Abdal

Abdal (lit.: substitutes) is a rank of forty saints, but more often the larger group of 356 saints in Sufi theosophy, only known to and appointed by Allah. It is through their operations that the world continues to exist.The term over time has come to include a greater hierarchy of saints, all of different rank and prestige.
"Abdal" is the plural of "Badal" or rather "Badeel", and means "those who get replaced", "those who serve as a partial replacement to the role of the prophets" or "friends of God". The Abdals are the group of true, pure believers in God. They serve God during their lifetime; when they die, they are immediately replaced by another selected by God from a larger group said to be the 500 "Akhyar", i.e., the semi-divine good ones.
The Abdals are headed by their leader, "Al-Ghawth" ("the Helper"), who is said to reside in Mecca. This leader is often referred to as the Qutb, which means "Pole" in Arabic. This leader though unknown to the public is usually sought out by all of the lower ranking members of the abdal. At various times in history, shaykhs have been known to publicly claim to be the Qutb, despite the tradition of remaining outside of the public eye.
The missions of the Abdals are, inter alia, to be God's merciful subjects everywhere they reside and to render the helping blessing hand to all of God's creatures.
It is said that a Badal exists in each continent. Although the majority live in "Al-Sham (Syria),"...some live in Iraq, some in Lebanon, some in Egypt, some in Antioch, some in al-Massisa, and others live throughout the rest of the world.". They have divine powers and super-natural abilities. A person does not recognize that he is one of the Abdal until he becomes aware of his status suddenly though a revelation. It is said that a Badal can be identified through, inter alia, his continuous good deeds and forgiving nature. He may be rich or poor, married or bachelor, child or adult. Such concepts are established in the Sunni branch of Islam, and in particular in the latter’s original Sufi schools of spiritual disciplines.
The abdal function as the keepers of equilibrium in the world and preserve it between the times when prophets are present. Varying in classification and denomination, the identity of the abdal are entirely unknown to the public and even to themselves. With the ability to transmit blessings (baraka) and perform miracles (karāmāt) the abdal as a whole are able to adequately fill the role of prophet. Similarly, it is believed that when judgement day comes, they will act as intermediaries (šafāʿa) between God and the human race.
The origins and development of this group are somewhat controversial in Islam, especially concerning their role as intermediaries at the end of the world. The term Abdal is not Quranic and is found earliest in 8th Century Hadith and adab text collections. In one of the earlier sources, it is mentioned that an unspecified number of abdal were connected to either Palestine or Mount Lebanon. Because of the author's rhetorical writing style however, it could be determined that he was referencing a completely different philosophy, namely that of the Christian Saint Agabus. This suggests a possible non-Muslim origin for the theory of abdal, namely Origenism or Messalianism.
As far as the number of the abdal is concerned, there are 300 friends of Allah in the creation whose hearts are like that of Adam ‘alaihis salam. There are 40 whose hearts are similar to the heart of Musa ‘alaihis salam and 7 whose hearts are similar to the heart of Ibrahim ‘alaihis salam. There are 5 whose hearts are like that of Jibra’il and 3 whose hearts are like that of Mika’il and one whose heart is like the heart of Israfil. When he (whose heart is like Israfil) dies, then one of the three whose heart is like Mika’il replaces him and one of the five (whose hearts are like Jibra’il) replaces him. One of the seven replaces one of the five, one of the forty replaces one of the seven and one of the three-hundred replaces one of the forty and a normal Muslim replaces one of the three-hundred. It is due to these 356 awliya that creation are given life and killed, due to them rain falls, vegetation grows and difficulties are removed. It is also believed that since the number of abdal is so near to the number of days in the lunar calendar, their role as a part of the cosmic order of the universe is justified.

