What Kind of People Did the Great Imams Sit With?

■ What Kind of People Did the Great Imams Sit With?

You know, sometimes when we hear the word “Sufi,” people immediately picture someone lost in dhikr, sitting in a corner of a dimly lit room, whispering the names of Allah ﷻ with eyes closed and heart trembling. And yes, that’s true — but not the whole truth. Sufis were not only known for their spiritual ecstasy, but also for their deep understanding, character, and wisdom. That’s why some of the greatest scholars, who were oceans of knowledge themselves, would quietly sit near the shores of the Sufis — not for debate, but to drink from their sea of adab (good character), patience, and inner light.

Have you ever noticed? Sometimes you can be full of knowledge, full of books, full of words — but still feel a gap in your heart. A gap that no textbook fills. That’s where the companionship of the people of Allah ﷻ, the people of the heart, comes in.

Now let me tell you something beautiful, something that may surprise you — and maybe even make you smile.

Let’s talk about Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (ر) — the great scholar, the defender of the Sunnah, the mountain of patience who was lashed and imprisoned but never gave in. He wasn’t just a man of fatwas and fiqh, he was a man of humility. Even in his immense knowledge, he knew the importance of spiritual companionship. He would often seek help from a blessed friend named Sayyidina Abu Hamza al-Baghdadi (ق). When a matter became difficult, or a hadith seemed unclear, he would go and ask this pious man. And what’s more heart-touching? You know? SubhanAllah! SubhanAllah! When sayings of the Sufis were mentioned in a gathering, Imam Ahmad wouldn’t just brush them aside — he would ask Abu Hamza’s opinion about them. Look at that adab! SubhanAllah

And it gets even more beautiful…

Shaykh Qutb al-Din ibn al-Munayyir tells us that Imam Ahmad (ر) used to encourage his own son to attend the gatherings of the Sufis. Allahu Akbar! Can you believe it? The great Imam of the Hanbali school, telling his child to go sit with the Sufis — and not for argument or correction, but to learn from their character. He would say:

❝People have reached such heights in good manners that we cannot reach those levels.❞

SubhanAllah. Read that again. Not “we are above them” — no, “we cannot reach them.”

That humility, that truthfulness, is what makes a scholar a Wali Allah.

So it means that if someone looks down on people of dhikr or tries to mock the path of spiritual purification, just smile gently them. Remember Imam Ahmad (ر), and how he — despite being a scholar of scholars — still turned to the people of the heart. He didn’t see them as “less.” He saw them as essential.

Because sometimes, it’s not just about knowing the Hadith — it’s about becoming the fragrance of the Hadith. And the Sufis, my dear readers, are often the unscented roses, quietly carrying that fragrance into the hearts of those who sit with them.

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلَىٰ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