Bāb Al-Futūwwaħ – Ar-Risālaħ Al-Qušayrīyyaħ, Al-ʾImām Al-Qušayrīyy (Chapter of Spiritual Chivalry From The Qushayrian Epsitle) Translated by Faizan Al-Karachi Al-Maddāḥ

﷽

An Introduction to Futūwwaħ (Spiritual Chivalry)

The word Futūwwaħ is linguistically defined as:

الــفتوة: لغة السخاء والكرم.ــوفي عرف أهل الحقيقة: أن يؤثر الخلق على نفسه بالدنيا والآخرة.

Al-Futūwwaħ: Linguistically it is open-handedness and generosity. According to the People of Truth: to prefer others over himself in the matters of this world and the hereafter. (Al-Munāwīyy, 1622)[1]

الــفتوة: في اللغة السخاء والكرم، وفي اصطلاح أهل الحقيقة: هي أن تؤثر الخلق على نفسك بالدنيا والآخرة.

Al-Futūwwaħ: Linguistically it is open-handedness and generosity. And in technical usage according to the People of Truth: It is to prefer others over yourself in in the matters of this world and the hereafter. (Al-Jurjānīyy, 1413)[2]

الــفتوَّةُ: أَن يكون أبدا فِي أَمر غَيره لله تَعَالَى

Al-Futūwwaħ: to always be concerned in the matters of others for the Sake of Allāh. (As-Suyūṭīyy, 1505)[3]

The word Futūwwaħ shares the same origin as Fatā which the dictionaries mention to be Šābb (young man). (Ar-Razī, 1266)[4]

It clearly shows that the concept of Futūwwaħ is the manner a young man should display certain qualities that would be worthy of a youth, hence the term is translated to spiritual chivalry as the knightly concept of chivalry takes from this concept.

In today’s age where society is unsure on what is masculinity, throwing terms like “toxic masculinity” and unavle to give any definitions, I wanted to revive what masculinity is within myself and benefit others. This started with studying the religious sciences to help develop my understanding of this Dīn, furthering my spiritual connection with my Lord. In the past year I was fortunate to meet Imam Dawud Walid who had written a book on Futūwwaħ. He came to my town to speak on the topic, to which I asked him what should I read. He gave me three books he used to prepare for that talk:

1. Bāb Al-Futūwwaħ from Ar-Risālaħ Al-Qušayrīyyaħ
2. Kitāb Al-Futūwwaħ by ʾImām As-Sulamīyy
3. Kitāb Al-Futūwwaħ Fī KayfīyyaħʾAḵḏ Al-ʿAhd Wal-Bayʿaħ by ʾImām ʿAbd Al-Qādir Al-Jaylānīyy

From that I immediately set off to read those works, which then led me to want to translate them so that it may be of benefit for others too.

Al-Mutaṣawwif Al-Fahhāmaħ Al-ʿAllāmaħ Al-Ḥabr Al-Qušayrīyy writes in his Epistle a chapter on this concept, elucidating to us what Futūwwaħ is and what a Fatā should strive to be.

Completed on Laylaħ Aṯ-Ṯalāṯāʾ 14^th Muḥarram, 1445 AH (Tuesday 1st August 2023) by Faizan Al-Karachi

باب الفتوة

Bāb Al-Futūwwaħ

قَالَ اللَّه تَعَالَى: {إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى} [الكهف: ١٣] قَالَ الأستاذ: أصل الفتوة أَن يَكُون العبد أبدا فِي أمر غيره قَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لا يزال اللَّه تَعَالَى فِي حاجة العبد مَا دام العبد فِي حاجة أخيه المسلم.

Allāh said:

﴾إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَـٰهُمْ هُدًى ۝١٣﴿

سورة ١٨ الكهف آية ١٣

Indeed they were youths who believed in their Lord and We increased them in guidance.

Sūraħ [18] Al-Kahf (The Cave) ʾĀyaħ 13

Al-ʾUstāḏ (the teacher, Al-Qušayrīyy) said:

“The essence of Futūwwaħ (spiritual chivalry) is to be a slave always striving in the matters of others.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Allāh will continue to fulfil the need of a slave as long as the slave fulfils the need of his Muslim brother.”

أَخْبَرَنَا بِهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدَانَ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كَاسِبٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ الأَسْلَمِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ هُرْمَزَ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: لا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي حَاجَةِ الْعَبْدِ مَا دَامَ الْعَبْدُ فِي حَاجَةِ أَخِيهِ الْمُسْلِمِ.

