8 qualities of Sufi in words of Hazrat Ali Hujwiri Daata Sahib – excerpt from Kashul Majoob

Chapter 3 on Sufism

Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi stated 8 qualities of a Sufi:

1. Generosity like Hazrat Ibrahim [Abraham], who did not hesitate to give his son as sacrifice when Allah asked
2. Abedience like Hazrat Ismail, who did not hesitate at Allah’s orders
3. Patience like Hazrat Ayub, who went through painful skin disease of worms but remains steadfast in faith and Allah granted him cure
4. Symbolism like Hazrat Zakria, who for 3 didn’t speak to any humans and only used indication as instructed by Allah
5. Poverty like Hazrat Yahya, who lived in his own country like a passerby goes through a town and despite family lived like a stranger with deviation to Allah
6. Journey like Hazrat Isa [Jesus], who lived along like a traveller and had no belongings except a bowl for water and a comb for making hair. On his journey, he witnessed someone using hands to drink water, so he broke the bowl as he deemed it unnecessary worldly possessions. Then he also says someone making hair with fingers and he broke his comb too.
7. Dervish like Hazrat Moosa, who wore simple woolen clothes [or give us Pharoh’s palace life for simpler life]
8. Contentment like Prophet Muhammad, who was offered keys to world treasures, but he said to Allah that I am contented without them and my wish if that if I had one day to east, I go fasting next 2 days.