Shah Bahaudin Naqshband (R.A)

Shah Bahaudin Naqshband needs no introductions, the great Imam of the
Naqshbandi Tariqa is well known and respected all over the world.
However, very little literature is available about this great and
unique personality, especially in the English language. This is a
humble effort to bring some teachings of the great master to light and
encourage aspirants of the sufi path to meditate and benefit from
these teachings. May Allah inspire someone to write even bigger and
better literature about our great master Shah Bahaudin Naqshband.
Ameen.
Praying for rain
It is recounted among the wise that there was once a great drought at
Qasr al-Arifin , and the people went to the Master Bahaudin Naqshband,
asking him to pray, to ask God for rain.
He led them through the streets until he came to a place where a woman
sat, nursing a small baby in her arms.
'I beg of you to feed that infant said the Master.
'I, know when to feed the child, 'said the woman, 'as I am his mother.
Why do you concern yourself with things which are disposed of in a
manner whereof you know nothing'?'
Bahaudin had the woman's words written down and read out to the crowd.
Grouping
There was once a King, who visited the Shah Bahaudin Naqshband and sat
observing his assembly.
Afterwards, when they were eating, the King said:
'Teacher of the Age! Your disciples, when you are in session, are
ranged in semicircles, and in an orderly manner very similar to that
of my own Court. Is there any significance in this?'
Bahaudin answered:
'King of the World! How are your own courtiers stationed? Tell me, and
I shall describe the ordering of the ranks of the seekers.
'The first arc said the King, 'is composed of those who are of special
favour with me, so that they are nearest. The second array comprises
the most important and powerful people in the realm, and the
ambassadors. The outer rank is for all the less ones.'
'In that case, 'said the Shah, 'Our marshalling of the people is far
from theintention expressed by you. Those nearest to me are the deaf,
so they shallhear. The middle group iscomposed of the ignorant, so
that they may pay attention to the Teaching. Farthest away are the
Enlightened, for whom proximity of this kind is unimportant.'
Scent and Reality
The Master Bahaudin wassitting one evening after dinner, surrounded by
a large number of new comers, old and young, all eager to learn.
A silence fell, and the Master asked for a question.
Someone said:
'What is the greatest difficulty in the learning and teaching of the Way?'
The Master answered:
'People go by superficialities. They are attracted by preaching, by
rumour and report, and by that which went, but they do not, once
arrived at the proximity of the bloom, demand merely more and more
scent. They adjust to the nectar, which they have to collect. This is
the equivalent of the reality of wisdom, of which the report and
imagining areas it were the scent.
'so the number of "real bees" among humanity isvery small whereas
almost all bees are bees, in being able to collect nectar, almost all
human beings in the sense beingattuned to perceive whatthey' were
created for.'
Then the Master said:
'Let those who came here, to Qasr al-Arifin; because of reading standup.'
Many stood.
'Let those, 'he continued, 'who came to us because of hearing about us
also stand up.'
Many more stood.
'Those who are still seated; he continued, 'are those who came because
they perceived our presences and authenticity in another, subtle,
manner.
'Those who are standing, old and young, includes many who only demand
more and more of their feelings to be stirred, who desire excitement
orcalm. Before they can learn what they cannot experience elsewhere,
they must require knowledge and not services of attraction.'
He then said:
'There are those who are attracted to a teacher because of his repute,
and who accordingly travel to see him, to seek even more of the same
sensation. When he dies, they visit his grave, againfor similar
reason.
'Unless their aspirations are transformed, as if by alchemy, they will
not find truth.
'And,' he said, 'there are those who visit a teacher not because they
have heard of him as a great living mentor; not because they wish to
see his tomb, but because they recognise his inmostReality. One day
everyonewill possess this faculty.'
'But meanwhile the workwhich will be done eventually through the
generations has to be performed in one and the same individual. To
become a Moses you will have to transcend your Pharaoh. The man who
isattracted by repute must become, as it were, another man. He must
become a man who stays in proximity to wisdom because he has sensed
itsinmost Reality.
'This is the purpose of this Work before he can learn this, he is a
mere dervish. A dervish desires,a Sufi perceives.'
