Dhūl-Nūn Abū l-Fayḍ Thawbān b. Ibrāhīm al-Miṣrī (Arabic: ذو النون المصري; d. Giza, in 245/859 or 248/862), often referred to as Dhūl-Nūn al-Miṣrī or Zūl-Nūn al-Miṣrī for short, was an early EgyptianMuslimmystic and ascetic.[1] His surname "al Misri" means "The Egyptian". He was born in Akhmim,[2]Upper Egypt in 796 and is said to be of Nubian[3] descent. Dhul-Nun is said to have made some study of the scholasticdisciplines of alchemy, medicine, and Greek philosophy in his early life,[1] before coming under the mentorship of the mystic Saʿdūn of Cairo, who is described in traditional accounts of Dhul-Nun's life as both "his teacher and spiritual director."[1] Celebrated for his legendary wisdom both in his own life and by later Islamic thinkers,[4] Dhul-Nun has been venerated in traditional Sunni Islam as one of the greatest saints of the early era of Sufism.[1]
It has been speculated by scholars whether "Dhul-Nun" was an honorific (laqab) for the mystic rather than his name proper, which is sometimes believed to be Thawbān.[1] As "Dhul-Nun," literally meaning "the one of the fish [or whale]," is another name for the HebrewprophetJonah in Islamic tradition, it is sometimes believed that this title was given to Dhul-Nun in commemoration of Jonah.[1]
LifeEdit
Dhul-Nun is one of the most prominent saints of early Islamic tradition, appearing "in the earliest accounts of Ṣūfism as the leading figure of his generation."[1] Often depicted as the spiritual master of Sahl al-Tustari (c. 818–896), the traditional hagiographies relate that the latter refused to engage in mystical discourse until after Dhul-Nun's death, on account of his recognition of Dhul-Nun's elevated rank in wisdom and gnosis.[1]
Tomb of Dhul-Nun al-Misri (AD 796–859) in Cairo's City of the Dead.
Dhul-Nun al-Misri is considered among the most prominent saints of early Sufism and holds a position in the Sufi chronicles as high as Junayd Baghdadi (d. 910) and Bayazid Bastami (d. 874). He studied under various teachers and travelled extensively in Arabia and Syria. The Muslim scholar and Sufi Sahl al-Tustari was one of Dhul-Nun al-Misri's students.[5] In 829 he was arrested on a charge of heresy and sent to prison in Baghdad, but after examination he was released on the caliph's orders to return to Cairo, where he died in 859; his tombstone has been preserved.[6]
Dhul-Nun's name came about in relation to an incident on a sea voyage. He was falsely accused of stealing a jewel from a merchant. He cried out "O Creator, Thou knowest best", whereupon a large number of fish raised their heads above the waves, each bearing a jewel in its mouth.[7]
A legendary alchemist and thaumaturge, he is supposed to have known the secret of the Egyptian hieroglyphs. His sayings and poems, which are extremely dense and rich in mystical imagery, emphasize knowledge or gnosis (marifah) more than fear (makhafah) or love (mahabbah), the other two major paths of spiritual realization in Sufism. None of his written works have survived, but a vast collection of poems, sayings, and aphorisms attributed to him continues to live on in oral tradition.[8]
Osho mentions him as "an Egyptian Sufi mystic, one of the greatest who has ever walked on the earth".[9]
Contemporary Sufi Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee mentions an incident from the life of Dhul-nun in his work Catching the Thread
A story from the life of the ninth-century Sufi, Dhu-l-Nun, the Egyptian, illustrates this:
I was wandering in the mountains when I observed a party of afflicted folk gathered together. “What befell you?” I asked. “There is a devotee living in a cell here,” they answered. “Once every year he comes out and breathes on these people and they are all healed. Then he returns to his cell, and does not emerge again until the following year.” I waited patiently until he came out. I beheld a man pale of cheek, wasted and with sunken eyes. The awe of him caused me to tremble. He looked on the multitude with compassion. Then he raised his eyes to heaven, and breathed several times over the afflicted ones. All were healed. As he was about to retire to his cell, I seized his skirt. “For the love of God,” I cried. “You have healed the outward sickness; pray heal the inward sickness.” “Dhu-l-Nun,” he said, gazing at me, “take your hand off me. The Friend is watching from the zenith of might and majesty. If He sees you clutching at another than He, He will abandon you to that person, and that person to you, and you will perish each at the other’s hand.”
