Just suppose you are able to make an interview with shaykh Abu Sa’id al-Kharraaz. What would you ask him? Perhaps some of your questions are similar to the ones as given below:

Q: Several of the Sufis have had a profession. What has been your profession?

A: I have been a cobbler.

Q: You have also been a shaykh. Can you tell us the names of your disciples?

A: I have been a cobbler but I’ve learnt a lot from Beshr al-Hafi, who never put on shoes. I have met Dho’n-nun, who originated from Egypt and I have associated with Sari as-Saqati from Baghdad.

Q: Where are you from?

A: God.

Q: What do you want?

A: God.

Q: How about love for the Prophet?

A: I dreamed that I saw the Prophet. He said to me: “Do you love me?” I replied: “Excuse me. My love for God has preoccupied me from loving you”. The Prophet then said: “Whoso loves God, loves me”.

Q: Can you tell us which books you have written?

A: I have written about 400 books among which can be named the following:

• Ketaab as-Safaa’ – The Book of Purity.
• Ketaab ad-Deyaa’ – The Book of Brightness.
• Ketaab al-Kashf wa’l-Bayaan – The Book of Unveiling and of the Explanation.
• Ketaab al-Haqaa’eq – The Book of Realities.
• Ketaab as-Sedq – The Book of Veracity.

Q: What is veracity?

A: Veracity is a name, which designates all the virtues and on which all the virtues depend.

Q: Please tell us more about veracity!

A: Do you prefer a short answer to your question or a detailed and exhaustive answer?

Q: A short answer.

A: You should know that the murid, the disciple on the spiritual path, who really wishes to learn things, should do his or her best to practice 3 fundamental principles. The first of these principles is sincerity, the second is veracity and the third is patience.

Q: But what is veracity?

A: Fulfilling one’s covenants.

Q: What do you think of Sufi clothes?

A: Do not suffer a single shirt to come between yourself and God.

Q: Are tests necessary?

A: Yes, they are necessary for those who occupy an elevated spiritual rank. It is said that someone asked the Prophet: “Who experiences tests?” The answer of the Prophet was: “The people who experience more tests are the prophets, then the pious and then those who resemble them the most”.

Q: Anything else you want to say to us?

A: May your journey be blessed!