HADHRAT JUNAID BAGHDAADI (rahmatullah alayh)
1. Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi (rahmatullah alayh) was the nephew and mureed of Hadhrat Sirri Saqati (rahmatullah alayh). Someone asked Hadhrat Sirri Saqati: "Can a mureed's rank surpass the rank of his Shaikh?"
Hadhrat Saqati said: "Yes. Junaid's rank is higher than my rank."
2. Envious persons and mischief-makers criticised and reviled Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi. They made many false allegations about him to the Khalifah of the time. The Khalifah said that as long as an accusation against Junaid Baghdaadi cannot be proven with evidence it is not proper to punish him. Nevertheless, the Khalifah decided to put Junaid Baghdaadi to test. A very beautiful slave-girl was adorned and instructed to tempt him. She had to appear in front of him, lift her veil and converse alluringly with him. She was instructed to say that she was an extremely wealthy woman. If he satisfied her desire once, she would give him all her wealth, reform herself and become engrossed in ibaadat.
The slave-girl went to Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi and set in motion her performance as instructed by the Khalifah. However, he immediately lowered his gaze and bent his head. After a few moments of meditation he lifted his head. While the woman was engaged in her devices of allurement, he sighed and blew in her direction. She promptly dropped down dead.
The observer sent to keep an eye on the woman and Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi reported this episode to the Khalifah. Since the Khalifah was in love with this girl, he was overcome with grief. He commented: "I did to him what I should not have done. I have now to see what I did not want to see." The Khalifah visited Hadhrat Junaid and said: "How did your heart tolerate the separation of such a beloved one from the world?"
Hadhrat Junaid said: "You are the Ameerul Mu'mineen who should have affection for the Mu'mineen. How could you tolerate the ruin of my forty years of riyaazat and ibaadat?"
3. After he commenced to give public lecture, he said: "I am not giving these discourses out of my freewill. Thirty Abdaal have compelled me to do so."
4. A Sufi is one who acts devotedly according to the Qur'aan and Sunnah.
5. People sin and I suffer because I consider them to be parts of my body. The Mu'mineen are like a single body.
6. For thirty years it was the practice of Hadhrat Junaid to repeat his Salaat if any stray thought entered his mind.
7. Hadhrat Junaid said to his mureeds: "If besides Fardh Salaat, it was better to perform Nafl Salaat than to give you naseehat, I would never sit among you to admonish you."
8. He perpetually fasted. When a guest came, he would break his fast (Nafl fast). He said: "Pleasing the guest is not less than Nafl fasting."
9. A fire-worshipper donning the garments of Muslims and pretending to be a Muslim sat in the Musjid to listen to Hadhrat Junaid's discourse. Later he went to Hadhrat Junaid and said:"Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم) said: "Beware of the spiritual vision (firaasat) of the Mu'min, for verily, he looks with the noor of Allah."
The fire-worshipper wanted to test this saying of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم) . When he asked for an explanation of the Hadith, Hadhrat Junaid said: "It means that you should become a Muslim."
Realising that his identity has been miraculously revealed to Hadhrat Junaid, the fire-worshipper sincerely and eagerly embraced Islam.
10. Hadhrat Junaid's eyes once pained severely. A non-Muslim physician advised him to abstain from applying water into his eyes. Hadhrat Junaid said: "I shall most certainly make wudhu." During the night he made wudhu and performed Ishaa Salaat. In the morning there was no pain in his eyes. A Voice said: "Junaid, for the sake of My ibaadat you ignored your eyes. I have therefore eliminated your pain."
When the physician visited Hadhrat Junaid and learnt of his overnight cure, he asked: "What remedy did you adopt to cure you in a single night?" Hadhrat Junaid said that he was cured by wudhu. The physician commented: "This is the remedy of the Creator, not of the creation." He promptly and sincerely accepted Islam.
11. A buzrug who sat out to visit Hadhrat Junaid, saw shaitaan fleeing in the road. When he (the buzrug) arrived at Hadhrat Junaid's home, he saw the latter in a furious state. The buzrug said: "When a man become angry, shaitaan dominates him. Don't become so angry."
Then the buzrug narrated the episode of shaitaan fleeing. Hadhrat Junaid said: "When I display anger, shaitaan flees because my anger is for Allah's sake while the anger of others is for the sake of the nafs."
12. A man complained: "There are no longer Deeni brothers in this age." Hadhrat Junaid said: "If Deeni brothers are only those who alleviate your difficulties, then indeed they are non-existent. If you mean the non-existence of original Deeni brothers (i.e. true Mu'mineen), then you are a liar. Deeni brothers are such Muslims whose difficulties you should alleviate and aid them in their difficulties. There is no dearth of such Deeni brothers."
13. Someone asked: "When is the heart happy?" Hadhrat Junaid said: "When Allah Ta'ala is in the heart."
14. One night Hadhrat Junaid was unable to concentrate in his ibaadat. His heart was in turmoil. He came out of his house and saw a man covered in a shawl sitting in his doorway waiting for him. Hadhrat Junaid said: "Now I understand the cause of my lack of concentration. It was your waiting here." The man said: "What is the medicine of the nafs?" Hadhrat Junaid said: "To oppose it." Addressing himself, the man said: "O nafs! I have said this to you a thousand times. Today you have heard it from this illustrious buzrug." He then left. Hadhrat Junaid engrossed himself in ibaadat. The turmoil had disappeared.
15. Once when a healthy man appeared and asked for some assistance, Hadhrat Junaid thought: "He is able to work. Begging is improper for him."
During the night, Hadhrat Junaid dreamt that a covered tray was presented to him. A Voice instructed him to eat. When he opened the tray he saw the dead body of the healthy beggar in it. Hadhrat Junaid retorted: "I am not the devourer of dead bodies." The Voice said: "Why then did you devour him during the day?"
His eyes opened with a shock. He took wudhu, performed two raka'ts and repented for the thought he had entertained. He set out in search of the man. After spending much time searching, he met him on the banks of the river Dajla. On seeing Hadhrat Junaid, the man said: "Junaid, have you repented for yesterday's fault?" When Hadhrat Junaid affirmed his taubah, the man recited the following aayat:
Translation:
"He accepts the taubah of His servants."
He added: "Now, go! Do not ever indulge in gheebat."
Explanation: Even a baseless suspicion is considered as gheebat in so far as the Auliyaa are concerned. In terms of the Shariah, although a baseless suspicion is sinful, it is not gheebat. An ill statement verbally uttered in a man's absence is gheebat, even if true.
16. A mureed of Hadhrat Junaid was deceived by shaitaan. The mureed thinking himself to have attained perfection, no longer discerned the need to remain in the company of his Shaikh. He went into seclusion. Frequently he experienced the angels taking him on a camel for a visit to Jannat. Feeling highly pleased with himself, the mureed made public his experiences.
One day Hadhrat Junaid went to him and said: "When tonight you visit Jannat, recite ." The mureed did so when he experienced his tour of Jannat. As he recited the shayaateen who were masquerading as angels fled. He now saw that he was sitting on an ass and the bones of dead people infront of him. His eyes opened to the reality of his condition. He repented and realised the imperative need for him to remain in the company of his Shaikh.
17. One of Hadhrat Junaid's mureeds in Basrah had gone into seclusion. While in seclusion he thought of committing a sin. When he looked in the mirror he saw his face had become black. He was filled with remorse and grief. After three days the blackness disappeared. Then arrived Hadhrat Junaid's letter in which was written: "Step into the Divine Court with care and respect. For the past three days I was acting as a washerman washing away the blackness of your face."
18. Hadhrat Junaid together with eight of his select mureeds participated in Jihaad against the kuffaar of Room. A kaafir martyred the eight mureeds. Hadhrat Junaid saw nine [???] suspended in the air. The eight souls of the mureeds entered their respective [???]. Seeing the ninth one empty, Hadhrat Junaid concluded that it was destined for him as he too would be martyred. He therefore resumed to fight. The same kaafir who had martyred the eight mureeds appeared and said:
"Make me a Muslim. You return to Baghdad and continue with your duty of guiding people."
The kaafir embraced Islam and fought valiantly, killing eight kuffaar. Finally he was martyred. His rooh entered the ninth [???]. As it entered, all nine [???] disappeared. The ninth one was destined for the new Muslim.
19. Hadhrat Junaid said:
Follow the Qur'aan and Sunnah. Never follow a man who does not follow the Qur'aan and Sunnah.
Abandon the world, the people of the world, shaitaan and the desires of the nafs.
The evil thoughts (waswasah) of the nafs are worse than the waswasah of shaitaan. Shaitaani waswasah can be neutralised by reciting La houla . . ., but it requires struggle to overcome the waswasah of the nafs.
He who follows Nafs-e-Ammaarah is destroyed. (Nafs-e-Ammaarah is the evil and rebellious nafs which commands only transgression.)
A human being becomes a human being by virtue of character, not by appearance.
The hearts of Allah's friends (the Auliyaa) are the receptacles of divine mysteries.
Obedience to the nafs is the foundation of corruption.
One who considers his nafs to be evil is a good servant of Allah.
By renouncing the world and adopting seclusion Imaan remains safe, the body healthy and the heart happy.
He who does not complain and patiently bears hardships in noble.
Blindness is better for the eye which does not derive lesson from the creation of Allah. Dumbness is better for the tongue which does not make the Thikr of Allah. Deafness is better for the ear which does not listen to the truth. Death is better for the body which does not worship Allah.
The world derives adornment from the Sufis like the heavens derives adornment from the stars.
One who guards his heart, guards the Deen.
Tasawwuf means to follow the Qur'aan and Hadith and to become engrossed in ibaadat.
The worst evil of a Sufi is bukhl (stinginess).
Ikhlaas demands that you do not deem your good deeds worthy of acceptance.
20. During the final moments of his life while on his death-bed he requested for wudhu. He was assisted to make wudhu. When the people forgot to make khilaal of his fingers, he reprimanded them. Khilaal was then made. He went into Sajdah and wept profusely, they asked: "Why do you weep so much inspite of having worshipped so much?" Hadhrat Junaid said: "I never was so much in need as the present moment." He then began tilaawat of the Qur'aan Shareef and said: "At this time there is no greater comforter for me than the Qur'aan. I am seeing the ibaadat of my entire life suspended in the air. A strong wind is swaying it. I do not know if this wind is a separator or an uniter (i.e. separating man from Allah or uniting him with Allah). On the other side I am observing Malakul Maut, the Siraat and the Just Judge. I do not know which way I will be commanded to go."
He recited 70 aayaat of Surah Baqarah and then lapsed into the state of Sakaraat (death throes). When people persisted that he recite 'Allah, Allah', he responded: "I have not forgotten Him." He commenced thikr and counting on his fingers the number of times. When he reached the Kalimah finger (forefinger) of his right hand, he raised it and recited Bismillahir . . . He closed his eyes for the last time.
21. While giving Hadhrat Junaid's body ghusl, an attempt was made to open his eyelids for the application of water. A Voice said: "His eyes closed in Our happiness. It will open only after having attained the bounty of The Vision (of Allah)."
Then an attempt was made to open the closed fingers of his hand. The Voice said: "The hand which closed with Our Thikr will not open without Our command."
Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anhu) had various mureeds, but there was one particular mureed, towards whom he paid special attention. A few disciples were not pleased with this and asked him why he gave preference to the mureed over others. Hazrat said that he is the most intelligent and wise amongst all of them, and it was for this reason that he gave preference to him. Hazrat then said, “Let me prove this to you.” He gave a chicken and a knife to each mureed, and asked them to sacrifice it where none would be able to see them. Each of the mureeds found a very quite and secluded area, and sacrificed the chicken. This one mureed, came back without slaughtering the chicken. Hazrat asked why he did not slaughter the chicken, and he said, “Huzoor, wherever I went, I found the Qudrat of Allah present there, and I knew that He is All Seeing. It is for this reason that I had no option but to return without success.” Hazrat then said, “Now, did you hear his answer? This is the reason he is so dear to me.”
Shaikh al Itlaaq, Mamba-e-Israar, Sultan-e-Tariqat, Hazrat Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi (RA), was born in Baghdaad in 218 Hijri, in the initial phase of his life was a wrestler under the employment of the king. Such was his renown that people would challenge him for large sums of money and he would wrestle in front of large audiences with the king looking on.
On one such occasion, a very feeble looking man asked the king that he would like to challenge the imperial wrestler. The king was initially reluctant to accept the man’s offer for he felt that the man would pose no challenge to Shaykh Junayd. However after a while the king accepted and the bout began.
Both wrestlers began to warm up with the huge crowd waiting in anticipation. Just before the match started the challenger said to Shaykh Junayd that:
‘I want to say something to you. You and I both know that I cannot beat you. The reason for my challenging you is that I am a Sayidd (descendent of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam).
I and my family have been struck with poverty and we have not eaten for many days. Such are things that we cannot bear the hunger anymore. I beseech you to respect my lineage and let me win this match so that I may get the reward and be able to feed my family’
Shaykh Junayd was shocked by the man’s request but he accepted and to crowd’s great surprise lost the bout. He bore the great disgrace of defeat for the sake of respecting the family of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam. That night when Shaykh Junayd went to sleep he saw the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam in a dream. The Prophet sallahu alayhi wasalam said to him:
O Junayd. For my family you made such a great sacrifice. Because of this I have asked Allah to make you the greatest wali of your time
And it was the blessing of this action and duaa that transformed the wrestler Junayd into the great Shaykh Junayd Baghdadi rahmatullahi alayh.
Hadhrat Saqati said: "Yes. Junaid's rank is higher than my rank."
2. Envious persons and mischief-makers criticised and reviled Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi. They made many false allegations about him to the Khalifah of the time. The Khalifah said that as long as an accusation against Junaid Baghdaadi cannot be proven with evidence it is not proper to punish him. Nevertheless, the Khalifah decided to put Junaid Baghdaadi to test. A very beautiful slave-girl was adorned and instructed to tempt him. She had to appear in front of him, lift her veil and converse alluringly with him. She was instructed to say that she was an extremely wealthy woman. If he satisfied her desire once, she would give him all her wealth, reform herself and become engrossed in ibaadat.
The slave-girl went to Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi and set in motion her performance as instructed by the Khalifah. However, he immediately lowered his gaze and bent his head. After a few moments of meditation he lifted his head. While the woman was engaged in her devices of allurement, he sighed and blew in her direction. She promptly dropped down dead.
The observer sent to keep an eye on the woman and Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi reported this episode to the Khalifah. Since the Khalifah was in love with this girl, he was overcome with grief. He commented: "I did to him what I should not have done. I have now to see what I did not want to see." The Khalifah visited Hadhrat Junaid and said: "How did your heart tolerate the separation of such a beloved one from the world?"
Hadhrat Junaid said: "You are the Ameerul Mu'mineen who should have affection for the Mu'mineen. How could you tolerate the ruin of my forty years of riyaazat and ibaadat?"
3. After he commenced to give public lecture, he said: "I am not giving these discourses out of my freewill. Thirty Abdaal have compelled me to do so."
