Bistami Compare And Contrast

Bistami reimages the ascension and changes the story to fit the way that he sees the journey to the overall end goal of the trip to match how he believes the best way to tell it. These changes are emphasized in the journey itself that is taken, the tests that are given, and after the seventh heaven is reached what happens after. In each story has their main character is trying to reach God, but one of the biggest differences throughout Bistami’s story is that the angle Gabriel is not there to help his main character through the ascension to reach God in the 7th heaven. In Ibn ‘Abbas’ story Mohammad is being guided by Gabriel throughout the seven heavens and only has one test at the beginning of the story. Versus in Bistami’s version, Mohammad
“I saw myself in the dream as if I had lifted to the sky in quest of Allah, seeking union with Allah Most High that I might abide with him forever” (Bistami 244). Bistami wants to give the reader the idea that Abu Yazid who is Bistami’s main character is floating up so that it allows him to set for the end when Yazid transforms into a bird and flys throughout the realm to meet Allah at this throne. “When Allah knew the sincerity of my will in the quest for him, he turned me into a bird, each wing feather of which was greater than the distance from east to west” (Bistami 248). Bistami is trying to differ from Ibn ‘Abbas’ with the idea that words don’t need to be spoken to gain the sense of enlightenment and what it takes to get there. If you are one with God, you no longer need to be told something because he can just give you his message through your heart and that is all you need. Bistami decides to use a lot of visuals and tries to help the reader understand why it is important for Yazid not to get distracted on his journey and make it to the seventh heaven to not stop there to make sure he reaches Allah. Throughout Bistami’s version of the story, Abu Yazid sees what great things that are being offered but continues to try and move upward. He understands that there is one end goal on his
Instead of Bistami’s version where in a dream he rises, Mohammad met at the beginning by the angle Gabriel and guided through. Gabriel plays the role of a guide to try and help Mohammad throughout the heavens to reach his end goal. Ibn ‘Abbas’ used this story and the constant testing of Mohammad to show that if you want to reach god, it will not be easy. “The angles were lined up in rows, and Gabriel introduced me, and I prayed two rak’as with them for the community of Abraham, the friend of God. Then we went up to the fourth heaven in this night journey in the twinkling of an eye” (Abbas Pg 23). Mohammad and Gabriel were greeted by angles at the end of every heaven and God consistently put something great at the end of each one to try and make sure that the tests were hard enough. Bistami decided not to take this approach of always testing and being guided because he believed that if your love for god is pure enough, you should be one with him and there for should not need to be continuously