The biography of Hadrat Owaise of Qarni

8/17/2019 The biography of Hadrat Owaise of Qarni

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0ntrodu*tion

Abu Hamid bin Abu Bakr Ibrahim Farid al-Din Attar was born inad 1145 or 1146 in Nishapur provinc o! Iranian "horasan anddid circa 1##1$ %hr is disa&rmnt ovr th 'act dats o! hisbirth and dath( but svral sourcs con)rm that h livd almosta hundrd *ars$ Di+rnt storis ar told about th dath o!Attar$ ,n common stor* is as !ollows$ H was capturd b* a

on&ol$ ,n da* somon cam alon& and o+rd a thousandpics o! silvr !or him$ Attar told th on&ol not to sll him !orthat pric sinc th pric was not ri&ht$ %h on&ol accptdAttar.s words and did not sll him$ /atr( somon ls camalon& and o+rd a sack o! straw !or him$ Attar counsld thon&ol to sll him bcaus that was how much h was worth$ %hon&ol soldir bcam vr* an&r* and cut o+ Attar.s had$ 0o

hdid to tach a lsson$ Attar( much bttr-

6nown by his pen names Farid al-Din and Attar 78the pharma*ist9:+ was a Persian

and Muslim poet+ .ufi+ theoreti*ian of mysti*ism+ and ha&io&rapher(Farid al-Din Attar was a Persian poet and .ufi mysti*( ;i'in& durin& a

turbulent era of politi*al un*ertainty+ he turned inwards+ eoses9: indi*ates that+ li6e his father+ he

was a dru&&ist and followed the *allin& of a medi*al man( .upposedly reliable

Persian sour*es 'ary in the year of his death by a span of !" years( One reason for

this un*ertainty is that+ unli6e other 0slami* poets+ he did not write flatterin&

pane&yri*s about his own life and &reatness( This is to his personal *redit+ but

unfortunate for the historian( ?e are


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*ertain only of the fa*t that he was born in )ishapur in north-eastern Persia@ he

passed " years of his youth in Mashad+ and spent mu*h of his life *olle*tin& the

poetry of other .ufi mysti*s(

He was the son of a prosperous *hemist+ and &ot an e


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"% birds to find their supreme so'erei&n+ the simur&h( This wor6 was modelled on

the treatise on the birds *omposed half a *entury earlier by another .ufi master+

Ahmad =hazali 7d( $, E:+ founder of the 8.*hool of ;o'e9 in .ufism( This epi*

masterpie*e has also enBoyed se'eral musi*al and theatri*al adaptations in the

?est+ while its stories are *ommon subBe*ts of illustration in Persian miniature

paintin&( Attar9s most *elebrated wor6s are The Conference of Birds and a poem

*onsistin& of !+,%% *ouplets( The poem uses alle&ory to illustrate the .ufi do*trineof union between the human and the di'ine(

0n the edition of >( P( Masani9s C$" translation+ noted .ufi s*holar and spiritual

tea*her Andrew Har'ey sets the s*ene( 8The alle&ori*al framewor6 has the star6+

luminous simpli*ity of 0slami *alli&raphy( ou may belie'e you are readin& a witty+

dazzlin& alle&ory( ery soon+ howe'er+ if you read with attention+ you will realise

you are bein& drawn into a 'ision of a mysti*al path of the &reatest depth(9

Attar is best 6nown for his often-translated masterpie*e Mantiq al-Tayr + literally

meanin& 8The onferen*e of irds9+ still *onsidered to be the best eumi9s 'erses( Distin&uished for his pro'o*ati'e

and radi*al theolo&y of lo'e+ many lines of Attar9s poems and lyri*s are *ited

independently as ma


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of ideas+ literary themes+ and style+ Attar9s influen*e was stron&ly felt not only in

Persian literature but also in other 0slami* literatures( His &reat prose wor6

*omprises the monumental *ompendium in Persian of bio&raphies of famous .ufis+

*alled Tadhkerat al-Awliya+ or Memoirs of the #aints( Attar *omposed at least

!/+%%% *ouplets and many brilliant prose wor6s in si< important wor6s of poetry

and one maBor prose wor6(

Asrar Nameh 7or the Book of Mysteries:+ whi*h strin&s to&ether a series of un*onne*ted episodi* stories+ is 6nown as Attar9s least-6nown poems(

Attar9s Book of Adversity 7 Mosibat-Nama: re*ounts the .ufi path in other terms+

followin& the 'oya&e of the *ontemplati'e wayfarer or 8pil&rim of thou&ht9 7.ali6-

i-Fi6rat: throu&h the mineral+ 'e&etable+ animal+ human+ and an&eli* realms(

Attar9s di'ine boo6 Elahi-Nāma relates the story of a 6in& who as6s his si< sons

what they most desire( They all as6 for worldly thin&s+ and the 6in& euba9i: arran&ed in /% *hapters a**ordin& to 'arious mysti*al themes+ and his

*olle*ted poems 7 ivan: *ontains some %+%%% *ouplets whi*h are notable for their

depi*tion of 'isionary lands*apes and heartrendin& e'o*ations of the a&onies and

e*stasies of the mysti*(

These poems are notable not only for their themati* unity+ with usually Bust one

mysti*al idea+ or a series of related *on*epts from first 'erse to last line bein&

elaborated pro&ressi'ely+ but also for their esoteri* hermeti*ism and

un*on'entional reli&ious 'alues(

The attribution of the Book of $h"sraw 7 $h"sraw-Namah a roman*e of the lo'e

between a yzantine prin*ess and a Persian prin*e+ with almost no mysti*al

*ontent: to the poet has been reBe*ted on *on'in*in&


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stylisti*+ lin&uisti* and histori*al &rounds+ as spurious( Attar9s wor6s had su*h an

impa*t on both the .ufi *ommunity and the literate publi* at lar&e that his fame

soared soon after his death( He was imitated rapidly+ so today there are some $"

wor6s falsely attributed to 8Attar9 pro'en by modern s*holars to be spurious or of

doubtful authenti*ity( 0f we ta6e merely the wor6s that are un5uestionably his+

*omprisin& a &ood !/+%%% lines+ the a*hie'ement is monumental(

Howe'er+ the most important aspe*t of Attar9s thou&ht lies in the fa*t that all of his wor6s are de'oted to .ufism 7Tasawuf: and throu&hout all of his &enuine

