Nasreddin Hoca is a a well known figure all throughout the Muslim World. He may be the most widely loved sufi master that has ever existed. He lived during the Seljuk rule which spanned from China across Central Asia and the Middle East. Nasreddin Hoca is legendary and has been loved by Afghans, Persians, Turks and Uzbeks for centuries.

Nasreddin Hoja’s name varies, as many Sahabi’s, saint’s, and dervishes’ names did as they traveled over long distances. In Afghanistan he is known as Mullah Nasruddin; in Albania, Nasredin Hoxha; in China Afanti and Macedonia he is known as Stradin Hoca. But what ever you call him, the feeling and attachment to him is the same, he is loved and this is why,

A local busybody, wanting to be rewarded for bringing good tidings, ran to Nasreddin Hoja’s house one day.
‘Nasreddin Hoja! Good news!’
‘What is it?’
‘They are baking cakes next door!’
‘What is that to me?’
‘But they are going to give you some!’
‘What is that to you?’

Nasreddin Hoja was a sufi master known mostly for his funny stories and anecdotes. The wisdom of his stories are typical of those who traveled the path of sufism explaining to the nations of the Oneness of our Creator, teaching the Qur’an al-kerim and showing them how to live the Tradition (sunnat) of the most honored one in Divine Presence Sayyidina Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him).

In the stories of Nasreddin Hoja, his behavior, like many of the saints, seems absurd. But within the tale is a profound wisdom that reaches the heart and draws a smile as much as it does an understanding of reality. One story accounts for how Nasreddin Hoja received the ability to warm the hearts of listeners when he was a child.

As a boy Nasreddin Hoja had the mysterious ability to fascinate his school mates keeping their attention and distracting them from the day’s lessons. As a result the academic interest declined and their attention was directed toward Nasreddin Hoja. Their teacher, a sufi master and master, who himself was keeper of some divine secrets, worked to redirect the attention of the students and at the same time guide the young Nasreddin Hoja so that his stories would benefit others for the sake of Allah. The teacher made supplication to Allah, asking for this and that, then he approached young Nasreddin Hoja saying,

“From now on, the more wise you become, the more people will laugh at your wisdom. And whenever someone tells one of your stories, they will want to continue telling more until at least seven have been told.”

This is exactly the case, as you will see on this blog, inshaAllah. I will be posting a series of stories from the famous Nasreddin Hoja and they will be posted in the categories called Nasreddin Hoja and Humor. I pray you will find them interesting and develop love for this most memorable sufi master.

The Torture of the Beloved

The torture of the beloved is no punishment

at all

Thank God for the faithfulness of your cruelty

There are many beloveds with cypress-bodies,

witch-eyes, and trouble-making brows

But not one of them has been so enticing

as you!

If those thirst for the wine of you rubied lips

gave one thousand lives

One thousand lives for just the dregs-

it would be cheap!

No matter how much I am seperated from you,

no matter how far

Your image remains constant within my soul

Oh my beloved, why do you withhold our union?

It does not befit you to torment your slave

this way!

Do a favor for the lovers, bring joy and captivate

their hearts

One must be faithful, for we know beauty

does not last

From my heart, I love you dearly,

more than life itself

Believe me, God knows there is no error in what I say

In this poem entitled, The Torture of the beloved, Ahmed-i Da’i makes mention of “many beloveds” when he writes, “There are many beloveds with cypress-bodies, witch-eyes,”. Ahmed-i Da’i appears to be referring to an allure an attraction of perhaps, unexplainable magnetism yet describing this attraction as having “trouble-making brows”. The scholars have commented on this phrase writing,

“This introduces the notion of fitne, which involves disturbing the peace and harmony of the community by doing something (or having a quality) that causes trouble, unrest, riot, or misbehavior. The beloved causes such trouble in innumerable ways.” (Andrews; Black; Kapakli, 2006)

There is little known about the poet Ahmed-i Da’i (d. ca. 1500), however, scholars have said he was born “during the latter part of the fourteenth century”, in the Anatolian Turkish Beylik named Germiyan. Germiyan was established by the Oghuz Turkish Clans and it is likely that Ahmed-i Da’i was from one of these clans. Ahmed-i Da’i was well known in the court of Kütahya, the region’s center for the arts and cultural activities. 

