ख्वाजा बायजीद बास्तामी साहब

Bayazid Bustami, also known as Abu Yazid Bistami or Tayfur Abu Yazid al-Bustami, (804-877 AD) was a Persian Sufi born in Bastam, Iran.

The name Bastami means "from the city of Bastam". Not much is known of his childhood, but Bayazid spent most of his time in isolation in his house and the mosque. Although he remained in isolation, he did not isolate himself from the company of Sufis. He welcomed people into his house to discuss Sufism. Bayazid also led a life of mysticism and asceticism and renounced all worldly pleasures in order to be one with God. Ultimately, this led Bayazid to a state of "self anhiliation", which, according to Sufism, is the only state a person could be in order to be closest with God. Bayazid became known as the first "intoxicated" Sufi because of the openness of his expressions he felt towards God (shatahat). Bayazid is regarded as being one of the most influential mystics of his period.

Bayazid Bastami emphasized the importance of ecstasy, referred to in his words as drunkenness (sukr or wajd), a means of self-annihilation in the Divine Presence. Before him, Sufism was mainly based on piety and obedience and he played a major role in placing the concept of divine love at the core of Sufism.

Bastami was one of the first to speak of "annihilation of the self in God" (fana fi 'Allah') and "subsistence through God" (baqa' bi 'Allah). The "annihilation of the self" (fana fi 'Allah') refers to disregarding everything in this world because of one's love towards God. When a person enters the state of fana it is believed that one is closest to God. His paradoxical sayings gained a wide circulation and soon exerted a captivating influence over the minds of students who aspired to understand the meaning of the wahdat al-wujud, Unity of Being.
When Bayazid died he was over seventy years old. Before he died, someone asked him his age. He said: "I am four years old. For seventy years I was veiled. I got rid of my veils only four years ago.”

One day, a heavenly voice reverberated through the sky to real lover of God, Bayazid Bustami. He heard the ethereal voice saying this, “What you desire, you ask for it, your wish will be fulfilled.” Bayazid was genuine lover of God and did not desire anything except the divine vision of God. He said with humility after bowing his head,”Whatever God wants to give me as per His desire is acceptable to me and I will be indebted to Him for His favour.”

That heavenly voice said,” I am very happy with you and grant you both the worlds. We grant you both material and eternal world everything between them. Bayazid was interested in gifts but the Giver of gifts, said,”My God, the giver of everything, knows the desire of my heart.” That heavenly voice echoed,”Bayazid, you ask us from us. If we ask you from you, then ?”

Bayazid understood that this is the voice of his beloved. He cried with ecstasy, “O my beloved, I speak truth with my heart that if you ask me to jump in hell on the judgement day, I will willingly do so. My cold sigh for you will dampen the fire of hell, because I know that fire of hell is just like fire of extinguished coal in front of fire of your love.”

Bayazid could not finish his speech and the heavenly voice said, “Bayazid, we promise that you will really witness us when you search for us.”

Bayazid memorable quotations:

I never saw any lamp shining more brilliantly than the lamp of silence.

I went to a wilderness, love had rained and had covered earth, as feet penetrate snow, I found my feet covered with love.

I stood with the pious and I didn’t find any progress with them. I stood with the warriors in the cause and I didn’t find a single step of progress with them. Then I said, ‘O Allah, what is the way to You?’ and Allah said, ‘Leave yourself and come.’