Shaykh Abū al-Muẓaffar Sibt Ibn al-Jawzī⦗1⦘ relates from Qādī Jamāl al-Dīn Yaʿqūb⦗2⦘, the judge of Karak⦗3⦘ in the Beqaa Valley, that he once saw Shaykh ʿAbd Allah performing ablution from a large water-barrel beside the White Bridge. A Christian passed by leading a mule whose load was wine. The animal stumbled at the bridge and the load fell. The Christian, not knowing who the shaykh was and seeing that he had finished his ablution, asked him for help in lifting the cargo. The shaykh summoned me and said, “Come, O jurist, and help us reload this burden onto the mule.” The Christian then departed. I was astonished and followed the load as I made my way toward the city. The man carried it to al-ʿAqība⦗5⦘ and delivered it to the local vintner; when the casks were opened, they were found to contain vinegar. The vintner exclaimed, “Woe to you! This is vinegar.” The Christian replied, “By Allah, I know exactly where I came from.” He tethered the mule in the caravanserai, returned to al-Ṣāliḥiyya, inquired about the shaykh, recognized him, went to him, and embraced Islam at his hands. The shaykh’s states and miracles were indeed very numerous.
He would never rise for anyone⦗7⦘ who entered his presence, saying, “People stand only before the Lord of all worlds.” When al-Majd⦗8⦘ visited him⦗9⦘, he would seat himself before the shaykh, who would say, “O Mujayyid⦗10⦘, you have done such-and-such,” commanding him as he wished and forbidding him as he wished, and al-Majd obeyed everything he said. This was solely because of the shaykh’s sincerity in his renunciation, scrupulousness, and spiritual path.
He accepted voluntary gifts but never kept from them⦗12⦘ anything for the next day. When hunger became intense, he would take almond leaves, rub them between his hands, sniff them, and drink⦗13⦘ cold water over them. May Allah have mercy on him and ennoble his resting place.
They also reported that in certain years he performed the Hajj through the air—a phenomenon attributed to many⦗14⦘ ascetics and devout worshippers. We have no report of this occurring to any of the leading scholars; the earliest person of whom it is mentioned is Ḥabīb al-ʿAjmī⦗15⦘, who was one of