Council of Khwaja 'Ubaidu'llah Ahrar Regarding Rafidis

The venerable Khwaja ('Ubaidu'llah) spoke these words to the author of the Rashahat and then, when he saw that he was weeping , he reflected him like a mirror and began to weep himself.  The following conversation then took place between them:

“Where are you from?” asked  the venerable Khwaja. 
“I was born in Sabzavar, but I grew up in Herat.”

“They have told a story about your place of birth,” said the venerable Khwaja.  "A Sunni native of Sabzavar was sitting in the corner of a wall, while a Rafidi was sitting on top of it.  What should he see, when he raised his head? On the sol of his foot, the infidel Rafidi had inscribed the blessed names of the two great Companions, the venerable Abu Bakr and Umar! Contempt was his intention.  The Sunni was extraordinarily distressed by this sight, and he stabbed at the Rafidi's sole, as soon as he had drawn his knife.  The Rafidi uttered a scream.  He started shouting at the top of his voice: 'Run to my rescue, friends, for this Sunni is stabbing me!'

'The Rafidis ganged together and grabbed hold of the Sunni, in order to tear him to shreds.  The Sunni could see no possible escape from being ripped to pieces, until this trick occurred to him: 'Stop for just one second,' he said, 'and let me tell you the truth of the matter!' They paused and he said: 'I was listening at the foot of this wall, when I felt a touch on my head.  On raising my skull, I saw that someone was trying to place those names on the top of my head.  I am also one of you, however, so I certainly could not bear to have those names on the top of my head.  Due to my angry rage, I could not even recognize that it was a foot of his, so I quickly drew my knife and prodded the thing that was descending on my head.  What is it had not been the foot of someone like us?' They responded to this by leaving the man alone, and they even saw fit to honour him by kissing his hand.  Well, you are from that kind of town!"

"Yes, my master!" 

 "One of the Shaikhs also found himself in a place where the Rafidis represented the majority.  A Rafidi gang confronted him  on the road, and they persisted in their blasphemous assertions concerning the venerable Abu Bakr.  The Shaikh`s companions were about to thrash them severely, but he did not grant them permission.  He said: 'Leave them alone! The Abu Bakr they mention is not the one we know! Having created an imaginary Abu Bakr in their minds, they display him as the enemy of the people of the household of Allah`s Messenger, and they inveigh against him.  If such an Abu Bakr had existed, we would also have inveighed against him!" On hearing this, the Rafidis attained to right guidance, and they kissed the Shaikh`s hand while seeking forgiveness".

The venerable Khwaja also asked the author of the Rashahat;

"Who is your father, and what is his occupation?"
"His name is Mawlana Husain, and he is a preacher."
"That is a name that has come to my ear.  I have heard that he is a person endowed with perfection and virtue.  It seems that his sermons are well received by every class, both low and high."

[Excerpted from: Rashahat 'Ain al-Hayat [Beads of Dew from the Source of Life. Translated by Muhtar Holland. Al-Baz. p.299]