Qutub

Qutb, Qutub, Kutb, or Kutub literally means 'axis', 'pivot' or 'pole'. Qutb can refer to celestial movements and used as an astronomical term or a spiritual symbol. In Sufism, a Qutb or Kutb is the perfect human being, al-insān al-kāmil, who leads the saintly hierarchy. The Qutb is the Sufi spiritual leader that has a Divine connection with God and passes knowledge on which makes him central to (or the axis of) Sufism, but he is unknown to the world. There is only one Qutb per era and he is an infallible and trusted spiritual leader. He is only revealed to a select group of mystics because there is a "human need for direct knowledge of God".
According to the Institute of Ismaili Studies (Ismailism is a branch of Shīʻa Islam), "In mystical literature, such as the writings of al–Tirmidhi, Abd al–Razzaq and Ibn al–‘Arabi (d. 1240), [Qutb or Kutb] refers to the most perfect human being (al–insan al–kamil) who is thought to be the universal leader of all saints, to mediate between the divine and the human and whose presence is deemed necessary for the existence of the world."

Scriptural Evidence of Qutb
In the teachings of al-Halkīm Tirmidhī, there is evidence to suggest that the qutb is the head of the saintly hieracrchy which provides scriptural evidence to support the belief in the qutb. The hadīth attributed to Ibn Mas‘ūd has been used as proof that a qutb exists. This hadīth was called into question for its reliability of the sanad and was discarded by MuhammadRashīd Ridā.

Temporal Qutb
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There are two different conceptions of the Qutb in Sufism: Temporal Qutb and Cosmic Qutb. The temporal and cosmic qutb are connected which guarantees that God is present in the world at all times. The temporal qutb is known as "the helper" or al-ghawth and is located in a person on Earth. The cosmic qutb is manifested in the temporal qutb as a virtue which can be traced back to al-Hallādj. The temporal qutb is the spiritual leaser for the earth-bound saints. It is said that all beings - secret, animate, and inanimate - must give the qutb their pledge which gives him great authority. The only beings exempt from this are al-afrād, which belong to the angels; the djinn, who are under the jurisdiction of Khadir; and those who belong to the tenth stratum of ridjālal-ghayb. Due to the nature of the qutb, the location where he resides, whether temporal or cosmic, is questionable. It is thought by most that the qutb is corporeally and spiritually present inMecca at the Ka'ba, which is referred to as his maqām.

Cosmic Qutb
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The Cosmic Qutb is the Axis of the Universe in a higher dimension from which originates the power (ultimately from Allah) of the temporal Qutb.

The cosmic hierarchy of qutub
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The cosmic hierarchy is the way that the spiritual power is ensured to exist through the cosmos. There are two different hierarchies that are considered legitimate. The first is Al-Huhwīrī’s divine court. There are three hundred akhyār (“excellent ones”), forty abdāl (“substitutes”), seven abrār (“piously devoted ones”), four awtād (“pillars”) three nuqabā (“leaders”) and one qutb. The second hierarchy is Ibn Arabī’s which has a different, more exclusive structure. There are eight nujabā (“nobles”), twelve nuqabā , seven abdāl, four awtād, two a’immah (“guides”), and the qutb.

