al-Qasim ibn `Uthman al-Ju`i (d. 248)

One of the great saints of Damascus whotook hadith from Sufyan ibn `Uyayna. Ibn al-Jawzi relates in Sifat al-safwa that
al-Ju`i explained that he got the name al-Ju`i ("of the hunger") because Allah had strengthened him against physical hunger by means of spiritual hunger. He said:

Even if I were left one month without food I would not care. O Allah, you have done this with me: Therefore complete it for me!1

Al-Dhahabi writes about him in Siyar a`lam al-nubala':

[#506] al-`Abdi, known as Qasim al-Ju`i: The Imam, the exemplar, the saint, the Muhaddith... the Shaykh of the Sufis and the friend of Ahmad ibn al-Hawari. (al-imam al-qudwa al-wali al-muhaddith Abu `Abd Al-Malik Al-Qasim ibn 'Uthman al-`Abdi al-Dimashqi, Shaykh as-sufiyya wa rafiq Ahmad ibn al-Hawari,'urifa bi al-Ju'i).

Ibn al-Jawzi also relates that Ibn Abu Hatim al-Razi said:

I entered Damascus to see the transcribers of hadith. I passed by Qasim al-Ju`i's circle and saw a large crowd sitting around him as he spoke. I approached and heard him say:

Do without others in your life in five matters:

  1. If you are present among people, don't be known
  2. If you are absent, don't be missed
  3. If you know something, your advice is unsought
  4. If you say something, your words are rejected
  5. If you do something, you receive no credit for it

I advise you five other things as well:

  1. If you are wronged, do not reciprocate it
  2. If you are praised, don't be glad
  3. If you are blamed, don't be distraught
  4. If you are called liar, don't be angry
  5. If you are betrayed, don't betray in return

Ibn Abu Hatim said: "I made these words all the benefit I got from visiting Damascus."2

1 Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat al-safwa 2(2):200 (#763).

2 Ibid.

Reproduced with permission from Shaykh M. Hisham Kabbani's
The Repudiation of "Salafi" Innovations (Kazi, 1996) p. 304-305.

Blessings and Peace on the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions