Tuhfah

“Once I went to a clinic. I saw a young girl tied in chains. She was crying and reciting love poems. I asked the guard about her. He informed me that she is mad. Upon hearing this, she cried out even louder and said: ‘I am not mad, I am an ‘ashiq (lover).’

I asked her: ‘Whose lover are you?’
She replied: ‘I love the one who has given us all these bounties and who is present with us all the time.’ That is, Allah.

In the meantime her master came and asked: ‘Where is Tuhfah?’
The guard replied: ‘She is inside and Hadrat Suri is with her.’

He entered and showed me great respect. I said to him: ‘This girl is worthy of more respect than me. Why have you reduced her to such a state?’

He replied: ‘All my wealth has been spent on her. I purchased her for 20 000 dirhams thinking that I will be able to sell her at a big profit. But she does not eat anything, does not drink anything; the only thing that she does is cry all day.’

I said to him: ‘Sell her to me.’
He replied: ‘You are a poor person, how will you pay for her?’

I went home and made an earnest du‘a to Allah. After a little while, a person knocked on my door. When I opened the door, I saw a person standing there with many purses of money in his hand.

I asked him: ‘Who are you?’
He replied: ‘I am Ahmad bin al-Muthanna. In a dream I was ordered to come and give you this money.’

The following morning I went to the clinic. Co-incidentally, I saw the master crying. I told him not to be sad because I have brought the money. Even if he asks for double the amount, I will give it to him.

He replied: ‘Even if I get the entire world I will not sell her. I am freeing her for the sake of Allah.’

I asked him: ‘What’s this all about?’
He replied: ‘I saw in a dream that Allah is displeased with me. You be a witness that I have left all my wealth in the path of Allah.’

When I turned, I saw Ahmad bin al-Muthanna crying as well. I asked him: ‘What’s the matter with you?’
He replied: ‘I am also giving all my wealth as charity in the path of Allah.’

I said: ‘Glory be to Allah! It is the barakah of Tuhfah that these persons have been guided.’

Tuhfah got up crying from there and went out. We followed her but after a little while lost track of her. We all went towards Makkah. Ahmad al-Muthanna passed away on the way.

The master and I reached Makkah. While making tawaf, I heard a fearful sound. I went near the person and asked: ‘Who are you?’
The person replied: ‘Glory be to Allah! Have you forgotten? I am Tuhfah.’

I asked her: ‘What did you receive?’
She replied: ‘I have attached my heart to myself and separated it from others.’

I said to her: ‘Ahmad bin al-Muthanna has passed away.’
She replied: ‘He has received high stages.’

I said to her: ‘Your master is also with me.’
She said something silently and when I looked carefully, I saw that she was dead.

When the master saw this condition of hers, he fell down powerless. When I shook him, I saw that he was also dead. I enshrouded both of them and buried them.”

Lesson

Glory be to Allah! How intense her love for Allah was! O women! You should also have this desire. My shaykh, Haji Imdadullah Sahib Muhajir Makki, has written this incident in his book Tuhfatul ‘Ushshaq in greater detail.