Ala-Hazrat Sayyiduna Sheikh Sirri Saqti (Radi Allahu anhu), Peer-o-Murshid of Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi ( Radi Allahu Anhu )

BIRTH : He was born around the year 155 Hijri in Baghdad Shareef.

NAME : His name is Sirrudeen and he was also known as Abul Hassan.

SHEIKH-E-TARIQAT : He was the mureed and Khalifa of Hazrat Maroof Karghi (radi Allaho anhu). He also served Hazrat Habeeb Raa?ee (radi Allaho anhu). He says, "Once I was sitting in my shop, when Hazrat Habeeb Raa?ee (radi Allaho anhu) passed by my shop, and I gave him some bread. He then made dua for me, and since then I decided to change my life for the better." [Masaalikus Saalikeen]

HIS FATHER : His father's name was Hazrat Mughlis (radi Allaho anhu). [Masaalikus Saalikeen]

HIS EXCELLENCE : He was the Imam of the Ahle Tasawwuf and he possessed in-depth knowledge. He was a huge mountain of knowledge, yet he was blessed with kindness. He was amongst the students of Hazrat Fuzail ibn Ayaaz (radi Allaho anhu) and was also Tabbe Taabi'een. He was amongst the first persons to openly spread the knowledge of tasawwuf in Iraq. Various great Sheikhs of Baghdad were blessed with being in his silsila. He was also the maternal uncle, and the Peer-o-Murshid of Hazrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi (radi Allaho anhu). Hazrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi (radi Allaho anhu) says, "I did not see any person as Kaamil (perfect) as my Peer-o-Murshid." Hazrat Bishr Haafi (radi Allaho anhu) said, "I never used to ask for anything from? anyone but Hazrat Sirri Saqti (radi Allaho anhu), as I was very well aware of his piety and I knew that he was always happy to give." [masaalikus saalikeen vol.1 pg.292]. It was his habit, that he performed on thousand rakats of nafil salaah daily. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (radi Allaho anhu) says, "I have never seen a more greater Aabid and Zaahid than him, and I did not see this in anyone else, that he had reached the age of 98, and the only time I saw him rest, was at the time of his demise." [masaalikus saalikeen]

He was the perfect example of his illustrious predecessors. Once some of his devotees came to him, and asked him to explain the reality of Sabr (patience). He thus began to deliver a lecture on the topic of patience. Whilst he was delivering his lecture, a scorpion began to sting him on his feet. He continued delivering his lecture. Those, present said, "Huzoor! Kill the scorpion and move it away." On hearing this, he said, "I am ashamed to behave contrary to that which I am discussing, in other words show impatience due to the sting of the scorpion."

DUA OF HIS SHEIKH-E-TARIQAT : He says, "Once my Peer blessed me with the opportunity of clothing an orphan child. After I did this, he made dua for me and said, ?May Allah make the world? your enemy and may he give you freedom from this.? The power of his dua was such, that my entire life changed, and I divorced myself from the world."

CHARACTER AND HABITS : He was a very kind and honourable person. He was also a very humble personality. Once he said, "Thirty years have passed now, and I am still making tauba because of one thing that I made shukr (thanks) for." People asked what he meant, and he said, "Once there was a fire in the market place and all the shops burnt down except mine. When I was informed of this, I made shukr (thanked Allah). I thus make tauba, since it meant that by saying Alhumdulillah my shop was saved, meant that I felt I was better than my other Muslim brothers and that I was pleased that a worldly possession was saved." [masaalikus saalikeen]

