Abu al-Husain al-Nuri

Ahmed Ibn Abu al-Hussain al-Nuri (Persian: ابو الحسین النوری‎) (died 908 AD), known also as Nuri, was a famous early Sufi saint.[1] He was of Persian origins, but born in Baghdad in 840 CE where spent most of his life.[2] He is the author of Maqamat al-qulub (Stations of the Hearts). He is famous for saying, "I love God and God loves me".[3] He is one of the earliest Sufis who was clearly mystical as illustrated by his saying "Joining with the Truth is parting from everything else, as parting with everything else is joining with it"[4]

Saint Nuri
Mystic
Bornc. 840 C.E.
Baghdad
Diedc. 908 C.E.
Baghdad
Venerated inIslam, Sunni
InfluencesMuhammad
Major worksStations of the Hearts
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Nuri and several of his friends were accused of heresy and charged in 878 C.E. Nuri offered to be tried before his companions. The regent at the time was impressed by such magnanimity and investigated the case and found these Sufis to be good Muslims. Thus he set the accused free. Nuri, however, was exiled to Raqqa in Syria, whence he returned some years later, much deteriorated physically.[5]

Poetry and statements from Nuri are narrated in popular Sufism. According to popular accounts, he gained the title "Nuri" because he "radiated light when talking". He was acquainted with Junayd Baghdadi.

Notes
  1. Carl W. Ernst, "Words of ectasy in Sufism", SUNY Press, 1985. pg 97: "A Sufi of Iranian origin (d. 907) was one of the most eminent mystics of Baghdad
  2. N. Hanif, Biographical encyclopaedia of Sufis: Central Asia and Middle East, p. 368
  3. Al-Sarraj, Pages From the "Kitab al-Luma' , ed. AJ. Arberry (London: Luzac, 1947), p. 5
  4. Al-Sulami, Tabaqat, 153 = Sh., 166
  5. Carl W. Ernst, "Words of ectasy in Sufism", SUNY Press, 1985. pg 98

Bibliography


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