hope of attaining Jannat, and through the modesty in the Court of Allah.
  • The most intelligent and wise amongst men are those who understand the secrets of the Quran and ponder over it.
  • An Aarif is he, whose food is like the food of the sick, his sleep is like that of a person bitten by a snake, and his lavishness like that of a person who is drowning in water. 
  • The bravest deed is to take control of your nafs (desires).
HIS KHULAFA :
  • Sayyidut Taaifa Hadrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi, 
  • Hadrat Shah Abu Muhammad, 
  • Hadrat Shah urf Shaykh-e-Kabeer, 
  • Hadrat Shah Hartaboon, 
  • Hadrat Shah Abul Abbas Mazroof, 
  • Hadrat Shah Abu Hamzah, 
  • Hadrat Shah Abul Hassan Noori, 
  • Hadrat Shah Fatal Al Mausuli, 
  • Hadrat Shah Abdullah aHr'raar 
  • and Hadrat Shah Saeed Abraar (Ridwaanullahi Ta'aala Alaihim Ajma'een).
WISAAL SHARIF : Hadrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho says, "I went to visit him when he took ill. There was a fan kept close to him, so I used it to fan him. He then said, 'O Junaid! Put it down. Fire is more powerful than wind.' I then asked him about his condition and asked him to advise me, and he said, 'Do not be diverted from the love of Allah through the companionship of the people.' He then passed from this world travelling into the hereafter. He passed away on a Tuesday, the 13th of Ramadaan, 283 Hijri at the age of 98, in Baghdad Shareeef.

MAZAAR SHAREEF : His Mazaar Shareef is in Baghdad Shareef in a place called Shawneez.

Syeduna Shaykh Sirri al Saqti and Syeduna Junaid al Baghdadi Ridwanullahi Ta'ala Alaihim Ajmaeen

Mother of the Believers Sayyidah Khadija Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha


Sayyiduna Rasoolullah's SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam marriage with Sayyidah Khadija Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha took place about fifteen years before the beginning of the Revelation, he being 25, and she was 40 years old. She was a rich widow and ran a large trade of her own. It was she who offered herself in marriage to the Holy Prophet Muhammad SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam who was associated with her in her trading ventures. From the time of her marriage with the Holy Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam till her death, over a period of twenty years, she gave her husband ease of circumstances, and deep love and devotion.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ

"All praise be to Allah, who gave us life after killing us {sleep is a form of death} and to Him will we be raised and returned".

{Sahih Bukhari & Muslim}

Mother of the Believers Sayyidah Ayesha Siddiqah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha

 Mother of the Believers Sayyidah Ayesha Siddiqah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha

Sayyidah Ayesha Siddiqah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha was the third lady to enter the house of the Beloved Habeeb Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him as his wife, and she was the only virgin in the consorts of purity of the Holy Prophet’s Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him house. She was of a tender age when she was married to Allah’s Apostle Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him.

Historical records bear ample testimony to the fact that Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha was a precocious genius and was developing both in mind and body with rapidity peculiar to such rare personalities. This marriage is significant in the history of Islam in so many aspects.


Firstly, it cemented the ties between Sayyiduna Rasoolullah Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him and his devoted friend Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddique Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha who always stood by him in hour of trial and who sacrificed his all for the cause of Islam.

Secondly, by this marriage, a lady of eminent qualities came under the direct influence of the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him at a highly impressionable age, and this provided her ample opportunities to penetrate into the innermost recesses of the sacred heart of the Beloved Habeeb Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him. She shared his company and thus was able to develop her potentialities and refine her taste perfectly in accordance with the teachings of Islam under the direct supervision of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him.

This young age was in fact very opportune for marriage as it has been clearly shown in the researches of psychoanalysts that much of the emotional of a mature person and most of those seemingly unaccountable leanings, tastes and tendencies comprised in the term idiosyncrasies can be traced to the experience of his or her highly formative age of either later childhood or early adolescence.


