This event of ours somehow reached the ruler, Yahya Bin Khalid Barmaki who immediately sent his courier with this message - ‘Due to my responsibilities,       I was unaware of your situation, but now I am sending my servant with 10000 Dinars. From this, 2000 are for you, 2000 for your businessman friend, 2000 for the noble Sayyid, and the remaining 4000 are for your well-fortuned and noble wife, because she is the best example of devotion to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم amongst all of you.’ (‘Uyoon-ul-Hikayat, vol. 1, pp. 196)

Dear Islamic brothers! You have heard how the hearts of our pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی were filled with enthusiasm to take care of the needs and empathise with noble Sayyids. To the extent that even on the occasion of Eid, they would not neglect them. They would accept poverty over their own happiness and contentment and for the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and Beloved Mustafa صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم they would never turn away a noble Sayyid empty handed as a result of his connection to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. They would sacrifice their own happiness and wealth at their feet, and therefore be worthy of the generosity of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Beloved and Blessed Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

We too should follow those who are close to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and occupy our hearts in love and devotion for noble Sayyids. Recognise their rank and nobility, support them, and make assisting needy Sayyids an integral part of our life. From this account, we can also pick a Madani pearl that if someone is known as a Sayyid, we should not ask for proofs of them being a Sayyid, but rather accept them as such, respect them with our hearts and souls and serve them in whichever way we are able to.

Asking a Sayyid for proof of lineage?

Shaykh-e-Tareeqat, Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, the founder of Dawat-e-Islami, ‘Allamah Maulana Abu Bilal Muhammad Ilyas ‘Attar Qaadiri Razavi دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـه was asked, ‘If there is no proof that a particular individual is actually a Sayyid, should he be respected?’

He replied, ‘Respecting someone is not predicated on certainty or a specific proof of lineage. For this reason, whoever is known as a Sayyid should be