The Four Types
It is related that Shah Bahaudin Naqshband was asked about the various
kinds of people pursuing higher knowledge.
He said: 'I shall tell you bymeans of an allegory not to be taken as
literally true, but reflecting the condition of the human being.
Then he told this story:
It is recorded in the traditions of the Lovers of truth, that when the
souls were created, before the bodies, they were asked what they
wanted as a means of travelling in the world.
There were four parties among them. The first desired to travel on
foot, as the safest method. Thesecond desired horses forthis would
mean less work for them. The third wished to travel on the wind, to
overcome limitations. The fourth chose light, by which they could
understand as well as move.
These four groups still exist, and all people still abide by one of
these characteristics. Those who are the pedestrians are limited in
space and speed. They are the imitators. The horsemen are those who
rely on books, and are thus driven by, the third category are blown
all over the place as if by thewind, and the fourth are Sufis.
In terms of studies, the first group attach themselves to lower and
exciting cults; the second too zealously propagatedideas; the third to
systems of their own choosing or devising, taking something here and
something else there; the fourth are Sufis.
We can judge the ability of the people by the choice which they have
made of travelling. The first group are interestedin what they think
are techniques; the second inexciting thoughts and reports; the third
in one thing after another - and the fourth recognise the true Sufic
reality.
The Fires of Today ...
It is related that Shah Bahaudin Naqshband said:
'I was invited to speak at an assembly of the educated and the
ignorant. There arrived a very large collection of people, attentive
and interested, but as I looked and felt, I did not at that time see a
single"human being".
'I said to the people whom I had taken with me, in order to
demonstrate the limitations of action upon the unsuitable:
"A well is not filled by means of dew, and a leaf will not be found
after being deluged with the contents of a well."
'I started by saying:
"Sufis are a disgrace. They have a disgrace. They have secret
teachings which many Sufis attain is due to the exercise of forbidden
powers, now tell me, do you want to be a Sufi?"
'Almost all of those present shook their heads. 'Then I continued:
"Such were the words spoken by the ignorant, foolish and block
headedGovernor of Kufa, of whom you all know much. As you are aware,
he was a bigot, a murderer and an enemy of humanity. It is a small
wonder that he felt the need to represent the Sufis in that manner.
"Now all of us here knowthat the Sufis are the elect of humankind.
'Who among you dares tocall himself a Sufi?"
'At these words, everyonerose.
'Thus does pomposity stem from vanity, which is a manifestation of the
Commanding Self (nafs i ammara).
'The fires of today are theashes of tomorrow.'
The Law of Reverse Effect
A man once visited Al-Shah Bahaudin Naqshband, saying that he wanted
directions on how to behave, on how to live his life, what to doand
what not to do.
The Master called some ofhis disciples to dinner and asked the man to
puthis questions again.
When this had been done, Sheikh Bahaudin said:
'You should try to live an easy life, supporting yourself stealing,
and bringing part of the money to me. You should neglect prayer and
tidiness of appearance and should always get the upper hand over other
people. In short, lack of principle and cunning should see you
trough.'
As the Master spoke, the applicant was becoming more and more uneasy;
as soon as he had finished, he ran from the door.
Some weeks later, Bahaudin asked whether there was news of his
would-be disciple. 'Yes', they told him, 'he is livingan exemplary
life, in Samarkand. He also tells everyone that you are not a pious
person, and tried to wean him from the Right Path.'
Bahaudin laughed. 'If I had told him to live a good life, 'he said,
'he would not have obeyed, because all the injunctions so to have been
dinned into him from babyhood. In realityhe hankered for something
more strange, and when I assailed his inward self with an account of a
strange way of life, he realised that hewould feel better as a
compliant and virtuous man.'
'But' asked his disciple, 'what of his blackening your name an adviser in sin?'
'Those who believe evil, partake in evil,' said the Master. 'And I am
sure that the scholars of Samarkand are not such people.'
A Lesson for Moses
According to Abu-Talib Makki, Moses related tales of how he learnt to
widen his understanding,from narrow assumptions correct perspective.
