A MYSTERIOUS GROUP OF AULIYA

Hadhrat Yusuf Bin Hasan (rahmatullah alayh) narrated the following wonderful episode:

     “Once while walking in a street of the City Shaam (which is in the Land of Shaam – Syria), suddenly there appeared in front of me an insurmountable obstacle. As I turned to walk along another way, I suddenly and miraculously found myself in a vast, desolate and fearsome desert. In the distance I saw a Christian monastery. I went towards it. When I was near to it, I saw a raahib (monk) looking out of the window. I went towards him. When I was close by him, he exclaimed: “Do you want to meet your companion?” I said: ‘Who is my companion?’ The monk responded: ‘In this valley there is a man of your religion. He has renounced the world and lives here in solitude. I love to listen to his talks.’

     I said to the monk: ‘Then what prevents you from joining him when you live near to him?’ The monk said: ‘I fear that my companions will kill me. When you meet him, convey my salaam to him and ask him to make dua for me.’

     Hadhrat Yusuf continuing his story said: “I went in the direction indicated by the monk. Soon I saw a man. Seated around him were many wild animals. At the same time I was hearing the voices of many people, but I could not see any human being. One voice said: ‘Who is this useless person?’

     The man was sitting with his head bowed, deep in contemplation. He suddenly screamed and fell unconscious. When he revived, he shouted at me: “Be gone! May Allah Ta’ala bestow the treasure of Taqwa to you.” (It appears that the animals were jinn.)