Pious predecessors(Akabireen) of islam.

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Continue Awais Qarni ra.....

Hazrat Umer & Hazrat Ali (RA), went to Qarn to look for Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه).


Once the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him), while speaking to Sahaba-Ikram (companions), said: “There is a person in my Ummah (followers) whose prayers would bring forgiveness to as many sinners as the number of hair of the sheep in the tribes of Rabia and Mazar.”

The two tribes were well known for raising sheep during the time of the Holy Prophet. The disclosure made the Sahaba-Ikram very curious. They asked the Holy Prophet about the name of that person and the place he lived in. The Holy Prophet first hesitated, but on their insistence told them the name of a person who lived in Qarn, Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه).

The Holy Prophet continued: “On the Day of Judgment, Awais would be accompanied to paradise by 70,000 angels who’d resemble him.” The reason the Holy Prophet gave for this was: “Since Awais prayed all his life in seclusion so as not to be noticed, Allah would also keep his purdah (cover).”

When people asked the Holy Prophet whether Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه) had even come to see him, he said: “No, he never saw me, but he has the privilege of seeing me through Kashf (spiritual revelation), and he has reasons for not being able to see me. He is the only one to take care of his blind mother.”

Again Sahaba-Ikram asked if they could see him, to which the Holy Prophet saww replied: “No, only Umer bin Khattab and Ali would meet him, and his identification is — he has thick hair all over his body, and a white patch on his left hand.” He directed Umer and Ali peace be upon them : “When you see him, convey to him my salaam (greetings) and ask him to pray for my Ummah.”

“And who’d be the right person to receive your Abaya (the cloak the Holy Prophet used over his clothes) after you leave the world?” the Sahaba asked.

“Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه),” said the Holy Prophet saww:

When the Holy Prophet left the world and Umer ra became the caliph, he, along with Ali ra went to Qarn to look for Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه). No one knew about him. However, the people of Qarn told them that outside the town there lived an insane person who laughed at the crying people and cried for those who laughed. When Umer ra and Ali ra reached there they saw a person praying amidst the grazing sheep. When he finished his prayers, he saw the visitors and said: “It is the first time anyone has ever seen me praying..”

“What’s your name?” Umer ra and Ali ra asked.

“Abdullah (the servant of Allah).”

“Tell us your real name?”

“Awais.”

“Show us your hand,” Umer and Ali peace be upon them both immediately kissed the white patch the Holy Prophet had talked about. Then they presented to him the holy dress and asked him to pray for the Ummah as directed by the Holy Prophet saww.

Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه) took the dress and stepped away to offer prayers: “O Allah, unless you forgive the sins of the followers of the Holy Prophet I won’t wear his dress.” Then they heard a voice: “I’ve forgiven some of them.” All of a sudden came in front of him Hazrat Umer and Hazrat Ali. “Why did you come in front of me? Unless I had sought Allah’s forgiveness for the entire Ummah I would not stop my prayers.” Then he donned the Abaya of the Holy Prophet saww and disclosed that Allah had forgiven the number of people equivalent to the hair of the sheep of the Rabia and Mazar tribes.

Afterwards, Umer ra asked him why he didn’t receive the honour of seeing the Holy Prophet saww. In response to this Awais(رضى الله عنه) asked them to tell whether the brows of the Holy Prophet were wide or dense? Both Sahabas could not answer the question. Then he asked another question: “Which tooth of the Prophet was martyred in the battle of Uhad? Why didn’t you break all your teeth for the love of your Prophet?” Saying this, he showed his toothless mouth. “When I broke my first tooth I thought it might be the other one. Then I broke the other one. Still I was not satisfied. When I had broken all my teeth only then I received some relief..”

Seeing so much devotion to the Holy Prophet and his extraordinary Tasawwaf, Umer ra wished to give up his Khilafat and adopt the ways of Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه). Sensing his thought, Awais(رضى الله عنه) said, “You should have given up Khilafat for anyone else, and dedicated yourself entirely to Allah.”