Rumaysa bint Milhan

Even before Islam was introduced to Yathrib, Rumaysa was known for her excellent character, the power of her intellect and her independent attitude of mind. She was known by various names including Rumaysa and Ghumaysa, but these were possibly nicknames. One historian says that her real name was Sahlah but later she was popularly known as Umm Sulaym. Umm Sulaym was first married to Malik ibn an-Nadr and her son by this marriage was the famous Anas ibn Malik, one of the great companions of the Prophet. Umm Sulaym was one of the first women of Yathrib to accept Islam. She was influenced by the refined, dedicated and persuasive Musab ibn Umayr who was sent out as the first missionary or ambassador of Islam by the noble Prophet. This was after the first pledge of Aqabah. Twelve men of Yathrib had gone to Aqabah on the outskirts of Makkah to pledge loyalty to the Prophet. This was the first major break through for the mission of the Prophet for many years. Umm Sulaym's decision to accept Islam was made without the knowledge or consent of her husband, Malik ibn an-Nadr. He was absent from Yathrib at the time and when he returned he felt some change had come over his household and asked his wife: "Have you been rejuvenated?" "No," she said, "but I (now) believe in this man (meaning the Prophet Muhammad)." Malik was not pleased especially when his wife went on to announce her acceptance of Islam in public and instruct her son Anas in the teachings and practice of the new faith. She taught him to say la ilaha ilia Allah and Ash hadu anna Muhammada-r Rasulullah. The young Anas repeated this simple but profound declaration of faith clearly and emphatically. Umm Sulaym's husband was now furious. He shouted at her: "Don't corrupt my son." "I am not corrupting him ," she replied firmly. Her husband then left the house and it is reported that he was set upon by an enemy of his and was killed. The news shocked but apparently did not upset Umm Sulaym greatly. She remained devoted to her son Anas and was concerned about his. proper upbringing. She is even reported to have said that she would not marry again unless Anas approved. When it was known that Umm Sulaym had become a widow, one man, Zayd ibn Sahl, known as Abu Talhah, resolved to become engaged to her before anyone else did. He was rather confident that Umm Sulaym would not pass him over for another. He was after all a strong and virile person who was quite rich and who possessed an imposing house that was much admired. He was an accomplished horseman and a skilful archer and, moreover, he belonged to the same clan as Umm Sulaym, the Banu Najjar. Abu Talhah proceeded to Umm Sulaym's house. On the way he recalled that she had been influenced by the preaching of Musab ibn Umayr and had become a Muslim. "So what?" he said to himself. "Was not her husband who died a firm adherent of the old religion and was he not opposed to Muhammad and his mission?" Abu Talhah reached Umm Sulaym's house. He asked and was given permission to enter. Her son Anas was present. Abu Talhah explained why he had come and asked for her hand in marriage. "A man like you, Abu Talhah ," she said, "is not (easily) turned away. But I shall never marry you while you are a kafir, an unbeliever." Abu Talhah thought she was trying to put him off and that perhaps she had already preferred someone wealthier and more influential. He said to her: "What is it that really prevents you from accepting me, Umm Sulaym? Is it the yellow and the white metals (gold and silver)?" "Gold and silver?" she asked somewhat taken aback and in a slightly censuring tone. "Yes," he said. "I swear to you, Abu Talhah, and I swear to God and His Messenger that if you accept Islam, I shall be pleased to accept you as a husband, without any gold or silver. I shall consider your acceptance of Islam as my mahr." Abu Talhah understood well the implications of her words. His mind turned to the idol he had made from wood and on which he lavished great attention in the same way that important men of his tribe venerated and cared for their personal idols. The opportunity was right for Umm Sulaym to stress the futility of such idol worship and she went on: "Don't you know Abu Talhah, that the god you worship besides Allah grew from the earth?" "That's true," he said. "Don't you feel stupid while worshipping part of a tree while you use the rest of it for fuel to bake bread or warm yourself? (If you should give up these foolish beliefs and practices) and become a Muslim, Abu Talhah, I shall be pleased to accept you as a husband and I would not want from you any sadaqah apart from your acceptance of Islam." "Who shall instruct me in Islam?" asked Abu Talhah. "I shall," Umm Sulaym replied. "How?" "Utter the declaration of truth and testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Then