Bayazid Bastami

Bayazid Bastami, the greatest early Sufi in the School of Khurasan, was known throughout the Islamic world for his intense devotion inspired by Divine Love. The first author of ecstatic sayings (shath) to be widely quoted, it is said that because of his personality and spirituality he had a strong influence on most of the Sufis of his time. His words continue to be treasured in Sufi circles even after more than a thousand years.

Bayazid was born in Bastam (northeastern Iran) in 804. His grandfather was a Zoroastrian and his father was one of the leading citizens of Bastam. His father died while Bayazid was a young child, but his mother lived into old age, and he was devoted to her.

It is said Bayazid took over twelve years for his pilgrimage to Mecca, as he performed two prayers in every small village and in every stop he made to a house of God. When he arrived Mecca, again he performed many prayers.

Bayazid died in Bastam circa 874. His tomb in Bastam became an important site for Sufis to visit, and some stayed nearby for extended periods.

Bayazid’s teachings emphasize that in order to know and reach the state of unity (tawhid) it is necessary to completely relinquish one’s own attributes, wishes and desires, into the will of God: “There should remain no ‘I’ to ask for any wish.”

Bayazid said that divine love precedes one’s love for God: “In the beginning I was in error about four things: I imagined that I recollected God, knew Him, loved Him, and searched for Him. At the end I realized, however, that His recollection preceded mine, His knowledge was prior to mine, His love came before my own, and His search was there before I sought Him.”