A beautiful narration from the life of one of our greatest pious predecessors delivered by our respected Shaykh:

“The great Shaykh, Junayd Baghdadi rahmatullahi alayh, in the initial phase of his life was a wrestler under the employment of the king. Such was his renown that people would challenge him for large sums of money and he would wrestle in front of large audiences with the king looking on.

On one such occasion, a very feeble looking man asked the king that he would like to challenge the imperial wrestler. The king was initially reluctant to accept the man’s offer for he felt that the man would pose no challenge to Shaykh Junayd. However after a while the king accepted and the bout began.

Both wrestlers began to warm up with the huge crowd waiting in anticipation. Just before the match started the challenger said to Shaykh Junayd that:

‘I want to say something to you. You and I both know that I cannot beat you. The reason for my challenging you is that I am a Sayidd (descendent of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam).

I and my family have been struck with poverty and we have not eaten for many days. Such are things that we cannot bear the hunger anymore. I beseech you to respect my lineage and let me win this match so that I may get the reward and be able to feed my family’

Shaykh Junayd was shocked by the man’s request but he accepted and to crowd’s great surprise lost the bout. He bore the great disgrace of defeat for the sake of respecting the family of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam. That night when Shaykh Junayd went to sleep he saw the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam in a dream. The Prophet sallahu alayhi wasalam said to him:

O Junayd. For my family you made such a great sacrifice. Because of this I have asked Allah to make you the greatest wali of your time

And it was the blessing of this action and duaa that transformed the wrestler Junayd into the great Shaykh Junayd Baghdadi rahmatullahi alayh.”