your Lord?’ After hearing this, he placed the bundle of wood on the floor, sat on it and said: ‘Do not ask me who my Lord is. Rather, ask me in which corner of my heart faith is.’ After hearing the spiritual words of this Bedouin, we looked at one another in surprise. He then said: ‘Why are you silent? Go ahead and ask me. Indeed, the student of knowledge does not refrain from asking questions.’ But we had no response to anything he was saying.

When he witnessed our silence, he said in the court of Allah: ‘O my Lord! You are well aware that there are such people whom you give to whenever they ask. My Lord! Turn these pieces of wood into gold.’ As soon as he uttered these words, the pieces of wood had turned into shining gold. He then supplicated: ‘O my Lord! Indeed, you favour those who do not desire fame. My Master! Turn this gold back into wood.’ As soon as he finished his request, the gold had turned back into wood. He then placed the bundle of wood on his head and set off.^[1]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                                                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! In Islam, pious people are of great importance. If a person is to be given a position, you must look towards his piety and righteousness, along with his other good qualities. Our pious predecessors would favour those who were more pious than others. It is mentioned on page 324 of the 5^th volume of Ihya ul Uloom: There was a Sufi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه who had a young disciple. The Sufi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه respected him greatly and was favourable towards him. Another disciple asked: “You give more respect to this young man even though we are older?”

So, the Sufi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه asked for some birds and he gave one to each of his disciples along with a knife. He said: “Slaughter this bird in a place