ʿAlīyy ʾIbn ʾAḥmad ʾIbn ʿAbdān informed us with this too, saying: ʾAḥmad ʾIbn ʿUbayd informed us saying: ʾIsmāʿīl ʾIbn Al-Faḍl narrated to us saying: Yaʿqūb ʾIbn Ḥumayd ʾIbn Kāsib narrated to us saying: ʾIbn ʾAbī Ḥāzim narrated to us, on the authority of ʿAbdillāh ʾIbn ʿĀmir Al-ʾAslamīyy, on the authority of ʿAbd Ar-Raḥmān ʾIbn Ḥurmuz Al-ʾAʿraj, on the authority of ʾAbī Hurayraħ, on the authority of Zayd ʾIbn Ṯābit ﵁ that the Emissary of Allāh ﷺ said:

“Allāh will continue fulfil the need of a slave as long as the slave fulfils the need of his Muslim brother.”

سمعت الأستاذ أبا عَلِيّ الدقاق يَقُول هَذَا الخلق لا يَكُون كماله إلا لرسول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَإِن كُل أحد فِي الْقِيَامَة يَقُول: نفسي نفسي وَهُوَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُول: أمتي أمتي.

I heard Al-ʾUstāḏ ʾAbā ʿAlīyy Ad-Daqqāq ﵀ saying:

“This is character, none perfecting it except for the Emissary of Allāh ﷺ: the state of everyone on the Day of Judgement will be them saying: “Nafsī! Nafsī! (Me! Me!)” and he ﷺ will be saying: “ʾUmmatī! ʾUmmatī! (My Nation! My Nation!)””

سمعت الشيخ أبا عَبْد الرَّحْمَنِ السلمي رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ يَقُول: سمعت مُحَمَّد بْن الْحُسَيْن يَقُول: سمعت أبا جَعْفَر الفرغاني يَقُول: سمعت الجنيد يَقُول: الفتوة بالشأم واللسان بالعراق والصدق بخراسان.

I heard Aš-Šayḵ (the scholar) ʾAbā ʿAbd Ar-Raḥmān As-Sulamīyy saying: I heard Muḥammad ʾIbn Al-Ḥusayn saying: I heard ʾAbā Jaʿfar Al-Farāḡīyy saying: I heard Al-Junayd saying:

“Al-Futūwwaħ is with Greater Syria, Al-Lisān (eloquence) is with Iraq and Aṣ-Ṣidq (truthfulness) is with Khorasan.”

وسمعته يَقُول: سمعت عَبْد اللَّهِ بْن مُحَمَّد الرازي يَقُول: سمعت مُحَمَّد بْن نصير بْن مَنْصُور الصائغ يَقُول: سمعت ابْن مردويه الصائغ يَقُول: سمعت الفضل يَقُول: الفتوة الصفح عَن عثرات الإخوان.

And I heard him (Aš-Šayḵ ʾAbā ʿAbd Ar-Raḥmān As-Sulamīyy) saying: I heard Muḥammad Ar-Rāzī saying: I heard Muḥammad ʾIbn Naṣr ʾIbn Manṣūr Aṣ-Ṣāniʿ saying: I heard Muḥammad ʾIbn Mardūwwīyyaħ Aṣ-Ṣāniʿ saying: I heard Al-Fuḍayl saying:

“Al-Futūwwaħ: it is overlooking the faults of your brothers.”

وقيل: الفتوة أَن لا ترى لنفسك فضلا عَلَى غيرك وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْر الوراق الفتى من لا يَكُون خصما لأحد.

It is said Al-Futūwwaħ:

It is to not see yourself as better than another.

ʾAbū Bakr Al-Warrāq said:

“Al-Fatā (the young man [the one who possesses Futūwwaħ]) is the one who has no enemy.”

وَقَالَ مُحَمَّد بْن عَلِيّ الترمذي: الفتوة أَن تكون خصما لربك عَلَى نفسك ويقال: الفتى من لا خصم لَهُ.

Muḥammad ʾIbn ʿAlīyy At-Tirmiḏīyy ﵀ said:

“Al-Futūwwaħ: To be a plaintiff against yourself before your Lord.”

And it is said Al-Fatā:

“It is the one who has no enemy.”

سمعت الأستاذ أبا عَلِيّ الدقاق يَقُول: سمعت النصرأباذي يَقُول سمي أَصْحَاب الكهف فتية، لأنهم آمنوا بالله تَعَالَى بلا واسطة وقيل: الفتى من كسر الصنم قَالَ اللَّه تَعَالَى: {سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ} [الأنبياء: ٦٠] وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَاذًا} [الأنبياء: ٥٨] وصنم كُل إِنْسَان نَفْسه فمن خالف هواه فَهُوَ فتى عَلَى الحقيقة.

