HOW TO GAIN INNER PEACE? 6

THE STORY OF HAZRAT ABDULLAH IBN MUBARAK REHMATULLAH ELAIH

Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Mubarak RE was a great Faqih (scholar of Fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence), Muhaddith (scholar of Hadith), and a great saint and Sufi. He was a contemporary of Imam Abu Hanifah RE and was one of his pupils. Initially he was a very rich landowner, and did not have anything to do with religion. He owned some apple orchards. Once when the season of apples’ ripening came we camped there with his friends to enjoy fresh apples and to have fun. There was a party one night when people had dinner, drank alcohol and then there was a musical party. Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Mubarak was himself a great musician and played Sitar. He fell asleep while playing the Sitar. When he woke up he found the Sitar in his hands so started playing it again but couldn’t create any music. He tried to straighten its wires and tried playing it again but it still didn’t work. When he tried a third time, instead of music, the recitation of a verse from the Holy Quran started coming from the Sitar. The verse was,

اَلَمۡ يَاۡنِ لِلَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَنۡ تَخۡشَعَ قُلُوۡبُهُمۡ لِذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الۡحَـقِّۙ: (سورہ الحدید: ۱۶)

“Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and for the truth that has descended (through revelation)?” (57:16)

When Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Mubarak RE heard this recitation coming from the Sitar it greatly affected his heart and he replied, “Yes O’ Allah! That tie has come.” He did Taubah (repentance) from his previous sins immediately. He then started seeking religious education and learnt so much that he became a great scholar of Hadith and also became a great Sufi.

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