Hazrat Uwais al-Qarani was born in Qarn, Yemen in the
year 594 A.D. His father, Abdullah, was a strong Muslim and died when he was
still young. Normally, Muslims who were either have met or even seen the Noble
Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), were considered a “Companion”. Hazrat Uwais had embraced Islam but did not see or met him but loved
the Prophet. He had an old blind mother who was looked after by Hazrat
Uwais. Once, she gave him the permission to go to Madinah to meet the Noble
Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) and quickly return back to her. It is reported that he
walked to Madinah in three months and knocked at the door when Ummul Momineen Hazrat Umme Salma
answered the door and told him that the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) was away
from home and will not be back for some time. He left a message saying that
Uwais had come from Yemen to meet his beloved Prophet but could not see him and
was returning back. He then returned home as promised to his mother. When the
Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) returned and was told about Uwais al-Qarani’s visit,
he was very sad, and he used to say: “I can smell the beauty of my friend from
the land of Yemen.” Then the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) raised his status to a
“Companion”.
When he heard that
the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)’s few teeth were broken in the Battle of Uhad,
he took a stone and broke all his teeth as he did not which teeth of the Noble
Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) were broken! This is a rare example of love!
After the sad demise of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.),
he came to the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.) in Kufa and remained
with him for the rest of his life till the Battle of Siffeen with Muawiya and
was then martyred. He was a very pious Muslim and took pleasure in worship of
Allah. He had little interest in the worldly riches.
Sayings of Uwais
al-Qarani: “By Allah! The thought of death and the fear of ultimate end leave
no room for happiness in this world for a man of faith. People abuse us when we
exhort them to do good and restrain them from evil, but we still rise for the
cause of Allah.” (Safina al-Bihar by Shaikh Abbas Qummi).
When Uwais al-Qarani was asked: “How are you this
morning?” He replied: “How is a man in the morning when he does not know if he
will be alive in the evening, and in the evening he does not know if he will be
alive in the morning.”
Sufism, in the sense of piety, searches for deliverance,
godliness and freedom, originated under the inspirations of the teachings of
Islam. Some of the works mention among others, mention the name of Uwais
al-Qarani, and many spiritual accomplishments and qualities are attributed to
them. Sufi following Uwais al-Qarani is found around the world. They believe in
the transmission of spiritual knowledge between two individuals without the
need for physical interaction between the two. They are known as “Uwaisi”
Long worshipper:
Uwias Qarani was one of those individuals, who completely enraptured with
worship such that, at times he would pass the entire night in the state of ruku
while at other times he would say: “Tonight is the night for prostration.”, and
would remain in prostration till dawn. He was told: “What is this inconvenience
that you impose upon yourself?”He replied: “O’ how I wish that the entire
eternity be one night, which I could pass in one prostration!”
Rabi’ ibn Khathim
(buried in Mashhad, and popularly known as Khwaja Rabi’) relates: “I was in
Kufa, and my prime objective was to meet Uwais Qarani. When I eventually found
him, he was engaged in his afternoon prayers. I said to myself: “I shall wait
till he completes his prayer.”
Completing his afternoon prayers, he began reciting
supplications and continued to do so till it was the time for Maghreb and Isha
prayers. Having offered them, he engaged himself in the recommended prayers-at
times in ruku and at other times in sadjda, and it continued till the night
reached its termination.
He offered his morning prayers and once again engaged
himself in reciting supplications till the sun rose above the horizon where
upon he permitted himself some rest. Waking up, he performed his ablution and
was about to start his worship when I approached him and said: “How greatly you
trouble yourself!” He said: “It is for achieving comfort that I endure such
effort.” I said to him: “I did not see you eat anything. How do you manage to
arrange for your expenses?” He said:
“Allah has taken upon Himself to provide sustenance to His servants. Now do
not indulge into any more of such talks. Having spoken thus, he left.”
He was martyred in the year 657 A.D. and was buried at
al-Raqqah, Syria. In March 2013, the terrorists bombed and damaged the tombs of
this “True Lover of the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.)”
Sources used: Anecdotes of Reflection – part 3 by
Sayyid Ali Akbar Sadaaqat
Islamic-forum.net, Lantern of the Path by Imam Jaffar as-Sadiq
(a.s.)
Irfan and Tasawwf by
Dr. Ahmad Ahmadi
WIKIPEDIA, Ain al-Hayat
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