Year: 2019

Shaykh Ṣafī al-Dīn Goes Mountain Climbing

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Safi al-Din Dreaming.jpg
An illustration from the life of Shaykh Ṣafī al-Dīn, during his adulthood, depicting a dream concerning the rise and fall of a local post-Ilkhanid dynasty, the Chūbānids (their members symbolized by the candles), with the shaykh himself depicted in the lower half asleep, dreaming. Unfortunately, so far as I know, the story recounted below was never illustrated. (Aga Khan Museum AKM264)

Shaykh Ṣafī al-Dīn (d. 1334) is best known as the founder and eponym of the Safavid sufi ṭarīqa, which in the late fifteenth into early sixteenth century would be the basis for the Safavid dynasty and empire, one of the major Islamic empires of the early modern world. He was commemorated in a number of ways: for instance, architecturally by a monumental and expansive shrine complex in Ardabil, and textually by an equally monumental and expansive menāqib (hagiography) composed in Persian by Ibn Bazzāz Ardabīlī, completed in 1358, in consultation with Ṣafī al-Dīn’s son and successor to head of the ṭarīqa, Ṣadr al-Dīn. Clocking in at over eight hundred folios in manuscript form, and almost twelve hundred in the modern printed edition, it must surely rank as one of the longest saint’s lives in Islamic history. Like other hagiographies, much of the social and cultural context and particularities of past worlds can be discerned in this text, such as in the story I have selected here.

The following account comes from the chapter on Shaykh Ṣafī al-Dīn’s childhood, during a period in which, as the first paragraph suggests, the saint was just beginning to discover his powers, not unlike many modern-day superhero stories in which the newly endowed superhero must learn to control his or her spectacular abilities, perhaps with the help of a mentor. Something similar is the case here: Ṣafī al-Dīn discovers strange and sometimes disturbing spiritual powers, such as an ability to see dead people, which, naturally, freaks him out, causing him to stop eating and to worry his mother (who is really his first mentor and a major presence in this chapter), who eventually coaxes the reason out of him. Understanding that her son is special, she seeks out holy men nearby who might direct him, but none are capable of training a prodigy like Ṣafī al-Dīn. In the story that follows, our protagonist sets out to a local holy place with hopes of finding an instructor, or at least some powerful baraka that will help him gain control of his powers and potent spiritual states. Additional commentary follows, but first the tale itself, which centers on Mount Sabalan, a high, prominent peak west of Ardabil:

Detail from the V&A’s Ardabil carpet.

Story (ḥikāyat): Shaykh Ṣadr al-Dīn, God perpetuate his baraka, said that when the spiritual state (ḥāl) of the shaykh, God sanctify his inner secret, grew more powerful, and when exalted conditions would occur which could not be stopped and which the shaykh found difficult to disclose [to others], by necessity he occupied himself with seeking out a guide (murshid) who could bring him out of this tumult of waves and will. He threw his entire body into this search, though he did not know from whence this impetus for searching came [1].

During that time people often had recourse to Mount Sabalan, it being well known that there were folk of God, exalted is He, atop Mount Sabalan. So the shaykh desired to go to Mount Sabalan, in order to find one of these people. The first time he went he found no one. The second time that the season for visiting came—for other than in the heart of summer it is not possible due to the intensity of the snow, ice, and cold—he went again and took from that place, in accordance with the custom of ordinary people, water and soil from the summit of Sabalan in order to derive baraka thereby. On his descent he passed through a couloir in the mountain, and saw a Turk [here with the sense of a nomad] squatting down, having taken up a bow and arrow and put the arrow to the bow, waiting in ambush for the shaykh. Other than [the Turk] there were no people in the vicinity—[Ṣafī al-Dīn] looked to see if he had an entourage or followers, but no, he was like a spider all alone.

Then that Turk cried out to the shaykh in the Mongol tongue [2], ‘Come!’ The shaykh came before him, and [the Turk] asked, ‘What is that in your hand?’ The shaykh replied, ‘A flask of water.’ He asked, ‘What water is it?’ [The shaykh] replied, ‘Water from the summit of Sabalan which I have taken in order to obtain baraka.’[The Turk] picked his bow back up and said, ‘Pour it out!’ The shaykh poured the water out of the flask. The Turk said, ‘What difference is there between this flowing water [in the stream of the couloir] and that water? What baraka is to be found in water?’ Again the Turk asked, ‘What is the other thing in your hand?’ The shaykh replied, ’Soil from the summit of Sabalan that I have collected to get baraka.’ Again the Turk took up his bow and said, ‘Pour it out!’ So the shayh poured the soil out, too, and the Turk asked, ‘What difference is there between this soil and that soil?’ Then he added, ‘Take heed! As I see it, aside for those fleeing from heat or from work or for the ailing man, what baraka is there in stone and mountain? What power comes from stone and mountain? This time I forgive you, but if in similar fashion you return again, I will strike [you].’

So the shaykh, God sanctify his inner secret, set out on his descent, but when in that moment he looked back he did not see any trace of the Turk. He did not return again [3].

Lake of Sabalan peak, سبلان
The summit lake of Mount Sabalan today, photographed by Morteza Tadayoni.

This is a rather curious story, in that it depicts Shaykh Ṣafī al-Dīn engaging in a practice which the author clearly does not countenance, but which, by Ibn Bazzāz’s own admission (or Ṣadr al-Dīn’s, whose voice is at least partially present here) was quite common in the lifetime of the shaykh, and quite likely in Ibn Bazzāz’s time, a few decades after the shaykh’s death. That Mount Sabalan would be sacred is not very surprising: rising nearly sixteen thousand feet above sea level, looming above Iranian Azerbaijan, it would be an impressive and numinious enough place even without the addition of its spectacular summit lake (the mountain’s caldera, Sabalan being an inactive stratovolcano). It is not a stretch to imagine that local people had venerated the mountain before the rise of Islam, though we should not discount the rationale given for its holiness in Shaykh Ṣafī al-Dīn’s time, namely, that it was the inhabitant of certain ‘folk of God,’ saints, as similar stories of ‘wild’ holy people abounded in the Islamic world, stories reinforced by wandering ascetics and hermits, who themselves were preceded in Syriac Christianity by a whole host of ‘wild’ holy people inhabiting the countryside. However, it is notable that it appears from the story- despite the explanatory device about the ‘folk of God’- that the baraka of the mountain is on some level inherent in the material makeup of the summit itself, and not necessarily tied into the presence or activity of human saints.

