Faith Begins with Vision of the Heart

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Once Sulthan Mahmud al-Ghazni visited Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Kharqani (q.s.) and asked his opinion of Shaykh Bayazid Thayfur ibn ‘Isa al-Bisthami (q.s.).  He said, “Whoever follows Bayazid is going to be guided.  Whoever saw him and felt love towards him in his heart will reach a happy ending.” 

At that, Sulthan Mahmud said, “How is that possible when Abu Jahl saw the Prophet (s.a.w.) and he was unable to reach a happy ending but rather ended up in misery?” 

He answered, “It is because Abu Jahl did not see the Prophet (s.a.w.) but he saw Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah.  And if he saw the Messenger of God (s.a.w.), he would have moved out of misery into happiness.  As God Said, ‘You see them looking at you but without clear vision.’” 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

... وَتَرَٮٰهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيۡكَ وَهُمۡ لَا يُبۡصِرُونَ (١٩٨) 

… You will see them looking at you, but they see not. (Surah al-A’araf:198) 

He continued, “The vision with the eyes of the head does not bring happiness, but the vision with the eyes of the heart and the secret that God Gives to the soul will bring out that happiness.” 

Of Shaykh Bayazid (q.s.), he also said, “When Abu Yazid said, ‘I want not to want’, that is exactly the wanting that is real desire.”