Kashf al-Mahjub: The Revelation of the Veiled · 9 of 25

Chapter IX: Concerning the People of the Veranda

Concerning the People of the Veranda ( Akl-i Suffa ).

Know that all Moslems are agreed that the Apostle had a number of Companions, who abode in his Mosque and engaged in devotion, renouncing the world and refusing to seek a livelihood. God reproached the Apostle on their account and said: “ Do not drive away those who call unto their Lord at morn and eve, desiring His face” (Kor. vi, 52). Their merits are proclaimed by the Book of God, and in many traditions of the Apostle which have come down to us. It is related by Ibn ‘Abbas that the Apostle passed by the People of the Veranda, and saw their poverty and their self-mortification and said: “ Rejoice! for whoever of my community perseveres in the state in which ye are, and is satisfied with his condition, he shall be one of my comrades in Paradise.” Among the Ahl-i Suffa 1 were Bildl b. Rabdh, Salmdn al-Fdrisf, Abu ‘Ubayda b. al-Jarrah, Abu ’ 1 -Yaqzan ‘Ammir b. Ydsir, ‘Abdallah b. Mas’ud al-Hudhali, his brother ‘Utba b. Mas’ud, Miqddd b. al-Aswad, Khabbdb b. al-Aratt, Suhayb b. Sindn, ‘Utba b. Ghazwdn, Zayd b. al-Khattdb, brother of the Caliph ‘Umar; Abd Kabsha, the Apostle’s client; Abu ’ 1 -Marthad Kindna b. al-Husayn al-‘Adawf; Sdlim, client of Hudhayfa al-Yamdni; ‘Ukkdsha b. Mihsan; Mas’ud b. Rabi‘ al-Fdrisf; Abd Dharr Jundab b. Junada al-Ghifdri; ‘Abdalldh b. ‘Umar; Safwdn b. Baydd; Abd Darda ‘Uwaym b. ‘Amir; Abd Lubdba b. ‘Abd al-Mundhir; and ‘Abdalldh b. Badr al-Juham’.

Shaykh Abd ‘Abd al-Rahmdn Muhammad b. al-Husayn al-Sulami, a the traditionist ( naqqdl ) of Sdfiism and transmitter of the sayings of the Sufi Shaykhs, has written a separate history of the Ahl-i Suffa, in which he has recorded their virtues and merits and names and “names of honour”. He has included among them Mistah b. Uthdtha b. ‘Abbdd, whom I dislike t ■

because he began the slanders about ‘A’isha, the Mother of the Believers. Abu Hurayra, and Thawbdn, and Mu’adh b. al-Harith, and S&’ib b. KhalMd, and Thdbit b. Wadfat, and Abu ‘Isd ‘Uwaym b. Sa’ida, and Silim b. ‘Umayr b. Thabit, and Abu ’ 1 - Yasar Ka’b b. ‘Amr, and Wahb b. Ma’qal, and ‘Abdalldh b. Unays, and Hajjdj b. ‘Umar al-Aslami belonged to the Ahl-i Suffa. Now and then they had recourse to some means of livelihood ( ta’alluq ba-sababi kardandl ), but all of them were in one and the same degree (of dignity). Verily, the generation of the Companions was the best of all generations; and they were the best and most excellent of mankind, since God bestowed on them companionship with the Apostle and preserved their hearts from blemish.