2.9.23 - Shaykh Abu Ahmed al-Salawi (of Sale)

He came to Seville while I was under the charge of al-Kumi. Abu Ahmad’s spiritual state was strong and he had spent eighteen years with Abu Madyan. His spiritual exertions were many, his devotion to worship firm and he was much given to weeping.

Once I kept company with him by night for a whole month in the Mosque of Ibn Jarrad. One night I got up to pray, performed the ritual ablutions and went up on to the roof of the mosque. There I found him sleeping at the roof door and I saw rays of light reaching from him to the sky. For a while I stood looking at him and I could not determine whether the rays came from him to the sky or from the sky to him. I stood there in wonder until he awoke from his sleep. He then performed the ablution and prayed.

When he wept I would take the tears which had fallen on the floor and wipe them on my face, for I found that they gave off a scent like that of musk. People would smell it on me and say, Where did you buy such wonderful musk?