SULTAN-UL-ARIFEEN HAZRAT BAYAZID BASTAMI (May Allah Bless His Soul)
Name and Parentage :
We do not find exactly about his early days of life, however for the interest of the readers, we are giving some of the facts about his life. His good name was Tafoor bin Eassa bin Adam bin Saroshan. Earlier his grandfather worshipped fire and later embraced Islam. The name of his father was Hazrat Essa bin Adam who was a great Sufi in Bastam.
Surname His surname was Sultan-ul-Arifeen and Abu Yazid or Bayazid.
His blessed Birth His Karamat started appearing before his birth when he was in his mother’s womb. His mother was a God fearing and pious lady. She said that when Bayazid was in her womb, she would vomit out of stomach if she ate any doubtful thing. Sometimes restlessness overcame so hard that she had to enter her finger in her throat to vomit out the food from her stomach.
Station of his Williat:
He was a born Wali (friend of Allah). He said that the greatest wealth in the way of Tareeqat is to be inherited from the childhood. The one who is not born blessed, has not an open eye and attentive ear, for him accidental death is better than this way (of Tareeqat). The wish to seek Truth had arisen in him in the boyhood. When he recited this holy verse of the Holy Quran while getting lessons from his teacher, “Be thankful to Me and your parents.”It left a deep impact on his heart. He put his wooden slate aside, got permission from his teacher and came to his house. He said to his mother,’ I can’t be thankful to two at one time. So either you get me from Allah, so that I could be thankful to you with my core of heart, or let me be of Allah so that, I could be thankful to Him and remember Him single-mindedly.’ His pious and God fearing mother said to him, ‘today I forgive all my rights to you’. He left Bastam (His native town) and wandered in the deserts of Syria and remained busy in spiritual exercises without caring for food and drink. During this sojourn, he served one hundred and seventy Aulia Ikram and received their blessings. When he prayed, out of respect and fear of Allah Almighty, his chest bones would give out creaking sound that could be heard by people.
Since Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq bin Muhammad (Imam Baqir) bin Ali (Imam Zain-ul-Abaddin) bin Hussain bin Ali Al-Murtaza (radiyallahu anhu) had come in spiritual communion with Allah Almighty before the birth of Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (may Allah bless his soul).His Battani(inner) spiritual training was done at the hands of Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq (radiyallahu anhu).Once, he was sitting in the company of Imam Jaffar Sadiq (radiyallahu anhu), Hazrat Imam Said, ‘O, Bayazid, go and fetch the book laid in the niche.’ He asked where the niche was. Hazrat Imam said, ‘Bayazid, you have been here for such a long time, you haven’t seen the niche.’ Hazrat Bayazid (radiyallahu anhu) said he never raised his head in front of him. When Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq (radiyallahu anhu) heard this, he said to him, ‘ go to Bastam, you have nothing to do here now.’
Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (radiyallahu anhu) had two brothers Hazrat Adam and Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhum). These two had their own rank in piety. But, he was much different and nobler in rank than his brothers. About his rank, Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (radiyallahu anhu) said, “The rank of Bayazid among Sufia is like the rank of Gabriel among all the angels.” He was of the greatest Sheikh, leader of Aulia Ikram, the righteous caliph, Qutab and Otadth of his time. Besides this, he is ranked one of ten Imams of Tasawaf. His early years of life passed in getting Knowledge of Tareeqat and Marafah. He himself said about this:
“I passed thirty years in spiritual exercises but I haven’t come across such a difficult thing than knowledge and its practice. I would have given up if there had not been difference of opinion of Ulema on every question, and I have not had Marafah of Allah Almighty. This is a fact that this difference of opinion of Ulema is a blessing but difference in pure Tauhid (Onessness of Allah) is harmful.”
