Narrated Sa’d: Allah’s Apostle distributed (Zakat) amongst (a group of) people while I was sitting there but Allah’s Apostle left a man whom I thought the best of the lot. I asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! Why have you left that person? By Allah I regard him as a faithful believer.” The Prophet commented: “Or merely a Muslim.” I remained quiet for a while, but could not help repeating my question because of what I knew about him. And then asked Allah’s Apostle, “Why have you left so and so? By Allah! He is a faithful believer.” The Prophet again said, “Or merely a Muslim.” And I could not help repeating my question because of what I knew about him. Then the Prophet said, “O Sa’d! I give to a person while another is dearer to me, for fear that he might be thrown on his face in the Fire by Allah.”
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Stations of the Wayfarers has always been one of the pillars of Sufi studies for Arabic-speaking scholars and students. For generations, seekers and novices have depended on it to build up their knowledge. The fact that no English translation of this basic treatise exists is regrettable, although excerpts of it have been provided, notably in Professor Ravan Farhadi's work on Abdullah Al-Ansari published in the Curzon Sufi Series in 1996. The present complete translation is therefore aimed at filling that gap. English-speaking scholars and students will find in it an authoritative, detailed and inspiring description of the spiritual stages leading to annihilation and union with the Supreme Being. The depth of its concepts is astounding, yet Al-Ansari is invariably rational and devoted to Orthodox Islam, as represented by Hanafi School. The book has a structure that is unique, both in form and content. The Shaikh dictated it as a manual under a format designed to facilitate memorizing by students. It follows a mnemonic system, each chapter being divided into three levels, indication the degrees of the spiritual experience, as well as the "hierarch" of the candidates for the experience. A verse of the Qur an introduces each chapter. It is noteworthy that Al-Ansari was already blind when he dictated the treatise in 1082 A.D. (475 H.) The Stations consists of the following Parts or Sections: 1. The Beginnings, comprising chapters on Awakening, Repentance, Reckoning, Turning to God, Reflection, Meditation, Taking Shelter, Escape, Retreat or Inurement and Audition. 2. The Gates, comprising chapters on Grief, Fear, Solicitude, Reverence, Capitulation or Humility, Renunciation, Piety, Consecration or Devotion, Hope and Aspiration. Behavior, comprising chapters on Caring, Observation, Reverence, Honesty, Betterment, Rectitude, Reliance, Delegation, Trust and Submission. Distributed in USA by Rumi Bookstore