go to your house, destroy your idol and throw it away." Abu Talhah left and reflected deeply on what Umm Sulaym had said. He came back to her beaming with happiness. "I have taken your advice to heart. I declare that there is no god but Allah and I declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Umm Sulaym and Abu Talhah were married. Anas, her son, was pleased and the Muslims would say: "We have never yet heard of a mahr that was more valuable and precious than that of Umm Sulaym for she made Islam her mahr." Umm Sulaym was pleased and delighted with her new husband who placed his unique energies and talents in the service of Islam. He was one of the seventy three men who swore allegiance to the Prophet at the second Pledge of Aqabah. With him, according to one report, was his wife Umm Sulaym. Two other women, the celebrated Nusaybah bint Kab and Asma bint Amr witnessed Aqabah and took the oath of allegiance to the Prophet. Abu Talhah was devoted to the Prophet and took enormous delight in simply looking at him and listening to the sweetness of his speech. He participated in all the major military campaigns. He lived a very ascetic life and was known to fast for long periods at a time. It is said that he had a fantastic orchard in Madinah with date palms and grapes and running water. One day while he was performing Salat in the shade of the trees, a beautiful bird with brightly colored plumage flew in front of him. He became engrossed in the scene and forgot how many rakats he had prayed. Two? Three? When he completed the Prayer he went to the Prophet and described how he had been distracted. In the end, he said: "Bear witness, Messenger of Allah, that I hand over this orchard as a charity for the sake of Allah, the Exalted." Abu Talhah and Umm Sulaym had an exemplary Muslim family life, devoted to the Prophet and the service of Muslims and Islam. The Prophet used to visit their home. Sometimes when the time of Prayer came, he would pray on a mat provided by Umm Sulaym.  Sometimes also he would have a siesta in their house and, as he slept, she would wipe the perspiration from his forehead. Once when the Prophet awoke from his siesta, he asked: "Umm Sulaym, what are you doing?" "I am taking these (drops of perspiration) as a barakah (blessing) which comes from you ," she replied. At another time, the Prophet went to their house and Umm Sulaym offered him dates and butterfat but he did not have any of it because he was fasting. Occasionally, she would send her son Anas with bags of dates to his house. It was noticed that the Prophet, peace be on him, had a special compassion for Umm Sulaym and her family and when asked about it, he replied: "Her brother was killed beside me." Umm Sulaym also had a well-known sister, Umm Haram, the wife of the imposing Ubadah ibn as-Samit. She died at sea during a naval expedition and was buried in Cyprus. Umm Sulaym's husband, Abu Talhah, also died while he was on a naval expedition during the time of the third Caliph, Uthman, and was buried at sea. Umm Sulaym herself was noted for her great courage and bravery. During the Battle of Uhud, she carried a dagger in the folds of her dress. She gave water to and tended the wounded and she made attempts to defend the Prophet when the tide of battle was turning against him. At the Battle of Khandaq, the Prophet saw her carrying a dagger and he asked her what she was doing with it. She said: "It is to fight those who desert." "May God grant you satisfaction in that," replied the Prophet. In the face of adversity, Umm Sulaym displayed a unique calmness and strength. One of her young sons (Umayr) fell sick and died while her husband was away looking after his orchards. She bathed the child and wrapped him in shrouds. She told others at her home that they should not inform Abu Talhah because she herself wanted to tell him. Umm Sulaym had another son whose name was Abdullah. A few days after she gave birth, she sent Anas with the baby and a bag of dates to the Prophet. The Prophet placed the baby on his lap. He crushed the dates in his mouth and put some in the baby's mouth. The baby sucked the dates with relish and the Prophet said: "The Ansar are only fond of dates." Abdullah eventually grew up and had seven children all of whom memorized the Quran. Umm Sulaym was a model Muslim, a model wife and mother. Her belief in God was strong and uncompromising. She was not prepared to endanger her faith and the upbringing of her children for wealth and luxury, however abundant and tempting. She was devoted to the Prophet and dedicated her son Anas to his service. She took the responsibility of educating her children and she played an active part in public life, sharing with the other Muslims the hardships and the joys of building a community and living for the pleasure of God.