After the invasion of Timur into Anatolia, Ahmed-i Da’i sought refuge and patronage in the court of the Ottoman Sultans. He was accepted into the court of Sultan Suleyman I and Sultan Mehmed and later became the private tutor to the young Prince Murad II. Ahmed-i Da’i was loyal to the Ottoman Sultans and dedicated many of his works to Ottoman officials. Scholars have written that,

“Like many premodern intellectuals*, Ahmed-i Da’i was a master of many fields of knowledge from law to medicine, to literature and linguistics, to history and natural sciences. He wrote at least seventeen major works that we know of and collections of poetry in both Turkish and Persian. In addition he is thought to have been an excellent calligrapher… He is said to be buried in Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, however, his grave-site is not known.” (Andrews; Black; Kapakli, 2006) [*Emphasis mine]

During the month of Rabi al-Awwal, the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) received word that Bedouins of the Bali and Quda’a tribes were gathering and stealing the herds that belonged to the people of Medina in the Wadi al-Qura (area between Medina and Syria). The tribesmen were attempting to push back the growing population of Muslims. And in Rabi al-Thani 8 A.H., the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) designated Hazreti ‘Amr ibn al-’As (ra), known to be a clever strategist; whose mother was of the tribe of Bali, to command an army of 300 men to defend the Muslims and their property, this would be later known as the ‘Expedition of the Well’ (Zhat-i Salasil).

Hazreti ‘Amr (ra) traveled and finally approached enemy lines. Observing them, he realized that they were more numerous than expected and he sent Hazreti Rafi’ (ra) back to Medina to inform the Holy Prophet (ra) of the situation and to request reinforcements. The Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) sent Hazreti Abu ‘Ubayda leading a group of 200 men, among the 200 men were the Holy Prophet’s closest companions, Hazreti Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (ra) and Hazreti ‘Umar al-Faruq (ra). When the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) sent the group off he said to them,

“I am sending you out as support troops in order to fend off the enemy attack and to punish these brigands, under the one condition that you do not break the unity of you ranks, and do not fall into dissension.”

The Holy Messenger of God (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) was warning the men of what was to come, “division and disunity among the ranks”. When the reinforcements led by Hazreti Abu ‘Ubayda (ra) arrived, Hazreti Abu ‘Ubayda wanted to be Imam and lead the prayers for the men. However, Hazret ‘Amr (ra) responded strongly saying,

“No! The command of this force is mine, you have command only of an auxiliary troop; therefore, it is for me to be the Imam!”

That is when Hazreti Abu Bakr, Hazreti ‘Umar and Hazreti Abu ‘Ubayda remembered the warning of the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). They went to Hazreti ‘Amr ibn al-’As (ra) and agreed, keeping the ranks as the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) had ordered. The next day they launched their attack on the enemy and returned to Medina victorious.

When Hazreti ‘Amr (ra) arrived to Medina, he did not know that the Great Sahabis, Hazreti Abu ‘Ubayda, Hazreti Abu Bakr and Hazreti ‘Umar accepted his leadership only due to the Holy Prophet’s command and warning. Hazreti ‘Amr began to think of himself as one of the Holy Prophet’s closest Companions, like Zayd bin Harith, for example. And when he approached the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) he asked him,

“Whom do you love the best?”

The Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) answered referring to his honorable wives, the Mothers of the Believers. And it has been explained that this event opened the interpretation of a verse in the Qur’an al-kerim that says,

“(Your wives) are a vestment for you, and you are a vestment for them.” (The Cow: 187)

It has been explained that this verse indicates,

“[N]othing comes before the love of one’s family; it is foremost in a man’s life.” (H.A. Adil, 2002)

Yet Hazreti ‘Amr ibn al-’As pushed on saying,

“I do not ask about women, I am asking about the men.”

The Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) replied,

“The father of my wife Aisha, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq,”

The Holy Prophet then said,

“And after him? ‘Umar al-Faruq.”

Hazreti ‘Amr continued and insisted saying,

“And after these, who is it that you love best?”

The Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) began to list all of the noble Companions that faced so many dangers for the sake of Allah Almighty. He described those who became enemies of their relatives; those who left their homes behind in Mecca; those who gave away their belongings; those who sacrificed themselves and their wealth for the sake of Allah. And that is when Hazreti ‘Amr ibn al-’As realized he was not among the names of those most beloved to the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) and he was humbled.

