Biographies - Aminah Ramlyah

Aminah Ramlyah is regarded a member of the learned elite of the time
and one of great mystics of second and third century Hijrah. She was
born about 163 H in Ramla, a suburb of Baghdad. She was very
intelligent and had longing to attain knowledge since early childhood.
But her parents were very poor so they could not do enough for her
education. Only, which she could have, was, what more or less
available at home. When she grew young, she accompanied her motherto
Hajj. In those days an old man with scholarly figure delivered Dars
(lecture) in Masjid-Al-Haram (Holy mosque in the Ka'bah).
She joined his Dars and learned from him the knowledge of Al-Quran and
Hadith. After his death, she went to Madinahwhere Imam Malik had laid
his rug for seekers of knowledge. Aminah joined his class and
continued learning the Hadith from him for long. She memorized a
number of Ahadith. Hafiz ibn Abdul Birr held the number of Ahadith,
reported by her around 100.
She, afterwards returned to Makkahand had study of Fiqh from Imam
Shafe'i. She had attained the age of thirty-six when Imam Shafe'i went
to Egypt and she to Kufa.
She took benefit of the presence of many eminent scholars there and
gained knowledge from them with great interest. She got excellence in
all fields of studies. When she returned to her nativity from Kufa,
fame of her erudition already had spread all around. She instituted
delivering the Dars to enlighten the heart and soul of people who
would throng to achieve the knowledge of Hadith. A number of notable
scholars came to listen her Dars on Hadith. She happened to visit
Baghdad in 209H where a dervish, by the benefit of his consideration
caused her life change entirely. She gave away all her belongings as
charity and took the life of a dervish. Her days andnights were
started to bespent in praying and wailing in fear of Allah. During
those years she went on Hajj for seven consecutive years and journeyed
on foot. People called her 'chosenby Allah' for her piety, continence
and mysticality, and extendedgreat respect. Her dignityand grace could
be judged by the fact that an illustrious Wali Allah (friend of Allah
– saint) ofher time Bashar Hafi (RA) (obiit: 227H) would visit her
occasionally. So was the fourth Imam of Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jama'ah. Imam
Ahmad ibn Hanbal(RA) (obiit: 241H), appreciative of her glory and
grace.
Once Bashar hafi fell ill and Aminah went to see him. Imam Ahmad ibn
Hanbal, too, incidentally came to inquire after his health. He asked
Bashar Hafi who was that lady. He told that she was Aminah Ramalyah,
came to hear of his illness. Imam ibn Hanbal expressed great pleasure
on her presence and said,it was his longstanding desire to visit her.
He begged Bashar Hafi to ask her to pray for him. Bashar hafi conveyed
his will to Aminah. Aminah raised her hands and prayed with immense
humility, "O, Allah! Ahmadibn Hanbal and Bashar, both seek Thy
protection from Fire. Thou are the Most Merciful, save them from it."
(Some biographers narrated an occurence and held it in terms of
Aminah's miracle. They attributed to Imam ibn Hanbal the anecdote,
that he reportedly said, "the same night a piece of paper dropped unto
me from heaven. Written on the paper was: In the name of Allah, the
Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We did it and we could do even more
(or we have even more of the bounties)."
Once a very rich person offered her ten thousandgold coins but she
refused to accept, thoughshe agreed to keep later on his insistence
but did not even touch them. Shemade announcement to the beat of drum
in the town that whosoever was needy, might come and take money. So
the indigents thronged therein and she gave them enough to their need.
All the money was disbursed till the eveningwhile she had nothing to
eat that very day.
Bashar Hafi narrates that Aminah woke up by midnight and prayed
prayers with great concentration and humility till dawn. Once I heard
her praying, "… O, Creator of the earth and the heavens, Thou hath
stock of bounties, beyond limits but the wrong doers are unmindful.
Thou art the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, but the people
have forrgotten Thee.
… O, My Lord, my welfare is in Thy hand. Abase me not on the Day of
Judgement before all, otherwise people would say. Allah abaseth His
obedient slave who lovedHim greatly."
She had made a principlenot to accept food from any one saved it was
surethe host was pious and his sources of income were pure. The
historiansare silent about her matrimonial life, and neither has been
detailedhow she managed years long stay at distant townsto attain
knowledge and who was her patron therein. Year of her death is not
known to any one. It is presumed that she died sometime in third
century Hijrah.
(Pairah Ma'araf lslamia, Mashahir Niswan, Bakamal Muslaman Khawteen)