Hadhrat Imam Shibli

Hadhrat Imam Shibli is the leader of the saints, the bearer of divine secrets and the pole of the world.

 

His name is "Ja'afar Bin Younus."  He is from the "Tabqa Thalith" i.e. the third generation of the narrators of the Hadith.  He is a native of Egypt, but later on settled in Baghdad.  He is the disciple of Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi.  He is a very great A'arif (a great saint) and would give sermons in meetings.

 

He used to follow the jurisprudential school of Hadhrat Imam Malik (May Allah shower His mercy on him).

 

He was exemplary in performing worship and striving against the base self (Riyazat wa Mujahada).  His teachings about the divine reality and his miracles are very famous.  Hadhrat Junaid (May Allah shower His mercy on him) says about him:

 

Translation: In every nation, there is a person who causes deliverance of others.  For this nation, it is Shibli.

 

Hadhrat Imam Shibli (May Allah shower His mercy on him) said: With this invaluable wealth of time that you have, construct a building, so that tomorrow and forever, it is of use to you.  Write down this truth and remember it from Shibli, because no saying of Shibli is better for you than this that this time, which you have it now, will bear fruit tomorrow.

 

In Nafhatul Uns, there is a narration from Hadhrat Khwaja Abul Hasan (May Allah shower His mercy on him):  I saw Hadhrat Shibli.  Once, people asked him that who is Akramul Akrameen (the most benevolent of all those who are benevolent)?  He said: The One who after forgiving a sin once will never punish for that sin.

 

Hadhrat Shibli (May Allah shower His mercy on him) came to a saint and he immediately got up, stepped forward, kissed on his forehead between his eyes.  When those who were present asked for the reason, he said:  I saw in a dream that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) treated him like this.  On seeing this benevolence, I asked the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam):  O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  Why do you treat Shibli like this?  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Why not!  After every Salaat, he recited the verse:  “Laqad Ja'akum Rasulum Min Anfusikum….” until the end of the Surah and then recited Durood on me.

 

Hadhrat Shibli (May Allah shower His mercy on him) says:  No day has passed when the door of fear of Allah has opened on me and through that the door of wisdom and morals hasn’t opened on me.

 

Hadhrat Bakr Dainuri, who was the servant of Hadhrat Shibli (May Allah shower His mercy on him) says: At the time of his passing away, on Friday, he recovered a bit and holding my hand, he started towards the Jame Masjid.  On the way, he met a man.  Imam Shibli said: Tomorrow I will need that man.  He returned after offering the Salaat.  Then his illness worsened once again.  He said: Help me in Wudhu! I did so, but forgot to perform "Khilal" (i.e. passing hands through the beard to wet it).  His tongue was busy in some other work.  He himself took my hand towards his beard and passed away.

 

When a saint heard this, he said: What to say of this man of Allah, who even at the time of death did not miss even a single etiquette of the Shariah.

 

His servant also said that Hadhrat Shibli said: At such and such a place, a pious man is there who gives the funeral bath to the deceased.  I went to him and greeted him with Salaam.  He said: Hadhrat Imam Shibli (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has passed away.

 

I said: Yes.  When he came out, I saw that he was the same person about whom Hadhrat Imam Shibli (May Allah shower His mercy on him) had said: Tomorrow I will need that person.

 

When he saw me surprised, he said: Why are you surprised?  I told him the reason and asked him on oath as to how he knew that Hadhrat Imam Shibli (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has passed away.  He said: Dear! I got this news from the same place from where Imam Shibli (May Allah shower His mercy on him) got the news that tomorrow I will need that person.

 

He passed away in 324 Hijri in the reign of Caliph Muqtadar.  At that time, he was 86 years old.  His blessed grave is in Baghdad.

 

[Taken from Miraatul Asrar by Hadhrat Shaykh Abdur Rahman Chishti, Deceased 1094, Pg. No. 376/377]