Reward of Serving his Mother:
He said the thing he considered last came out to be the foremost, which is the pleasure of his mother. The thing he tried to find while wandering in deserts and spiritual exercises found in the pleasure of his mother. He further said, ‘once my mother asked me a glass of water in the night. I tried to pour out water from the pitcher but it was empty. I went to a canal nearby to fetch water. When I came back with water, it took some time and my mother had gone to sleep again. I filled the glass and kept standing, waiting for the whole night for my mother to get up. It was a cold night and the glass of water froze in my hands. When my mother awoke, she drank water and prayed for me. Since the glass was frozen in my hands, I did not place it down. My mother inquired why I did not place the glass down. I replied, ‘ since you were sleeping, I thought its sound might disturb your sleep and you get up.’
Once he intended to perform Hajj. He would offer two Rakat prayer after pacing a few steps in the way. In this way, it took him twelve years to reach Khana Kaa’ba. He would often say that it was not the court of common king that one should reach there abruptly. After performing Hajj, he returned back and wore fresh Ihram for the sake of Ziarat of the holy tomb of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم.
While coming back, after paying homage and Salam at Roza-e-Rasool, the thought of serving his mother persuaded him to come back to Bastam again. When the people of the city came to know his arrival, they came out of the city to welcome him. But, he did not like all this. Since, he was fasting, in order to avoid people; he bought some edibles from a shop and started eating. When the people of the city saw him eating in the month of Ramdan and such desecration of the holy month, they all went back. He said, he did nothing but availed the permission granted by Shariah but these people turned their faces away. When the people went away, he came to his house, stepped in and put his ears near the door and heard what his mother was praying. In the meanwhile, his mother was praying to Allah Almighty while performing ablution: “O Allah, keep my traveler in good state, make his elders (Sufia) happy with him, and give him the best reward.”On hearing this, he wept a lot and knocked the door. The mother called who was at the door. He said, ‘your traveler’. The mother opened the door quickly and said, ‘you went on such a long journey and I lost my eyesight while weeping in your absence. My back has bent down because of your painful remembrance.’ He replied, ‘the thing I had put aside for later had come to fruition that is the pleasure of my mother.
He says, “If a Truth seeker loves and makes friends with Allah Almighty with the thought that he will become Murid (seeker) or sought after; though he is the seeker or the sought after, in any case, this thought is destructive for him. Because if being a Truth seeker he becomes the sought after, his own being is a stark fact in being Truth seeker; and if being Truth seeker, he becomes the sought after, there is no place of human consideration in this; in any case this is detrimental for him, because there is still existence of his being in love. So the real Truth seeker is the one who loses (becomes Fina) his own being in love because the perpetuation of love lies in annihilation of being or self.”
He saw a person praying in a mosque and said, “if you have understood that this prayer would take you to Allah, you are in the wrong, because this is absolutely pride and vanity. This prayer is just a mean to reach Allah. If you will pray in the morning, you will not be a disbeliever, but if you look with an eye of pride at yourself, you will become a Mushrik (the one who stands someone or something equal to Allah in worship).”
He said that for some people our company is nothing more than a fruit of curse, and for some it is a blessing. The people asked how? He said, someone comes to meet such time when I am not in a normal state of consciousness, he backbites me and incurs curse on himself. A second person comes to me at a time when the Truth overpowers me, he considers me helpless, and fruit of this is a blessing for him.” So, such state of trance overpowered him and he got lost in revere of thought of the Lord, he said,” that is “I am pure and what grand is my being!” When he came to his normal state, his disciples narrated him the whole incident. He told them, “Allah as well as Bayazid is your enemy. If you hear such a thing from my tongue, tore me in to pieces.” He said this and gave everyone a wooden stick. When the same state of trance overpowered him, he uttered almost the same word as he had uttered earlier. His disciples intended to kill him. His house got filled with the people till there was no place empty for a single person. His disciples and close kin were throwing stones at him while others were castin him with staffs and knives. It seemed as if they were casting knives and staffs on water. When that state of trance came to end, he was looking smaller than his normal stature, like a diminutive or a bird sitting in an arch. His disciples went over to him and told him the whole incident. He said, “the real Bayazid is this that you are looking at, not the one you beheld earlier.”
