Who is Sufyan Ath-Thawri?

HADHRAT SUFYAAN THAURI (rahmatullah alayh)%0D%0A%0D%0A1. One day when Hadhrat Sufyaan Thauri (rahmatullah alayh) entered the%0D%0AMusjid with his left foot, he heard a Voice rebuking him: "O Thaur! This%0D%0Adisrespect for the Musjid is reprehensible." (Thaur means buffalo.)%0D%0AHenceforth he was called Sufyaan Thauri. The fear which the Voice instilled%0D%0Ainto him made him unconscious. When he regained his senses, he severely%0D%0Aslapped himself many times, saying: "My name has been effaced from the role%0D%0Aof human beings." This incident led to his reformation and entry into the%0D%0Aspiritual path.%0D%0A%0D%0A2. Once in the Musjid, Sufyaan Thauri saw the Khalifah of the time fiddling%0D%0Awith his beard during Salaat. Sufyaan Thauri said: "This is not Salaat On%0D%0Athe Day of Qiyaamah this Salaat will be struck into your face." In annoyance%0D%0Aand anger the Khalifah exclaimed: "Shut up!" Sufyaan Thauri said: "Why%0D%0Ashould I not proclaim the truth?" In a fit of rage, the king ordered Sufyaan%0D%0AThauri to be executed by hanging. When the time for his execution neared,%0D%0ASufyaan Thauri was sitting in the company of Hadhrat Sufyaan Bin Uyainah and%0D%0Aanother buzrug. At this time the king and his ministers were in discussion%0D%0Ain the palace. Sufyaan Thauri said: "I am not concerned about being hung. I%0D%0Acannot conceal the truth." Then he supplicated: "O Allah! I am innocent.%0D%0APunish the king." As he was making dua, a severe earth tremor struck. The%0D%0Aking and his ministers were all swallowed by the earth. Sufyaan Bin Uyainah%0D%0Acommented: "We never saw anyone's dua so effective, swift and powerful."%0D%0A%0D%0A3. The successor of the king mentioned above had great faith in Sufyaan%0D%0AThauri. He was a devoted follower. Once when Sufyaan Thauri became severely%0D%0Aill, the king sent an experienced physician who was a fire-worshipper. After%0D%0Aexamining Sufyaan Thauri the physician said: "His liver has split into bits%0D%0Aout of fear for Allah. A Deen which produces such an effect, must indeed be%0D%0Athe true Deen." He then embraced Islam. When the king heard of this%0D%0Adevelopment, he commented: "I thought that I had sent a physician to a%0D%0Apatient, but in fact I had sent a patient to the physician."%0D%0A%0D%0A4. While still young, Sufyaan Thauri had developed a hunched back. When he%0D%0Awas asked about his bent back at such a young age, he said: "Three of my%0D%0AUstaadhs were great Aabids and Zaahids. But while dying, they lost their%0D%0AImaan. One became a Yahood; the second a Nasaara and the third a%0D%0Afire-worshipper. Fear of Allah has bent my back. I always ask Allah for a%0D%0Adeath with Imaan."%0D%0A%0D%0A5. A man sent two packets of Ashrafis (gold coins) as a gift to Sufyaan%0D%0AThauri with the message: "My father was your close friend. He has now died.%0D%0AI am sending this gift from his lawful earnings. Do accept it." Sufyaan%0D%0AThauri returned the money with the message: "My friendship with your father%0D%0Awas on account of the Deen, not for any worldly motive."%0D%0A%0D%0A6. Once a young man who missed his Hajj, let out a sigh of grief. Sufyaan%0D%0AThauri said to him: "I have performed four Hajj. Exchange the thawaab of%0D%0Ayour sigh for the thawaab of my four Hajj." The youth happily agreed. At%0D%0Anight, Sufyaan Thauri dreamt a Voice saying: "You have indeed struck a%0D%0Awonderful bargain cheaply. If the reward of that sigh has to be distributed%0D%0Ato all the participants of Arafaat, everyone would become wealthy."%0D%0A%0D%0A7. Once when he went to the public bath, Sufyaan Thauri saw a young lad.%0D%0AOrdering the people to expel the boy from the bath, he said: "With every%0D%0Awoman there is one shaitaan. But accompanying a young boy are 18 shayaateen%0D%0Awhose mission is to ensnare people."%0D%0A%0D%0A8. Sufyaan Thauri said: "When good deeds are practised, the Angel records%0D%0Athese in the Record of Goodness. When people speak about their good deeds,%0D%0Athe Angel records the deeds in the Record of Riyaa (show and ostentation)."%0D%0A"An Aabid (worshipper) who associates with a ruler is a man of riyaa."%0D%0A"There are ten kinds of weeping. Of these, nine are the result of riyaa and%0D%0Aone, the product of fear for Allah. If in an entire year one tear-drop is%0D%0Ashed because of Allah's fear, it is better than a lifetime of weeping for%0D%0Aother reasons." "A man who adopts solitude in this world, attains salvation%0D%0Ain the Hereafter." "It is best to remain hidden from the gaze of people."%0D%0A"The sleep of worldly people is better than their remaining awake. While%0D%0Asleeping, they are aloof from the world." "Noble is the king who adopts the%0D%0Acompany of the zaahid, and evil is the zaahid who adopts the company of the%0D%0Aking." "The first ibaadat is seclusion then the quest of knowledge, then%0D%0Agiving practical expression to knowledge, then dissemination of knowledge."%0D%0A"Acquire the world according to the needs of the body and acquire the%0D%0AAakhirah according to the needs of the soul." "If sin has a physical stench,%0D%0Ano one would have been able to come near to another person." "Giving charity%0D%0Afrom haraam wealth is like washing garments with urine." "A good act%0D%0Aextinguishes the Wrath of Allah." "Yaqeen is a propensity of the heart. When%0D%0AYaqeen becomes perfect, a man acquires Ma'rifat. The belief that all%0D%0Acalamities are from Allah Ta'ala, is Yaqeen."%0D%0A%0D%0A9. It was said to Sufyaan Thauri: "Rasulullah (#) said that Allah Ta'ala%0D%0Aregards as enemies those who consume meat in abundance. What is the wisdom%0D%0Aunderlying this?" Sufyaan said: "Meat in this context refers to gheebat.%0D%0AGheebat of a Muslim is like devouring dead meat. A person who indulges in%0D%0Agheebat is abhorred by Allah Ta'ala."%0D%0A%0D%0A10. Sufyaan Thauri said to Hadhrat Haatim (rahmatullah alayh): "I shall tell%0D%0Ayou four things which people generally are guilty of:%0D%0Aa) Criticising and accusing people. This brings about negligence in the%0D%0Aexecution of Allah's laws.%0D%0Ab) Jealousy for the progress of a Muslim. This leads to ingratitude.%0D%0Ac) Accumulation of haraam assets. This causes forgetfulness of the Aakhirah.%0D%0Ad) To become careless regarding the warnings of Allah Ta'ala and to lose%0D%0Ahope in His promises. This lead to kufr."%0D%0A%0D%0A11. Sufyaan Thauri had great affection and mercy for creation. Once when he%0D%0Asaw a bird suffering in a cage, he set it free. The bird frequently visited%0D%0Ahim and watched him in ibaadat. After his death, the bird flew along with%0D%0Athe Janaazah. It would sometimes settle with grief on the Janaazah. After%0D%0Aburial, the bird sat on the grave grief-stricken. A Voice spoke from the%0D%0Agrave: "Allah has forgiven Sufyaan on account of his affection for%0D%0Acreation."%0D%0A%0D%0AScattered Pearls