4. A Sufi is one who acts devotedly according to the Qur'aan and Sunnah.
5. People sin and I suffer because I consider them to be parts of my body. The Mu'mineen are like a single body.
6. For thirty years it was the practice of Hadhrat Junaid to repeat his Salaat if any stray thought entered his mind.
7. Hadhrat Junaid said to his mureeds: "If besides Fardh Salaat, it was better to perform Nafl Salaat than to give you naseehat, I would never sit among you to admonish you."
8. He perpetually fasted. When a guest came, he would break his fast (Nafl fast). He said: "Pleasing the guest is not less than Nafl fasting."
9. A fire-worshipper donning the garments of Muslims and pretending to be a Muslim sat in the Musjid to listen to Hadhrat Junaid's discourse. Later he went to Hadhrat Junaid and said:"Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم) said: "Beware of the spiritual vision (firaasat) of the Mu'min, for verily, he looks with the noor of Allah."
The fire-worshipper wanted to test this saying of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم) . When he asked for an explanation of the Hadith, Hadhrat Junaid said: "It means that you should become a Muslim."
Realising that his identity has been miraculously revealed to Hadhrat Junaid, the fire-worshipper sincerely and eagerly embraced Islam.
10. Hadhrat Junaid's eyes once pained severely. A non-Muslim physician advised him to abstain from applying water into his eyes. Hadhrat Junaid said: "I shall most certainly make wudhu." During the night he made wudhu and performed Ishaa Salaat. In the morning there was no pain in his eyes. A Voice said: "Junaid, for the sake of My ibaadat you ignored your eyes. I have therefore eliminated your pain."
When the physician visited Hadhrat Junaid and learnt of his overnight cure, he asked: "What remedy did you adopt to cure you in a single night?" Hadhrat Junaid said that he was cured by wudhu. The physician commented: "This is the remedy of the Creator, not of the creation." He promptly and sincerely accepted Islam.
11. A buzrug who sat out to visit Hadhrat Junaid, saw shaitaan fleeing in the road. When he (the buzrug) arrived at Hadhrat Junaid's home, he saw the latter in a furious state. The buzrug said: "When a man become angry, shaitaan dominates him. Don't become so angry."
Then the buzrug narrated the episode of shaitaan fleeing. Hadhrat Junaid said: "When I display anger, shaitaan flees because my anger is for Allah's sake while the anger of others is for the sake of the nafs."
12. A man complained: "There are no longer Deeni brothers in this age." Hadhrat Junaid said: "If Deeni brothers are only those who alleviate your difficulties, then indeed they are non-existent. If you mean the non-existence of original Deeni brothers (i.e. true Mu'mineen), then you are a liar. Deeni brothers are such Muslims whose difficulties you should alleviate and aid them in their difficulties. There is no dearth of such Deeni brothers."
13. Someone asked: "When is the heart happy?" Hadhrat Junaid said: "When Allah Ta'ala is in the heart."
14. One night Hadhrat Junaid was unable to concentrate in his ibaadat. His heart was in turmoil. He came out of his house and saw a man covered in a shawl sitting in his doorway waiting for him. Hadhrat Junaid said: "Now I understand the cause of my lack of concentration. It was your waiting here." The man said: "What is the medicine of the nafs?" Hadhrat Junaid said: "To oppose it." Addressing himself, the man said: "O nafs! I have said this to you a thousand times. Today you have heard it from this illustrious buzrug." He then left. Hadhrat Junaid engrossed himself in ibaadat. The turmoil had disappeared.
15. Once when a healthy man appeared and asked for some assistance, Hadhrat Junaid thought: "He is able to work. Begging is improper for him."
During the night, Hadhrat Junaid dreamt that a covered tray was presented to him. A Voice instructed him to eat. When he opened the tray he saw the dead body of the healthy beggar in it. Hadhrat Junaid retorted: "I am not the devourer of dead bodies." The Voice said: "Why then did you devour him during the day?"
