Yahya ibn Mu'adh al-Razi

Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Mu'adh al-Razi (830-871) was a Muslim Sufi who taught in Central Asia. One of the first to teach Sufism in "masajid", he left a number of books and sayings. Despite his emphasis on "raja", the hope for "Jannah" and for Allah's forgiveness, he was renowned for his perseverance in worship and his great scrupulousness in matters of religion. [Abu Nu`aym, x. 51-70; Sulami, 98-104; Fihrist, 184; GAS, 1. 644; Hujwiri, 122-3; Massignon, Essai, 268-72] A disciple of Ibn Karram (d.868), he left his native town of Rayy and resided for a time in Balkh, afterwards proceeding to Nishapur where he died in 871 at the age of forty one.

ome Sayings of Al-Razi

Yahya ibn Mu‘adh al-Razi said, “On the day when the trumpet is sounded ("Yowm al-Qiyama"), you will see how evil friends will run from each other and how good friends will turn toward each other. Allah Most High says, ‘On that day, except for the true believers, friends will be enemies.’”

Another one of his sayings is: "Fight against your ego with the four swords of training: eat little, sleep little, speak little, and be patient when people harm you... Then the ego will walk the paths of obedience, like a fleeing horseman in the field of battle." [Al-Ghazali on Jihad al-Nafs, Translated from 'Ihya' `Ulum al-Din' (The Revival of the Religious Sciences)]

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