Moses was ill, and he wasoffered various remedies to treat the
sickness. But he refused, saying that God would help him instead.
But God, it is related, commanded Moses to usemedicine saying:
'By refusing to accept themission of the medicine, you have called
into question the wisdom of him who endowed the remedies with their
virtue!'
It is for this reason that there is a saying, 'Trust inGod and tie
your camel'. If you were expected to do nothing, why is there such a
thing as a camel-hobble?
Hadrat Bahaudin Naqshband of Bokhara has said, in this connection:
'If a withering leaf says by its appearance that it needs water and
becauseyou have the power to provide it you also have the duty to do
so, these"words" of the leaf are the manifestation of command of the
creator of the leaf, and are addressed to you. If you insist upon a
personal command from the Originator, ask why' means of
communicationhas been placed before you. Is it there for you to
neglect?'

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Adiyy ibn Hatim - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

In the ninth year of the Hijrah, an Arab king made the first positive
moves to Islam after years of feeling hatred for it. He drew closer to
faith (iman) after opposing and combating it. And he finally pledged
allegiance to the Prophet, peace be on him, after his adamant refusal
to do so.
He was Adiyy, son of the famous Hatim at-Taai who was known far and
wide for his chivalry andfabulous generosity. Adiyy inherited the
domain of his father andwas confirmed in the position by the Tayy
people. Part of his strength lay in the fact that a quarter of any
amount they obtained asbooty from raiding expeditions had to be given
to him.
When the Prophet announced openly his call to guidance and truth and
Arabs from one region after anotheraccepted his teachings, Adiyy saw
in his mission a threat to his position and leadership. Although he
did not know the Prophet personally, and had never seen him, he
developed strong feelings of enmity towards him. He remained
antagonistic to Islam for close upon twenty years until at last God
opened his heart to the religion of truth and guidance.
The way in which Adiyy became a Muslim is a remarkable story and he is
perhaps the best person to relate it. He said:
"There was no man among the Arabs who detested God's Messenger, may
God bless him and grant him peace, more than I, when I heard about
him.I was then a man of status and nobility. I wasa Christian. From my
people I took a fourth oftheir booty as was the practice of other Arab
kings.
When I heard of the Messenger of God, peacebe on him, I hated him.
When his mission grew in strength and when hispower increased and
hisarmies and expeditionary forces dominated east and west of the land
of Arabs, I said to a servant of mine who looked after my camels:
'Get ready a fat camel forme which is easy to ride and tether it close
to me.If you hear of an army oran expeditionary force of Muhammad
coming towards this land, let meknow.' One evening, my servant came to
me and said: "Yaa Mawlaya! What you intended to doon the approach of
Muhammad's cavalry to your land, do it
now." 'Why? May your mother lose you!'
'I have seen scouts searching close to the habitations. I asked about
them and was toldthat they belonged to the army of Muhammad,'he said.
'Bring the camel which I ordered you to get ready.' I said to him. I
got up then and there, summoned my household (including) my children
and orderedthem to evacuate the land we loved. We headed in the
direction of Syria to join people ofour own faith among the Christians
and settle among them.
We left in too much haste for me to gather together our entire
household. When I took stock of our situation, I discovered that part
of my family was missing. I had left my own sister inour Najd
homelands together with the rest ofthe Tayy people. I did not have any
means to return to her. So I went on with those who werewith me until
I reached Syria and took up residence there among people of my own
religion. As for my sister, what I feared for her happened.
News reached me while Iwas in Syria that the forces of Muhammad
entered our habitations and took my sister together with a number of
other captives to Yathrib. There she was placed with other captives in
a compound near the door of the Masjid.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, passed by her.She stood up before
himand said: 'Yaa Rasulullah!My father is dead and myguardian is not
here. Be gracious to me and God will be gracious to you.! 'And who is
your guardian?' asked the Prophet. 'Adiyy ibn Hatim.' she said. 'The
one who fled from God and His Prophet?' he asked. He then left her and
walked on.