Once Hazrat was delivering a lecture in Baghdad, and one of the ministers of the Khalifa came with great pomp and splendour and sat in his mehfil. His name was Ahmad bin Yazeed. At the time when he entered, Hazrat was saying, "From all Allah?s creation, the weakest creation is man, yet he is so brave in committing major sins. It is sad, very sad." These words of Hazrat entered the heart of the minister. He immediately went home and remained in silence. He did not even eat a meal on that night. He remained hungry the entire night and in the morning, he dressed in the clothes of a faqeer and presented himself in the darbaar of Hazrat Sirri Saqti (radi Allaho anhu).? He said, "Yesterday, your lecture made a great impact on my heart, so please help me to gain closeness to Allah." Hazrat said, "The normal method is that you should read your five times salaah with Jamaat and give Zakaat from your wealth, and follow all the laws of Shariah with sincerity. The special method is this, that you should divorce yourself from the world and remain engrossed in the ibaadat of Allah, and that you should only desire the pleasure of Allah and nothing else." Hazrat was still advising him, when Ahmad bin Yazeed stood up and immediately walked towards the jungle. After a few days, his mother arrived crying. She said that he was her only son, and she did not know where he had gone. Hazrat said, "O Dear old woman! Your son will return soon, and I shall inform you when he returns." After a few days, he returned in the garb of a faqeer and only stayed for a while, and then left. He then came to Hazrat once more, and during that visit, he passed away in the hands of Hazrat Sirri Saqti (radi Allaho anhu). [Masaalikus saalikeen]

A DRUNK BECOMES A NAMAAZI: Once he saw a drunk lying on the ground, calling the name of Allah. Hazrat washed his mouth and said, "He does not know that he is taking the most exalted name with his impure mouth." After he left, the drunk man became sober. Those that were present told him what had happened while he was intoxicated.? He was very embarrassed, and he began to curse his nafs and weep bitterly. He said, "O shameless nafs! Sirri Saqti has now seen you in this sad state, and he too left. Now fear Allah and repent." That night, Hazrat Sirri Saqti (radi Allaho anhu) heard a voice from the unseen which said, "You washed his mouth for my sake, and I have washed his heart for your sake." When Hazrat went to the Masjid, for Tahajjud Salaah, he found the once drunk man, now in the Musjid reading his Tahajjud Salaah. Hazrat asked how the sudden change had occurred in him, and he said, "Why do you ask me concerning this, when Allah has already informed you about it." Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (radi Allaho anhu) says, "Once I presented myself at the home of Hazrat, and I found him very sad and silent. I asked the reason for his condition, and he said, 'A Pari (female Jinn) from amongst the fairies came to me and asked the meaning of (Haya) modesty, and when I explained the meaning to her, she melted like wax.' Even, I saw the water from the body of the Pari."

GEMS OF WISDOM : * An Aarif is like the sun with its beauty and qualities, for its light passes over all. He is like the earth, that it holds the weight of the entire creation. He is like the water, through which the hearts gain life, and he is like fire that the entire domain is brightened by him. * Do whatever you can before you become old, since in old age you will be able to do nothing, just as I can not do anything. (Even though not even the young where Like Hazrat Sirri Saqti in his old age). *Stay away from the wealthy, those Qaaris who recite for name and fame, and from very wealthy Ulama. * One who can not control his own nafs can not be of assistance to others. *All become obedient to him, who is obedient to Allah. * A man abstains from sins for three reasons., from the fear of Allah, the hope of attaining Jannat, and through the modesty in the court of Allah. *The most intelligent and wise amongst men are those who understand the secrets of the Quran and ponder over it. * An Aarif is he, whose food is like the food of the sick, his sleep is like that of a person bitten by a snake, and his lavishness like that of a person who is drowning in water. * The bravest deed is to take control of your nafs (desires).

HIS KHULAFA : Sayyidut Taaifa Hazrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi, Hazrat Shah Abu Muhammad, Hazrat Shah urf Sheikh-e-Kabeer, Hazrat Shah Hartaboon, Hazrat Shah Abul Abbas Mazroof, Hazrat Shah Abu Hamzah, Hazrat Shah Abul Hassan Noori, Hazrat Shah Fatal Al Mausuli, Hazrat Shah Abdullah Har?raar and Hazrat Shah Saeed Abraar (ridwaanullahi ta aala alaihim ajmaeen).

WISAAL : Hazrat Junaid-e-Baghdadi (radi Allaho anhu) says, "I went to visit him when he took ill. There was a fan kept close to him, so I used it to fan him. He then said, 'O Junaid! Put it down. Fire is more powerful than wind.' I then asked him about his condition and asked him to advise me, and he said, 'Do not be diverted from the love of Allah through the companionship of the people.' He then passed from this world travelling into the hereafter.? He passed away on a Tuesday, the 13th of Ramadaan, 253 Hijri at the age of 98, in Baghdad Shareeef.

MAZAAR SHAREEF : His Mazaar Shareef is in Baghdad Shareef in a place called Shawneez.