*olle*ted wor6s+ there does not e


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8The alley of Quest+9 where as*eti* means are adopted@ then follows The alley

of ;o'e+I whi*h may be *ompared to Dante9s+ earthly paradise@ then follow 8The

alleys of nowled&e9+ 8Deta*hment9+ 8Jnity9+ and 8Amazement9@ and finally+

8The alley of Annihilation of the .elf 9is rea*hed( This is the supreme state of

di'ine union with =od( .ufism was meant to be an all-en*ompassin& effort to li'e

in a meanin&ful+ reli&ious frame of mind(

Attar died fleein& the Mon&ol hordes under =en&his han( 4ust before his death+Attar met a youn& poet+ >umi+ to whom he &a'e some of his philosophi*al poems(

>umi perpetuated and added to the philosophi*al de'elopment of .ufism and the

understandin& of Attar( This is solid e'iden*e that >umi met Attar as a youn& boy

as >umi9s family abandoned the *ity of al6h( On their way+ >umi9s father *ame to

'isit Attar( 0t is reported that Attar &a'e a *opy of one of his mysti* poetry boo6s to

the youn& 4alal Din 7who was not *alled >umi or Molana until mu*h later when he

be*ame the &reat mysti* and poet as he is 6nown today:( Their meetin& has been

reported by 'arious sour*es+ in*ludin& >umi9s own son Hassam al-Din( Attar is

one of the most prolifi* fi&ures of Persian literature( He wrote o'er a hundred

wor6s of 'aryin& len&ths from Bust a few pa&es to 'oluminous tomes( =enerally

spea6in&+ most of his boo6s are popular and relati'ely easy to read(

Two of Attar9s wor6s ha'e been translated into En&lish( .( ( )ott translated

Conference of the Birds 7C/!:@ and an6ey ehari 7C,: and A( 4( Arberry

7C,,: published abrid&ed translations of Memoirs of #aints+ both with e


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Modern Times 7C,,:( For a dis*ussion of the .ufism of Attar+ see A( 4( Arberry+

#"fism' An Acco"nt of the Mystics of )slam 7C/%:+ and 0dries .hah+ The #"fis

7C,!:( 0n $%%$+ an international *onferen*e entitled 8Farid al-Din Attar and the

Persian .ufi Tradition9 was held by the 0ran Herita&e Foundation in *ollaboration

with the enter of )ear and Middle Eastern .tudies at the .*hool of Oriental and

Afri*an .tudies 7.OA.:+ and the Jni'ersity of ;ondon(

The *onferen*e+ whi*h was *on'ened by Dr ;eonard ;ewisohn+ author+ translator and resear*her in the area of 0slami* studies and a spe*ialist in Persian lan&ua&e

and .ufi literature+ and hristopher .ha*6le+ Professor of Modern ;an&ua&e of

.outh Asia at .OA. at the Jni'ersity of ;ondon+ was the *enterpie*e of a number

of musi*al+ poeti* and artisti* e'ents in ;ondon to *elebrate Persian mysti*ism and

the literary *ontributions of Farid al-Din Attar(

Attar9s tomb in )ishapur attra*ts a lar&e number of tourists e'ery year who 'isit

the histori* *ity of )ishapur to pay tribute to this &reat Persian poet and writer(

)ishapur 7 a6a )eyshKbLr: is a *ity in the >aza'i horasan pro'in*e in north-

eastern 0ran+ situated in a fertile plain at the foot of the inalud Mountains+ near the

re&ional *apital of Mashhad( E'ery year+ *on*urrent with the *ommemoration day

of Farid al-Din Attar )eishaburi on ! April+ a spe*ial *eremony is held in

)ishapur+ >aza'i horasan pro'in*e with the attendan*e of intelle*tuals+ a*ademi*

members+ authors+ students+ et*( Tadhkerat al-Awliya 7 M"slim #aints and Mystics:

is *onsidered a world famous *lassi*al boo6 of Persian literature whi*h has been

printed in many *ountries in many international lan&ua&es+ ha'in& inspirational

stories from the li'es of the earliest .ufis by the &reat thirteenth-*entury Persian

.ufi poet+ Farid al-Din Attar+ the most famous wor6 of its 6ind(

The thou&ht-world depi*ted in Attar9s wor6s refle*ts the whole e'olution of the

.ufi mo'ement( The startin& point is the idea that the body-bound soul9s awaitedrelease and return


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to its sour*e in the other world *an be e


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)nscri(tion on Attar0s tomb as translated by Garcin de Tassy

=od is Eternal3Here in this &arden of a lower Eden+Attar perfumed the

soul of the humblest of men( This is the tomb of a man so eminent that

the dust stirred by his feet would ha'e ser'ed as *ollyrium to the eye of the firmament3and of whom the saints were dis*iples30n the year of

the HiBra /, he was pursued by the sword of the army whi*h de'oured

e'erythin&+ bein& martyred in the massa*re whi*h then too6 pla*e3

0n*rease+ O ;ord+ his merit3May the &lory be with Him who dies not

and holds in his hands the 6eys to unlimited for&i'eness and infinite

punishment( I

His &rand boo6 Tadhkerat al-Awliya in prose and his most famous wor6s in 'erse

in*lude1


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Asrarnameh

Elahinameh

Mosibatnameh

Manteq-"0ttair

B"lb"lnameh

&eydarnameh

Mokhtarnameh+ and

$hosrownameh(

0n the prefa*e to the 8Memorial9 7 M"slim #aints and Mystics:+ Attar lists his

reasons for writin& the boo6+ but not

the sour*es used by him(

His de*lared moti'es+ as summarized by >( A( )i*holson+ are as follows(

He was be&&ed to do so by his reli&ious brethren(

$ He hoped that some of those who read the wor6 would bless the author+ and

thus+ possibly se*ure his welfare beyond the &ra'e(

"( He belie'ed that the words of the saints were profitable e'en to those who

*ould not put them into pra*ti*e+ inasmu*h as the stren&then aspiration and

destroy self-*on*eit(

!( 4onaid said+ 8Their sayin&s are one of the armies of Almi&hty =od whereby He

*onfirms and reinfor*es the dis*iple+ if his heart be deBe*ted(9

/( A**ordin& to the Prophet+ 8Mer*y des*ends at the mention of the pious91 per-

ad'enture+ if one spreads a table on whi*h mer*y falls li6e rain+ he will not beturned away portionless(

