Al-Junayd al-Baghdadi
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Junayd of Baghdad (; 830–910) was a Persian mystic and one of the most famous of the early Islamic saints. He is a central figure in the spiritual lineage of many
Sufi orders A tariqa (or ''tariqah''; ar, طريقة ') is a school or order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking ''haqiqa'', which translates as "ultimate truth". ...
. Junayd taught in Baghdad throughout his lifetime and was an important figure in the development of Sufi doctrine. Like Hasan of Basra before him, was widely revered by his students and disciples as well as quoted by other mystics. Because of his importance in Sufi theology, Junayd was often referred to as the "
Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
".


Early life and education

The exact birth date of Abu-l-Qāsim al-Junayd ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Junayd al-Khazzāz al-Qawārīrī ( Arabic: أبو القاسم الجنيد بن محمد الخزاز القواريري) is disputed and ranges from 210 to 215 AH according to Abdel-Kader. His death is more certain and ranges from 296 to 298 AH (908 to 910 CE). It is believed that al-Junayd was of Persian ancestry, with his ancestors originating in Nihawand in modern-day Iran. Al-Junayd was raised by his uncle Sirri Saqti after being orphaned as a boy. Al-Junayd's early education included teachings from Abū Thawr, Abū 'Ubayd, al-Ḥārith al-Muḥãsibī, and Sarī ibn Mughallas.


Hagiography

As to the
hagiography A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions. Early Christian hagiographies migh ...
by Attar of Nishapur, the '' Tazkirat al-Awliya'', had felt the pain of divine separation since childhood. Regardless of spiritual sorrow, he was known for his quick understanding and discipline. When Sirri Saqti accepted him. According to Attar, Junayd was only seven years of age when Sirri Saqti took him along for the
Hajj The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...
. In
al-Masjid an-Nabawi Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (), known in English as the Prophet's Mosque, is a mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the city of Medina in the Al Madinah Province of Saudi Arabia. It was the second mosque built by Muhammad in Medina, after Qub ...
, there were 400
sheikh Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...
s discussing the concept of ‘thankfulness’ whereby each expounded his own view. When Sirri Saqti told him to present his definition, Junayd said, "Thankfulness means that should not disobey God by means of the favour which he has bestowed upon you nor make of His favour a source of disobedience." The sheikhs unanimously agreed that no other words could define the term better. Sirri Saqti asked Junayd from where he could learn all this. Junayd replied, "From sitting with you." Tazkirat al-Awliya, Attar of Nishapur. London, England.: Penguin (Non-Classics), 1990. , 32–38


Spiritual journey

His traditional hagiography continues by stating that Junayd went back to Baghdad and took up selling glasses. However, he spent most of the time in prayer. Hence, he retired to the porch of Sirri Saqti's house and kept himself away from worldly matters, devoting his thoughts only to God. People need to "relinquish natural desires, to wipe out human attributes, to discard selfish motives, to cultivate spiritual qualities, to devote oneself to true knowledge, to do what is best in the context of eternity, to wish good for the entire community, to be truly faithful to God, and to follow the Prophet in the matters of the Shari’a."Ansari, Muhammad Abdul Haq. "The Doctrine of One Actor: Junayd's View of Tawhid." The Muslim World 1(1983): 33–56. Electronic. This starts with the practice of
asceticism Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...
(''zuhd'') and continues with withdrawal from society, intensive concentration on devotion ( ibadah) and remembrance ( dhikr) of God, sincerity (''ikhlas''), and contemplation (''muraqaba'') respectively; contemplation produces fana. Junayd spend 40 years in his mystic course praying while sacrificing his sleep and any other worldly desires, but then a conceit in his heart arose that he has achieved his goal. By then he inspired by God that "He who is not worthy of union, all his good works are but sins." This meant that the prayers which become a source of pride are useless, as true prayer makes a person more humble and devoted to God. His name became famous in many parts of the world despite the persecution he faced and the tongues of slander shot at him. Even then, he did not start preaching until 30 of the great saints indicated to him that he should now call men to God. However, he chose not to preach as yet, saying, "While the master is there, it is not seemingly for the disciple to preach." After witnessing Muhammad in his dream commanding him to preach, he had to listen to Sirri Saqti. The intensity of ishq poured out of a speech of Junayd such that out of the 40 people he first preached, 18 died and 22 fainted.Sells, Michael A.. Early Islamic Mysticism: Sufi, Koran, Mi'raj, Poetic and Theological Writings. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1996. Print. His caliph and most dear disciple was
Abu Bakr Shibli Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli (; 861–946) was an important Sufi of Persian descent, and a disciple of Junayd Baghdadi. He followed the Maliki school of jurisprudence (fiqh). Biography Abu Bakr Shibli was born in Samarra, although his family was of ...
.


Works by Junayd

Junayd helped establish the "sober" school of Sufi thought, which meant that he was very logical and scholarly about his definitions of various virtues, tawhid, etc. Sober Sufism is characterized by people who "experience ''fana'' nddo not subsist in that state of selfless absorption in God but find themselves returned to their senses by God. Such returnees from the experience of selflessness are thus reconstituted as renewed selves," just like an intoxicated person sobering up. For example, Junayd is quoted as saying, "The water takes on the color of the cup." While this might seem rather confusing at first, ‘Abd al-Hakeem Carney explains it as: "When the water is understood here to refer to the Light of Divine self-disclosure, we are led to the important concept of 'capacity,' whereby the Divine epiphany is received by the heart of any person according to that person’s particular receptive capacity and will be 'colored' by that person’s nature". Also, according to Sells, "Junayd seems to presuppose that his hearer or reader has had the experience about which he is speaking – or, even more radically, that the hearer or reader is able to enter that experience, or some re-creation of it – at the moment of encounter with Junayd's words." This statement makes it seem like Junayd was writing to a specific sect of the elite that he described earlier. The elite that he refers to are the elect, or "a tightly knit group of 'brethren' that Junayd designates by such phrases as 'the choice of believers' or 'the pure ones'. They play significant roles in the community of believers."


See also

* List of Sufis *
Sari al-Saqati Abū al-Ḥasan Sarī (al-Sirrī) b. al-Mughallis al-Saqaṭī (867CE) also known as Sirri Saqti (Arabic:سری سقطی) was one of the early Muslim Sufi saints of Baghdad. He was one of the most influential students of Maruf Karkhi and one o ...
* Harith al-Muhasibi *
Muhammad Muslehuddin Siddiqui Muhammad Muslehuddin Siddiqui (27 December 1918 – 23 March 1983) (Urdu محمد مصلح الدین صدیقى), was a preacher born in Nanded on India's Deccan Plateau The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the ...
* Suhrawardiyya *
Seyyed Qutb al-Din Mohammad Neyrizi Seyyed Qutb al-Din Mohammad Neyrizi (born 1689 in Neyriz - died 1760 in Najaf) was a prominent Iranian mystic of the Safavid period (1501 to 1736). He was 32nd Qutb of Zahabiya genealogy (Shiite Sufi sect). All historians have written his name ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Junayd of Baghdad Sunni Sufis Sunni imams Iranian Sufis Iraqi Sufis People from Baghdad People from Nahavand 10th-century Iranian people 9th-century Iranian people 830 births 910 deaths