2^nd Shaikh of Shaikhs

Sari Saghati

The faithful mystic and the devoted pure, His Eminence Sari Saghati. His spiritual title is Abolhassan and his honorable name Sari son of Mofles Al Saghati, because he was engaged in retailing, he gained the surname Saghati and the word Sari means virtuous and possessor of munificence.

First of all, His Excellency, Sari was a disciple of Sheikh Maruf and the teacher and guide of Sheikh Junayd and a close relative of Hares Mohasebi and Boshr Hafi . He was clad by the robe of sincerity from the hands of Sheikh Maruf and was given the permission to enlighten and guide the seekers of truth (talibin) from him. Next in the presence of two Imams and Javad Mohammad Taghi (AS) and Ali Al Naghi (AS) was sanctioned permission to guide on behalf of the honorable and glorious two Imams. It is said, in the beginning, his condition was such that he on the justification and guidance of His Eminence Maruf, clothed an orphan boy and made him happy.

Maruf said: God will make your heart cold towards this world, and grant you comfort from the work of this world. From that time onwards, his heart became cold towards this world and assisted him in the work of the hereafter.

His Excellency was unequaled in generosity and forgiveness and unique in modesty and reverence. He acquired 98 years of age, till the age of 70, he never laid down to sleep, except when he was ill and dying and said: One night after praying, I stretched my legs towards the prayer altar (Mehrab) and heard a voice, who said: Oh Sari, you are stretching your legs in the presence of your Lord. After that I gathered my legs and did not stretch my legs again.

Sheikh Junayd says, when Sari was seriously ill, I took a sample of his urine to the physician for diagnosis of the disease. The physician looked at the urine for sometime, then said that the owner of this sample urine is a hard heart burnt lover.

The year of His Excellency’s death is cited in disagreement, it is said to be in the month of Ramazan 251 AHL and also 253 AHL and also 257 AHL. If the year of his death is considered as per sayings in 253, whereas the death of His Eminence Maruf was in the year 204. The period of his accession to enlightenment would be 49 years.

The comtemporaries during His Excellency’s time in order.

1) His Imam, Guide and Master Imam Mohammad Taghi (AS)

2) and then Imam Ali a Naqi (AS)

From distinguished Sheikhs and mystics:

1) Sheikh Khayyer Nassagh

2) Sheikh Abu Jaffer Sammak

3) Sheikh Boshr Hafi

4) Sheikh Samnoon Mohabat

5) Sheikh Abu Mohammad Mortaish

All five mentioned above had the permission to guide and enlighten the people on behalf of His Excellency.

From Caliphs

1) Motasam Abbasi

2) Motavakel alalla Abbasi

3) Mustae’n Billah Abbasi

From Kings and Amirs

1) Yaqoob Leis Saffari

2) Afshin ( the famous commander)

3) Abu Dolav Amir Qasem

From the learned

1) Ahmad Ibn Hanbal

2) Ahmad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Abinasr Baznati

From the great learned of the Shi’a

Abu Abdullah Mohammad Ibn Ziad Koofi known asIbn Arabi Nahvi.

As a blessing, some brief sayings of His Excellency are mentioned.

A Sufi is a person, who should have three attributes, first of all, the light of his knowledge, do not cause it to extinguish his light of fear and dread, secondly, do not speak from the inward path and through the tongue, something that would be against the book of God.  Thirdly, through bounty, do not tear the curtain of traditions.

And said, there are many redundant things in this world out of which only five things, are exceptions. A small amount of bread which will holdback hunger and water that will quench thirst and clothes which can cover nakedness and a house to live in and knowledge you can use to work based upon.

And said: every sin that is caused by lust, the hope for salvation is there and every sin that is caused by vanity, there is no hope for salvation, because the sin of Adam was from lust and the abjection of the Devil was from vanity.

And said: the strongest power is that you overcome the passions of your (nafs or ego). Whoever is submissive to his elder, his subordinate will be submissive to him.

And said: There are five things, which cannot enter a heart, if in that    heart there is something else. First fear of God, second hope in God, third friendship with God, fourth modesty from God and fifth attachment (rememberance) to God.

And said: Tomorrow, nations will be called in the name of the prophets, but friends in the name of God.

And said: A mystic is someone who eats like a helpless  beggar, his sleep is like someone who gets bitten by a snake and his pleasure like someone who is drowning.

And said: Your tongue is the translation of the contents of your heart and your face the mirror of your heart.

And said: Knowledge from the above like a bird flying lands in a heart with modesty.

And said: It is 30 years that I am in penitence for one thanksgiving, that, one day a fire broke out in the markets of Baghdad, one said : your shop has not been burnt? I Said: thanks to God, from that thanksgiving that I thought myself to be better than my fellow Muslims brothers, I apologize.