On the following day, the same thing happened. She spoke to him just
as she did the day before and he replied in the same manner. The next
day, the same thing happened and she despaired of getting
anyconcession from him for he did not say anything. Then a man from
behindhim indicated that she should stand up and talkto him. She
therefore stood up and said:
'O Messenger of God! My father is dead and my guardian is absent. Be
gracious to me and God will be gracious to you.' Ihave agreed he said.
Turning to those about him, he instructed: likewise `Let her go for
her father loved noble ways, and God loves them.' 'I want to join my
family in Syria,' she said.
"But don't leave in a hurry," said the Prophet,"until you find someone
you can trust from your people who
could accompany you to Syria. If you find a trustworthy person, let me know."
When the Prophet left, she asked about the manwho had suggested that
she speak to the Prophetand was told that he wasAli ibn Abi Talib, may
God be pleased with him. She stayed in Yathrib until a group arrived
among whom was someone she could trust. So she went the Prophet and
said:
'O Messenger of God! A group of my people have come to me and among
them is one I can trust who could take me to my family.'
The Prophet, peace be on him, gave her fine clothes and an adequatesum
of money. He also gave her a camel and she left with the group.
Thereafter we followed her progress gradually and waited for her
return. We could hardly believe what we heard about Muhammad's
generosity towards her in spite of my attitude tohim. By God, I am a
leader of my people. When I beheld a woman in herhawdaj coming towards
us, I said: 'The daughter of Hatim! It's she! It's she!'
When she stood before us, she snapped sharply at me and said: 'The one
who severs the tie of kinship is a wrongdoer. You took your family and
your children and left the rest of your relations and those whom you
ought to have protected.'
'Yes, my sister,' I said, 'don't say anything but good.' I tried to
pacify her until she was satisfied. She told me what had happened to
her and it was as I had heard. Then I asked her, for she was an
intelligent and judicious person:
"What do you think of the mission of this man (meaning Muhammad peace
be on him)?" "I think, by God, that you should join him quickly."she
said. "If he is a Prophet, file one who hastens towards him would
enjoy his grace. And if he is a king, you would not be disgraced in
his sight while you are as you are."
I immediately prepared myself for travel and set off to meet the
Prophet in Madinah without any security and without anyletter. I had
heard that he had said: 'I certainly wish that God will place the hand
of Adiyy in nay hand.'
I went up to him. He wasin the Masjid. I greeted him and he said: 'Who
is the man? 'Adiyy ibn Hatim,' I said. He stood up for me, took me by
the hand and set off towards his home.
By God, as he was walking with me towards his house, a weak old woman
met him. With her was a young child. She stopped him and began talking
to him about a problem. I was standing (all the while). I said to
myself: 'By God, this is noking.'
He then took me by the hand and went with me until we reached his
home. There he got a leather cushion
filled with palm fibre, gave it to me said: 'Sit onthis!'
I felt embarrassed before him and said: 'Rather, you sit on it.' 'No,
you,' he said.
I deferred and sat on it. The Prophet, peace be on him, sat on the
floor because there was no other cushion. I said to myself:
'By God, this is not the manner of a king!' He then turned to me and
said: 'Yes, Adiyy ibn Hatim! Haven't you been a "Rukusi" professing a
religion between Christianity and Sabeanism?' 'Yes,' I replied.
'Did you not operate among your people on the principle of exacting
from them a fourth, taking from them what your religion does not allow
you?'
'Yes,' I said, and I knew from that he was a Prophet sent (by God).
Then he said to me: 'Perhaps, O Adiyy, the only thing that prevents
you from entering this religion is what you see of the destitution of
the Muslims and their poverty. By God, the time is near when wealth
would flow among them until no one could be found to take it.
'Perhaps, O Adiyy, the only thing that prevents you from entering this
religion is what you see of the small number of Muslims and their
numerous foe. By God, the time is near when you would hear of the
woman setting out from Qadisiyyah on her camel until she reaches this
house, not fearing anyone except Allah.
'Perhaps what prevents you from entering this religion is that you
only see that sovereignty andpower rest in the hands of those who are
not Muslims. By God, you willsoon hear of the white palaces of the
land of Babylon opening up for them and the treasures of Chosroes the
son of Hormuz fall to their lot.'