So saying, he withdrew into his cell.
NotesEdit
^ abcdefghMojaddedi, Jawid, “Dhū l-Nūn Abū l-Fayḍ al-Miṣrī”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE, Edited by: Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. Brill Online.
^"ZÜNNÛN el-MISRÎ". TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
^Qušayrī, ʿAbd al-Karīm ibn Hawāzin ibn ʿAbd al-malik ibn Ṭalḥaẗ al-Naysābūrī al-Ṣūfī; Knyš, Aleksandr Dmitrievič; Eissa, Muhammad S. (2007). Al-Qushayri's epistle on sufism: Al-Risala al-Qushayriyya fi ʿilm al-tasawwuf. Reading: Garnet Publishing. p. 19. ISBN1859641857. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
^Mojaddedi, Jawid, “Dhū l-Nūn Abū l-Fayḍ al-Miṣrī”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, SDSD, Edited by: Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. Brill Online.
^Mason, Herbert W. (1995). Al-Hallaj. RoutledgeCurzon. pp. 83. ISBN0-7007-0311-X.
^Dho'l-Nun al-Mesri, from Muslim Saints and Mystics, trans. A.J. Arberry, London; Routledge & Kegan Paul 1983
^"Man of the fish". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2013-08-04. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
^John Esposito, The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, Oxford University Press 2003
^Osho (December 1976). Journey to the Heart. Rebel Publishing House, India. ISBN3-89338-141-4.
External linksEdit
Sufi Teachings of Dhu'l-Nun al-Misri at archive.org.
Biography and Sayings of Dhun Nun al-Misri from the Risala Qushayriyya
Wikiquote has quotations related to Dhul-Nun al-Misri.
October 22, 2023
dhul, misri, dhūl, nūn, abū, fayḍ, thawbān, ibrāhīm, miṣrī, arabic, ذو, النون, المصري, giza, often, referred, dhūl, nūn, miṣrī, zūl, nūn, miṣrī, short, early, egyptian, muslim, mystic, ascetic, surname, misri, means, egyptian, born, akhmim, upper, egypt, said,. Dhul Nun Abu l Fayḍ Thawban b Ibrahim al Miṣri Arabic ذو النون المصري d Giza in 245 859 or 248 862 often referred to as Dhul Nun al Miṣri or Zul Nun al Miṣri for short was an early Egyptian Muslim mystic and ascetic 1 His surname al Misri means The Egyptian He was born in Akhmim 2 Upper Egypt in 796 and is said to be of Nubian 3 descent Dhul Nun is said to have made some study of the scholastic disciplines of alchemy medicine and Greek philosophy in his early life 1 before coming under the mentorship of the mystic Saʿdun of Cairo who is described in traditional accounts of Dhul Nun s life as both his teacher and spiritual director 1 Celebrated for his legendary wisdom both in his own life and by later Islamic thinkers 4 Dhul Nun has been venerated in traditional Sunni Islam as one of the greatest saints of the early era of Sufism 1 Dhul Nun Abu l Fayḍ Thawban b Ibrahim al MiṣriBorn796Akhmim Upper EgyptDied245 859 or 248 862GizaResting placeCairo s City of the DeadOther namesDhul Nun al Miṣri Zul Nun al MiṣriEducationScholastic disciplines of alchemy medicine and Greek philosophyKnown forMuslim mystic and ascetic Contents 1 Name 2 Life 3 Notes 4 External linksName EditIt has been speculated by scholars whether Dhul Nun was an honorific laqab for the mystic rather than his name proper which is sometimes believed to be Thawban 1 As Dhul Nun literally meaning the one of the fish or whale is another name for the Hebrew prophet Jonah in Islamic tradition it is sometimes believed that this title was given to Dhul Nun in commemoration of Jonah 1 Life EditDhul Nun is one of the most prominent saints of early Islamic tradition appearing in the earliest accounts of Ṣufism as the leading figure of his generation 1 Often depicted as the spiritual master of Sahl al Tustari c 818 896 the traditional hagiographies relate that the latter refused to engage in mystical discourse until after Dhul Nun s death on account of his recognition of Dhul Nun s elevated rank in wisdom and gnosis 1 nbsp Tomb of Dhul Nun al Misri AD 796 859 in Cairo s City of the Dead Dhul Nun al Misri is considered among the most prominent saints of early Sufism and holds a position in the Sufi chronicles as high as