I heard Al-ʾUstāḏ ʾAbā ʿAlīyy Ad-Daqqāq saying: I heard An-Naṣr ʾĀbāḏīyy [5] saying:

“The people of the cave were called “Fityaħ” (plural of Fatā) because they believed in their Lord without an intermediary.”

It is said:

Al-Fatā: the one who breaks idols. Allāh ﷾ said:

﴾سَمِعْنَا فَتًۭى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُۥٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ ۝٦٠﴿

سورة ٢١ الأنبياء آية ٦٠

We heard a youth mentioning them who is called ʾIbrāhīm.

Sūraħ [21] Al-ʾAnbiyāʾ (The Prophets) ʾĀyaħ 60

And He said:

﴾فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَٰذًا ۝٥٨﴿

سورة ١٨ الكهف آية ٥٨

So he smashed them into pieces.

Sūraħ [18] Al-Kahf (The Cave) ʾĀyaħ 58

The idol of every human is himself, so whoever opposes his desires then he is a Fatā in reality.

وَقَالَ الحارث المحاسبي: الفتوة أَن تنصف ولا تنتصف وَقَالَ عَمْرو بْن عُثْمَان المكي: الفتوة حسن الخلق.

Al-Ḥāriṯ Al-Muḥāsibīyy said:

“Futūwwaħ: To be just and to not seek justice.”

ʿAmr ʾIbn ʿUṯmān Al-Makkīyy said:

“Futūwwaħ: it is perfection of Character.”

وسئل الجنيد عَنِ الفتوة فَقَالَ: أَن لا تنافر فقيرا ولا تعارض غنيا وَقَالَ النصرأباذي: المروءة شُعْبَة من الفتوة وَهُوَ الإعراض عَنِ الكونين والأنفة منهما وَقَالَ مُحَمَّد بْن عَلِيّ الترمذي: الفتوة أَن يستوي عندك المقيم والطارئ.

Al-Junayd was asked about Futūwwaħ, so he said:

“To not avoid the poor, and to not oppose the rich.”

An-Naṣr ʾĀbāḏīyy said:

“Al-Marūʾaħ (manhood) is a branch of Futūwwaħ, and it is shunning the two worlds and rejection of it.”

Muḥammad ʾIbn ʿAlīyy At-Tirmiḏīyy said:

“Futūwwaħ is to treat the resident and visitor equally.”

سمعت مُحَمَّد بْن الْحُسَيْن يَقُول: سمعت عَلِي بْن عُمَر الحافظ يَقُول: سمعت أبا سهل بْن زِيَاد يَقُول: سمعت عَبْد اللَّهِ بْن أَحْمَد بْن حنبل يَقُول سئل أَبِي مَا الفتوة؟ فَقَالَ: ترك مَا تهوى لما تخشى وقيل لبعضهم: مَا الفتوة فَقَالَ: أَن لا يميز بَيْنَ أَن يأكل عنده ولى أَوْ كافر.

I heard Muḥammad ʾIbn Al-Ḥusayn saying: I heard ʿAlīyy ʾIbn ʿUmar Al-Ḥāfiẓ saying: I heard ʾAbā Sahl ʾIbn Ziyād saying: I heard ʿAbdallāh ʾIbn ʾAḥmad ʾIbn Ḥanbal saying:

“I asked my father: ‘What is Futūwwaħ?’ He replied: “Leaving what you desire in accordance to what you are in fearful awe of.””

It was said to some: “What is the meaning of Futūwwaħ?” The response was:

“To not treat a Walīyy (Saintly Friend of Allāh) or a Kāfir (disbeliever) differently when one eats with him.”

سمعت بَعْض الْعُلَمَاء يَقُول: استضاف مجوسي إِبْرَاهِيم الخليل عَلَيْهِ السَّلام فَقَالَ: بشرط أَن تسلم فمر المجوسي فأوحى اللَّه تَعَالَى إِلَيْهِ: منذ خمسين سنة نطمعه عَلَى كفره فلو ناولته لقمة من غَيْر أَن تطالبه بتغيير دينه فمضى إِبْرَاهِيم عَلَيْهِ السَّلام عَلَى أثره حَتَّى أدركه واعتذر إِلَيْهِ فسأله عَنِ السبب فذكر ذَلِكَ لَهُ فأسلم المجوسي.