'The treasures of Chosroes the son of Hormuz?' I asked
(incredulously). 'Yes, the treasures of Chosroes theson of Hormuz,' he
said. Thereupon, I professed the testimony of truth, and declared my
acceptance of Islam."
One report says that when Adiyy saw the simplicity of the Prophet's
life-style, he said to him: "I testify that you do not seek high
office in this world nor corruption," and he announced his acceptance
of Islam. Some people observed the Prophet's treatment of Adiyy and
said to him:
"O Prophet of God! We have seen you do something which you have not
done to any other." "Yes," replied theProphet. "This is a man of
stature among his people. If such a person come to you, treat him
honorably."
Adiyy ibn Hatim, may God be pleased with him, lived for a long time.
He later said: "Two of the things (which the Prophet spoke of) came to
pass and there remained a third. By God, it would certainly come to
pass. "I have seen the woman leaving Qadisiyyah on her camel fearing
nothing until shearrived at this house (of the Prophet in Madinah).
"I myself was in the vanguard of the cavalry which descended on the
treasures of Chosroes and took them. And I swear by God that the third
event will be realized." Through the will of God, the third statement
of the Prophet, on him be choicest blessings and peace, came to pass
during the time of the devout and ascetic Khalifah, Umar ibn Abd
al-Aziz. Wealth flowed among the Muslims so much so that when the
town-criers called on people throughout the Muslim domain to come and
collect Zakat, no onewas found in need to respond.

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Ch 10: Inside Knowledge

Next morning a maid-servant brought a note from Michael to Isabella
which said : Daughter Isabella ! I haveto talk to you on something;
you should come to me at once leaving all other work. I am waiting for
you. Isabella realised that it was in continuation of the previous
day's plan. Informing her mother she left for Michael's house, where
Peter and another well-known monk, highly popular and famous
throughout Spain for his ascetic life, were also present. Michael's
daughter Mirano hurriedly dispatched a messenger to call her other
friends and very soon all the friends collected there. Michael then
addressed Isabella.
Michael: Yesterday, you put off the matter by giving ambiguous answers
to our questions. Today I want to talk to you very frankly. Now say,
will youanswer my questions correctly?
Isabella: In the first place,I am not so able as to respond to your
questions and, secondly, there is no such matter asto need
interrogation. But you may ask and I will try to answer according to
my understanding.
Michael: Have you become a Muslim ?
Isabella: I answered this question yesterday and do not want to say
anything more.
Michael: Well, now say if you believe in the holy divinity and in
Jesus Christ being "God" with his necessary existence.
Isabella: I do believe God as God, not any man as God.
Michael: So it is clear thatyou do not believe in the divinity of Lord
Jesus Christ. Now what is left there in your being a confirmed Muslim?
Isabella: I mean that there is no proof anywhere in the Bible that
Jesus was God.
Michael: For God's sake, do not calumniate the Holy Bible. Have you
not read in the Bible that he was the "Son of God"?
Isabella: There have beenother "sons" of God also and so they should
also be called "God".
Michael: Never. Except Lord Jesus Christ, no other man was a true "son" of God.
Isabella (holding the Bible in her hand): Well, please explain to me
the meaning of this passage :"The Jews again lifted stones to strike
Christ who told them: I have shown you many good things from the
father; on which of these you are stoning me? The Jewssaid: We are not
stoning you on good acts but on your infidelity that beinga man you
call yourself God. Christ said: Does not your creed say that you are
God ? When it calls those God to whom divine revelations came, then
the person whom God sent to the world after glorifying him, howcan you
say that he talks infidelity. This is why I said that I am son of
God." [ Jonah, chapter 1, verses 31-36,]
Now the question is whatprevious Apostles have been called God?
Christians believe that these predecessors were called God
metaphorically and in love. I say the same. JesusChrist is also called
God inthe metaphorical sense and in love, and not because he was
really God as alleged.
Michael: Accursed girl! you have become very talkative. Having studied
from me you venture to ask the meaning of theseverses from me as if we
are ignorant and you arelearned. But just see, each of the previous
Prophets could not be God in the real sense, because they were not
innocent while our Lord Jesus Christ was sinless and innocent and
therefore he was also God.
