he was able to pass urine again, he said, “My Lord, I have repented to You.”

Abū Nuʿaym said: The slightest trial exposed the error in Sumnūn’s claim to contentment. Yet Sumnūn was held up as an example, and his station in love was renowned. It is even related that Ibrāhīm ibn Fātik said, “I saw Sumnūn addressing the people in the Sacred Mosque. A small bird approached, drawing ever nearer until it perched on his hands. Then it kept striking the ground with its beak until it bled, and the bird died.” He also said, “One day I saw him speaking about love, and the mosque’s lamps began swaying and smashed against one another.”

In his chapter on contentment, al-Qushayrī relates a similar account concerning Ruwaym the Quran reciter, Sumnūn’s companion. He says: Ruwaym said, “If Hell were placed to the right of a person who is content, he would not ask Allah to move it to his left.”

This resembles Sumnūn’s words:
“So test me however You will.”

If he could not patiently endure difficulty passing urine, could he bear having the Fire on his right?

Al-Fudayl ibn ʿIyād was of a higher spiritual rank than these men. He was afflicted with difficulty passing urine, and the pain overwhelmed him until he said, “By my love for You, I implore You to relieve me!” And he was relieved.

Although Ruwaym was one of al-Junayd’s companions, they did not regard him as belonging to this rank. Rather, the Sufis say that he returned to worldly pursuits and abandoned Sufism. It is even related that Jaʿfar al-Khuldī, al-Junayd’s companion, said, “Whoever wishes a secret to be kept