Download PDF: [S] Imam Safwan and Imam Saleh Mirri

Safwan bin Sulaim and Saaleh Mirri – may Allah be pleased with them – were eminent Muhaddith of their era.

 

The full name of Hadrat Safwan – may Allah be pleased with them – was Abu Abdullah Safwan bin Sulaim Qarashi Zuhri. He was a famous Jurist and an eminent Muhaddith in Madina Shareef. He is said to have also met the blessed companions such as Hadrat Sayyiduna Aanis bin Malik and Hadrat Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with them.

 

Among his famous students were Saints and scholars such as Imam Sufyan Thouri and Imam Sufyan bin Ayniyah – may Allah be pleased with them. The masses certainly considered him as a person of great Karamah and an amazing Saint. In fact, Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Ahmed bin Hambal – may Allah be pleased with him – has stated that the Ahadith which have been narrates and reported by Hadrat Sayyiduna Safwan bin Sulaim – may Allah be pleased with him – possess such an eminent status that one can actually use these Ahadith as Wasilah when one is seeking rain.

 

In fact, it is stated that Hadrat Safwan – may Allah be pleased with them – is such an eminent Saint that merely taking his name when asking for rain would be sufficient for rain to appear.

 

Hadrat Safwan – may Allah be pleased with them – also had a strange manner of making Ibadah. It is mentioned that in the coldest of winters, he used to make Ibadah on his roof in the open and in the hottest of summers, he used to make Ibadah inside his house with the doors closed. The reason was so that in these extreme weathers, he would not fall asleep. It is also said that for thirty years he never once placed his back on anything.

 

It is stated that due to his immense Ibadah, his forehead also became injured. Aanis bin Fayaaz reports that Hadrat Safwan – may Allah be pleased with them – used to make so much of Ibadah during the day and night that if someone is informed that tomorrow is the Day of Judgement, one could still not be able to make the same amount of Ibadah as this Saint made during the day and night.

 

Ibn Habban has also mentioned that Hadrat Safwan – may Allah be pleased with them – was also considered as among the authentic scholars of Ahadith in Madina Shareef and among the foremost Saints of the city.

 

Hadrat Safwan – may Allah be pleased with them – also had a great dislike for people in power and never attended the palaces and courts of anyone. He passed away in 123 A.H. in the blessed city of Madina Shareef. (Tahzeeb. Tabqaat She’rani)

 

Hadrat Shaikh Saaleh Mirri – may Allah be pleased with him – whose title was “Abu Bashar” and his full name was Saaleh bin Basheer. He lived in Basrah and the reason for the name “Mirri” is because there was a female from the Bani Bashr Marrah who freed him from slavery, hence the name “Mirri.” In the field of Hadith, Hadrat Shaikh Saaleh Mirri – may Allah be pleased with him – is also the student of Imam Hasan Basri – may Allah be pleased with him, Imam Ibn Sereen – may Allah be pleased with him – and Imam Qatadah – may Allah be pleased with him.

 

His students themselves were eminent Imams of their period. It is said that Hadrat Shaikh Saaleh Mirri – may Allah be pleased with him – had one of the most beautiful voices. In fact, it is said that when he used to read the Qur’an, some people actually passed away listening to the Qur’an. He was also a great orator and someone who amazed people with his speeches. Affan bin Sulaim mentions that during his lectures also, he used to fall down and weep. Many people actually lost consciousness when they heard his speeches.

 

His fear for Allah Almighty was such that if he passed a grave, he never used to eat or drink anything for one or two days in immense fear and sadness. One of his miracles is that he used to speak to the people in the grave and also answer their questions. Imam Khalifah says that he passed away in 172 A.H. and Imam Bukhari – may Allah be pleased with him – says that he passed away in 176 A.H. (Imam Nawawi, Tahzeez, Tabqaat)