,( Attar trusted that the blessed influen*e of the saints may be 'ou*hsafed to him

and brin& him happiness before he died(

G( He busied himself with their sayin&s in the hope that he mi&ht ma6e himself

resemble them(

( The oran and the Traditions *annot be understood without 6nowled&e of


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Arabi*+ wherefore most people are unable to profit by them@ and the .ayin&s of the

.aints+ whi*h form a *ommentary on the oran and the Traditions+ were li6ewise

uttered+ for the most part+ in Arabi*( onse5uently+ the author has translated them

into Persian+ in order that they may be*ome a**essible to all(

C( .in*e an idle word often eahman Es6afi said that the readin& of the oran was

effe*tual+ althou&h the reader mi&ht not understand it+ Bust as a potion of whi*h the

in&redients are un6nown(

%( .piritual words alone appeal to the author( Hen*e+ he *omposed this 8daily tas69

for his *ontemporaries+ hopin& to find some persons to share the meal whi*h he

had pro'ided(

( The 0mam usof Hamadhani ad'ised some people+ who as6ed him what they

should do when the saints had passed away from the earth+ e&( to read ei&ht pa&es

of their sayin&s

e'ery day( Attar felt that it was in*umbent upon him to supply this desideratum(

$( From his *hildhood he had a predile*tion for the .ufis and too6 deli&ht in their

sayin&s( ?hen su*h words are spo6en only by impostors and when true

spiritualists be*ame as rare as the philosopher9s stone+ he resol'ed to populariseliterature of this 6ind so far as whi*h lay in his power(

"( 0n the present a&e the best men are bad+ and holy men ha'e been for&otten( The

Memorial was desi&ned to remedy this state of thin&s(

!( The .ayin&s of the .aints dispose men to renoun*e the world+ meditate on the

future life+ lo'e =od+ and set about preparin& for their last Bourney( One may say

that there does not e


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a *ommentary on the oran and Traditions+ whi*h are the best of all words( Any

one who reads it properly will per*ei'e what passion must ha'e been in the souls

of those men to brin& forth su*h deeds and words as they ha'e done and said(

/( A further moti'e was the hope of obtainin& their inter*ession hereafter and of

bein& pardoned+ li6e the do& of the .e'en .leepers whi*h+ thou&h it be all s6in and

bone+ will ne'ertheless be admitted to Paradise(

0n his prefa*e+ Attar mentions three boo6s whi*h he

re*ommends for those ambitious to attain a a full understandin& of the

pronoun*ements of the .ufis(

These he entitles1 $etab #harh al-1alb 7The E(osition of the &eart :+ $etab

$ashf al-Asrar 7The /evelation of the #ecrets:+ and $etab Ma0refat al-Nafs wa0l-

/abb 7The $nowled,e of the

#elf and of the %ord :( )o *lue is &i'en here to the authorship of these wor6s+ but

