Bayazid Bastami is ranked amongst the top most Saints. Regarding his grandeur, Junaid Baghdadi says:

Bayazid Bastami holds that position among us which Gabriel holds among the angels. (Kashf-ul-Mehjoob)

Bayazid Bastami was born in Bastam, Iran, to a very honourable family. He was named Taifur, but in the world of spirituality and mysticism he is famously known as Bayazid. His father, Sheikh Eisa, was one of the prestigious elders of Bastam.

He was a born Saint. His miracles were emerging since birth. His mother said even when he was in her belly, if she ate something bad she would feel so uneasy that she would have to vomit it out. (Seerat e Bayazid)

When he heard the meaning of this verse, he was shocked. He went home and told his mother that he cannot thank two entities. So, either she takes him so he keeps thanking her or, she hands him over to Allah so that he keeps thanking Him. She responded, “I resign from this duty and hand you over to Allah.”

He left for Syria and spent three years in deserts and meadows in Allah’s remembrance. He also received bounties from a Saint. (Tazkara tul Auliya)

RESPECT OF A TEACHER

in order to reach your goal you must be respectful towards your teacher. The life of Bayazid Bastami teaches us the respect we owe to a teacher. Once he was in the company of his respectable teacher, Imam Jaffar Sadiq. He asked him to bring a certain book from a certain shelf. Bayazid asked where the shelf was. Imam Jaffar said how does he not know where the shelf was even after spending so much time there. Bayazid replied let alone the shelf, he never even lifted his head in his Imam’s presence. He never looked elsewhere. Upon hearing this Imam Jaffar delightfully remarked if the situation is such, then Bayazid can certainly return to Bastam since his work here was done. (Tazkara tul Auliya)

SERVING HIS MOTHER

Undoubtedly, serving one’s parents is a form of worship. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said, “Jannah lies beneath the feet of a mother.”

Bayazid Bastami says:

Whatever I had been searching for, in abstinence, struggle, and in foreign lands, I found it all serving my mother. (Seerat e Bayazid)

Here is one of the very famous incidents of him regarding his mother.
He says:

ABSTINENCE AND STRUGGLE

In Sufism, the purpose of abstinence and struggle is to attain purgation of the innerself. Without purity and the rectification of the inward, this path is not attainable. This is why Sufi Saints call it compulsory to struggle in order to purge one’s inner self.

Allah says:

قَدْ اَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكّٰیۙ

Meaning: Indeed, only he who is purified (from the afflictions of his ill-commanding self and pollution of sins) will triumph. (87: 14)

Once Bayazid Bastami asked Allah:

O Allah! What is the path that leads to You?

Allah Replied:

Let go of your baser self (nafs) and come (towards Allah). (Sultan ul Wahm)

Bayazid Bastami was in fact so hostile towards the baser self that he once said if in the hereafter Allah asks me if I have any desires, I will say “O Allah, allow me to visit hell so that I can burn this baser self in its fire since it caused me so much trouble in the world.” (Shara Taruf)

Bayazid Bastami was asked about his struggles to which he replied:

“If I speak of the struggles that I have been through you will be unable to listen. Nevertheless, I shall mention a rather simple struggle of mine. One night it struck me that I should spend the remainder of the night in Allah’s Remembrance. My innerself fought this thought. Then I swore to my innerself that it betrayed me and did not support me in my worship. Its punishment is that I will not give it water for a year. Hence, I did as I said and did not drink water for almost a year.” (Tazkirat-ul Auliya)

KNOWING THE INNER SELF

Regarding knowing the innerself he says “gnosis of the nafs is to never trust it, and never go in its favour. (Tadbr Auliya Johar e Deen)

He says letting go of human desires is actually getting closer to Allah, and he who gets Close to Allah, the creation turns obedient to him. (Tadbr Auliya Johar e Deen)

GLUTTONY

He was questioned as to why he praises staying hungry. He answered if Pharaoh remained hungry he would never have claimed divinity by saying “I am your lord.” (Tadbr Auliya Johar e Deen)

SHARIAH

Bayazid Bastami honoured the Sharia and always respected its rules. Syed Ali Hajvery mentions in Kashf al-Mahjub:

Bayazid Bastami respected and honoured Saints and scholars in every situation. Except for this one group of people whose aim was to go against the Sharia.

He further mentions Bayazid Bastami was that Saint who always remained immersed in Divine Love in his contemplation. However, whenever it was time for prayer he came back to normal consciousness and offered his prayers and then immerse back in Divine Vision. (Kashf al-Mahjub)

SARWARI QADRI AND ZAHIDI QADRI

According to the teachings of Sultan Bahoo (RA) that is the “Qadri” Order. The Qadri Order holds the highest status among all Sufi orders. He mentions two branches of the Qadri Order: Sarwari Qadri and Zahidi Qadri. Sultan Bahoo belongs to Sarwari Qadri branch and believes the Sarwari Qadri order to be authentic. He says:

• Know that the Qadri Order is the King and all other orders are obedient to it. The struggles and abstinence in all orders is way harder than in the Sarwari Qadri Order where even on day one Divine Closeness is attainable. (Noor ul Huda Kalan)
• Know that there is misery and trouble in every other order but in the Qadri Order, seeker gains Ism-e-Allah Zaat on day one and reaches Divine Union through its contemplation and invocation. (Noor ul Huda Kalan)

The initial stage of Qadri Order is Divine Vision and the final stage is entering the Mohammadan Assembly. (Noor ul Huda Kalan)

• The Perfect Spiritual Guide is he who immerses the seeker in Divine Light on the first day and blesses him with the Divine Vision. Just so there is no need for him to go through the extra hassle. (Qurb e Deedar)

TRAITS OF THE SEEKER OF ALLAH

As mentioned earlier, in the Sarwari Qadri order the spiritual guide, right in the initial stage elevates the seeker to the levels of Bayazid Bastami and Rabia Basri. Just like it is crucial for a spiritual guide to be perfect, it is equally vital for a seeker to have true desire for Allah. Only the seeker who is truly immersed in Divine Love and is ready to sacrifice all for Allah, is blessed with high status physically, spiritually and inwardly. A seeker indulged in the world and desires of baser self can never really reach his true destination. If a perfect spiritual guide finds a seeker with true desire, it is not difficult for him at all to elevate his ranks up to Bayazid Bastami’s.

Sultan Bahoo in his book “Ain-ul-Faqr” describes the traits of a true seeker:

• There are four attributes in a true seeker. First; a true seeker never gives in to his baser self desires rather remains absorbed in gnosis (marifah). Second; he is always consumed with Divine Union. Third; he lets go of worldly relations and makes himself worthy of Divine Vision. Lastly, he is so lost in Allah’s remembrance that he is unable to think of anything but his Beloved (Allah), be it wealth, his children or even his own self. (Ain-ul-Faqr)