Hundred Great Muslims

RABIABASRI
Rabia Basri is one of the earliest mystic saints of Islam. She renounced her
worldly life and devoted herself entirely to praying God.
Both in a humble family of Basrain 713 A.C., she was the fourth daughter
of her parents. A strange story is related about her birth. On the night of her
birth, there was nothing in the house-not even oil to light the house, or a small
rag to swaddle the newly born child. Her mother implored her father to borrow
some oil from a neighbour. This was a moment of trial for the poor father, who
had promised to God not to extend his hand for help before any mortal being.
Reluctantly he went to a neighbour's house, tapped his door, but there was
no reply. He thanked God for being able to keep his promise. He came back
and went to sleep. That night he had a dream in which the Prophet of Islam
congratulated him on his newly born child who was destined to rise to a great
spiritual position in Islam.
Rabia lost her parents at an early age. Her three sisters also died in a
famine which ravaged Basra. She fell into the hands of a tyrant who sold her as
a slave for a paltry sum. Her new master was no less a tyrant.
little Rabia spent most of her time in carrying out the orders of her
master. She spent the nights in praying. One night her master detected signs of
her spiritual greatness. She was praying to God: ,.Almighty, You have made me
the slave of a human being and I am duty bound to serve him. Had I been free I
would have devoted every moment of my life to praying to You". Suddenly 3i
halo of sacred light encircled her head and her master was awe-stricken to see
this sight. The next morning he set her free.
Rabia, being free, retired to a secluded place, for a life of meditation.
Later she moved to a cell near Basra. Here she led a strictly ascetic life. A worn
out mat, an earthen pot and a brick formed her entire belongings.
She wholly devoted herself to prayers, had only a wink of sleep before the
dawn and regretted even that much.
A number of good offers of marriage were made to her. These included
those from the Governor of Basra and the celebrated mystic saint, Hasan Basri.
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