Mother's of faithful Believers

Sayyedina Maula Ali Radi Allahu anhu reports that Sayyedul Mursaleen Sayyedina Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said :

‘Imaan is recognition by the heart, affirmation by the tongue and to perform deeds of righteousness.’

Mothers of Faithful Believers (Ummahaatu'l Mu'minin)

(The Blessed Wives of the Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

1. Sayyidatina Khadija bint Khuwaylid (68 B.H-3 B.H; 556-619 C.E)

2. Sayyidatina 'Aisha Siddiqah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (9 B.H-58 A.H; 613-678 C.E)

3. Sayyidatina Sawda bint Zam'a (passed away 54 A.H/673 C.E)

4. Sayyidatina Hafsa bint 'Umar al-Faruq (passed away 45 A.H/665 C.E)

5. Sayyidatina Umm Salama, Hind bint Abi Umayya al-Makhzumiyya (passed away 62 A.H/681 C.E)

6. Sayyidatina Juwayriya bint al-Harith (passed away 56 A.H/675 C.E)

7. Sayyidatina Zaynab bint Jahsh al-Asadiya (passed away 20 A.H/641 C.E)

8. Sayyidatina Zaynab bint Khuzayma al-Hilaliyya (passed away 4 A.H/625 C.E)
(she was called the "mother of the poor")

9. Sayyidatina Umm Habiba, Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (passed away 44 A.H/664 C.E)

10. Sayyidatina Safiyya bint Huyayy (passed away 50 A.H/670 C.E or 52 A.H/672 C.E)

11. Sayyidatina Maymuna bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyya (passed away 61 A.H/680 C.E),

may Allah be pleased with them all.

Appreciative Explanation

1. The wives of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, are referred to in the Qur'an in verse (33:6) as Ummahaatul Mu'minin, meaning "Mothers of faithful believers".

2. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, married Sayyidatina Khadija, a widow 40 years of age, when he was 25 years of age. They were happily married until she passed away at the age of 65. They set the best example for others to emulate in married life.

3. Polygamy was practiced in Arabia at that time but the beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, remained monogamous all these years and set the best example for those who wish to remain monogamous.

4. Then Allah privileged Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to be polygamous just as he had privileged some other Prophets before him to be polygamous. For example, Nabi Sulayman (Prophet Solomon, peace be upon him) had seven hundred wives, Nabi Dawud (Prophet David, peace be upon him) had many wives, while Nabi Ibrahim (Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him) had three. In contracting his marriages, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was in each instance following the Commands of Allah, the Glorified and the Exalted. Allah limited the number of wives a Muslim could have at any one time to four but He privileged Prophet Muhammad to have more than four wives.

5. The wives of the beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, were either widows, divorcees or captives of war, except for Sayyidatina 'Aisha who was the only virgin he married.

6. Some of the women he married were widows of his sahaba (companions) who had laid down their lives for the sake of Islam.

7. He married into various clans and tribes. This strengthened the commitment of these clans and tribes to the religion of Islam as they were proud that the one whom Allah had chosen to be the Final and the Last Prophet till the end of time had married into them.

8. In marrying captives of war, the noble Prophet, peace be upon him, not only freed them but also all their relatives and members of their clan who then automatically accepted Islam!

9. Although the beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, could have lived like a king, he chose to lead a life of poverty, content with the bare necessities of life. When some of his wives found it difficult to cope with his ascetic life-style, Allah revealed to him to give them the option to choose him and the Hereafter or to choose the comforts of this world. (33:28-29). They naturally chose him and the Hereafter, may Allah be pleased with them all. And as "mothers of faithful believers", their responsibilities were more than those of other women, and they fulfilled these responsibilities with ihsan (excellence). They set the best example for women to emulate.

10. In Islam, limited polygamy (up to four wives) is an institutionalized option. (Qur'an, 4:3). And those Muslims who choose this option have the example of the beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in being faithful, loving and caring husbands, in treating the spouses justly and equitably, devoting equal time to each of them, and providing for their material wants and needs in a just and fair manner without fovouring one over the other.