Both Of Them Are Fit For Nothing

Imaam Ghazaali’s brother was a sahib-e-kashf (he would receive Divine Inspiration). He never read his Salaah behind Imaam Ghazaali Rahmatullah ‘Alayh. The people were baffled as to why he refused to perform Salaah behind such a great person. Once, upon the insistence of some people, he joined the Salaah. However, in the middle of the Salaah, he broke his Salaah and went away. After the Salaah was completed, people asked him: “What caused you to break your Salaah and go away?”

He replied: “If a person has blood on his body to the extent of the size of his palm, will Salaah be valid behind him?” The people replied: “No!” Thus he said: “This person’s heart is drowned in the blood of Haidh.” The people related this to Imaam Ghazaali Rahmatullah ‘Alayh who replied: “Before Salaah I was writing the masaa’il of Haidh and during Salaah my mind went to the topic.”

The crowd then went to their mother and related the whole episode. Then their mother responded: “Inna Lillaahi wa inna Ilayhi Raaji’oon. Both of them are fit for nothing! The one that stood up to lead the Salaah – did he stand up to think about masaa’il of Haidh? And the one who made the intention of following him in Salaah – did he stand up in front of Allah Ta’ala or to examine the heart of the Imaam?”