Courtesy link : http://sunniport.com/masabih/showthread.php?t=4066
[The English Translation requires improvement and editing. Any improved version is welcomed. cirb.hezbollah@gmail.com]
Hazrat Owaise of Qarni (R.A.)
In the famous book of poetry , “MASNAVI”, by Jalaleddin Rumi, the following is reported to have been said by Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) about Owaise of Qarni:
The Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) says that the breeze brings o’men
The divine perfume from Yemen.
The scent of ramin comes from Oveys
The fragrance of God from Oveys.
Oveys’ heavenly perfume from God,
Overjoyed the heart of the prophet of God.
Forsaking his mortal being willingly
That earthly (Oveys) becomes heavenly
It is reported that sometimes the Prophet (SAWS) used to turn his face towards Yemen and said, “I feel the breeze of love from the Yemen.”
The Prophet (SAWS) is reported to have said: On the Day of Judgment Allah will create 70,000 angels looking like Owaise of Qarni, and when Owaise of Qarni will come there in between them and will proceed to the heaven, no one will recognize him except Allah, because in the world he used to worship away from the mankind and so he will be kept away from the mankind on the Day of Judgment.
It is mentioned that the friends of Allah will be kept hidden by him, so no one will be able to see them. On the Day of Judgment the Prophet (SAWS) will come out of his palace and will say, “ Where is Owaise, so that I can see him.” Soon there will be a call in which it will be heard that do not worry in this matter, you will not see him here as you did not see him in the world.
The Prophet (SAWS) is reported to have said : there is a person amongst my followers whose recommendation would be accepted by Allah for number of persons equal to the hairs of the sheep of Rabiya and Muzer tribes of Arabia.
These two tribes in Arabia had many sheep at that time. The companions asked the Prophet (SAWS), “Who that person is?” The Prophet (SAWS) replied, “He is one among the slaves of Allah.” Then they told the Prophet (SAWS) that they were also slaves of Allah, but what was his name. The Prophet (SAWS) told them, “His name is Owaise and he is from Qarni.” they asked him, “Where he is ?” He replied, “He is in Qarni.” then companions asked the Prophet (SAWS), “Have you seen him?” Prophet (SAWS) replied that even though he did not see him physically but he was seen by the eyes of certainty.
The companions asked that how such a lover did not come to see you. He said, “It may be due to two reasons, first due to his conditions and second is to respect my Shariat (Islamic law), because his mother is old and blind. He looks after camels and gets some money for the food and clothes for his mother. Then the companions asked could they see him. The prophet answered that Abu Bakr (ra) will not see him but Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) and Omer Farouq (ra) will see him. On Owaise Qarni’s (ra) body there are hairs and on his chest and on his palm there are small white marks, which are not of leprosy. The prophet said to Omer Farouq (ra) and Ali Ibn Taleb (ra), “ When you will meet him, convey my salam and ask him to pray for the Muslims.” the prophet told he is superior among the Allah’s men who are hidden. Then the companions asked that where could they find him ? The prophet replied, “ In Yemen there is a camel look after Owaise and you have to follow his foot steps.”
