Sufis, Shaykhs, Saints & Scholars

'Look into the heart of a Sufi, 

If you want to see the Reality, 

You would find there nothing but, 

The true reflection of the Almighty.'

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- 250 HIJRI | 251 - 500 HIJRI | 501 - 750 HIJRI | 751 - 1000 HIJRI | 1001 - 1250 HIJRI | 1251 + HIJRI  

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KEY : d = death, H = Hijri, CE = Common Era

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SUFIS & SHAYKHS [1] d. - 250 Hijri

OWAIS AL-QARNI [d.37 H - 657 CE]

ALI IBN ABI TALIB [d.40 H - 661 CE]

HASAN AL-BASRI [d.110 H - 728 CE]

MUH'MAD BIN ALI AL-BAQIR [d.114 H - 732 CE]

HABIB AL-AJAMI [d.120 H - 737 CE]

MALIK IBN DINAR [d.130 H - 748 CE]

IMAM ABU HANIFAH [d.150 H - 767 CE]

SUFYAN AL THAWRI [d.161 H - 778 CE]

IBRAHIM IBN ADHAM [d.164 H - 782 CE]

DAWUD AL-TAI [d.165 H - 783 CE]

IMAM MALIK IBN ANAS [d.179 H - 795 CE]

ABD'ULLAH IBN AL-MUBARAK [d.181 H - 797 CE]

QADI ABU YUSUF [d.182 H - 798 CE]

RABI'AH AL-BASRI [d.185 H - 801 CE]

IBN AL HASAN AL-SHAIBANI [d.189 H - 805 CE]

MAROOF AL-KARKHI [d.200 H - 815 CE]

IMAM AL-SHAFI'I [d.204 H - 819 CE]

BISHR AL-HAFI [d.225 H - 840 CE]

ABU BAKR IBN ABI SHAYBA [d.235 H - 849 CE]

AHMAD BIN HANBAL [d.241 H - 855 CE]

AL-HARITH AL-MUHASIBI [d.243 H - 858 CE]

DHUL-NUN AL-MISRI [d.244 H - 859 CE]

QASIM AL-JU'I [d. 248 H - 862 CE]

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SUFIS & SHAYKHS [2] d. 251 - 500 Hijri


SARI AL-SAQATI [d.253 H - 867 CE]

ABU YAZID AL-BISTAMI [d.261 H - 874 CE]

SAHL AL-TUSTARI [d.283 H - 896 CE]

JUNAYD, AL-BAGHDADI [d.297 H - 910 CE]

IBN MANSUR AL HALLAJ [d.309 H - 922 CE]

ABU JA'FAR AL-TAHAWI [d.321 H - 933 CE]

ABU AL-HASAN AL-ASH'ARI [d.324 H - 935 CE]

ABU MANSUR AL-MATURIDI [d.333 H - 945 CE]

ABU BAKR ASH-SHIBLI [d.334 H - 946 CE]

ABU 'ALI AL-DAQQAQ [d.412 H - 1021 CE]

ABUL HASAN AL-KHARQANI [d.425 H - 1033 CE]

ABD 'AL-QAHIR AL-BAGHDADI [d.429 H - 1038 CE]

ABU SA'ID ABU'L KHAYR [d.440 H - 1049 CE]

ABU AL-FARMADHI AT-TUSI [d.447 H - 1055 CE]

ABU AL-QASIM AL-QUSHAYRI [d.464 H - 1072 CE]

'ALI UTHMAN AL-HUJWIRI [d.469 H - 1077 CE]

IBN AL-JUWAYNI [d.478 H - 1085 CE]

'AL-HARAWI AL-ANSARI [d.481 H - 1088 CE]

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SUFIS & SHAYKHS [3] d. 501 - 750 Hijri

ABU HAMID AL-GHAZALI [d.505 H - 1111 CE]

QADI IYAD AL-YAHSUBI [d.544 H - 1149 CE]

SHAYKH ABD'AL-QADIR AL-JILANI [d.561 H - 1166 CE]

IMAM IBN AL-'ASAKIR [d.571 H - 1175 CE]

ABD 'AL-KHALIQ AL-GHUJDAWANI [d.575 H - 1179 CE]

SAYYAD AHMAD AR-RIFA'I [d.578 H - 1183 CE]

ABU MADYAN SHU'AYB AL-ANSARI [d.595 H - 1198 CE]

FAKHR AL-DIN AL-RAZI [d.606 H - 1209 CE]

FARID AL-DIN ATTAR [d.617 H - 1221 CE]

NAJM AL-DIN AL-KUBRA [d.618 H - 1221 CE]

MUIN AL-DIN HASAN CHISTI AJMERI [d.627 H - 1230 CE]

SUHRAWARDI SHIHAB' al-DIN UMAR [d.632H - 1234 CE]

QUTB AL-DIN BAKHTIYAR KAKI [d.633 H - 1235 CE]

IBN AL-FARID, UMAR [d.633 H - 1235 CE]

IBN AL-'ARABI, MUHIY AL-DIN [d.637 H - 1240 CE]

SHAMS 'AL-TABRIZI [d.645 H - 1248 CE]

ALI AHMAD SABIR AL-KALYARI [d.650 H - 1253 CE]

SHADHILI, ABU AL-HASAN 'ALI [d.655 H - 1258 CE]

FARID AL-DIN MAS'UD GANJ-I-SHAKAR [d.663 H - 1265 CE]

BAHA AL-DIN ZAKARIYA MULTANI [d.665 H - 1267 CE]

MAWLANA JALAL AL-DIN RUME [d.672 H - 1273 CE]

BADAWI, AL-SAYYAD AHMAD [d.675 H - 1275 CE]

IMAM AL-NAWAWI [d.677 H - 1278 CE]

SADI, MUSHARRIF AL-DIN [d.689 H - 1291 CE]

IBN ATA' ALLAH AL-ISKANDARI [d.708 H - 1309 CE]

NIZAM AL-DIN AWLIYA [d.725 H - 1325 CE]

AMIR AL-KHUSRO [d.725 H - 1325 CE]

SIMNANI, SHAYKH ALA AL-DAWLA [d.737 H - 1336 CE]

MAHMUD AL-SHABISTARI [d.740 H - 1340 CE ]

SHAMS AL-DIN AL-DHAHABI [d.748 H - 1348 CE]

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SUFIS & SHAYKHS [4] d. 751 - 1000 Hijri



SHAYKH AKHI SIRAJ AL-DIN CHISTI [d.758 H - 1357 CE]

TAJ AL-DIN AL-SUBKI [d.771 H - 1369 CE]

IBN KATHIR [d.774 H - 1373 CE]

MAKHDOOM JAHANIAN JAHAN GASHT [d.785 H - 1384 CE]

SHAH BAHA'AL-DIN NAQSHBAND [d.791 H - 1388 CE]

HAFIZ AL SHIRAZI [d.791 H - 1389 CE]

SHAYKH ALA AL-HAQ WADEEN CHISTI [d.800 H - 1398 CE]

MAKHDOOM ASHRAF JAHANGIR SEMNANI [d.807 H - 1405 CE]

IBN KHALDUN [d.808 H - 1406 CE]

GESU DERAZ BANDA NAWAZ [d.825 H - 1422 CE]

IMAM IBN HAJAR AL-ASQALANI [d.852 H - 1448 CE]

IMAM MUHAMMAD AL JAZULI [d.870 H - 1465 CE]

ABD'AL RAZZAQ, NUR 'AL-AYN [d.871 H - 1467 CE]

ABD 'AR-RAHMAN JAMI [d.897 H - 1492 CE]

SHAMS AL-DIN AL SAKHAWI [d.902 H - 1497 CE]

JALAL AL-DIN AL-SUYUTI [d.911 H - 1505 CE]

'ABD 'AL WAHHAB AL-SHARANI [d.973 H - 1566 CE]

IBN HAJAR AL-HAYTAMI [d.974 H - 1567 CE]

SHAH WAJIH AL-DIN ALVI GUJERATI [d.998 H - 1590 CE]

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SUFIS & SHAYKHS [5] d. 1001 - 1250 Hijri


MULLA ALI AL QARI [d.1014 H - 1605 CE]

MUJADDID ALIF THANI SIRHINDI [d.1034 H - 1624 CE]

ABD 'AL HAQ MUHADDITH DEHLWI [d.1052 H - 1642 CE]

SAYYAD NAUSHA GANJ BAKSH [d.1064 H - 1654 CE]

SHAYKH SULTAN BAHU [d.1104 H - 1693 CE]

ABD'ALLAH IBN ALAWI AL-HADDAD [d.1132 H - 1720 CE]

ABD'AL GHANI AN-NABLUSI [d.1143 H - 1733 CE]

SHAH WALI 'ALLAH DEHLWI [d.1176 H - 1762 CE]

SHAH ABUL GHAUS AL-FARUQI [d.1178 H - 1764 CE]

SHAH ALE AHMAD ACH'E MIYA [d.1235 H - 1820 CE]

SHAH ABD 'AL AZIZ DEHLWI [d.1239 H - 1823 CE]

KHALID AL-BAGHDADI [d.1242 H - 1827 CE]

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SUFIS & SHAYKHS [6] d. 1251 Hijri -





MAWLANA FAZL-E-HAQ KHAYRABADI [d. 1278 H - 1861 CE]

AHMAD ZAYNI DAHLAN AL-MAKKI [d. 1304 H - 1886 CE]

HAJI IMDADULLAH MUHAJIR MAKKI [d.1317 H - 1899 CE]

AL HAAJ WARIS ALI SHAH [d.1323 H - 1905 CE]

MIAN MUHAMMAD BAKSH AL-QADIRI [d.1324 H - 1907 CE]

A'LA HADRAT IMAM AHMAD RIDA KHAN [d.1340 H - 1921 CE]

ALIM-E-RABBANI SAYYAD AHMAD ASHRAF [d. 1347 - 1930 CE]

A'LA HADRAT 'ASHRAFI MIYA' [d.1354 H - 1936 CE]

PIR MEHR ALI SHAH GOLRAWI [d.1356 H - 1937 CE]

'HUJJAT AL ISLAM' HAMID RIDA KHAN [d.1362 H - 1945 CE]

SADR'AL AFAZIL NAIM AL-DIN MURADABADI [d. 1367 H - 1948 CE]

PIR SAYYAD JAMA'AT ALI SHAH [d.1370 H - 1951 CE ]

SHAH ABD'AL ALEEM SIDDIQI [d.1373 H - 1954 CE]

MUHADDITH AL A'ZAM-E-HIND [d.1381 H - 1961 CE]

MUHADDITH AL AZAM PAKISTAN [d.1381 H - 1962 CE]

MUFTI AHMED YAAR KHAN NA'IMI [d. 1391 H - 1971 CE]

KHAWAJA QAMAR AL-DIN SIYALVI [d.1401 H - 1981 CE]

'MUFTI AL-A'ZAM' MUSTAFA RIDA KHAN [d.1402 H - 1981 CE]

SAYYAD AHMAD SA'EED KAZMI [d.1406 H - 1986 CE]

SARKAR-E-KALAN SAYYAD MUKHTAR ASHRAF [d. 1417 H - 1996 CE]

PIR KARAM SHAH AL-AZHARI [d. 1418 H - 1998 CE]

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Hadrat Ali-e-Murtaza


Hadrat Ali ibn Abi Talib [d.40 H / 661CE] karam Allahu wajahu al karim


'Amir al-Momineen' (Leader of the Faithful); Hadrat Ali al-Murtaza Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, is acclaimed as the father of Sufism [tasawwuf]. Most Sufi orders claim their descent from Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.


According to 'Data Ganj Baksh'; UTHMAN 'ALI AL-HUJWIRI [d.469H] Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, the rank of Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu is very high in the lineage of Sufis. According to JUNAYD AL-BAGHDADI [d.298H] Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu is the Shaykh as regards to the principles and practices of tasawwuf.


Recommended reading : Father of Tasawwuf

Biography: Biography of Hadrat Ali-e-Murtaza

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Owais al Qarni



Abu Amar Owais Bin Harb Bin al Muradi bin al Qarn [d.37H/657CE] 'alayhi al-rahmah wa'l-ridwan


His name was Owais, he was known as Owais al-Qarni because he lived in a town called "Qarn" in Yemen. Hadrat Owais Qarni (Allah be pleased with him) was a very pious and noble person. Although his life was insignificant from a worldly point of view, he is renowned and honoured amongst all Muslims, Sufis in particular, for his piety, practice of zuhd (asceticism), as well as a deep love and affection for the Beloved Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings upon him). It is said that he spent all his hours in solitude, fasting, night vigil and salat (prayers).


