Amir ibn Abd al-Qays
Encyclopedia
Amir ibn Abd al-Qays was a tabi`i of Basra
who died at Damascus
, where he had become famous within the Muslim
community for his austere and eloquent speeches. Numerous miracles are recorded of him; it is said that he lived in the desert where wild beasts came tamely to him. He was also known for his charity towards orphans. These and other aspects of his life are often cited by the Sufis.
During the reign of the caliph
Uthman
(d. 656), the text of the Quran was standardized, and he despatched a qari along with each copy of the Quran to various cities, so as to demonstrate the correct reading to the people. Amir ibn Abd al-Qays was responsible for this important order in Basrah.
Amir ibn Abd al-Qays was once asked by a group of people, "Do you think to yourself during prayer?" He said, "Is there anything I like to think about more than the prayer?" They said, "We think to ourselves during prayer." He said, "About Paradise and al-hoor and so on?" They said, "No; about our families and our wealth." He said, "If I were to be run through with spears, it would be dearer to me than thinking to myself about worldly matters during prayer."
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
who died at Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, where he had become famous within the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community for his austere and eloquent speeches. Numerous miracles are recorded of him; it is said that he lived in the desert where wild beasts came tamely to him. He was also known for his charity towards orphans. These and other aspects of his life are often cited by the Sufis.
During the reign of the caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
Uthman
Uthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
(d. 656), the text of the Quran was standardized, and he despatched a qari along with each copy of the Quran to various cities, so as to demonstrate the correct reading to the people. Amir ibn Abd al-Qays was responsible for this important order in Basrah.
Amir ibn Abd al-Qays was once asked by a group of people, "Do you think to yourself during prayer?" He said, "Is there anything I like to think about more than the prayer?" They said, "We think to ourselves during prayer." He said, "About Paradise and al-hoor and so on?" They said, "No; about our families and our wealth." He said, "If I were to be run through with spears, it would be dearer to me than thinking to myself about worldly matters during prayer."