I heard some of the scholars saying:

“A Magian invited ʾIbrāhīm Al-Ḵalīl (Intimate Friend of Allāh), so he responded: “On the condition you become Muslim.” So, the Magian walked from him. Then Allāh inspired ʾIbrāhīm: for the past fifty years We gave him food despite his disbelief, so if you give him a morsel of food without demanding him to change his religion, would that harm you? So ʾIbrāhīm went back to him until he met him. He apologised to him. The Magian questioned why so. ʾIbrāhīm related what happened to him, so the Magian became a Muslim.”

وَقَالَ الجنيد: الفتوة كف الأذى وبذل الندى وَقَالَ سهل بْن عَبْد اللَّهِ: الفتوة اتباع السنة وقيل: الفتوة الوفاء والحفاظ وقيل: الفتوة فضيلة تأتيها ولا ترى نفسك فِيهَا وقيل: الفتوة أَن لا تهرب إِذَا أقبل السائل.

Al-Junayd said:

“Futūwwaħ: restricting harm (from others) and spending generously.”

Sahl ʾIbn ʿAbdillāh said:

“Futūwwaħ: following the Sunnaħ.”

It is said:

Futūwwaħ is fulfilling promises and protecting them.

It is said:

Futūwwaħ is you come with good and you do not see yourself in it.

It is said:

Futūwwaħ is to not desert when the beggar comes.

وقيل: أَن لا تحتجب من القاصدين وقيل: أَن لا تدخر ولا تعتذر وقيل: إظهار النعمة وإسرار المحنة.

It is said:

It is to not hide from those who seek you.

It is said:

It is not to hoard and to not make excuses.

It is said:

It is to display blessings and to conceal trials.

وقيل أَن تدعو عشرة أنفس فلا تتغير إِن جاء تسعة أَوْ أحد عشر وقيل: الفتوة ترك التمييز.

It is said:

It is to call ten people then to not care if nine or eleven come.

It is said:

Futūwwaħ is leaving favouritism.

سمعت الشيخ أبا عَبْد الرَّحْمَنِ السلمي يَقُول: قَالَ أَحْمَد بْن خضرويه لأمرأته أم عَلَى أريد أَن أتخذ دعوة أدعو عيارا شاطرا كَانَ فِي بلدهم رأس الفتيان قَالَت امرأته: إنك لا تهتدي إِلَى دعوة الفتيان فَقَالَ: لابد فَقَالَتْ: إِن فعلت فاذبح الأغنام والبقر والحمر وألقها من بَاب دار الرجل إِلَى بَاب دارك فَقَالَ: أما الأغنام والبقر فأعلم فَمَا بال الحمر فَقَالَتْ تدعو فتى إِلَى دارك فلا أقل من أَن يَكُون لكلاب المحلة خير.

I heard Aš-Šayḵ ʾAbā ʿAbd Ar-Raḥmān As-Sulamīyy ﵀ saying: ʾAḥmad ʾIbn Ḵaḍrawwayħ ﵀ said to his wife ʾUmm ʿAlīyy:

“I want to hold a feast where I call the ʿAyyār Šāṭir (clever bandit) who is the head of the youth (Fityān) in our town.”

His wife said:

“Indeed it is not appropriate for you to invite young men.”

So he said:

“By all means I can.”

She said:

“If you do this, then you must slaughter sheep, cows and donkeys and lay it from the door of the man’s house to the door of your house.”

He said:

“To slaughter sheep and cows then I know why. So what is the reason behind slaughtering the donkeys?”

She responded:

“If you invite the young man to your house, you shouldn’t be stingy with the dogs of the neighbourhood (either).”

وقيل: اتخذ بَعْضهم دعوة وفيهم شيخ شيرازي فلما أكلوا وقع عَلَيْهِم النوم فِي حال السماع فَقَالَ الشيخ الشيرازي لصاحب الدعوة: إيش السبب فِي نومنا فَقَالَ: لا أدري اجتهدت فِي جَمِيع مَا أطعمتكم إلا الباذنجان فلم أسأل عَنْهُ فلما اصبحوا سألوا بياع الباذنجان فَقَالَ: لَمْ يكن لي شَيْء فسرقت الباذنجان من الموضع الفلاني وبعته فحملوه إِلَى صاحب الأَرْض ليجعله فِي حل فَقَالَ الرجل: تسألون مني ألف باذنجانة قَدْ وهبته تلك الأَرْض ووهبته ثورين وحمارا وآلة الحرث لئلا يعود إِلَى مثل مَا فعل.