He had embraced Islam while the Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) was still alive. He naturally had a very strong desire to see the Prophet but since his mother was very old and she needed his constant care and attention, he could not visit the Beloved of Allah. As a reward of his service to his mother, he was treated as a Sahabi (Companion of Prophet) by the Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) even though he could not see him personally. His name entered the list of Sahaba only because of his strong intention to see the Allahs Beloved Messenger (Peace & Blessings upon him).


Once the Companions asked the Beloved Prophet: "Has Hadrat Owais Qarni ever visited you? The Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) replied: "No, He never watched me physically, but spiritually he met me." Sufism is based on the spiritual connection or link that was between the Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) & Hadrat Owais Qarni, in Sufism that spiritual connection is known as "Nisbat-e-Owaisiya".


When Hadrat Owais Qarni (Allah be pleased with him) received a message about the Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him), that he had lost a tooth in the battle of "Uhud", Hadrat Owais Qarni pulled one of his own teeth out (because of his love towards the Beloved Prophet). Thinking that he might not have pulled out the right tooth, and because he loved the Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) more than he loved himself, he pulled out all of his teeth to make sure that he had lost the same tooth as the Beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace & Blessings upon him).


During his last days, the Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) asked Hadrat Umar and Hadrat Ali (Allah be pleased with them) to take his shirt (Jubba Mubarak) to Hadrat Owais and ask him to pray for the forgiveness of my followers (Ummah). The reason for this was to show his companions the very high status of Hadrat Owais. Hadrat Umar and Hadrat Ali (Allah be pleased with them) asked the people if there was anyone from Qarn. One man came forward and told them how to find the place. They set out for Qarn. When they arrived, they asked the people where Owais was. The villagers answered their questions, but were very surprised to see the two prominent Companions asking for an unknown camel shepherd. When Hadrat Umar and Hadrat Ali (Allah be pleased with them) reached to him, they saw Hadrat Owais saying his prayers. As he finished his prayers, he said, "It is the first time anyone has ever seen me praying. The two men passed on to him Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him)'s message asking Owais to pray for the forgiveness of the followers of Muhammad. This he did. After a while he said, "Allah has forgiven and rewarded as many of Muhammad's followers as the hair of the sheeps of the Rabia and Mazhar tribes. They asked Hadrat Owais, "If you loved Muhammad so much, why didn't you visit him more often during his life time?" He did not answer, but asked if they took part in the battle of Uhad? And if so, which tooth had Muhammad lost there? Hadrat Umar (Allah be pleased with him) was greatly impressed by this simple person and asked Hadrat Owais to pray for him. Hadrat Owais replied, "I pray for the forgiveness of everyone at the end of every prayer. If you keep your faith in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, you will receive my prayers in your graves."


Shaykh FARID AL-DIN ATTAR tells us about him: "during his life in this world, he (Oways) was hiding from all in order to devote himself to acts of worship and obedience" ('Attar 1976, p. 2). 'Attar also relates that the Prophet Peace & Blessings upon him had declared at the time of his death that his robe should be given to Oways, a man he had never met in this life. When 'Umar Radi Allahu anhu looked for Uways during his stay in Kufa, he asked a native of Qarn and was answered "there was one such man, but he was a madman, a senseless person who because of his madness does not live among his fellow countrymen (...) He does not mingle with anybody and does not eat nor drink anything that others drink and eat. He does not know sadness nor joy; when others laugh, he weeps, and when they weep, he laughs" (ibid., p. 29).


Many times in the company of his followers, the Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) stated: "I can smell the beauty of my fried from the land of Yemen'". This statement is in direct reference to the spiritual greatness of Hadrat Owais. The prophet also said: "I feel a sweet, peaceful breeze (naseem-e-rehmat) from Yemen". Concerning the hadith of the Prophet, upon whom be peace and blessings, "More people shall enter Paradise through the intercession of a certain man from my Community than there are people in the tribes of Rabi'a and Mudar," AL-HASAN AL-BASRI said: "That is Owais al-Qarni."


Hadrat Umar (Allah be pleased with him) quotes the Prophet as saying "Oh! Umar. From Yemen a man will arrive whose name is Owais and he has signs of Leprosy on his body, he cares for his old and frail mother. If for anything, he takes an oath in the name of Allah, Allah will fulfill his oath. If you can ask from him prayers for your own forgiveness, then you must do so."


Hadrat Ibn-e-Sa'd (Allah be pleased with him) quotes the Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) as saying "In my ummah (followers) I have a friend whose name is Owais al Qarni"


Uwais al-Qarni says, "Keep watch over thy heart", "Alayka bi-Ghalbik".



Uwais al-Qarni said, "Hidden invocation (al-du'a fi dhahr al-ghayb) is better than visiting and meeting," because hypocrisy (riya) might enter in the latter two.



Translation of the Invocation of Owais al-Qarni:


"O Allah, You created me when I was not worthy of mention;

And You provided for me when I had nothing;

And I wronged my soul and sinned, and I confess my guilt.

If You forgive me, that will in no way diminish Your sovereignty;

And if You punish me, that will in no way augment Your authority.

You can find others to punish besides me,

But I can find no one to forgive me but You.

Truly, You are the most merciful of those who show mercy."


Also read : Owais al Qarni & his Mother

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Hasan al-Basri

Al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan Yasar Abu Sa'id al-Basri (d.110H), al-Faqih, the great Imam of Basra, leader of the ascetics and scholars of his time. The son of a freedwoman of Umm Salma's (the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam's wife) and a freedman of Zayd ibn Thabit's (Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam's stepson). Umm Salma Radi Allahu ta'ala anha nursed him. His mother took him as a child to Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu who supplicated for him with the words: "O Allah! Make him wise in the Religion and beloved to people." As a man he became known for his strict and encompassing embodiment of the Sunnah of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, famous for his immense knowledge, austerity and asceticism, fearless remonstrances of the authorities, and power of attraction both in discourse and appearance. One of the early formal Sufis in both the general and the literal sense, he wore all his life a cloak of wool (suf). 

Imam Hasan al-Basri Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was a major religious figure of the Umayyd period. Produced writings & sermons that were extremely influential in all areas of Islamic piety [taqwa'], from theology ['aqa'id] to Qur'anic Exegesis [tafsir]. Often critical of or opposed to Umayyad rulers, but did not approve of rebellion against tyrannical rule. His sermons contain some of the earliest & best examples of 'Arabic prose style. 

Imam Hasan al Basri Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was considered by the Salaf to be one of the "Substitute-Saints" (al-Abdal). Hadrat Anas (narrated that the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said: "The earth will never lack forty men similar to the Friend of the Merciful [Hadrat Ibrahim (alaihi asalam)], and through them people receive rain and are given help. None of them dies except Allah substitutes another in his place." Hadrat Qatada Radi Allahu anhu said: "We do not doubt that al-Hasan is one of them." [Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat] 

Further recommended reading : www.sunnah.org/history/Scholars/hasan_al_basri.htm

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Al-Imam Muhammad al-Baqir

His full name and lineage is Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Husayn bin Ali bin Abu Talib al-Qurashi al-Hashimi, born in the Noble City of Madinah in the year 57 A.H. His father and teacher was Hadrat Imam Ali Zaynul-Abideen, survivor of the tragedy of Karbala, son of the Sayyid of Shuhadaa, Sayyidina Husayn bin Ali, Radhi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu. His mother was Sayyidah Fatimah bint al-Hasan bin Ali (Radhi Allahu Anha). From this marriage was born the first generation of the Ahlul-Bayt that was both al-Hasani and al-Husayni, therefore both the paternal and maternal sides were connected to Sayyidina Ali bin Abu Talib and Sayyidah Fatimah az-Zahra, may millions of Salaams be upon them. 

A king requested the presence of a Sayyid in his court, but with the intent of destroying him. When the Sayyid appeared, the king sought his forgiveness, begged his pardon, bestowed many gifts upon him, and then dismissed this Hashimite in a very courteous manner. In response to the inquiry as to why he acted in such a manner, the king said "When he came in, I saw two lions, one on his right and one on his left who threatened to destroy me if I should attempt to do harm to him."The Wali whom Allah Ta'ala protected in this story is Al-Imam Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ali al-Baqir, Radhi Allahu 'Anhu. This tremendous conveyer of 'Ilm is a great asset of Al-Islam, though very few know about him.  

The kunya for Hadrat Muhammad bin Ali (Radhi Allahu Anh) was Abu Ja'far, though his was given many titles, such as Abu Abdullah, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, and Maulana al-Baqir ul-'Uloom. The most commonly used title is "Al-Imam Muhammad al-Baqir."Baqir literally means to rip open or cut open, and in the case of Imam al-Baqir, he split open knowledge, that is scrutinized it and examined the depths of it so that it can be spread to all people, therefore, his title also meant "The Expounder of Knowledge."Those who were fortunate to be in his presence would unanimously report that he would rip knowledge down to its very root, reaching its origin, and then convey that knowledge to the people. Hadrat Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Makki, Rahmatullahi alayh, wrote in his book, As-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa:  

"Al-Imam Muhammad al-Baqir has disclosed secrets of Ilm and Hikmah and unfolded the principles of spiritual and religious guidance. Nobody can deny his character, his God-given knowledge, his divinely-gifted Hikmah, and his obligation and gratitude towards the spreading of knowledge. He was a sacred and highly talented spiritual leader and for this reason, he was popularly titled al-Baqir, which means the expounder of knowledge. Kind in heart, spotless in character, saved by soul, and noble by nature, the Imam devoted all his time to Allah's Ibadah. It is beyond the power of a man to count the deep impression of knowledge and guidance left by the Imam on the hearts of the faithful. His saying in devotion and abstinence, in knowledge and wisdom and in religious exercise and submission to Allah are so great in number that the volume of this book is quite insufficient to cover them all.” 

Hadrat Imam al-Baqir (Radhi Allahu Anhu) was the half-brother of Al-Imam Zaid bin Ali Shahid (Radhi Allahu Anhu). The lives of both were dedicated to upholding al-Islam in spite of the degeneration of Deen which issued forth from Yazid The Damned and other corrupt rulers (see Endnote) of those times. The approach to the upholding of Deen-ul-Islam differed between the two Imams (Radhi Allahu Anhuma), both of whom being being 'Alim-ud-Deen and rightly guided Imams. Al Imam al-Baqir (Radhi Allahu Anhu) knew that due to the fitnah that was present at the time, Shari'ah must be instilled, Madrasahs established. Imam Zaid's (Radhi Allahu Anhu) dedication to Deen-ul-Islam was to remove the Khulafat from the Banu Umayya, who were bringing a very bad name to Islam (much like the al-Sa'ud family is doing in present times) through their bad deeds, and take the office of Khalifah. Imam Zaid (Radhi Allahu Anhu), however, fell prey to Shi'ah conspiracy and desertion as did his Noble grandfather (Radhi Allahu Anhu) in Karbala. (see Endnote)  

Hadrat Shibli Nu'mani, Rahmatullahi 'alayh, writes in his book, Sirat-e-Nu'mani that "the Ahli-Bayt were the fountainhead of Hadith, Fiqh, and in fact, all religious learning,"and because of this truth, many seekers of Islamic knowledge sought after Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, Radi Allahu 'Anh, as he possessed great knowledge of the Noble Qur'an and the Sunnah of Sayyidina Rasul-e-Akram Salla Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallim. Many of the Tabi'een, Taba at-Tabi'een, fuqaha, and mujtahideen, related and reported numerous Islamic sciences on the authority of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, Radi Allahu 'Anh, as he was distinguished for his extensive knowledge of Islamic science and for his subtle indication as to the meanings of the Ayats of the Noble Qur'an. Because of the great knowledge of Hadith, Allah blessed him with, his name is found in the isnad of many Sahih Ahadith collections. He was also known for his conveying the history and life of Nabi Akram, Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, and his family. He became recognized as one of the Fuqaha of Madinah who many learned men would come to for answers to questions of jurisprudence. A famous quote from him that describes this station held by the Ahli-Bayt came from the question he was asked regarding Allah's Ayat in Surah an-Nahl: "Ask the Ahl al-Dhikr if you do not know,"he answered: "We are the Ahl al-Dhikr." 