That the mountain’s very water and soil could possess baraka, the ‘stuff’ of divine blessing typically associated in Islam with saints, the Qur’an, and other ‘properly’ Islamic individuals and entities, points to what I have elsewhere styled the ‘economy of sanctity,’ in which various communities and traditions could, and did, share practices and concepts of holiness and the power of sanctity, such that people from multiple communities and traditions might draw upon shared ‘resources’ of holiness for often quite ‘practical’ purposes. At the same time, this economy of sanctity could be challenged by those wishing to ‘focus’ it upon a single tradition or even individual. That is what seems to be going on here: the lone Turk (which here indicates a nomad more than a single ethnic identity), whom we should take as being miraculous and perhaps angelic in nature, turns the shaykh away from the practice, not because baraka could not inhere in physical objects, but seemingly as a way of contesting this particular source of physically-inhering baraka, which the shaykh does not need and which, presumably, others do not need as well. The subtext, I think, is that pilgrimage to Mount Sabalan is unnecessary, not out of a distaste for pilgrimage or reproducing baraka physically and through ‘relics,’ but because one ought to visit the shrines of saints for such things- especially (and perhaps exclusively) the shrine of Ṣafī al-Dīn!

Footnotes:

[1] This last sentence is somewhat obscure to me (and based on variant readings of extant manuscripts, was obscure to early modern copyists as well), but I think I have more less captured the sense of the young Ṣafī al-Dīn’s general confusion concerning the mastering of his onrushing spiritual states.

[2] Literally, ‘Mughāl’ tongue, which could mean Mongol, as I have translated, but might simply imply nomadic language, ‘Mongol’ and ‘Turkic’ not always distinguishable in a world of ethnic fluidity.

[3] Ibn Bazzāz Ardabīlī, Ṣafvat al-ṣafā: dar tarjumah-ʼi aḥvāl va aqvāl va karāmāt-i Shaykh Ṣafī al-Dīn Isḥaq Ardabīlī, ed. Ghulām Riz̤ā Ṭabāṭabāʼī Majd (Tabrīz: G.R. Ṭabaṭabāʼī Majd, 1373 [1994]), 93-94.

Rajab Mubarak – Saint of Rajab Story

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Mecca 1887
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Medina 1880-1890

Rajab Mubarak – Story of the Saint of Rajab

Rajab is the Month of God Almighty

Ahead of us begins (7th March 2019) a very important month in the Islamic calendar, the holy month of Rajab al-Haram. It stands alone out of the four months which God has declared sacred Rajab, Dhul-Qida, Dhul-Hijja, and Muharram. It also opens the series of three holy months culminating in Ramadan: Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan. During these three months everyone must prepare and keep himself, as much as possible, away from low traits, bad manners and sins.
The Holy Prophet  said, ‘Rajab is the month of God, Shaban is my month and Ramadan is the month of my Community.’ God gave us twelve months in the year, eleven of which are ours and one of which belongs to God. What rewards God will give his servants in His month, no one knows, not even the Holy Prophet . The work of prophets and angels stops in the month of Rajab.
They are not allowed to know what rewards God is going to give His community. It is in the hands of the Lord, Almighty God. In the following month, Shaban, no one is permitted to know what rewards Prophet  will give his Community except the Prophet  and Allah Almighty. What is accumulated of the rewards in Rajab and Shaban will be written for you and become known to everyone in Ramadan. That is why it is the month of the Community. These three months are therefore very important months in the understanding of the Sufi orders.
In the month of Rajab, the Holy Prophet  went through the Night Journey (27th) and Ascension. During this month one must keep oneself away from all kinds of bad manners and behavior. One of the most important days of the year is the first day of the ‘month of God.’ All seclusions commence at the beginning of the month of Rajab. The most important seclusion that Sufi masters have performed in their lives always fell in that month. It is a holy month. If you do something more (for God) in that month, you are going to be rewarded with a reward known to no one except God. In that month, God’s Oceans of Mercy, Love and Rewards are going to be opened for His Community and His servants.
All Saints wait to see what rewards God is going to grant human beings at this time of year. All saints on this planet, from East to West, from North to South, expect to see something happen in this world during these three special months. Everyone of us must therefore behave themselves in these coming three months especially.

Look at the mercy that God sends in the month of Rajab. If you did something wrong, do not turn away, as if to run away from God. Turn to your Lord. He will forgive you. It is very important because no one knows what God is going to give to His servants not even the two angels appointed to write a person’s deeds, who ride on the shoulders of every human being. Everything in that month comes through God and no one knows what God will put into his or her scale for the least good manner or act of worship done for Him.

