HAZRAT OWAIS QARMI (RA)

Hazrat Owais Qarni

"Love is the only melody welcomed by
its sufferer, who never desires to recover from it.
All the sick hope to be cured, but this
sick one sobs, crying, "Increase my sickness!"

Hazrat Jalaluddin Rumi (R.A)

BASIC FACTS:
Birth Name: Owais ibn Amir al Qarni
Born in: Qarn, Yemen.


IN DEPTH:

Hazrat Owais Qarni was born in the village of Qarn in Yemen. Hazrat 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 Hazrat Owais Qarni an orphan at a young age. The family was so poor that there was no money to send him to a teacher.
A beautiful miracle here is that Rasulallah (s.a.w) then became the spiritual guardian of this child, and though they never met, Rasulallah (s.a.w) guided him at all times - such was the spiritual status and link between our Beloved Nabi (s.a.w) and Hazrat Owais Qadri. This is the reason why Rasulallah (s.a.w) would often look towards Yemen and say, "I sense the beautiful fragrance of Allah's blessings in the breeze. It is for Owais Qarni."
However, Hazrat Owais Qarni (R.A) could never meet Rasulallah (s.a.w) in person, primarily because he used to take care of his sick mother, and she did not like him to travel and leave her on her own.

A famous story regarding Hazrat Owais Qadri: after the Battle of Uhud, when Hazrat Owais Qarni came to know that Rasulallah (s.a.w) had lost a few teeth during the encounter, he himself 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 Rasulallah (s.a.w). His extreme love for Rasulallah (s.a.w) made him question why he should have teeth when Rasulallah (s.a.w) had lost his own.

Hazrat Owais Qarni was a very pious and noble person. He had embraced Islam while Rasulallah (s.a.w) was still alive. He naturally had a very strong desire to see the Prophet but since his mother was old and she needed his help and care, he could not visit Rasulallah (s.a.w). As a reward of his service to his mother, he was given the title and status of a Sahabi by our Beloved Nabi (s.a.w) even though he could not see him personally.
Once the Companions asked Rasulallah (s.a.w), "Ya Rasulallah, has Owais Qarni ever visited you?" Rasulallah (s.a.w) replied: "No, he has never met me physically, but spiritually he has met me."
Sufism is based on the spiritual connection or link that was between Rasulallah (s.a.w) and Hazrat Owais Qarni. In Sufism, that spiritual connection is known as Nisbat-e-Owaisiya.

Rasulallah (s.a.w) said, "Owais will come back to Madinah, the Illuminated City, to meet me, but we will not meet physically, for I shall then be united with my Lord."

During Rasulallah (s.a.w)'s last days, he asked Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Ali to take his blessed shirt to Hazrat Owais Qarni, and ask him to pray for the forgiveness of the Muslim Ummah. The reason for this was to demonstrate the exalted status of Hazrat Owais Qarni.

Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Ali then asked the people of Madinah if there was anyone present from Qarn. One man came forward and told them how to find the place, so they set out for Qarn. When they arrived, they asked the people where Hazrat Owais Qarni was. The villagers answered their questions, but were very surprised to see the two prominent Companions asking for an unknown camel shepherd.
When Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Ali reached him, they saw him saying his prayers. As he finished his prayers, he said, "It is the first time anyone has ever seen me praying."
When they handed Hazrat Owais Qarni, the blessed shirt of Rasulallah (s.a.w), he was reluctant to accept. "Surely, there is some mistake!", he exclaimed, in his desire to hide himself. Seeing the light upon his hand, however, they cried, "You are the saint described to us by Allah's Beloved Messenger (s.a.w), for he told us about the light on your hand." They then informed him of Rasulallah (s.a.w)’s message, asking Hazrat Owais Qarni to pray for the forgiveness of the Ummah. This he did, and after a while he said, "Allah has forgiven and rewarded as many of Rasulallah (s.a.w)’s followers as the hair of the sheeps from the Rabia and Mazhar tribes."
They asked Hazrat Owais Qarni, "If you loved Rasulallah (s.a.w) so much, why didn’t you visit him more often during his lifetime?" Hazrat Owais Qarni did not answer, but instead asked if they took part in the battle of Uhud, and if so, to provide information about which tooth it was that Rasulallah (s.a.w) had lost. Hazrat Umar was greatly impressed by this simple person and asked Hazrat Owais Qarni to pray for him. Hazrat Owais Qarni replied, "I pray for the forgiveness of everyone at the end of every prayer. If you keep your faith in Allah and His Messenger (s.a.w), you will receive my prayers in your graves."

Hazrat Owais Qarni rubbed the blessed cloak over his face and eyes, and kissed it. Then he asked to be left alone. When he was alone, he held the cloak close and began to pray, "Ya Allah, this cloak is the cloak of Your Beloved Messenger (s.a.w). He has presented it to me, but I refuse to wear it unless You pardon the Ummah of Rasulallah (s.a.w)." He then repeated his prayer in exactly the same words. As he was about to repeat his prayer a third time, Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Umar (R.A) appeared beside him. He cried, "Oh, you came too soon! Upon my first supplication, Allah granted me forgiveness for one third of the Ummah. On my second, He forgave two-thirds of the Ummah. In my third request, I was pleading for pardon for the entire Ummah, then you came along!"
As with people in every age, the Yemenis were unaware of the presence in their midst of such a great saint, whose prayers were accepted directly by Allah. They thought him to be an ordinary camel shepherd. The Friends of Allah (Awliya Allah) do not seek fame.

Many times in the company of his followers, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) stated, "I can smell the beauty of my friend from the land of Yemen." This statement is in direct reference to the spiritual greatness of Hazrat Owais Qarni.
Hazrat Umar quotes Rasulallah (s.a.w) as saying, "Oh, Umar! From Yemen a man will arrive whose name is Owais. He has signs of leprosy on his body, he cares for his old and frail mother. If for anything, he takes an oath in the name of Allah, Allah will fulfill his oath. If you can ask from him prayers for your own forgiveness, then you must do so."
Hazrat Ibne Sa'd quotes Rasulallah (s.a.w) as saying "In my Ummah, I have a friend whose name is Owais Qarni."

Oneday, he had asked his mother's permission to visit Rasulallah (s.a.w), and she said: "You have my permission to go, see him once, and come straight back. If our Beloved Nabi (s.a.w) is at home, you may meet with him; if not, come straight back here." Hazrat Owais Qarni then completed a journey of three months on foot, from Yemen to Madinah Sharif. When he reached Rasulallah (s.a.w)'s house, he knocked on the door and Hazrat Aisha (R.A) opened the door. She told him that Rasulallah (s.a.w) was in the Masjid. Hazrat Owais Qarni remembered his promise to his mother and replied, "Please convey my salaams to my Beloved Rasulallah (s.a.w). Kindly inform him that Owais came from Yemen, did not find him at home and is now returning to Yemen, since he does not have permission from his mother to meet him in the Mosque."

When Rasulallah (s.a.w) returned home from the Mosque, he found the radiance of Hazrat Owais Qarni in his house. Hazrat Aisha (R.A) told him what had happened, and conveyed Hazrat Owais Qarni's salutations. His blessed eyes looked towards Yemen and our Beloved Nabi said, "The fragrance of our friend is reaching us."
The noble Companions then enquired: "Ya Rasulallah, if Owais is your friend, for what reason did he not stay to meet you?" To this, Rasulallah (s.a.w) replied, "He complied with a promise given to his mother and he is serving her."