Junayd of Baghdad

Junayd of Baghdad (c. 830–910) was a Persian mystic and one of the most prominent early saints in Islam. He is a key figure in the spiritual ancestry of numerous Sufi orders. For his influence on Sufi theology, he earned the title "Sultan."

He spent his entire career teaching in Baghdad and was instrumental in shaping Sufi doctrine. Like Hasan of Basra before him, Junayd commanded deep respect from his students and disciples, and his words were frequently cited by other mystics.

**Early life and education** Abu-l-Qāsim al-Junayd ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Junayd al-Khazzāz al-Qawārīrī was born sometime between 210 and 215 AH, though the exact year is disputed. His death is more reliably placed between 296 and 298 AH (908–910 CE). His family roots were in Nihawand, in modern-day Iran. Orphaned as a boy, he was raised by his uncle Sirri Saqti. His early teachers included Abū Thawr, Abū 'Ubayd, al-Ḥārith al-Muḥãsibī, and Sarī ibn Mughallas.

**Hagiography** According to Attar of Nishapur’s hagiography, the *Tazkirat al-Awliya*, Junayd felt the pain of divine separation from childhood. Despite this spiritual sorrow, he was known for his quick mind and discipline, which Sirri Saqti recognized when he accepted him. Attar recounts that when Junayd was only seven, his uncle took him on the Hajj. In al-Masjid an-Nabawi, four hundred sheikhs were debating the meaning of "thankfulness." When Sirri Saqti asked Junayd to offer his definition, the boy said: "Thankfulness means that you should not disobey God by means of the favor He has bestowed upon you, nor make of His favor a source of disobedience." The sheikhs agreed that no one could define the term better. When asked where he had learned this, Junayd replied, "From sitting with you."

**Spiritual journey** The hagiography continues that Junayd returned to Baghdad and began selling glasses, but he devoted most of his time to prayer. He eventually withdrew to the porch of Sirri Saqti’s house, cutting himself off from worldly concerns to focus solely on God. He taught that people must "relinquish natural desires, wipe out human attributes, discard selfish motives, cultivate spiritual qualities, devote oneself to true knowledge, do what is best in the context of eternity, wish good for the entire community, be truly faithful to God, and follow the Prophet in matters of the Shari’a." This path begins with asceticism (*zuhd*), then withdrawal from society, intense devotion (*ibadah*), remembrance of God (*dhikr*), sincerity (*ikhlas*), and contemplation (*muraqaba*), which ultimately produces *fana*.

Junayd spent forty years on this mystic course, sacrificing sleep and worldly desires. But then pride arose in his heart that he had achieved his goal. He was inspired by God that "He who is not worthy of union, all his good works are but sins." This meant that prayers born of pride are useless; true prayer makes a person more humble and devoted. Despite persecution and slander, his fame spread. He did not begin preaching until thirty great saints indicated he should call people to God. Still, he hesitated, saying, "While the master is there, it is not seemly for the disciple to preach." Only after seeing the Prophet Muhammad in a dream commanding him to preach did he finally listen to Sirri Saqti. The intensity of his speech was such that of the first forty people he preached to, eighteen died and twenty-two fainted. His closest disciple and successor was Abu Bakr Shibli.

**Works by Junayd** Junayd helped establish the "sober" school of Sufi thought, which was logical and scholarly in defining virtues and *tawhid*. Sober Sufism holds that those who experience *fana* do not remain in that selfless state but are returned to their senses by God, like an intoxicated person sobering up. Junayd once said, "The water takes on the color of the cup." As ‘Abd al-Hakeem Carney explains, the water symbolizes the Light of Divine self-disclosure; the cup represents a person’s receptive capacity, so the Divine epiphany is "colored" by each individual’s nature.

According to Sells, Junayd seems to assume his listener or reader has already had the experience he describes—or can enter it at the moment of encountering his words. This suggests he was writing for a select group, an elite he called "the choice of believers" or "the pure ones," who play significant roles in the community of believers.