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| '''Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli''' (861 - 946) was an important ] of ]<ref>Leonard Lewisohn, "The Heritage of Sufism: Classical Persian Sufism from its origins to Rumi", the University of Michigan, 1999. pg 53: "Two Persian Sufis - Mansur Hallaj and Abu Bakr Shibli(d. 945), the latter from Samarqand by origin but born origin in Baghdad</ref> and a discple of ]. | '''Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli''' (861 - 946) was an important ] of ]<ref>Leonard Lewisohn, "The Heritage of Sufism: Classical Persian Sufism from its origins to Rumi", the University of Michigan, 1999. pg 53: "Two Persian Sufis - Mansur Hallaj and Abu Bakr Shibli(d. 945), the latter from Samarqand by origin but born origin in Baghdad</ref> and a discple of ]. | ||
| He was born in ] or Samarra from a family of Persian origin in Khorasan. He was a high official of Baghdad before he |
He was born in ] or Samarra from a family of Persian origin in Khorasan. He was a high official of Baghdad before he embarked on the spiritual path and became a disciple of ]. | ||
| His name is |
His name is mentioned by the Persian poets ], ] and ]. He was also associated with ]. According to one source, he was in a constant state of (Jadhb) and was finally committed to an asylum. <ref>S.H. Nasr, "Philosophy and Cosmology" in William Bayne Fisher and Richard Nelson Frye, ''The Cambridge History of Iran'' (Vol 4.), Cambridge University Press, 1975. pp 455</ref> Others assert that he feigned madness.<ref>Leonard Lewisohn, ''The Heritage of Sufism: Classical Persian Sufism from its origins to Rumi'', University of Michigan, 1999</ref> | ||
| Attributed to him is the saying: "O people! I go to place beyond which these is no beyond. I go to the south and the north, to a place beyond which is there is no beyond. Everything that I saw after that I could see in one hair of my little finger". | Attributed to him is the saying: "O people! I go to place beyond which these is no beyond. I go to the south and the north, to a place beyond which is there is no beyond. Everything that I saw after that I could see in one hair of my little finger". | ||
| Abu Bakr-Ibn-Jahdar-Ash-Shibli was imprisoned many times by the Caliph despite his influence and enormous wealth. Shibli went into self-imposed exile and began searching for divinity. Meanwhile, in the Sultanate, the Caliph realised that Shibli had not committed any wrongdoing and a search party was sent out to find him. The ministers were carrying a set of royal robes that the Caliph had sent for Shibli. They offered it to Shibli saying that a decree had been passed reinstating him and that he could return without fear of being prosecuted Shibli took the robes and wiped his sweating face with it. Shocked at such demeaning behaviour the officials reported the incident to the Caliph. Shibli was charged with contempt. Shibli responded: “O great Caliph! You are annoyed because I did not accept your gift and return to you. How angry that great God should be that even after he gave me the robe of His divine love I shunted all His duties and went about aimlessly in this world forgetting Him every moment? This body is given by Him, yet I ignored Him. Shouldn’t He be angry?” The Caliph thought that Shibli was mad, revoked his order of restitution and threw him out of the palace. Shibli fled to the desert. | |||
| He Loved God | |||
| ⚫ | Then he met Abul-Qasim Mohammad Al-Junayd and recognised his spiritual greatness: “O revered One! You have the jewel of heaven with you. I also want to have it.” In reply Junayd smiled and said, “You have to struggle and undergo several hardships to attain that jewel.” | ||
| Abu Bakr-Ibn-Jahdar-Ash-Shibli has been one of the greatest Islamic, Sufi mystics of all times. His life was peculiar and he was considered, for a large part of his life, an eccentric madman by the society. He was imprisoned many times by the Caliph. | |||
| Junayd told him: “You were a high officer under the Caliph. Now go and trade salt in the market in the main town for a year.” Shibli did as he was bade and plunged headlong into the business. He was mocked but remained calm. At the end of an year, Shibli returned to Junayd who said: “Not much though! The improvement is only marginal. Still a really long way to go till you begin to have a glimpse of your goal. So, now go and beg food in Baghdad for a year.” | |||
| However, Shibli held an admirable amount of clout and influence in the court of the Caliph of Baghdad. When he was young, he was successful and was in possession of enormous wealth that afforded him a great deal of luxury and comfort in living. However, as it is with the rich, influential and the famous, many enemies of Shibli mushroomed all around. Conspiracies were hatched to assassinate Shibli. But they failed. Finally, the trouble makers succeeded in poisoning the ears of the Caliph against Shibli. In a much publicised event Shibli was relieved of all his positions, ranks and powers. Framed and embroiled in a fiasco that was not his making in the least, Shibli found himself utterly shaken and miserable. Unable to cope with the consternation Shibli fled to an unknown destination. He went into self-imposed exile. | |||
