The Door of Wisdom

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is taken from Imam Abu al-Qasim ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Huzan al-Qushayri’s (r.a.) Risalah al-Qushayriyyah. 

Shaykh Abu as-Sari Manswur ibn ‘Ammar (q.s.) came from the region of Marw, from a village named Dandanaqan, although some say that he came from Bushanj.  He later settled in Baswra, and became a great preacher. 

Shaykh Manswur ibn ‘Ammar (q.s.) said, “Whoever falls into despair because of the afflictions of this world, exposes his faith to affliction.” 

He also said, “The best dress of the servants is humility and contrition, while the best dress of the gnostics is righteousness, for Allah (s.w.t.) Says, ‘The dress of righteousness, that is the best.’” 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ قَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِبَاسً۬ا يُوَٲرِى سَوۡءَٲتِكُمۡ وَرِيشً۬ا‌ۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ ذَٲلِكَ خَيۡرٌ۬‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ مِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَذَّكَّرُونَ (٢٦) 

O you children of Adam!  We have Bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you, but the raiment of righteousness, ― that is the best.  Such are among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition! (Surah ar-A’araf:26) 

They say that the reason for his repentance was that he found, on the road, a piece of paper, on which it was written, “In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.”  He picked it up, and when he could not find a place for it, he ate it.  Then, in a dream, he heard a voice telling him, “The gate of wisdom has opened for you, because of your respect for this piece of paper.” 

Imam al-Qushayri (r.a.) wrote that he heard from Shaykh Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman ‘Abdullah ibn Habib as-Sulami (q.s.), who heard from Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya ar-Razi (r.a.), who heard from Imam Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Abi Ahmad ath-Thabari ibn al-Qasw (r.a.), who heard Shaykh ‘Abd al-Wahhab ibn Ahmad ash-Sha’rani (q.s.) say, that he saw Shaykh Manswur ibn ‘Ammar (q.s.) in a dream and asked what God had Done to him. 

He answered, “God Asked me, ‘Are you Manswur ibn ‘Ammar?’ 

I answered, ‘Yes, my Lord.’ 

He Said, ‘Are you the one who encouraged people to renounce this world, while at the same time desiring it yourself?’ 

I answered, ‘Yes, this was so indeed, but I did not begin any of my preaching sessions without first praising You, then Your Prophet (s.a.w.), and only after that, did I begin to admonish people.’ 

God Said, ‘This is true, so bring him a chair so that he sing My Glory, in Heaven, among My angels, as he sang My Glory, on earth, among My servants.’”