Imam Abu Zakariyyah Yahya ibn Mu’adz ar-Razi (q.s.) in Brief

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Imam Abu al-Qasim ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Huzan al-Qushayri (r.a.) recorded, in his Risalah al-Qushayriyyah, Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Mu’adz ar-Razi (q.s.), the preacher, was unique in his time.  He was particularly known for his teaching about hope, and his doctrine of gnosis.  He arrived in Balkh, stayed there for some time, then returned to Nishapur, where he passed away in 258 AH. 

Imam al-Qushayri (r.a.) recorded that Shaykh Muhammad ibn al-Husayn (r.a.) said, he heard Shaykh ‘Ubaydallah ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Hamdan al-’Ukbari (r.a.) say, he heard Shaykh Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn as-Sari (r.a.) say, he heard Shaykh Ahmad ibn ‘Isa (r.a.) saym he heard Imam Yahya ibn Mu’adz (q.s.) say, “How can one be an ascetic, if one has no scrupulosity?  At first you must reject that which is not yours, then renounce what is yours.” 

According to the same chain of transmission, he also said: “The hunger of the penitents is a test; the hunger of the ascetics is restraint; the hunger of the veracious ones is a Gift.” 

Imam Yahya (q.s.) also said, “Forgetfulness is worse than death, because neglectfulness cuts one off from God, while death cuts one off from creatures.”  Imam Yahya (q.s.) said, “Asceticism is three things: need, seclusion, and hunger.”  Imam Yahya (q.s.) also said, “The best thing that you can do to your soul is to keep it busy in every moment by that which is better for her.” 

Shaykh ‘Abdallah ibn Yusuf al-Iswbahani (r.a.) informed Imam al-Qushayri (r.a.) that Shaykh Abu al-Qasim ‘Abdallah ibn al-Husayn ibn Baluya (q.s.), the Sufi, related to him that he heard Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ar-Razi (r.a.) say, he heard Shaykh al-Husayn ibn ‘Aluya (r.a.) say, he heard Imam Yahya (q.s.) say, “When someone betrays God in secret, God will Expose his true self to everyone.” 

Imam al-Qushayri (r.a.) recorded that he heard that Shaykh ‘Abdallah ibn Yusuf (r.a.) say that he heard that Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-’Aziz (r.a.), the mu’adzin, say, that he heard that Imam Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Jurjani (r.a.) say that he heard that Shaykh ‘Ali ibn Muhammad (r.a.) say that he heard that Imam Yahya (q.s.) say, “When the evildoers honour you, this is your dishonour; when they love you, this is nothing but shame for you; and whoever is in need of you, deserves your contempt.”