When the time of Prophet (SAWS)’s death was nearer, the companions asked that to whom they should give his dress. He said, “ To Owaise of Qarni.” After the death of prophet Omer Farouq (ra) and Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) went to Koofa (Baghdad) and at the time of delivering sermon Omer Farouq (ra) requested the people of Najd to stand and asked them, “Is there any person from Qarni.” they said, “ Yes.” then Omer Farouq (ra) asked them did they know about Owaise of Qarni? They replied, “ No, but there is a mad person who lives away from the people.” Omer Farouq (ra) asked where he lives. They replied, “He lives in Arna valley and looks after the camels, eats dry bread in the night, neither come to the village nor talk to the people.” he does not eat what we eat and he does not know sorrow and happiness. When people laugh he weeps and when people weep he laughs. Omer Farouq (ra) and Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) went to that valley and found that Owaise of Qarni was praying at that time. Allah has ordered his angels to look after his camels. When there was a sound he finished his prayer and said salam to Omer Farouq (ra). Omer Farouq (ra) asked him, “ What his name is ?” he replied, “A slave of Allah.” then Omer Farouq (ra) said, “We all are slaves of Allah but I am asking your proper name.” he replied, “Owaise.” Omer Farouq (ra) told him to show his left hand. He showed his hand and Omer Farouq (ra) saw the white mark on his hand, which was already described by the prophet. He kissed his hand and said, “The prophet has conveyed his Salam and has sent his dress for you and asked you to pray for the Muslims.” then Owaise of Qarni told them, “You are superior so you pray, as you are very close to the prophet.” Omer Farouq (ra) replied, “I will pray but you also pray according to the advice of the prophet. Owaise of Qarni requested Omer Farouq (ra) to please check some other person and that he is not the real one. Omer Farouq (ra) said that they have found all marks on him, which were explained by the prophet. Then Owaise of Qarni said, “Give me the dress so that I can pray.”Omer Farouq (ra) gave him the dress. Owaise of Qarni told him to stay there and he went away and poured the dust on his face and asked Allah, “ Oh Allah, I will not wear the dress until you accept my recommendation for all Muslims and for this the prophet has sent his dress and Omer Farouq (ra) and Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) have done their work, now your work is left.” then there was call in which it was heard, “I have forgiven some people due to your recommendation.” Owaise of Qarni replied, “I will not wear the dress until you forgive all Muslims.” then the call was heard again in which it was told, “I have forgiven many people.” When he was talking to Allah, at the same moment Omer Farouq (ra) and Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) came over there. When Owaise saw them there he asked them that why they have come over there because he was talking to Allah and that he will not wear the dress until he (Allah) accepts my recommendation for all the Muslims. Omer Farouq (ra) saw that Owaise of Qarni was wearing a rag dress, in which there was wealth of 18,000 worlds. Omer Farouq (ra) was very sad to see himself and his caliphate, so he said, “Anybody is there who can purchase his caliphate for a piece of bread.” Owaise said that foolish will purchase so throw it and anybody who likes it, will take it, so there is no need of selling and buying it.
Then Owaise of Qarni wore the dress and said that Allah has forgiven the Muslims on his recommendation and due to this dress to equal number of the sheep of Rabiya and Mizer tribes. Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) was silent. Omer Farouq (ra) asked him, “Oh Owaise, why have you not met the prophet?” Owaise asked, “Have you seen the forehead of the prophet. If you have seen then tell me whether his eyebrows were close or scattered.” but he could not reply this. Owaise of Qarni told, “ Are you a friend of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?” he said, “yes.” if you were firm in the friendship then why you have not broken your teeth when the prophet’s teeth were broken in the battle of mount of Ohud in Madina and this is the rule of friendship. He showed his teeth and said that he had broken all his teeth in prophet’s love without even seeing him. When I broke a tooth, I was not sure of it as it might be the same tooth of the prophet or not and then I have broken all my teeth. Omer Farouq (ra) and Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) wept and said that your value of respect was great. He did not see the prophet but his respect for the prophet was admirable. We have to learn respect from him. Omer Farouq (ra) asked him to pray for him.
Owaise of Qarni told him that there should be no desires and wishes when one has faith in Allah. In every prayer I used to pray for all men and women of Muslim world for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. If you die with faith then you will find result of my pray in your grave otherwise my pray will be spoiled. Omer Farouq (ra) asked him to give some advice. He said, “Oh Omer, do you know Allah?” Omer (ra) said, “Yes, I know.” He told Omer (ra) that except Allah he does not know anybody and it is better for you also. Again Omer (ra) asked for more pieces of advice. He said, “Oh Omer, does Allah know you.” He said, “Yes.” then it is better that Allah knows you more than others. Then Omer (ra) told him to please wait for some time, so that he can bring something for him. Owaise of Qarni took out two dinars from his pocket and said, “This is my earning from camel grazing. If you guarantee that these two dinars are enough for my entire life then I will accept the other things from you, otherwise I do not need anything.” then Owaise of Qarni gave thanks to them for coming over there to see him after facing many difficulties and asked them to leave the place. The Day of Judgment is near, where we can meet there and from there we will not separate at all. Now I am busy for the preparation for the life after death. When Omer Farouq (ra) and Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) left that place the people of that place started respecting Owaise of Qarni.