And it is said a man invited his friends for a feast, and amongst them was Šayḵ who was a Širāzīyy (from Širāz [6]). So when they had eaten, sleep overtook them as they were performing Samāʿ (Ṣūfīyy incantation [7]). So the Širāzīyy Šayḵ said to the host:

“What is the reason of our sleepiness?”

He responded:

“I don’t know? I carefully sought out everything in what I served you except the aubergines for I did not ask about where it came from.”

So when they woke up the next morning, they asked the seller of aubergines, so he said:

“I didn’t have them, so I stole the aubergines from such-and-such place and sold it.”

They took the man to the owner of the land in order to resolve the issue. The man said:

“Are you asking me about the one thousand aubergines that were stolen from? Indeed I have gifted that land, 2 oxen and a donkey and a plough in hopes that he doesn’t return to do anything like that again.”

وقيل: تزوج رجل بامرأة فقبل الدخول ظهر بالمرأة الجدري فَقَالَ: الرجل اشتكت عيني ثُمَّ قَالَ: عميت فزفت إِلَيْهِ المرأة ثُمَّ ماتت بَعْد عشرين سنة ففتح الرجل عينيه فقيل لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ: لَمْ أعم ولكن تعاميت حذرا أَن تحزن فقيل لَهُ سبقت الفتيان.

And it is said: a man married a woman… when he consummated the marriage she caught smallpox. The man then said:

“My eyes have weakened.”

Then he said:

“I have become blind.”

So the bride was brought to his place, then she died after twenty years. Then the man opened his eyes. He was then asked regarding that, so he responded:

“I was never blind. I merely feigned blindness out of watchfulness (of my wife) so that she doesn’t become upset.”

So it was said to him:

“You have surpassed the Fityān (chivalrous youth)!”

وَقَالَ ذو النون الْمِصْرِي من أراد الظرف فَعَلَيْهِ بسقاة الماء ببغداد.

Ḏū An-Nūn Al-Miṣrīyy said:

“Whoever wants gracefulness then it is necessary he follows the drink givers of Baghdad.”

فقيل لَهُ كَيْفَ هُوَ فَقَالَ: لما حملت إِلَى الخليفة فيما نسب إِلَى من الزندقة رأيت سقاء عَلَيْهِ عمامة وَهُوَ مترد بمنديل مصري وبيده كيزان خزف رقاق فَقُلْتُ: هَذَا ساقى السلطان فَقَالُوا: لا هَذَا ساقي العامة فأخذت الكوز وشربت وقلت لمن معى أعطه دِينَار فلم يأخذ وَقَالَ: أَنْتَ أسير وليس من الفتوة أَن نأخذ منك شَيْئًا وقيل: لَيْسَ من الفتوة أَن تربح عَلَى صديقك قاله بَعْض أصدقائنا رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَكَانَ فتى يسمى أَحْمَد بْن سهل التاجر وَقَد اشتريت منه خرقة بياض فأخذ الثمن رأس ماله فَقُلْتُ: ألا تأخذ ربحا فَقَالَ: أما الثمن فآخذه ولا أحملك منه لأنه لَيْسَ لَهُ من الخطر مَا أتخلق بِهِ معك ولكن لا آخذ الربح إذ لَيْسَ من الفتوة أَن تربح عَلَى صديقك.

Then he was asked: “How about him?” So he replied:

“When I was taken to the Caliph, regarding the heresy I was accused of, I saw a drink giver wearing a turban, and he was dressed in the Egyptian-style cloth, and in his hand he had clay-pitchers. So I asked him: “This is the drink giver of the Sulṭān.” Then they replied: “No, this is the drink giver of the people.” So I took a clay-pitcher and I drank. Then I said to my companion: “Give him a Dīnār.” The drink giver did not take it. He said: “You are a prisoner and it is not from Futūwwaħ (spiritual chivalry) that I take even a thing from you (as you are a prisoner).””

And it is said:

“It is not from Futūwwaħ to profit from your close friend.” It was also said by one of our friends, may Allāh have mercy on him.

There was a Fatā (chivalrous young man) called ʾAḥmad ʾIbn Sahl At-Tājir, and I bought a white cloth from him, so he took the same amount of wealth (from me) that he bought it with himself. So I said to him:

“Do you not make a profit?”

He responded:

“Regarding its value, then I will take this however I will not burden you with it because there is no risk in me bearing it with you. Rather I do not take profits for it is not from Futūwwaħ to profit from your close friend.”

