Basil of the Hearts Abu Sulayman al-Darani | |
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Born | 140 AH = 757 AD Wasit or Darayya |
Hometown | Wasit |
Residence | Damascus |
Died | 205 AH = 820 AD 215 AH = 830 AD Buried in Darayya |
Venerated in | Sunni Islam |
Influences | Sufyan al-Thawri, 'Abd al-Wahid ibn Zaid [1] |
Influenced | Al-Junayd |
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Abū Sulaymān al-Dārānī ( Arabic: أبو سليمان الداراني) was an ascetic sage of the 2nd–3rd/8th–9th century and one of the earliest theoreticians of formal mysticism in Islam. [2]
He was held in honour by the Sufis and was called the "Sweet Basil of Hearts" (Rayhān al-Qulūb). He is distinguished by his austerities and acts of self-mortification. He spoke in subtle terms concerning the practice of devotion. He developed the doctrine of gnosis ( ma'rifa), [3] and he was also the first to preach the science of 'time' (waqt) as essential for preserving one's state (hal) and allow hope to predominate over fear. [4]
'Abd al-Rahman b. Ahmad, or 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Atiyya al-Ansari al-Darani. He was called al-Ansari due to his connection with the Banū Anas ibn Malik, a tribe from Yemen. [5]
He was born around 140/757 in a village in Damascus called Darayya, and hence he was known as al-Dārānī. Ibn Kathir praised him in his al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, and said he was originally from Wasit, but travelled and lived in Damascus. [6]
He died in 205/820 or 215/830 and was buried in the village of Darayya in Damascus.
Many of his sayings are purely mystical in spirit and expression. Among his sayings are: