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He was Abu Mahfuz Ma`ruf bin Firuz al-Karkhi, one of the greatest shaykhs, whose prayers were always granted and whose tomb is sought out for its healing influence. The Baghadadis say, “The tomb of M`ruf is a proven remedy”. He came to Islam under the protection of Ali bin Musa al-Rida. De died in the year 200 H., or according to some, in 201 H.

He was the master of Sari al-Saqati, and said to him one day, “When you have need of anything from Allah, adjure Him by me.” I heard Abu Ali al-Daqqaq say, “The parents of Ma`ruf al-Karkhi were Christians, so when Ma`ruf was a young boy they sent him to a Christian religious instructor. The teacher used to say to him, ‘Say [God is] the third of three’, and he would answer, ‘No, He is One.’ One day the teacher struck him a violent blow, and Ma`ruf ran away. His parents said, “Oh, if only he would come back to us, we would agree with him on whatever religion he might choose!” Meanwhile he had become a Muslim at the hands of Ali bin Musa al-Rida. He returned to his home and knocked on the door. ‘Who is it?’ ‘Ma`ruf,’ he said. ‘In what religion have you come?’ they asked. ‘In the true and upright religion.’ So his parents became Muslims.

Muhannad bin al-Husayn said… that Sari al-Saqati said, “I saw Ma`ruf al-Karkhi in a dream as if he were under the Divine Throne. Allah Almighty and Glorious was saying to his angels, ‘Who is this?’ and they replied , ‘You know best, O Lord.’ He said, ‘This is Ma`ruf al-Karkhi, drunken with My love, and he will not recover except by meeting with Me.’

Ma`ruf said, ‘One of the companions of Dawud al-Tai said to me, “Take care not to neglect a work that will bring you closer to the pleasure of your master.” I said, ‘And what is that work?” He said, “To obey your Lord continually, and to serve and advise the Muslims.”

I heard Muhammad bin al-Husayn say that his father said: I saw Ma`ruf al-Karkhi in a dream, and I asked him, “How did Allah deal with you?” He said, “He forgave me.” I asked, “Because of your asceticism and fear?” He said, “No, because of my acceptance of the advice of Ibn Sammak, my need of poverty, and my love of the poor.”

Ma`ruf gave an account of the advice of Ibn Sammak, “I was passing though Kufah and stopped in front of a man known as Ibn Sammak. He was addressing the people, and said during this speech, ‘Whoever turns away from Allah entirely,  turns away from him entirely. Whoever turns his heart toward Allah, Allah turns toward him His mercy and the faces of all His creatures. Whoever is sometimes one way and sometimes the other, Allah has mercy upon him from time to time.’ His speech struck upon my heart, and I turned to Allah Most High, abandoning all of what I was occupied with except the service of my master, Ali bin Musa al-Rida. I related this speech to my master, and he said, ‘This advice, if you heed it, will suffice you.’” This story was told me by Muhammad bin al-Husayn, who said that Sari al-Saqat said, “I heard Maruf say that.”

In his last illness, Ma`ruf was told, “Make your will.” He said, “When I die, give my shirt to charity. As I came into this world naked, I want to leave in naked.”

While making a voluntary fast, Ma`ruf passed a water-seller who was saying, “May Allah have mercy upon the one who drinks!” He went up and drank. “Aren’t you fasting?” they asked him. “Indeed, but I had hopes of his prayer,” he replied.