These Aulia Ikram experience such incidents, and these utterances neither make them disbeliever nor it is an infringement on pure Tauhid (Oneness of Allah). Only those who experience them know the reality of these states. The Holy Quran, Sunnah of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم and many such incidents of Aulia Ikram in the history validate authenticity of these spiritual states. We are citing one example that will be sufficient to substantiate this. Syed Ahmad Sahab Hamdani in his commentary on “Risayla Wahi” written by Hazrat Sultan Bahu (radiyallahu anhu), writes: “To reverend Sheikh, it was a state of ecstasy that shows his exclusive nearness to Allah Almighty. Its example is commonly given like the iron and fire. Iron assumes all the qualities of fire when puts in fire though it is still an iron. It is a different thing that when it gets out of fire and cold, it remains iron as such.”
He used to say, “I put my Nafs (evil self) in hearth of toil and heated with fire of spiritual exercises and hammered it with revilement for twelve years. After this, my heart became like a mirror. I further coated it with five different kinds of worships. Then I observed with an eye of self-confidence for one year, I found in it the element of pride and self praise. So, I further put it in rigorous exercise for five more years and made it a Muslim. When I saw the reflection of people in it, I found all of them dead. I offered funeral prayer on them and turned eye from them as people get aside from the dead after funeral prayer till the Judgement Day. Then I embraced the rank of communion with Allah.”
When Yahyah bin Maudh wrote this to him, “I want to tell you a secrete, but I will tell it when we will both be standing under the Tree of Tooba in Paradise.” He gave a piece of bread to his servant and advised him to tell Hazrat Bayazid, “eat it; it has been soaked with Zam Zam water”. Hazrat Bayazid wrote in reply, “The place where Allah is remembered, both Paradise and Tooba are present there, and I am sending the piece of bread back because the nobility of Zam Zam is a fact, but how can one knows that the seed that was sown was earned out of honest earning or unfair means. I doubt it being earned out of fair means.” After getting this reply and saying Isha Prayer (night prayer), Yahyah bin Maudh reached Bastam and stayed at place not to disturb the Sheikh then. He went to see Hazrat Bayazid (radiyallahu anhu) in the morning, but he came to know that Hazrat Bayazid (radiyallahu anhu) was in the graveyard then. So, he reached the graveyard and saw Bazyid (radiyallahu anhu) busy in prayers while standing on his finger toes. It seemed as if he passed the whole night in this state. He finished his prayer and waited till the sun arose fully and recited this Dua (verse):
“I seek Your refuge that I ask You knowing about this state.”
After this Hazrat Yahyah stepped ahead and greeted him and asked about his night prayers. Hazrat Bayazid (radiyallahu anhu) said, “Allah Almighty offered me twenty grades but all of them were of Hijab (veil or screen), that’s why I did not accept them.” Then Hazrat Yahyah asked him, “why don’t you ask Allah for His Marafah (true knowledge of Allah).”He listened this and screamed, “be quite! I feel ashamed to ask Allah Almighty for something that I want Him to possess alone. And you realize where there is Mara’fah of Allah how my sinful being can exist there. This is the will of Allah Almighty that none should know His Mara’fah except Him.” Then Hazrat Yahyah requested him to bestow Faiz (benediction) on him out of the ranks that the later got from Allah Almighty. Hazrat Bayazid(radiyallahu anhu) said, “If you are given the attributes of Adam, friendship of Abraham, fondness of Musa (Moses), purity of Jesus and holiness of Gabriel and love of the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى عليه و سلم don’t be happy because these are all Hijab (veil or screen). Seek only God from God so that you get everything.” Ummi Basatmi said that he heard his father saying that Bayazid Bastami said to him, “Let’s go and see that man who has made himself known Wali and is known for his piety.”We went to him, when that man came out of his house and entered the mosque; he spat his saliva towards the direction of Kaa’ba. On seeing this Hazrat Bayazid (radiyallahu anhu) returned back without greeting him and said,” This man doesn’t know one manner out of manners of the Holy Prophet صلى عليه و سلم , how he can be truthful in what he claims to be.”
