Download PDF: [S] Meeting with an Aarif (Islamic story)

Hadrat Sayyiduna Abu Ash’al Saa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – narrates:

 

I once saw a young man a few miles outside the blessed city of Mecca Shareef who was reading his Salaah. He was also someone who seemed not to be travelling with any caravan. I thought that perhaps he had missed his caravan. I waited for him to complete his Salaah. However, his Salaah was quite long. After he had completed his Salaah, I greeted him. I then said to him, “It looks like you have remained behind from your friends. Do you have anyone who can assist you in meeting them?”

 

When he heard this, he wept and replied, “Yes, I have someone.”

 

When I asked him who this was, he replied, “There is someone who watches me from all direction.”

When I heard this, I understood that this is certainly an Aarif.

 

I asked him whether he had any food and he replied, “‘Yes”.

 

I asked him where his food was and he replied, “In my heart, I have sincerity for the Allah Almighty.”

 

I him whether I could become his companion, but he replied, “Friendship with another moves one away from the remembrance of Allah Almighty and I have no intention of being oblivious of Allah Almighty for one second.”

 

I asked him from where he eats and he replied, “I am fed by the same Divine Being who fed me when I was in the womb of my mother. Whenever I wish to eat something, food appears in front of me.”

 

I asked him whether he had any request and he replied, “My request is that after this, you should not meet me.”

 

I asked him to make Du’a for me and he continued to make Du’a for me that Allah Almighty protects me from all sin and also blesses me with His nearness by giving me the strength to perform those deeds through which I can gain His closeness.”

 

I asked him that after this day, where will we be able to meet. He replied, “After today, we will not meet and if you are among the special servants of Allah Almighty, on the Day of Judgement I will meet you in their company.”

 

He then disappeared and I never met him again. I was also surprised in the manner in which these special servants of Allah Almighty could disappear. (Ar Rouad Al Faa’iq)