Abū-Naṣr Bishr bin al-Ḥārith al-Ḥāfī
الإمام أبو نصر بشر بن الحارث الحافي
His name was Abū-Naṣr Bishr bin al-Ḥārith al-Ḥāfī (d. 227/841). He was one of the greatest Mystics of his time and lived in the golden era of the Tabaʿ Tabiʿīn. He was a student of Imam Abu Hanifa and associated with Fudayl ibn Iyad. He was the disciple of his maternal uncle, Shaykh ʿAlī bin Khashʿram. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal greatly revered him and often sat in his august company and followed him bare-footed wherever he went. The illustrious ʿUlamāʾ took offence at this and remarked: “You are a great Muḥaddith and people come to you to learn Ḥadīth. Why are you doing this?” He replied:
“People come to me to learn Ḥadīth and I learn about the Ṣāḥib-e-Ḥadīth (Sayyidunā Rasūlullāh ﷺ) from Bishr al-Ḥāfī.”
A lady came to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal 445 (d. 241/855) and inquired, “At night I sew clothes on my roof top. There is not enough light to thread my needle. So when the Royal Chariot of the King passes, the entire area becomes lit up. Can I thread my needle in this light because the light belongs to an oppressor whose wealth consists of Ḥalāl and Ḥarām?” Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal asked her who she was. She said, “I am the sister of Bishr al-Hāfi (d. 227/841).” The distinguished Imam then said, “Piety is a hall-mark of your home. It is not permissible for you to thread your needle in that light."
(Cited in Risālah al-Qushayriyyah, p. 270)