The Saliheen from amongst the Ahlul-Bayt of Sayyidina Rasul-e-Akram, Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, never chase after Dunya, nor do they have any regards for this worldly life. They devote their time and efforts to the service of the Ummah, seeking the pleasure of only Allah Ta'ala. This was the case with Sayyidina Muhammad al-Baqir Radi Allahu 'Anh as he was not only well-known for his vast knowledge, but also for the immense Ibadah he would put time into. Imam Abul-Hasan Ali bin ‘Uthman al-Hujweri Rahmatullah alayh and Qadi Abu Fazl Iyad bin Musa al-Yahsubi Rahmatullah alayh relate in their works, Al-Kashf al-Mahjub and Al-Shifa, respectively, that Abu Ja'far Muhammad al-Baqir Radi Allahu 'Anh was a very devout Muslim and spent very much time performing 'Ibadah. He would spend much of his nights glorifying Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala As a result of his devotion to Allah Ta'ala, he was endowed with 'Ilm of many sciences of the Nafs, thus endowed with knowledge of both the exoteric and esoteric sciences of the Deen.  

Hazrat Abu Ja'far Radi Allahu 'Anhu returned to Allah on the 7th of Dhul-Hijjah in the year 114 A.H. in the Holy City of Madinah. He is buried in Al-Baqi cemetery where many other members of the Ahlul-Bayt, Shuhadaa, and Sahabi (May plenty of Salaam be upon them all) rest. The world benefitted from this Imam of exalted memory as he was an educator for many of the Ulama of Al-Islam as well as a preserver of the Sunnah of Nabi Muhammad, Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa Sallam. It is unfortunate that not many know about him. The well-respected scholars of Al-Islam have had nothing but good to say about Hazrat Abu Ja'far al-Baqir and to sum it up, Muhammad bin Khavendesh bin Mahmud wrote in Rauza-tus-Safaa that "neither pen nor tongue can describe the merits and the traditions of Imam Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ali al-Baqir." May millions of most perfect Salaams be upon Sayyidina Rasulullah, his progeny, and his descendants. Aameen.  

Source: by M. Jamaal al-Din Abdul-Wahid al-Hanafi 

There were good and bad men of authority amongst Banu Umayya. Amongst the excellent men are Hadrat Umar bin al-Khattab, Hadrat Uthman bin al-Affan, Umar bin Abdul-Aziz, etc. (May Allah be pleased with them and bestow them peace).  

The Shi'ah who deserted Imam Zaid (in the same way their deserted his grandfather, Imam El-Husain bin Ali bin Abu Talib, Radi Allahu Anhu are now known as Rawafid, meaning Deserters and comprise 95% of the Shi'ah population today. This term, Rawafid, was titled to them by the Ahlul-Bayt.  

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Habib al-Ajami

Habib ibn Mohammad al-'Ajami al-Basri, was a Persian [ajami] who settled at Basra. He was a noted traditionist who transmitted from AL-HASAN AL BASRI, Ibn Sirrin, and other authorities. His conversion from a life of ease and self-indulgence was brought about by al-Hasan's eloquence; he was a frequent attendant at his lectures, and became one of his closest associates.  

Following from Kashf- al-Mahjub "Unveiling of the Enshrouded" by 'ALI UTHMAN AL-HUJWIRI (Data Sahib) [Source: Kashf al-Mahjub] 

His [al-Ajami] conversion (tawbat) was begun by Hasan of Basra. At first he was a usurer and committed all sorts of wickedness, but GOD gave him a sincere repentance, and he learned from Hasan something of the theory and practice of religion. His native tongue was Persian ('ajami) and he could not speak Arabic correctly. 

One evening Hasan of Basra passed by the door of his cell. Habib had uttered the call to prayer and was standing, engaged in devotion. Hasan came in, but would not pray under his leadership, because Habib was unable to speak Arabic fluently or recite the Qur'an correctly. The same night, Hasan dreamed that he saw GOD and said to Him: "O Lord, wherein does Thy good pleasure consist?" and that GOD answered: "O Hasan, you found My good pleasure, but did not know its value: if yester-night you had said your prayers after Habib, and if the rightness of his intention had restrained you from taking offence at his pro­nunciation, I should have been well pleased with you." 

It is common knowledge among Sufis that when Hasan of Basra fled from Hajjaj he entered the cell of Habib. The soldiers came and said to Habib: "Have you seen Hasan anywhere?" Habib said: "Yes." "Where is he?" "He is in my cell." They went into the cell, but saw no one there. Thinking that Habib was making fun of them, they abused him and called him a liar. He swore that he had spoken the truth. They returned twice and thrice, but found no one, and at last departed. Hasan immediately came out and said to Habib: "I know it was owing to thy benedictions that GOD did not discover me to these wicked men, but why didst thou tell them I was here?" Habib replied: "O Master, it was not on account of my benedictions that they failed to see thee, but through the blessedness of my speaking the truth. Had I told a lie, we both should have been shamed." 

Habib was asked: "With what thing is GOD pleased?" He answered: "With a heart which is not sullied by hypocrisy," because hypocrisy (nifaq) is the opposite of concord (wifaq), and the state of being well pleased (rida) is the essence of concord. There is no connexion between hypocrisy and love, and love subsists in the state of being well pleased (with whatever is decreed by GOD). Therefore acquiescence (rida) is a characteristic of GOD's friends, while hypocrisy is a characteristic of His enemies. This is a very important matter. I will explain it in another place. [courtesy : sufiway] 

Habib al-Ajami passed away in 120 after Hijri, his shrine is in Baghdad. 

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Malik ibn Dinar

Malik ibn Dinar was the son of a Persian slave from Sijistan (or Kabul) and became a disciple of HASAN AL-BASRI [d.110 H] alayhir al rahman. He is mentioned as a reliable traditionist, transmitting from such early authorities as Anas ibn Malik and Ibn Sirrin. He was a noted early calligrapher of the Qur'an al karim, he died 130 H (748 CE). 

Malik ibn Dinar was given his name after the following incident; 

When Malik was born his father was a slave; yet though he was a slave's son, he was free from bondage to both worlds. Some say that Malik ibn Dinar once embarked in a ship. When the ship was far out to sea the mariners demanded, "Produce your fare!" "I do not have it," he answered. 

They beat him till he was senseless. When he recovered, they shouted again. 

"Produce your fare!" "I do not have it," he repeated. 

They beat him unconscious a second time. When he came to, they demanded a third time. 

"Produce your fare!" "I do not have it." 

"Let us seize him by the feet and throw him overboard," the sailors shouted. 

All the fish in the water at that moment put up their heads. Each one held two golden dinars in its mouth. Malik reached down his hand and, taking two dinars from one of the fish, gave it to them. Seeing this, the crew fell at his feet. He walked on the face of the waters and vanished. That is why he was called Malik ibn Dinar. 

Maliks Abstinence 

Years passed without anything sour or sweet passing Malik's lips. Every night he would repair to the baker's and buy two round loaves on which he broke his fast. From time to time it happened that the bread was warm; he found consolation in that, taking it as an appetizer. 

Once he fell sick, and a craving for meat entered his heart. For ten days he controlled himself; then, unable to restrain himself any longer, he went to a delicatessen and bought two or three sheep's trotters and put them in his sleeve. The shopkeeper sent his apprentice after him to see what he would do. After a little while the boy returned in tears. "From here he went to a desolate spot," he reported. "There he took the trotters out of his sleeve, kissed them twice or thrice, then he said, 'My soul, more than this is not meet for you.' Then he gave the bread and trotters to a beggar, saying, 'Weak body of mine, do not think that all this pain I impose on you is out of enmity. It is so that on the resurrection morn you may not burn in Hell. Be patient for a few days, and it may be that this trial will come to an end, and you will fall into bliss that shall never pass away.' " 

Once Malik said,  

"I do not know the meaning of the statement that if a man does not eat meat for forty days, his intelligence is diminished. I have not eaten meat for twenty years, and my intelligence increases every day." For forty years he lived in Basra and never ate fresh dates. When the season of ripe dates came round he would say, "People of Basra, behold, my belly has not shrunk from not eating them, and you who eat them daily-your bellies have not become any larger." After forty years he was assailed by a mood of restlessness. However hard he tried, he could not withstand the craving for fresh dates. Finally after some days, during which the desire daily increased whilst he constantly denied his appetite, he could resist no more the importunity of his carnal soul. "I will not eat fresh dates," he protested. "Either kill me, or die!" That night a heavenly voice spoke. "You must eat some dates. Free your carnal soul from bondage." At this response his carnal soul, finding the opportunity, began to shout. "If you want dates," Malik said, "fast for a week without breakfasting once, and pray all night. Then I will give y u some." This contented his carnal soul. For a whole week he prayed all night and fasted all day. Then he went to the market and bought some dates, and betook himself to the mosque to eat them. A boy shouted from the rooftop. 

"Father! A unbeliever has bought dates and is going to the mosque to eat them." 

"What business has a unbeliever in the mosque?" the man exclaimed. And he ran to see who the unbeliever might be. Beholding Malik, he fell at his feet. 

"What were those words the boy uttered?" Malik demanded. "Excuse him, master," the boy's father pleaded. "He is only a child, and does not understand. In our quarter many unbelievers live. We are constantly fasting, and our children see the unbelievers eating by day. So they suppose that everyone who eats anything by day is a unbeliever. What he said he said in ignorance. Forgive him!" 

When Malik heard this, a fire consumed his soul. He realized that the child was inspired to speak as he had. 

"Lord God," he cried, "I had not eaten any dates, and Thou didst call me a unbeliever by the tongue of an innocent child. If I eat the dates, Thou wilt proclaim me an unbeliever. By Thy glory, if I ever eat any dates!" 

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Imam Abu Hanifah

Better known as 'Imam-e-'Adham' (The Greatest Imam), or by his kunyah 'Abu Hanifah' radi Allahu anhu, Nu'man ibn Thabit was born in the city of Kufa (modern day Iraq) in the year 80H (689 CE). Born into a family of tradesmen, the Imam's family were of Persian origin as well as descending from the Noble Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam's Companion Salman al-Farsi radi Allahu anhu.' Imam Abu Hanifah's father, Thabit,' had met in Kufa Imam 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib radi Allahu ta'ala anhu who made du'a for him and his progeny, and some say that Abu Hanifah radi Allahu anhu was a result of this du'a. 

Imam Abu Hanifah radi Allahu anhu acquired knowledge from over four thousand people. His teachers included many prestigious men of the time whose sanad went back to a number of Companions radi Allahu ta'ala anhum He himself was blessed with the meeting of the Companions: Anas ibn Malik, Abdullah ibn Afwa and Sahl ibn Sa'ad radi Allahu anhum, thus gaining him the rank of being a Tabi'i (Successor to the Companions). 

Amongst Imam Abu Hanifah's shayukh was Hammad ibn Sulayman radi Allahu anhu, he joined his circle at the age of 22, having already become a well-known debater and studied with this shaykh until the latter's death, whereupon he took over his majlis (circle) at the age of forty. Shu'ba, a leading muhaddith who knew-by-heart two thousand traditions was also a teacher of Imam Abu Hanifah radi Allahu anhu. Shu'ba was greatly attached to Imam Abu Hanifah radi Allahu anhu saying: "Just as I know that the sun is bright, I know that learning and Abu Hanifah radi Allahu anhu are doubles of each other." 

The Imam's quest for knowledge inevitably took him to the Holy Sanctuaries, at a time when Makkah was a busy center for learning. A number of acknowledged masters of hadith, who had had access to the Prophet's Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam Companions radi Allahu ta'ala anhum had established their own schools there. Of these was 'Ata bin Rabah's (rahm) school. 'Ata was a famous Tabi'i who had associated with most of the Companions radi Allahu ta'ala anhum) and acquired from this association a status of authority. He himself claimed to have met two hundred men who had associated with the Noble Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. The leading Companions radi Allahu ta'ala anhum all acknowledged his learning. Abdullah ibn 'Umar radi Allahu anhu, son of the Caliph 'Umar radi Allahu anhu often used to say: "Why do people come to me when 'Ata ibn Abi Rabah is there for them to go to?" Of the other Muhaddithin of Makkah whose classes the Imam attended was 'Ikrimah. He was the slave and pupil of Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, who educated him with great care and attention, making him so proficient that he, during his own lifetime gave Imam Abu Hanifah the authority to exercise personal judgement and rulings. "Imam Abu Hanifah radi Allahu anhu was the first to analyze Islamic jurisprudence, divide it into subjects, distinguish its issues and determine the range and criteria for analytical reasoning (qiyas)." 

