Category: Stories

Ibraheem al-Khawwas relates, in my travels there was once an occasion when I felt so thirsty that I passed out. Some water was sprinkled to bring me round again. My eyes opened. I saw a man of outstanding beauty riding a grey horse. He offered me some water and requested that I accompany him on his horse. After a short while he enquired, “What do you see?” I suprisingly replied, “Madinah!” He then said, “Proceed to the Mosque and send Salam upon the Prophet (SAW) and tell him that your brother Khadir also sends you Salam.”

A pious man relates, once I remained in the desert of Hijaz for a few days without any food. I desired to eat bread and lentils but thought, “I am in the middle of the desert the distance between it and the nearest country namely, Iraq seems too vast”. I was still contemplating this when a Bedouln called from far, “lentils and bread”. I turned immediately and advanced towards him and asked. “Do you have lentils?” “Yes.” he replied. Consequently he laid his cloth and utensils on the ground and took out some bread and served lentils. He said, “Eat” and so I began to eat. Once I had completed my portion he insisted I ate some more, I therefore continued. Again when I had finished he maintained, “Eat” and so I continued. He persistently continued until the fourth time I stopped and said “I swear by the one who has sent you to me, who are you?” He replied “Khadir” and then disappeared.

It is related that Abu-al-Abbas al-Khadir was once questioned by Abdullah,’ Have you come across a Wali of Allah that has a greater status than yours?”

”Yes” he replied. “I was once in Masjid-e-Nabawi, when I saw Abdur Razzak and a group of people around him listening to Ahadith. In the corner of the masjid was a young man sitting with his head on his knees.” I asked him why are you not sitting with the People and listening to the Hadith of Rasulullah (SAW) from Abdur Razzak?”
He did not raise his head or pay much attention and instead replied, “There are those who listen from Abdur Razzak and there are those who directly listen from Razzak (One of the names of Allah), and not from His servant.”  Khadir then asserted, “if what you say is the truth then who am I?”  ”Khadir” came back the reply.

I therefore learnt there are many Auliyah who command an elevated position in the eyes of Allah, but I am not aware of them.

The Pious Barber Abu Ja’far al-Hadad relates, “During a stay in Makkah my hair had grown long but I could not afford to cut it. I went to a barber who seemed to be a good man and asked him to cut my hair for the sake of Allah. The barber glanced at my messy hair and invited me forward. He trimmed away the locks up to the ears.

Once he had finished he reached and handed over some dirhams. He said, “Take it. You’ll need it”. I was reluctant but he insisted. I took it on the condition of returning the whole amount at the first opportunity. I thanked him and left.

Later I met a friend outside the Haramain. He informed me that a friend of mine from Basra had left this bag containing 300 dirhams for me. I took the bag and gave it to the barber. The barber said, “Oh Shaykh, do you not have any shame? You told me to cut your hair for the sake of Allah and now you want me to take the charge. Take the bag and may Allah forgive you.”

Abdullah bin Mubarak relates, “‘Once while I was in Makkah, we were struck with a severe drought. It had not rained for weeks and all the people gathered in Masjid al-Haram to pray for rain. I was also amongst them sitting next to the gate of Banu Saiba. An Ethiopian slave wearing tatty garments came and sat in front of me. I could hear him praying, “Oh Allah, bad deeds and sinning have frayed the faces and you have stopped showering us with your mercy to teach mankind a lesson. I ask you Oh Haleem, Oh Raheem, Oh One whose people know nothing except good. Send rain unto us this moment”. He prayed until the clouds appeared and it rained.

When he left I followed him to find out his whereabouts. On returning home I went to see Fudail bin Ayaz who asked me why I was depressed. I related the incident, he then insisted that I take him to this Young man. “It is late, let me find out more about him”‘ I told him.

After Fajr, I went to see the slave and found an old man sitting at his door. On seeing him he recognised me. He welcomed me and then asked about my need. “I need a black slave”, I asked. He replied, “I have many, take anyone you like”. He kept on calling the slaves one by one and I refused until he fnally called out the one I was looking for. He then refused to sell this slave on the grounds that his presence brought many blessings. When I said, “Shall I return to sufyan Ath-Thari and Fudail bin Ayaz empty handed?” He accepted and said, your coming was a big thing. Pay the price you like and take him” I purchased the slave, and headed towards Fudail’s house.

On the way he asked, “Why did you not Purchase a slave stronger than me I am weak and cannot serve you . My master showed you many that were stronger. I said, ”By Allah, I am going to serve you, buy you a house and marry You off,” He began to cry. I asked, “What makes you cry?” He said, “The only reason you are going to treat me like this is because you have seen my connection with my Lord “.

He then asked if I could wait for him as he had some Rakats left over from last night. I informed him that Fudail’s house is close from here, but he insisted, ”It is not good to delay the work of Allah”. He entered the Masjid and prayed. When he finished he asked me, ”Oh Abu Abdur Rahman, do you have a need?” I said ”Why do you ask?” He replied, ”To the Hereafter”. He then said, Life was good when the secret was between my Lord and I. Now you know and then someone else will come to know.  Now I am no longer in need of this life.” He fell down and began to say ”Oh Allah take me now.” I came close to him and found him still. He had passed away.

Ka’ab relates, once at the time of Prophet Musa (AS), there was a drought. The Bani Israeel aked him to pray for rain. Prophet Musa told them to come with him to the mountain. When they climbed the mountain he said to his People, “Whoever has committe a sin, then do not follow me ” They all turned and walked back down the mountain except one man. He was blind from one eye and known to the people as Barkh.

Prophet Musa asked him, “Did you not hear what I said?” “Yes” he replied. Prophet Musa again asked, “Have you never committed a sin?” Barkh paused and then replied, I cannot remember committing a sin except for one, but I do not know whether it is regarded a sin. I will mention it to you and if it is a sin I shall return.”

Prophet Musa enquired, “What is it?” Barkh replied, “Once I happened to pass the door of a house which was open. I glanced in and saw somebody, but I was not able to tell whether it was a man or woman. I said to my eye, ‘Out of my whole body you hurried to commit a sin, you cannot remain with me anymore’, so I plucked out my eye. If this is a sin I will return.” Prophet Musa assured him that he had not sinned and then told him to pray for rain.

They prayed to Allah, “Oh Almighty, whatever You have does not finish. There is no end to your treasures you cannot be accused of being miserly. Oh Allah show us your mercy and send forth rain.” The narrator states that they both walked home in the mud.

Ibrabeem bin Adham relates, once I passed by a shepherd and asked him, “Do you have any water or milk?” The shepherd raised himself and replied, “Yes, which would you like?” I said, “Water”. He turned and walked up the hill. I followed. We reached a plateau, where several boulders had settled. He gently struck it with his staff and moved back, The boulder, cracked and water gushed forth.

I drank to my fill and also took the opportunity to fill my cistern. This amazed me. The shepherd watched and then said, “Do not be astonished. When a servant becomes Obedient to his Lord everything becomes subservient to him”.