(originally posted at Darvish )
It is related that after the death of the great Sufi Master al-Shibli, a friend saw him in a dream. The friend asked him what God had done with him, to which al-Shibli replied, “God placed me before Him and asked if I knew why He had forgiven my sins. I said that it might be because of the good works I had done, the prayers I had performed, my fasting and pilgrimage, my having associated with pious people and my journeying in search of knowledge. God replied, “O Shibli, these were not the reasons. Do you remember when you were walking in the lanes of Baghdad and you found a small cat made weak by the cold and ice, and out of pity you took it and put in inside a fur you were wearing so as to protect it from the pains of the cold? Because of the mercy you showed that cat, I have had mercy on you.”
- Excerpt adapted from Sufis and Saints’ Bodies: Mysticism, Corporeality & Sacred Power in Islam by Scott Kugle.
It is related that after the death of the great Sufi Master al-Shibli, a friend saw him in a dream. The friend asked him what God had done with him, to which al-Shibli replied, “God placed me before Him and asked if I knew why He had forgiven my sins. I said that it might be because of the good works I had done, the prayers I had performed, my fasting and pilgrimage, my having associated with pious people and my journeying in search of knowledge. God replied, “O Shibli, these were not the reasons. Do you remember when you were walking in the lanes of Baghdad and you found a small cat made weak by the cold and ice, and out of pity you took it and put in inside a fur you were wearing so as to protect it from the pains of the cold? Because of the mercy you showed that cat, I have had mercy on you.”
- Excerpt adapted from Sufis and Saints’ Bodies: Mysticism, Corporeality & Sacred Power in Islam by Scott Kugle.
3 comments:
Thank you for reposting from the Darvish blog :) I am honored that you would find it worthy enough.
Ya Haqq!
Is this a true incident? I understand the moral behind it but how could the sufi master "actually" come in his dream and relay something which could not have happened :S..does Allah not only speak speak to us on the day of judgement? hmmmz..I might be taking it too literally but..hayeeen :S
Irving - It is always a learning experience to browse your blog. There is a reason you are on my blogroll.
Anonymous - I will take this story for its moral. Going on literal form of story may not payoff.
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