Umer ra asked him for some advice. “O Umer, you recognize Allah and there is nothing better than the sense that no one recongizes you but Allah.” Then he thanked them for taking all the trouble to come and see him. Very much impressed, Umer ra and Ali ra returned home filled with great regard for Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه)

Soon after that, the people of Qarn came to know about his spiritual excellence and they started regarding him as a great saint of Allah. Since he didn’t like to be known as a saint, he left for Kufa where, while fighting for Ali ra in the battle of Safain, he was martyred.
Ali ibn Usman al Hujwiri writes in his book, Kashf-ol Mahjub:

Uwaiys(رضى الله عنه) is like the sun to the Ummah, and the candle of religion.Uwaiys Karani is one of the great teachers who lived during the time of the Prophet but did not physically see the Prophet for two reasons. First, he was in the state of Divine ecstasy and rapture, and second, he was caring for his aged mother. The Prophet (asws) said to his devotees, "There is a man in Gharan whose name is Uwaiys. At the day of Resurrection he shall intercede for my people to as many as the number of sheep of the Rabia and Muzzer tribes." (These two tribes had the largest herd of sheep during that time.) Then the Prophet turned to Umer ra and Ali ra and said, "You will see him and recognize him; he is a firm, thin man, of medium height and there is a white scar the size of a coin on the palm of his hand but it is not leprosy. When you see him, give him my greetings and ask him to pray for my Ummah, my people."

Invocation of Uwais al Qarni(رضى الله عنه) (دعاء أويس القرني):

اللهم خلقتني ولم أك شيئا مذكورا، ورزقتني ولم أملك شيئا، وظلمت نفسي وارتكبت المعاصي وأنا مقرّ بذنبي، إن غفرت لي فلا ينقص من ملكك، وإن تعذبني فلا يزيد في سلطانك، وإنك تجد من تعذبه غيري وأنا لا أجد من يغفر لي إلا أنت، إنك أنت أرحم الراحمين


Translation of the Invocation of Uwais al-Qarni:

"O Allah, You created me when I was not worthy of mention;
And You provided for me when I had nothing;
And I wronged my soul and sinned, and I confess my guilt.
If You forgive me, that will in no way diminish Your sovereignty;
And if You punish me, that will in no way augment Your authority.
You can find others to punish besides me,
But I can find no one to forgive me but You.
Truly, You are the most merciful of those who show mercy.."

Description of Owais Qarni (رضى الله عنه) in Sahih Muslim

Here I am quoting 3 Ahadith related to Hazrat Owais Qarni (رضى الله عنه) from Sahih Muslim:

'Umar b. Khattab reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Worthy amongst the successors would be a person who would be called Uwais. He would have his mother (living with him) and he would have (a small) sign of leprosy. Ask him to beg pardon for you (from Allah). (Muslim :: Book 31 : Hadith 6171)

Usair b. Jabir reported that a delegation from Kufa came to 'Umar and there was a person amongst them who jeered at Uwais. Thereupon Umar ra said: Is there amongst us one from Qaran? That person came and Umar said: Verily Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) has said: There would come to you a person from Yemen who would be called Uwais and he would leave none in Yemen (behind him) except his mother, and he would have the whiteness (due to leprosy) and he supplicated Allah and it was cured except for the size of a dinar or dirham. He who amongst you meets him should ask him to supplicate for forgiveness (from Allah) for you. (Muslim :: Book 31 : Hadith 6170)

Usair b. Jabir ra reported that when people from Yemen came to help (the Muslim army at the time of jihad) he asked them: Is there amongst you Uwais b. 'Amir? (He continued finding him out) until he met Uwais.
He said: Are you Uwais b., Amir? He said: Yes. He said: Are you from the tribe of Qaran? He said: Yes.
He (Hadrat) 'Umar (again) said: Did you suffer from leprosy and then you were cured from it but for the space of a dirham? He said: Yes. He ('Umar) said: Is your mother (living)? He said: Yes. He ('Umar) said: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: There would come to you Uwais b. Amir with the reinforcement from the people of Yemen. (He would be) from Qaran, (the branch) of Murid. He had been suffering from leprosy from which he was cured but for a spot of a dirham. His treatment with his mother would have been excellent. If he were to take an oath in the name of Allah, He would honour that. And if it is possible for you, then do ask him to beg forgiveness for you (from your Lord). So he (Uwais) begged forgiveness for him. Umar said: Where do you intend to go? He said: To Kufa. He ('Umar) said: Let me write a letter for you to its governor, whereupon he (Uwais) said: I love to live amongst the poor people.

Aug 18 When it was the next year, a person from among the elite (of Kufa) performed Hajj and he met Umar. He asked him about Uwais. He said: I left him in a state with meagre means of sustenance.*

(Thereupon) Umar said: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There would come to you Uwais b. 'Amir, of Qaran, a branch (of the tribe) of Murid, along with the reinforcement of the people of Yemen.
He had been suffering from leprosy which would have been cured but for the space of a dirham. His treatment with his mother would have been very kind. If he would take an oath in the name of Allah (for something) He would honour it. Ask him to beg forgiveness for you (from Allah) in case it is possible for you. So he came to Uwais and said.: Beg forgiveness (from Allah) for me. He (Uwais) said: You have just come from a sacred journey (Hajj) ; you, therefore, ask forgiveness for me. He (the person who had performed Hajj) said: Ask forgiveness for me (from Allah). He (Uwais again) said: You have just come from the sacred journey, so you ask forgiveness for me. (Uwais further) said: Did you meet Umar? He said: Yes. He (Uwais) then begged forgiveness for him (from Allah). So the people came to know about (the status of religious piety) of Uwais. He went away (from that place). Usair said: His clothing consisted of a mantle, and whosoever saw him said: From where did Uwais get this mantle? (Muslim :: Book 31 : Hadith 6172)

Conclusion:-

Awais Qarni(رضى الله عنه) always considered worldly life a temporary sojourn and often said, “Sleep with the remembrance of death, and rise with the thought that you will not live long.” He received spiritual training directly from the Holy Prophet. Often the Holy Prophet said: “Awais is the best amongst Ta’beens (the successors of the companions of the Holy Prophet).” May Allah be pleased with him.
(Ameen)

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http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7GdARBjbdXw&feature=youtu.be

Story of Abdullah ibn Hudhaifa ra and a roman emporer.

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Umar Bin Abdul Aziz (The 5th righteous guided Caliph).

*Umar bin Abdul Aziz*was the fifth*caliph*among Khulafa-ar-Rashedeen (the truly guided*caliphs). He is also identified as Khalifa ar-Saleh which means the gifted or real*caliph. According to many Muslim scholars the Khulafa ar Rashideen are five: Abu Bakr RA, Umar bin Khatab RA, Usman RA, Ali RA and*Umar bin Abdul Aziz.

Umar bin Abdul Aziz*was born in 62 A.H. He was the son of Abdul Aziz who was the Governor of Egypt. His mother was grand daughter of Umar bin Khatab R.A. His father was supposed to succeed Abdul Malik as*caliph*but died in Abdul Malik’s lifetime and so he did not become the*caliph.

Umar bin Abdul Aziz*had a scar on his face as a horse had kicked him when he was a child. Umar bin Khatab RA was used to say that his descanted would appear with a scar on his face and he would fill the earth with justice and righteousness. That was why when the horse kicked*Umar bin Abdul Aziz*and he began to bleed, his father continued to mop his face and said

“If you are the one spoken about the scar, you are fortunate.”

Before this some people used to say that the world would not come to an end as long as Umar’s ideal*caliph*had not become the ruler yet.

Umar bin Abdul Aziz*was sent to Madina in his childhood where he spent his life in the company of* learned legal scholars of the city. He gained knowledge of spirituality from them. He had such a high status in knowledge and virtue that had he not been the*caliph*he would have been counted among the religious scholars and been recognized as a great imam.

Zaid bin Aslam narrated: *“After the Prophet P.B.U.H we have never performed our salat (obligatory prayers) in a way that resembled the Prophet’s salat except the salat we made behind*Umar bin Abdul Aziz.”

