Mujaddid-e-Islam Hazrat SheikhJaafar Abu Bakr Shibli
(radi Allaho anhu)
HIS POSITION IN
THE SILSISLA: Waaqif-e-Rumooz-e-Khafi Wa Jali, Hazrat Sheikh Jafar Abu Bakr Shibli
(radi Allaho anhu) is the twelfth Imam and Sheikh of the Silsila Aaliyah
Qaaderiyah Barakaatiyah Razviyah Nooriyah.
BIRTH: He was born in Samrah in the year 247
Hijri [Masaalikus Saalikeen vol.1
pg.316]
NAME: His name was Jafar, and he was also
known as Abu Bakr. The name Jafar bin Yunus is engraved on his blessed shrine.
His title was Mujad'did. [Masaalikus
Saalikeen]. He was known as shibli, because he came from a place
called Shibla or Shabeela.
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 is found 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
SHEIKH-E-TARIQAT: He is the
mureed and Khalifa of Sayyidut Taaifa
Hazrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi (radi Allaho anhu).
HIS EXCELLENCE:
He was the muqalid of Hazrat
Imam Maalik (radi Allaho anhu) and he knew the entire Muwatta of Imam Maalik
(radi Allaho anhu) 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 saying
cooing.
HIS POSITION IN
THE COURT OF THE PROPHET
(Sall Allaho alaihi wasallam): Hazrat Abu Bakr bin Mujahid (radi Allaho anhu)
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
Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu) went to one of his gatherings. On
seeing Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu), 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 Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli)
stood up and said, “Huzoor! This man
is a deewana (One who does not seems to be in the right state of mind), why do
you treat him with such respect?” Hazrat Abu Bakr ibn Mujahid (radi
Allaho anhu) said, “O People! I have
done with him as I saw the Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihi wasallam) do with him.”
He then narrated a dream by saying, “I
dreamt that it was the most exalted gathering of the Prophet (Sall Allaho
alaihi wasallam). Then, when Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu) entered
the gathering, the Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihi wasallam) stood up, and kissed
his forehead. I said, Ya Rasoolallah (Sall Allaho alaihi wasallam), Why such a
great amount of love and affection for Shibli? And the Prophet (Sall Allaho
alaihi wasallam) said, ‘After Namaaz, he reads from Laqa Jaa Akum Rasoolun
until Azeem, and he then says Sallal laahu alaika Ya Rasoolallah three times.’”
[Raah-e-Aqidat Pg.19/20] Once,
Hazrat Imam Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu) was accused of being insane (as
none knew the reality of his spiritual condition). He was thus imprisoned in a
mental hospital. 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.” [Shahratul Kaamileen pg.206]
HIS SHEIKH'S
LOVE FOR HIM: Once a few
disciples of Hazrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi (radi Allaho anhu) were seated together
praising Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu). They said, “There is none that is more respected and
honest amongst us than Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu)” As they
were having their discussion, Hazrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi (radi Allaho anhu) 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 Hazrat Abu Bakr
Shibli (radi Allaho anhu) left the room, Hazrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi (radi Allaho
anhu) 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 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).” [Kashful Mahjoob Pg 193]
HIS KARAAMATS: Once Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho
anhu) had taken very ill. Ali bin Esa informed the Khalifa of this, and the
Khalifa sent a Christian doctor to treat Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho
anhu). This doctor was the Senior Medical Practitioner of the Khalifa. He
treated Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu), but he could not help in
making him feel better. The doctor once said to Hazrat, “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.”
Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu) said, “My medicine is in something else.” The Doctor said, “In what is it?” Hazrat 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 then 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.” [masaalikus Saalimeen vol.1 pg.
323]
Hazrat Ambaazi (radi Allaho anhu) states
that once he wore a beautiful shawl and went to visit Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli
(radi Allaho anhu). When he reached their, he saw that Hazrat 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 Sheikh would present the hat to
him. He was still thinking of this, when
Hazrat asked for his shawl. The Sheikh 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.” [Tazkiratul Awliyah]
GEMS OF WISDOM:
The Sheikh once said to his
mureeds, “If you come to me on a
Friday after one week, and you find that you thought of other than Allah during
the week, then you should know that you have the desire of the world in your
heart. What can the one who desires the world gather for the hereafter? Thus,
for as long as you are in the world, prepare for the hereafter.” He
said, “It has never been such, that
I remained hungry for Allah, and Allah had not entered the Noor of secrets into
my heart.” He said, “A
Sufi is one who is away from the people and close to Allah.” He
said, “If a person claims to have
love, yet he spends his time in other things, then, he does not desire his
beloved, but he desires something else, in other words, he is making a mockery
of his beloved.” He said, “Love
means, that you should give up everything for the sake of the beloved.”
He said, “Shariat is this, that you should follow it, Tariqat is this, that
you should desire and Haqeeqat is this, that you should see.”
WISAAL: 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 Zilhajj, 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
Hazrat Abu Bakr Shibli (radi Allaho anhu) could be found. 1. Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Waahid Abul Fadhl Tameemi (radi Allaho anhu)
and 2. Hazrat Abul Hassan
Neemalam (radi Allaho anhu).
AFTER HIS
WISAAL: After his wisaal, a
pious man saw him in his dream, and asked, “Huzoor! 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 (alahis salaam)
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 Hazrat Adam (alahis salaam).” The Angels said,
“He has answered on behalf of all the children of Adam (alahis salaam).”
[Shajratul Kaamileen Pg.203]
MAZAAR
SHAREEF: His Mazaar
Shareef is in Samrah, which is in Baghdad Shareef (Iraq).