Thirdly, all the wives of the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him with the exception of Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha were of advanced age and thus could neither share the feelings of the younger generation nor could they properly appreciate their point of view. The difference of age always stood as a barrier between them and the ladies of the younger ages. The only lady with whom young women could frankly enter into conversation and discuss problems without any reserve could be none but Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha. Thus, the marriage of the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him with Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha at an age when she was at the threshold of puberty was a great necessity, as it was through her that instructions could successfully be imparted to the young ladies who had newly entered the fold of Islam.

Moreover, this marriage struck at the root of a wrong notion that had firmly taken hold of the minds of the people that it was contrary to religious ethics to marry the daughter of a man whom one declared to be one’s brother. The Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him, with the help of his personal example, showed to the people that there is a great difference between a brother-in-faith and the brother in relation to blood. The marriage, which is forbidden in Islam, is with the daughter of the brother in blood and not with the daughter of the brother-in-faith.

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha lived on almost fifty years after the passing away of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him. She passed away in the year 58 A.H. in the month of Ramadaan and was buried in the sacred graveyard Baqi al-Garqad of Madinatul Munawwara.


Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha reported that the Apostle of Allah Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him said: “I saw you in a dream for three nights when an Angel brought you to me in a silk cloth and he said, ‘Here is your wife’, and when I removed the cloth from your face, it was yourself, so I said, ‘If this is from Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala, let Him carry it out.’”

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha used to play with dolls in the presence of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him and when her playmates came to her they left (the house) because they felt shy of the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him whereas Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him sent them to her. People sent their gifts when it was the turn of Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him .

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha said: “The wives of Allah’s Apostle Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him sent his daughter Faatima Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha to him. She sought permission to get in as he had been lying with me in my mantle. He gave her permission and she said: ‘Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him ! Verily, your wives have sent me to you in order to ask you to observe equity in case of the daughter of Abu Quhafah.’ She (Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha ) said: ‘I kept quiet’. Thereupon, Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him said to her (Faatima Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha ): ‘O daughter! Don’t you love whom I love?’ She said: ‘Yes, I do’. Thereupon, he said: ‘I love this one (Ayesha)’.


“Faatima Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha then stood up as she heard this from her father and went to the wives of Allah’s Apostle Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him and informed them of what she had said to him and what he had said to her. Thereupon, they said to her: ‘We think that you have been of no avail to us. You may again go to Allah’s Apostle and tell him that his wives seek equity in case of the daughter of Abu Quhafah’. Faatima Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha said: ‘By Allah I will never talk to him about this matter’.

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha (further) reported: The wives of Allah’s Apostle Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him then sent Zaynab bint Jahsh Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha , the wife of the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him , and she was one who was somewhat equal in rank with me in the eyes of the Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him and I have never seen a woman more advanced in religious piety than Zaynab Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha , more Allah-conscious, more truthful, more alive to the ties of blood, more generous and having more sense of self-sacrifice in practical life and having more charitable disposition and thus more close to Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala, the Exalted, than her. She however lost temper very soon but was soon calm. Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him permitted her to enter as she (Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha ) was along with Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him in her mantle, in the same very state when Faatima Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha had entered. She said: ‘Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him , your wives have sent me to you seeking equity in case of the daughter of Abu Quhafah’. She then came to me and showed harshness to me and I was seeing the eyes of Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him whether he would permit me. Zaynab Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha went on until I came to know that Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him would not disapprove if I retorted. Then I exchanged hot words until I made her quiet. Thereupon, the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him smiled and said: ‘She is the daughter of Abu Bakr Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha ’”.


This Hadith gives a clear glimpse of the home life of the Glorious Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him. The wives of the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him were all eminent ladies having deep Allah-consciousness, but they, after all, belonged to the human race and thus, could not completely banish those minor human weaknesses, which are ingrained in the very nature of the fair sex. They were all deeply attached to the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him and every one of them had, therefore, an earnest desire that she should get the maximum love and affection from the Prophet of Allah Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him. It was out of this spirit of envy, rather than jealousy, that they put forward this demand. It was a natural expression of their humanly feelings born of their love for the Beloved Habeeb Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him , and not an objection against the attitude and behaviour of the “Mercy of the Worlds”. And they could not even conceive of it; and how could they, when all of them had been receiving the most beneficent treatment at his hand?