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Story of the Saint of Rajab
In the time of the Prophet  there lived a notorious highway robber. He used to frequent the streets after midnight. If he found someone walking alone at night in the street, he caught him, robbed him, sometimes beat him or killed him, and then returned home. No one was able to catch that highwayman. The Prophet  used to curse that highwayman in his time, saying, ‘That is an evil person. I will never pray for him and I will not bury him in the graveyard of the Muslims.’
After many years, the highwayman passed away. Because the Prophet  used to curse him, the children dragged his body through the streets of Madinah and threw him into a dry well. As soon as they had thrown him into the well, God spoke to the Prophet  and said, ‘O my beloved Prophet, today one of my saints has passed away. You must go and wash him, clean him, cover him, pray for him and bury him.’ The Prophet  was astonished because all his life he had cursed that person. Now that he had passed away, God told him that he was a saint. How could he be a saint?
But no one can interfere with God’s knowledge, not even the Prophet . If God wants to make a thief a saint, no one can ask, ‘Why?’ We must accept. That is why according to Sufi teachings and the teachings of the Naqshbandi Order, you have to look at everyone as being better than you. You do not know if God is going to raise that person’s level higher than your level who knows? No one can know. Therefore no one can interfere. Do not look down at people as if you were superior to them. You do not know whether that person, in God’s eyes, is a saint or not.
Who knows? Always regard people as being at a higher level than yourself. Show them respect and be humble towards them. Do not show ego and pride. God’s Mercy is so great that you are forbidden to look at what people are doing on the outside. You must not call them crazy or criticize their bad manners. Leave them alone. They have a Lord to judge them. Look at yourself. Make yourself behave well. Do not interfere with anyone else. It is not your job to correct anyone else. Your job is only to correct yourself. Correct yourself and leave everyone else to their Lord. This is the true understanding and teaching of Sufism leave everyone to their Lord and change yourself.
If you teach your ego not to interfere with anyone, then you are going to find yourself living in happiness, because when you look at people, you will only see servants of the same Lord as yours and, therefore, God will sometimes forgive them what they are doing. Do not say, ‘You are committing wrong by drinking, womanizing, doing this and doing that. Leave everyone to his or her Lord. Teach people in general. Do not focus in on someone and be specific.
God told the Prophet (SWS), ‘O Messenger of God, take him and purify him.’ The Prophet  immediately called Abu Bakr as-Siddiq  and said, ‘O Abu Bakr, we have to go and bury the highwayman who died.’ Abu Bakr as-Siddiq  said, ‘O Messenger of God, you said that you did not want to bury that person in a Muslim grave for he is not Muslim!’ The Prophet  said, ‘No! Let alone ordinary Muslims. God informed me today that that person was a saint!’
What did that thief do in his life to become a saint? He killed, robbed and stole all his life. The Prophet   went into the well, took that person’s body out with his own hands and with his Companions, carried him to his house. He cleaned him, washed him, wrapped him in a shroud, prayed for him, then took him from the his mosque to the Baqi cemetery, a distance of fifteen minutes’ walk. It took the Prophet  more than two hours to move from the mosque to the cemetery.
All the Companions were astonished at the way the Prophet  was walking. He had performed ablution for the dead with his own hands on that man, washed him and prayed for him. Now that he was taking him to his grave, he was walking on tiptoes. ‘O Messenger of God,’ they asked him, ‘Why are you walking on tiptoes?’ He said, ‘God ordered all saints from East to West, all angels from the seven heavens and all spiritual beings to be present and follow the bier of that saint. There are so many of them filling the way that I cannot find a place to put my feet. Never in my life was I so surprised as I am today.’
After they buried him, the Prophet  did not speak with anyone but quickly returned to his house trembling and shivering. He sat with Abu Bakr as-Siddiq  asking himself what that saint had done, a robber all his life, to merit such a high degree of respect from God. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq  said, ‘O Messenger of God, I feel ashamed to ask about what I saw today. It was so astonishing.’ The Prophet  answered, ‘Abu Bakr as-Siddiq  , I am even more surprised than you. I am waiting for Gabriel (s) to come and inform me of what has happened.’
When Jibrail (AS) came, the Prophet  said, ‘O Jibrail what is the matter?’ He answered, ‘O Prophet, do not ask me. I am also astonished! Yet do not be astonished. God can do what no one can do. He is telling you to ask that man’s daughter what he did in his life.’
The Prophet  immediately went in person with Abu Bakr as-Siddiq  to the house of that burglar. Nowadays, ministers and secretaries of state, no, even a manager in a company treats everyone else as if they were beggars at his door. They show neither respect nor humility. The Prophet , disregarding his power and status as a perfect human being, as the beloved of God, humbly went to that saint’s house to ask his child what her father had done in his life.
He said, ‘O my daughter, please tell me how your father lived.’ She told him, ‘O Messenger of God, I am very ashamed before you. What am I going to tell you? He was a killer, a thief. I never saw him do anything good. He robbed and stole day and night, except for one month during the year. When that month came, he would say, ‘This is the month of God,’ because he heard you say, ‘Rajab is the month of God, Shaban is the month of the Prophet  and Ramadan is the month of the Community.’ So he said, ‘I do not care for the month of the Prophet  or the month of the Community, only for the month of my Lord. Therefore, I am going to sit in my room and close it and perform seclusion during this month.’
The Prophet  asked her, ‘What kind of seclusion did he do?’ She told him, ‘O Messenger of God, one day he was out in the street looking for someone to rob. He found an old man of seventy or eighty years of age. He beat him until he was unconscious and robbed him. He found a small piece of folded paper in his pocket. He opened it and found a prayer inside. He liked that prayer very much. Every year when the month of Rajab–the month of God–came around, my father used to sit and read that prayer day and night, weeping and reading, except when he wanted to eat or perform ablution. After the month was over he would get up and say, ‘The month of God is finished. Now for my pleasure,’ and go back to robbing and stealing for eleven more months.’
The supplication used by that man is a very important supplication which all are advised to recite three times a day during the month of Rajab. Sultan Maulana Sheikh Nazim (KS) said that this supplication purifies you from all your sins and leaves you as pure as a newborn child. It is a very famous supplication in Sufi orders.
When the Prophet  asked the daughter to bring him the paper, he kissed it and rubbed this paper over his body. I advise all of you not to forget about that supplication, but practice it during this coming month. Keep reciting it and God will give you as He Wills, according to your intention.
God told the Prophet , ‘O my beloved Prophet, that person came and repented to me in the most precious month of the year. For that reason, because he sacrificed at least one month of the year for Me, I have forgiven him all his mistakes and I have changed all his sins into laudable deeds. As he had many sins, now he has many rewards. He became a great saint.’
Because of one prayer, God made him a saint, a person who never worshipped the Lord as he should have, by coming to such associations as this to listen. You have a merciful God, a loving God. What do you think He will give you in return? Do you think that He is going to leave you in difficulties? For every step that you took to come to such a meeting, God will take away from you one sin and give you ten rewards. Whoever came two hours’ driving, let them compute how many steps they made. Do not miss such associations because you cannot get such rewards when you worship. Your five prayers are an obligation upon you but such associations are not an obligation.
They are voluntary. Therefore if you attend, you are going to be rewarded with a very weighty reward. That is why these associations are very important. They will show you the shortest way to reach the Divine Presence. They will show you the shortest way to reach your reality. With very little practice, by reciting something which saints recited, you can progress very quickly. Prepare yourself in the month of Rajab not to miss any prayers. If you happen to miss prayers during the day, try to perform them at night when you come home before sleeping.
Try to recite ‘Allah’ 1500 times a day in your heart. If you prefer to recite it by tongue, do so. Also recite 100 times a day, ‘Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammadin wa sallim’ (O God, send blessings and peace upon Muhammad and upon the Family of Muhammad). God willing, this will give you power during this month and will prepare you for the month of Shaban which has other duties which we will describe in time, God willing.
We ask success from Allah Almighty (God) through the Opening Chapter of the Quran, al-Fatihah.

Why the Dog could not drink: Sufi Story by Hazrat Shibli

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Sufi teacher Miniature

Shibli was asked:

‘Who guided you in the Path?’

He said: ‘A dog. One day I saw him, almost dead with thirst, stand­ing by the water’s edge.

‘Every time he looked at his reflection in the water he was frightened, and withdrew, because he thought it was another dog.

‘Finally, such was his necessity, he cast away fear and leapt into the water; at which the “other dog” vanished.

‘The dog found that the obstacle, which was himself, the barrier between him and what he sought, melted away.

‘In this same way my own obstacle vanished, when I knew that it was what I took to be my own self And my Way was first shown to me by the behaviour of a dog.

 

UNDERSTANDING SHIRK IN THE LIGHT OF QURAN

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In today’s growing fitna, the hypocrites placed great stress on Tauheed, Shirk and Bid’ah, where they quote & misinterpret ayah from Quran and ahadees, and deviates the believers and innocent minds away from the path of truth.

