5. Abú Muḥammad Ja`far b. Muḥammad Ṣádiq.
He is celebrated among the Ṣúfí Shaykhs for the subtlety of his discourse and his acquaintance with spiritual truths, and he has written famous books in explanation of Ṣúfiism. It is related that he said: “Whoever knows God turns his back on all else.” The gnostic (`árif) turns his back on “other” (than God) and is cut off from worldly things, because his knowledge (ma`rifat) is pure nescience (nakirat), inasmuch as nescience forms part of his knowledge, and knowledge forms part of his nescience. Therefore the gnostic is separated from mankind and from thought of them, and he is joined to God. “Other” has no place in his heart, that he should pay any heed to them, and their existence has no worth for him, that he should fix the remembrance of them in his mind. And it is related that he said: “There is no right service without repentance, because God hath put repentance before service, and hath said, Those who repent and serve” (Kor. ix, 113). Repentance (tawbat) is the first of the “stations” in this Path, and service (`ibádat) is the last. When God mentioned the disobedient He called them to repentance and said, “Repent unto God together” (Kor. xxiv, 31); but when He mentioned the Apostle He referred to his “servantship” (`ubúdiyyat), and said, “He revealed to His servant that which He revealed” (Kor. liii, 10). I have read in the Anecdotes that Dáwud Ṭá´í came to Ja`far Ṣádiq and said: “O son of the Apostle of God, counsel me, for my mind is darkened.” Ja`far replied: “O Abú Sulaymán, thou art the ascetic of thy time: what need hast thou of counsel from me?” He answered: “O son of the Apostle, thy family are superior to all mankind, and it is incumbent on thee to give counsel to all.” “O Abú Sulaymán,” cried Ja`far, “I am afraid that at the Resurrection my grandsire will lay hold on me, saying, ‘Why didst not thou fulfil the obligation to follow in my steps?’ This is not a matter that depends on authentic and sure affinity (to Muḥammad), but on good conduct in the presence of the Truth.” Dáwud Ṭá´í began to weep and exclaimed: “O Lord God, if one whose clay is moulded with the water of Prophecy, whose grandsire is the Apostle, and whose mother is Fáṭima (Batúl)—if such a one is distracted by doubts, who am I that I should be pleased with my dealings (towards God)?” One day Ja`far said to his clients: “Come, let us take a pledge that whoever amongst us shall gain deliverance on the Day of Resurrection shall intercede for all the rest.” They said: “O son of the Apostle, how canst thou have need of our intercession since thy grandsire intercedes for all mankind?” Ja`far replied: “My actions are such that I shall be ashamed to look my grandsire in the face on the Last Day.” To see one’s faults is a quality of perfection, and is characteristic of those who are established in the Divine presence, whether they be prophets, saints, or apostles. The Apostle said: “When God wishes a man well, He gives him insight into his faults.” Whoever bows his head with humility, like a servant, God will exalt his state in both worlds.
Now I shall mention briefly the People of the Veranda (Ahl-i Ṣuffa). In a book entitled “The Highway of Religion” (Minháj al-Dín), which I composed before the present work, I have given a detailed account of each of them, but here it will suffice to mention their names and “names of honour”.
[54]. Twenty-five verses are quoted.
CHAPTER IX.
Concerning the People of the Veranda (Ahl-i Ṣuffa).
Know that all Moslems are agreed that the Apostle had a number of Companions, who abode in his Mosque and engaged in devotion, renouncing the world and refusing to seek a livelihood. God reproached the Apostle on their account and said: “Do not drive away those who call unto their Lord at morn and eve, desiring His face” (Kor. vi, 52). Their merits are proclaimed by the Book of God, and in many traditions of the Apostle which have come down to us. It is related by Ibn `Abbás that the Apostle passed by the People of the Veranda, and saw their poverty and their self-mortification and said: “Rejoice! for whoever of my community perseveres in the state in which ye are, and is satisfied with his condition, he shall be one of my comrades in Paradise.” Among the Ahl-i Ṣuffa[[55]] were Bilál b. Rabáḥ, Salmán al-Fárisí, Abú `Ubayda b. al-Jarráḥ, Abu ´l-Yaqẕán `Ammár b. Yásir, `Abdalláh b. Mas`úd al-Hudhalí, his brother `Utba b. Mas`úd, Miqdád b. al-Aswad, Khabbáb b. al-Aratt, Ṣuhayb b. Sinán, `Utba b. Ghazwán, Zayd b. al-Khaṭṭáb, brother of the Caliph `Umar; Abú Kabsha, the Apostle’s client; Abu ´l-Marthad Kinána b. al-Ḥusayn[al-Ḥusayn] al-`Adawí; Sálim, client of Hudhayfa al-Yamání; `Ukkásha b. Miḥṣan; Mas`úd b. Rabí` al-Fárisí; Abú Dharr Jundab b. Junáda al-Ghifárí; `Abdalláh b. `Umar; Ṣafwán b. Bayḍá; Abú Dardá `Uwaym b. `Ámír; Abú Lubába b. `Abd al-Mundhir; and `Abdalláh b. Badr al-Juhaní.
Shaykh Abú `Abd al-Raḥmán Muḥammad b. al-Ḥusayn al-Sulamí,[[56]] the traditionist (naqqál) of Ṣúfiism and transmitter of the sayings of the Ṣúfí Shaykhs, has written a separate history of the Ahl-i Ṣuffa, in which he has recorded their virtues and merits and names and “names of honour”. He has included among them Misṭaḥ b. Uthátha b. `Abbád, whom I dislike because he began the slanders about `Á´isha, the Mother of the Believers. Abú Hurayra, and Thawbán, and Mu`ádh b. al-Ḥárith, and Sá´ib b. Khallád, and Thábit b. Wadí`at, and Abú `Ísá `Uwaym b. Sá`ida, and Sálim b. `Umayr b. Thábit, and Abu ´l-Yasar Ka`b b. `Amr, and Wahb b. Ma`qal, and `Abdalláh b. Unays, and Ḥajjáj b. `Umar al-Aslamí belonged to the Ahl-i Ṣuffa. Now and then they had recourse to some means of livelihood (ta`alluq ba-sababí kardandí), but all of them were in one and the same degree (of dignity). Verily, the generation of the Companions was the best of all generations; and they were the best and most excellent of mankind, since God bestowed on them companionship with the Apostle and preserved their hearts from blemish.
[55]. I have corrected many of the following names, which are erroneously written in the Persian text, by reference to various Arabic works.
[56]. See Brockelmann, i, 200.