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From the tabaqat:

Sayyiduna Sh. Ibn Mashish was the Shaykh of Imam Abul Hasan al-Shadhili , and the Qutb of his time.

He took the spiritual sciences from `Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Husayn al-`Attar (“The perfumer”), a spice merchant from the city of Sabta, who was called “az-Zayyat” or “al-Madani” because he resided in the oil sellers’ quarter of Medina (where his tomb is still found). His first encounter with Sheikh `Abd al-Rahman al-`Attar took place when he was at the age of seven. He was in a state of jadhb (spriritual attraction) when the Sheikh came to him, dsiplaying the signs of the people of Allah, and said to him: “I am your Sheikh”. He fortold him of his rank, his spiritual states, and mentioned each of his maqams one by one. Then he said: “I am your intermediary (wâsita) in every state and maqam”.

Ibn Mashish was asked: Did your Shaykh come to you or did you come to him?
He repplied: It was both ways.

1. A child can be a wali of great ranks, experiencing the jadhb (attraction in the presence of Allah)
2. The Shaykh and the murid are pre-destined for each other, Allah brings them together.
3. The Sh. guides the murid through all the stages til he reaches the presence of Allah

From Adab al-Suhba:

Point 33: Be happy for your and don’t envy him when people follow him and get attached to him

It is a right one owes a brother to be happy when many people follow him and turn towards him to attach themselves to him; anyone who is not (happy about it) is suffering from the illness of envy (hasad).

(It is stated) in a hadith: «Envy consumes good deeds as a fire consumes wood.»

From the admonishments of my Master ´Ali Wafa (may Allah show him mercy): “Be careful not to envy anyone whom Allah has preferred over you, so that Allah may not transform you as He transformed Iblis from an angelic form to a satanic form because he envied Sayyidana Adam (peace be upon him).”

(It is narrated) in the episodes from the life of my Master Ahmad al-Badawi – may Allah give us the benefit of his blessings that the holder of the Iwan of Tanta named “The Moonfaced” was a great wali, but envy arose in him when my Master Ahmad al-Badawi came to Tanta, and people turned towards him and attached themselves to him, so his state was reversed and his fame vanished, and his position in Tanta today is where the dogs end up. The Friday speakers of Tanta came to his support and worked in his favor for some time. They built a great minaret at his zawiya. Then my Master ´Abd al-´Al (may Allah the Exalted show him mercy) came and kicked it with his foot, and from that time up to our time it has disappeared.

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From the tabaqat:

Yaqut al-`Arshi was the one who interceded for Sheikh Shams al-Din ibn al-Lubban (who disavowed Sheikh Ahmad al-Badawi, so that all his good deeds and rank were nullfied). Sheikh Shams al-Din had sought intersession from all the awlia, but Sheikh Ahmad al-Badawi did not accept it from anyone. Yaqut al-`Arshi then travelled from Alexandria to Tanta, and asked Sheikh Ahmad al-Badawi to change his opinion about Sheikh Shams al-Din, so that his rank may be returned to him, and Sheikh Ahmad al-Badawi complied to his request. – Later, Sheikh Yaqut al-`Arshi gave his daughter in marriage to Shams al-Din ibn al-Lubban, who made it his will , when he died, to be buried under her feet, out of respect for her father Sheikh Yaqut al-Arshi.

He was called al-`Arshi, because his heart was constantly under the Throne of Allah – only his body was on the earth.
It has also been said that it is because he heard the adhan from the Angels carrying the Throne of Allah.

He interceded even for the animals. Once, when he was sitting in the circle of the fuqara, a dove came and sat on his shoulder, and said some secret words in his ear. … (see TOPIC 1)

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1 – Allah appointed ranks for the awlia
2 – the danger in evying them and thinking oneself better than them, nto acknowledging their ranks
3 – the compassion of Sayyiduna Yaqut al-Arshi, how , despite the fact that this man messed homself up, he did eveything to save him

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1 – Miracle of Rasul Allah (s) : Animals react to him
2 – How his (s) mere presence has an impact
3 – Adab: What we can learn from the birds

Year 656 H.
It was the year 656 A.H./1258 C.E., the very year in which a few weeks earlier the Mongol ruler Hulugu Jenghiz Khan had sacked Baghdad.