He says, “One night, I spread out my legs in my arch, I heard a voice saying, ‘the person, who sits in the company of Kings, should sit with right decorum.”He was asked what Sunnah and Fariza (obligation to Allah) were. He said, “Sunnah means to renounce and Fariza means to sit in the company of Allah Almighty.”It means that Sunnah testifies renunciation the world and the Book testifies the company of Allah Almighty. Because the word of Allah is one of the attributes of Allah and His blessings are eternal, so they necessitates eternal thankfulness.”He was asked, “When does a man become humble truly?”He said, when neither he look at his rank and state nor regards others worse than himself.”
In the foregoing pages, some of the incidents from the life of Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (radiyallahu anhu) have been written, now blessings will be invoked by narrating some of his Karamat. But, before that, I would like to say something about Karamat that have been a contentious problem among Muslims. In this regard, I would like to present my own viewpoint, so that, truth can be reached at easily. Allah Almighty bestows His exclusive nearness to His servants is evident from a Hadith Qudhsi (words of Allah Almighty spoken through the mouth of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم)
The Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم says that Allah Almighty says, “… And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him. So,I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his legs with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (refuge), I will protect him; and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.”
Allama Fakhar-ud-Din Razi (may Allah bless his soul) says about this Hadith Qudthsi”human being comes under the protection of Allah Almighty.” Then sometimes, extraordinary and unusual phenomenon starts occurring by this person. These uncommon and unusual phenomena that occur at the hands of a prophet, Wali, or Momin or any Fasiq and unbeliever are either called Irhaas, Miracle, Karamat, Maonit or Istadraaj.In the following pages these terms are explained with some of the examples. (Ilm-ul-Quran by Hakim-ul-Ummit Mufti Ahmad Yar Nahimi and Karamat-e-Sahaba by Allama Abdual Mustafa Azami)
Irhaas These are the extraordinary phenomenon that appear before declaration of prophethood of a prophet or Rasool, they are called Irhaas.
Example 1 Hazrat Essa (Jesus) عليه السلام spoke to the people in his infancy to prove purity and chastity of his mother.
“But she pointed to the babe. They said: How can we talk to one who is a child in cradle?
He said: I am indeed a servant of Allah: He gave me Revelation and made me a prophet.” (19: 29-30)
Example 2 When Hazrat Haleema Sadia (radiyallahu anha) came to adopt the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم, her mount, that is her she donkey, was weak and feeble. It did not give milk any more. The chest of Haleema Sadia (radiyallahu anha) was also without milk. When she embraced Hazrat Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم to her chest, and rode on her mount, her chest got full of milk. Her she-donkey not only became healthy and strong but its mammary glands were also full of milk. (Khasias-al-Kubra Vol. 1)
Example 3 The playing of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم with moon with his finger in the cradle. (Ditto)
Miracle These are the unusual incidents that appear at the hand of a prophet or Rasool after the declaration of his prophethood in order to prove varsity of his message or Deen. The Holy Quran mentions many miracles shown by the prophets. A few examples from the Holy Quran are cited here.
Example 1 The miracle of Staff and Glittering Hand shown by Prophet Moses عليه السلام in front of Pharaoh and his votaries.
“Then (Moses) threw his rod and behold! It was a serpent, plain (for all to see)!
And he drew out his hand, and behold! It was white to all beholders! (7: 107-108)
Example 2 When the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was in Makkah, Allah Almighty granted him the miracle of Mirage (ascension to heavens):
Glory be to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a journey by night from the
Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose precincts We did bless, – in order
that We might show him some of Our Signs…” (17:1)
Mahunat It is derived from the word Aun that means to help. When such thing happens by believers that do not appear in normal circumstances, it is called Mahunat.
Istdhraj Istdhraj also applies to those events that are unusual and extraordinary, but it is used for Fasiq and non-believer. Seeing these, people gather around them and the later makes a good profit out it. But these poor and gullible people do not understand how a willful evader of prayer and Fast and the one, who gathers women around him can be their religious guide.
It is the need of the time to know and understand whether these unusual happenings are occurring at the hand of a Momin, Wali Allah, a Fasiq or a non-believer; whether he is lost in the love of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم and Zikr-e-Allah or not. In subsequent pages an effort would be made to dwell on our main topic that is Karamat.