Hazreti ‘Amr ibn al-’As has narrated, in his own words, how he came to Islam saying,

“After the War of the Confederates, we all returned to Mecca and were close to despair. For although we were in every material aspect superior to Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) and his band of followers, they had begun to gain over us in many ways. Whereas before the Muslims had only claimed the eternal life as their own, they were now able to say that this world also was at their feet. I then thought, ‘It is best that I go to the Negus of Abyssinia. For in any case, one day Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) and his friends will return to their native place, Mecca. If my people gain the upper hand over Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him), I can come back and resume residence there in peace. If Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) is victorious over my people, at least I will not have had to witness that defeat with my own eyes.’ Some of my friends agreed and accompanied me, and taking with us many and precious gifts, we presented ourselves before the Negus.”

“Then one day, Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) sent ‘Amr bin Umayya to the Negus as his envoy. Intending to take advantage of this situation, I went to the Negus, since I assumed that he would be displeased by Muhammad’s (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) agent. I thought he would hand him over to me for me to deal with, in which case he would incur no blame, as the man would have been murdered by one of his own people. When I put these ideas to the Negus, he flew into a rage and drove me from his presence. I then said, ‘Had I known that I would occasion such anger, I would not have been so bold.’

“The Negus grew even angrier at that and said, ‘You wish me to deliver into your hands the envoy of such a luminary who is visited by the messenger angel himself when he comes to deliver Divine Message!’ I then asked the Negus, ‘Is that truly what you believe?’ He replied in a stern manner, ‘Don’t wast your words! Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) is as true Prophet. If you are a real man, confess Islam and know that one day he will vanquish all his opponents. Just as Musa was Kalimullah and beat Fir’aun with the staff in his hand, so Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) is the Proof of Allah and will persuade those who argue against him.’

“I left the presence of the Negus feeling utterly dejected. I now was sure that there was no other way to get ahead in the world than by becoming Muslim. I made up my mind to it and secretly set out for Medina. Then I grew aware that Khalid ibn al-Walid was following me. ‘Where are you going?’ I asked him. Khalid was an open-minded, outspoken person. He did not yet know of my decision. He replied, ‘No need remains for stubborn persistence on the way of disbelief that our fathers and forefathers have shown us. There is not a grain of doubt that Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) whom we used to know as ‘al-Amin’ is a true Prophet. I am on my way to Medina into his presence to surrender all that I am and own that he may teach me the worship of the God that he preaches. I will entreat him to forgive me for all the outrage and insolence I have worked against him before this day. If I can achieve his pardon, there is no man happier than I.’

“In this way we proceeded to Medina together and met with a gracious reception by Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). Thus we entered Islam” (H.A. Adil, 2002)

THE CHILDHOOD OF SAYYIDINA MEVLANA MUHAMMAD MUSTAFA
s.a.w.s.

As a boy, Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) was cared for and suckled for seven days by Thuwaybah, the freed slave of Abu-Lahab-ibn-Abdul Muttalib, incidentally, Hazrat Hamza (R.A.) was also suckled by Thuwaybah. and because of this good fortune, Hazrart Hamza (R.A.) became Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) ’s foster brother. Hazrat Abdul Muttalib was so overjoyed with the birth of his grandson that after seven days he offered an ‘Aqeeqah’, and invited all the people of Quraish for a feast. This tradition of the Aqeeqah’ was common among the Arabs since they believed that by this sacrifice, all the evil and other omens will keep away from the person in the name of whom the ‘Aqeeqah’ is offered.

On the eighth day after his birth , Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) was given in the care of Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A) lady of the Banu S’aad tribe. It was the practice of the Arabs to send their children away to the country-side so that they would grow up strong and healthy and learn the refined language of the Bedouin tribe which was considered superior to that of the city language. Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A) found that since Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) had joined her family, there was ‘barkat’ (blessing) and a great deal of prosperity in her home. Thus Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) grew up with the children of Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A), and he often went out with them to tend the sheep and goats.

After every six months, Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A.) brought Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) back to Makkah to his mother Hazrat Bibi Aaminah (R.A.) and to his grandfather Abdul Muttalib.

It was while Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) was in the care of Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A.) that her children reported to her one day that two persons, dressed in white, had taken Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) away. When Hazrat Bibi Halemah (R.A.) found him, he was pale and weak. He explained that the two persons had split open his chest and taken out something from his heart. On inspecting his body, Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A.) found no signs of injury. This incident so upset her that she brought Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) back to Makkah to Bibi Aaminah (R.A.).

According to ‘Saheeh Muslim.’ Hazrat Anas-bin -Maalik (R.A.) reports that one day while Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) was playing with some boys, Hazrat Jibra’eel (A.S) appeared before Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) and split open his chest and removed a black spot from his heart and thereafter placed faith and wisdom in it. He then washed the heart in the water of ‘Zam Zam’ and replaced it in Rasulullah’s (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) chest.

When Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) was six years old, Hazrat Bibi Aaminah (R.A.) took him to her people in Madinah. On the return journey to Makkah, she was taken ill and passed away at Abwa. Hazrat Abdul Muttalib then took care of Rasulullah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) for two years. When Rasululaah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) was eight years old, Hazrat Abdul Muttalib also passed away. (Source)

*Rasulullah – refers to the Prophet Muhammad, it means the Messenger of Allah.
** Jibre’el – refers to the Angel Gabriel
*** The photograph is that of the Holy Prophet’s s.a.w.s. childhood home, Hazrat Bibi Haleemah’s (RA) home.

THE BIRTH OF SAYYIDINA MEVLANA MUHAMMAD MUSTAFA s.a.w.s.

The prophesies and divine events that were taking place in Arabia were sure signs of the coming of our Prophet Rasulullah The Christian priest according to their Gospel (Injeel) and the Jewish Rabbis according to their book (Tauraat) declared that ‘The last of all Nabees’ will be born in Arabia. Hazrat Ebrahim (A.S) had also asked Allah to raise a prophet among the Arabs.

Hazrat Abdul Muttalib and his son Hazrat Haarith (R.A) began a desperate search for the well of ‘Zam Zam’. There are two little hills, ‘Safa and Marwah’, now absorbed in the city of Makkah, and close to the well of ‘Zam Zam’. Here Hazrat Hajira (R.A), mother of the infant Hazrat Isma’eel(A.S.) prayed for water in the parched desert, and in her eager quest between these hills, she found her prayer answered and she saw the ‘Zam Zam‘ spring. She built walls round it to make it a well. In due course this well was covered up with silt and now, it was Hazrat Abdul Muttalib’s intention to uncover it.

Hazrat Abdul Muttalib, the care-taker of the Ka’bah had to also contend with the attack by Abrah-bin-Saba, the governor of Yemen who intended to destroy the Ka’bah. Abrah had an army of ‘The Elephants’. But Allah sent flights of birds which rained down stones on this army and destroyed the attackers and Abrah failed in his intention. The Quraan makes mention of this fact in Sura ‘Feel’ (The Elephants). This was the year that Rasulullah was born and it was called the ‘Year of the Elephants’.

After this event, when Hazrat Abdul Muttalib visited Zaid-bin-Zeeyazun, the then ruler of Yemen, he was told by his ruler that the prophet for whom the world was waiting will be born in the family of Hazrat Abdul Muttalib.

Just before the birth of Rasulullah , Hazrat Abdullah the father of Rasulullah was sent by Hazrat Abdul Muttalib on a trade mission to Syria (Shaam). On his return journey, Hazrat Abdullah fell ill and passed away at Madinah.

Thus Rasulullah was born on Monday 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal (April 570 CE) in the family of Banu Hashim. His mother Hazrat Bibi Aamina (R.A). was from Banu Zuhra family. The genealogy of this tribe shows that it is directly linked with Hazrat Isma’eel (A.S.)

When Rasulullah was born, many divine events took place. A bright star was seen by a Jew in Madinah. A sacred fire burning continuously for a thousand years in Persia (Iran) was extinguished. A bright light arose in Makkah and this was seen as far as Syria. An angel had appeared in the dream of Hazrat Bibi Aaminah(R.A.) and told her that the boy that was to be born to her should be named ‘Ahmed’ (The Praise One).

With great joy Hazrat Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of Rasulullah took the infant Prophet to the Ka’bah and thanked Allah for giving him this Divine grandson. (source: inter-islam.org)

The Sirat an-Nabawiyya is the recorded history of the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). It is the biography of the Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) from which most historical information about his life and the early period of Islam is derived. I will be posting biographical excerpts as I find them on the Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him), his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the Successors (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Saints of Islam (may Allah keep their Secret) in a new category called “biographies“. The emphasis on these biographies will be on the unbroken Golden Chain of the 40 Grand Shaykhs of the Naks-i’bendi Sufi Order, from the present day Sultan Awliya, Shaykh Nazim al-Hakkani reaching all the way back to the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). There will also be a number of scholars and salihin that I will post on. So this is just an introduction to the new project. I pray that it is of benefit to us both for you and for me, inshaAllah.