| Whilst on his long journey to the land unknown, Shibli faced many a hardship. The trying situations chastened Shibli although he was actually a good man. Just as coal under pressure metamorphoses into diamond, Shibli transformed from an ordinary man to an insightful soul. His mind turned inwards in quest of the real nature of man. He began searching divinity. All on a sudden, the man, given to pleasures of the world, had the revelation that God alone is real and true. Nevertheless, the fond memories of the days bygone returned to Shibli who then wept bitterly. | |||
| Meanwhile, in the Sultanate, the Caliph realised that Shibli had not committed anything wrong. Immediately, the conspirators were prosecuted and a call was sent out for Shibli. Ministers and other nobles set out in search of Shibli. | |||
| After a long and tiring search, Shibli was finally found. The ministers were carrying a set of royal robes that the Caliph had sent for Shibli. They offered it to Shibli saying that a decree had been passed reinstating him and that he can now return without fear of being prosecuted as all charges against him had been proved false. A calm and composed Shibli took the set of robes respectfully in his hand and promptly wiped his sweating face with it. He then kept the robes aside as if they were just a bunch of wipes. Shocked at such demeaning behaviour the officials reported the incident to the Caliph. | |||
| An angered Caliph had Shibli brought before him by force and charged him for contempt. Shibli responded: “O great Caliph! You are annoyed because I did not accept your gift and return to you. How angry that great God should be that even after he gave me the robe of His divine love I shunted all His duties and went about aimlessly in this world forgetting Him every moment? This body is given by Him, yet I ignored Him. Shouldn’t He be angry?” | |||
| The Caliph thought that Shibli had become mad due to the turn of events. He revoked his order of restitution and had Shibli thrown out of his palace. Shibli took to the desert path completely transformed and in the quest of the Ultimate Reality. He had turned into a Saint. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| Junayd was to put Shibli up for a test. And committed to the finish was Shibli. | |||
| Junayd spoke in a particularly sarcastic tone, “You were a high officer under the Caliph. Now go and trade salt in the market in the main town for a year.” | |||
| Shibli did as he was bade and plunged headlong into the business in right earnest. However, the times he faced were terrible. All commoners who came to the market threw aspersions at Shibli. Many more mocked at him. Shibli underwent the ordeal with silent calm. At the end of an year, Shibli decided to return to Junayd. | |||
| At Shibli’s sight, Junayd scoffed at him and said, “Not much though! The improvement is only marginal.” He continued, “Still a really long way to go till you begin to have a glimpse of your goal. So, now go and beg food in Baghdad for a year.” | |||
| Shibli obeyed his Guru’s command. He set off to beg food. But the going was not at all easy. Baghdad was the capital and that is where, for so many years, Shibli enjoyed an enormous amount of clout. And in that very town, he is now begging food. For several weeks, Shibli returned handed to Junayd. The Guru would then throw some pieces of stale and dry bread to Shibli which the latter had to accept humbly and happily. | |||
| “Do you realise your true worth now at least, you rascal?” asked Junayd one day of Shibli. A year thus passed. No one gave anything to Shibli in this entire stretch of time. | |||
| Junayd, the unrelenting Master, then bade Shibli to go around the kingdom, begging pardon from all those he had wronged during his tenure in the Caliph’s court. Ah! Another cruel test Junayd was putting Shibli through. It took a whopping four years for Shibli to contact every single person whom he had wronged, harmed or humiliated. He returned after accomplishing his task. This time he was welcomed by a smiling Junayd. | |||
| The all-compassionate Junayd, who had all along mentored Shibli by putting him through stringent assignments and tests, now was all smiles to see his obedient disciple finally free from the fetters of his past deeds and impressions. He said, “My loving son! You still have the world about you. Beg for one more year!!!” The supremely humble Shibli agreed enthusiastically this time too. He was always welcoming and receptive to his Guru’s orders and commands. Shibli had by now become hardened by his experiences. He was impervious to external stimuli or provocation and internally he was next to searing calmness. | |||
| Pay a thought to Junayd’s conduct towards Shibli. He had always been an authoritative task-master. In Shibli’s formative years he showed him no respite. He was always rough tongued towards him. Now as the end was approaching Junayd toned down his aggression. Nevertheless, he gave Shibli no discounts and put him through another rough year. Shibli too was pliant to the tough manoeuvres of his Guru. He did not lament his condition at any point of time. He constantly set his eyes upon his final destination. | |||
| In the last year of begging, Shibli got better response. People gave him food and other things generously. They had come to know of Shibli’s honesty and integrity. They knew now that this man was indeed a man of God and no ordinary mortal. | |||
| Shibli deposited whatever he got during his rounds at the lotus feet of his Guru, Junayd, who distributed all of those among the needy. Many were those days when Shibli went even without food. | |||
| This purgatory trial that lasted around seven to eight years was finally coming to an end. Shibli was now by far ready to receive the supreme instructions. | |||
| One day Junayd asked Shibli, “How do you feel now?” Shibli replied, “I deem myself the meanest of God’s creatures.” Junayd embraced his worthy disciple. Abu Bakr-Ibn-Jahdar-Ash-Shibli had now become a true Saint. A new life dawned on Shibli. | |||
| An enlightened Shibli moved around and urged individuals, men and women, young and old, to repeat Allah’s name incessantly for emancipation. However, the moment he realised that their repetitions were only outwardly and not bursts of devotion, he stopped advocating the chanting of the name as a spiritual practice. One day he heard an oracle: a divine voice spoke, “How long will you hold on to the Name. Go for the Named.” | |||
| This made Shibli doubly God-intoxicated. He became a ‘Madman’. He began experiencing the longing for God to the core. | |||
| Shibli would roam about, all over the land, crying for God. He would often try to put an end to his mortal frame. However, he would never die. He once jumped into the waters but was washed ashore. He then jumped into fire but came out unscathed. He was unable to understand these happenings. He, then heard a divine voice again, “He who has surrendered to God, who is dead to all worldly phenomena, cannot be harmed by the elements.” At that point in time, the thought of all those who died or sacrificed their lives on the religious path came to his mind. The reply was instantaneous, as though the oracle had read his mind, “The seeker who dies for God will be rewarded by God Himself. God takes care of every single child, every creation of his.” | |||
| Shibli’s doubts were cleared. His mind had attained supreme calm. All waves had come to a standstill. He continued to contemplate even more deeply on the Divine. As he moved about in a God-intoxicated manner, peoples’ attitude towards him changed temporarily. They thought of him to be mad. They chained him to a post, whipped and condemned him and even confined him in a cell. This happened about ten times. However, Shibli, the Saint, was unaffected. | |||
| ⚫ | On festival days, Shibli wore a black, mourning gown. People objected to his behaviour and |
||
| Shibli would often squeeze into a small hole, which was not enough even for a small animal and sit there crying and praying for God. If sleep disturbed him he would rub salt into his eyes. If that failed, he would beat himself severely with a stick until sleep left him. | |||
| God showered His Divine Grace upon Shibli soon thereafter. Under the umbrella of God’s love Shibli underwent yet another transformation. His voice changed, his words were charged with the fire of truth. People would remain stunned and amazed to hear such words as they could not be uttered by ordinary mortals. | |||
| The Grand old Junayd was completely happy with Shibli now. He blessed his disciple and Shibli had the Ultimate Vision of the Supreme Reality. | |||
| The harsh way of life had taken its toll. Shibli’s health gave way. He suffered from several ailments. His admirers from all over the land, far and near, gathered to have their last glimpse of the Master, and to pay him their respects. Shibli’s end neared. When the Hakim told him to pray to God, Shibli smiled and departed. | |||
| One of Shibli’s faithful followers, Abu-Mohammad-Sheikh-Ruzbihan-Baqli compiled his teachings for posterity. | |||
