Hazrat Abul Hasan Ahmad ibn Muhammad Noori al-Baghdadit by Mufti Moin Moeeni

Name/ Titles: Shaykh-ul-Mashaikh Imam-ul-Aimmah fi al-Sharia’h Ameer-ul-Quloob Hazrat Abul Hasan Ahmad ibn Muhammad Noori al-Baghdadi t

D.O.B: he was born in 840 CE

D.O.D: He passed away in 907 AD

Region: He was of Persian origin, born in Baghdad where he spent most of his life.

Synopsis: He was from the great saints of his time. Many Awliya and Soofiya paid tribute to him and gave him the title of Ameer-ul-Quloob (Leader of the Hearts). He was the Mureed (disciple) of Hazrat Sirri Saqti t and a colleague of Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi t. He spent a lot of time in the blessed company of Hazrat Ahmad Hawari t. He was given the title of Noori because light would emanate from his blessed mouth and light up the entire house. The second reason for the title Noori is that the shack in which he lived remained bright even in the darkest night due to the worship and spiritual difficulty that he was engaged in. Hazrat Abu Ahmad Maghari 6 would say, ‘I have witnessed that he exceeded Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi in Ibadah (worship).’[1]

In the initial stages of his path to Tasawwuf he would take lunch from home and on his way to the Musjid distribute the food to the poor then offer Zuhr Salah and go to his shop. He did this for twenty years and his family members thought that he has been eating lunch at the shop.[2]

Shaykh Noori t and several of his colleagues were accused of heresy. Shaykh Noori t offered to be tried before his companions. The regent at that time was impressed by such magnanimity and investigated the case further and found these Soofies to be good pious Muslims. Thus he set the accused free. Shaykh Noori t, however, was exiled to Raqqa in Syria, whence he returned some years later, much deteriorated physically.[3]

He belonged to a particular faction or certain school of thought in Tasawwuf based on which he was called Noori. His path in Tariqat was pure and he maintained a stance of refrain from concealing the truth and was to the point when it came to rectifying people. He always engaged in spiritual difficulty and in punishing his Nafs.

Hazrat Ja’far Khudri states that I heard Shaykh Abul Hasan make the following Dua; ‘Oh Allah, you will punish those who disobeyed by casting them in Jahannam, but you also have the power to fill Jahannam with my presence only and forgive the rest of the Ummah.’ Hazrat Ja’far says, that night I heard in my dream, convey my message to Abul Hasan that he is forgiven due to his immense love for the creation of Allah U. [4]

Mazar Location: Baghdad, Iraq

[1] Tazkirat ul Awliya Pg. 288 Published by Jahangeer Book Depot Lahore

[2] Tazkirat ul Awliya Pg. 288 Published by Jahangeer Book Depot Lahore

[3] Tazkirat ul Awliya Pg. 289 Published by Jahangeer Book Depot Lahore

[4] Tazkirat ul Awliya Pg. 291 Published by Jahangeer Book Depot Lahore