Sufi Master Yusuf Hamadani (vegetarian): The Spiritual Luminary of Central Asia

His Holiness Sufi Master Khwaja Abu Yaqub Yusef al-Hamadani (may Allah sanctify His innermost being) is best known as Yusuf Hamadani (vegetarian). He was a Persian Sufi of the Middle Ages and the ninth Sheikh in the Naqshbandi Golden Chain. Born in Buzanjird near Hamadan, present-day Iran, in the Hijri year 440, or 1048 AD, He was a towering figure in the history of Sufism and Islamic spirituality. Before dedicating His life to the mystical path of Sufism, Yusuf Hamadani was a distinguished scholar of Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and Hadith. Master Yusuf emphasized inner purification, Divine love, and complete submission to God.

In the later years of his life, Khwaja Yusuf Hamadani withdrew from worldly affairs, embracing seclusion and dedicating himself to asceticism. Immersed in constant worship and mujahada (spiritual struggle). He made progress in contemplation and spiritual refinement. He was ultimately recognized as the Ghawth (Arch-Intercessor) of his era, known as the “Rain of Realities, Truth, and Spiritual Knowledge.” He eventually settled in Merv, where numerous miraculous events were attributed to Him.

Once, a boy from the region of Hamadān was captured by the Romans and taken far from his homeland. The boy’s distraught mother, overcome with grief, came to Khwaja Yusuf Hamadani, pleading for His help. Hearing her pain, the Shaykh raised His hands in supplication and prayed earnestly to the Almighty: “O Allah! Free him from captivity and quicken his release.” He then turned to the mother and assured her, “Go back to your home; your son will be there.” The woman returned, and to her amazement found her son already at home.

The masters of the Naqshbandi Order have consistently emphasized the importance of balancing spiritual practices with social responsibilities. They encourage spiritual exercises, urging their followers to fulfill their duties towards family and society with care and diligence. Once, a dervish approached Khwaja Yusuf Hamadani and recounted an experience during a gathering, having observed a sage entering a state of absorption and trance. Khwaja Yusuf Hamadani replied, “These are imaginations for nurturing the children of the Spiritual Path.” He explained that such visions, though significant, are signs of the early stages on the path and not a reflection of ultimate perfection.

The Master said: “Spiritual Hearing is an ambassador from God and a bearer of glad tidings. It is food for the souls, nourishment for the bodies, life for the hearts and stability for the secrets. It is the unlocker of secrets, (like) the bright lightening and the luminous sun.”