Under the pretext of the “righteous people” and posing as only they understand the true concepts of Tauheed and are the true propagators of Tauheed, and by rejecting the earlier scholars and the pious, they have confused the flocks of innocent minds on the very issues of Tauheed, Emaan, etc. Unsuspecting Muslims have fallen prey to such persons with the result that they themselves doubt their own beliefs. So it is necessary for every followers of Ahle-sunnah to understand the meaning tauheed and shirk.

The hypocrites have misinterpreted meaning of Elah(Eligible/Qualified to be worshipped). In this day and age “ELAH” is generally said to be One who possesses the Knowledge of the Unseen, One who is Haazir and Naazir, One who gives children, One who grants you Shifa (cure) from sickness, One who gives assistance, One who listens from a distance and one who sees from a distance, etc. Such classification is done deliberately so as to label the general public, who belief that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace be upon him) and the elite Awliya possess such qualities, as Mushriks. The Munafiqeen say that such belief is certainly Shirk because one has put the creation in par with the Creator Allah Azza-wa-Jal’.

The Munafiqeen stress that the pre-Islamic pagan Arabs held the same belief regarding their idols, who said that their “god” had the knowledge of Ghaib and rendered assistance when needed and called upon. The Munafiqeen say that the Muslims have also attributed these qualities to the Prophets (Peace be upon them) and to the Awliya similar to the Mushrikeen of Arabia. Thus, they say, Sunnis have entangled themselves in Shirk.

This allegation is totally baseless. It is a result of corrupt beliefs and ignorance. The meaning of Elah is certainly not as advocated by the objectors nor is the concept of Divinity based on such qualities.

The holy Quran very clearly answers the differences between Sunnis and false allegations on the believers, where it is mentioned that these qualities have been bestowed to prophets. If these qualities are used to judge as divinity then we will be compelled to accept thousands as divine/Elah (Allah AJ forbid!).

The given below are few proofs through holy Quran on the bestowed powers to holy prophets and angels, and clarifying the believes of the so called Mushriks.

1.     Knowledge of the Unseen:

The Holy Quran informs us about Sayyiduna Esa (Peace be upon him) when he addressed his Ummah, saying:

“And I declare to you whatever you eat and whatever you store in your houses.”[Surah Ale Imran: 3:49]

It meant that whatever they had eaten in the houses – within four walls – and whatever they had preserved there in was well known to the Prophet of Allah.

This Knowledge of the Unseen does not end here. Its chain of information goes a long way. Seeds are planted in the soil. It germinates, bares fruits and grains. Every grain and fruit has the name of the consumer written on it. Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) knows those fruits and grains and of the people who will eat them. Now imagine how extensive and comprehensive the knowledge Almighty Allahsubhanahu Tala’ has bestowed on Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him). If Divinity was based on the knowledge of Ghaib then how does the Holy Quran classify Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him). Will he be classified as Elah?

2.     Control Over the Elements of the World:

If Divinity is based on control over the elements of the world, namely air, water, sun and the moon, then by the virtue of the teachings of the Holy Quran, we are compelled to accept Sayyiduna Sulayman (Peace be upon him) as “Elah”. With regards to his authority, the Holy Quran states:

“Then we subjected the wind to him that it moved by his command softly wherever he desired”. (As-Saad 38:36)

“And for Sulayman We made subservient the violent wind that it blew at his command”. (Al-Ambiya 21:18) 

It is understood that whether it a gale or a breeze, whether it is a wind that blows easterly, westerly, southerly, or northerly, they are all under the command of Sayyiduna Nabi Sulayman (Peace be upon him).. It is apparent that it is the wind that moves the clouds and clouds in turn bring rain. Rain in turn nourishes the ground, which in turn nurtures vegetation and growth of all creatures on earth. Existence on the earth depends upon water on earth. By the virtue of this cycle, Almighty Allah AJ has entrusted this power to His Prophet, Sayyiduna Sulayman (Peace be upon him). So, in light of this Divine rule, Sayyiduna Nabi Sulayman (Peace be upon him) is to be regarded as “Elah” too! (Allah AJ forbid!)

3.     Curing the Sick

In the Holy Quran, it is stated that Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (Peace be upon him) inquired from his brothers about the welfare of his father, Sayyiduna Nabi Yaqoob (Peace be upon him). They informed him that due to excessive crying in remembrance of him he had lost his eyesight. Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (Peace be upon him) heard this sad news and said to his brothers:

“Take my shirt and place it on the face of my father and his eyesight will be restored” (Surah Yusuf, 12:93).  

When his brothers touched the eyes of Yaqub (Peace be upon him) with the shirt, he regained his eyesight through the divine will. The Qur’an says:

“So when the bearer of the good news came, he cast the shirt over Yaqub’ s face and forthwith he regained clear sight”. (Surah Yusuf, 12:93).

Sayyiduna Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) once said in the same verse mentioned section 1 above:

“and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I revive the dead, by Allah’s command”;.[Surah Ale Imran: 3:49]

Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) states that he cures the sick and gives life to the dead. Are these not the qualities of Almighty Allah Subahanahu Wa Tala’ which the Holy Quran mentions , where prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) gave news to his father and his people by command of Allah?

 “And when I fall ill, so it is He (Allah) Who heals me.” [Surah Shua`ra 26:80]

“It is He (Allah) Who gives life, and causes death, and to Him you (all) shall retur”  (Surah Yunus 10:56)

Nevertheless, by the above Ayah we are given to understand that Almighty Allah AJ has blessed His special servants with the power to cure the sick and to raise the dead.

And not to forget the incident of Sayyiduna Ebraheem (Peace be upon him) mentioned in the Holy Quran wherein we are told about the four birds, which were slaughtered. Their meat were minced and mixed together. Thereafter, the Glorious Prophet u called out to them individually. Each one of the birds became alive as they were before they were slaughtered. The Holy Quran says:

“Then he called on to them and they became alive”. (Surah Baqarah 2:260) 

In spite of all these blessed powers a servant remains as a servant and Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’ remains Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’. A servant can never be on par with Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’ nor can he be associated with Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’. His Divine powers will always manifest from the bodies of His beloved servants. From the above incidents, in no way will Sayyiduna Nabi Esa, Yusuf, Ayyub and Sulayman (Peace be upon them) became Elah. They are and will always remain the beloved servants of the Glorious Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’.

4.     Granting Children
The Holy Quran tells us that Sayyiduna Jibreel (Peace be upon him) went to Sayyiduna Maryam (Peace be upon her)   at a time when she was preparing to make Ghusal at a concealed spot. When he appeared in a human form, it shocked her to see a foreign man. The Angel (Peace be upon him) confronted her by saying:

“I am a messenger of your Lord I have come to give you a pure son”. [Surah Maryam 19:19]

How was this possible because the Munafiqeen say that only Allah AJ can give a son? Is the Angel committing Shirk or is the Holy Quran contradicting itself? No certainly not! The Munafiqeen are confusing this issue because they Quote this Ayah of the Holy Quran:

“He gives a son to whom He ordains and He gives a daughter to whom He ordains”. [Surah Shoora 42:49]

The Holy Quran uses the word (to give) for Allah Subahanahu wa tala’ and the same word for the Angel Jibreel. The words are the same. The meaning is the same but Allah Subahanahu wa tala’ does not become Jibreel and nor does Jibreel become Allah. So if Divinity is based on giving a son then we will be compelled to accept Jibreel as “Elah”.