Attar refers in one other *onte


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G( Abu Hazem al-Ma66i

( Otba al-=holam

C( >abe9a al-9Adawiya

%( al-Fozail ibn 80yaz

( Ebrahim ibn Adham

$( eshr al-Hafi

"( Dho 8l-)un al-Mesri

!( Abu azid al-estami

/( Abd Allah ibn al-Mobara6

,( .ofyan al-Thauri

G( .ha5i5 al-al6hi

( Abu Hanifa

C( al-.hafe9i

$%( Ahmad ibn Hanbal

$( Dawud al-Ta9i

$$( al-Mohasebi

$"( Abu .olaiman al-Dara9i

$!( Mohammad ibn .amma6

$/( Aslam al-Tusi

$,( Ahmad ibn Harb

$G( Hatem al-Asamm

$( al-Tostari

$C( Ma9ruf al-ar6hi

"%( .ari al-.a5ati

"( Fath al-Mauseli"$( Ahmad ibn Abi 8l-Hawari

""( Ahmad ibn hazruya

"!( Abu Torab al-)a6hshabi

"/( ahya ibn Mo9adh al->azi

",( .hah ibn .hoBa9 al-ermani

"G( usof ibn al-Hosain al->azi


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"( Abu Hafs al-Haddad

"C( Hamdun al-Qassar

!%( Mansur ibn 8Ammar

!( al-Anta6i

!$( Abd Allah ibn hobai5

!"( al-4onaid

!!( Amr ibn 8Othman al-Ma66i

!/( Abu .a9id al-harraz

!,( Abu 80-Hosain al-)uri

!G( Abu 8Othman al-Hiri

!( 0bn al-4alla9

!C( >owaim

/%( 0bn 8Ata9

/( Ebrahim al->a55i

/$( usof ibn Asbat/"( al-)ahraBuri

/!( .omnun

//( al-Morta9esh

/,( Mohammad ibn al-Fazl

/G( al-ushanBi

/( al-Termedhi

/C( Abu a6r al-?arra5

,%( Abd Allah ibn Monazel

,( Ali ibn .ahl al-Esfahani

,$( hair al-)assaB

,"( Abu Hamza al-horasani

,!( Ahmad ibn Masru5

,/( Abd Allah al-Ma&hrebi,,( Abu Ali al-4uzaBani

,G( Abu a6r al-attani

,( 0bn hafif

,C( Abu Mohammad al-4orairi

G%( Al-HallaB

G( Abu a6er wasti


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C( >abe9a al-Adawiya

%(Al-Fozail 0bn 0yaz

(Ebrahim 0bn Adham

$(eshr 0bn al-Hareth

"(Dho 8l-)un al-Mesri

!(Abu azid al-estami

/(Abd Allah 0bn al-Mobara6

,(.ofyan al-Thauri

G(.ha5i5 of al6h

$(Dawud al-Ta9i

$$(al-Mohasebi

$,(Ahmad 0bn Harb

$G(Hatem al-Asamm

$(.ahl 0bn Abd Allah al-Tostari

$C(Ma9ruf al-ar6hi

"%(.ari al-.a5ati

""(Ahmad 0bn hazruya

"/(ahya 0bn Mo9adh

",(.hah 0bn .hoBa9

"G(usof 0bn al-Hosain

"(Abu Hafs al-Haddad

!"(Abo9l-Qasem al-4onaid

!!(Amr 0bn Othman

!/(Abu .a9id al-harraz

!,(Abul-Hosain al-)uri!G(Abu Othman al-Hiri

/%(0bn Ata

/!(.omnun

/(al-Termedhi

,$(hairal-)assaB

,G(Abu a6er al-atani


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,(0bnhafif

G%(al-HallaB

G(al-.hebli

(Ebrahimal-hauwas

Tadhkerat al-Awliya is a bio&raphy of Muslim saints and mysti*s( 0n what is

*onsidered the most *ompellin& entry in this boo6+ Attar relates the story of the

eumi

Attar died fleein& the Mon&ol hordes under =en&his han( 4ust

before his death+ Attar met a youn& poet+ >umi+ to whom he &a'e some of his

philosophi*al poems( >umi perpetuated and added to the philosophi*al

de'elopment of .ufism and the understandin& of Attar(

Attar is one of the most famous mysti* poets of 0ran( His wor6s were the

inspiration of >umi and many other mysti* poets( Attar and .anai were two of the

&reatest influen*es on >umi in his .ufi 'iews( >umi has mentionedboth of them

with the hi&hest esteem se'eral times in his poetry( >umi praises Attar as follows(

8Attar roamed the se'en *ities of lo'e?e are still Bust in one alley(9


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>umi9s Mausoleum in unya+Tur6ey(

The #econd E(isode abo"t +waise of 1arni

0n Tadhkerat al-Awliya+ Attar wrote the se*ond episode about Owaise of Qarni+ and

in the famous boo6 of poetry+ Masnavi by 4alaleddin >umi+ the followin& is said by

Prophet Muhammad about O'eys =harni(

The prophet Muhammad says that the breeze brin&s o9men

The di'ine perfume from emen(

The s*ent of >amin *omes from O'eys

The fra&ran*e of =od from O'eys(O'ey9s hea'enly perfume from =od+

O'erBoyed the heart of the prophet of =od(

Forsa6in& his mortal bein& willin&ly

That earthly 7O'eys: be*ome hea'enly(

!"blication note for the second e(isode by avid /osenba"m of the )ew or6


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Times(

Farid al-Din Attar is *onsidered one of the pre-eminent mysti*al poets of the

Persian literary tradition( The duration of his life is un*ertain+ thou&h he *an be

pla*ed in the twelfth and thirteenth *enturies (E( orn in )ishapur in what is today

0ran+ Attar apparently was a pharma*ist+ but little information about his personal

life is 6nown( Durin& his lifetime he is belie'ed to ha'e written approitter at first thou&ht that the problem

*ould be eitter surmised that the last


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phase+ that of old a&e+ was *oin*idental with a *on'ersion to .hi9ism( Howe'er+

in C!+ the Persian s*holar )afisi was able to pro'e that the wor6s of the third

phase in >itter9s *lassifi*ation were written by another Attar who li'ed about two

hundred and fifty years later at Mashhad and was a nati'e of Tun 7sour*e1

0nternet sear*h:(

0n this boo6+ translation of the followin& / episodes omitted in Arberry9s teeferen*e boo6s1

( .hei6h Farid al-Din Attar+ Ta*kerat"l Ao"lia 7 Book of M"slim #aints and

Mystics:+ Jrdu trans(+ MaBedi oo6 Depot+ anpur+ "" A(H(+ 0ndia(

$( .hei6h Farid al-Din Attar+ Ta*kerat"l Ao"lia 7 Book of M"slim #aints and

Mystics:+ Jrdu trans(+ Anwar oo6 Depot+ )ew Delhi+ 0ndia(

(

0mam 4afar Al-.ade5

His name was 4a9far al-.adi5 and his patronymi* name was Abu Mohammed( 0f

we start writin& about his 5ualities and mira*les then it is not easy to *o'er all of

them( He inherited from Ali in Abi Talib 7>A: and he is the real heir of the

Prophet( 4a9far al-.adi59s &reatness is su*h that we *an *all him the 6in& of Muslim

Jmmat 7nation:( He was the follower of truth and as*ertainment and also the true

follower of the pious persons( He was &reat amon& all the saints and su**essors of


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the Prophet( He was des*endant of Ali in Abi Talib 7>A: and the Prophet9s

family(?e all praise him due to his &reatness( As already mentioned abo'e that to

write the details about the wor6s and a*hie'ements of Prophet+ their *ompanions

and members of the Prophet9s family is not easy and will need many 'olumes to

des*ribe(

After see6in& the blessin&s for writin& this boo6+ we are mentionin& here the

stories of pious persons who passed away after the family members of the Prophet(

Here we are writin& about 4a9far al-.adi5( 4a9far al-.adi5 was ran6ed after the

*ompanions of the Prophet( He was member of Prophet9s family+ hen*e many of

his tea*hin&s about mysti* 6nowled&e and also his other narrations are a'ailable(