Karamat These are the things and events that take place at the hands of a pious and God fearing Momin, or in terms of Tassawuf, Wali Allah. About this Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
“Verily, of you, karim (honourable) is the one who fears Allah most”
Definition of Karamat It is to be remembered that Karamat is a kind of bestowal of Allah Almighty that appears at the hands of His blessed and beloved servant. And that, it appears solely by the will and command of Allah Almighty. Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh Ali Hijwari (radiyallahu anhu) defines it as; “Karamat is that extraordinary phenomenon that cannot be performed with an ordinary human effort. The phenomenon to beat down falsehood by the force of Truth and its referential forces, for the sake of Mara’fah of Allah, is also called Karamat”
Karamat is a disputatious problem. Abdual Haq Haqqani writes in his book, Eqaid-e-Islam (Beliefs in Islam) that, ” The extent to which Karamat appeared by the companions of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم and then in the time of Tabaheen (those who followed the companions) and Taba-Tabaheen (those who followed Tabaeen), it has assumed the state of authenticity. Of the lattar, Karamat of Ghaus-ul-Azam Sheikh Abdual Qadir Jillani and many other Aulia till today are known and observed by many people. Is it not bias and prejudice to deny this then?”
After defining and explaining Karamat, some of the Quranic stories are being cited here.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
“There is in their stories instruction for men endued with understanding. It is not
a tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it,- a detailed exposition
of all things, and a Guide and a Mercy to any such as believe.” (12:111)
Story: 1 Allama Karam Shah Sahab Al- Azahri writes in his Tafseer Zia-ul-Quran in column 43 about this story. When Hazrat Suleman (Solomon) عليه السلام did not accept the gifts sent by Bilqees, the envoys took all the gifts back and told the whole story to their queen (Balqees). She understood that he was not an ordinary king and she had not the courage to face him. But before accepting Iman, she wanted to observe his state of affairs. She set out with all princely pump and show to see Suleman عليه السلام.
When she reached nearby, he thought of showing her a sign of complete Sovereignty of Allah Almighty and to show her how Allah Almighty had bestowed him with grandeur and honour that his servants could perform such miraculous things. So, he ordered his courtiers, read in the words of the Holy Quran:
“He said (to his own men): You chiefs! Which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in submission? A stalwart of the Jinn said: I will bring it to you before you rise from your council: indeed I have full strength for the purpose, and may be trusted. Said one who had knowledge of the Book: I will bring it to you before ever your glance returns to you. Then when (Solomon) saw it placed firmly before him, he said: This is. By the grace of my Lord! – To test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful!
Truly his gratitude is (a gain) for his own soul; but if any is ungrateful, truly
my Lord is Free of all Needs, Supreme in Honour!” (27:38-40)
1-Suleman (Solomon) عليه السلام despite having powers to control the forces of the universe provided a chance to one of his own men Asif Barkhia to establish the powers given to his servants.
2-Allah Almighty has given superiority to man over mighty Jinns, who can bring the royal throne at the distance of 1500 miles in a glance of an eye.
3- Aulia Allah have Divine gifted powers that they can perform unusual and extraordinary things.
4-It also shows that Aulia Allah can be present in any part of the world in a wink of an eye and help their Murid (disciple).
5- He thanked Allah Almighty over the Karamat of his minister.
