al-Qasim ibn `Uthman al-Ju`i (d. 248)
One of the great saints of Damascus whotook hadith from Sufyan ibn `Uyayna. Ibn al-Jawzi relates in Sifat al-safwa that al-Ju`i explained that he got the name al-Ju`i (“of the hunger”) because Allah had strengthened him against physical hunger by means of spiritual hunger. He said:
- Even if I were left one month without food I would not care. O Allah, you have done this with me: Therefore complete it for me!1
Al-Dhahabi writes about him in Siyar a`lam al-nubala’:
- [#506] al-`Abdi, known as Qasim al-Ju`i: The Imam, the exemplar, the saint, the Muhaddith… the Shaykh of the Sufis and the friend of Ahmad ibn al-Hawari. (al-imam al-qudwa al-wali al-muhaddith Abu `Abd Al-Malik Al-Qasim ibn ‘Uthman al-`Abdi al-Dimashqi, Shaykh as-sufiyya wa rafiq Ahmad ibn al-Hawari,’urifa bi al-Ju’i).
Ibn al-Jawzi also relates that Ibn Abu Hatim al-Razi said:
I entered Damascus to see the transcribers of hadith. I passed by Qasim al-Ju`i’s circle and saw a large crowd sitting around him as he spoke. I approached and heard him say:
Do without others in your life in five matters:
- If you are present among people, don’t be known
- If you are absent, don’t be missed
- If you know something, your advice is unsought
- If you say something, your words are rejected
- If you do something, you receive no credit for it
I advise you five other things as well:
- If you are wronged, do not reciprocate it
- If you are praised, don’t be glad
- If you are blamed, don’t be distraught
- If you are called liar, don’t be angry
- If you are betrayed, don’t betray in return
Ibn Abu Hatim said: “I made these words all the benefit I got from visiting Damascus.”2
1 Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat al-safwa 2(2):200 (#763).
2 Ibid.
Reproduced with permission from Shaykh M. Hisham Kabbani’s The Repudiation of “Salafi” Innovations (Kazi, 1996) p. 304-305.
Blessings and Peace on the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions
