An incident: Junaid Baghdádí رحمة الله عليه saw a handsome young man, fair in complexion and neatly dressed, begging in the masjid. The thought came to Junaid: رحمة الله عليه “A healthy young man and wearing a good set of clothes and yet he is begging?” That night Junaid Baghdádí رحمة الله عليه had a remarkable dream. (One notes that persons in the class of such people are corrected very quickly by Alláh Ta’álá!) In the dream he saw a man approaching him and saying: “Eat this meat!” He placed in front of Junaid Baghdádí رحمة الله عليه a dead body.
Junaid: “But this is a corpse! To eat it is harám!”
Person: “Oh Yes! To eat this is harám! But when you were eating the flesh of your dead Muslim brother, was that not harám?”
Junaid: “I never did such a foul thing”.
Person: “Oh No? Let me ask you: Does the Qur’án Sharíf not state that one should not make ghíbat: ‘Would any of you love to eat the flesh of your dead brother?’”
Junaid: “Yes. The Qur’án Sharíf has stated thus.” Person: “Well, then you have eaten!”
Junaid: “When did I do so?”
Person: “When you saw the young man begging, you brought the thought into your heart: ‘A young handsome man, fit and healthy, yet begging!’ Did you imagine ghíbat is only when you relate a person’s fault to others and when you think of the faults of others it is not ghíbat? You deliberately brought his fault to mind.”
We had digressed while relating the qissah about Junaid Baghdádí رحمة .الله عليهTo continue with the qissah: The person’s remarks had the desired effect. Junaid Baghdádí’s رحمة الله عليهheart was in turmoil and in this anxious state his eyes opened from sleep. He got up, put on his clothes and went out in search of the youth to ask his forgiveness.
It has to be pointed out here that this compulsion of Junaid Baghdádí’s رحمة الله عليه to set out in search of the youth to get his pardon was a special state related to Junaid’s elevated status. Where the opposite party is not aware, taubah is sufficient.
Approaching the river, Junaid saw a young man strolling along the river bank and recognised him as the same youth he had seen in the masjid. Junaid greeted him: “Assalámo-alaikum.” The youth replied: “Wa-alaikumsalám.” Without a pause, the youth continued: “Having seen a dream you have now come to ask for forgiveness! Without investigating, you jumped to conclusions: ‘A fit young man, dressed in neat white clothes and begging!’ You should, at least, have verified the facts first! How many days have I not spent without food! In spite of searching for work, I found no means. Is it not permissible, under the circumstances, for me to ask? As for these clothes that you see me wearing, they were handed to me just this morning. Seeing externals only, you jumped to conclusions!”
Who is saying all this? The youth! He is not just anybody. He was one who had some rank! It just goes to show that it is not only old people who attain high spiritual ranks. Nay. This youth had also reached an elevated stage, through ’ibádat, taqwá, zikrulláh, abstention from sin and ta’alluqm’Alláh.
The youth further addressed Junaid Baghdádí “ :رحمة الله عليهI had thought that you had attained a very elevated rank, but it appears that you still have some deficiency!”
The youth was addressing whom? Junaid Baghdádí – رحمة الله عليهone of our foremost mashá’ikh! Do not misunderstand. Do not conclude that this act of Junaid’s in any way lowered his rank. No. This was a detail, a fine point which had to be brought to his notice to enable him to progress even higher. This was his isláh at the pinnacle that he already was on, to enable him to move onto a higher pinnacle. The above point should be well remembered. Students often get confused.
For Friends Vol 1 Pg 38
