2.9.25 - Shaykh Abu Abdullah Ibn Zain al-Yabari (from Evora)

He was from Seville, a man of great merit, much given to the practice of austerities. He studied the Quran and grammar at the Mosque of Udais in Seville. He was almost unknown and little noticed. He devoted himself to the study of the works of al-Ghazali.

One night he was reading the book of Abu al-Qasim Ibn al-Hamdin which attacks al-Ghazali, when he was suddenly struck blind. He immediately prostrated and abased himself, swearing that he would never again read the book. When he had put it away from him God restored his sight to him. He was one of the most meritorious of men. I also met his brother who was like him. When he died a cry was heard saying: Two of Paradise for the Son’s of Zain!

Then in al-Durrah al-Fakhirah, he says: He came from Evora, a town which is today in the hands of the Franks. The same Ibn Hamdin, who was the judge at Cordoba, had al-Ghazali’s books burned and uttered anathemas against him. Sometime later Ibn Hamdin saw al-Ghazali in a dream with an iron chain in his hand with which he was pulling along a pig. Ibn Hamdin relates that he greeted al-Ghazili and inquired about the pig. Al-Ghazali replied that the pig was Ibn Hamdin and that he would remain in his power until he was shown how he had merited his curses.