How Did Bayezid al-Bistami (q.s.) Pray?
THE PRAYER OF BAYEZID AL-BISTAMI (q.s.)
Bayezid al-Bistami –may Allah have mercy on him– used to pray as follows:
“O God! Remove my selfhood so that my selfhood belongs to You, and I am not in between. As long as I am with You, I am complete; as long as I am not with myself, I am deficient.” This sentence emphasizes the importance of detaching from the carnal self (nafs-i emmare) and surrendering to God. While a person remains limited by their own ego, they attain perfection through union with Allah.
“O God! Bring me to You through devotion (dervishlik). O God, I do not need asceticism or scholarship; if you grant me anything, make me worthy of the fragrance of Your secrets and raise me to the rank of Your friends.” Here, Bayezid al-Bistami –may Allah have mercy on him– states that he desires to be aware of God’s secrets and join the company of His saints rather than scholarship or asceticism. This is an indication of his emphasis on spiritual maturity over worldly status.
“O God! How magnificent are Your actions and the inspirations in hearts. How radiant is your understanding within the unknown. How great is Your state that neither people can discover it nor tongue describe it.” This section expresses admiration for God’s power and beauty, acknowledging that human intellect and language cannot fully comprehend Him.
“O God! I do not present my acts of devotion (riyazat) or the prayers I have performed, nor do I speak of my nearness. You are the Knowing and Aware Sovereign; this is not from the category of boasting on my part. I am one who understands his own impotence and explains Your generosity and grace.” Bayezid al-Bistami –may Allah have mercy on him– states that he feels inadequate by God’s knowledge and grace rather than boasting about his acts of worship. This humility is a sign of spiritual maturity.
“This garment You have clothed me in, so I see this grace within myself and realize that I was nothing. I am a destitute, wretched, ignorant, and seventy-year-old denier; my hair and beard have turned white in error, and I have wasted my life abroad. Now, with all my faults, I turn to You, severing the bond of denial from my waist, entering the religion of Islam, and repeating the testimony of faith (shahada). I consider everything I have done before as nullified. Now grant me Your divine pardon and cleanse me of sin.” In this final part, Bayezid al-Bistami –may Allah have mercy on him– repents for his past mistakes and seeks forgiveness from God, seeing himself as a helpless servant and seeking refuge in His forgiving nature.