The Wali & the Cardinals

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The story was told to us by my shaykh from his shaykh.  The details above are abridged.  In the actual story, Shaykh Bayazid Thayfur ibn ‘Isa al-Bisthami (q.s.) had a dream where he was dressed as a Christian.  He was disturbed and went back to sleep whereupon he had the same dream.  This time, he awoke and said that if this is what Allah (s.w.t.) Willed then so be it. 

He went to the monastery, which was having a conclave of bishops.  And there, he sat.  The cardinal said, “There is a Muhammadan amongst us,” but although they looked around perplexed, he was not initially identified.  Using a stratagem, the cardinal mentioned the name of Muhammad (s.a.w.), Shaykh Bayazid stood up and loudly said, “Peace and Blessings be upon him,” and was thus discovered. 

He was then questioned.  If he could answer them, he was free to leave.  Otherwise, they would kill him.  The actual story had forty questions.  Much more than this retelling.  At the end, the 5,000 converted to Islam.  And Shaykh Bayazid al-Bisthami (q.s.) prostrated and acknowledged that it is Allah’s (s.w.t.) Prerogative to do with His awliya’ as He Wills.  And such is His Love for us that He would sacrifice one of His awliya’ for others to find the Truth. 

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Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hamid Kishk was a renowned Egyptian scholar and preacher.  He passed away on the 6^th December 1996 at the age of 63.  He was a renowned preacher and acclaimed scholar who was a staunch opponent of corruption and a fierce critic of the Arab regimes of his day.  Tens of thousands used to attend his sermons and not all of them were Muslims.  May Allah (s.w.t.) Raise him on the Day of Standing in the Shade of the ‘Arsh, in the First Swaff behind His Beloved Prophet (s.a.w.).