?e are mentionin& here some of his sayin&s about &ood feli*ity( Those who follow

his reli&ion+ in other words are followin& the reli&ion of $ 0mams 7reli&ious

leaders:+ as he was the su**essor of the $ 0mams( .o it is one that is e5ual to $

and also $ that is e5ual to one( 0f we mention about his wor6s and a*hie'ements

then

it will be proper to mention the wor6s and a*hie'ements of $ 0mams( 0f we

mention about his *hara*ter+ he was master in e'ery 6ind of 6nowled&e and

wisdom( He was the leader of learned people and they all had full *onfiden*e inhim( He was not only a &reat leader of mysti* persons but he was also the follower

of literary persons and lo'ers of Allah( He has written many boo6s and in these

boo6s he has e


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thou&ht that .unnat 4amat 7followers of the Prophet: ha'e enmity with the family

members of Prophet( ut the fa*t is that the members of .unnat 4amat are the

followers of the Prophet9s family members(

.o we must remember that e'ery one who has faith in the Prophet+ should also

lo'e and ha'e faith in the Prophet9s family members( ?hen 0mam Al-.hafe9i was

imprisoned on the *har&e of enmity with the Prophet9s family members+ he uttered

some *ouplets at that time( The meanin& of one of the *ouplet is as follows1 0 am

friend of the holy Prophet Muhammed 7pea*e be upon him: and his family

members so if this is enmity then all human bein&s and Bins should be witness on

this enmity(I

?ho is a .unni 0n its real meanin& .unni is one who a**epts the &reatness of

the Prophet9s family members( 0f it is not *ompulsory + the rule of faith to 6now

about the Prophet9s family members and his *ompanions+ but it is &ood for

e'erybody to 6now about them( As you 6now some other thin&s and some

unne*essary thin&s(The importan*e of *ompanions of the Prophet is 'ery &reat be*ause due to their

sa*rifi*es and &reat efforts as well as due to their 0slami* 6nowled&e whi*h they

learned from the Prophet+ and whi*h helped the Muslims to spread the reli&ion

of 0slam throu&hout the world( They set &reat e


26/43

?hen some persons as6ed Abu Hanifa who is superior in the followers of holy

Prophet( He said+ 0n the older+ Abu a6r .iddi5 7>A: and Omar Farou5 7>A:+ in

the youn& men+ Osman in Affan 7>A: and Ali in Abi Talib 7>A:+ in the women+

Ayesha 7>A: and in the &irls Fatima 7>A:(I

One ni&ht the *aliph Mansur of a&hdad ordered his minister to brin& 4a9far al-

.adi5 before him for his 6illin& and so the minister as6ed him+ ?hy did he want

to 6ill su*h a noble and &reat person who li'es in loneliness in the house and busy

in the worship of Allah + and who left the worldly life and pleasure so it is a&ainst

e


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swallow you with your seat(I .o when 0 heard this 0 was afraid of the python and 0

did not 6now what 0 was tellin& to him so 0 e


28/43

of the Prophet+ it is not suitable for the Prophet9s family member to wear su*h a

dress(I Then he *au&ht his hand and too6 it inside of the dress of his shoulder and

showed him the inner dress whi*h was made of Bute and s*rat*hed his hand( He

told him+ This dress is for Allah and other is for the man6ind(I

4a9far al-.adi5 as6ed Abu Hanifa+ ?ho is wiseI And he

replied+ One who ma6es differen*e between &ood and bad(I

Then he told him+ The animals *ould do these thin&s( As they re*o&nize who

beat them and who lo'e them(I .o Abu Hanif as6ed him to e


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sorry for his mista6e and went away(

One day he was &oin& on the road lonely and was sayin& 8Allah+ Allah9+ and one

poor pious person was also followin& him sayin& 8Allah+ Allah9( ?hen he told+

Oh Allah+ 0 do not ha'e trouser and dress with meI and at the same moment one

*lean pair of dress was appeared there and he wore the same( Then the poor pious

person as6ed him+ Oh =reat man+ 0 was also re*itin& 8Allah+ Allah9 behind you so

please &i'e me your old dress(I .o he li6ed his idea and &a'e him his old dress( A

man *ame to 4a9far al-.adi5 as6ed him+ He wanted to see Allah(I He told that

man+ Ha'e you not heard what Allah told Prophet Moses 7pea*e be upon him: that

you are not able to see him(I The man told+ es(I ut this is Jmmat 7followers:

of Prophet Muhammed 7pea*e be upon him: and amon& the followers of the

Prophet one person said+ His heart has seen Allah and other person is *ryin& that

he will not worship Allah until he *ould see Allah(I .o he as6ed the persons to tie

him with rope and throw him in the ri'er Ti&ris( ?hen he was thrown in to the

water and he was &one under water but water brou&ht him to the surfa*e and he*alled Oh .on of the Prophet+ help me+ help me(IHe told the water+ Oh ?ater+

ta6e him and hide himI and water too6 him inside(

.o that man went under water many times and *ame on the water surfa*e many

times but he was *ryin& for the help of 4a9far al-.adi5( ?hen he was tired and &one

under the water and lost hope for the help from man6ind and at that time water brou&ht him to the surfa*e as he *alled+ Oh Allah+ help me+ help me(I Then he

told the persons to ta6e him out from the water and he was ta6en out from the

water( He sat for some time and he be*ame normal( He as6ed him+ Ha'e you seen

AllahI He replied+ ?hen 0 was *allin& others then there was a 'eil but when 0

*alled Allah for his help with ea&erness then 0 saw Allah in the window whi*h

opened in my heart( 0f there was no ea&erness and passion + then Allah will be not