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha reported: “When the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him set out on a journey, he used to cast lots amongst his wives. Once this lot came out in my favour and that of Hafsa Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha. They (Hafsa Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha and Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha ) both went along with him and when it was night Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him used to travel on camel along with Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha and talked with her. Hafsa Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha said to Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha : ‘Would you like to ride upon my camel tonight and allow me to ride upon your camel and you would see (what you generally do not see) and I would see (what I do not see) generally?’ She said: ‘Yes’. But, Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha rode upon the camel of Hafsa Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha and Hafsa Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha rode upon the camel of Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha and Allah’s Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him came near the camel of Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha , (whereas) Hafsa Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha had been riding over that. He greeted her and then rode with her until they came down. She (Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha ) thus missed the company of the Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him and when they sat down, Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha felt jealous. She put her foot in the grass and said: ‘O ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala , let the scorpion sting me or a serpent bite me. And so far as Your Messenger Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him is concerned, I cannot say anything about him’”.


Sayyiduna Anas bin Maalik Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha has said: “The Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him said that the excellence of Ayesha over women is like the excellence of Tharid over all other foods.”

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha is one of the four persons (the others being Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha , Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Omar Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha and Sayyiduna Anas bin Maalik Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha ) who transmitted more than two thousand sayings of the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him. The Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him referring to her extensive knowledge of Islam is reported to have said: “Learn a portion of your religion from this Humayra (red coloured lady).”

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha not only possessed great knowledge but also took an active part in education and social reform. As a teacher she had a clear and persuasive manner of speech and her power of oratory has been described in superlative terms. Men and women came from far and wide to benefit from her knowledge.

According to the Orientalist, D.S. Margoliouth, he wrote: “Of the entire number of inmates, Lady Ayesha alone, by force of character and keenness of wit, won for herself a place in the political and religious history of Islam.” [Quoted by Fida Hussain Maalik in his book, ‘Wives of the Prophet’, Bombay, 1989, Page 124]


Golden Words of Wisdom by Sayyida Ayesha Siddiqah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha:
  • To spend for your guests is not extravagance.Good deeds are to refrain from bad deeds.
  • A believer of truth never becomes disgrace even if the whole World turns against him while a believer in falsehood never gains respect even if the moon comes out on his forehead.
  • Wherever the torch of truth shines it is advantageous to all, and it must not be seen who the torchbearer is.
  • A very good trait of character is to protect your tongue.
  • When the stomach becomes full the faculty of thought becomes weak and wisdom and understanding become mute.
  • Gluttony is the root of all illnesses and abstinence is its remedy.
  • Magnificence is gained in 1% friendship and 99% hard work and physical exertion.

Sultan al-'Aarifeen Sayyiduna Bayazid al-Bestami Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho

 Sultan al-'Aarifeen Sayyiduna Bayazid al-Bestami Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho

Abu Yazid Taifur ibn 'Isa ibn Sorushan al-Bestami was born in Bestam in North-Eastern Persia, the grandson of a Zoroastrian; there he died in 261 (874) or 264 (877), and his mausoleum still stands. The founder of the ecstatic school of Sufism, he is famous for the boldness of his expression of the mystic's complete absorption into the Uloohiyyah.

Bastmi's predecessor Zu al-Nun al-Misri (d. CE 859) had formulated the doctrine of Ma'rifa (gnosis), presenting a system which helped the Murid (Initiate) and the Shaykh (Guide) to communicate. Bayazid Bastami took this another step and emphasized the importance of ecstasy, referred to in his words as drunkenness, a means of union with God.

Bistami was the first to speak openly of "annihilation of the self in God" (Fana fi 'Allah') and "subsistence through God" (Baqa' bi 'Allah). His paradoxical sayings gained a wide circulation and soon exerted a captivating influence over the minds of students who aspired to understand the meaning of the waHdat al-wujud, Unity of Being.


Birth and Early Years:

The grandfather of Bayazid Bestami was a Zoroastrian; his father was one of the leading citizens of Bestam. Bayazid's extraordinary career began from the time he was in his mother's womb.

"Every time I put a doubtful morsel in my mouth," his mother would say, "you stirred in my womb and would not keep still until I had put it out of my mouth." [This statement is confirmed by words spoken by Bayazid himself.]