Imam as-Shafi'i rahmatullahi alayh is recorded to have stated:"All men of fiqh are Abu Hanifah's children" and "I would not have acquired anything of knowledge had it not been for my teacher. All men of knowledge are children of the ulema of Iraq, who were the disciples of the ulema of Kufa, and they were the disciples of Abu Hanifah." The Hanafi madhhab, entitled after the Imam, spread far-and-wide during the time of the Ottoman Empire.? Today, more than half of the Muslims on the earth perform their `ibabadah according to the Hanafi madhhab. The Hanafi school has decided court cases in the majority of Islamic lands for the greater part of Islamic history, including the 'Abbasid and Ottoman periods. 

Not only was Imam Abu Hanifah's extraordinary mind and knowledge something to be admired, but so too was his exemplary character and piety. SHAMS AL-DIN AL-DHAHABI writes: "Accounts of his piety and devotion have reached a degree of tawatur (i.e., an unbroken chain of uncontradicted narrations)." He was given the title of "The 'Peg'" by some, for his continuous standing in prayer, often reciting the entire Qur'an in his nightly rakahs. He performed the Fajr prayer with the ablution made for the Isha prayers for forty years (due to him praying the whole night through). It is reported that he had recited the whole Qur'an seven thousand times in the place where he died. 

Further recommended reading :

www.sunnah.org/publication/khulafa_rashideen/hanifa.htm

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IMAM MALIK | IMAM SHAFI'I | IMAM HANBAL 

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Sufyan al-Thawri

Sufyan al-Thawri al-Mudari al-Kufi [97-161], the Godfearing, wise, grief-stricken, Mujtahid Imam, "Commander of the Believers in Hadith" – the highest level in hadith Mastership –, "Shaykh al-Islam, the Imam of hadith Masters, the leader of the practicing Ulema in his time, the author of the Jami' " (SHAMS AL-DIN AL-DHAHABI). His father was a junior Tabi'i Muhaddith and he thus began his scholarly career at home. Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i recited when he saw Sufyan coming: (And We gave him wisdom when a child) (19:12). His Shuyukh number 600. Ibn al-Jawzi claimed that his students number over 20,000 but al-Dhahabi said: "This is preposterous, they hardly reached 1,000. I know none of the hadith Masters from whom more narrated than Imam Malik, and those number 1,400 – including the liars and the unknown!" 

Among the praises related about him: 

· "I wrote from 1,100 Shaykhs, but from none better than Sufyan." (IBN AL-MUBARAK) 

· "I never saw better than Sufyan." (Yunus ibn 'Ubayd – he had seen Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, 'Ata', and Mujahid.) 

· "If 'Alqama and al-Aswad were present they would stand in need of Sufyan." (ABU HANIFAH) 

· "I never saw one resemble the Tabi'in more than Sufyan al-Thawri" (Ibn Abi Dhi'b). 

· "I never saw stronger in hadith memorization than al-Thawri, nor more ascetic than Shu'ba, nor more intelligent than Malik, nor of better counsel to the Umma than Ibn al-Mubarak…. Sufyan is the most knowledgeable of them." "I could not look at Sufyan directly, he was too intimidating and full of majesty." (Ibn Mahdi) 

· "I never saw anyone more knowledgeable in the halal and the haram than Sufyan al-Thawri" (Ibn 'Uyayna). 

· "This is the most knowledgeable (afqah) of people on earth." (Za'ida) 

· "I never saw anyone like Sufyan al-Thawri" (Ibn Wahb). Ibn Wahb narrates that he saw Sufyan prostrate after Maghrib and not raise his head until the call for 'Isha'. 

· "By Allah! Sufyan was more knowledgeable than Abþ H.anifa" (Fudayl ibn 'Iyad.). "He is above Malik in all things." (Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Qattan) "If these two concur on something – al-Thawri and Abu Hanifa – then this is a strong position." (Ibn al-Mubarak) 

· "Al-Thawri for us was the Imam of all the people…. Sufyan in his time was like Abu Bakr and 'Umar in theirs." (BISHR AL-HAFI) 

· "If I were asked to choose someone to lead this Umma I would have chosen Sufyan al-Thawri" (al-Awza'i). 

· "I never saw a man who follows the Sunna more rigorously or in whose body I would love to be more than Sufyan al-Thawri." (Al-Shafi'i) 

· "Do you know who is the Imam? The Imam in my view is Sufyan al-Thawri. No-one comes before him in my heart!" (Ahmad to Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi) 

· "Sufyan is the 'alim of the Umma and its Worshipper" (Al-Muthanna ibn al-Sabbah.). 

· "Truly, if I see a person accompany Sufyan, that person becomes great in my view." (Abu Bakr ibn 'Ayyash) 

By Gibril F. Haddad 

The TASAWWUF of Sufyan at-Thawri  

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya relates in 'Madarij al-salikin', and Ibn al-Jawzi in the chapter entitled "Abu Hashim al-Zahid" in his Sifat al-safwa after the early hadith master Abu Nu'aym in his Hilyat al-awliya', that Sufyan al-Thawri said: 

If it were not for Abu Hashim al-Sufi (d. 115) I would have never perceived the presence of the subtlest forms of hypocrisy in the self... Among the best of people is the Sufi learned in jurisprudence.1 

Ibn al-Jawzi also narrates the following: 

Abu Hashim al-Zahid said: "Allah has stamped alienation upon the world in order that the friendly company of the muridin (seekers) consist solely in being with Him and not with the world, and in order that those who obey Him come to Him by means of avoiding the world. The People of Knowledge of Allah (ahl al-ma'rifa billah) are strangers in the world and long for the hereafter."2 

1 Ibn Qayyim, Madarij al-salikin; Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat al-safwa (Beirut: dar al-kutub al-'ilmiyya, 1403/1989) 1  

2 203 (#254); Abu Nu'aym, Hilyat al-awliya, s.v. "Abu Hashim al-Sufi."(2) Ibn al-Jawzi, op. cit.  

Reproduced with permission from Shaykh M. Hisham Kabbani's 

The Repudiation of "Salafi" Innovations (Kazi, 1996) p. 277. 

Blessings and Peace on the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions 

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Ibrahim ibn Adham

Ibrahim ibn Adham, is known as Ibrahim ibn Adham ibn Mansour ibn Yazeed ibn Jabir Al-Ajly Al-Tamimi. His origin is from Balkh, a country located in central Asia, and his nickname is Abu Ishaq. His grandfather was the ruler of Khurasan and his father was one of its kings. Naturally, Ibrahim was going to inherit the kingdom. He is also a well-known Follower (Tabi'i, the second generation after the Companions). He met some of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam's Companions and narrated hadiths after them. He was fluent in speaking classical Arabic. He inherited a fortune and lived as a negligent king until one day an old man told him:  

"Ibrahim, you were not created for leisure, *{Did ye then think that We had created you in jest, and that ye would not be brought back to Us [for judgment] ? }* (Qur'an; Al-Mu'minun 23:115) Fear Allah, and prepare yourself for death." 

From this moment Ibrahim repented and became a sincere muslim, following the path of tasawwuf. He deserted his status as a ruler and moved to live in Jerusalem. He did not miss a cause for the sake of Allah and fought for His cause devotedly, especially in the Roman lands. This was even in the moments of poverty. He wore coarse clothes and ate modest food. He died in Sur in Lebanon in H 161/778 CE. Some accounts state that he was killed on a naval expedition against Byzantium. 

Imam Junayd al Baghdadi Radi Allahu anhu said of him, "Ibrahim is the key to the sciences" and he is held in great respect, by all who have knowledge, for his exemplary life and his incisive wisdom with respect to the states of man. Ibrahim ibn Adham also associated with Sufyan ath-Thawri Radi Allahu anhu. 

Ibrahim ibn Adham said: 

Any one who controls his stomach is in control of his religion, and anyone who controls his hunger is in control of good behaviour. Disobedience towards Allah is nearest to a person who is satiated with a full stomach, and furthest away from a person who is hungry. 

A man approached Ibrahim ibn Adham Radi Allahu anhu and said, "Who are the best of men?" He reflected and said, "The poor who when they are refused, are grateful, and when they are given something they prefer others to themselves."  

Many stories were spread about his mysticism ; 

It is said that he once passed by a sad man and told him, "I want to ask you about three things, so answer me. Does anything in this universe happen against the will of Allah?" 

The man denied and Ibrahim said, "Does your daily bread decrease from what Allah has decided for you?"  

The man again denied and Ibrahim said, "Will your life end even one second earlier than Allah has decided for you?"  

And again, the man denied. So Ibrahim said, "So why is the sadness?" 

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Dawud al-Tai

Dawud al-Tai alayhir rahman narrated hadith from a number of the Tabi'in and took fiqh from Imam Abu Hanifa alayhir rahman who predicted that he would devote himself entirely to worship. Ibn Zyad al-Lului reported, [Abu al-Hudhayl] 'Zufar [ibn al-Hudhayl al-Anbari] [110-158] and Dawud al-Tai al-Kufi at first were colleagues, then Dawud left fiqh for asceticism while Zufar joined between the two. 

Ibn al-Jawzi in 'Sifat al-Safwa' from which is quoted all the following material narrates that Abu Hanifa said to Dawud: 'Abu Sulayman! As for the instrument, we have mastered it.' Dawud said:What is left? Abu Hanifa said: 'What is left is to put it to practice!' Dawud said: 'When I heard this,my soul stirred me to seclusion and solitariness, but I told her: Sit with them for a year and do not raise a peep during that time.' During that year, he said, 'A question would come up which made me crave to answer more than someone parched craves water, but I would not answer.' After one year, he went into seclusion. 

Among Dawuds sayings: 

'Fear Allah and keep piety to your two parents; fast from the world and make death your breakfast; run away from people as you would from a lion, without disparaging them nor leaving their congregation.' 

'Be satisfied with little from the world together with safety in Religion, just as worldly people are satisfied with the world together with corruption in their Religion.' 

'Despair is the natural end of our deeds, but the hearts drag us to hope.' 

'Beware lest Allah finds you where He forbade you to be; beware lest He not find you where He ordered you to be; be ashamed of His nearness to you and His power over you.' 

'To a student who wished to learn archery:  

'Archery is fine but your days are counted; look well how you spend them.' 

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Abi Dawud said he heard Shiduyah ask Dawud: 'What do you think of a man who enters upon those ['Abbasi] princes and commands them good and forbids them from evil?' Dawud said: 'I fear he will be lashed' He said: 'What if he endures it?' Dawud: 'I fear the sword for him.' He said: 'What if he endures it?' Dawud: 'I fear for him the deeply-hidden disease 'vain glory (al-.ujb).' 

Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Sayrafi said that Dawud only came out of his house upon hearing the iqama then, when the Imam gave salam, jumped up and re-entered his house. His daily diet was bread, salt, and water. One time he ate dates out of craving, after which he swore never to touch dates again. One time his maidservant cooked him a dish but he said: 'Take it to So-and-so's orphans. If I eat it, it will end up in the refuse, but if they eat it, it will be stored up in the Divine presence.'  

At a funeral one day, Dawud was heard to say: 

'Whoever fears the Divine threat, all that seems farlooms near to him; whoever harbours endless hopes, his deeds are feeble; everything that is going to take place is actually near! Know, my brother, that everything that keeps you away from your Lord is a misfortune for you. Know that the dwellers of the graves are happy for what they sent forth and regret their useless occupations, while the dwellers of the world fight and compete with one another precisely over what the grave-dwellers regret.' 

Visitors once said to one another, upon seeing him sitting on the dusty ground: 'This is an ascetic (zahid).. He said: 

'The ascetic is one who first evaluates then leaves!' 

When Sufyan al-Thawri visited him with Abu Khalid al-Ahmar the latter was miffed that Dawud did not so much as look at Sufyan, but Sufyan told him: 'He is unconcerned by affection; did you not see his eyes? They see other than what we fiddle with.' 

To another visitor who offered to have the cobwebs in his ceiling swept Dawud said:  

'Do you not know that He [!] detests superfluous gazes?' After that he refused visitors and communicated from behind his door. 

Dawud inherited from his parents or his freedwoman twenty pieces of gold which sufficed him for twenty years, after which he would sell the wood of his roof for sustenance until he lived in the last sheltered corner of his house. 

Hammad [ibn Salama] and/or Abu Yusuf said to him: 'Dawud! You are satisfied with so little of this world!' He replied:  

'Do you know who is satisfied with much less? Those who are happy with all this world in exchange for the hereafter!' 

To al-Harith ibn Idris who asked him for counsel Dawud replied: 'The soldiers of death await you.' 

