Endowed with Numerous Blessings and Comprehensive Divine Attainments Sheikh Abol Nejat, well known as Sheikh Abu Madyan. His respectable name Shuaib, son of Hassan Bin Abi al Hassan but is renowned with the same title of Sheikh Abu Madyan. His Holiness was a distinguished Sheikh of his own time in monotheism and reliance upon God and terminologically in science and mysticism conversing’s speech was famous as the Sheikh of Sheikhs, that Shah Naimatullah Wali said about him:

 

Sheikh Abu Madyan is a righteous Sheikh,

That there was no one similar to him in monotheism.

 

His fame in science and external excellence and reputation in esoteric attainments and propagation of mysteries and generosities emanating from him was such that attracted attention and consent of the general public towards him. The religious authorities and jurists and his contemporary Shiekhs such as Sheikh Abu Abdollah Qarshi and Sheikh Akhi Mohammad Al’Salih Alakafi and Sheikh Abi Ghanam Salem and Sheikh Abi Ali Vazeh and Sheikh Abi Basir Ayub and Sheikh Abi Al Rabi’e al Mozafar bin Al Sheikh Farid and many others had the honor of repenting by his hands and obtained inspiration and entered the main highway of Tarigha and some reached perfection and the elite among them is Sheikh Abol Futuh who attained the position of his successorship and vicegerent and the next are Sheikh Mohyiddin Arabi and Sheikh Moosa Sadrani who were authorized to invite and initiate seekers by his permission.

His Holiness Abu Madyan has also compilations such as Onse al-waheed va nazhetan al morid fi-l-towheed. His Holiness was engaged in guiding the people up to the year 590 Hijri (1194 AD) and in the same year vacated the robe of sincerity. The period of his authority on the throne of guidance was 11 years and his successor and vicegerent is Sheikh Abol Futuh. The sacred tomb of Sheikh Abu Madyan is in Tilmsan[1] in Algeria.

 

Contemporaries of Sheikh Abu Madyan from religious authorities and jurists:

1) Abul Faraj Abdol Rahman bin Ali Al Jowzi famed as Inb e Jowzi

2) Sheikh Abul Rabei bin Al Mozafar bin Al Sheikh Abi Farid bin Hebatullah

3) Sheikh Ohad-e-din Kermani

 

From Mystics and Sheikhs:

1) Sheikh Abi Abdollah Qarashi

2) Sheikh Abi Basir Ayub

3) Sheikh Moosa Sadrani

4) Sheikh Mohyiddin Arabi

5) Sheikh Jagir

6) Sheikh Abu Ali Hassan Bin Muslim Al Qadesi

 

From Caliphs:

Al Nasser-li-Dinallah Abbasi

 

From Sultans and Amirs:

Sultan Toghrol bin Arsalan bin Toghrol Saljuq, the last Saljuqian sultan and Ghiyas-e-din Abol Fathi Mohammad Ibn Sam Ghori

 

From Poets and Sages:

1) Hakim Nezami Ganjeie

2) Hakim Nezami Aroozi

3) Khaghani Shirvani

 

Some brief sayings of His Holiness:

Sheikh Mohyiddin Arabi in his book “Futuhat” has cited that, our Sheikh Abu Madyan about the narration “religious scholars are the heirs of the prophets” has said: The signs of a truthful disciple in his devotion is running away from the people and the signs of truth of his running away from the people is his survival for truth and the signs of his survival for truth is his returning again towards the people and such is the disposition of the inheritors of the prophet, because the Prophet (S) went alone to the cave of Hera and was totally devoted to God and used to leave his house and family and flee towards God, till God granted him deliverance and appointed him to prophetic mission and to guide his servants. Then these three dispositions are hereditary which are from the Prophet (S) and whoever from the believers pays attention and strives in attaining this, can be inheritor of the prophet and such a person can be called the inheritor of the Prophet (S).

He was asked that the attention of the people for you and their kissing hands has any effect on your ego? Said: Does touching of the people and kissing Hajar-al-Aswad have any effect on that stone?[2] They said: No. Said: I also in this position have the same status as the Hajar-al-Aswad has.

When he heard someone reading the verse “And of knowledge you are given but a little”.[3] Said: This trivial knowledge that God the Exalted has given us is not only with us but given in trust to us and we have not reached a great part of it and we are all ignorant continuously.

 

A part of his generosities:

It has been related in the book of “Nafahat al ons” that, one day Sheikh Abu Madyan was passing by the seaside. A group of foreign infidels enslaved him and took him to a ship. There he saw a group of Muslims held as prisoners. The ship did not move from its place although strong winds were blowing. The infidels were convinced that the ship would not move. They said to each other, maybe this is happening due to the Muslim we enslaved now, perhaps he is endowed with inner virtues. Sheikh was permitted to get out of the ship. Said: I shall not go unless you allow all the Muslims to come out of the ship. Since there was no other alternative, they released all the Muslims, at that time instantly the ship moved.

In the book of “Futuhat “it has been mentioned that a mystic saw the devil in a dream and asked: how is your disposition with Sheikh Abu Madyan who is the Imam in monotheism and reliance on God. Said: My parable with him is such, like I want to interpose temptation in his heart, which is like someone who in the vast sea urinates to make it unclean and the reason for this is his foolishness. The example of me and Abu Madyan’s heart is such.