His eyes opened with a shock. He took wudhu, performed two raka'ts and repented for the thought he had entertained. He set out in search of the man. After spending much time searching, he met him on the banks of the river Dajla. On seeing Hadhrat Junaid, the man said: "Junaid, have you repented for yesterday's fault?" When Hadhrat Junaid affirmed his taubah, the man recited the following aayat:
Translation:
"He accepts the taubah of His servants."
He added: "Now, go! Do not ever indulge in gheebat."
Explanation: Even a baseless suspicion is considered as gheebat in so far as the Auliyaa are concerned. In terms of the Shariah, although a baseless suspicion is sinful, it is not gheebat. An ill statement verbally uttered in a man's absence is gheebat, even if true.
16. A mureed of Hadhrat Junaid was deceived by shaitaan. The mureed thinking himself to have attained perfection, no longer discerned the need to remain in the company of his Shaikh. He went into seclusion. Frequently he experienced the angels taking him on a camel for a visit to Jannat. Feeling highly pleased with himself, the mureed made public his experiences.
One day Hadhrat Junaid went to him and said: "When tonight you visit Jannat, recite ." The mureed did so when he experienced his tour of Jannat. As he recited the shayaateen who were masquerading as angels fled. He now saw that he was sitting on an ass and the bones of dead people infront of him. His eyes opened to the reality of his condition. He repented and realised the imperative need for him to remain in the company of his Shaikh.
17. One of Hadhrat Junaid's mureeds in Basrah had gone into seclusion. While in seclusion he thought of committing a sin. When he looked in the mirror he saw his face had become black. He was filled with remorse and grief. After three days the blackness disappeared. Then arrived Hadhrat Junaid's letter in which was written: "Step into the Divine Court with care and respect. For the past three days I was acting as a washerman washing away the blackness of your face."
18. Hadhrat Junaid together with eight of his select mureeds participated in Jihaad against the kuffaar of Room. A kaafir martyred the eight mureeds. Hadhrat Junaid saw nine [???] suspended in the air. The eight souls of the mureeds entered their respective [???]. Seeing the ninth one empty, Hadhrat Junaid concluded that it was destined for him as he too would be martyred. He therefore resumed to fight. The same kaafir who had martyred the eight mureeds appeared and said:
"Make me a Muslim. You return to Baghdad and continue with your duty of guiding people."
The kaafir embraced Islam and fought valiantly, killing eight kuffaar. Finally he was martyred. His rooh entered the ninth [???]. As it entered, all nine [???] disappeared. The ninth one was destined for the new Muslim.
19. Hadhrat Junaid said:
Follow the Qur'aan and Sunnah. Never follow a man who does not follow the Qur'aan and Sunnah.
Abandon the world, the people of the world, shaitaan and the desires of the nafs.
The evil thoughts (waswasah) of the nafs are worse than the waswasah of shaitaan. Shaitaani waswasah can be neutralised by reciting La houla . . ., but it requires struggle to overcome the waswasah of the nafs.
He who follows Nafs-e-Ammaarah is destroyed. (Nafs-e-Ammaarah is the evil and rebellious nafs which commands only transgression.)
A human being becomes a human being by virtue of character, not by appearance.
The hearts of Allah's friends (the Auliyaa) are the receptacles of divine mysteries.
Obedience to the nafs is the foundation of corruption.
One who considers his nafs to be evil is a good servant of Allah.
By renouncing the world and adopting seclusion Imaan remains safe, the body healthy and the heart happy.
He who does not complain and patiently bears hardships in noble.
Blindness is better for the eye which does not derive lesson from the creation of Allah. Dumbness is better for the tongue which does not make the Thikr of Allah. Deafness is better for the ear which does not listen to the truth. Death is better for the body which does not worship Allah.
The world derives adornment from the Sufis like the heavens derives adornment from the stars.
One who guards his heart, guards the Deen.
Tasawwuf means to follow the Qur'aan and Hadith and to become engrossed in ibaadat.
The worst evil of a Sufi is bukhl (stinginess).
Ikhlaas demands that you do not deem your good deeds worthy of acceptance.