وقيل: خرج إِنْسَان يدعى الفتوة من نيسابور إلى نسا فاستضافه رجل ومعه جَمَاعَة من الفتيان، فلما فرغوا من الطعام خرجت جارية تصب الماء عَلَى أيديهم فانقبض النَّيْسَابُورِيّ عَن غسل اليد وَقَالَ: لَيْسَ من الفتوة أَن تصب النسوان الماء على أيدي الرجال.

And it is said:

“A man claimed to have Futūwwaħ had left Nishapur to Nasa. [8] Here he was invited by a man who had a gathering of Fityān (young chivalrous men). So when they had finished eating, a slave girl had come to pour water over their hands (to wash). Then Naysābūrīyy (the Nishapuri) pulled back his hands and said: “It is not from Futūwwaħ to have women pour water onto the hands of men!”

فَقَالَ واحد مِنْهُم: أنا منذ سنين أدخل هذه الدار لَمْ أعلم أَن امْرَأَة تصب الماء عَلَى أيدينا أم رجلا.

One of them said: “I have for years come to this house and I did not know whether a woman has poured water over our hands or man had.”

سمعت منصورا المغربي يَقُول: أراد واحد أَن يمتحن نوحا العيار النَّيْسَابُورِيّ فباع منه جارية فِي زي غلام وشرط أَنَّهُ غلام وكانت وضيئة الوجه فاشتراها نوح عَلَى أَنَّهَا غلام ولبثت عنده شهورا كثيرة، فقيل للجارية هل علم أنك جارية؟ فَقَالَتْ: لا إنه مَا مسني ويتوهم أني غلام وقيل: إِن بَعْض الشطار طلب منه تسليم غلام كَانَ يخدمه إِلَى السلطان فأبي فضرب ألف سوط فلم يسلم فاتفق أَنَّهُ احتلم تلك الليلة وَكَانَ بردا شديدا فلما أصبح اغتسل بالماء البارد فقيل لَهُ خاطرت بروحك فَقَالَ: استحييت من اللَّه تَعَالَى أَن أصبر عَلَى ضرب ألف سوط لأجل مخلوق ولا أصبر عَلَى مقاساة برد الاغتسال لأجله.

I heard Manṣūr Al-Maḡrabīyy saying:

“Someone wanted to test Nūḥ An-Naysābūrīyy Al-ʿAyyār (the honourable bandit) so he sold him a slave girl in the guise of a slave boy on the condition this slave was a boy. And she had a radiant face. Nūḥ had bought her thinking she was a boy. She stayed with him for many months. She was then asked: “Did he know you are a slave girl?” She said: “No. He didn’t even touch me as he thought I was a slave boy.””

And it is said: indeed one of the skilful men was asked to pass his slave boy who would serve the Sulṭān. He refused. He was lashed a thousand times, yet he didn’t submit. That very night, he had nocturnal emissions, and it was very cold. When he woke up, he performed Ḡusl (ritual bath) with cold water. It was said to him:

“You have put yourself in danger!”

He replied:

“I am shy before Allāh that I am patient with a thousand lashes for the sake of a creation and not patient with suffering a cold Ḡusl for His Sake.”

وقيل: قدم جَمَاعَة من الفتيان لزيارة وحد يدعى الفتوة فَقَالَ الرجل: يا غلام قدم السفرة فلم يقدم فَقَالَ الرجل: ثانيا وثالثا فنظر بَعْضهم إِلَى بَعْض وَقَالُوا: لَيْسَ من الفتوة أَن يستخدم الرجل من يتعاصى عَلَيْهِ فِي تقديم السفرة كُل هَذَا فَقَالَ الرجل: لَمْ أبطأت بالسفرة فَقَالَ الغلام: كَانَ عَلَيْهَا نمل فلم يكن من الأدب تقديم السفرة إِلَى الفتيان مَعَ النمل وَلَمْ يكن من الفتوة إلقاء النمل من السفرة فلبثت حَتَّى دب النمل فَقَالُوا: دققت يا غلام مثلك من يخدم الفتيان.

And it is said:

A group of Fityān came to meet a man who claimed Futūwwaħ, so the man said:

“Oh slave boy, bring the tray!”

He did not bring it. So the man said to him a second, a third time… So the group looked at one another and they said:

“It is not from Futūwwaħ to seek servitude from a man who is difficult even in bring a tray to you after being asked many times!”

The man then said (to the slave boy):

“What held you from bringing the tray?”

The slave boy said:

“An ant was on it. It is not from ʾAdab (etiquette) to bring a tray to Fityān with an ant on it. And it is not from Futūwwaħ to fling an ant from the tray, so I hesitated until the ant crawled.”

