Hazrat Owais Qarni (RA)

Hazrat Owais Qarni was born in the village of "Qaran" in Yemen. River "showor" flowed through the city of Zubaida, the affluent metropolis where traders from all around gathered for business and travel. Owais Qarni's father Abdullah, was a very religious and god-fearing person and wanted to bring up his son in the strict principles of Islam. He passed away leaving Owais an orphan at a young age. The family was so poor that there was no money to send him to Maktab or a teacher. The miracle here is that Hazrat Rasule Karim (SA) became the spiritual guardian of this child and though they never met, Hazrat Rasullullah (SA) guided him at all times - such was their bondage. This is the reason why Rasullullah (SA) would often look toward Yemen, and say : "I am getting the beautiful fragrance Allah's blessings in the breeze. It is for Owais Qarni." Hazrat Owais Qarni (RA) could never meet Rasullullah (SA), primarily because he used to take care of his sick mother. She would not allow him to go anywhere. After the battle of Uhud, when Owais Qarni came to know that the Prophet had lost a few teeth during the encounter, he broke all his teeth one by one till none was left - as he did not know exactly how many or which ones were lost by the prophet (SA). Such was the bondage of divine love between the two men, who never met each other. Once he went to Madina but failed to meet his most loved guardian. It is on record that on that day the Prophet (SA) suddenly left home to say prayers in the mosque, leaving hurried instructions that a great saint was coming to visit him shortly and that it was predestined that they shall never meet in this world. Owais Qarni (RA) knocked the Prophet's door minutes after the Prophet had left. When he was told that the Prophet had just left for a nearby mosque, he only smiled, cried for a while and then left. Years after the Prophet's demise, on repeated requests from Khalifa Hazrat Umar (RA), Owais Qarni (RA) visited Madina where his most admired lay buried. He asked Umar to come just outside the border of Madina to meet him. Umar did what the great saint had bid, but asked why he ordered him to meet him outside Madina? Owais Qarni said, "Omar, how can you walk so close over the soil under which lay buried the body of Muhammad? I cannot even set my foot on the city where he lies buried." Such was the depth of his love for the Prophet. At last, only after the passing away of his mother, he could pay respects to Rasullullah's holy grave. Such was pre-ordained for the greatest lover of Allah and his Prophet. But it illustrated the pedestal of mothers. Serving them would take precedence over visiting even the Prophet.Hazrat Owais Qarni used to avoid meeting people who called on him, observing that the Day of Judgement was near and he could not afford to waste his time in earthly gossips.Qarni taught := He who recognises God as a friend makes friendship with no other creature= Consider the Quran like Khidr, thy guide, in the path and never forget death. Pray regularly and always.= Remember night is meant for worship not sleep.Just before the Prophet left the world, he left his "Kherqa" (wearing clothes) for Hazrat Owaiz Qarni. He entrusted two of his greatest disciples - Hazrat Omar Faruk (RA) and Hazrat Ali Karmullah (RA) to personally carry the farewill gifts to Owaiz Qarni. What an honour conferred that would not be in the fortunes of the most fortunates! When they reached they found him in a forest, deeply engaged in prayers. They decided not to disturb him and had to wait for two long days when he raised his head from 'Sejda' (state of prostration) They heard him beg mercy of Allah for the mankind and they also heard him complain why He had created such short days that passed into nights before he could finish his first morning 'ruku' (bowing) and why He had so thriftily designed the length of nights that the sun would rise before he could complete his first evening 'sejda'. Such was the awesome intensity of his submission to Allah.This is Hazrat Owais Qarni (RA). Great is his life, greater are his spiritual attainments and this is the life of the greatest lover of Rasullullah (SA) that ever lived on earth.