Shaykh Asif ibn Barkhiyyah (q.s.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh Asif ibn Barkhiyyah (q.s.), a wali and a member of court of Sulayman (a.s.) brought the throne of Bilqis (r.a.) from thousands of miles away in blink of eye.  The royal throne of the queen of Saba was said to be eighty yards in length and forty yards in width.  It was gilded with various kinds of jewels and pearls.  When Sulayman (a.s.) declined the gifts offered by Bilqis (r.a.) and after commanding her through a message to report to his court, a desire mounted in his heart that before her arrival in his court; her throne should reach here.  Therefore, he said to his courtiers: 

سُوۡرَةُ النَّمل

قَالَ يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلۡمَلَؤُاْ أَيُّكُمۡ يَأۡتِينِى بِعَرۡشِہَا قَبۡلَ أَن يَأۡتُونِى مُسۡلِمِينَ (٣٨) قَالَ عِفۡرِيتٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ أَنَا۟ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبۡلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ‌ۖ وَإِنِّى عَلَيۡهِ لَقَوِىٌّ أَمِينٌ۬ (٣٩) 

He said (to his own men), “You Chiefs!  Which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?”  Said an ifrit of the jinn, “I will bring it to you before you rise from thy Council: indeed, I have full strength for the purpose, and may be trusted.” (Surah an-Naml:38-39) 

After listening to the address of the jinn, Sulayman (a.s.) said, “I wish that the throne reaches in my court even before that.” Sulayman’s (a.s.) courtier, Shaykh Asif (q.s.), said to Sulayman (a.s.), as stated in Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ النَّمل

قَالَ ٱلَّذِى عِندَهُ ۥ عِلۡمٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ أَنَا۟ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبۡلَ أَن يَرۡتَدَّ إِلَيۡكَ طَرۡفُكَ‌ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسۡتَقِرًّا عِندَهُ ۥ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِن فَضۡلِ رَبِّى لِيَبۡلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشۡكُرُ أَمۡ أَكۡفُرُ‌ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦ‌ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّ۬ كَرِيمٌ۬ (٤٠) 

Said one who had knowledge of the Book, “I will bring it to thee within the twinkling of an eye!”  Then when (Solomon) saw it placed firmly before him, he said, “This is by the Grace of my Lord, to Test me whether I am grateful, or ungrateful!  And if any is grateful truly his gratitude is (a gain) for his own soul; but if any is ungrateful, truly my Lord is Free of All Needs, Supreme in Honour!" (Surah an-Naml:40) 

Through his karamah, Shaykh Asif (q.s.) pulled this throne from the land of Saba to Bayt al-Muqaddas in the palace of Sulayman (a.s.).  That throne came through the lower surface of the earth, and it appeared instantly near the chair of Sulayman (a.s.). 

This is proof from the Qur’an that Allah (s.w.t.) Bestows His awliya’ with abilities beyond the jinn and the angels.  Just as Shaykh Asif (q.s.) fetched the throne of Bilqis (r.a.) from the land of Saba to the court of Sulayman (a.s.) in the blink of an eye without moving from his place, similarly, many awliya’ have called many people and animals from distant areas in an instant.  All of this is a demonstration of those spiritual powers that are Conferred by Allah (s.w.t.) on His awliya’.  Therefore, we should never consider those blessed people to be analogous and identical to us.  To consider the awliya’Allah to be same as ordinary people is an utter deviation and transgression.