The Fityān said to the slave boy:

“Oh slave boy! You are like those who serve the Fityān.”

وقيل: إِن رجلا نام بالمدينة من الحاج فتوهم أَن هميانه سرق فخرج فرأى جعفرا الصادق فتعلق بِهِ وَقَالَ: أخذت همياني فَقَالَ: إيش كَانَ فِيهِ؟ فَقَالَ: ألف دِينَار فأدخله داره ووزن لَهُ ألف دِينَار فرجع الرجل إِلَى منزله ودخل بيته فرأى هميانه فِي بيته وَقَدْ كَانَ توهم أَنَّهُ سرق فخرج إِلَى جَعْفَر معتذر ورد عَلَيْهِ الدنانير فأبي أَن يقبلها وَقَالَ شَيْء أخرجته من يدي لا أسترده فَقَالَ الرجل: من هَذَا؟ فقيل جَعْفَر الصادق.

And it was said:

A man who had completed Ḥajj slept in Madīnaħ. Then he dreamt his purse was stolen. He left (his room), then he saw Jaʿfar Aṣ-Ṣādiq. He then approached him and said to him:

“Have you have stolen my purse?”

Then Jaʿfar Aṣ-Ṣādiq replied:

“What was in it?”

The man said:

“One thousand Dīnārs.”

Then Jaʿfar Aṣ-Ṣādiq took him to his house and weighed for him one thousand Dīnārs, so the man returned to his place and entered his house. He then saw his purse in his house and that he had suspected was stolen so he went to Jaʿfar Aṣ-Ṣādiq apologising and returned to him the Danānīr, to which Jaʿfar Aṣ-Ṣādiq rejected to accept it. At this point he said:

“A thing give from my hands should not be reclaimed.”

The man then asked:

“Who is this?”

The response given was:

“Jaʿfar Aṣ-Ṣādiq.”

وقيل: سأل شقيق البلخي جَعْفَر بْن مُحَمَّد عَنِ الفتوة فَقَالَ: مَا تقول أَنْتَ؟ فَقَالَ شقيق: إِن أعطينا شكرنا وإن منعنا صبرنا قَالَ جَعْفَر الكلاب عندنا بالمدينة كَذَلِكَ نفعل فَقَالَ شقيق: يا ابْن بنت رَسُول اللَّهِ مَا الفتوة عندكم؟ فَقَالَ: إِن أعطينا آثرنا وإن منعنا شكرنا.

And it is said:

Šaqīq Al-Balḵīyy asked Jaʿfar ʾIbn Muḥammad (Aṣ-Ṣādiq) about Futūwwaħ, so he responded:

“What do you say?”

Šaqīq said:

“If we are given something then we are grateful, and if we are prevented from something then we are patient.”

Jaʿfar said:

“That is what the dogs of Madīnaħ do, too!”

Šaqīq asked:

“Oh (great great great grand)son of the daughter of the Emissary of Allāh ﷺ! What is Futūwwaħ according to you?”

He replied:

“If we are given something we prefer (to give it to someone else), and if we are prevented we are thankful.”

وقيل: سأل شقيق البلخي جَعْفَر بْن مُحَمَّد عَنِ الفتوة فَقَالَ: مَا تقول أَنْتَ؟ فَقَالَ شقيق: إِن أعطينا شكرنا وإن منعنا صبرنا قَالَ جَعْفَر الكلاب عندنا بالمدينة كَذَلِكَ نفعل فَقَالَ شقيق: يا ابْن بنت رَسُول اللَّهِ مَا الفتوة عندكم؟ فَقَالَ: إِن أعطينا آثرنا وإن منعنا شكرنا.

I heard Aš-Šayḵ ʾAbā ʿAbd Ar-Raḥmān As-Sulamīyy saying: I heard ʾAbā Bakr Ar-Rāzīyy saying: I heard Al-Jurayrīyy saying:

ʾAbū Al-ʿAbbās ʾIbn Masrūq invited us one night to his house. On our way there we met a friend and we said to him:

“Come with us as guests of  Aš-Šayḵ.”

He replied:

“He did not invite me.”

So we said:

“We will ask him to make an exception like the Emissary of Allāh ﷺ made for ʿĀʾišaħ.”

فرددناه فلما بلغ بَاب الشيخ أخبرناه بِمَا قَالَ وقلنا فَقَالَ: جعلت موضعي من قلبك أَن تجئ إِلَى منزلي من غَيْر دعوة عَلَى كَذَا وكذا إِن مشيت إِلَى الموضع الَّذِي تقعد فِيهِ إلا عَلَى خدي وألح عَلَيْهِ ووضع خده عَلَى الأَرْض وحمل الرجل , فوضع قدمه عَلَى خده من غَيْر أَن يوجعه وسحب الشيخ وجهه عَلَى الأَرْض إِلَى أَن بلغ موضع جلوسه.

