Ahl al-Khutwa

Lore & Background

The people of the step are described as those for whom the land is folded and travel distance is shortened. It was said that Sheikh Ahmad Zarruq was one of them. Imam Abu Madyan is noted as a relief from the lords of the qouloubs and the kashf, and an owner of the step in folding the earth and moving in the blink of an eye to distant places, whether by diving into the ground or rising in the sky. Some righteous saints could cut between the Maghreb and the Machrek in a short time, and some walked in the air.

Reader's Guide

The concept of Ahl al-Khutwa holds a place in Sufi tradition as a manifestation of Karamat, or divine favors granted to saints. The source article notes that some disobedient people may also possess the property of folding the ground, but this can lead to being expelled from Allah's mercy, as in the case of Iblis. Since Sufis believe in the existence of such men, the article emphasizes that if it is a true Karamat, it must remain a secret between God and its owner, with no need to reveal it. The ability also has practical implications: a Muslim who is one of the 'People of step' may shorten his quadruple prayer like a traveler (Salah Musafir), even if he crosses the distance in an instant, whether on land or sea. Among the dignities of Imam Hasan al-Basri, he used to pray the five daily prayers in Makkah while residing in Basra by using Salah Musafir.

Did You Know?

• The power of the step can be applied in the blink of an eye, so that saints are not obstructed by a sea or a mountain.
• Some people of the step claim to be in Algeria one moment and in the Hijaz the next.
• Imam Abu Madyan could move to distant places by diving into the ground or rising in the sky.

The Nature of the Step

Ahl al-Khutwa, literally "People of the Step," is a term used within Sufi and Wali traditions to describe individuals granted a supernatural faculty known as karamat: the capacity to traverse vast distances in a single stride. For these righteous servants of God, the very earth appears to fold before them, collapsing what would normally be hundreds or thousands of miles into a single moment. This power is not limited to flat terrain; oceans and mountain ranges present no barrier whatsoever. In its most extraordinary expression, a person of the step may occupy more than one location simultaneously. The phenomenon is described as occurring in the blink of an eye, so swift that no observer could perceive the transit. Within the broader Sufi framework, this ability is understood as a divine gift reserved for those whose spiritual standing has reached a particular threshold of closeness to the Almighty, distinguishing them from ordinary travelers bound by the physical constraints of distance and time.

Saints and Their Manifestations

Several figures in Islamic spiritual history are traditionally associated with the step. Sheikh Ahmad Zarruq is cited as one such individual. Imam Abu Madyan is described as a source of relief for the masters of spiritual unveiling and the lords of the qouloubs, and among those who folded the earth and moved to distant places in the blink of an eye, whether by plunging into the ground or ascending into the sky. The texts also speak of righteous Saints and Walis who could cut between the Maghreb and the Mashrik in a brief span, with some reportedly walking upon the air itself. A striking narrative involves individuals residing in one country yet performing each of the five daily prayers on time in both Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina. Another vivid example places a person in Algeria in one moment and in the Hijaz in the next, with no sea or mountain standing between. These accounts, while extraordinary, are presented within the tradition as testimonies of divine favor rather than personal achievement.

The Shadow of the Step

The tradition is careful to draw a sharp line between the step as a genuine karamat and the step as a manifestation of spiritual corruption. It is acknowledged that some disobedient individuals may also possess the property of folding the ground and shortening distances, placing themselves in Mecca or any desired location at will. However, this subtle power, when rooted in disobedience, can lead to expulsion from the mercy of God. The texts explicitly associate such misuse with the course of the accursed Iblis, warning that whoever follows that path is among those marked by shortcomings and faults. A further theological constraint holds that if the step is truly a karamat, it must remain a secret shared only between God and its bearer; there is no legitimate need to reveal or display it. This secrecy requirement serves as both a spiritual safeguard and a test of sincerity, ensuring that the extraordinary faculty does not become a vehicle for ego or public spectacle.

The Step and the Law of Prayer

A practical jurisprudential question arises when the step intersects with the rules of travel prayer. In Islamic law, a traveler is permitted to shorten the four-unit prayers into two units. The tradition addresses whether a person of the step, who crosses a great distance in an instant, is still entitled to this concession. The answer, as presented in the sources, is affirmative: a Muslim may shorten his quadruple prayer as a musafir even if he traverses the distance in a single moment, whether over land or sea. The instantaneous nature of the transit does not negate the traveler's status. A notable illustration involves the esteemed Imam Hasan al-Basri, who reportedly performed the five daily prayers in Makkah while physically residing in Basra, employing the shortened form of Salah Musafir. This ruling underscores that the legal framework of travel prayer is not contingent on the duration of the journey but on the fact of displacement itself, regardless of the miraculous speed at which it is accomplished.