Excerpts from Nafahat al-'Uns: The Lives of Notable Figures of the Spiritual Path

Mausoleum Khoja Ahmed Yasavi (1093-1166)
Excerpts from Nafahat al-'Uns: The Lives of Notable Figures of the Spiritual Path
by Sidi Ruslan Moore
Qutham Shaikh
May Allah the Exalted bestow His mercy upon him!
He was one of the Turkish Shaikhs and he belonged to the noble family of Khwaja Ahmad Yasavi. According to the venerable Khwaja Baha' ad-Din, the venerable Khwaja Amir Kulal had told him: "You now have authorization. Near or far, wherever you smell a fragrant scent, you must spare no effort in the quest for its source." For this reason he approached Qutham Shaikh, and this is what happened at their first encounter: Qutham Shaikh was eating a water-melon. He threw its rind towards the Khwaja. The Khwaja was feeling extremely thirsty at that time, so he seized the rind that was thrown in his direction and devoured it completely, regarding it as an auspicious omen. The same thing happened three times during that meeting. During one of their meetings, the Shaikh's servant came in and said: "I have lost three camels and four horses." The Shaikh pointed to the venerable Khwaja and said in Turkish: "You must treat him hospitably!" Four of his disciples were present. They looked at the Khwaja in awe, while feeling offended. It was as if a blood feud existed between them. The venerable Khwaja Baha' ad-Din (sanctified be his innermost being) then said: "If anyone does not understand the character of the Turkish Shaikhs, alas, he has lost all hope of following that spiritual path and he has gone astray." The Khwaja sat down on his knees, became absorbed in contemplation and concentrated his attention on the Truth. After the performance of the evening ritual prayer, that servant came in again and said: "The camels and the horses have come back of their own accord!" The venerable Khwaja stayed for three months, less or more, at the command and in the service of Qutham Shaikh (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him). When he finally took his leave, he showed deference to him and said: "I have nine sons. You are now the tenth, and you are superior to them all!" For many years, he used to go from the suburbs of Nakhshab to Bukhara. When he arrived there, Khwaja Baha' ad-Din would take good care of him and treat him with respect. He used to say to the Khwaja: "As for this quality of spiritual seeking which I have seen in you, I have not observed it in any of the seekers and the truthful." Qutham Shaikh had cut himself off from creatures and material things, so completely that he had no attachment to them whatsoever. Near the end of his life, he came to one of the markets of Bukhara. He traded various items, then left and departed. The signs of his state of health were clearly apparent. He entered a shop and sat down, then summoned those sons and followers of his who were present with him, and said: "Our migration is near at hand. Let us all join together in reciting the declaration of Oneness [kalimat at-tawhid]. He recited it himself and the others recited it together. At that moment he surrendered his spirit.
May Allah be well pleased with him! (Courtesy:Sunni Path http://www.sunnipath.com/)