HIS POSITION IN THE SILSILA:
Qutb al-Aarifeen, Mujaddid al-Islam, Waaqif-e-Rumooz-e-Khafi wa
Jali, Hadrat Shaykh Ja'far Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala
Anho is the twelveth Imam and Shaykh of the Silsila Aaliyah
Qadiriyah Barakatiyah Ridawiyyah Nooriyah.
BIRTH: He was born in
Samarrah in the year 247 Hijri
[Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol. 1, Page 316]
NAME: His name was Jaafar,
and he was also known as Abu Bakr. The name Jaafar bin Yunus is
engraved on his blessed Shrine. His title was Mujaddid. He was
known as shibli, because he came from a place called Shibla or
Shabeela. [Masaalik as-Saalikeen]
EDUCATION: He says as follows
about himself,
“I studied and attained the knowledge of Fiqh and Hadith for thirty years. The sea of knowledge flowed in my heart. I presented my self before many of those who were known as people of great knowledge and learning. I asked them to bless me with the knowledge concerning the journey towards Allah, and yet not one of them knew anything about what I asked. They all said, ‘that the sign of something will be found in something, but there is no sign of Ghaib’ I heard their words and was amazed. I said, you are all in the dark and Alhumdulillah, I am the light. I then thanked Almighty Allah, and then gave my wilaayat to a thief, until he did with me as he did.”
HIS SHAYKH-E-TARIQAT: He is
the mureed and Khalifa of Sayyid al-Taaifa Hadrat Junaid
al-Baghdadi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho.
HIS EXCELLENCE: He was the
Muqallid of Hadrat Imam Maalik Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho and he
knew the entire Muwatta of Imam Maalik Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho
by heart. He spent most of his time in the Ibaadat of Almighty
Allah. He visited all the great Masha’ikh of his era, and spent
time with all of them. He gained a very exalted position in
spiritualism. His spiritual position had become so great, that
the ordinary mind could not understand him. It is stated that
for a very long time, he lived under a tree. He would walk
around the tree, making the zikr of “Hoo – Hoo” People who saw
him, asked him concerning his condition. He said, “There is a
dove on this tree which is saying “Koo – Koo” I am thus
following its pattern and making the Zikr of Hoo Hoo. Those who
saw this noticed that the dove would not remain silent until he
stopped his zikr. For as long as he was in Zikr, the dove also
went on cooing. [Shahrat al-Kaamileen,
Page 206]
HIS POSITION IN THE COURT OF THE
BELOVED PROPHET: Hadrat Abu Bakr bin Mujahid Radi Allahu
Ta'ala Anho was a very great saint and a great Imam of Hadith
and Fiqh. Many Ulama and Masha’ikh sat in his gatherings to
listen to the knowledge he imparted. Once Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli
Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho went to one of his gatherings. On seeing
Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho, he immediately
stood up in respect. He embraced him with great love, and then
kissed his forehead. A man from those present at the gathering
(who did not know Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli) stood up and said,
“Sayyidi! This man is a insane (One who does not seem to be in
the right state of mind), why do you treat him with such
respect?” Hadrat Abu Bakr ibn Mujahid Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho
said, “O People! I have done with him as I saw the Prophet Peace
and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him do with him.” He then
narrated a dream by saying, “I dreamt that it was the most
exalted gathering of the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be
Upon Him. Then, when Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala
Anho entered the gathering, the Prophet Peace and Blessings of
Allah be Upon Him stood up, and kissed his forehead. I said, Ya
Rasoolallah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him, Why such a
great amount of love and affection for Shibli? And the Prophet
Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him said, ‘After Namaaz, he
reads from Laqa Jaa Akum Rasoolun until Azeem, and he then says
SallAllahu Alaika Ya Rasoolallah three times.’”
[Raah-e-Aqidat, Page 19/20]
Once, Hadrat Imam Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho was
accused of being insane (as none knew the reality of his
spiritual condition). He was admitted to a mental facility for
treatment. Some of his disciples and well wishers heard of this
and came to meet with him. He asked who they were and they said
that they were amongst those who had great love for him. He then
launched stones at them, which caused them to run away from him.
