Al-Fudhayl bin 'Iyyadh

Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyad ; fully Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyad ibn Mas'ud al-Tamimi (died 803 CE / 187 AH), also known as Abu 'Ali, was an early Arab Muslim ascetic, scholar, and prominent figure in early Islamic mysticism. Born in Khurasan, he later migrated to Mecca where he became renowned for his profound piety, strict adherence to the Sunnah, and teachings on zuhd (asceticism).

Early life

Fuḍayl was born into the Arab tribe of Banu Tamim in the region of Khurasan. Historical sources differ on his exact birthplace, variously attributing it to Samarkand, Merv, Mosul, or Balkh.

Prior to his conversion, Fuḍayl led a group of bandits, or highwayman, in Syria and Khorasan, raiding caravans and robbing travelers. Even during this time, he was a Muslim, keeping his five daily salat prayers, fasting as required and forbidding his men to uncover any women found among the victims.

One story of his banditry has a rich merchant, fearful of running into bandits, mistake Fuḍayl for an honest man and ask him to hide the majority of his wealth lest bandits find him. As the merchant continued on his way, he was robbed of his remaining wealth by Fuḍayl's men. When the merchant returned to Fuḍayl to recover the majority of his wealth, he was dismayed to find the bandits who had robbed him there surrounding the man he had trusted; however Fuḍayl indicated that he was a god-fearing man, and would not betray his trust, therefore motioning the merchant to reclaim the wealth he had left in trust with him.

With his new found piety, Fuḍayl left his criminal ways and wandered through the desert where he found a caravan camping - and overheard two men warning each other to be wary lest the bandit Fuḍayl ibn Iyad find them. Fuḍayl stepped out and introduced himself, acknowledging that he had repented and was no longer a danger.

After this, Fuḍayl tried to visit each of his known victims to repay them what he had stolen from them, and when he ran out of available goods, he visited them to beg their forgiveness. However one Jew refused to forgive him until he had been repaid, and ordered Fuḍayl to move a pile of dirt in front of his house to work off his debt. After several days of work, a hurricane blew away the pile of dirt, and Fuḍayl explained to the Jew that God had aided him. The Jew then placed a bag of dirt on his bed and asked Fuḍayl to bring it to him, and remarked upon discovering that the dirt had turned to gold that he now believed in the religion of Fuḍayl, and asked to become a Muslim.

Later life "The world is like an asylum and its inmates like insane people. Insane people are always kept imprisoned." Fuḍayl ibn Iyad and taught Ibrahim ibn Adham, Bishr the Barefoot and Sari al-Saqati.

When Fuḍayl understood that his death may be near, he told his wife to take his daughters to Mount Abu Qais, in Mecca, and tell God that Fuḍayl had cared for them all his life and now they were in God's hands. .

Following his wishes, his widow took their two daughters to Mount Abu Qais, where they were greeted by a leader of Yemen who was travelling with his two sons, and two marriages were thus arranged.