Before becoming*caliph*Umar bin Abdul Aziz*wore showy clothes. However, after becoming*caliph*he adopted a poor man’s life style in all aspects. Maimoon bin Mehran says that “many well known scholars used to live in his company as students”.* Mujhahid says that “we visited*Umar bin Abdul Aziz*with the intention that he would learn something from us but after coming from him we had much to learn from him”.

After the death of his father, Abdul bin Marwan called him to Damascus and married his daughter Fatima to him. When Waleed became*caliph, he placed*Umar bin Abdul Aziz*as the governor of Madina who remained in power from 86 A.H. to 93 A.H. He performed Hajj several times as the leader of pilgrimage. During his period of govern-ship of Madina, all the scholars and leaned Muslims used to gather around him. He made a council of legal scholars there and used to arrange the affairs of expeditions with their consultations.

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Umar bin Abdul Aziz continue...

Hazrath Umar bin Abdul Aziz is popularly acknowledged as “Al-Khalifat-us-Saleh” (The pious Caliph) or “Al-Khalifa Al Khamis” (The fifth righteously guided Caliph). He was the son of Abdul Aziz (Governor of Egypt) and Umm-i-Aasim (grand-daughter of the Caliph, Hazrath Umar RA). Born in 63 A.H. (682 A.D.) in Halwan, a village of Egypt and pursued education in Medina under the auspices of his maternal uncle, Abdullah Ibn Umar. Student life in Medina, renowned as the pinnacle of learning in Islamic world at the time, was immensely instrumental in moulding his life on every aspects of Islamic code. Umar bin Abdul Aziz married Fatima, daughter of his uncle, Caliph Abdul Malik.

Appointment as Caliph

In 706 AD, he was appointed as the Governor of Medina by Caliph Waleed. The Umayyad Caliph, Sulaiman Bin Abdul Malik nominated Umar Bin Abdul Aziz as his successor. On his death, the mantle of Caliphate fell upon Umar Bin Abdul Aziz who reluctantly accepted it. *Relinquishing all pomp and pageantry, the pious Caliph returned the royal charger, refused security and deposited the entire Caliphate equipment in the Bait-ul-Maal (Government Exchequer) thereby shunning the entitled luxury. He longed for commoner life and preferred to abode in a small tent. Upon being queried about his downheartedness, the Caliph responded, “Is it not a thing to worry about? I have been entrusted with the welfare of such a vast empire and I would be failing in my duty if I did not rush to the help of a deprived person.” Thereafter, he ascended the pulpit and delivered a masterly sermon mentioning, “Brothers! I have been burdened with the responsibilities of the Caliphate against my will. You are at liberty to elect anyone whom you like.” But the audience unanimously cried out with one voice that he was the paramount personality for the esteemed high office. Thereupon the pious Caliph advised his people to observe steadfastness on the path of piety. He empowered his subjects to withdraw their oath of allegiance to him, if he ever wavered from the path of ALLAH SWT.

Administration

Umar Bin Abdul Aziz was a competent administrator, well versed in his obligation towards this world and the Hereafter. He was extremely hard working and seldom enjoyed rest. His rule was envisioned based on Caliph Umar’s administration model. According to Imam Sufian Thauri, there are five pious Caliphs namely Abu Bakr, Umar Farooq, Uthman, Ali and Umar Bin Abdul Aziz.

Though his rule was brief, it is eminent for reinstallation of* *democratic process which was left in the lurch by his predecessors. He replaced corrupt and tyrannical Umayyad administrators with accomplished and just ones. The primary act post assumption of office was restoration of the properties confiscated by the Umayyads to their rightful owners. He was hardly free from the burial ceremonies of Caliph Sulaiman and wished to take a short respite. His son reminded him whether if he would rest before dealing with cases pertaining to confiscated properties. He replied, “Yes, I would deal with these after taking rest.” “Are you sure, that you would live up to that time?” asked the son. The father kissed his dear son and thanked Allah SWT for blessing him with a virtuous son. He immediately dealt with the matter. He surrendered all his movable and immovable properties to the public treasury including a ring presented to him by Caliph Waleed. His faithful slave, Mazahim was deeply moved at this uncommon sight and asked, “Sir, what have you left for your children?” “ALLAH”, was the reply. SUBHANALLAH !!

Public Works Department

The public welfare institutions received greater stimulus. Thousands of public wells and inns were constructed throughout the expanse of vast empire. Charitable dispensaries were established. Government funded travelling expenses for the destitute travelers.

Crisis handling

The house of Umayyads, accustomed to luxuries at the expense of the common man, revolted against the revolutionary decree of the Caliph and bitterly protested against the disposal of their age-long properties.

To diffuse the crisis, the Caliph invited some prominent members of the House of Umayyads for dinner and advised his cook to delay meal preparation. As the guests were groaning with hunger, the Caliph ordered his cook to hurry up. At the same time he asked his men to bring some parched gram which he himself as well as his guests ate to their fill. Minutes later, dinner was served and the guests refused saying that they had satisfied their appetite. Thereupon the pious Caliph spoke out, “Brothers! when you can satisfy your appetite with a simple diet, then why do you play with fire and usurp the properties and rights of other.” These words pierced the conscience of the nobles of the House of Umayyads, rendering them to tears.

Compassion towards the poor

Once his wife witnessed him weeping after his prayers; she inquired reason for his grief; he replied: “O! Fatima ! I have been appointed as the ruler of Muslims and I am concerned about the poor that are starving, the sick that are destitute, the naked that are in distress, the oppressed that are stricken, the strangers *that are in prison, the venerable elders, one with a large family and modest means, and the likes of them in countries of the earth and the distant provinces, and I anticipate that my Lord would hold me accountable for them on the Day of Resurrection, and I fear that no defense would avail me, and I wept.”

*Benevolence

His promising son, Abdul Malik, advised his father to be severe in introducing his beneficial reforms. The wise father responded, “My beloved son, your proposal can be realized only by sword, but there is no good in a reform that necessitates the use of the sword.”

A*Guest house for underprivileged was constructed from the funds of Bait-ul-Maal. His servant burned the firewood of this guest house to heat water for his ablution. He forthwith replaced the same quantity of firewood. On another occasion, he refused to use the water heated from the State charcoal. Umar Bin Abdul Aziz never dwelled in the Khansara’s government palatial buildings and instead chose to camp in the open.

Austerity

Umar Bin Abdul Aziz was a loving father but he never pampered his children with luxuries and comforts. Once he sought audience with his favorite daughter, Amina but she could not appear as she was improperly dressed. Her aunt came to know of it and purchased necessary garments for his children.

*He never accepted any presents from anyone. Once, a person presented a basket full of apples. The Caliph appreciated the apples but refused to accept them. The Caliph clarified his stance, “No doubt, those were presents for the Prophet, but for me this will be bribery.”

*End

A slave of the Caliph was bribed to administer the deadly poison. The Caliph having felt the effect of the poison, detained the slave and questioned the rationale for his action. The slave replied that he was given one thousand dinars to accomplish the task. The Caliph deposited the amount in the public Treasury, acquitted the slave and advised him to abscond from the place immediately, lest anyone might kill him. Thus, he breath last in 719 A.D. at a youthful age of 36 at the place called Dair Siman (The convent of Siman) near Hams.

Umar Bin Abdul Aziz was one of the noblest souls that ever subsist in this world. His martyrdom plunged the Islamic world into gloom. It was a day of national mourning: the populace of the small town came out to pay their last homage to the departed leader. He was buried in Dair Siman on a piece of land he had purchased from a Christian.*He reportedly left behind only 17 dinars with a will that out of this amount, the rent of the house in which he died and the price of the land in which he was buried would be paid.

