HADHRAT UWAIS QARNI (rahmatullah alayh)

1. Regarding Uwais Qarni (rahmatullah alayh), Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Uwais Qarni is the noblest of the Tabieen with ihsaan."

 (The highest stage of ihsaan is to worship Allah Ta'ala as if you are seeing Him.)

 Sometimes Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would turn in the direction of Yemen and say: "I perceive the fragrance of love from Yemen."

 Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Tomorrow on the Day of Qiyaamah Allah Ta'ala will create 70,000 malaa-ikah in the image of Uwais Qarni who will enter in their midst into Jannat. No one will recognise him except those whom Allah wishes." Since he engrossed himself in Ibaadat in concealment, fleeing from people, Allah Ta'ala will preserve his concealment even in the Aakhirah. Allah Ta'ala has said: "My Auliyaa are under My Mantle. None besides Me knows them."

 Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "In my Ummat is a man whose shafaa'at (intercession) will be accepted on behalf of so many people whose number equals the hairs on the sheep/goats of the tribes of Rabeeh and Mudhir." (These two Arab tribes possessed the most sheep and goats, hence the analogy.)

 When the Sahaabah enquired about the identity of this man, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "A servant among the servants of Allah." The Sahaabah responded: "We all are the servants of Allah. What is his name?"

 Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Uwais Qarni."

Sahaabah: "Where is he?"

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam): "In Qarn."

Sahaabah: "Has he seen you?"

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam): "Not with his physical eyes, but he has seen me with his spiritual eyes."

Sahaabah: "Such an ardent lover, but why has he not entered into your companionship?"

  Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam): "There are two reasons. The first is ghalbah haal (i.e. he is always in a high spiritual state which makes him oblivious of everything besides Allah Ta'ala). The second is his profound observance of my Shariat. His mu'minah mother is extremely old and blind. He tends to camels and with his earnings he supports his mother."

 Sahaabah: "Can we see him?" Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)said to Hadhrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu): "You will not see him, but Umar and Ali will see him. His entire body is covered with hair. On the palm of his hand and left side is a white spot, the size of a dirham, which is not the mark of leprosy. When you meet him, convey my salaam to him and tell him to make dua for my Ummat. Among the Auliyaa those who are the Atqiyaa (a very loft category of Auliyaa), he is the holiest."

Sahaabah: "Where shall we find him?"

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) : "In Yemen, he is a camel-herder known as Uwais. You should follow in his footsteps."

 As Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) demise neared, the Sahaabah asked: "To whom shall we give your jubbah (cloak)?"

 Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "To Uwais Qarni."

 After the demise of Rasulullah’s (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhuma) journied to Kufa. After delivering a Khutbah, Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) said: "O people of Najd, all of you stand up." Everyone obeyed. He then enquired: "Is any among you from Qaran?" When they said, 'yes', he asked for information about Uwais Qarni.

 They replied: "We do not know him. However, there is a madman who has become estranged from people. He flees from people. When Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) enquired of his whereabouts, he was told that he (Uwais Qarni) tends to camels in Wadi Urnah. At night he eats dry bread. He does not enter the town. He does not speak to anyone. He does not eat what people generally eat. He does not know what is grief and happiness. When people laugh, he cries. When they cry, he laughs."

 Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) travelled to that valley (Wadi Urnah). Ultimately when they discovered him, he was engaged in Salaat. By the command of Allah, angels were tending to the camels. On perceiving the presence of human beings, Uwais terminated his Salaat, and said "Assalaamu Alaikum".

 Hadhrat Umar Farooq (radhiyallahu anhu) replied: "Wa-Alaikum Salaam", and asked: "What is your name?"

Uwais: "Abdullah (i.e. a slave of Allah)."

Hadhrat Umar: "We all are the servants of Allah. What is your specific name?"

Uwais: "Uwais".

Hadhrat Umar: "Show me your right hand."

 When Hadhrat Uwais showed his hand, Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) seeing the mark indicated by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), kissed his hand, and said: " Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has conveyed salaams to you; sent this cloak for you and commanded that you make dua for his Ummah."

 Uwais: "You are more qualified to make dua because there is no one nobler than you."

 Hadhrat Umar: "I am always engaged in this duty of dua. However, you have to comply with the order of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)."

 Uwais: "O Umar! Think carefully. Perhaps Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had in mind someone else besides myself."