20. During the final moments of his life while on his death-bed he requested for wudhu. He was assisted to make wudhu. When the people forgot to make khilaal of his fingers, he reprimanded them. Khilaal was then made. He went into Sajdah and wept profusely, they asked: "Why do you weep so much inspite of having worshipped so much?" Hadhrat Junaid said: "I never was so much in need as the present moment." He then began tilaawat of the Qur'aan Shareef and said: "At this time there is no greater comforter for me than the Qur'aan. I am seeing the ibaadat of my entire life suspended in the air. A strong wind is swaying it. I do not know if this wind is a separator or an uniter (i.e. separating man from Allah or uniting him with Allah). On the other side I am observing Malakul Maut, the Siraat and the Just Judge. I do not know which way I will be commanded to go."
He recited 70 aayaat of Surah Baqarah and then lapsed into the state of Sakaraat (death throes). When people persisted that he recite 'Allah, Allah', he responded: "I have not forgotten Him." He commenced thikr and counting on his fingers the number of times. When he reached the Kalimah finger (forefinger) of his right hand, he raised it and recited Bismillahir . . . He closed his eyes for the last time.
21. While giving Hadhrat Junaid's body ghusl, an attempt was made to open his eyelids for the application of water. A Voice said: "His eyes closed in Our happiness. It will open only after having attained the bounty of The Vision (of Allah)."
Then an attempt was made to open the closed fingers of his hand. The Voice said: "The hand which closed with Our Thikr will not open without Our command."
Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anhu) had various mureeds, but there was one particular mureed, towards whom he paid special attention. A few disciples were not pleased with this and asked him why he gave preference to the mureed over others. Hazrat said that he is the most intelligent and wise amongst all of them, and it was for this reason that he gave preference to him. Hazrat then said, “Let me prove this to you.” He gave a chicken and a knife to each mureed, and asked them to sacrifice it where none would be able to see them. Each of the mureeds found a very quite and secluded area, and sacrificed the chicken. This one mureed, came back without slaughtering the chicken. Hazrat asked why he did not slaughter the chicken, and he said, “Huzoor, wherever I went, I found the Qudrat of Allah present there, and I knew that He is All Seeing. It is for this reason that I had no option but to return without success.” Hazrat then said, “Now, did you hear his answer? This is the reason he is so dear to me.”
Shaikh al Itlaaq, Mamba-e-Israar, Sultan-e-Tariqat, Hazrat Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi (RA), was born in Baghdaad in 218 Hijri, in the initial phase of his life was a wrestler under the employment of the king. Such was his renown that people would challenge him for large sums of money and he would wrestle in front of large audiences with the king looking on.
On one such occasion, a very feeble looking man asked the king that he would like to challenge the imperial wrestler. The king was initially reluctant to accept the man’s offer for he felt that the man would pose no challenge to Shaykh Junayd. However after a while the king accepted and the bout began.
Both wrestlers began to warm up with the huge crowd waiting in anticipation. Just before the match started the challenger said to Shaykh Junayd that:
‘I want to say something to you. You and I both know that I cannot beat you. The reason for my challenging you is that I am a Sayidd (descendent of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam).
I and my family have been struck with poverty and we have not eaten for many days. Such are things that we cannot bear the hunger anymore. I beseech you to respect my lineage and let me win this match so that I may get the reward and be able to feed my family’
Shaykh Junayd was shocked by the man’s request but he accepted and to crowd’s great surprise lost the bout. He bore the great disgrace of defeat for the sake of respecting the family of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam. That night when Shaykh Junayd went to sleep he saw the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam in a dream. The Prophet sallahu alayhi wasalam said to him:
O Junayd. For my family you made such a great sacrifice. Because of this I have asked Allah to make you the greatest wali of your time
And it was the blessing of this action and duaa that transformed the wrestler Junayd into the great Shaykh Junayd Baghdadi rahmatullahi alayh.
