Schooling Three Aqthab

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh Farid ad-Din ‘Aththar Abu Hamid ibn Abu Bakr Ibrahim (q.s.) mentioned, in his Tadzkirat al-Awliya’, the famous instance when three aqthab visited Shaykha Rabi’ah al-‘Adawiyyah al-Qaysiyyah al-Baswri (q.s.) when she fell ill.  It is related that Shaykh Abu Sa’id ibn Abu al-Hasan Yasar al-Baswri (q.s.), Shaykh Malik ibn Dinar (q.s.), and Shaykh Abu ‘Ali Shaqiq ibn Ibrahim al-Azdi al-Balkhi (q.s.) went to visit Shaykha Rabi’ah (q.s.).  The conversation turned to the question of sincerity as they attempted to offer her solace. 

Shaykh Hasan (q.s.) said, “None is sincere is his claim to love God, unless he patiently endures the Blows of his Lord.” 

Shaykha Rabi’ah (q.s.) said, “This talk stinks of egotism.” 

Shaykh Shaqiq (q.s.), attempting to elevate the answer and definition, said, “None is sincere in his claim to love God unless he is not grateful for the Blows of his Master.” 

Shaykha Rabi’ah (q.s.) said, “We need something better than this.” 

Shaykh Malik ibn Dinar (q.s.) said, “None is sincere is his claim to love God unless he does not delight in the Blows of his Master.” 

Shaykha Rabi’ah (q.s.) said, “We need something better than this.” 

They said, “Now you speak.” 

Shaykha Rabi’ah (q.s.) said, “No one is sincere in his claim to love God, unless he forgets the Blows in beholding his Lord, from enduring, to giving thanks, to delighting, to forgetting the tribulation in his love for God.”