So we took him with us, then when we reached the door of Aš-Šayḵ we informed him about our conversation. He responded:

“You (the friend) made my position (special) in your heart, such that you come to my house without an invitation. For this I must do one thing. If you walk to a place that you sit in, (you cannot) except (you walk) on my cheek.”

And he kept insisting that the friend does that. He placed his cheek on the earth and the man was brought to him. He carefully placed his foot on the Šayḵ’s cheek without hurting him and the Šayḵ dragged his cheek on the ground to the place of his gathering.

قَالَ الأستاذ: واعلم أَن من الفتوة الستر عَلَى عيوب الأصدقاء لا سيما إِذَا كَانَ لَهُمْ فِيهِ شماتة الأعداء.

Al-ʾUstāḏ said:

“And know that from Futūwwaħ is to cover the faults of your friends, especially the one who rejoices at the misfortune of his enemies.”

سمعت الشيخ أبا عَبْد الرَّحْمَنِ السلمي يَقُول: كَانَ يقال للنصرأباذي كثيرا: إِن عليا القوال يشرب بالليل ويحضر مجلسك بالنهار وَكَانَ لا يسمع فِيهِ مَا يقال فاتفق أَنَّهُ كَانَ يمشى يوما ومعه واحد مِمَّن يذكر عليا بِذَلِكَ فوجد عليا مطروحا فِي موضع وَقَدْ ظهر عَلَيْهِ أثر السكر وصار بحيث يغسل فمه فَقَالَ: الرجل إِلَى كم نقول للشيخ ولا يسمع؟ هَذَا عَلَى الوصف الَّذِي نقول فنظر إِلَيْهِ النصر أباذي وَقَالَ للعذول: احمله عَلَى رقبتك وانقله إِلَى منزله فلم يجد بدا من طاعته فِيهِ، وسمعته يَقُول: سمعت أبا عَلِيّ الفارسي يَقُول: سمعت المرتعش يَقُول: دخلنا مَعَ أَبِي حفص عَلَى مريض نعوده ونحن جَمَاعَة فَقَالَ للمريض: أتحب أَن تبرأ فَقَالَ: نعم فَقَالَ: لأَصْحَابه تحملوا عَنْهُ فقام العليل وخرج معنا وأصبحنا كلنا أَصْحَاب فراش نعاد.

I heard Aš-Šayḵ ʾAbā ʿAbd Ar-Raḥmān As-Sulamīyy saying:

It would be said to An-Naṣr ʾĀbāḏīyy often:

“Indeed ʿAlīyy Al-Qawwāl (the singer) drinks (wine) in the night whilst he is present in our gatherings in the day.”

He would not pay heed to these accusations until it came to pass that he was walking one day and he was with one of the people who mentioned ʿAlīyy, then he found ʿAlīyy lying on the ground drunk. An-Naṣr ʾĀbāḏīyy was found washing his mouth, so his companion said:

“How many times have we told Aš-Šayḵ and he didn’t pay heed? Here he is just as we have described!”

Then An-Naṣr ʾĀbāḏīyy looked towards him and said to the severe critic:

“Carry him on your shoulders bring him to his house.”

So he could not find it in himself a way to escape from obeying An-Naṣr ʾĀbāḏīyy.

I also heard (As-Sulamīyy) saying: I heard ʾAbā ʿAlīyy Al-Fārisīyy saying: I heard Al-Murtaʿiš saying:

We entered with ʾAbī Ḥafṣ upon a sick person which we would frequent as a group. So he said to the sick person:

“Would you love to be free (from being ill)?”

He responded:

“Yes.”

ʾAbū Ḥafṣ said to his companions:

“Carry him.”

Then the sick person stood and left with us. The next morning we all became bed ridden so we visited one another.

Bibliography

Al-Jurjānīyy, A.-Š. (1413). Kitāb al-Taʿrīfāt.

Al-Munāwīyy. (1622). At-Tawqīf ʿAlā Muhimmāt Al-Taʿārīf.

Ar-Razī, Z. A.-D. (1266). Muḵtār Aṣ-Ṣiḥāḥ.

As-Suyūṭīyy. (1505). Muʿjam Maqālīd Al-ʿUlūm Fī Al-Ḥudūd War-Rusūm.