Part of Glimpses from the Lives of the Tabi‘un (the Successors) (series completed)
· Lesson 21 of 37
Pictures from the lives of the followers | D. Abdul Rahman Raafat Al-Basha | Episode (21) | Tawus bin Kaisan, may God have mercy on him (Part 1)
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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The best of generations in their conduct and example,
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Following the Messenger whenever he strove or spoke.
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Mawaddah Association
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Presents:
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Portraits from the Lives of the Tabi'un
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By Dr. Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha,
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May Allah have mercy upon him.
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Tawus Ibn Kaysan,
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May Allah have mercy upon him.
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He was illuminated by fifty stars from among the stars of guidance,
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So splendor enveloped him and light poured upon him,
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A light in his heart and a light upon his tongue,
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And a light walking before him.
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He graduated from the school of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, under fifty of its most prominent scholars,
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Until he became a reflection of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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In the firmness of his faith and the truthfulness of his speech,
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In his disdain for the fleeting vanities of this world and his devotion to seeking the pleasure of Allah,
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And in speaking the word of truth openly,
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No matter how high the price of that word might be.
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For the Muhammadan school had taught him that the religion is sincerity:
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Sincerity to Allah, His Book, His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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And to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.
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Experience had taught him that all righteousness begins with the ruler,
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And ends with him.
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If the shepherd is righteous, the flock is righteous,
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And if he is corrupt, they are corrupt.
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That is Dhakwan Ibn Kaysan, nicknamed Tawus (the Peacock),
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A title bestowed upon him because he was the "peacock" of the scholars of fiqh,
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And the most prominent among them in his era.
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Tawus Ibn Kaysan was from the people of Yemen.
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The governorship of Yemen at that time
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Was held by Muhammad Ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the brother of al-Hajjaj Ibn Yusuf.
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Al-Hajjaj had sent him as governor there
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After his own status had grown, his power had strengthened, and his awe had intensified,
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Following his suppression of the movement of Abd Allah Ibn al-Zubayr.
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Muhammad Ibn Yusuf embodied many of the vices of his brother al-Hajjaj,
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Yet he possessed none of his virtues.
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On a cold winter morning,
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Tawus Ibn Kaysan entered upon him,
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Accompanied by Wahb Ibn Munabbih.
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When they had taken their seats before him,
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Tawus began to exhort him, encouraging him and warning him.
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People were sitting before the governor,
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And the governor said to one of his chamberlains,
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"O boy, bring a taylasan (a shawl/garment),"
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"And place it upon the shoulders of Abu Abd al-Rahman."
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The chamberlain took a precious taylasan,
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And placed it upon the shoulders of Tawus.
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Tawus continued his exhortation without pause,
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Then he began to move his shoulders deliberately,
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Until the taylasan fell from his shoulders.
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He stood up and departed.
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Muhammad Ibn Yusuf became intensely angry,
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Which showed in the redness of his eyes and the congestion of his face,
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Yet he said nothing.
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When Tawus and his companion were
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Outside the assembly,
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Wahb said to Tawus,
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"By Allah, we had no need
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To provoke his anger against us."
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"What harm would it have done you if you had accepted the taylasan from him,"
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"Then sold it and given its price in charity"
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"To the poor and the needy?"
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Tawus replied, "It is as you say,"
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"Were it not that I feared the scholars"
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"After me would say, 'We take what he took,'"
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"'Tawus took it,' and then they would not do with it"
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"What you suggest."
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When Muhammad Ibn Yusuf wanted to return
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The "stone" to Tawus from whence it came,
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He set a trap for him,
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Preparing a pouch containing 700 dinars
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Of gold, and he chose a clever man
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From his retinue and said to him,
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"Go with this pouch to Tawus"
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"Ibn Kaysan, and use every trick to make him take it."
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"If he takes it from you,"
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"I will grant you your gift, your clothing, and your proximity."
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The man left with the pouch
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Until he reached Tawus in a village
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Where he was staying near San'a,
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Called al-Jund.
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When he reached him, he greeted him and spoke kindly to him,
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And said, "O Abu Abd al-Rahman,"
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"This is a provision sent to you by the Amir."
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He replied, [refusing it].
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The man tried every trick
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To make him accept it, but he refused.
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He presented every argument, but he rejected them.
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So the man had no choice but to act deceitfully;
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In a moment of Tawus's inattention, he threw the pouch
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Into a niche in the wall of the house,
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And returned to the Amir, saying,
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"Tawus has taken the pouch, O Amir."
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Muhammad Ibn Yusuf was pleased by this.
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When several days had passed,
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He sent two of his aides,
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Accompanied by the man who had brought the pouch,
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And ordered them to say to him,
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"The Amir's messenger made a mistake,"
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"He gave you the money, but it was intended for someone else."
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"We have come to retrieve it from you"
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"And carry it to its rightful owner."