30/43

there(I Allah says+ 0s somebody who will reply the needy person9s *allI 4a9far

al-.adi5 told him+ ?hen he was *allin& others for His help+ then he was false+ and

ad'i*e him to ta6e *are of the window in the heart(I

4a9far al-.adi5 told+ One who says+ 8Allah is on the thin&s or Allah is from thin&s9

and so for this sayin& he will be*ome an unbelie'er(I And further he told+ One

who *ommits sin with fear and see6s Allah9s repentan*e and then he will be*ome

*loser to Allah( ?hen one who worships in the be&innin& for himself and in the

last for the show and pride he will be 6ept him away from Allah( One who is proud

for his worship then he will be*ome a sinner( .in*ere is one who will repent for his

sins(I

?hen persons as6ed 4a9far al-.adi5+ ?ho is better between sin*ere pious person

or wealthy personI He said+ Pious person is better than the other one be*ause

wealthy persons always loo6s for ba&s of money but pious person is always with

Allah(I He further *ontinued+ ?orship is not ri&ht without repentan*e be*ause

Allah preferred repentan*e than worship( As Allah said+ 8>epentan*e see6ers areworshipers(9 I >efer to Qur9ani* tea*hin& in whi*h it is *lear that repentan*e is

superior to the worship(

The real remembran*e of Allah is that in whi*h one should for&et all thin&s

be*ause Allah is found for su*h thin&s( He e


31/43

Ammara for the sa6e of Allah+ then he finds Allah(I He said+ 0lham 7re'elation: is

a si&n of Allah9s blessin& for His a**epted persons +but when this matter is pro'ed

that it is nothin& by lo&i* then this is the wor6 of unbelie'ers(I He said+ Allah is

hidden in the man than the mo'ements of the bla*6 ants on the bla*6 mountains

durin& the ni&ht( The lo'e of Allah is neither &ood nor bad( The se*ret whi*h 0

*ome to 6now when 0 be*ame mad( 0t is &ood for a man if he has a wise enemy(I

4a9far al-.adi5 said to 6eep away from the friendship of the followin& fi'e persons1

( ;iar who will always de*ei'e you(

$(The foolish who always wish for your &ood but the result will be bad whi*h he

does not 6now(

"(The miser who will spoil your time(

!(The *oward who will lea'e you when you are in dan&er(

/( The sinful who will sell you for the sa6e of a morsel and also for his &reed and

will put you in trouble for his &ain whi*h will be less than a morsel(

4a9far al-.adi5 said+ Allah9s hea'en and hell are also in this world( ?hen there

are no worries it is hea'en+ and when there are worries it is hell( 0t is hea'en when

we should approa*h Allah for all our wor6s( 0t is hell when we surrender all our wor6s to )afs-i-Ammara(I 0f there will be effe*t of enemies on Allah9s men then

there was effe*t on Asiya from the Pharaoh+ and if there was effe*t of Allah9s man

on the enemies of Allah+ then there was benefit for ;ut9s wife and )oah9s wife(

His sayin&s are too many but we ha'e written only some of them (


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$(

Owaise of Qarni


33/43

About .ohail emeni+ the prophet says that he is superior to his followers due to

his 6indness and fa'or( ?hen there is praise by the prophet then what else *an 0

des*ribe about him( .ometimes the prophet used to turn his fa*e towards emen

and said+ 0 feel the breeze of lo'e from the emen(I The prophet told that on the

day of Bud&ment + Allah will *reate G%+%%% an&els same as Owaise of Qarni 7*lone:

and Owaise of Qarni will *ome in between them and will pro*eed to hea'en( )o

one will re*o&nize him e


34/43

that no to worry in this matter+ you will not see him here as you did not see him in

the world(

The prophet told that there was a person amon& my followers and his

re*ommendation was a**epted whi*h was e5ual to the hairs of the sheep of >abiya

and Mizer tribes of Arabia( There were two tribes in Arabia who had many sheep at

that time( The *ompanions as6ed the prophet+ ?ho that person isI he said+ He is

one amon& the sla'es of Allah(I then they told the prophet that they too were

sla'es of Allah+ but what was his name( The prophet told them+ His name is

Owaise and he is from Qarn(I they as6ed him+ ?here he is I He replied+ He is

in Qarn(I then *ompanions as6ed the prophet+ Ha'e you seen himI he replied

that e'en thou&h he did not see him physi*ally but he was seen by the eyes of

*ertainty(

The *ompanions as6ed+ how su*h a lo'er did not *ome to see you( He said+ 0t

may be due to two reasons+ first due to his *onditions and se*ond is to respe*t my

.hariat 70slami* law:+ be*ause his mother is old and blind( He loo6s after *amelsand &ets some money for the food and *lothes for his mother( Then the *ompanions

as6ed if they *ould see him(

The prophet answered that Abu a6r 7ra: will not see him but Ali 0bn Talib 7ra:

and Omer Farou5 7ra: will see him( On Owaise Qarni9s body there are hairs and on

his left side of his palm there is a small white mar6+ whi*h is not of leprosy( The

prophet said to Omer Farou5 7ra: and Ali 0bn Talib 7ra:+ ?hen you will meet him+

*on'ey my salam and as6 him to pray for the Muslims(I The prophet told that he is

superior amon& the the Allah9s men who are hidden( Then the *ompanions as6ed

where *ould they find him The prophet replied+ 0n emen there is a *amel

whi*h loo6s after Owaise and you ha'e to follow his foot steps(I ?hen the time

of prophet9s death was

nearer+ the *ompanions as6ed to whom they should &i'e his dress( He said+ To

Owaise of Qarni(I After the death of prophet+ Omer Farou5 7ra: and Ali 0bn Talib


35/43

7ra: went to oofa 7a&hdad: and at the time of deli'erin& sermon Omer Farou5

7ra: re5uested the people of )aBd to stand and as6ed them+ 0s there any person

from Qarn(I they said+ es(I then Omer Farou5 7ra: as6ed them did they 6now

about Owaise of Qarni They replied+ )o+ but there is a mad person who li'es

away from the people(I Omer Farou5 7ra: as6ed where he li'es( They replied+ He

li'es in Arna 'alley and loo6s after the *amels+ eats dry bread in the ni&ht+ neither

*omes to the 'illa&e nor tal6 to people(I he does not eat what we eat and he does

not 6now sorrow and happiness( ?hen people lau&h he weeps+ and when people

weep he lau&hs(

Omer Farou5 7ra: and Ali 0bn Talib 7ra: went to that 'alley and found that Owaise

of Qarni was prayin& ( Allah has ordered his an&els to loo6 after his *amels( ?hen

he heard a sound+ he finished his prayer and said salam to Omer Farou5 7ra:( Omer