 Hadhrat Umar: "All the signs indicated by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) exist in you."

 Uwais: "Give me the cloak of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) so that I may make dua."

Taking the cloak, Hadhrat Uwais said: "Wait here."

 He went a distance, fell into Sajdah and supplicated: "O Allah! I shall not don this mantle as long as You do not forgive the entire Ummah of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), for he has presented this cloak. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), Umar Farooq and Ali Murtaza have discharged their duties."

 A Voice exclaimed: "We have forgiven a number by virtue of your intercession."

 Uwais: "O Allah! As long as You do not forgive all, I shall not don this mantle."

 The Voice: "I have forgiven thousands."

 Uwais: "I am petitioning for the forgiveness of all."

 This performance was enacted several times. Each time, The Voice announced an increase in the number of persons forgiven by virtue of Hadhrat Uwais' intercession. Meanwhile Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) unable to hold their patience came near to Hadhrat Uwais to see what was happening. When Hadhrat Uwais saw them, he exclaimed: "Why have you come? I would not have donned this mantle as long as Allah Ta'ala had not forgiven the entire Ummah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)."

 Gazing at Hadhrat Uwais with deep intent and concern, Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) perceived 18,000 spiritual kingdoms under the simple shawl Hadhrat Uwais was wearing at the time. Hadrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu), now overwhelmed by spiritual enthusiasm, lost complete interest in himself and his Khilaafat. In an ecstatic mood he cried out: "Is there anyone prepared to accept my Khilaafat in exchange for a piece of bread?"

 Hadhrat Uwais said: "Only a man lacking in intelligence, will purchase it. What are you talking of buying and selling! Abandon it! Whoever wishes, can pick it up."

 Then donning the mantle of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), Hadhrat Uwais said: "As a result of the barkat of this mantle and my intercession, the number of people of the Ummah of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) forgiven, equals the number of hairs on the bodies of the goats of the tribes of Rabeeah and Mudhirr."

 Hadhrat Umar: "O Uwais, why did you not meet Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)?"

 Uwais: "Perhaps you saw the blessed forehead of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Tell me, were Rasulullah’s (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) eye-brows fine or broad?"

 Surprisingly, neither Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) nor Hadhrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) was able to describe Rasulullah’s (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) eye-brows.

 Uwais: "You are he Companions of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)?"

 Hadhrat Umar: "Most certainly we are."

 Uwais: "On the day when the blessed tooth of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was martyred, why did you not martyr your own teeth? The requirement of love was that you conformed."

 Hadhrat Uwais opened his mouth and they observed that all his teeth were missing. He said: "I broke my teeth without seeing the mubaarak face of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). After having broken a tooth, I was not satisfied. Perhaps another tooth of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was martyred, not the one I broke in my mouth. In this way I continued breaking my teeth until all were removed.

 Both Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) were overcome with emotion. Now they learnt a new concept of love and devotion. They resolved to learn this devotion from Hadhrat Uwais.

 Hadhrat Umar  (radhiyallahu anhu) then said: "O Uwais, make dua for me."

 Uwais: "I have already made dua. You should not desire more. In the Tashahhud of every Salaat I say: "O Allah! Have mercy on all the believing men and women and forgive them."

If you reach the grave with the safety of Imaan, then most certainly, you have obtained my dua. I do not want to destroy my dua.

 Hadhrat Umar: "Counsel me."

 Uwais: "Umar, have you recognized Allah Ta'ala?"

 Hadhrat Umar: "Yes, I recognized Him."

 Uwais: "It is best that you recognize only Allah Ta'ala and no one besides Him."

Hadhrat Umar: "Say something more."

 Uwais: "Allah Ta'ala knows you. It is best that besides Allah Ta'ala, no one else knows you."

 Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) then attempted to present a gift of some money to Hadhrat Uwais. Hadhrat Uwais producing two dirhams from his pocket, said: "This is my earning for tending to camels. If you can vouch that these dirhams will be depleted before my death, I shall then accept more."

 Obviously, Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) could not comply, hence Uwais refused the gift.

 Hadhrat Uwais: "Both of you had undergone considerable hardship to reach me. Now return. Qiyaamat is near. We shall then meet where there shall no longer be any separation. Presently I am in a dilemma. I am concerned with the preparations for this journey."

They bid farewell and took leave with heavy hearts