Piety of hadhrat ebrahim bin Adham
1. Prior to his reformation, he was the proud king of Balkh. (Balkh today is a province of Afghanistan.) Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi (rahmatullah alayh) said: "Ibraahim Bin Adham is the Key of the Knowledge of the Auliyaa."
2. Once when he visited Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahmatullah alayh), many in the gathering viewed Ibraahim Bin Adham with contempt. Imaam Abu Hanifah said: "Sayyiduna Ibraahim!", and greatly honoured him. In surprise someone asked: "How has he become our leader?"
Imaam Abu Hanifah said: "He is always in the remembrance of Allah, while we are engrossed in remembrance of the world."
3. When he was the king of Balkh, he led a life of great pomp and splendour. One night while he was sleeping in his palace, he heard a sound on the palace roof. He called out: "Who's there?" A voice said: "I am searching for my camel."
Ibraahim: "How can you search for your camel on the palace roof?"
The Voice: "How can you search for Allah in this palace?" Suddenly, he was overwhelmed with fear of Allah.
The next day, while he was seated on his throne in his royal court, a stranger who inspired awe in onlookers suddenly entered, no one had the courage to question the stranger. He boldly came forward, stood in front of the throne and said: "Who is the owner of this inn?"
Ibraahim: "This is not an inn. It is my palace."
Stranger: "Before you to whom did it belong?"
Ibraahim: "To my father."
Stranger: "And before your father to whom did it belong?"
Ibraahim: "To my grandfather."
Stranger: "Where are they now?"
Ibraahim: "They are no longer living."
Stranger: "Is this then not an inn where people tarry for a while an depart?"
The stranger suddenly disappeared just as mysteriously as he had appeared. Ibraahim Bin Adham terminated the session and went out in search of the stranger. When he located him after great difficulty, Ibraahim asked his identity. The stranger said: "I am Khidhr." Ibraahim was overcome with fear.
4. Once Ibraahim Bin Adham set out with a group of his soldiers on a hunting excursion, possibly to divert his mind from the perplexing events of the past few days. While hunting, he was separated from the rest of the party. Suddenly, he heard a voice repeatedly exclaiming: "Wake up before death awakens you." Suddenly, a buck appeared. Ibraahim went in its pursuit. The buck said: "I have come to hunt you. You cannot catch me. Has Allah Ta'ala created you for this?" He turned away with these words ringing in his ears. Now fear had completely overwhelmed Ibraahim Bin Adham. Then he began hearing these words being omitted from his own breast. The spiritual realm now opened up for him. He repented and resolved to renounce his throne and the world.
While walking he met shepherd with a flock of sheep. He exchanged his royal garments for the shepherd's simple dress and presented all the sheep to the shepherd. The sheep incidentally belonged to Ibraahim. Thus he cast off the garments of the world and donned the raiments of the spiritual realm. Dressed like a shepherd he wandered off into the wilderness to search the capital he required for his journey into the Hereafter. He wandered alone in the wilderness, repenting and passing his time in Allah's remembrance.
On his journey in the wilderness he saw a blind man walking on a narrow bridge across a river. Ibraahim shouted: "Be careful! Be careful! Suddenly the blind man was high in the air. He lifted Ibraahim and took him across the river. Ibraahim was left wondering in amazement.