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When Umar bin Abdul Azeez (ra) passed away. One of his relatives asked his wife to change his cloths to better ones. But when he came back the wife hadn't changed his cloths. He repeated the instruction to change the clothes. Still the wife didn't do anything, then He became angry, then Umar bin Abdul Azeez's wife said, 'By Allah this is the only cloth that he possess.'**Just imagine, this is the Khalifa we are talking about. Within just over 2 years of his rule, there was so much Barakah, that it was difficult to find poor people to give Zakat.


Once Khaleefa Umar bin abdul azeez RA family didn't had money to spend for Eid. The children demanded new clothes, his wife suggested to borrow a month's wazeefa (salary) in advance. The khaleefa requested the treasurer of baitul maal to give a month's salary in advance. The treasure replied "give me in writing the assurance that you shall live for on extra month". The khaleefa returned and children wore washed clothes for the eid. After leading the eid prayers when the khaleefa returned, he saw the whole family covering their mouths with clothes. When asked they the servant said, we had our bread with raw onion.*

Umar Bin Abdul Aziz, the celebrated Umayyad Caliph whose empire stretched from the shores of the Atlantic to the highlands of Pamir, was sitting in his private chamber examining a pile of State documents. The dim light of the room was adding to the serenity and sombreness of the place and the Caliph could scarcely feel the arrival of his wife, Fatima, till she addressed him, "Sire! Will you spare a few moments for me? I want to discuss a private matter with you." "Of course", replied the pious Caliph, raising his head from the papers, "But, please put off this State lamp and light your own, as I do not want to burn the State oil for private talk."

The obedient wife, who was the daughter of Abdul Malik, the mighty Umayyad Caliph and the sister of two successive Umayyad Caliphs, Waleed and Sulaiman, complied accordingly.

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Islam in china and Saad bin Abi waqas ra:

The ‘Great Mosque of Guangzhou’ is also known as Huaisheng Mosque which means ‘Remember the Sage’ (A Memorial Mosque to the Prophet) and is also popularly called the ‘Guangta Mosque’ which translates as ‘The Beacon Tower Mosque’. Huaisheng Mosque is located on Guantgta Road (Light Pagoda Road) which runs eastwards off Renmin Zhonglu.

Prior to 500 CE and hence before the establishment of Islam, Arab seafarers had established trade relations with the “Middle Kingdom” (China). Arab ships bravely set off from Basra at the tip of the Arabian Gulf and also from the town of Qays (Siraf) in the Persian Gulf. They sailed the Indian Ocean passing Sarandip (Sri Lanka) and navigated their way through the Straits of Malacca which were between the Sumatran and Malaysian peninsulas en route to the South China Sea. They established trading posts on the southeastern coastal ports of Quanzhou and Guangzhou. Some Arabs had already settled in China and probably embraced Islam when the first Muslim deputation arrived, as their families and friends back in Arabia, had already embraced Islam during the Prophet’s revelation (610-32).

Guangzhou is called Khanfu by the Arabs who later set up a Muslim quarter which became a centre of commerce. Guangzhou’s superior geographical position made it play an important role as the oldest trading and international port city in China. Witnessing a series of historical events, China has become a significant place in history and one of the fastest growing regions in the world enjoying unprecedented prosperity.

Whilst an Islamic state was founded by Prophet Muhammad, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, China was enduring a period of unification and defense. Early Chinese annals mentioned Muslim Arabs and called their kingdom al-Medina (of Arabia). Islam in Chinese is called “Yisilan Jiao” (meaning “Pure Religion”). A Chinese official once described Mecca as being the birthplace of Buddha Ma-hia-wu (i.e. Prophet Muhammad).

There are several historical versions relating to the advent of Islam in China. Some records claim Muslims first arrived in China in two groups within as many months from Abyssinia (Ethiopia).

Ethiopia was the land where some early Muslims first fled in fear from the persecution of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca. Among that group of refugees were one of Prophet Muhammad’s daughters Ruqayya, her husband Uthman ibn Affan, Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas and many other prominent Companions who migrated on the advice of the Prophet. They were successfully granted political asylum by the Abyssinian King Atsmaha Negus in the city of Axum (c.615 CE).