He left that place and reached Koofa. After that nobody has seen him, but Huban’s son Harm when he heard about the greatness of recommendation of Owaise of Qarni he was anxious to see him. He went to Koofa to see him, searched him and by chance he found him on the river Farat where he was doing ablution and washing his clothes. He said, “I recognized you due to your greatness and what I have heard about you.” He paid salam to him; he replied it and he looked at me carefully. I wanted to shake his hand but he did not give his hand. I said, “Oh Owaise, Allah has blessed you, granted his mercy and has forgiven you.” I wept in his friendship and on his weak condition, Owaise of Qarni also wept. Owaise said, “Oh Harm, the son of Huban, god bless you. What thing you have brought here and who showed you my address.” Harm replied him, “How do you know my name and my father’s name, as I have not seen you before.” Owaise said, “Allah told me, who knows everything. My soul recognized your soul, as soul of Muslim knows each other.” I asked him to narrate any saying of the prophet. He told that he did not met the prophet and has heard his qualities from others and do not want to become scholar of prophet’s tradition, as he has many pending things to do. Then he asked him to recite any verse from the Quran. He recited. “A‘oodhu billahi minash shaitan rajeem” and he started weeping. He said that Allah says in the Quran, “Wama khalaqtul jinna wal insa illa li-ya‘budoon.” he recited and he cried in loud noise so I thought that he had gone mad. He again asked me what had brought him there. I told him that I wanted your friendship and to become successful. He replied that one who knows Allah does not need the love and affection of others and gets comfort from others. I asked him to advise me. He told me that when you sleep, think that your death is under your pillow. When wake up, do not have many hopes and do not consider any sin smaller, but think it is big one. If you think any sin smaller then you think Allah small and will become a sinner.
I asked him, “What do you say about my stay?” he told me to go to Syria. Then I asked how I would find my livelihood there? Owaise of Qarni said, “It is very sad that their hearts are full of doubts and suspicions and they do not accept the pieces of advice.”
I asked him some more pieces of advice for me. He told, “Oh son of Huban, your father died. Adam (as), Eve (as), Noah (as), Abraham (as), Moses (as), David (as) also died. Abu bakr (ra) died who was the first caliph, my brother Omer (ra) also died.” then he said, “Oh Omer, god bless you.” Omer (ra) is still living. He says, Allah has informed him that Omer (ra) has passed away. He told me that, I and you are in between dead. He recite blessing and started praying.
He advised me to follow the holy book and the right path and do not forget about death at any moment. When you reach your people then advise them and also advise mankind. Always follow the steps of the prophet, otherwise you will be out of the religion and be eligible for the hell. He then advised some prayers and asked me to go. He said, “Oh son of Huban, you will not see me and I will not see you again, but remember me in your prayers, because I to remember you in my prayers. You go on that way and I will follow this way.” I had desire to follow him for some time but he did not allow me. He wept and I also wept. I was watching him from the backside but after some time he disappeared.
After that there was no news about him. The son of Huban said that Owaise of Qarni first told him about the four caliphs of the prophet.
Rabiya narrates that he went to see Owaise of Qarni and he saw him while he was performing the morning prayer. After the prayer he was busy in the glorification of Allah until the time of noon prayer. He was busy with his work until the time of next prayer and in this way he was very busy until next morning prayer. For three days he did not eat or drink anything or even slept. On fourth night he slept for some time and then wake up and started hymns, in which he said, “ Oh Allah, keep me away from full sleep and full food in the stomach and it is enough for me and I have come back to you.” it is said that he never slept in the nights. He used to say that the night was for doing prostration, bowing and for standing before God. He used to keep every night alive. When people asked him, “How do they pray?” he told, “I want it will be dawn before I did not say ‘Subhan Allah’ in the prostration. As I want to do worship same as angels do in the sky.”
When people asked him, “What is khudo (attention) in the prayers?” He told, “If there is wound of spear on your body but you did not notice it.” The people asked him, “How are you?” how he will be, when he wake up in the morning and the death will allow him to be alive or not upto night? When people asked him about his work, he replied, “Oh, the journey is long but no preparations at all?”
Owaise of Qarni said that if you worship of Allah and if the same is equal to the worship of all creations of Allah in the sky and earth but Allah will not accept the same unless you have faith in him. The people asked him further, how we have to keep faith in Allah. He said at the time of worship do not think for other things, which Allah have reserved for you. He said, “Whoever like the following three things, for him hell will be near to nerve of his neck.”
