विसाल हज़रत मारूफ करखी

Hazrat Abu Mahfuz Maruf ibn Firuz al-Karkhi R.H (died 200 AH / 815 CE) was one of the earliest and most revered Sufi saints of Baghdad and a foundational figure in the golden chain of Islamic spiritual transmission. He was originally from a non-Muslim (Sabian/Christian) family in the Karkh district of Baghdad and accepted Islam at the hands of Hazrat Imam Ali al-Rida R.H — the eighth Imam of the Ahl al-Bayt — making his spiritual lineage uniquely blessed. When his parents learned of his conversion, they initially opposed it, but eventually both his parents also accepted Islam through his influence and piety.

He became one of the most important links in the Sufi spiritual chain (silsila), serving as the teacher of Hazrat Sari al-Saqati R.H, who in turn taught Hazrat Junaid al-Baghdadi R.H — through whom nearly all Sufi orders trace their lineage. He was known for his extreme asceticism — he would eat only the bare minimum to survive and wore the coarsest of garments, spending his nights in prayer and his days in service to the poor and needy of Baghdad. He was known for his constant weeping in the fear of Allah SWT and his profound spiritual states that would overwhelm him during worship and Dhikr.

He was famous for his saying: "If you want something from Allah, then swear by me" — reflecting the confidence the people of Baghdad had in his closeness to Allah. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal R.H — the great Hadith scholar and jurist — held him in the highest regard and would visit him seeking spiritual blessings. He is also credited with the famous supplication: "O Allah, You know that I am unable to please You, so grant me the ability to please You." His tomb in the Karkh district of Baghdad is considered a place of great spiritual blessing, and it is said that prayers made at his grave are accepted by Allah SWT — a tradition that has continued for over 1,200 years.