Ibrahim b. Adham (d. 161 i Sham)
Biography taken from Risala Qushayriyya
He was from the region of Balkh. He was a king´s son. He went out hunting one day and came across the tracks of an animal, a fox or a rabbit. While he was following it, a voice from the unseen called to him, “O Ibrahim! Is it for this that you were created? Is it to this that you were commanded?” Then it called again, from the pommel of his saddle, “By God, it is not for this that you were created, and it is not to this that you were commanded!” He got off his horse and, meeting with one of his father’s shepherds, took the man’s woolen garment, put it on, and gave him in exchange his horse and all he had with him. Then he went into the desert. Later he came to Makkah, where he met Sufyan al-Thawr and al-Fudayl bin Iyad , and went on to Damascus, where he died.
He used to eat from the work of his own hands, serving as a reaper and a watchman over orchards and so forth, although in the desert he had met a man who had thought him the Greatest Name of God, so that he prayed by it. Then he met Khidr [the immortal guide and protector of seekers], who told him, “It was my brother the prophet David who taught you the Greatest Name.”
(We were told this by Shaykh Abd-al-Rahman Muhammad bin al-Husayn al-Sulami who said that Ibrahim bin Bashshar related, “I met Ibrahim bin Adham and asked, “Tell me how you bevame involved with all this.” And he recalled what is given above)
Ibrahim bin Adham and asked had great care for the moral impact for every action. It is reported that he said, “Heal your eating, and you need not pray all night and fast all day.” It is said that he mostly prayed, “O my God, transport me from the humiliation of disobedience to You to the honor of obedience to You.”
Someone told Ibrahim bin Adham, “The price of meat has become high.” He said, “Cut the price!” – meaning, “Don’t buy it!” – and he recited:
When something turned expensive for me I abandoned it
And what used to be expensive became cheap.
Muhammad bin al-Husayn told us that Ibrahim bin Adham said to a man circumambulating the Kabah, “Know that you will not attain the degree of the righteous until six difficult yhings become possible for you. The first: closing the door of ease and opening the door of hardship. The second: closing the door of honor and opening the door of humiliation. The third: closing the door of comfort, and opening the door of effort. The fourth: closing the door of sleep and opening the door of wakefulness. The fifth: closing the door of wealth and opening the door of poverty. The sixth: closing the door of expectations, and opening the door of readiness of death.”
While Ibrahim bin Adham was guarding a vineyard a soldier passed by and demanded, “Give me some of these grapes.” He refused. “Their owner did not so order me.” The soldier began to beat him with his whip. Ibrahim bowed his head, saying, “Strike a head that has so often revolted against God!” The man was unable to continue, and went away.
Sahl bin Ibrahim said, “I was a friend of Ibrahim bin Adham, and I fell sick. He took upon himself the expense of my illness. I developed a craving for something, so he sold his donkey and spent the price of it on me. When I recovered, I asked, “O Ibrahim, where is your donkey?” He said, “We sold it.” I said, “Then on what shall I ride?” He said, “O my brother, om my shoulders.” And he carried me three day’s journey.”
[/i]Statistik: Postat av b — sön mar 22, 2009 23:46
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