1. Good food
2. Good dress
3. Sitting with wealthy people
People told Owaise of Qarni that there is one man who is sitting in the grave since 30 years and wearing shroud around his neck and weeping. He said, “Take me to that person so that I can see him.” The people took him to that person and he saw that man who has become thin by weeping. He told him, “Oh man, the shroud and the grave has kept you away from the Allah, and these two things are disturbing on your way.” Due to his divine appearance that person was able to see these things on him and his condition was revealed to him. He died in the grave. So think on it that if grave and shroud are seen then other things can also be seen.
It is reported that Owaise has not eaten anything or drank even water for three days. On the fourth day he got a dinar on the way. He did not took that dinar and he thought that it belonged to some other person and he went ahead to eat grass. Then he saw a sheep and in her mouth there was hot bread and the sheep kept that bread before him. But he thought that it belonged to some other person. The sheep told him, “I am the slave of Allah like you.” then he took that bread and that sheep was disappeared.
His praise and qualities are too many and great. In the beginning Shaikh Abul Qasim Gorgani was the follower of Owaise of Qarni. Owaise of Qarni says that one who knows Allah from Allah, and then he knows everything. He said, “Safety is in loneliness. The person who is single and alone and who do not think about others in his heart is safe and secured, because it is not good to think about others in loneliness. Satan (devil) will run away when two persons meet each other.” So he did not go there because he knew that no need to misguide them, as those persons are busy with each other and have forgotten Allah. Owaise of Qarni suggested keeping control on the heart so that other person (devil) may not enter into it.
Owaise of Qarni’s sayings
1. When I asked for high respect, I got it in the service.
2. When I asked for leadership and status, I got it in the people’s advice.
3. When I asked for kindness and service, I got it in the truth and right path.
4. When I asked for proud and greatness, I got it in poverty and misery.
5. When I asked for link, I got it in goodness and in the fear of god.
6. When I asked for fame, I got it in the worship.
7. When I asked for carelessness, I got it in the trust of God.
It is reported that the neighbors of Owaise of Qarni told him that they thought him a mad man. They collected some money and constructed a house for him. He used to live in that house. There was nothing in the house to eat at the time of breakfast. He tried to earn money by collecting seeds of dates and by selling them. From that money he managed his food. If he collected dates, he used to sell them and that money was spent for the charity. His dress was old and not in the good condition. He made his dress from the horse skin which he used to clean himself. He used to leave the house at the time of morning prayer and to enter the house after night prayer. Wherever he went, the children threw stones on him. He requested the children to throw small stones on him to avoid bleeding from his body and not to spoil his ablution. He was not worried about his legs but he was worried about his prayers.
In his last days he met Ali Ibn Taleb (ra) and participated in the war of Seffin and died there.
There is a group of people who consider themselves as Owaisia. For them there is no need of teacher and they do not have any source with them like Owaise of Qarni, but they are on the right path of religion due to the grace of god.
Owaise of Qarni has not seen the prophet but the prophet did his internal training and this is fact. His position is very high and it is difficult for anybody to attain such a high position. Such greatness is due to the kindness and mercy of God. Whom God likes, will be given such a great position.
His grave is in a small village of Yemen, which is far away from capital Sana.
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SECOND Episode from Tadhkirat Al-Auliya (Muslim Saints & Mystics ) by Shaikh Farid Al-din Attar.
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Translated from Urdu to English by
Muhammed A. Hafeez, B.Com.
Email: hafeezanwar@yahoo.com
H.No. 16-11-16/1/21,
Saleemnagar colony,
Al-Madina cottage,
Hyderabad-36,
I n d i a.
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REFERENCE BOOKS
1. Tadhkirat Al-Auliya ( Muslim Saints and Mystics) by Sheikh Farid-Al-din Attar, Urdu translation published by Majedi Book Depot, Kanpur, India, in the year 1383 A.H.
2. Tadhkirat Al-Auliya ( Muslim Saints and Mystics) by Sheikh Farid-Al-din Attar, Urdu translation published by Anwar Book Depot, Delhi
India.
3. Masnavi , Jalal Al-din Rumi