He said, “If you are from amongst those who love me, then why do
you run away from me when I launch stones at you? Those who
truly love somebody will not run away from his pain.”
HIS SHAYKH'S LOVE FOR HIM:
Once a few disciples of Hadrat Junaid al-Baghdadi Radi Allahu
Ta'ala Anho were seated together praising Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli.
They said, “There is none that is more respected and honest
amongst us than Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho” As they
were having their discussion, Hadrat Junaid al-Baghdadi Radi
Allahu Ta'ala Anho entered and said, “What are you discussing
about Abu Bakr Shibli? All that you have said is improper. He is
not as good as you all say. Now remove him from the room.” After
Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho left the room,
Hadrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho addressed his
disciples and said, “I have a hundred times more respect and
love for Shibli, compared to that which you were discussing.
When you were praising him in his presence, it was like you were
striking him with a sword. It was
[Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol.
1, Page 323]
for this reason, that I had no option but to say what I said, so
that it may be a shield against that which you were saying, if
not he would have been devastated (for he could not accept being
praised, due to his humility).”
[Kashf al-Mahjoob, Page 193]
HIS KARAAMATS: Once Hadrat
Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had taken very ill. Ali
bin Esa informed the Khalifa of this, and the Khalifa sent a
Christian doctor to treat Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu
Ta'ala Anho. This doctor was the royal specialist physician. He
treated Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho, but he
could not help in making him feel better. The doctor once said
to Hadrat, “If I felt that your cure was in a piece of my flesh,
then I would not even mind cutting of a piece of flesh.” Hadrat
Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho said, “My medicine is in
something else.” The Doctor said, “In what is it?” Hadrat said,
“In this, that you leave kufr and accept Islam.” The doctor
immediately read the kalima and accepted Islam. When the Khalifa
heard of what had happened, he began to weep. He said, “I
thought that I had sent a doctor towards one who was ill. Little
did I realize that I had sent one who was ill towards a doctor.”
Hadrat Ambaazi states that once he wore a beautiful shawl and
went to visit Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho.
When he reached there, he saw that Hadrat was wearing a very
beautiful hat. On seeing the hat, he thought that the hat would
be very well suited for him. He wished that the Shaykh would
present the hat to him. He was still thinking of this, when
Hadrat asked for his shawl. The Shaykh then took both the
chaadar and the hat, and threw them into a fire. He said, “With
the exception of the Deedar of Almighty Allah, a person should
not have any other desire in his heart.”
[Tazkirat al-Awliyah]
GEMS OF WISDOM:
WISAAL SHARIF: Various highly
spiritual incidents occurred during the time of his wisaal. Many
people asked him to read the Kalima and one person proclaimed
the Shahaadat aloud, so as to remind him. On hearing this, he
said, “The dead have come to remind the living.” He passed away
on the 27th of Dhul-Hijjah, 334 Hijri on the eve of a Friday, at
the age of 88 years.
HIS KHULAFA: The names of
only two of the Khulafa of Hadrat Abu Bakr Shibli could be
found.
1. Hadrat Khwaja Abdul Waahid
Abul Fadhl Tameemi
2. Hadrat Abu al-Hasan
Neemalam.
AFTER HIS WISAAL: After his
wisaal, a pious man saw him in his dream, and asked, “Sayyidi!
What transpired with the Angels of the grave?” He said, “When
the angels came to me, and asked about my Lord, I said, ‘It is
He, who created Adam Alaihis Salam and commanded the Angels to
prostrate before him. All of them prostrated but Iblees, who
turned his face away from the command of Allah and showed pride.
At that time, I was in the spine of Hadrat Adam Radi Allahu
Ta'ala Anho.” The Angels said, “He has answered on behalf of all
the children of Adam Alaihis Salam.”
[Shajrat al-Kaamileen, Page
203]
MAZAR SHARIF: His Mazaar
Shareef is in Saamarrah, which is in Baghdad Shareef (Iraq).