Story: 2 Ulema Ikram write in Tafseer (exegeses of the Holy Quran) about the story of Hazrat Mariam (Mary) عليه السلام that when her mother Hannah, the wife of Imran, felt the weight of pregnancy, she intended with right humbleness to dedicate her infant, forever, to the service of Bait-ul-Muqaddas (House of Allah) if he were a boy. She gave birth to Hazrat Mariam (Mary) instead of a boy. Since it was prohibited for the girls to enter Bait-ul-Muqaddas (House of Allah), Hannah felt grieved and said, ‘My Lord how I will fulfill my intention’. Allah Almighty said:
“And Allah knew best what she brought forth. And not the male like
the female I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her
offspring to thy protection from Satan the Rejected.” (3:36)
So, Allah Almighty accepted that offer and intention. Karamat started appearing in the childhood of Hazrat Mariam (Mary) عليه السلام,as Allah Almighty says:
“He made her grow in purity and beauty”
The writer of Tafseer Khazan-ul-Irfan writes in the commentary of this verse that Hazrat Mariam عليه السلام used to grow in one day as other children grow in one year. Besides this, she did not suckle milk of any woman in her childhood. Since Hazrat Mariam عليه السلام was the daughter of an Imam and a man well versed in the Holy Book, her family was one of twenty-seven noble families of Bani Israel. Everyone asked for to rear Miriam but Hazrat Zakria, عليه السلام who was her near kinsman, said that he deserved more being near in relationship. So, the matter ended with lot that came out in the name of Hazrat Zakria عليه السلام who raised her in Bait-ul-Muqaddas. When every time he entered in her chamber to see her, he found their fruits that were out of season. One day he asked,: “O, Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?”
She replied, هو من عند الله “From Allah”. (Al-Imran, 38). This holy verse not only reveals availability of provision but also shows her Karamat. She started speaking in her very early age. In the light of these holy verses and commentaries written by Ulema (Religious scholars), following Karamat of Hazrat Mariam (Mary) عليه السلام have been mentioned:
1-She did not suckle any woman for milk in her infancy.
2-To grow growth of one year in one day.
3-To get provisions out of season and without physical means.
4-She started speaking in her very early age.
Proof of Karamat from Hadith:
1- One day a pious lady came in the company of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم and greeted the blessed Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم. The Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم enquired, “Why have you come after so many days, though you are obedient and I also have regards for you.” She said that she came to tell him a strange incident. The Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم asked her about it. She said, “In the morning, I went out in search of wood. I collected some and tied them in a bundle and put it on a stone, so that I could lift it on my head. In the mean time, I saw a rider in the sky, coming down to earth. First, he greeted me and then said, ‘pay my Salam to the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم and say that Khazan-e-Janaat has greeted you and given you Glad tiding that Paradise has been divided in to three parts as your Karamat. One part is for those people who will enter Paradise without accounting for their deeds and the other part is for those whose accountability will be easier and the third part is for the people who will enter Paradise due to intercession of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم .Saying this, the rider started ascending the sky and he turned his face towards me in the middle of the earth and heaven and looked me as I was trying to lift the bundle of wood on my head but could not. The rider said, ‘O, pious lady! Let it be on the stone, and then said to the stone, ‘O stone! Get along this pious lady and take this bundle to the house of Hazrat Umar (radiyallahu anhu). The stone did the same and reached the house.” The Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم stood up and accompanied his blessed companions to the house of Hazrat Umar (radiyallahu anhu) and saw the marks of stone’s arrival and departure. Then the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم said, ‘All Praises be to Allah Who has taken me out of this world in state where my Ummah (followers) has been given glad tidings through Rizwan ( a host of Paradise) and posted one of woman of my Ummah on the rank of Mariam’
(Kashf Al-Mahjoob)
2- Once the companions of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم said to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم to tell them some strange incident about earlier nations. The Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم said, “While three persons were walking , rain began to fall and they had to enter a cave in a mountain. A big rock rolled over and blocked the mouth of the cave. They said to each other, ‘ Invoke Allah with the best deed you have performed (so Allah Almighty might remove the rock). One of them said, ‘O Allah! My parents were old and I used to go out for grazing (my animals). On my return I would milk the animals and take the milk in a vessel to my parents to drink. After they had drunk from it, I would give it to my children, family and wife. One day, I was delayed and on my return I found my parents sleeping, and I disliked waking them up. The children were crying at my feet (because of hunger). The state of affairs continued till it was dawn. O Allah! If You regard that I did it for Your sake, then please remove this rock so that we may see the sky.’ So, the rock was moved a bit. The second said, ‘O Allah! You know that I was in love with a cousin of mine, like the deepest love a man may have for a woman, and she told me that I would not get my desire fulfilled unless I paid her one-hundred Dinars. So, I struggled for it till I gathered the desired amount, and when I sat in between her legs, she told me to be afraid of Allah, and asked me not to deflower her except rightfully (by marriage). So, I got up and left her. O Allah! If You regard that I did it for Your sake, kindly remove this rock.’ So, two third of the rock was removed. Then the third man said, ‘O Allah! No doubt you know that once I employed a worker for one Faraq (three Sa’s) of millet, and when I wanted to pay him, he refused to take it, so I bought cows and a shepherd. After a time that man came and demanded his money. I said to him: Go and take those cows and the shepherd and take them for they are for you. He asked me whether I was joking with him. I told him that I was not joking with him, and all that belonged to him. O Allah! If you regard that I did it sincerely for Your sake, then please remove the rock.’ So, the rock was removed completely from the mouth of the cave.”