5.     To Listen and See From a Distance:
The Holy Quran speaks about Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him). Once he approached the home of the ants. An ant said to its fellow ants:

“Oh Ants! Turn your holes or else you will be trampled by Sulayman (peace be upon him) and his army who will not be aware of you”. (Surah Naml 27:18) 

Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him)  heard these words of the ant and smiled. The Holy Quran testifies to this:

“Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon him) laughs at the comment of the ant”. (Surah Naml 27:19)

The Mufassareen state that Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him).  heard the speech of the ant from three miles away. Imagine how loud the speech of an ant is when you put it close to your ear. Then too you will not be able to hear it. But the Prophet of Allah subhanahu wa tala heard its words from a distance of three miles! In this scientific period, no instrument could be invented to hear the sound of an ant. So if the Munafiqeen base Divinity on the concept of hearing from a distance without any device, then Allah AJ forbid! Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon him) is considered to be “Elah”.??

In another incident, the Holy Quran speaks about Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him). Zulaikah took Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him) into a secret room which was protected by seven doors inter-linking one chamber to another. She then locked the secret chamber and tried to seduce the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him). This incident was taking place in Egypt but his father, Sayyiduna Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who as in Kin’aan (Syria) was fully aware of the situation and immediately came to his rescue. The Quran testifies to this in these words:

And no doubt the woman desired him and he would have also desired her if he would not have seen the proof(burhan) of his Lord. (Sura Yusuf 12:24)

What was that proof which Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him) saw and which assisted him in this serious situation?

Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who appeared in front of him and led him away from the intentions of Zulaikah. Pay attention to the word, which means “to see” and which refers to Burhaan (proof) that the Nabi (peace be upon him) saw. It does not refer to a proof that he felt or heard of. He saw the Burhaan of Allah AJ i.e. the Prophet of Allah Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who came to his assistance. So the Quran speaks of the Burhaan he saw. [The ‘burhan’ (proof) mentioned in the ayat al-karima of Surat Yusuf (If Yusuf had not seen Allah’s burhan…) is, almost by unanimity, the visual appearance of Yaqub (‘alaihi ‘s-salam) to him. (tafseer -ibn katheer)]

Imagine the powers of Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him), who witnessed this incident from a far away country, which was taking place in a super secret chamber hidden from the vision of everyone. He observed and intercepted this happening in the darkness of this chamber and instantly came to assist his son.

The Holy Quran informs us of another incident concerning Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him).

When the caravan departed from Egypt (with the shirt of Nabi Yusuf, peace be upon him) their father (Nabi Yaqoob peace be upon him) said in Kin’aan

“No doubt I find the fragrance of Yusuf.” (Sura Yusuf 12:94)

One should calculate the distance between Egypt and Syria and from the power of perception of Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him), who smelt the fragrance of the shirt of his son in Egypt from a distance country like Syria. So if Divinity is based on hearing, seeing and smelling from a distance, then Nabi Yaqoob and Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) will also be categorized as “Elah”.?? (Allah AJ forbid).

6.     Haazir and Naazir:
If Divinity is based on being present everywhere at the same time, then let alone one or two, we will be compelled to accept thousands of Elahs. (Allah AJ forbid!) When Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) was informed of the throne of Bilqees, he ordered for the retrieval of this throne. Bear in mind that Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) was in Palestine and Bilqees’ throne was secured in a security tight chamber with constant guard in far away Yemen. The Holy Quran explains how this throne was retrieved, in the following words:

He said, I would bring the throne of Bilqees to you before the blink of your eye. [Surah al-Naml 27:40]

Allahu Akbar! Remember that Asif Barkhiyya neither went to nor saw the city of Sabah in Yemen. He also did not see the palace and throne of Bilqees[Queen Shiba]. Yet, he sat at the same spot in Palestine and before the blink of the eye he brought this huge and heavy throne from Sabah to the presence of Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them). This is the power of Haazir and Naazir of a Wali of Bani Isra’eel.

In another instance the Holy Quran states:

The Angel of Death gives you death that is appointed upon you. [Surah Sajdah 32:11]

The Holy Quran further states:

And our Angels give death to them. [Ana`am 6:61]

These Angels refer to the assistants of the Angel of Death. Imagine how busy are these Angels who remove the souls of millions of creatures around the world at a specific time. They execute this duty with absolute precision and never falter. This entire world and every spot in it are always in their vision as a dot in the center of the palm. They also recognize creatures on earth and follow them wherever they are to remove their souls on the designated time.

The Holy Quran also mention the presence of Iblees:

That Iblees along with an entire group observes you from a spot where you cannot see them. [Aa`raf 7:27]

From this injunction, we are given to understand that these cursed devils are granted so much power by Allah AJ to mislead, that they can see the entire creation at once at any given time. They are also aware of the intentions in the hearts of the people. It is for this reason that when a person intends to do any good, the devil immediately comes to mislead him. This is the power of Haazir and Naazir granted by Allah AJ to the cursed Shaytaan.

Look at the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky. They observe the entire world all the time and prepare the gardens and fields, cleanse the earth and ripen the fruits and grains. If Divinity was based on being Haazir and Naazir then the exalted Angels, Malakal Maut (Angel of Death) and his assistants will all be “Elahs.” Similarly, the cursed Shaytaan with his evil gang, the sun, the moon and the stars in the heavens will all be “Elahs”. The idol worshippers have eight to ten “gods” but the Munafiqeen will end up with more gods than servants if they call these bestowed powers to define the divinity or Elah.

The Meaning of Elah and Divinity:

There is no doubt that it is a fundamental Islamic belief that the Sublime Allah AJ is Eternal, The All-Hearing, The All-Seeing, The Granter of Good, The Helper in Need, The Creator and The Owner of the Universe, The Curer of Sickness and The Comforter of Pain. But these are neither the primary factors that Divinity is dependent on nor the differentiating factor between Allah AJ and His servants. There is one fundamental factor that really differentiates between Allah AJ and servants whereby Allah AJ remains Allah AJ and the servant remains as the servant. Allah AJ or Elah. Elah is he who is Wealthy, magnificent and Independent, but a servant is always in need and dependent on someone, his status is that he is always in control of someone else. Elah is he who is totally Independent and Self-sufficient, He is the Wealthiest of all and carefree of everything. In Sura Ikhlaas, we are firstly informed of a unique status of Allah AJ.

