[Sillaycheg]

This is taken from wikipedia, from I think Tadhkirat ul-Awliya:

HER BIRTH

On the night Hadhrat Rabiah (rahmatullah alayha) was born, the house was in complete darkness. Her father was unable to buy even oil for the lamp on account of his poverty. There was no garments to wrap the new born baby. She was the fourth daughter hence was named Rabiah (i.e. the fourth). Her mother asked her father (Rabiah's father) to go to a neighbour for some oil. Rabiah's father had vowed never to ask anything from anyone. However, to satisfy his wife, he went to the neighbour's house, knocked on the door and came away before anyone opened it. On his return, he told his wife that the door was not opened. Grief-stricken he fell asleep. In a dream he saw Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) telling him: "Do not grieve, this girl born to you is exceptionally fortunate and holy. By her intercession 70,000 people of my Ummah will be forgiven. Go to the governor of Basrah and convey to him this message written on a page:

"Every night you recite 100 Durood on me and on Friday night 400 times. Last Friday night you forget to recite the Durood. As a compensation for this omission give this person 400 dinars."

Rabiah's father woke up crying. He wrote out the message and went to meet the governor. He handed the letter to a guard. When the governor read the letter he was moved by the fact that Rasulullah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم) had remembered him. He ordered 10,000 dirhams to be given to the poor as a token of gratitude. He went out to meet Rabiah's father. After presenting him with the 400 dinars, he said: "In future whatever your needs are, come to me without any hesitation."

HER TRAGIC EARLY LIFE

After she came of age, her parents died. There was a great famine in Basrah. The sisters were separated. A cruel man abducted her. He enslaved her and finally sold her cheaply. All day long she worked for her master and spend the night in ibaadat. One night her master woke up and heard her supplicating. When he went to investigate he saw a lamp miraculously hanging in mid-air above her lighting up the entire room. She was saying: "O Allah! You know that my heart's desire is to serve You, and the light of my eyes is in Your service. Since You have subjected me to be in the service of people, I am late for Your service."

Rabiah's master resolved to set her free. In the morning, he emancipated her and said: "You are free to go. If you choose to stay here, you are welcome. However, then I shall serve you." Taking permission she departed to spend her time in the ibaadat of Allah Ta'ala.

Once while she was in the service of her master she was sent on an errand. Along the way a man accosted her. In fright she fled, slipped and broke her hand. Praying to Allah Ta'ala she cried: "O Allah! I am forlorn, without mother and father. Now my hand too is broken. But I do not care for these calamities if You are pleased with me. Are You pleased or displeased with me?"

A voice called to her: "On the Day of Qiyaamah even the Muqarrab (very close) Angels will envy your rank."

SOME ANECDOTES

- Once Rabiah kept seven fasts and spent the entire night in Ibaadat. On the seventh day someone presented her a bowl of milk. When she went to fetch the lamp, a cat came and drank the milk. She decided to break fast with water. When she brought a cup of water, the lamp was extinguished. As she lifted the cup, it slipped and broke. She drew a sigh and said: "O Allah! What are You doing to me?" A Voice said: "O Rabiah! If you desire the bounties of the world, We shall bestow it to you, but then We shall remove Our love from your heart. Our love and worldly bounties cannot coexist in one heart." Henceforth, Rabiah severed all her worldly hopes and her attitude was like that of a person in his death throes. Each morning she supplicated: "O Allah! Keep me engrossed in You and do not allow the people of the world to divert me."

- When asked for the cause of her constant crying, Rabiah said: "I fear separation from Allah Ta'ala. I fear that at the time of maut I may be rebuffed and it be announced: "You do not deserve to be in Our Presence."

- Rabiah said: "As long as Allah Ta'ala does not grant the taufeeq, a person will not be able to repent for sins. (Thus, sincere repentance indicates acceptance of the taubah.)

- "As long as man's heart is not alert, his other limbs cannot find the path of Allah. An alert heart is a heart lost in divine absorption. Such a heart is not in need of the aid of other limbs. This stage is called Fana (annihilation)."

- Maalik Bin Dinaar went to visit Rabiah. He found in her home only a partly broken jug which she used for wudhu and drinking water; a very old straw-mat on which she slept and a brick which she used as a pillow. Maalik Bin Dinaar said: "I have many affluent friends. Shall I ask them to bring some items for you?"

- Rabiah said: "O Maalik! Is my Provider, your Provider and the provider of the wealthy not the same Being?" Maalik said: "Yes." Rabiah: "What, has He forgotten about the needs of the poor on account of their poverty while he remembers the needs of the wealthy?" Maalik Bin Dinaar: "It is not so." Rabiah: "When He never forgets anyone, why should we remind Him? He has wished this condition for me and I am pleased with it because it is His pleasure."

HER DEMISE

When her time to depart from earth was near, the illustrious Mashaa-ikh gathered by her. She said: "Go away and leave place for the Angels." They all went out and closed the door. While they were waiting outside, they heard from within a voice reciting:

"O Soul at Rest! Return to your Rabb."

For a long while thereafter there was silence. When they went inside they discovered that Rabiah's soul had taken flight from this world and had reached Allah.