In due course his mother sent him to school. He learned the Qur'an, and one day his master was explaining the meaning of the verse in the Surah Luqman, Be thankful to Me, and to thy parents. These words moved the heart of Bayazid.


"Sir," he said, laying down his tablet, "please give me permission to go home and say something to my mother."

The master gave him leave, and Bayazid went home.

"Why, Taifur," cried his mother, "why have you come home? Did they give you a present, or is it some special occasion?"

"No," Bayazid replied. "I reached the verse where God commands me to serve Him and you. I cannot be manager in two houses at once. This verse stung me to the quick. Either you ask for me from God, so that I may be yours entirely, or apprentice me to God, so that I may dwell wholly with Him."

"My son, I resign you to God, and exempt you from your duty to me," said his mother. "Go and be God's."


After his mother resigned him to God, Bayazid left Bestam and for thirty years wandered from land to land, disciplining himself with continuous vigil and hunger. He attended one hundred and thirteen spiritual preceptors and derived benefit from them all. Amongst them was one called Sadiq. He was sitting at his feet when the master suddenly said, "Bayazid, fetch me that book from the window." "The window? Which window?" asked Bayazid. "Why," said the master, "you have been coming here all this time, and you have not seen the window?" "No," replied Bayazid. "What have I to do with the; window? When I am before you, I close my eyes to everything else. I have not come to stare about." "Since that is so," said the teacher, "go back to Bestam. Your work is completed."

He then left to Makkah Mukarrrama and It took Bayazid a full twelve years to reach the Kaaba. This was because at every oratory he passed he would throw down his prayer rug and perform two rak'as. After Bayazid had visited Madinah Munawwarah, the order came to him to return to care for his mother. He accordingly set out for Bestam, accompanied by a throng. At midnight he entered Bestam and, coming to his mother's house, he stood a while listening. He heard sounds of his mother performing he ablutions and praying.

"Lord God, care well for our exile. Incline the hearts of the Shaykhs towards him, and vouchsafe him to do all things well.'

Bayazid wept when he heard these words. Then he knocked on the door.

"Who is there?" cried his mother. "Your exile," he replied.

Weeping, his mother opened the door. Her sight was dimmed.

"Taifur," she addressed her son, "do you know what has dimmed my sight? It is because I have wept so much being parted from you, and my back is bent double from the load of grief I have endured."


Bayazid Bestami and a Jewish Priest:

Once the Jews and their scholars were present, their chief Priest stood up to speak. But when he stood up, his tongue became stuck and he could not talk. After he had been standing quietly for some time, the Jews started to complain. The Priest said, "In this gathering there is a follower of the Prophet Muhammed (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam) and I cannot speak because he has come to examine us."

On hearing this, their anger raged like wildfire and they asked the Priest to give them permission to kill this follower of the Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam). The Priest replied, "He cannot be killed without proof, so we must talk to him peacefully and respectfully and then we can decide."

The Priest then said, "Oh follower of Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam). For the sake of your Prophet please stand up in your place. If you can remove our doubt about Islam then we shall accept Islam, but if you can't, then we shall kill you." On hearing this, Hadrat Bayazid stood up and gave permission for them to question him.


Priest: What is one and not two?
Bayazid: Allah.

Priest: What is two and not three?
Bayazid: Night and day. [Qur'aan chapter 17 verse 12: "And we made night and day two examples."]

Priest: What is three and not four?
Bayazid: The Throne, Chair, and the Pen of Allah.

Priest: What is four and not five? 
Bayazid: The Torah, Bible, Psalms, and the Qur'aan.

Priest: What is five and not six?
 Bayazid: The five compulsory Prayers.

Priest: What is six and not seven? 
Bayazid: The six days in which the Earth, te sky, and whatever is in between them was created. [Qur'aan chapter 50 verse 38:"And we created the Sky and the Earth and whatever is between them in six days"]

Priest: What is seven and not eight? 
Bayazid: The seven skies. [Qur'aan chapter 67 verse 3, "Who created the seven skies layer upon layer!"]

