Abu Yazid al-Bistami and his sufi thoughts

Abu Yazid b. Tayfur b. Isa al-Bistami or "Bâyezîd-i Bistami" with more common use in Turkish Sufi literature, was one of the first sufis, who lived in third century after the hegira. He was born in a town called Mobedan, which was in Bistam, and he grew up there. He took lessons from several masters and served them. The names of these masters are unknown but the names of Jafar al-Sadiq (d. 148/765) and Abu Ali al-Sindi are noted in sources. Abu Yazid was the one of the leading sufis of the school of Nishabur, which was known with their futuwwat (spiritual chivalry) and malamati doctrines. Also he was one of the leading sufis of the early era of sufism with his sayings in zuhd, tawakkul, mujahada, sukr, fana and tawhid. He was aware of the sûfî trends and arguments in his era, he criticized these approaches in zuhd and tawakkul. So with his sufi identity, he was one of the founder sufis of the tasawwuf. Also, Abu Yazid became famous with his shatahat (ecstatic expression) in early times of tasawwuf too. And because of his shatahat and statements about tawhid, some of the orientalist argued Abu Yazid's role in possible Indian influence in tasawwuf. As an owner of respectable amount of shatahat, Abu Yazid was criticised in his era and the following eras by the scholars and the some sufis, because of his statements. Scholars criticized his statements for alleged incarnation and ittihad. And for some of the sufis, Abu Yazid was wrong in his statements. And they claimed his sukr (intoxication) and unstable condition in his sulūk because of his statements. But the major approach in tasawwuf to the sufis like Abu Yazid and his shatahat, is explaining their condition and annotate these shatahat. At this point, as an annotator of shatahat, Ruzbihân Baqli's (d. 606/1209) annotations to Abu Yazid's statements and his condition, are so important as a source material.