| Shibli set off to beg food in Baghdad , where he had enjoyed an enormous amount of clout. “Do you realise your true worth now at least, you rascal?” asked Junayd one day of Shibli. A year thus passed. Junayd bade Shibli to go around the kingdom and beg pardon from all those he had wronged during his tenure in the Caliph’s court. This took him four years. Upon his return, Junayd tol him to beg for another year. In the last year of begging, people gave him food and other things generously. They had come to know of Shibli’s honesty and integrity. Shibli deposited what he received at the feet of Junayd, who distributed it to the needy. This lasted seven to eight years. One day Junayd asked Shibli, “How do you feel now?” Shibli replied, “I deem myself the meanest of God’s creatures.” Junayd embraced his worthy disciple. Abu Bakr-Ibn-Jahdar-Ash-Shibli had become a Saint. | |||
| Shibli preached to others to repeat Allah’s name incessantly for emancipation. However, the moment he realised that their repetitions were only outward and not bursts of devotion, he stopped advocating the chanting of the name as a spiritual practice. One day he heard a divine voice speak: “How long will you hold on to the Name. Go for the Named.” He began experiencing the longing for God to the core. He roamed all over the land crying for God. He tried to commit suicide, but was not successful. He jumped into the waters but was washed ashore. He jumped into fire but came out unscathed. A divine voice told him: “He who has surrendered to God, who is dead to all worldly phenomena, cannot be harmed by the elements.” Shibli’s doubts were cleared but people considered him mad. Ten times he was chained to a post, whipped and confined to in a cell. | |||
| ⚫ | On festival days, Shibli wore a black, mourning gown. People objected to his behaviour and asked: “Why this? What are you mourning for on the day of joy?” Shibli replied, “I am mourning because people don’t have love for God but are only outwardly happy. In my opinion it is an occasion of immense sorrow.” “Are we not lovers of God,” the people asked then. Shibli pointed out to a block of firewood burning there. “It should be like that firewood,” said he. “How,” the people asked. They could not understand. “See the fire is burning at one end and water is coming out from the other end. If the fire of love for God is burning in the heart, the sure sign is tears of love inundating the eyes not outer joy." | ||
| Shibli would squeeze himself into a small hole not enough big even for a small animal and sit there crying and praying for God. If he grew sleepy, he rubbed salt into his eyes. If that failed, he would beat himself severely with a stick. His voice changed and his words were charged with the fire of truth. Junayd blessed his disciple and declared that he had achieved the Ultimate Vision of Supreme Reality. but his harsh way of life took its toll. Shibli’s health gave way. His admirers gathered to have their last glimpse of him and pay him their respects. One of Shibli’s followers, Abu-Mohammad-Sheikh-Ruzbihan-Baqli, continued his teachings. | |||
| == References == | == References == | ||
| {{reflist |
{{reflist}} | ||
| {{Sufism}} | {{Sufism}} | ||
Revision as of 11:02, 3 January 2011
Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli (861 - 946) was an important Sufi of Persian and a discple of Junayd Baghdadi.
He was born in Baghdad or Samarra from a family of Persian origin in Khorasan. He was a high official of Baghdad before he embarked on the spiritual path and became a disciple of Junayd Baghdadi.
His name is mentioned by the Persian poets Attar, Rumi and Sanai. He was also associated with Hallaj. According to one source, he was in a constant state of (Jadhb) and was finally committed to an asylum. Others assert that he feigned madness.
Attributed to him is the saying: "O people! I go to place beyond which these is no beyond. I go to the south and the north, to a place beyond which is there is no beyond. Everything that I saw after that I could see in one hair of my little finger".
Abu Bakr-Ibn-Jahdar-Ash-Shibli was imprisoned many times by the Caliph despite his influence and enormous wealth. Shibli went into self-imposed exile and began searching for divinity. Meanwhile, in the Sultanate, the Caliph realised that Shibli had not committed any wrongdoing and a search party was sent out to find him. The ministers were carrying a set of royal robes that the Caliph had sent for Shibli. They offered it to Shibli saying that a decree had been passed reinstating him and that he could return without fear of being prosecuted Shibli took the robes and wiped his sweating face with it. Shocked at such demeaning behaviour the officials reported the incident to the Caliph. Shibli was charged with contempt. Shibli responded: “O great Caliph! You are annoyed because I did not accept your gift and return to you. How angry that great God should be that even after he gave me the robe of His divine love I shunted all His duties and went about aimlessly in this world forgetting Him every moment? This body is given by Him, yet I ignored Him. Shouldn’t He be angry?” The Caliph thought that Shibli was mad, revoked his order of restitution and threw him out of the palace. Shibli fled to the desert.
