the world. “The Gnostics are not themselves, but in so far as they exist at
all they exist in God.”’
1
Bayazid al Bistami
Abu Yazid al Bistami (d. 875), known also as Bayazid Bistami, was a
grandson of a convert from the Zoroastrian faith and a native of Bistam in
north Persia where he was born.
He was a master of the station of love (
mahabbah
) and a founder of the
Malamatiya
, or ‘path of blame.’ He was known for his ecstatic utterances
(
shatahat
). Some of his sayings, which were spoken while in a state of ecstasy,
were considered to be blasphemous by the religious authorities (
ulama
).
He was an ascetic for over thirty years, but it is said that later he abandoned
this discipline, saying: ‘Those who are most veiled from God are three:
First is the ascetic who is veiled by his asceticism, second is the worshipper
who is veiled by his devotion, and third is the scholar who is veiled by his
knowledge.’
2
When Bayazid was asked: ‘What did you find to be the greatest obstacle
in the pursuit of the path?’ he replied: ‘Without His grace it is difficult to
turn the heart to Him, and with His grace it runs effortlessly on the path.’
3
Bayazid once said: ‘For thirty years I sought God. But, when I looked
carefully, I found that in reality God was the seeker and I the sought.’
4
1
quotation fromr Rizvi, S.A.A., A History of Sufism in India, Vol. I, Delhi, 1978, p.47 (the source
of the quotation not given)
2
as Salami, Abu‘Abd al Rahman,KitabTabaqat as sufiyya, Leiden, 1960, pp. 67-74
3
Fariduddin Attar, Tadhkirat ul-Auliya, Lahore, 1961, tr. Bankey Behari, p .63
4
as above, p. 63