However, some Companions never returned to Arabia. They may have traveled on in the hope of earning their livelihood elsewhere and may have eventually reached China by land or sea during the Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE). Some records relate that Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas and three other Companions sailed to China in c.616 CE from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) with the backing of the king of Abyssinia. Sad then returned to Arabia, bringing a copy of the Holy Quran back to Guangzhou some 21 years later, which appropriately coincides with the account of Liu Chih who wrote “The Life of the Prophet” (12 vols).

One of the Companions who lived in China is believed to have died in c.635 CE and was buried in the western urban part of Hami. His tomb is known as “Geys’ Mazars” and is revered by many in the surrounding region. It is in the northwestern autonomous province of Xingjian (Sinkiang) and about 400 miles east of the latter’s capital, Urumqi. Xingjian is four times the size of Japan, shares its international border with eight different nations and is home to the largest indigenous group of Turkic-speaking Uyghurs. Hence, as well as being the largest Islamized area of China, Xingjian is also of strategic importance geographically.

The Quran states in unequivocal words that Muhammad was sent only as a Mercy from God to all peoples (21:107), and in another verse:

“We have not sent thee but as a Mercy to all Mankind…” (34:28)

This universality of Islam facilitated its acceptance by people from all races and nations and is amply demonstrated in China where the indigenous population, of ethnic varieties of Chinese Muslims today is greater than the population of many Arab countries including that of Saudi Arabia.

The history of Huaisheng Mosque represents centuries of Islamic culture dating right back to the mid-seventh century during the T’ang Dynasty (618-907) - “the golden age of Chinese history”. It was in this period, eighteen years after the death of the Prophet, that Islam - the last of the three monotheistic religions - was first introduced to China by the third Caliph, Uthman Ibn ‘Affan (644-656 CE/23-35 AH ).

Uthman was one of the first to embrace Islam and memorize the Holy Quran. He possessed a mild and gentle nature and he married Ruqayyah and following her death, Umm Kulthum (both were daughters of the Prophet). Consequently he was given the epithet of ‘Dhu-n-Nurayn’ (the one with the two lights). Uthman was highly praised for safeguarding the manuscripts of the Quran against disputes by ordering its compilation from the memories of the Companions and sending copies to the four corners of the Islamic Empire.

Uthman sent a delegation to China led by Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas (d. 674 CE/55 AH) who was a much loved maternal uncle of the Prophet and one of the most famous Companions who converted to Islam at the age of just seventeen. He was a veteran of all the battles and one of the ten who it is reported that the Prophet said were assured a place in paradise.

In Medina, Sad, using his ability in architecture added an Iwan (an arched hall used by a Persian Emperor) as a worship area. He later laid the foundation of what was to be the first Mosque in China where early Islamic architecture forged a relationship with Chinese architecture.

According to the ancient historical records of the T’ang Dynasty, an emissary from the kingdom of al-Medina led by Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas and his deputation of Companions, who sailed on a special envoy to China in c.650 CE, via the Indian Ocean and the China Sea to the famous port of Guangzhou, thence traveled overland to Chang’an (present day Xi’an) via what was later known as the “Silk Route”.

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Saad ra and his deputation brought presents and were warmly received at the royal court by the T’ang Emperor Kao-tsung, (r. 650-683) in c.651 CE, despite a recent plea of support against the Arabs forwarded to the Emperor in that same year by Shah Peroz (the ruler of Sassanid Persia). The latter was a son of Yazdegerd who, along with the Byzantines, already had based their embassies in China over a decade earlier. Together they were the two great powers of the west. A similar plea made to Emperor Tai Tsung (r.627-649) against the simultaneous spread of Muslim forces was refused.

First news of Islam had already reached the T’ang royal court during the reign of Emperor Tai Tsung when he was informed by an embassy of the Sassanid king of Persia, as well as the Byzantiums of the emergence of the Islamic rule. Both sought protection from the might of China. Nevertheless, the second year of Kao-tsung’s reign marks the first official visit by a Muslim ambassador.