Then he met Abul-Qasim Mohammad Al-Junayd and recognised his spiritual greatness: “O revered One! You have the jewel of heaven with you. I also want to have it.” In reply Junayd smiled and said, “You have to struggle and undergo several hardships to attain that jewel.” Junayd told him: “You were a high officer under the Caliph. Now go and trade salt in the market in the main town for a year.” Shibli did as he was bade and plunged headlong into the business. He was mocked but remained calm. At the end of an year, Shibli returned to Junayd who said: “Not much though! The improvement is only marginal. Still a really long way to go till you begin to have a glimpse of your goal. So, now go and beg food in Baghdad for a year.”
Shibli set off to beg food in Baghdad , where he had enjoyed an enormous amount of clout. “Do you realise your true worth now at least, you rascal?” asked Junayd one day of Shibli. A year thus passed. Junayd bade Shibli to go around the kingdom and beg pardon from all those he had wronged during his tenure in the Caliph’s court. This took him four years. Upon his return, Junayd tol him to beg for another year. In the last year of begging, people gave him food and other things generously. They had come to know of Shibli’s honesty and integrity. Shibli deposited what he received at the feet of Junayd, who distributed it to the needy. This lasted seven to eight years. One day Junayd asked Shibli, “How do you feel now?” Shibli replied, “I deem myself the meanest of God’s creatures.” Junayd embraced his worthy disciple. Abu Bakr-Ibn-Jahdar-Ash-Shibli had become a Saint.
Shibli preached to others to repeat Allah’s name incessantly for emancipation. However, the moment he realised that their repetitions were only outward and not bursts of devotion, he stopped advocating the chanting of the name as a spiritual practice. One day he heard a divine voice speak: “How long will you hold on to the Name. Go for the Named.” He began experiencing the longing for God to the core. He roamed all over the land crying for God. He tried to commit suicide, but was not successful. He jumped into the waters but was washed ashore. He jumped into fire but came out unscathed. A divine voice told him: “He who has surrendered to God, who is dead to all worldly phenomena, cannot be harmed by the elements.” Shibli’s doubts were cleared but people considered him mad. Ten times he was chained to a post, whipped and confined to in a cell. On festival days, Shibli wore a black, mourning gown. People objected to his behaviour and asked: “Why this? What are you mourning for on the day of joy?” Shibli replied, “I am mourning because people don’t have love for God but are only outwardly happy. In my opinion it is an occasion of immense sorrow.” “Are we not lovers of God,” the people asked then. Shibli pointed out to a block of firewood burning there. “It should be like that firewood,” said he. “How,” the people asked. They could not understand. “See the fire is burning at one end and water is coming out from the other end. If the fire of love for God is burning in the heart, the sure sign is tears of love inundating the eyes not outer joy."
Shibli would squeeze himself into a small hole not enough big even for a small animal and sit there crying and praying for God. If he grew sleepy, he rubbed salt into his eyes. If that failed, he would beat himself severely with a stick. His voice changed and his words were charged with the fire of truth. Junayd blessed his disciple and declared that he had achieved the Ultimate Vision of Supreme Reality. but his harsh way of life took its toll. Shibli’s health gave way. His admirers gathered to have their last glimpse of him and pay him their respects. One of Shibli’s followers, Abu-Mohammad-Sheikh-Ruzbihan-Baqli, continued his teachings.
References
- Leonard Lewisohn, "The Heritage of Sufism: Classical Persian Sufism from its origins to Rumi", the University of Michigan, 1999. pg 53: "Two Persian Sufis - Mansur Hallaj and Abu Bakr Shibli(d. 945), the latter from Samarqand by origin but born origin in Baghdad
- S.H. Nasr, "Philosophy and Cosmology" in William Bayne Fisher and Richard Nelson Frye, The Cambridge History of Iran (Vol 4.), Cambridge University Press, 1975. pp 455
- Leonard Lewisohn, The Heritage of Sufism: Classical Persian Sufism from its origins to Rumi, University of Michigan, 1999
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