Junayd Baghdadi d 910 and Bayazid Bastami d 874 He studied under various teachers and travelled extensively in Arabia and Syria The Muslim scholar and Sufi Sahl al Tustari was one of Dhul Nun al Misri s students 5 In 829 he was arrested on a charge of heresy and sent to prison in Baghdad but after examination he was released on the caliph s orders to return to Cairo where he died in 859 his tombstone has been preserved 6 Dhul Nun s name came about in relation to an incident on a sea voyage He was falsely accused of stealing a jewel from a merchant He cried out O Creator Thou knowest best whereupon a large number of fish raised their heads above the waves each bearing a jewel in its mouth 7 A legendary alchemist and thaumaturge he is supposed to have known the secret of the Egyptian hieroglyphs His sayings and poems which are extremely dense and rich in mystical imagery emphasize knowledge or gnosis marifah more than fear makhafah or love mahabbah the other two major paths of spiritual realization in Sufism None of his written works have survived but a vast collection of poems sayings and aphorisms attributed to him continues to live on in oral tradition 8 Osho mentions him as an Egyptian Sufi mystic one of the greatest who has ever walked on the earth 9 Contemporary Sufi Llewellyn Vaughan Lee mentions an incident from the life of Dhul nun in his work Catching the Thread A story from the life of the ninth century Sufi Dhu l Nun the Egyptian illustrates this I was wandering in the mountains when I observed a party of afflicted folk gathered together What befell you I asked There is a devotee living in a cell here they answered Once every year he comes out and breathes on these people and they are all healed Then he returns to his cell and does not emerge again until the following year I waited patiently until he came out I beheld a man pale of cheek wasted and with sunken eyes The awe of him caused me to tremble He looked on the multitude with compassion Then he raised his eyes to heaven and breathed several times over the afflicted ones All were healed As he was about to retire to his cell I seized his skirt For the love of God I cried You have healed the outward sickness pray heal the inward sickness Dhu l Nun he said gazing at me take your hand off me The Friend is watching from the zenith of might and majesty If He sees you clutching at another than He He will abandon you to that person and that person to you and you will perish each at the other s hand So saying he withdrew into his cell Notes Edit a b c d e f g h Mojaddedi Jawid Dhu l Nun Abu l Fayḍ al Miṣri in Encyclopaedia of Islam THREE Edited by Kate Fleet Gudrun Kramer Denis Matringe John Nawas Everett Rowson Brill Online ZUNNUN el MISRI TDV Islam Ansiklopedisi in Turkish Retrieved 10 July 2023 Qusayri ʿAbd al Karim ibn Hawazin ibn ʿAbd al malik ibn Ṭalḥaẗ al Naysaburi al Ṣufi Knys Aleksandr Dmitrievic Eissa Muhammad S 2007 Al Qushayri s epistle on sufism Al Risala al Qushayriyya fi ʿilm al tasawwuf Reading Garnet Publishing p 19 ISBN 1859641857 Retrieved 10 July 2023 Mojaddedi Jawid Dhu l Nun Abu l Fayḍ al Miṣri in Encyclopaedia of Islam SDSD Edited by Kate Fleet Gudrun Kramer Denis Matringe John Nawas Everett Rowson Brill Online Mason Herbert W 1995 Al Hallaj RoutledgeCurzon pp 83 ISBN 0 7007 0311 X Dho l Nun al Mesri from Muslim Saints and Mystics trans A J Arberry London Routledge amp Kegan Paul 1983 Man of the fish The Times of India Archived from the original on 2013 08 04 Retrieved 2017 10 27 John Esposito The Oxford Dictionary of Islam Oxford University Press 2003 Osho December 1976 Journey to the Heart Rebel Publishing House India ISBN 3 89338 141 4 External links EditSufi Teachings of Dhu l Nun al Misri at archive org Biography and Sayings of Dhun Nun al Misri from the Risala Qushayriyya nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Dhul Nun al Misri Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dhul Nun al Misri amp oldid 1166079411, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