Isabella: We are not talking of sin or innocence. The question is that
Jesus Christ called himself God as other Prophets were called. If
Jesus Christ was really God, then we have to admit that every other
Prophet was also God. Besides, in these verses Jesus Christ was
replying to the accusations of the Jews. If he were really the son of
God, he would have accepted the accusations of Jews.
Michael: Oh! How great! you are such a great scholar that you slight
us.It is now clear that you have been well grounded. If Jesus Christ
was not God but just a man, how could he constitute atonement for our
sins. And is any man free from sins?
Isabella: I do not understand how you concoct the rule that no one
among men can be innocent, although even in the Bible a man says about
Malik Sidq Shalem :"He without father, without mother, without
genealogy. Neither is there beginning of his life nor its end. but
just as kin to the son of God." [ Ecclesiaites, chapter 7, verse 3].
Then in the Bible it is written about Zacharias and his wife: "And
they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blameless." [Luke, chapter 1, verse 6.]
So it is clear that Malik Sidq Shalem, Zacharias and his wife were
certainly innocent, otherwise the words "just as kin to God" and
"blameless" would be meaningless. So innocence of Christ is not unique
but he was innocent like other innocent men. As to the case of
Atonement this is also not proved from the Bible, for no man can take
the load of other man's sins and least of alltaking the load of men's
sins on his head and dying on the cross. In fact, Jesus has declared
inthe Bible that salvation will be on the basis of acts and not by
atonement, as it is written: "For the Son of man shall come in the
glory of his Father, with his angels; then he shall reward every man
according to his works"[Matthew, chapter 16, verse 27.]; "And, behold,
one came and said unto him: Good what good thing shall I do, that I
may have eternal life. Christ said:… If thou wilt enter into life keep
the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do
no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou
shalt not bear false-witness." [Ibid., chapter 19. verses 1618. t 2 ].
It is proved from these verses that salvation is by acts alone.Christ
did not tell the man that he did not needdo anything as he
(Christ)would be atonement for him.
Michael: Girl, you seem tohave come to teach me. Do you not trust me?
I amyour teacher. Whatever I say you must believe. By your own wisdom
you cannot comprehend the delicate problems of religious law. The
question of atonement comes later. First the question of the divinity
of Jesus Christ should be settled. See Christ was taken to heaven in
life which Muslims also believe. Is it not the proof of his divinity?
Jesus Christ exhibited great miracles . He revived the dead, gave
sight to the blind. Do not these things prove his divinity? First you
must believe or reject divinity of the Lord and then talk of other
things.
Isabella: It was you who raised the question of Atonement. So I began
todiscuss it. If Jesus Christ can be God by being raised to heaven
alive, then Eli should also be God as he was also, according to the
Bible, raised alive to heaven [Kings, chapter 14, verse 12]. As to the
Christ reviving the dead and giving sight to the blind, that also does
not prove his divinity as other Prophets had also demonstrated
miracles asis clearly mentioned in the Bible. If these miracles can
make anyone God, then other Prophets were also God.
Peter: See, how this girl confuses us! O, foolish girl! The miracles
shown by other Prophets were not by their own power but by the power
of God, while Christ did miracles by his own power, whichproves that
he was God.
Isabella: In the first place miracles are not proofs about
prophethood, to say the least of divinity. That according to the
Christian creed it is not necessary that anyone who does miracles is a
prophet and when he cannot be even a prophet, how can he be God? Jesus
has said: "… I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I
do shall he do also; and greater work than these shall he do." [2
Kings, chapter 2, verse 12.]
As to your claim that the miracles of Christ were byhis own authority
while those of others they were by constraint, this isalso wrong for
the Bible proves that not only in performing miracles but in
everything else Jesus was as powerless as other Prophets. And whenever
Jesus performed any miracle he first prayed for the help of God. In
his miracle of bread and fish he sought the help of God and at another
placehe said to the Disciples that taking out of souls depended on
prayer. Christ revived a dead by praying to God.[See Matthew, 12 : 16
; Mark. 9: 29 ; Jonab, 11 : 41]
Isabella – A girl of Islamic Spain

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Is it permissible to say “So and so is my benefactor (wali ni‘mati)”?

