THE SABR, FAQR AND FUTUWWAT OF MANSUR HALLAAJ

HADHRAT HUSAIN Bin Mansur Hallaaj (rahmatullah alayh) was imprisoned and was awaiting his execution for allegedly having uttered blasphemy (kufr). Ibn Khafeef went to visit him in prison. He asked Mansur Hallaaj permission to pose three questions. When Mansur Hallaaj consented, Ibn Khafeef said: “What is the meaning of Sabr (Patience)?” Hadhrat Mansur who was shackled in chains, said: “If I gaze at these shackles, they will break and fall off.” So saying, he cast an intense look at the shackles which promptly broke and fell off. However, despite having the ability to unshackle himself with such ease, he chose that his hands and feet to be in shackles night and day.
Then he cast a gaze at the wall of the prison. The wall split open, and miraculously both Mansur and Ibn Khafeef found themselves standing on the banks of the River Dajlah (Tigris River in Iraq). Despite possessing such miraculous powers, Mansur Hallaaj remained within the prison. He never attempted to escape. He demonstrated these miraculous acts to physically explain the meaning of Sabr – to bear hardships with patience and not to seek escape from hardships with miraculous powers.

Ibn Khafeef asked: “What is Faqr (poverty)?” Hadhrat Mansur cast a gaze at a stone which immediately turned into gold. Despite having the power to convert stones miraculously into gold, he did not have a dime (cent) to buy oil for his lamp at home. By this act, he explained the meaning of genuine poverty which is self-induced, and which is not the consequence of deprivation and inability.

Ibn Khafeef then asked: “What is Futuwwat (courage)?” Hadhrat Mansur said: “Tomorrow you shall witness it.” Ibn Khafeef narrates: “That night I dreamt I was on the plains of Qiyaamah. An announcer was proclaiming: “Where is Husain Bin Mansur?” He was located and ushered into the Presence of Allah Ta’ala. It was then said: “Whoever loved you will enter Jannat, and whoever had hatred for you will enter Jahannum.”

Mansur responded (i.e. in Ibn Khafeef’s dream): “No! O My Rabb! Forgive them all.” Then in his dream he turned to me and said: “This is the meaning of futuwwat.”
Despite being shackled in thirteen chains, handcuffs and leg irons, Mansur (rahmatullah alayh) performed 1000 raka’ts daily in prison.

Source: Awake