(Kashf Al-Mahjoob)
Proof of Karamat from the Companions of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم
1-The pious caliph Abu Bakr Siddique (radiyallahu anhu), while expiring from this mortal world, said to his daughter and the blessed wife of the Holy Prophet صلىالله عليه و سلم Hazrat Aisha (radiyallahu anha),’ O my dear daughter! Nothing is dearer to me than you, as for wealth and riches are concerned, and I also like you being in need. Indeed I had gifted you twenty Fasaq dates; if you had plucked and collected, they would have been in your possession, but now it is the property of all the inheritors who are your two brothers and two sisters. You get them divided according to injunction given in the Holy Quran.’ Hazrat Aisha (radiyallahu anha) said, ‘Dear father had they been more than this, even then I would have given up this gift, but tell me, I know my sister Asima, who is this second one?’ Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (radiyallahu anhu) said that he could see her in the belly of Bint-e- Kharja. So, it happened as he said, and Bint-e-Kharja gave birth to a female child.
This Karamat of his shows two things:
1-He knew that he would not recover from the disease and die consequently.
2-He knew that pregnant Bint-e-Kharj would deliver a female child.
2-The pious caliph of Muslims Hazrat Umar Farooq (radiyallahu anhu) deputed Hazrat Sariya (radiyallahu anhu) as a commander of Muslim forces to the campaign (Jihad) of Nehawand. He was busy in Jihad (holy fighting); one day while delivering Khutaba (religious sermon) of Jumma prayer (Friday) in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina, he said, “ ” ‘O Sariya get along the mountain’. The people sitting in the blessed mosque were amazed that Hazrat Sariya was present in Nehawand, a place that was quite far from Madina Munnawara, then why did the pious caliph called him like that. After some days Allah Almighty granted victory to Muslims, and a messenger brought this good news. He told them that their forces were facing defeat, and suddenly they heard a voice, ‘O Sariya! Get along the mountain’ and Allah Almighty bestowed Muslims with victory.
(Mishkaat Chapter Karamat Tarikh Al-Khulfa and Seerat Taiba)
This Karamat shows us these things:
1- He saw Hazrat Sariya (radiyallahu anhu) being attacked in Nehawand while sitting in Madina that is very far from it.
2- He had his voice heard to Sariya and his soldiers from Madina Munnawara.
3- Hazrat Sariya and his soldiers also heard the said voice.
4- Allah Almighty bestowed him control over air that carried his voice to the soldiers.
The life history of Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (radiyallahu anhu) is given in details in books. Our object here is to pen down something briefly about Silsila Alia Naqshbandia. The subject about Karamat is shortened, keeping in view its increasing length. Enough has been written here to give answers to any query about this subject. Now, I would like to write some of Karamat of Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (radiyallahu anhu) , that is our main subject.
1-Once he was going to perform Hajj. His entire luggage and that of his disciples was loaded on a camel. Someone looked and said, ‘this poor camel has been over-burdened, and this is sheer inhumanity.”Hazrat Bayazid Bastami said, ‘ O young man! The burden is not on the camel’s back, look again carefully if the camel has lifted the burden or not.’ When the Youngman observed, the burden was raised about one foot above the back of the camel. He said that it was strange. Sheikh said, ‘if I keep my affairs secret, you people start maligning me; and if I expose them, you have no power to behold them.’