Priest: What is eight and not nine? 
Bayazid: The bearers of the throne of Allah. [Quraan chapter 69 verse 17: "And they will lift their Lord's throne on themselves on that day, eight persons."]


Priest: What is nine and not ten? 
Bayazid: The villagers of Hadhrat Salih peace be upon him in which the mischief mongers lived. [Qur'aan chapter 27 Verse 48: "And in that city there were nine persons who created mischief on the Earth, and they didn't amend. "]

Priest: What is ten and not eleven?
Bayazid: The person who performs a minor pilgrimage along with the major one and doesn't have the capacity to sacrifice an animal, he has to keep ten fasts. [Qur'aan chapter 2 verse 196: "So keep the three Haj days and seven fasts when you return".]

Priest: What is eleven, twelve and thirteen things which Allah has mentioned? 
Bayazid: Hadhrat Yusuf had eleven brothers. The twelve months in a year, [Qur'aan chapter 9 verse 36: "The number of months, with Allah, is twelve months".]

Hadhrat Yusuf saw thirteen things prostrating to him. [Qur'aan chapter 12 verse 4:"I saw in a dream eleven stars, the sun and the moon, I saw them (for my sake) prostrating (to me)".]

Priest: Which is that nation which lied and went in to paradise and which is that nation which said the truth and entered hell?
 Bayazid: Hadhrat Yusuf's brothers lied but they went to paradise. [Qur'aan chapter 12 verse 17: "Oh father! We went out to run and we left Yusuf with our belongings, then he was eaten by the wolf."]

The contradiction between the Christians and the Jews was true but they went to hell. [Qur'aan chapter 2 verse 113: "And the Jews said that the Christians are not on any path, and the Christians said that the Jews are not on any path, even though they all read the book."]

Priest: What is the meaning of Qur'aan chapter 51 verse 1-4: By the ships that scatter broadcast; And those that lift and bear away heavy weights; And those that flow with ease and gentleness; And those that distribute and apportion by Command? 
Bayazid: The meaning of flying scattered ships is air, the meaning of weight carrying ships is water filled clouds, the meaning of calmly sailing ships is boats, and the meaning of the last is the angels which distribute the sustenance.

Priest: What is that thing which has no soul nor any connection with breathing, yet it breathes? 
Bayazid: It is the dawn, for it has no soul but it still breathes. [Qur'aan Chapter 81 verse 18: "And the morning, when it breathes."]

Priest: What are those fourteen things to which Allah talks with honour?
 Bayazid: The seven earths and the seven skies, [Qur'aan chapter 41 verse 11: Then He said to it and to the Earth, come both of you with happiness or hardly, They said we will come happily.]

Priest: Which is that grave which moves the person in it around? 
Bayazid: The fish of Hadhrat Yunus alayhi salaam. [Qur'aan chapter 37 verse 142: "Then the fish took him as a morsel".]

Priest: Which is that water which neither came up from the earth nor down from the sky? 
Bayazid: The water which Hadhrat Sulaiman alayhi salaam sent to Bilqis, Queen of Sheeba, for it was the sweat of a horse.

Priest: What are those four things which had no father nor were born from a mother's stomach?
 Bayazid: The sheep of Hadhrat Ismail, the she camel of Hadhrat Salih, Hadhrat Adam and our mother Eve alayhi salaam.


Priest: Whose blood flowed first on the Earth? 
Bayazid: It was Habil's (Abel) when Qabil (Cain) killed him.

Priest: What is that thing which Allah created and then bought? 
Bayazid: A believers soul. [Qur'aan chapter 9 verse 11: "Allah bought from the Muslim's their souls."]

Priest: What is that voice which Allah created and then spoke ill of?
 Bayazid: The donkey's voice. [Qur'aan chapter 31 verse 19: "Without doubt the worse voice is of a donkey."]

Priest: What is that creation that Allah created and from it's greatness created fear? 
Bayazid: Women's scheming. [Qur'aan chapter 12 verse 28: "Truly, mighty is your scheming."]

Priest: What is that thing that Allah created and then asked about?
 Bayazid: The staff of Hadhrat Musa. [Qur'aan Chapter 20 verse 17: "And what is that in your right hand, Oh Musa? He said "This is my staff."]