“Allah is the independent and want free.” (Perfect, does not require anything.) [Surah Ikhlas 112:2]

The next Ayah says:

He is Father to no one nor born of anyone. [“He has no offspring, nor is He born from anything.”  [Surah Ikhlas 112:3]

This Ayah clearly speaks of His Unique Independence because servant-ship and Prophet Hood is based on dependency.

Finally, Allah AJ declares:

And there is nothing similar/equal to Him. [Surah Ikhlas 112:4]

This is certainly so because everyone and everything is dependent on Allah AJ and exists due to Him and it is He who fulfils the needs of everyone. In other Ayahs Allah AJ says:

And Allah AJ is Carefree and Independent of the Universe.  [Surah Al-Imran 3:97]

Allah AJ is Wealthy and Independent and you are poor and dependent. 35/15

Allah AJ is not in need of any assistance because of weakness and dependency. 17:111

Allah AJ did not create the skies and earth and get tired. 46 :34

These are the factors of differentiation where the servant remains a servant and Elah remains Elah.

The Holy Quran states that Allah AJ Sees and Hears and Allah AJ says man also sees and hears. Allah AJ is Alive and the servants are also alive. With all these similarities Allah AJ is Elah and human beings are His servants. This is because Allah AJ is Carefree and Independent while man is careless and totally dependent on Allah AJ to exist. It is
Allah AJ Who has entrusted the qualities to his servants and Allah AJ possesses the power to strip them of these qualities when and how he ordains.

An Objection of the Munafiqeen:

From the past arguments, the Munafiqeen can raise objections to further confuse things. They say that if the basis of Divinity is wealth and independence and servantship is based on need and dependency, that is Elah is always carefree and Abd (servant) is needy, then the Mushrikeen of Arabia would not have been Mushriks nor their “Elahs” (idols) false nor absurd.

This is so because the Holy Quran addresses their idols as “Elah” and condemns their worshippers as Mushriks because none of the Mushriks regarded their “Elah” as Ghani (wealthy) and independent. They believed that their deities were the servants of Allah AJ and dependent on him. The Holy Quran says that if you ask the Mushriks as to whom the skies and earth belongs to, they will say “Allah AJ.” If you ask them who gives sustenance, they will say “Allah AJ.” If you ask them who is the King and controller of the earth and skies, they will say “Allah the Almighty AJ,” etc.

The Quraan it is evident to this fact that when the Mushrikeen of Arabia tied their Ehraam for Hajj or Umrah they read the following Talbiya:

Oh Allah AJ! You do not have any partners besides one and that partner is also your servant. With all this in mind, they still called their idols “Elah” and the Holy Quran also declared them as Mushriks. [Tafseer ibn kathir Juz 21, chapter 30 Ar-Room, ayah 28 -29]

We have to think about here: After all, what was that belief and what faith did the Kuffaar have with their idols that they regarded them as “Elah” and associates of Allah AJ. It was simply one common thing and that was they believed that idols possess the following Divine qualities:

a) They possess Ilme-Ghaib,
b) They are Haazir and Naazir,
c) They can see from a distance as they see from near,
d) They fulfil our needs and desires,
e) They hear our cries and come to our assistance, and
f) They give comfort to the disturbed and distressed.

The Kuffaar have become Mushriks due to the above beliefs because Divinity is based on these qualities. If one accepts that any servant or creation possess such qualities then one has accepted them as Allah AJ. Hence, the Mushrikeen have attributed such qualities to their deities and become Mushriks. The same is the condition of today’s Muslims who attribute such qualities to Prophets and Awliya and say that the Prophets and Awliya are Elah.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the ultimate argument and objection of the Munafiqeen by which they accuse the general and majority of Muslim as Mushriks.

THE ANSWER TO THE OBJECTION OF THE MUNAFIQEEN
The foundation of Shirk is based on associating partners with Allah AJ. The Holy Quran confirms this:

Then the Kuffaar place servants in par to Allah AJ [Ana`am 6:1]

The Holy Quran further states that on the Day of Judgment, the Mushrikeen will tell their gods that they were greatly mistaken

Because we regarded you (idols) as the Lord of the Universe. [Shua`ra 26:98]

It is clear and understandable that the basis of Shirk is to regard anyone in par with Allah AJ. There are two reasons for regarding anyone as being in par to Allah AJ.

1)     To elevate a servant to such heights that his status is raised to that of Allah AJ, that is to regard the servant as the possessor of Ilme Ghaib, being Haazir and Naazir, to grant all desires, to assist in time of crises, etc. as being his independent and personal powers.

2)     To degrade the status of Allah AJ to that of a servant, that is to regard Allah AJ as equivalent to His creation. Furthermore, to believe that in certain things the servant is dependent on Allah AJ and likewise to believe that Allah AJ is dependent on His servant for some things.

The above two reasons are the basis of defining the divinity/Elah. These are the two basic concepts that the Kuffaar Arabs believed in that made them become Mushriks. Some of them believed that the Angels are the “daughters of Allah AJ,” while others believed that the idols “are His sons.” It is obvious that in the relation of father and son, one depends on the other and in relation to class and gender, both are equal. The pagans Arabs were Mushriks due to these beliefs and the Holy Quran has condemned such beliefs in numerous Ayahs.

Accordingly, the Quran states:

No one has given birth to Him and no one is born from Him, nor is anything like Him.[surah Iqlas]

The Quran further states:

Allah AJ has made no sons and no one is His partner and His King. (Surha Bani-Isra’eel 17:111)

And they have set up a relationship between Him and the Jinn. (Surha As-Saffat 31:158)

It was the general beliefs of the pagan Arabs that their idols were regarded as the servants of Allah AJ and Allah AJ is dependent on them. They believed that after the creation of this Duniya, Allah AJ got so tired and weak that He did not have any power and strength to run His affairs. They said that all idols and deities have taken control and now run the affairs of the world.

This belief is Shirk because it makes the status of the servant equivalent to that of Allah AJ and liken Allah AJ to be dependent on His servants and vice versa. There are numerous Ayahs that refute such beliefs. Allah AJ states:

No tiredness has come to Me in creating the world.  [Surah Qaf 50:38]

Allah AJ created these things and did not get tired. [Surah Ahfaq 46:33]

And none is supporter of Him because of weakness. (Surah Bani-Isra’eel 17:111)

However, such beliefs of the Kuffaar are certainly Shirk. Some Kuffaar believed in two gods.

One is the god of good and the other the god of bad. They also named the god of good “Yezdaa” and the bad one “Ahirman”. They also elevated some imaginary servants of these gods so high that they were also regarded as gods.

