A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh Abu Bakr Dulaf ibn Jahdar ash-Shibli ( q.s. ) said, “For the enlightened one, a moment of forgetfulness of the Lord is the greatest heresy.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh Abu Bakr Dulaf ibn Jahdar ash-Shibli ( q.s. ) was a famous Sufi and a faqih in the Maliki madzhab .   Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Junayd ibn Muhammad al-Baghdadi ( q.s. ) said of him, “Do not look upon ash-Shibli with the eye by which you look at others.”   He also said, “Every people has a crown and the crown of these people is ash-Shibli.” One time, an unjust ruler of the land decreed that the wali should be thrown to the lions.   The lion had the shaykh ’s head in his mouth, and yet he did not quiver or cry out.   But Allah ( s.w.t. ) had Decreed that he should be Saved and thus when the ruler saw the lions would not kill him, he freed Shaykh ash-Shibli ( q.s. ). Someone later asked him, “What went through your mind when your head was in the lion's mouth?” Shaykh  ash-Shibli ( q.s. ) replied, “I was trying to remember the ruling on the cleanliness of lion saliva, and whether I would have to perform wu...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It is related that after the death of the great Sufi Master, Shaykh Abu Bakr Dulaf ibn Jahdar ash-Shibli ( r.a. ), a friend saw him in a dream.  The friend asked him what Allah ( s.w.t. ) had Done with him, to which Shaykh ash-Shibli ( r.a. ) replied, “God Placed me before Him and asked if I knew why He had Forgiven my sins.  I said that it might be because of the good works I had done, the prayers I had performed, my fasting and pilgrimage, my having associated with pious people and my journeying in search of knowledge.   God Replied, ‘O Shibli, these were not the reasons.  Do you remember when you were walking in the lanes of Baghdad, and you found a small cat made weak by the cold and ice, and out of pity you took it, and put in inside a fur you were wearing so as to protect it from the pains of the cold?  Because of the mercy you showed that cat, I have Mercy Shown on you.’”   Prophet Muhammad ( s.a.w. ) advise...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Once, a man came to visit Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Junayd ibn Muhammad al-Baghdadi ( q.s. ).   His life reflected no change, even after having performed haj .   Imam Junayd ( q.s. ) asked him, “Where are you coming from?” “ Shaykh , I have returned after performing haj at the House of Allah ( s.w.t. ),” was the reply. “So, have you actually performed haj ?” “Yes, shaykh , I have performed haj ”, said the man. “Did you pledge that you would give up sins when you left your home for haj ?” asked Imam Junayd ( q.s. ). “No, shaykh , I never thought of that,” said the man. “Then, in fact, you did not even step out for haj .   While you were on the sacred journey and making halts at places during the nights, did you ever think of attaining Nearness to Allah ( s.w.t. )?” “ Shaykh , I had no such idea.” “Then you did not at all travel to the Ka’bah, nor did ever visit it.   When you put on the ihram garment...