Priest: Who are the most pious of the women and what are the blessed rivers? 
Bayazid: The most pious women are Hadhrat Hawwa, Hadhrat Khadija, Hadhart Aisha and Hadhrat Fatima. The most blessed rivers are the Oxus, Simwon, Tigris, Euphrates and Nile.

Priest: Which is the most blessed mountain and the most blessed animal? 
Bayazid: Mount Toor in Makkah and the Horse.

Priest: Which is the best of all months and the best of all nights? 
Bayazid: The month of Ramdhan and the Night of Power. [Qur'aan Chapter 2 verse 185: "The month of Ramdhan in which the Qur'aan was revealed." Qur'aan chapter 97 verse 3: "The night of power is better than a thousand months."]

Priest: There is a tree which has twelve twigs, each twig has thirty leaves, and each leaf has five fruits, two in the sun and three in the shade. What is the meaning of this tree? 
Bayazid: The tree means one year, the twigs mean the twelve months, the leaves represent the thirty days, and the fruits are the daily prayers, two of which are prayed in the day and the remaining three which are prayed at dawn, at dusk, and in the night time.


Priest: What is that thing that circled around the Ka'abah in Makkah even though it had no soul? 
Bayazid: The boat of Hadhrat Nuh alayhi salaam. In the time of the flood it arrived in Arabia and circled around the Ka'abah.

Priest: How many prophets did Allah send as Messengers? 
Bayazid: Only Allah knows, but in narrations it is said that Allah created 126,000 prophets from which 313 were Messengers.

Priest: What are those four things whose roots are one but their colours and tastes are different?
Bayazid: Eyes, ears, mouth and nose. The wetness of the eye are sour, the wetness of the ears is acid, that of the noses is also acid and the wetness of the mouth is sweet.

Priest: What is the voice of the donkey called? 
Bayazid: It is the curse on the tax takers.

Priest: What is the voice of the dog called?
Bayazid: Doom on the dwellers of Hell by the anger of Allah.

Priest: What is the remembrance of the ox? 
Bayazid: SubhanAllah wa bihamdihi, subhanAllah il adheem.

Priest: What is the remembrance of the camel?
Bayazid: HasbunAllahu wa ni'mal wakeel.

Priest: What is the remembrance of the peacock? 
Bayazid: Huwal wadud, dhul 'arsh il-adheem.

Priest: What is the beautiful recitation of the nightingale? 
Bayazid: So remember the pure Allah when it is morning and evening.

Priest: What is that thing which Allah sent revelation on, but it was not human, Jinn or Angel? 
Bayazid: The honey bee. [Qur'aan chapter 16 verse 68: "And your lord gave order to the honey bee."]

After this the Priest couldn't ask any more questions and became quiet. Hadhrat Bayazid Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho said, "Now you give me the answer to my one question. What is the key to paradise?" The Priest replied, "If I give the answer to this question, this gathering will kill me."

The gathering shouted in one voice "We shall not do anything. Now tell us the true answer!"

The Priest then said, "Listen! the key to paradise is: There is no God worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad peace be upon him is His Messenger!"

On hearing this the whole gathering accepted Islam and Hadhrat Bayazid Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho returned giving thanks to Allah.


Wisaal Sharif:

He passed away in 874 CE and is buried either in the city of Bistam in north central Iran, or in Semnan, Iran or a place near Damascus in Syria. When Bayazid passed away, he was over seventy years old. Before he passed away, someone asked him his age. He said: I am four years old. For seventy years I was veiled. I got rid of my veils only four years ago."

Words of Wisdom by Sultan al-Aarifeen
  • That person is very close to Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala who is polite and courteous and eases the burdens of others.
  •  If you have not become powerful at 30 and wise and understanding at 40. Then don't even have expectations of becoming powerful and wise ever. 
  • The birth of every child heralds the fact that our creator has as yet never become disappointed with us. 
  • Do not consider yourself human until your opinions are the result of your anger. 
  • The country is like an orchard and justice is it's guardian without a guardian the orchard is ruined.
Sultaan al-Aarifeen Ba-Yazeed Bostaami Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho - Syria
 ·  · Share