Alhamdullillah! No Muslim ever holds such absurd beliefs. If a Muslim believes that by the blessings and endowment of the Almighty Allah AJ entrusted on His special servants:

a) To possess the power of Ilme Ghaib,
b) To be Haazir and Naazir.
c) To grant assistance at times of need,
d) To hear to calls from both near and far,
e) To grant desires, etc.

It is neither Kufr nor Shirk. Similarly, the Kuffaar of Arabia were not condemned as Mushriks solely on the basis of such beliefs.

The fundamental bases of condemnation for becoming Mushriks was based on those absurd beliefs, which are presented above, as spoken by Allah AJ in the Holy Quran.

Undoubtedly, Almighty Allah AJ personally possesses the qualities of hearing to calls, offering assistance, granting desires, giving children, curing the sick, etc. He has blessed some of His special servants with such qualities, a proof of which was given from the Ayah of the Holy Quran. With all these privileges and blessing, He remains as the independent Allah AJ and His special servants remain as dependant servants. When these qualities manifest from his beloved servants, it is not their personal power, but actually it is the original Power of Allah AJ through them.

The illustrious Sahaba also believed that Allah AJ has blessed His Beloved Rasool (peace be upon him) with the power to grant the desires of the Ummah and come to their assistance when called. Whenever the Sahaba committed a fault they humbled themselves in the sacred court of the Beloved Habeeb e and cried: Cleanse us, Oh Beloved Rasool of Allah.

Why should they not plead to him to be cleansed when Almighty Allah AJ states in the Holy Quran:

And My Beloved Rasool cleanses them and teaches them the Quran and wisdom. [A/I`mran 3:164]

Allah AJ again states:

Oh Beloved! Collect their charity and with it cleanse them both internally and externally, and plead (Dua) on their behalf, your Duas are tranquility to their hearts. [Surah Taubah 9:103]

We understood from the above Ayah that only the Holy Quran, Hadith, fasting and Salaah cannot thoroughly cleanse a substance until such time the sacred blessings and favours of the Beloved Habeeb (peace be upon him)  does not aid you. The Holy Quran and Hadith Shareef are the “water and highly spiritual detergents”. The blessing of the August Rasool (peace be upon him) is the “spiritual hand to activate the detergents”. If you leave water and soap in a container without the hands to wash them, no clothes or body can be cleansed.

1. A blind Sahaba, Sayyiduna Uthmaan bin Haneef ra came and cried by the Habeeb (peace be upon him) for vision (eye-sight). It was granted to him.

2. Sayyiduna Qatada ra severely injured his eye in battle. He held the eyeball in his hand and requested the Habeeb (peace be upon him)  to fix it.  He fixed it and restored his eyesight to normal.

3. Sayyiduna Okasha ra kissed the seal of Prophethood on the Habeeb’s (peace be upon him) back and was granted the surety of Jannah in this world.

4. Sayyiduna Jaabir ibne Abdullah’s ra two sons tragically died on the day he invited the Habeeb (peace be upon him) for a meal to his house. Before eating food, the Habeeb (peace be upon him) asked for the children whose “dead” bodies were hidden in the house. The “dead” bodies were presented and the Habeeb (peace be upon him) raised them to life again.

5. A camel complained to the Habeeb (peace be upon him) of tyranny and oppression by its master. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) summoned the owner and sort freedom for the camel.

6. A captured deer sought security from the Habeeb (peace be upon him) and it was granted its wish.

7. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) initially used a dry date tree stump as a Mimbar in Masjidun-Nabawi. When the correct Mimbar was made, the stump was replaced by it. The dry stump cried like a baby, for being removed from the contact of the Sacred Body of the Habeeb (peace be upon him).  It spoke like a human crying and protesting against the departure. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) spoke to it and comforted it as a mother comforts a child. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) asked it its desire and granted it was granted its desire. The stump rejoiced and stopped crying.

8. Sayyiduna Rabee’ah bin Kaab Aslami (peace be upon him) requested the Habeeb (peace be upon him) his company in Jannah and it was granted to him. In Sahih Muslim it is recorded:

Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t said: I request you your company in Jannah. (Sahih Muslim)

This was the standard of Emaan of the Sahaba. They did not request Emaan and virtuous amal, or good death and security from the dangers of the grave, or peace and tranquility on the Day of Judgment, or safely crossing over Pulsiraat (bridge) into Jannah. They requested the company of the Habeeb (peace be upon him), which encompasses and supercedes everything else.

The Sahaba taught us that no matter how much worship or devotion one can do, it is of no value if the Habeeb (peace be upon him) is displeased or if one is far away from his holy presence. The key to every success and gaining salvation is solely based on one’s relation with the Habeeb (peace be upon him).

However, on the request of Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t the Beloved Habeeb (peace be upon him) did not say: “Rabee’ah! Jannah belong to Allah AJ, I cannot grant it to you or I do not have the authority or right in the matters of Allah AJ”.  Instead, the Glorious Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) replied:

Your request is granted.  Is there anything else you desire?  

Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t said:  This is all I desire.

This Sahih Hadith Shareef clearly declares that by the Ata (blessings) of Almighty Allah AJ, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (peace be upon him) fulfills the desire of his followers. If by believing that by the Grace and Blessings of Allah AJ, the August Habeeb (peace be upon him) possesses Ilme Ghaib, fulfills the needs of his Ummah, and listens and responds to the calls of his followers as being Shirk, then all the Sahaba ra will be classified as Mushriks. (Allah AJ forbid!)

It is amazing that the Divinely-blessed powers of Ilme Ghaib, the granting of desires and giving assistance of the Noble Prophets of Allah (peace be upon him) is such a clear reality that even the Kuffaar of the era of respected Prophets (peace be upon him) confirm them.  The Holy Quran informs us that whenever Fir’oun and his nation experienced any Azaab of Allah AJ, they ran to Sayyiduna Moosa (peace be upon him) and pleaded to him as follows:

 (Oh Moosa!) This time if you remove this calamity from us, we will certainly bring Emaan on you and certainly send the Israelites with you. [Surah Aa`raf 7:134]

Neither Sayyiduna Moosa (peace be upon him) nor did Allah AJ refute their requests as Shirk. In fact, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed for them and Allah AJ removed His I Azaab from them.  After being saved by the Duas of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the ungrateful mischievous Israelites went against their word and did not bring Emaan. So Allah AJ sent another Azaab on them.  This is what Allah AJ has to say about them:

Consequently whenever We lifted the punishment from them for a term which they must reach, they used to then turn away. [Surah Aa`raf 7:135]

 The point to note here is, if the request of the Israelites to Nabi Moosa (peace be upon him) was Shirk, then the punishment and Azaab on them should have increased and not being lifted.