Farou5 7ra: as6ed him+ ?hat his name is I he replied+ A sla'e of Allah(I then

Omer Farou5 7ra: said+ ?e all are sla'es of Allah but 0 am as6in& your proper

name(I he replied+ Owaise(I Omer Farou5 7ra: told him toshow his left hand( He showed his hand and Omer Farou5 7ra: saw the white mar6

on his hand+ whi*h was des*ribed by the prophet( He 6issed his hand and said+

The prophet has *on'eyed his .alam and has sent his dress for you and as6ed you

to pray for the Muslims(I then Owaise of Qarni told them+ ou are superior so

you pray+ as you are 'ery *lose to the prophet(I Omer Farou5 7ra: replied+ 0 will

pray but you too pray a**ordin& to the ad'i*e of the prophet( Owaise of Qarni

re5uested Omer Farou5 7ra: to please *he*6 with other person and that he is not the

real one( Omer Farou5 7ra: said that they ha'e found all mar6s on him+ whi*h were

e


36/43

Oh Allah+ 0 will not wear the dress until you a**ept my re*ommendation for all

Muslims and for this the prophet has sent his dress and Omer Farou5 7ra: and Ali

0bn Talib 7ra: ha'e done their wor6+ now your wor6 is left(I then there was *all in

whi*h it was heard+ 0 ha'e for&i'en some people due to your re*ommendation(I

Owaise of Qarni replied+ 0 will not wear the dress until you for&i'e all Muslims(I

then the *all was heard a&ain in whi*h it was told+ 0 ha'e for&i'en many people(I

when he was tal6in& to Allah+ Omer Farou5 7ra: and Ali 0bn Talib 7ra: *ame o'er (

?hen Owaise saw them there he as6ed them that why they ha'e *ome o'er

+when he was tal6in& to Allah and that he will not wear the dress until he 7Allah:

a**epts my re*ommendation for all the Muslims( Omer Farou5 7ra: saw that

Owaise of Qarni was wearin& a ra& dress+ in whi*h there was wealth of +%%%

worlds( Omer Farou5 7ra: was 'ery sad to see himself and his *aliphate+ so he said+

0s there anybody who *an pur*hase his *aliphate for a pie*e of bread(I Owaise

said that the foolish will pur*hase it so throw it away and anybody who li6es it+

will ta6e it+ so there is no need of sellin& and buyin& it(Then Owaise of Qarni wore the dress and said that Allah has for&i'en the

Muslims on his re*ommendation and due to this dress there are e5ual number of

the sheep of >abiya and Mizer tribes( Ali 0bn Talib 7ra: was silent( Omer Farou5

7ra: as6ed him+ Oh Owaise+ why ha'e you not met the prophetI Owaise as6ed+

Ha'e you seen+ the forehead of the prophet( 0f you ha'e seen+ then tell me

whether his eyebrows were *lose or s*attered(I but he *ould not reply this(

Owaise of Qarni told+ Are you a friend of the prophet Muhammad 7pea*e be

upon him:I he said+ yes(I if you were

firm in the friendship then why you ha'e not bro6en your teeth when the prophet9s

teeth were bro6en in the battle of mount of Ohud in Madina+ and this is the rule of


37/43

friendship( He showed his teeth and said that he had bro6en all his teeth in

prophet9s lo'e without e'en seein& him(

?hen 0 bro6e a tooth+ 0 was not sure it mi&ht be the same tooth of the prophet+

and then 0 bro6e all my teeth( Omer Farou5 7ra: and Ali 0bn Taleb 7ra: wept and

said that your 'alue of respe*t was &reat( He did not see the prophet but his respe*t

for the prophet was admirable( ?e ha'e to learn respe*t from him( Omer Farou5

7ra: as6ed him to pray for him( Owaise of Qarni told him that there should be no

desires and wishes when one has faith in Allah( 0n e'ery prayer 0 used to pray for

all men and women of Muslim of the world for Allah9s mer*y and for&i'eness( 0f

you die with faith then you will find the result of my prayer in your &ra'e+

otherwise my pray will be spoiled(

Omer Farou5 7ra: as6ed him to &i'e some ad'i*e( He said+ Oh Omer+ do you

6now AllahI Omer 7ra: said+ es+ 0 6now(I He told Omer 7ra: that other than

Allah he does not 6now anybody+ and it is better for you too( A&ain Omer 7ra:

as6ed for more pie*es of ad'i*e( He said+ Oh Omer+ does Allah 6now you(I Hesaid+ es(I then it is better that Allah 6nows you more than others( Then Omer

7ra: told him to please wait for some time+ so that he *an brin& somethin& for him(

Owaise of Qarni too6 out two dinars from his po*6et and said+ This is my

earnin& from *amel &razin&( 0f you &uarantee that these two dinars are enou&h for

my entire life then 0 will a**ept the other thin&s from you+ otherwise 0 do not need

anythin&(I then Owaise of Qarni &a'e than6s to them for *omin& o'er to see him

after fa*in& many diffi*ulties and as6ed them to lea'e the pla*e( The Day of

4ud&ment is near+ where we *an meet and from there we will not separate at all(

)ow 0 am busy for the preparation for the life after death(

?hen Omer Farou5 7ra: and Ali 0bn Talib 7ra: left the people started respe*tin&

Owaise of Qarni(


38/43

He left that pla*e and rea*hed oofa( After that nobody has seen him+ but

Huban9s son Harm when he heard about the &reatness of re*ommendation of

Owaise of Qarni+ he was anaBeemI and he started weepin&( He said that Allah says in

the Quran+ ?ama hala5tul 4inna ?al 0nsa 0lla li-ya9budoon(I And its meanin& is

as follows(

?e ha'e *reated Binn and human bein&s for our worship(I

He re*ited and he *ried in a loud noise so 0 thou&ht that he had &one mad( He

a&ain as6ed me what had brou&ht him there( 0 told him that 0 wanted your

friendship and to be*ome su**essful( He replied that one who 6nows Allah does

not need

the lo'e and affe*tion of others or *omfort from others(

0 as6ed him to ad'ise me( He told me that when you sleep+ thin6 that your death


39/43

is under your pillow( ?hen you wa6e up+ do not ha'e many hopes and do not

*onsider any sin smaller but thin6 it is bi& one( 0f you thin6 any sin smaller +then