Preparing for Hajj, taking with him utensils for burial
The Master Abu al-Hasan ash-Shadhdhuli had made it his custom that every other year he would travel to Mecca for the Pilgrimage. This year, he made preparations to go on the Pilgrimage as usual.
This time he asked that a pickaxe, shovel, and a shroud should be included in their baggage.

And he said to his beloveds, “This year I shall perform the Pilgrimage of substitution (hajjat an-niyaba).

Route through the desert of South of Egypt – to Humayrhira, in a land that has never been oppressed
As was his custom he set out on the southern route, known as the spice route, overland to Damanhur, then via Qahira, up the Nile to ‘Idfu in Upper Egypt. From there he would cross the Red Sea to Jiddah, and finally make the two-day camel ride to Mecca.

At Damanhur, a young boy, who was a student of the Qur’an, begged his mother to let him go with the Shaykh and his party to make the Pilgrimage. His mother, who was a widow, earnestly requested the Shaykh for her son that he be allowed to travel with his party, to which he replied, “We will look after him as far as Humaythira.”

And so it happened. It was related that Abu al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy upon him, had said, “When I entered the land of Egypt and established my dwelling there, I prayed to Allah, the Most High, saying: Ya Rabb, have You caused me to dwell in the land of the Copts, to be buried amongst them, until my flesh becomes mingled with their flesh and my bones with theirs? A reply then came to me: No `Ali, you will be buried in a land which Allah has never oppressed.”

It is also recorded that in the year of his death Abu al-Hasan ash-Shadhdhuli was heard to say, “Once when I fell ill, I said: Allah, O Allah, when will the encounter with You take place? I was told: Ya `Ali, when you reach Humaythira, then the encounter will come.”

The young boy died before reaching Humayathira
Soon after entering the desert of `Aydhab, both the young boy and the Shaykh fell ill, the boy dying the day before we reached the watering-place of Humaythira. The followers wanted to bury the youth where he had died, but the Shaykh said, “Carry him to Humaythira.” When we arrived at this resting-place we washed the boy, and the Shaykh prayed over him before we buried him.

Last advice to his companions
That evening the Shaykh, who was also very sick, called his companions around him and spoke to us.

He counselled us to recite his Litany of the Sea (Hizb al-Bakhr) often, and he said, “Teach it to your children for the Greatest Name of Allah (al-ismu ‘l-`azam) is in it.”

Appointing Sh.Abul Abbas al-Mursi as his khalifa
Then he talked privately to Sidi Abu al-`Abbas al-Mursi, giving him his orders as his successor with his special blessing. He, may Allah have mercy upon him, said to his followers, “When I am dead, look to Abu al-`Abbas al-Mursi for he is the Caliph (Khalifa) to come after me. He will have an exalted station amongst you for he is one of the Doors (abwab) of Allah, Praised and Exalted is He.”

The well

He said, may Allah have mercy upon him,
“I saw (ina a dream or vision) as if I were buried at the base of a mountain before a well containing a little salty water, which became more abundant and sweet.”

Later that evening (the evening of his passing) he called for a jar of water to be filled from the well of Humaythira. When he was told, “Ya Sidi, its water is salty and bitter, but the water we have is fresh and sweet,” he replied, “Give me some of it for my intention is not what you think.” When we brought him the well-water he drank a little of it, rinsed his mouth with it and spat into the jar. Then he said, “Pour the water into the well.

“Immediately the well-water turned sweet and fresh to taste, and it was abundant enough to refresh all the travellers who stopped to replenish themselves at this place. His followers said, “The Shaykh passed the night in holy preparation and discourse with his Beloved God, continually mentioning His Name until the dawn came when he was still.”