The qualities of Allah AJ are His personal powers and eternal, which exist with Him from eternity till eternity. On the contrary, the qualities found in His beloved servants are not personal but blessed and entrusted to them by Almighty Allah AJ. How can there then be any similarity in power between the Independent and the dependent? This factor is the fundamental difference between Divinity and servant-ship.

What a tragedy and shame! Some of today’s Kalima reciters are more ignorant that the Kaafirs of those days.

Allah and his prophet knows best.

THE ANCIENT AND MIGHTY ROOTS OF ISLAM IN RUSSIA. SAKSIN – A CITY-STATE

aal-e-qutub

A little-studied page in the history of independent state formations in the Lower Volga region prior to the appearance of the Golden Horde is Saksin.

The emergence of this city-state is associated with the dissolution of the Khazar Khaganate, one of the most powerful states of its time, on which virtually all nearby tribes and peoples depended, from the Bulgars to the Slavs. But, like most empires, whose rulers forget about the moral and ethical foundations, Khazaria also fell under the blows of the more successful neighbors.

Historians differ in their assessments about who did deal a crushing blow to the Kaganate – the Russian squads or Turkic-speaking Oghuz (it is possible that one overlapped the other), in any case, this once-powerful state ceased to exist. And if the outskirts of the Khaganate, already possessing autonomous self-government, such as the Volga Bulgaria, as a result of the crash of the Khazars only won, becoming completely independent, the central provinces on the other hand were left neglected.

The fall of Khazaria occurred at the end of the 10th century, and for some time the peoples who inhabited Itil the capital of the khanate, whose number according to various sources amounted to 10,000 people, were scattered. But already at the beginning of the XI century, they recovered from the rout and managed to rebuild their hometown, which they called as Saksin.

The etymology of this word is not quite clear, but some scholars suggest that the city received its name from one of the Turkic tribes who headed this region at that time. Such an interpretation seems quite acceptable, and therefore it is possible to more or less identify the name of the city and the tribe with the Turkic sikez, i.e. seven. As is known, some tribes called themselves by certain numbers, for example, the ancestors of Bulgars – onogurs (un ogur, i.e. ten ogurs). Saksin existed for almost a century and a half, until it fell under the blows of Batiy.

The most detailed description of this city was left by the famous Arab traveler al-Garnati, who not only visited Saksin several times, but also lived there for several decades. “On a huge river,” al-Garnati writes in his manuscripts, “in the country of the Khazars is the city of Saksin, in which the Khazars and Oghuz live. Each of the Oghuz tribes has its own emir. They have large yards, and in each yard there is a tent covered with felt, huge as a large dome, one containing a hundred or more people …. And in the city there are merchants of different nationalities and foreigners and Arabs from the Maghreb – thousands, countless in their numbers. And there are cathedral mosques in which the Khazars perform the Friday prayers … And in the middle of the city there lives an emir of the Bulgar people who also have a large cathedral mosque in which Friday prayers are performed, and around it live the Bulgars. And there is another cathedral mosque in which the nationality, called as “the inhabitants of Suvar” prays, they are also numerous.”

Based on these reports, one can see that the city was, in fact, a whole state, populated by representatives of various nationalities, most of them professing Islam. But interestingly, neither al-Garnati nor other travelers anywhere mentioned the rulers of this huge city.

This suggests that the city-state possessed a unique in history form of government – each community or tribe was subordinate to its own emirs, without having a supreme ruler. It is possible that this unique set-up, in turn, was one of the reasons for the fall of the city in the face of a powerful enemy.

Life in Saksin, judging from the descriptions of al-Garnati, flowed in a quiet and measured channel. Despite the fact that the Saksons did not mint their coins, they, however, had their own currency. Its role was played by tin, which they chopped into pieces and used it as a small coin for shopping. At the same time, there were also Arab money – dinars and dirhams, which could be exchanged for a dozen of local tin coins.

The Arabian traveler was also fascinated by the abundance of food: “They have so many different varieties of fruit,” he writes in his manuscript, “that there hardly could be any more, including extremely sweet melons, one sort of which could be preserved till winter.”

The author did not leave without description the fish, which in the city was in abundance. Especially it concerned the red fish (Sturgeon), about which it was said that “it is one of the wonders of the world”. In the city there was enough meat, which was not only diverse (lamb, veal, horse meat, camel), but also very cheap. So, for a small coin (tin), one could buy a lamb or a ram.

The dwellings of this huge city were also adapted for living in the winter. Al-Garnati describes this as follows: “Their winter houses are made of large pine logs laid one on top of the other, and the roofs of the ceilings are made of wooden planks. And they make a fire in the houses, the small doors are hung with sheepskins with fur, and inside the houses it’s hot, like in a bathhouse, and they have plenty of firewood.”

Unfortunately, such a prosperous life once ended, which was caused, as already noted, by the invasion of Batiy’s troops. The first campaign led by Subadei – one of the best warriors of Genghis Khan, only partially affected Saksin, after passing through the dependent suburbs. Defeating the Russian-Polovtsian army on the Kalke river, the army of Subadei moved towards the Volga Bulgaria, where it suffered a crushing defeat.

It took several years for Subadei’s troops to come to their senses, and only after the accession to the Khan’s throne of Genghis Khan’s son Ugedei, troops were sent to the Volga region. Their numbers were enormous, besides, they possessed all sorts of military devices – from siege machines to incendiary devices. All this, as well as the lack of centralized management and allied relations between neighboring tribes played a decisive role in capturing Saksin.

The fall of the city was already inevitable, and although the residents offered heroic resistance, Saksin was taken and ruined. Some of the inhabitants began to seek refuge in the territory of the Volga Bulgaria, as reported by the Laurentian Chronicle.

And yet, as after the fall of Khazaria, after some time the city was reborn again, having received the name Astrakhan. Undoubtedly, this contributed to the unique strategic location, thanks to which it has always been a powerful trade center. After the collapse of the Golden and the Great Horde, the Astrakhan Khanate appeared on these territories.

Thus, the history of Astrakhan begins, at least, from the middle of the VIII century, when, according to historical chronicles, the capital of Khazaria Itil was founded. Since then, the city has changed its name several times, but the continuity of Saksin and Astrakhan does not cause any doubts. But the interesting question is what guided the Astrakhan authorities, who in 2008 celebrated only the 450th anniversary of their city?

The history of Saksin once again proves that Islam in the territory of modern Russia has ancient and mighty roots. But the main thing is that when studying the life of such a huge and diverse city, you come to the conclusion about the peaceful and voluntary acceptance of the Islamic ideology not only by the ancestors of modern Tatars – the Bulgars, but also by many other peoples. After all, the tribes that once inhabited this beautiful region, of course, did not disappear from the face of the earth, but took part in the ethnogenesis of many peoples of modern Russia and neighboring Muslim states such as Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or Azerbaijan.