Dawud's frequent prayer: 

'Allahumma! Your care has piled cares upon me and barred my way to sleep. My desire to see You has tied me up and barred me from pleasures. I am in your jail . O' Generous One, under arrest!'  

Then he would repeat a verse of the Qur'an over and over. His neighbour, overhearing, said: 'It would seem to me as if all the pleasures of this world were summed up in that verse.' Abu Nuaym [al-Fad'l ibn Dukayn] said he saw an ant crawl on Dawud's face lengthwise and widthwise while Dawud did not even feel it because of his anxiety and sorrow. 

Abu Dawud al-T'ayalisi said he was present at Dawud's deathbed and he never witnessed a harder agony. Hafs ibn Umar al-Jufi said the reason for his final illness was that Dawud read a verse that mentioned hellfire that affected him deeply. He repeated it all night long until morning then gave up the ghost, his head resting on a clay brick. 

Ibn al-Jawzi said the report that Dawud al-Tai was a silk-maker, is probably about Dawud ibn Abi al-Hind al-Basri rather than al-Tai, who did not have a profession. That report states that for forty years, he left his house with his luncheon which he gave away as alms, then he would go home and eat dinner with his family and they never knew that he was fasting. 

source :dawud al-tai pdf

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Imam Malik Ibn Anas

Malik ibn Anas ibn Malik ibn 'Amr, al-Imam, Abu 'Abd Allah al-Humyari al-Asbahi al-Madani [b.93 - d.179], the Shaykh of Islam, Proof of the Community, Imam of the Abode of Emigration, and Knowledgeable Scholar of Madina predicted by the Prophet. The second of the four major mujtahid imams, whose school filled North Africa, al-Andalus, much of Egypt, and some of al-Sham, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, and Khurasan. He is the author of al-Muwatta' ("The Approved"), formed of the sound narrations of the Prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam from the people of the Hijaz together with the sayings of the Companions, the Followers, and those after them. It was hailed by Imam al-Shafi'i Rahmatullahi alaih as the soundest book on earth after the Qur'an, nearest book on earth to the Qur'an, most correct book on earth after the Qur'an, and most beneficial book on earth after the Qur'an according to four separate narrations. Imam Malik Rahmatullahi alaih said: "I showed my book to seventy jurists of Madina, and every single one of them approved me for it (kulluhum wata’ani 'alayh), so I named it 'The Approved'." Imam al-Bukhari Rahmatullahi alaih said that the soundest of all chains of transmission was "Malik, from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar." The scholars of hadith call it the Golden Chain, and there are eighty narrations with this chain in the Muwatta’. 

Malik ibn Anas Rahmatullahi alaih stated "whoever studies Jurisprudence (tafaqaha) and didn't study Sufism [tasawwafa] will be corrupted; and whoever studied Sufism and didn't study Jurisprudence will become a heretic; and whoever combined both will be reach the Truth." [the scholar 'Ali al-Adawi , vol. 2, p 195.) 

Further recommended reading :

www.sunnah.org/publication/khulafa_rashideen/malik.htm


IMAM ABU HANIFAH | IMAM SHAFI'I | IMAM HANBAL

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'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak

He was the client of the Banu Tamim, then the Banu Hanifa. His kunya was Abu 'Abdu'r-Rahman. He listened to Ibn Abi Layla, Hisham ibn 'Urwa, al-A'mash, Sulayman at-Tamimi, Humayd at-Tawil, Yahya ibn Sa'id, Ibn 'Awn, Musa ibn 'Uqba, the two Sufyans, al-Awza'i, Ibn Abi Dhib, Malik, Ma'mar, Shu'ba, and Haywa ibn Shurayh, and he studied with Abu 'Amr ibn al-'Ala', al-Layth and others. Ibn Mahdi, 'Abdu'r-Razzaq, Yahya ibn al-Qattan, Ibn Wahb and others related from him. 

Qadi Abu'l-Fadl said that as-Sadafi mentioned, "When Ibn al-Mubarak came of age, his father sent him 50,000 to use for commerce. He sought after knowledge until he had spent the money. When it was gone, his father met him and said, 'What have you bought?' He brought out his books for him and said, 'This is my trade.' His father went into the house and gave him 30,000 dirhams more and said, 'Take this and follow your trade with them,' and he spent them." Ibn al-Mubarak said, "I studied adab for thirty years and I studied knowledge for twenty years."  

Ibn Hanbal said, "In the time of Ibn al-Mubarak, there was no one who sought after knowledge more than him. He went to the Yemen, Egypt, Syria, the Hijaz, Basra and Kufa, and whoever related knowledge and was worthy of it. He wrote from young men and old men. He omitted what was rare. He gave hadiths from books." Ibn Waddah said, "Ibn al-Mubarak related about 25,000 hadiths. He was asked, 'Up until when did you study knowledge?' He said, 'I hope that you will find me doing that until I die." 

Ibn al-Mubarak used to say ; 

"The beginning of knowledge is the intention, then listening, then understanding, then action, then preservation, and then spreading it." 

It was said, "He went on hajj one year and raiding the next year. Whenever he came to Madina, he said to its shaykhs among the people of knowledge and decrease. Whoever wants to go on hajj, come out with me. Their provision is enough for them. He did the same when he went on raids." 

Al-Fasawi the worshipper said, "I was with Ibn al-Mubarak raiding on a cold, rainy night. He wept and I said, 'Are you weeping for the like of this?' He said, 'I am weeping for the previous nights which did not have the like of this hardship so that we could be rewarded for them.'" 

Ibn al-Musayyab said, "Ibn al-Mubarak sent 70,000 dirhams to Abu Bakr ibn 'Ayyash and said, 'Use it to stop the lack of censure of you.'" Nu'aym ibn Hammad said, "Ibn al-Mubarak used to stay in his house a lot. He was asked, 'Are you isolating yourself?' He said, 'How can I isolate myself when I am with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions?' 

He related that Iblis came to Ibn al-Mubarak when he was doing wudu' and said, "You did not wipe.'" He said, "I did wipe." He said, "You did not wipe." He said, 'You are a claimant, so present your proof.'" Ibn al-Mubarak said to one of his companions, "Do not neglect a day which Allah has mentioned in 63 places in His Book. 

A man said to Ibn al-Mubarak, "Yesterday I read the entire Qur'an in a single rak'at." Ibn al-Mubarak said, "But I know a man who did not cease to recite 'Rivalry' (102) yesterday until the Subh prayer. He could not get past it," i.e. himself. 

Some of His Wisdoms, Poetry and Wit 

He said; 

Fight your tongue. The tongue is quick to kill a man. 

The tongue is the posting of the heart. It shows man his intellect. 

He said; 

I see that some people are content with the least of the deen 

but I do not see them pleased with meagerness in this life. 

Be rich with Allah, independent of the world of the kings 

as the kings are free of the deen with their worldly things. 

He said: 

People's enjoyment of worship and taqwa is the sweetest bliss 

not the pleasure of the wine. 

Their sources enjoy it for all their lives, and they, by Allah, 

have provision until they reach the graves 

In a moment they obtain might and taqwa. 

Does not the enjoyment of life lie in piety and steadfastness? 

He said: 

I see every life as unhappy and miserabl 

except for planting the spear in the shade of the horse 

And standing in the dark nights, vigilant, 

guarding the people in the furthest outpost. 

A man came to Ibn al-Mubarak and said to him, "May Allah be pleased with you! Describe for me those who are wild and distracted by love of Allah. He replied, "They are as I will tell you; 

Alert, on mounts as if they were a caravan desiring to pass, 

that is how they are moved. 

Their limbs are restrained from every foul action. 

Truthfulness is their school, as well as zuhd and fear 

Another person asked him to describe the fearful. He said: 

When the night is darkest, they endure it, 

and it travels from them while they are still bowing. 

Fear dispelled their sleep, so they stood alert while the people of security 

in this world were sleeping peacefully. 

While they are prostrating under the cloak the darkness, 

their groan pierces their ribs. 

They are mute in the day by the length of their silence 

They have tranquillity from their humility 

He also composed: 

Seize the two rak'ats of nearness if you are free and at rest.           

When you desire to speak about the false, put glorification in its place. 

Seizing silence is better than plunging 

even if you are eloquent in speech. 

Ibn al-Mubarak has a lot of poetry in more than one subject. He had a short poem in rajaz-metre on the Companions and the Followers and long qasidas on constancy and jihad which are famous. He has the Kitab ar-Raqa'iq which is famous, and The Book of the Objectives of Jihad. 

Ibn al-Mubarak was asked, "Who are the people?" "The scholars," he replied He was asked, "Who are the kings?" He said, "The men of detachment (zuhd)." He was asked, "Who are the rabble?" "Harthima and Khuzayma ibn Hazim," he answered. It was said, "Who are the fools?" He said, "The one who sells the Next World for the worldly portion of someone else. 

He used to say ; 

"The trace of ink on the garment of the master of hadith is better than the perfume on the bride's garment." 

He was asked, "Which person has the best state?" He said, "The one who devotes himself to his Lord." 

Ibn al-Mubarak said, "I passed by a weaver when I had broken the throng of my sandal and he gave me with a strap. I asked, 'Did you do it for pay?' He said, 'Yes.' When I passed by him, I leaned towards him and greeted him. Then I missed him and found that he had closed his shop. I asked one of the neighbours about him. I said, 'If he is sick, I will visit him. If he is busy, I will help him. If he is poor, I will share with him. 

"They said, 'We have no knowledge of him.' I asked permission to enter his house and he came out to me. I asked him, 'What has kept you from your shop?' He said to me, 'You, Ibn al-Mubarak. People see you inclining to me, so they have put a shirt on me which I do not deserve.' 

"I took his sleeve and went with him to the graves. I said, 'This is the grave of so-and-so. His business was such-and-such. This is the grave of so-and-so. His business was such-and-such.' 

"He said to me, 'Ibn al-Mubarak, I do not know what you are saying. The man is not all the man whom the tongues describe and the man is not all the man whom the eyes see. The man is the one whom Allah veils in his life and makes him enter the grave veiled and then He brings him out on the Day of Rising when there is no abasement or rebellion on him. That is the man.'" 

Abu Bakr al-Khatib related that al-Hasan ibn 'Isa ibn Masrajis used to pass by Ibn al-Mubarak while he was a Christian. Al-Hasan had a very beautiful face. Ibn al-Mubarak asked about him and was told, "He is a Christian." He said, "O Allah, provide him with Islam." Allah answered his supplication and al-Hasan became an excellent Muslim. He was one of the scholars of the Community and one of those who travelled in quest of knowledge and the Sunna in all regions and people studied with him. He possessed scrupulousness, intellect and reliability. 

One of the men who kept the company of Ibn al-Mubarak inclined to this world and kept the Sultan's company. He met him one day and greeted him. He said to him; 

"My brother! 

All is from rice, wheat and barley bread, 

And it crushes. O person! Allah has guided you from the amir's abode 

So do not visit it! Avoid it it! They are false sparks. 

It takes away the deen and brings you near to great wrong action." 

The man was ashamed and left the Sultan's company and returned to his company. 

Concerning his position in riwaya and hadith 

One of the Sufis who had heard him say that one of the transmitters of hadith was weak, said to him, "Abu 'Abdu'r-Rahman, do you slander?" He said, "Be quiet. If we do not clarify, who will know the true from the false?" 

Ibn al-Mubarak died in Hit, returning from a naval expedition and was buried in Hit in Ramadan in 181. Al-Bukhari said that he was born in 118. 

When he was near death, he told Nasr, his client, "Put my head on the earth." Nasr wept. He said, "Why do you weep?" He said, "I remember what you had in it of blessing and now you are dying a stranger and a pauper." He told him, "Be quiet. I asked Allah to let me live the life of the rich and to make me die the death of the poor." Then he said, "Put me down and do not address me again unless I speak again. Put me down so that it is my last words."  

When Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna was told that Ibn al-Mubarak had died, he said, "May Allah have mercy on him. He was a man of fiqh, knowledge, worship, asceticism, and generosity. He was courageous and a poet." He also said, "No one has come to us like Ibn al-Mubarak and Ibn Abi Ziyada." Muhammad ibn al-Mu'tamir said, "When ath-Thawri died, I asked my father, 'Who is the faqih of the Arabs?" He replied, "Ibn al-Mubarak." Al-Awza'i said to Abu 'Uthman al-Kalbi about him, "If I had seen him, I would have been delighted." An-Nasa'i said, "There was not known in the time of Ibn al-Mubarak anyone more glorious or excellent than him nor anyone who had more virtues than he possessed." Salam ibn Muti' said, "No one like him came in the east afterwards. I prefer Ibn al-Mubarak to ath-Thawri." Ibn Waddah said, "I listened to a group of the people of knowledge relate, 'Knowledge, taqwa, hadith, recognition of the men, poetry, generosity, worship and scrupulousness were comibined in Ibn al-Mubarak. 

from Qadi 'Iyad's 'Tartib al-Madarik' 

Thanks to Aisha Bewley's homepage  

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Qadi Abu Yusuf

Qadi Abu Yusuf was a descendent of the Ansar and Sahaba Hadrat Sa'd b. Sibat. Born in Kufa in 113 or 117 H and passed away on the 5th of Rabi' al-Awwal 182 H. Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Shaibani was born in 135 H and passed away in 189 H. He attended for about 2 yrs the lectures of Imam Abu Hanifah Radi Allahu anhu, and upon the latter's death, he completed his education under Abu Yusuf. He also studied for 3 yrs the Muwatta of Imam Malik Radi Allahu anhu under the great Imam himself, in Medina. 

Qadi Abu Yusuf as long as Imam Abu Hanifah Radi Allahu anhu lived, he regularly attended his court. Imam Abu Hanifah acknowledged his mastery in Fiqh. Returning once from a visit to Abu Yusuf during the latter's sickness, Abu Hanifah Radi Allahu anhu said to his companions: 

"If, Allah forbid, this man (Abu Yusuf) dies, the world will lose one of its great scholars." 

Abu Yusuf attended the lectures of many other doctors. He heard Traditions from A'mash, Hisham b. 'Urwah, Sulaiman Taimi, Abu Ishaq Shaibani, Yahya b. Sa'id al-Ansari and others, learned maghazi (military history) and siyar (biography) from Muhammad b. Ishaq and knowledge of Fiqh from Muhammad b. Abi Laila. Allah endowed him with so much intelligence and such a good memory that he learned all these disciplines simultaneously! Other Imams in other sciences ackowledged his quick intelligence and penertration. 

Although he is known mostly in Fiqh, he was unrivalled in other sciences.The historian Ibn Khallikan quotes Hilal b. Yahya as having said: "Abu Yusuf was a hafiz of tafsir (exegesis), maghazi and ayyam al-'Arab (history of Arabia), Fiqh was one of his minor accomplishments." 

1. Abu Yusuf was ranked so high in Hadith so as to be counted huffaz in it, the famous and strict muhhadith Dhahabi included an account of Abu Yusuf in his Tadhkirat al-Huffaz. 

2. Ahmad Hanbal Radi Allahu anhu said "When I was first attracted to Hadith, I went to Abu Yusuf." 

3. Muzni, a famous disciple of Shafi'i Radi Allahu anhu used to say: "Abu Yusuf follows more Hadith than anybody else. 'Abd al-Barr, a well-known Muhaddith, writes that Abu Yusuf used to visit different Muhaddithin and at one sitting learn 50 to 60 Traditions, all of which he would retain in his memory! 

4. A'mash the famous muhaddith having consulted Abu Yusuf on a question, said on hearing his reply: "Have you any authority for this?". "Yes", replied Abu Yusuf, and he reminded A'mash of a Tradition which the latter had narrated to him on a certain occasion. "Ya'qub", said A'mash, "I first heard this Tradition when your parents had yet not got married, but I have understood its meaning only today" (Ibn Khallikan, Ta'rikh, note on Abu Yusuf). 

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Rabi'ah al-Adawiyah , al-Basri

Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya [d.717-801 C.E.] Radi Allahu anha was a female Sufi saint from Iraq, who first set forth the doctrine of mystical love and who is widely considered to be the most important of the early Sufi poets. Rabi'a was also known as 'Rabi'a al-Qaysiyya' or 'Rabi'a of Basrah' she was born in Basra, Iraq between the years 95 A.H. and 99 A.H. Not a great deal is known about Rabia al Basri radi Allahu ta'ala anha, except that she lived in abject poverty. But many spiritual stories are associated with her and what we can glean about her is reality merged with legend. These traditions come from FARID AL-DIN ATTAR a later sufi saint and poet, who used earlier sources.  

After her father's death, there was a famine in Basra, and during that she was parted from her family. It is not clear how she was traveling in a caravan that was set upon by robbers. She was taken by the robbers and sold into slavery. Her master worked her very hard, but at night after finishing her chores Rabia [Allah be pleased with her] would turn to meditation and prayers and praising the Lord. Foregoing rest and sleep she spent her nights in prayers and she often fasted during the day.  

There is a story that once, while in the market, she was pursued by a vagabond and in running to save herself she fell and broke her arm. She prayed to the Lord . 

"I am a poor orphan and a slave,   

Now my hand too is broken.   

But I do not mind these things if Thou be pleased with me. " 

and felt a voice reply:   

"Never mind all these sufferings. On the Day of Judgement you shall be accorded a status that shall be the envy of the angels even" 

One day the master of the house spied her at her devotions. There was a divine light enveloping her as she prayed. Shocked that he kept such a pious soul as a slave, he set her free. Rabia [Allah be pleased with her] went into the desert to pray and became an ascetic. Unlike many sufi saints she did not learn from a teacher or master but turned to Allah himself.  

Throughout her life, her Love of Allah. Poverty and self-denial were unwavering and her constant companions. She did not possess much other than a broken jug, a rush mat and a brick, which she used as a pillow. She spent all night in prayer and contemplation chiding herself if she slept for it took her away from her active Love of Allah. 

As her fame grew she had many disciples. She also had discussions with many of the renowned religious people of her time. While she apparently received many marriage offers (including a proposal from HASAN AL-BASRI himself), she refused them as she had no time in her life for anything other than Allah and so remained celibate. She died of old age, an ascetic, her only care from the disciples who followed her. She was the first in a long line of female Sufi mystics.   

More interesting than her absolute asceticism, however, is the actual concept of Divine Love that Rabia introduced. She was the first to introduce the idea that Allah should be loved for Allah's own sake, not out of fear--as earlier Sufis had done. 

When asked by Shaykh Hasan al-Basri Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu how she discovered the secret, she responded by stating: 

You know of the how, but I know of the how-less. 

One day, she was seen running through the streets of Basra carrying a torch in one hand and a bucket of water in the other. When asked what she was doing, she said: I want to put out the fires of Hell, and burn down the rewards of Paradise. They block the way to Allah. I do not want to worship from fear of punishment or for the promise of reward, but simply for the love of Allah. 

She taught that repentance was a gift from Allah because no one could repent unless Allah had already accepted him and given him this gift of repentance. She taught that sinners must fear the punishment they deserved for their sins, but she also offered such sinners far more hope of Paradise than most other ascetics did. For herself, she held to a higher ideal, worshipping Allah neither from fear of Hell nor from hope of Paradise, for she saw such self-interest as unworthy of Allah's servants; emotions like fear and hope were like veils -- i.e. hindrances to the vision of Allah Himself. 

She prayed:  

"O Allah! If I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell, 

and if I worship You in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise. 

But if I worship You for Your Own sake, 

grudge me not Your everlasting Beauty." 

Rabia [Allah be pleased with her] was in her early to mid eighties when she died, having followed the mystic Way to the end. By then, she was continually united with her Beloved. As she told her Sufi friends,  

"My Beloved is always with me" 

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Imam Muhammad al Shaibani

An eminent Hanafi scholar of his time, who also served as the Chief Justice in Baghdad. Imam al-Muhammad b. al-Hasan Shaibani was born in 135 Hijri and passed away in 189 Hijri. He attended for about 2 years the lectures of Imam Abu Hanifah alayhir rahman, and upon the latter's death, he completed his education under Abu Yusuf alayhir rahman. He also studied for 3 yrs the Muwatta of Imam Malik alayhir rahman under the great Imam himself, in Madina. The great Imam, Imam Shafi'i alayhir rahman said: 

"Whenever Imam Muhammad expounded a point of law, it seemed as if the revealing Angel had descended upon him." 

"I acquired from Imam Muhammad a camel-load of learning"  

Ibn Hajar alayhir rahman quotes Imam Shafi'i as having said:  

"....I used to visit him (Muhammad b. Hasan). I told myself that he was of high rank in fiqh too. Therefore, I made it a point to attend upon him, and I used to take down his lectures." 

[note: In his early days Ibn Taymiyyah denied that Imam Shafi'i alayhir rahman was a pupil of Imam Muhammad, but hundreds of historical books and rijal bear witness that Imam Shafi'i associated with Imam Muhammad] 

On somebody asking the great Imam, Imam Ahmad Hanbal alayhir rahman where he had learnt all the subtle points of law he used to make, he replied, "From the books of Muhammad b. Hasan." (Tahdhib al- Asma' wa'l-Lughat by IMAM AL-NAWAWI). 

Again, similar to his teachers, most of his fame rests with his work in fiqh but he had the rank of mujtahis in exegesis, Tradition and literature also. Imam Shafi alayhir rahman is reported to have said: I have not come across a man more learned in the Qur'an than Imam Muhammad." (Al-Jawahir al- Mudiyyah). His complete grasp on literature and Arabic linguistics is seen questions of fiqh based upon grammatical points in his Jami' Kabir. 'Jami Kabir' is a voluminous work where the dicta of Imam Abu Hanifah alayhir rahman, Imam Abu Yusuf alayhir rahman and Imam Zufar alayhir rahman are quoted with the questions and arguments. Later Hanafi scholars used this book as the basis of the methodological reasoning employed by the Hanafi school. 

Shaykh al-Kadi, a latter day scholar said in a talk (Fiqh and Fuqaha) that fiqh is the fruition of all the other Islamic sciences such as hadith, Exegesis, Grammer, History and so forth. These two great Imams were recognized mujtahids in all the sciences making them mujtahid mutalaqs of the madhab. The same holds true for the other madhabs. Many scholars consider some of Imam Shafi alayhir rahman students to be mujtahid mutlaqs also. The genius of Imam Abu Hanifah alayhir rahman in operationalizing the Qur'an and Sunnah was nurtured and matured under the genius of his students. 

As time went by, scholars who were masters in the Hanafi madhab methodology and its basis became the madhabs custodians, such as Imam Abideen alayhir rahman. We lay Muslims are indebted to these great Scholars for allowing creating and maintaining a vehicle for us to traverse and protect us on the "Straight Path" to our Lord and Creator, based on the teachings of Allah's beloved, our Beloved Prophet and leader in this world and the next, Muhammad, Peace and choisest blessings be upon Him and the Ahl al Bait. 

This information has been obtained and adapted from the english translation of "Sirat-i-Numan" by Allama Shibli Nu'mani translated by M. Hadi Hussain. 

What al Shaibani said : On fiqh - 

''Every Muslim has to learn the two hundred thousand branches of knowledge of fiqh teaching harams and halals. After the fard, the most valuable worship is to learn knowledge and fiqh.'' 

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Maroof al-Karkhi

Muqtada-e-Ahl al-Tariqat, Rahhuma-e-Raahe Haqiqat, Hadrat Shaykh Maroof Karkhi radi Allahu anhu is the ninth Imam and Shaykh of the Silsila Aaliyah Qaderiya. He attained all his knowledge under the watchful eye of Imam Ali Raza radi Allahu anhu. He became mureed of Hadrat Habeeb Raa'ee, and was blessed with Khilafat from Hadrat Habeeb Ra'ee, Hadrat Ali Raza and Hadrat Awliyah Ta'ee Allah be pleased with them all. 

He passed away on a Friday or Saturday, on the 2nd of Muharram, 200 Hijri. After his demise, Hadrat Muhammad bin Abul Hussain radi Allahu anhu says, that he saw Hadrat Maroof Karkhi radi Allahu anhu in his dream and he asked him how Almighty Allah had treated him. He said; 

Almighty Allah pardoned me, not because of my piety but because of what I heard from Hadrat Samaak radi Allahu anhu in Kufa, when he said, 'He who leaves all ties and turns towards Allah, then Allah Almighty Allah sends his Mercy towards him and he turns all his servants in his direction.' I followed this advice of his and turned completely towards Allah, and with the exception of the khidmat of Hadrat Ali (Raza) radi Allahu anhu I left everything else. 