2- Shafeeq Balakhi and Abu Turrab Bukshi came to see Bayazid Bastami (radiyallahu anhu). They were served an already prepared food. One of the disciples did not join them in eating. Abu Turrab said to him ‘share the food with us’. He said that he was fasting. Abu Turrab said to him, ‘Take reward of one month and break the Fast. The disciple again said he could not break the Fast. Shafeeq (may Allah bless his soul) said, ‘take reward of one year and break your Fast.’ He again said that he would not break his Fast. Hazrat Bayazid said, ‘Leave him, he has been accused by Allah.’ A little later that man was caught while stealing something and both of his hands were chopped off.
3-Sheikh Abu Saeed Mehkhurani came to Hazrat Bayazid (radiyallahu anhu) in order to test him. He said, ‘ go to my disciple Abu Saeed Rai, because I have given him Williat and Karamat.’ When Abu Saeed reached there, and saw Rai offering prayer in the desert while the wolves were guarding his sheep. When he finished the prayer, he asked, ‘what do you want?’ Sheikh said, hot bread and grapes. Rai chopped the piece of wood into two, which he was carrying in his hand, and erected one piece of wood in the earth, in front of Rai and the other before himself. It bore grapes quickly but white on the side of Rai and black on the side of Sheikh. He asked Rai the reason of that. Rai said, ‘My quest was for the sake of belief and that of yours for the test. Everything bears its colour according to its state.’ After this Rai gave Sheikh Mehkhurani a parcel and advised him to keep it safe. But, when Sheikh went to perform Hajj that parcel got lost. When he came to Bastam, he found it with Rai.
4-Once he was walking on the way a dog got along him. He tried to save his shirt from it. The dog said to him, ‘O Sheikh! If I am dry, then there is nothing bad in me, and if I am wet, I can be equal to you if showered thrice with water. But if you fall prey to vanity and self-esteem, you may take bath in seven waters, you cannot become clean.’ The Sheikh said, ‘you are foul apparently while I have foulness inside, let’s live together.’ The dog said, ‘you are not able to live in my company because I am an accursed beast and you are the beloved; everyone throws stone at me, and the one who passes by you greets ‘Asalam Alakum’ or calls you Sultan-ul-Arafeen though I don’t put aside a bone or piece of bread for tomorrow and you have a pot full of Barley in your house.’ Sheikh praised Allah Almighty and exclaimed that if he was not able to accompany a dog what to say about sitting in the company of Allah.
5-Once Bayazid (radiyallahu anhu) was asked who his Pir (Sheikh) was? He replied, ‘an old woman. Once I was lost in Tauhid (Oneness of Allah) to the extent that nothing could withstand its place there. I, in the state of trance, went out in a desert. There an old woman came with a sack of flour and asked me to pick it up. In state like that, I was not able to do that. I beckoned a lion and put the sac on its back. I asked the old woman what she would tell people whom she saw in the desert. She replied, ‘I would say that I saw a vain and pretentious.’ I said her to be in her senses. The old woman said, ‘Is the lion meant to do this or not?’ I said, no. She said, ‘if God has not made it do that than is it not just to put it (lion) in trouble? Despite this you want the city people know that a lion is subservient to you, and that you are a man having Karamat. This is sheer ostentation.’I listened this and sought forgiveness from Allah Almighty.’
6-Once the Muslim soldiers faced their enemy in Rome. Muslims were about to be defeated, Hazrat Sheikh heard this voice, ‘O Bayazid! O Bayazid! Look out.’ At that time a fire appeared from Kharasan that drove out the enemy out and Muslims got victory.
7-It is reported that once a group of people complained him about state of famine and asked him to pray to Allah Almighty to send rain. He listened this and lowered his head, and the raised it again and said, ‘get your water outlets amended, rain is coming.’ In the mean time it started raining that continued for the whole day and night.
Death:
He died on 15 Shaban 261 Hijra. After his death, people saw him in dream and asked him about his condition there. He said, ‘Allah Almighty asked me what I brought for Him (Allah). I replied that when a beggar comes to the court of a king, he is not asked what he brought but what he wanted.’
