The incidents of Hazrat Imam Bukhari's affliction are very well known. One of these is narrated here. The ruler of Bukhara in his time was Khalid bin Ahmed Zahli. He sent an order to Imam Bukhari asking him to teach Jama-e Sahih and history etc. to his sons at his mansion.

In view of the dignity of the Science of Hadith the Imam replied: "This is the Science of Hadith. I don't want to degrade it. If you are interested, you may send your sons to my majlis so that they may also acquire knowledge like other students".

In reply the amir said: "If this is so, then when my sons come to you, do not allow other students to attend upon you. My doorkeepers will stand at your door and will not let anyone enter. My pride cannot tolerate it that weavers etc. may also be sitting in the majlis where my sons are be present.”

How could the Imam's glorious liberality tolerate this? He candidly replied: "It could never be so. This science is the Holy Prophet's  legacy which the whole ummah shares equally, with none having any particularity."

The amir of Bukhara was much offended by this talk and discord went on increasing. It came to such a pass that the amir enticed Ibn Abi al-Warqa' etc., from amongst the externalists (Ahl-e Zahir), to join him and all of them jointly started a campaign of scoffing at the Imam's tack (maslak) and picking holes in his ijtehad (personal exertion to form an opinion in religious matters). They prepared a general application and under the same pretext they manoeuvred to exile the Imam from Bukhara. (Political method of deprivation through manipulation of public opinion).

Imam Bukhari made an invocation at the Divine Court saying, "O Allah! Involve these people in the same calamity they want to involve me in." As such, a month later Khalid bin Ahmed Zabli was dismissed and there came an order from the caliph of the Muslims that Khalid should be mounted on the back of a donkey and be paraded in the whole town. Similarly, his other accomplices who longed to humiliate Imam Bukhari had themselves to face humiliation and ignominy, and Allah Most High put them all to disgrace.

Death Of A Man Who Behaved Audaciously With Allamah Daqiq Al-'Id

One day a man came to the presence of Allamah Daqiq al-'Id and committed some audacity. The Allamah said, "You've charged yourself to death". This statement was repeated thrice. Accordingly, exactly three days later that man died.

Similarly, some tyrannous amir aggrieved his (i.e. Allamah Daqiq al-`Id's) brother. When the Allamah came to know of it, he said regarding the amir, "May he be killed"! Accordingly, he was killed.

Murder of Khwaja Nizamuddin Awlia's Oppressor

Harrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Awlia's story is very famous. Sultan Qutb al-Din Khalji tried to compel Hazrat Khwaja Sahib in many things against his will. He ordered him to say the Friday prayer in his Jam'e Masjid but Hazrat apologised and never went to his court. The king tried to stop the common people from attending on him but that also could not be done. At last the king decided that if the Khwaja did not come to salute him on the first-moon night, he would be forcibly dragged to the royal palace. But this was, from Allah's side, the Khwaja's last test.

Accordingly, the people sighted the new moon after the Maghrib prayer and became anxious as to what would happen then. But the same evening Khusrau Khan murdered the king and thus Allah Most High Himself put an end to his friend's enemy. (Story of Khalji’s murder can be verified from the book of Indian history).

The Death of an Oppressor Who Hurt A Muezzin in the Prophet’s  Mosque

There was a muezzin in the Prophet's Mosque in Madina. One day he was giving the prayer-call for the Fajr prayer. When he shouted the words "As-Salato khayrum mm an-naum (Prayer is better than sleep)," an attendant of the mosque came and slapped him. The muezzin wept and said: "0 Apostle of Allah! This happened to me in your presence".

Then and there the attendant who inflicted the slapping received an attack of paralysis. People lifted him up and took him to his home where he died after three days.

Visitation for Audacity In Respect Of Religious Elders

In our recent past, a few years back, at the time of the partition of the country, there occurred some incidents that whenever anyone caused pain to any religious elder on account of any worldly, personal or political reason or due to enmity; Divine Jealousy was at once stirred and took revenge.

Before the partition of the country Hazrat Husain Ahmed Madani (may his secret be sanctified!) went to one or two places on tour. There he was met with some opposition and some of them adopted such violence that a man came before him, stripped himself completely and just to vex him danced before him in that stark naked condition.

Praise be to Allah that secularly too this incident does not stain Hazrat Madani's reputation and dignity; on the contrary, that man, in his madness of antagonism earned disgrace for himself. But Divine Jealousy did not tolerate this too and took revenge.

Accordingly, after the partition, the same man came to the heirs of Hazrat and cried and begged pardon and said, "The punishment for the ill-treatment that I had committed with Hazrat Madani, in my madness of opposition, I received in this form. During the riots of 1947 purdah observing womenfolk of my family were made naked and insulted before me and were made to dance even as I had stripped and danced before Hazrat Madani. And now years have passed over this incident yet my crime has not been pardoned and from time to time divine wrath still continues to descend upon this slave".

If Allah Himself reminds these people of their guilt and bestows upon them the grace to cry over it, then they can be released from such afflictions.

And only worldly afflictions are not considered adequate; rather the grace for doing good is also seized, so much so that sometimes the wealth of faith is also taken away.

Divine Wrath Is Still Raining Down

Accordingly, a gentleman came to me. He talked about his owing allegiance to every great saint and then he began to say, "I had vowed allegiance to him and my condition was very good and I was very regular in following the Shari'ah; I was precision, but for some years now my condition has very much deteriorated and I have been involved in all sorts of sins."

So I asked him as to where he was before the partition of the country. He mentioned that region which is under divine wrath and curse, and on my further inquiring he confessed those crimes that he committed with regard to the religious elders, particularly Hazrat Madani (may Allah illuminate his grave!).

I therefore counselled him that he should keep begging Allah to pardon this particular crime and continue to weep in His Court and should remit as much recompense as he could to Hazrat Madani. Thank Allah that by doing so his condition is now improving.

Accordingly, after the occurrence of such events and incidents, our holy Shaikh's (may his shadow never grow less!) far seeing sight had made out that his ummah is suffering the punishment for those actions it had committed with its beneficent elders; and it will further suffer, as Maulana Rum has said:- "When Allah wants to expose anyone, He directs his inclination towards scoffing at the pure ones.”