Is it permissible to say "So and so is my benefactor (wali ni'mati)"?
Praise be to Allah.
The basic principle is that the One who is to be described as wali
an-ni'mah (benefactor or source of blessings) is Allah, may He be
exalted,Who bestows His abundant blessings, both visible and
invisible, upon His slave.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
All goodness is to be attributed to Allah; it is in His hands, by His
leaveand from Him. He is the benefactor and source of the individual's
blessings, as He is the One Who initiated them without anyone being
entitled to them; He bestows them upon him,even though the individual
may be displeasing Him by his turning away from Him and his negligence
and sin. So Allah deserves all praise and thanks, and the slave
deserves blame, criticism and shame.
End quote from al-Fawaa'id, p. 113.
But that does not prevent any of His slaves whom He has blessed from
being a benefactor or source of blessings to another of His slaves.
Yetit must be noted that there is a huge difference between the true
blessings of Allah to all of His slaves, as He is the Creator of those
blessings and the One Who divides provision among them and causes
provision to come down from His stores, and the blessings that some of
His slaves bestow upon others, from what Allah has given to them and
caused them to possess and put under their control. They are no more
than a means of directing the blessings of Allah to other slaves of
Allah. The blessings bestowed by the Creator are unlimited, whereas
the blessings bestowed by people are limited to what Allah has given
to them.
Giving the name "benefactor" or"source of blessings" (wali an-ni'mah)
to the one who does a favour is something that is knownin Arabic
language and in Islam. The closest thing to that and the most
well-known example is the use of this name for a master who has
manumitted a slave.
Al-Bayhaqi (21966) narrated that Huzayl ibn Shurahbeel said: A man
came to 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood and said: I manumitted a slave of mine
and made him a saa'ibah (a freed slave with no wala' connection to
anyone), then he died and left behind some wealth. 'Abdullah said: The
people of Islam did not free slaves as saa'ibah; rather the people of
the Jaahiliyyah used to do that. You are his heir and his benefactor
or the source of his blessings (wali ni'matihi). If you are not
comfortable with that, then show it to us and we will put it in the
bayt al-maal (the treasury of the Muslims)."
This report was originally narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6753
Al-Qaadi 'Iyaad (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Mashaariq (2/18):
The "benefactor" or "source of blessing" (wali an-ni'mah) is the one
who manumits a slave. End quote.
Al-Jassaas (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Ahkaam al-Qur'aan (2/231):
(It refers to) the master who has manumitted a slave, because he is
the source of the favour of manumission. Hence he is called "source of
blessing" or "benefactor" (wali an-ni'mah). End quote.
He also (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
He (the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) made the
rights of the "benefactor" or "source of blessing" (wali an-ni mah,
i.e., the master who manumits a slave) like the rights of the father.
The evidence for that is the hadeeth: "No son can repay his father
unless he finds him enslaved and buys him and manumits him." (Narrated
by Muslim, 1510). So he described the ransom of the father as
equivalent to his rights (over his son), andequal to his favours to
his son.
End quote from Ahkaam al-Qur'aan, 1/169
See also: Sharh Muntaha al-Iraadaat, 2/500; Kashshaaf al-Qinaa',
4/405; Ikhtilaaf al-A'immah al-'Ulama', 2/85; Anees al-Fuqaha', p. 98;
al-Fawaakih ad-Dawaani, 2/250
In linguistic terms:
Ibn Manzoor (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The master who is the "benefactor" or "source of blessings" is the one
who manumits the slave i.e., he blesses his slave by manumitting him.
End quote from Lisaan al-'Arab, 15/405
See also: Tahdheeb al-Lughah, 5/205; al-Misbaah al-Muneer, 2/614; Taaj
al-'Uroos, 40/243.
Based on that, there seems to be no reason not to use this phrase to
refer to some people, bearing in mind the difference mentioned above.
However there is the fear that this matter may involve some going to
extremes and exaggerating about people. In that case it should not be
used for that reason, not becausea person cannot be a source of
blessing to another.
And Allah knows best.