A classic Sufi manual that can be read over and over. I like the fact that on the back cover for endorsements of the book, above the contemporary scholar Sachiko Murata鈥檚 statement 鈥淎 classic work on Sufism.鈥�, the publishers have Jalal Al-Din Rumi in his Mathnawi remarking 鈥淎 popular book among Sufis鈥︹€濃€攚hat better endorsement?
Extremely profound in its spiritual and psychological depth, I will wrote down just some stories and sayings that struck me as I finished the book today.
I heard Abu 鈥楢li Al-Daqqaq say that when Ghulam Al-Khalil slandered the Sufis before the caliph, the caliph ordered that their heads should be cut off. Junayd was protected from this penalty by the study of law, for he used to make juridical decisions in the school of Abu Thawr. As for Al-Shahham, Al-Raqqam, Nuri, and the rest of the congregation, however, they were arrested. The leather mat was spread for their decapitation. Nuri stepped forward. 鈥淒o you know what you are hurrying to?鈥� the executioner asked. 鈥淵es.鈥� 鈥淭hen what makes you impatient?鈥� 鈥淚 prefer that my friends, rather than myself, should live a little longer.鈥�
The executioner was amazed and sent word to the caliph, who turned the prisoners over to a judge who could investigate their state. The judge threw some questions at Abu鈥檒-Husayn Al-Nuri. He answered them completely and then began to say, 鈥淎nd beyond this, God has servants who when they stand, stand in God, and when they speak, speak in God鈥︹€� Sayings came, one after the other, that made the judge weep. So the judge sent to the caliph, saying, 鈥淚f these are heretics, there is no Muslim on the face of the earth.鈥� 232-233
Muadh al-Nasfi said, God Most High will not destroy a people, even though they continue in their evil practices, as long as they do not humiliate and abase the poor. From the Risala of Imam Al-Qushayri
It is related that Abu Darda said, 鈥淚 would rather fall from the top of a castle and be shattered to bits than to sit with wealth. For I heard the Messenger of God say, 鈥淏eware of sitting with the dead!鈥� And when it was asked, 鈥淥 Messenger of God, who are the dead?鈥� he said, 鈥淭he rich.鈥�
Abu Ali Mumshad ibn Said Al-Ukbari said, 鈥淚nside the dome of Solomon鈥檚 temple, a male swallow courted a female swallow. She refused to have anything to do with him. He asked her, 鈥榃hy do you reject me? If you wished, I would pull down this dome on top of Solomon!鈥� Prophet Solomon summoned the bird to him. 鈥榃hat is the meaning of this?鈥� he demanded. 鈥極 Prophet of God,鈥� pleaded the bird, 鈥渓overs are not to blame for the things they say!鈥� 鈥榊ou have spoken the truth!鈥� said the king.鈥� From 鈥淭he Sufi Book of Spiritual Ascent (The Risala of Imam Al-Qushayri).
The book, which is one of early works in Sufism, focuses on essential virtues in small chapters , with many narrations of Sufi's and quotes . It is filled with wisdom and Al Qushayri has brought a wonderful piece of work.