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Tawus said, "I have not taken any of the Amir's money"
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"For me to return it to him."
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They said, "Indeed, you did take it."
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He turned to the man who had brought the pouch
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And said to him, "Did I take anything from you?"
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The man was seized with panic and said,
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"No, rather I placed the money in"
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"This niche while you were inattentive."
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Tawus said, "The niche is yours,"
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"Look inside it."
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They found the pouch inside just as it was,
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With a spider having spun its web over it.
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He took it and returned with it to the Amir.
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It was as if Allah, the Almighty, wanted
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To exact retribution from Muhammad Ibn Yusuf
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For this deed of his,
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And to make his retribution visible to the people
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And in public. How did that happen?
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Tawus Ibn Kaysan narrated, saying,
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"While I was in Makkah for Hajj,"
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"Al-Hajjaj Ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi sent for me."
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"When I entered upon him, he welcomed me,"
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"And brought my seat close to his,"
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"And threw a cushion for me, inviting me to lean upon it."
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"Then he began to ask me"
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"About matters of the Hajj rituals that were unclear to him,"
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"And other things. While we were in that state,"
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"Al-Hajjaj heard a pilgrim reciting the talbiyah around the House,"
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"Raising his voice with the talbiyah,"
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"With a tone that shook hearts to their core."
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"He said, 'Bring me this pilgrim.'"
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"He was brought to him."
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"He said to him, 'Where is the man from?'"
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"He said, 'From the Muslims.'"
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"He said, 'I did not ask you about that,'"
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"'I asked you about the country.'"
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"He said, 'From the people of Yemen.'"
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"'How did you leave your governor?'"
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"Meaning his brother."
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"He said, 'I left him great and imposing,'"
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"'A wearer of fine clothes, a rider of horses,'"
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"'A collector of taxes, a man of many entrances.'"
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"He said, 'I did not ask you about this.'"
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"He said, 'What did you ask me about, then?'"
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"He said, 'I asked you about his conduct among you.'"
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"He said, 'I left him a great oppressor and tyrant,'"
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"'Obedient to the creature, disobedient to the Creator.'"
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"Al-Hajjaj's face turned red"
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"Out of shame before those sitting with him,"
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"And he said to the man,"
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"'What prompted you to say about him what you said,'"
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"'When you know his position with me?'"
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"He said, 'Do you think his position with you'"
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"'Is dearer than my position with Allah, the Almighty?'"
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"'I am a guest of His House,'"
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"'And a judge of His religion.'"
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"Al-Hajjaj fell silent and offered no reply."
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Tawus said,
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"Then the man did not delay; he stood up"
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"And departed without asking permission or being granted it."
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"I stood up in his wake and said to myself,"
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"'The man is righteous,'"
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"'Follow him and catch him before the crowds of people hide him'"
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"'From your sight.'"
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"By Allah, he came to the House and clung to its curtains,"
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"And placed his cheek against its wall,"
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"And began to say,"
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"'O Allah, in You I seek refuge, and to Your presence I flee.'"
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"'O Allah, grant me, in my reliance'"
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"'Upon Your generosity and contentment with Your guarantee,'"
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"'A refuge from the refusal of the stingy,'"
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"'And sufficiency from what is in the hands of the selfish.'"
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"'O Allah, I ask You for Your imminent relief,'"
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"'And Your ancient kindness,'"
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"'And Your good habit, O Lord of the worlds.'"
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"Then a wave of people took him,"
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"And hid him from my sight,"
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"So I became certain that there was no way to meet him after that."
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"When it was the evening of Arafah,"
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"I saw him as he was departing with the people."
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"I drew near to him, and he was saying,"
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"'O Allah, if You have not accepted my Hajj,'"
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"'And my toil and my fatigue,'"
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"'Then do not deprive me of the reward for my affliction'"
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"'Of Your refusal to accept from me.'"
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"Then he went among the people,"
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"And the darkness hid him from me."
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"When I despaired of meeting him, I said,"
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"'O Allah, accept my supplication and his supplication,'"
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"'And answer my hope and his hope,'"
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"'And make my feet and his feet firm on the day when feet shall slip,'"
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"'With him at the Basin of al-Kawthar,'"
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"'O Most Generous of the generous.'"
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And that was the last meeting with the noble Tabi'i,
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Dhakwan ibn Kaysan, known as Tawus.
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May Allah be pleased with him and grant him contentment.
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And may He make the eternal gardens his final abode.
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I have never seen anyone at all,
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like Tawus ibn Kaysan.
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'Amr ibn Dinar,
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says, when he would strive, or he said:
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They were here,
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watering the clouds of our lives.
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They passed on, and we remained.
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Their legacy rises ever higher.
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They departed, leaving behind a question in the conscience:
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Is there anyone like them,
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a star that rose and shimmered?
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They filled life with noble deeds,
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through their actions,
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and the world of the self flourished because of them.