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Imam al-Shafi'i

Muhammad ibn Idris ibn al-'Abbas, al-Imam al-Shafi'i, Abu 'Abd Allah al-Shafi'i al-Hijazi al-Qurashi al-Hashimi al-Muttalibi (d. 204), the offspring of the Blessed House of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, the peerless one of the great mujtahid imams and jurisprudent par excellence, the scrupulously pious ascetic and Friend of Allah, he laid down the foundations of fiqh in his Risala, which he said he revised and re-read four hundred times, then said: "Only Allah’s Book is perfect and free from error." 

He is the cousin of the Beloved Prophet Allah’s blessings and peace upon him descending from al-Muttalib who is the brother of Hashim, 'Abd al-Muttalib’s father. Imam al-Shafi'i Rahmatullahi alaih stated "I accompanied the Sufi people and I received from them three knowledges: ... how to speak; .. how to treat people withleniency and a soft heart... and they... guided me in the ways of Sufism." [Kashf al-Khafa, 'Ajluni, vol. 1, p 341.] 

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Further recommended reading :  www.sunnah.org/publication/khulafa_rashideen/shafii.htm

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IMAM ABU HANIFAH | IMAM MALIK | IMAM HANBAL 

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by GF Haddad - Qasyoun/at/ziplip.com - Shawwal 1423 

Imam al-Shafi'i recommended tasawwuf  

on condition that knowledge accompany it. 

He declared in his Diwan: 

Faqihan wa-sufiyyan fakun laysa wah.idan 

Fa'inni wa-h.aqqillahi iyyaka ans.ahu 

Fadhalika qasin lam yadhuq qalbuhu tuqan 

Wahadha jahulun kayfa dhul-jahli yas.luhu 

Be both a jurisprudent and a sufi - never just one of the two. 

Truly, by the Divine Right, I am advising you sincerely! 

For the former is hardened, his heart tastes no Godwariness, 

While the latter is ignorant - of what use is the ignorant? 

[1] 

This is similar to Imam Sufyan al-Thawri's statement that -"Among the best of people is the Sufi learned in jurisprudence." [2] 

Among al-Shafi'i's sayings on Sufism and Sufis: 

• "I accompanied the Sufis for ten years and benefited from them but from two words: their statement that  

time is as word: if you do not cut it, it cuts you, 

and their statement that 

deprivation is immunity."[3] 

Some versions have "three words" and add "their statement that ; 

if you do not keep your ego busy with truth 

it will keep you busy with falsehood." 

• “If a rational man does not become a Sufi he does not reach noon except he is a dolt!"[4] Abu Nu'aym narrates this from Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Fadl, from Abu al-H.asan [Ah.mad ibn Muh.ammad ibn al-Harith] ibn al-Qattat [al-Misri], from the thiqa Muhammad ibn Abi Yahya, from the thiqa Imam Yunus ibn 'Abdal-A'la, from the Imam. 

• A contrary version of the latter saying reads: ''A rational man does not become a Sufi except he reaches noon a dolt!"[5] Al-Bayhaqi narrates this from al-Hakim, from Abu Muh.ammad Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn al-Harith, from al-Hasan ibn Muh.ammad ibn al-Dahhak (Ibn Bah.r), both of unknown reliability. For obvious reasons, this is the preferred version of the detractors of Sufis. 

IMAM AL-NAWAWI in his 'Bustan al-'arifin fil-Zuhd wal-Tasawwuf'; 

"The Garden of the Knowers in Asceticism and Tasawwuf") narrated with his chain from al-Shafi'i the saying: 

"Only the sincere one (al-mukhlis.)  

can recognize self-display (al-riya')." 

Al-Nawawi comments: "This means that it is impossible to know the reality of self-display and see its hidden shades except for one who resolutely seeks (arada) sincerity. Such a one strives for a long time, searching, meditating, examining at length within himself until he knows, or knows something of what self-display is. This does not happen for everyone. Indeed, this happens only with special ones (al-khawass.). But for a given individual to claim that he knows what self-diplay is, this is real ignorance on his part."[6] 

In Makka al-Shafi'i was the student of al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyad.. It is said that he also took tas.awwuf from the ascetic shepherd Shayban al-Ra'i. Little is known of the latter and there is no report of the two having ever met but there is a narration that Shayban went on pilgrimage on foot with Sufyan al-Thawri who witnessed him tame a lion and tweak its ear [7] 

- Allah have mercy on them and be well-pleased with them! - 

Notes 

[1] Al-Shafi'i, Diwan (p. 177 #45).  

[2] Narrated by al-Harawi al-Ansari in his Tabaqat al-Sufiyya. 

[3] Narrated from Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i by al-Bayhaqi in Manaqib al-Shafi'i (2:208) cf. Ibn al-Qayyim in Madarij al-Salikin (3:128) and al-Jawab al-Kafi (p. 208-209) and al-Suyuti in Ta'yid al-Haqiqat al-Aliyya (p. 15). 

[4] Narrated from Yunus ibn 'Abd al-A'la by Abu Nu'aym, Hilya (1985 ed. 9:142). 

[5] Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, Manaqib (2:207) cf. Ibn al-Jawzi, S.ifat al-S.afwa (1:25) and Talbis Iblis (1985 ed. p. 447) and Ibn Taymiyya in his Istiqama (p. 414). 

[6] Al-Nawawi, Bustan al-'arifin (p. 53-54). 

[7] In Abu Nu'aym, Hilya (1985 ed. 7:68-69) and al-Dhahabi, Siyar (7:203-203=al-Arna'ut. ed. 7:268). Another rare narration reports other of his miraculous gifts (karamat) in Abu Nu'aym, Hilya (1985 ed. 8:317 #434=1997 ed. 8:354 #425). 

source : www.livingislam.org/n/shs_e.html

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Bishr al-Hafi

Bishr ibn al-Harith al-Hafi Radi Allahu anhu was born in 150 Hijri or 767 C.E. in the city of Merv in Egypt. He was one of the early Sufi Masters and a teacher of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal Radi Allahu anhu. Imam Ahmad was the founder of the Hanbali school of Islamic thought. His title was Al-Hafi (The Barefoot). One legend explains the reason for his title that he lead a corrupt life, and then made his repentance on the hand of Imam Moosa Kazim. At that time he was barefoot. There are other legends about his title too. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal Radi Allahu anhu, in order to attain this marifa, although he was at a high degree in knowledge and ijtihad, ran to be in the service of Hadrat Bishr al-Hafi Radi Allahu anhu. When he was asked why he kept close to Bishr al-Hafi, he answered, 'He knows Allah better than I do.'  

Some quotes of Bishr al-Hafi :  

Regarding renunciation (zuhd) he said : "Renunciation is a king who dwells only in a free and empty heart."  

Regarding sadness (huzn), Bishr al-Hafi says: 'Sadness or sorrow is like a ruler. When it settles in a place, it does not allow others to reside there.'  

Regarding Imam al Azam Abu Hanifa Radi Allahu anhu he said: "None criticizes Abu Hanifa except an envier or an ignoramus". 

Regarding tawakkal [trust in Allah] Bishr al-Hafi said: "One of them may say: 'I have put all my trust in Allah [tawakkaltu 'ala 'llah],' although he is actually telling a lie. For, by Allah, if he had really put all his trust in Allah, he would be perfectly content with the way Allah treats him." 

Bishr al-Hafi Radi Allahu anhu passed away in 840 C.E. or 227? Hijri and is burried in Baghdad, Iraq 

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Ibn Abi Shayba

'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Shayba Ibrahim ibn 'Uthman ibn Khuwasta, Abu Bakr al-'Abasi (d. 235), described by SHAMS' AL-DIN AL-DHAHABI as the brother, father, and uncle of hadith masters and their most prestigious representative, "the master of hadith masters," "one of those who have reached the sky, an apex of trustworthiness," "one of the oceans of knowledge," the author of al-Musnad, al-Ahkam, al-Musannaf, and al-Tafsir, "one of the peers of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ishaq ibn Rahuyah, and 'Ali ibn al-Madini in age, place of birth, and hadith memorization." Abu Zur'a al-Razi said: 

"I never saw anyone with more mastery of the hadith than Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shayba."  

His scholarly relatives are: his brothers 'Uthman ibn Abi Shayba and al-Qasim ibn Abi Shayba; his son Ibrahim ibn Abi Bakr ibn Abi Shayba; and his nephew Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn 'Uthman ibn Abi Shayba. All are hadith masters except al-Qasim, who is weak.'Abd Allah ibn Abi Shayba took hadith from Sharik ibn 'Abd Allah al-Qadi at age fourteen, Ibn al-Mubarak, Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna, Hushaym ibn Bashir, Waki' ibn al-Jarrah, Yahya al-Qattan, Isma'il ibn 'Iyash, Isma'il ibn 'Ulayya, and other major authorities. From him took Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Zur'a, Ibn Abi 'Asim, Buqayy ibn Makhlad, al-Baghandi, Abu Ya'la al-Musili, Salih Jazara, 'Abdan, Abu al-Qasim al-Baghawi, and others. 

Ibn Abi Shayba showed enmity to Abu Hanifa - Allah be well-pleased with him -- as he named one of the longest chapters of his Musannaf "Book of the Refutation of Abu Hanifa" in which he proceeded to list about one hundred and twenty five "Prophetic hadiths which Abu Hanifa contradicted."1 This charge, together with Ibn Abi Shayba's refutation, are refuted in the books of Imam Muhammad Zahid al-Kawthari among others. It remains that the Musannaf is perhaps the most precious mine of information on the juridical positions of the Companions and Successors. 

Ibn Abi Shayba alayhir rahman narrates in the chapter entitled: "Touching the grave of the Prophet" with a sahih chain according to IMAM IBN HAJAR AL-ASQALANI and QADI IYAD AL-YAHSUBI in al-Shifa' (in the chapter entitled: "Concerning the visit to the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam's grave, the excellence of those who visit it and how he should be greeted"): 

Yazid ibn 'Abd al-Malik ibn Qusayt and al-'Utbi narrated that it was the practice of the Companions in the mosque of the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam to place their hands on the pommel of the hand rail (rummana) of the pulpit (minbar) where the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam used to place his hand. There they would face the Qibla and supplicate to Allah Almighty and Exalted hoping He would answer their supplication because they were placing their hands where the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam placed his while making their supplication. Abu Mawduda said: "And I saw Yazid ibn 'Abd al-Malik do the same."2 

This practice of the Companions clarifies two matters. The first is the permissibility of asking Allah for things by the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam (tawassul) after his death since by their act the Companions were truly making tawassul. Likewise it is permissible to ask Allah Almighty and Exalted for things by means of other pious Muslims. The second is the permissibility of seeking blessings (baraka) from the objects the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam touched. 

It is similarly related from the Companion Malik al-Dar,3 that the people suffered a drought during the successorship of 'Umar, whereupon a man came to the grave of the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam and said: "O Messenger of Allah, ask for rain for your Community, for verily they have but perished!" after which the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam appeared to him in a dream and told him: "Go to 'Umar and give him my greeting, then tell him that they will be watered. Tell him: You must be clever, you must be clever!" The man went and told 'Umar. The latter said: "O my Lord, I spare no effort except in what escapes my power!" Ibn Kathir cites it thus from al-Bayhaqi in al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya and says: isnaduhu sahih;4 Ibn Abi Shayba cites it in his Musannaf with a sound (sahih) chain as confirmed by Ibn Hajar who says: rawa Ibn Abi Shayba bi isnadin sahih and cites the hadith in Fath al-Bari.5  

He identifies Malik al-Dar as 'Umar's treasurer (khazin 'Umar) and says that the man who visited and saw the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallamin his dream is identified as the Companion Bilal ibn al-Harith, and he counts this hadith among the reasons for al-Bukhari's naming of the chapter "The people's request to their leader for rain if they suffer drought." He also mentions it in al-Isaba, where he says that Ibn Abi Khaythama cited it.6 

Main Sources: al-Dhahabi, Siyar 9:394-396 #1841 and Tadhkira al-Huffaz 2:423. 

NOTES

2] Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf (4:121).  

3] "'Umar ibn al-Khattab's freedman. He narrated from Abu Bakr and 'Umar. He was known." Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat (5:12). "He is agreed upon (as trustworthy), the Successors have approved highly of him." Abu Ya'la al-Khalil ibn 'Abd Allah al-Khalili al-Qazwini, Kitab al-Irshad fi Ma'rifat 'Ulama' al-Hadith, ed. Muhammad Sa'id ibn 'Umar Idris, 1st ed., 3 vols. (Riyad : Maktabat al-Rushd, 1989), as quoted in 'Abd Allah al-Ghumari, Irgham al-Mubtadi' al-Ghabi bi Jawaz al-Tawassul bi al-Nabi, ed. Hasan 'Ali al-Saqqaf, 2nd ed. (Amman: Dar al-Imam al-Nawawi, 1992 p. 9). "Malik ibn 'Iyad: 'Umar's freedman. He is the one named Malik al-Dar. He has seen the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam and has heard narrations from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. He has narrated from Abu Bakr and 'Umar, Mu'adh, and Abu 'Ubayda. From him narrated Abu Salih al-Saman and his (Malik's) two sons 'Awn and 'Abd Allah..." Ibn Hajar, al-Isaba, chapter of Malik ibn 'Iyad.  

4] Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya (7:92).  

5] Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Book of istisqa ch. 3 (1989 ed. 2:629-630). 6 Ibn Hajar, al-Isaba (6:164 #8350).  

Hajj Gibril GF Haddad © 

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IMAM AHMAD BIN HANBAL

Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Saffarini al-Hanbali [d.241H] relates in his Ghidha' al-albab li-sharh manzumat al-adab from Ibrahim ibn 'Abd Allah al-Qalanasi that Imam Ahmad said about the Sufis: "I don't know people better than them." Someone said to him: "They listen to music and they reach states of ecstasy." He said: "Do you prevent them from enjoying an hour with Allah?" [1] 

Imam Ahmad's admiration of Sufis is borne out by the reports of his awe before Harith al-Muhasibi, although he expressed caution about the difficulty of the Sufi path for those unprepared to follow it, as it may not be for all people to follow the way of those about whom Allah instructed His Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam: 

"And keep yourself content with those who call their Lord early morning and evening, seeking His Countenance..." (18:28). 

SHAMS AL-DIN AL-DHAHABI says of him: "The true Shaykh of Islam and leader of the Muslims in his time, the hadith master and proof of the Religion. He took hadith from Hushaym, Ibrahim ibn Sa'd, Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna, 'Abbad ibn 'Abbad, Yahya ibn Abi Za'ida, and their layer. From him narrated al-Bukhari [two hadiths in the Sahih], Muslim [22], Abu Dawud [254], Abu Zur'a, Mutayyan, 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad, Abu al-Qasim al-Baghawi, and a huge array of scholars. His father was a soldier u one of those who called to Islam u and he died young." Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi continues: 

'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad said: "I heard Abu Zur'a [al-Razi] say: 'Your father had memorized a million hadiths, which I rehearsed with him according to topic.'" 

Hanbal said: "I heard Abu 'Abd Allah say: 'I memorized everything which I heard from Hushaym when he was alive.'" 

Ibrahim al-Harbi said: "I held Ahmad as one for whom Allah had gathered up the combined knowledge of the first and the last." 

Harmala said: "I heard al-Shafi'i say: 'I left Baghdad and did not leave behind me anyone more virtuous (afdal), more learned (a'lam), more knowledgeable (afqah) than Ahmad ibn Hanbal.'" 

'Ali ibn al-Madini said: "Truly, Allah reinforced this Religion with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq the day of the Great Apostasy (al-Ridda), and He reinforced it with Ahmad ibn Hanbal the day of the Inquisition (al-Mihna)." 

Abu 'Ubayd said: "The Science at its peak is in the custody of four men, of whom Ahmad ibn Hanbal is the most knowledgeable." 

Ibn Ma'in said, as related by 'Abbas [al-Duri]: "They meant for me to be like Ahmad, but û by Allah! û I shall never in my life compare to him." 

Muhammad ibn Hammad al-Taharani said: "I heard Abu Thawr say: 'Ahmad is more learned û or knowledgeable û than al-Thawri.'" 

Al-Dhahabi concludes: "Al-Bayhaqi wrote Abu 'Abd Allah's biography (si'ra) in one volume, so did Ibn al-Jawzi, and also Shaykh al-Islam ['Abd Allah al-Harawi] al-Ansari in a brief volume. He passed on to Allah’s good pleasure on the day of Jum'a, the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal in the year 241, at the age of seventy-seven. I have two of his short-chained narrations ('awaih), and a licence (ijaza) for the entire Musnad." Al-Dhahabi's chapter on Imam Ahmad in Siyar A'lam al-Nubala' counts no less than 113 pages. 

One of the misunderstandings prevalent among the "Salafis" who misrepresent Imam Ahmad's school today is his position regarding kalam or dialectic theology. It is known that he was uncompromisingly opposed to kalam as a method, even if used as a means to defend the truth, preferring to stick to the plain narration of textual proofs and abandoning all recourse to dialectical or rational ones. Ibn al-Jawzi relates his saying: "Do not sit with the people of kalam, even if they defend the Sunna." This attitude is at the root of his disavowal of al-Muhasibi. It also explains the disaffection of later Hanbalis towards ABU AL-HASAN AL-ASH'ARI and his school, despite his subsequent standing as the Imam of Sunni Muslims par excellence. The reasons for this rift are now obsolete although the rift has amplified beyond all recognizable shape, as it is evident, in retrospect, that opposition to Ash'aris, for various reasons, came out of a major misunderstanding of their actual contributions within the Community, whether as individuals or as a whole. 

[1] al-Saffarini, Ghidha' al-albab li-sharh manzumat al-adab (Cairo: Matba`at al-Najah, 1324/1906) 1:120. 

Further recommended reading :

www.sunnah.org/publication/khulafa_rashideen/hanbal.htm


IMAM ABU HANIFA | IMAM MALIK | IMAM SHAFI'I

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al-Harith al-Muhasibi

He was one of the earliest author of Sufi treatises and the teacher of JUNAYD, AL-BAGHDADI, ABD 'AL-QAHIR AL-BAGHDADI, TAJ AL-DIN AL-SUBKI, and Jamal al-Din al-Isnawi Allah be pleased with them all all reiterate the statement whereby "Upon the books of al-Harith ibn Asad al-Muhasibi on kalam, fiqh, and hadith rest those among us who are mutakallimfaqih (jurist), and sufi."1 His extant works are: (theologian),faqih (jurist), and sufi."1 His extant works are: 

Kitab al-ri'aya li huquq Allah (Book of observance of the rights of Allah); Shaykh al-Islam al-'Izz ibn 'Abd al-Salam wrote an abridgment of it.2 

Kitab al-tawahhum (Book of imagination), a description of the Day of Judgment; 

Kitab al-khalwa (Book of seclusion); 

Risalat al-mustarshidin (Treatise for those who ask for guidance); 

Kitab al-ri'aya li-huquq Allah (Book of the observance of the rights of Allah); 

Kitab fahm al-Qur'an (Book of the understanding of Qur'an); 

Kitab mahiyyat al-'aql wa ma`nahu wa ikhtilaf al-nas fihi (Book of the nature and meaning of the mind and the differences among people concerning it); 

al-Masa'il fi a'mal al-qulub wa al-jawarih wa al-'aql (The questions concerning the works of the hearts, the limbs, and the mind); 

Kitab al-'azama (The book of magnificence); 

al-Wasaya wa al-nasa'ih al-diniyya wa al-nafahat al-qudsiyya li naf'i jami' al-bariyya (The spiritual legacies and counsels and the sanctified gifts for the benefit of all creatures). 

1 'Abd al-Qahir al-Baghdadi, Kitab Usul al-Din p. 308-309; Taj al-Din Subki, Tabaqat al-shafi'iyya 2:275; Jamal al-Din al-Isnawi, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya 1:(#9)26-27. 

2 al-Subki mentions it in Tabaqat al-shafi'iyya. A copy of it is found at the Chester Beatty Library, ms. 3184  

Reproduced with permission from Shaykh M. Hisham Kabbani's 

The Repudiation of "Salafi" Innovations (Kazi, 1996) p. 281-282. 

Blessings and Peace on the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions 

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Dhul Nun al-Misri

Famous Egyptian Sufi [full name Dhul Nun Abu Fayd Thawban ibn Ibrahim al-Misri]. Born in Akhmim, upper Egypt [796 CE]; died in Djiza near Cairo. Considered among the most prominent figures of early Sufism & holds a position in the Sufi chronicles as high as JUNAYD, AL-BAGHDADI [d.910] & ABU YAZID AL-BISTAMI [d.874] Allah be pleased with all. A legendary alchemist and thaumaturage, he is supposed to have known the secret of the Egyptian hieroglyphs.   

He studied under various teachers and travelled extensively in Arabia and Syria. Wisdom sayings & poems, which are extremely dense & rich in sufi imagery, emphasize knowledge or gnosis [m'arifah] more than fear [makhafah] or love [mahabbah], the other two major paths of spiritual realization in Sufism. No written work has survived, but a vast collection of poems, sayings & aphorisms attributed to him continues to live on in oral tradition.  

A number of early Sufis such as RABI'AH AL-ADAWIYAH evinced a sophistication of aesthetic expression and theoretical speculation that laid a solid foundation for later work by Sufi mystics. Pivotal figures such as Dhul Nun al-Misri were poetic stylists and theoreticians. He was master of the epigram and an accomplished poetic stylist in Arabic. The full force of his literary talent comes to light , however in his prayers.  

The child of Nubian parents , Dhul-Nun was born in Upper Egypt at the end of the eight century. While many of the factual details of his life are often indistinguishable from pious fiction , a reliable kernel of historical data emerges. Although he lived in Cairo, Dhul-Nun traveled extensively, and during one of his sojourns in Baghdad, he ran afoul of the caliph al-Mutawakkil (r.847-861). The confrontation was sparked by his refusal to accept Mu'tazili doctrine of the createdness of the Qur'an. For his act of defiance, Dhul-Nun was imprisoned; during his heresy trial, however, he so affected the caliph with his apologia for the Sufi life that al-Mutawakkil released him unharmed.  

The preserved sayings of Dhul-Nun attest to the profundity of his mystical insight and to the skill with which he developed terminology and structures to analyze the mystical life. He excelled at elucidating the nuances of the various stages (maqamat) and states (ahwal) encountered by the mystic along the Sufi path. To him is attributed the first construction of a coherent theory of ma'rifah , spiritual gnosis, which he contrasts with 'ilm, the more traditional path of discursive reason. 

A pivotal aspect of Dhul-Nun's mysticism is the coincidentia oppositorum, the "conjunction of opposites ." the God who pours out his love upon the faithful Sufi wayfarer is, in Dhul-Nun's view, the same God who afflicts his lover with pain and torment. God is, at one and the same time, al-Muhyi "the giver of life," and al-mumit , "the one who kills." Legend has it that at his death the following words were found inscribed on his forehead;  

This is the beloved of God, 

Who died in God's love. 

This is the slain of God, 

Who died by God's sword 

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Qasim al-Ju'i

One of the great saints of Damascus who took hadith from Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna. Ibn al-Jawzi relates in 'Sifat al-safwa' that al-Ju'i explained that he got the name al-Ju'i ('of the hunger') because Allah had strengthened him against physical hunger by means of spiritual hunger. He said: 

Even if I were left one month without food I would not care. O' Allah, you have done this with me: Therefore complete it for me! (1) 

SHAMS AL-DIN AL-DHAHABI writes about him in 'Siyar a'lam al-nubala': 

[#506] al-'Abdi, known as Qasim al- Ju'i: The Imam, the exemplar, the saint, the Muhaddith... the Shaykh of the Sufis and the friend of Ahmad ibn al-Hawari. (al-imam al-qudwa al- wali al-muhaddith Abu 'Abd Al-Malik Al-Qasim ibn 'Uthman al-'Abdi al- Dimashqi, Shaykh as-sufiyya wa rafiq Ahmad ibn al-Hawari,'urifa bi al- Ju'i). 

Ibn al-Jawzi also relates that Ibn Abu Hatim al-Razi said: 

I entered Damascus to see the transcribers of hadith. I passed by Qasim al-Ju'i's circle and saw a large crowd sitting around him as he spoke. I approached and heard him say: 

Do without others in your life in five matters: 

- If you are present among people, don't be known;  

- If you are absent, don't be missed;  

- If you know something, your advice is unsought;  

- If you say something, your words are rejected;  

- If you do something, you receive no credit for it.  

I advise you five other things as well: 

- If you are wronged, do not reciprocate it;  

- If you are praised, don't be glad;  

- If you are blamed, don't be distraught;  

- If you are called liar, don't be angry;  

- If you are betrayed, don't betray in return. 

Ibn Abu Hatim said: 'I made these words all the benefit I got from visiting Damascus.' (2) 

(1) Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat al-safwa 2(2):200 (#763).  

(2) Ibid. 

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem  

was-salaat was-salaam 'alaa Rasul-illah wa 'alaa alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam

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