you thin6 Allah is small and will be*ome a sinner( 0 as6ed him+ ?hat do you say

about my stayI he told me to &o to .yria( Then 0 as6ed how 0 would find my

li'elihood there Owaise of Qarni said+ 0t is 'ery sad that their hearts are full of

doubts and suspi*ions and they do not a**ept the pie*es of ad'i*e(I

0 as6ed him some more pie*es of ad'i*e for me( He told+ Oh son of Huban+ your

father died( Adam 7as:+ E'e 7as:+ )oah 7as:+ Abraham 7as:+ Moses 7as:+ Da'id 7as:

also died( Abu a6r 7ra: who was the first *aliph died + my brother Omer 7ra: also

died(I then he said+ Oh Omer+ &od bless you(I Omer 7ra: is still li'in&( He says+

Allah has informed him that Omer 7ra: has passed away(

He told me that+ 0 and you are in between the dead( He re*ited blessin& and

started prayin&( He ad'ised me to follow the holy boo6 and the ri&ht path and do

not for&et death at any moment( ?hen you rea*h your people + ad'ise them and

also ad'ise man6ind( Always follow the steps of the prophet+ otherwise youwill be out of the reli&ion and be eli&ible for the hell( He then said some prayers

and as6ed me to &o( He said+ Oh son of Huban+ you will not see me and 0 will not

see you a&ain+ but remember me in your prayers+ be*ause 0 too remember you in

my prayers( ou &o that way and 0 will follow this way(I 0 had desire to follow him

for some time but he did not allow me( He wept and 0 also wept( 0 was wat*hin&

him from the ba*6side but after some time he disappeared( After that there was no

news about him( The son of Huban said that Owaise of Qarni first told him about

the four *aliphs of the prophet(

>abiya narrates that he went to see Owaise of Qarni and he saw him while he was

performin& the mornin& prayer( After the prayer he was busy in the &lorifi*ation of


40/43

Allah until the time of noon prayer( He was busy with his wor6 until the time of

ne


41/43

the shroud and the &ra'e ha'e 6ept you away from the Allah+ and these two thin&s

are disturbin& your way(I Due to his di'ine appearan*e that person was able to see

these and his *ondition was re'ealed to him( He died in the &ra'e( .o thin6 on it+

that if the &ra'e and shroud are seen + then other thin&s *an also be seen( 0t is

reported that Owaise had not eaten anythin& or dran6 e'en water for three days( On

the fourth day he &ot a dinar on the way( He did not ta6e that dinar and he thou&ht

that it belon&ed to some other person and he went ahead to eat &rass(

Then he saw a sheep and in her mouth there was hot bread and the sheep 6ept that

bread before him( ut he thou&ht that it belon&ed to some other person( The sheep

told him+ 0 am the sla'e of Allah li6e you(I then he too6 that bread and that sheep

disappeared( His praise and 5ualities are too many and &reat(

0n the be&innin& +.hai6h Abul Qasim =or&ani was the follower of Owaise of

Qarni( Owaise of Qarni says that one who 6nows Allah from Allah+ 6nows

e'erythin&( He said+ .afety is in loneliness( The person who is sin&le and alone

and who does not thin6 about others in his heart is safe and se*ure+ be*ause it is not&ood to thin6 about others in loneliness( .atan 7de'il: will run away when two

persons meet ea*h other(I .o he did not &o there be*ause there is no need to

mis&uide them+ as those persons are busy with ea*h other and ha'e for&otten Allah(

Owaise of Qarni su&&ested 6eepin& *ontrol on the heart so that the other person

7de'il: may not enter into it(

Owaise of Qarni9s sayin&s

( ?hen 0 as6ed for hi&h respe*t+ 0 &ot it in the ser'i*e(

$( ?hen 0 as6ed for leadership and status+ 0 &ot it in the people9s ad'i*e(


42/43

"( ?hen 0 as6ed for 6indness and ser'i*e+ 0 &ot it in the truth

and ri&ht path(

!( ?hen 0 as6ed for pride and &reatness+ 0 &ot it in po'erty and misery(

/( ?hen 0 as6ed for a lin6+ 0 &ot it in &oodness and in the fear of &od(

,( ?hen 0 as6ed for fame+ 0 &ot it in worship(

G( ?hen 0 as6ed for *arelessness+ 0 &ot it in the trust of =od(

0t is reported that the nei&hbours of Owaise of Qarni told him that they thou&ht

him to be a mad man( They *olle*ted some money and *onstru*ted a house for

him( He used to li'e in that house( There was nothin& in the house to eat at the time

of brea6fast(

He tried to earn money by *olle*tin& seeds of

dates and sellin& them( From that money he mana&ed his food( 0f he *olle*ted

dates+ he used to sell them and that money was spent for the *harity( His dress was

old and not in the &ood *ondition( He made his dress from the horse s6in whi*h heused to *lean himself(

He used to lea'e the house at the time of mornin& prayer and to enter the house

after ni&ht prayer( ?here'er he went+ the *hildren threw stones on him( He

re5uested the *hildren to throw small stones on him to a'oid bleedin& from his

body and not to spoil his ablution( He was not worried about his le&s but he was

worried about his prayers( 0n his last days he met Ali 0bn Taleb 7ra: and

parti*ipated in the war of .effin and died there( There is a &roup of people who

*onsider themsel'es as Owaisia( For them there is no need of a tea*her and they

do not ha'e any sour*e with them li6e Owaise of Qarni+ but they are on the ri&ht

path of reli&ion due to the &ra*e of &od(

Owaise of Qarni has not seen the prophet but the prophet did his internal trainin&

and this is a fa*t( His position is 'ery hi&h and it is diffi*ult for anybody to attain


43/43

The biography of Hadrat Owaise of Qarni

Documents