The emperor, after making enquiries about Islam, gave general approval to the new religion which he considered to be compatible with the teachings of Confucius. But he felt that the five daily canonical prayers and a month of fasting were requirements too severe for his taste and he did not convert. He allowed Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas and his delegation freedom to propagate their faith and expressed his admiration for Islam which consequently gained a firm foothold in the country.

Sad later settled in Guangzhou and built the Huaisheng Mosque which was an important event in the history of Islam in China. It is reputedly the oldest surviving mosque in the whole of China and is over 1300 years old. It survived through several historical events which inevitably took place outside its door step. This mosque still stands in excellent condition in modern Guangzhou after repairs and restorations.

Its contemporary Da Qingzhen Si (Great Mosque) of Chang’an (present day Xi’an) in Shaanxi Province was founded in c.742 CE. It is the largest (12,000 sq metres) and the best early mosque in China and it has been beautifully preserved as it expanded over the centuries. The present layout was constructed by the Ming Dynasty in c.1392 CE, a century before the fall of Granada, under its (ostensible) founder Hajj Zheng He who has a stone tablet at the mosque in commemoration of his generous support, which was provided by the grateful Emperor.

A fine model of the Great Mosque with all its surrounding walls and the magnificent, elegant appearance of its pavilions and courtyards can be seen at the Hong Kong Museum placed gracefully besides the model of the Huaisheng Mosque. I was fortunate to visit the real mosque last year during Asr prayer, after which I met the Imam who showed me an old handwritten Quran and presented me with a white cap.

Walking to the prayer hall is like sleepwalking through an oriental oasis confined in a city forbidden for the impure. A dragon symbol is engraved at the footstep of the entrance opposite the prayer hall demonstrating the meeting between Islam and the Chinese civilisation. All in all it is a dazzling encounter of the architecture of Oriental China with that of the indigenous fashionable taste of Harun ar-Rashid (147-194 AH/764-809 CE) of Baghdad - a newly founded city that was to become the greatest between Constantinople and China, fifty years after the time of Harun.

The Sheng-You Si (Mosque of the Holy Friend), also known as the Qingjing Si (Mosque of Purity) and Al-Sahabah Mosque (Mosque of Companions), was built with pure granite in 1009 CE during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Its architectural design and style was modeled on the Great Mosque of Damascus (709-15) in Syria thus making the pair the oldest extant Mosques to survive (in original form) into the twenty-first century.

Qingjing Mosque is located at “Madinat al-Zaytun” (Quanzhou) or, in English, “City of Olives” in Fujian Province, where also two Companions of the Prophet who accompanied Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas’s envoy to China are buried. They are known to the locals by their Chinese names of “Sa-Ke-Zu and Wu-Ku-Su”.

Zhen-Jiao Si (Mosque of the True Religion), also known as Feng-Huang Si (the Phoenix Mosque) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, is believed to date back from the Tang Dynasty. It has a multi-storied portal, serving as a minaret and a platform for observing the moon. The Mosque has a long history and it has been rebuilt and renovated on a number of occasions over the centuries. It is much smaller than it used to be, especially with the widening of the road in 1929, and it was partly rebuilt in 1953.

The other ancient Mosque is located in the city of Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, once the busiest city of trade and commerce during the Song Dynasty (960-1280). Xian-He Si (Mosque of Immortal Crane) is the oldest and largest in the city and was built in c.1275CE by Pu-ha-din, a Muslim preacher who was a sixteenth-generation descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

According to Chinese Muslim historians, Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas died in Guangzhou where he is believed to be buried. However Arab scholars differ, stating that Sad died and was buried in Medina amongst other Companions. One grave definitely exists, while the other is symbolic, God only knows whether it is in China or Medina. As one can see, the spread of Islam in China was indeed a peaceful one. The first envoy reached the southeast via the Zhu Jiang (The Pearl River) and was later followed by contact via an overland route from the northwest. Muslim communities are present over a wide geographical area in China today, including some in the remote places of Tibet, where I once met Tibetan Muslims in the middle of nowhere, while on a trek.

From*http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/488/

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Old masjid Guangzhou.