2071. This (topic) has no bound. Go to the starting-point, go back to the tale of the minstrel.

The story of the old harper who in the time of ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, on a day when he was starving played the harp for God's sake in the graveyard.

1913. Hast thou heard that in the time of ‘Umar there was a harper, a fine and glorious minstrel?

2072. Okay That minstrel by whom the world was filled with rapture, from whose voice wondrous phantasies grew (arose in the minds of those who heard him),

2073. At whose song the bird of the soul would take wing, and at whose note the mind of the spirit would be distraught.

2074. When time passed and he grew old, from weakness the falcon, his soul, became a catcher of gnats.

2075. His back became bent like the back of a wine-jar, the brows over his eyes like a crupper-strap.

2076. His charming soul-refreshing voice became ugly and worth nothing to any one.

2077. The tone that had (once) been the envy of Zuhra (Venus) was now like the bray of an old donkey.

2082. When the minstrel grew older and feeble, through not earning (anything) he became indebted for a single loaf of bread.

2083. He said, “Thou hast given me long life and respite: O God, Thou hast bestowed (many) favours on a vile wretch.

2084. For seventy years I have been committing sin, (yet) not for one day hast Thou withheld Thy bounty from me.

2085. I (can) earn nothing: to-day I am Thy guest, I will play the harp for Thee, I am Thine.”

2086. He took up his harp and went in search of God to the graveyard of Medina, crying “Alas!”

2087. He said, “I crave of God the price of silk (for harpstrings), for He in His kindness accepts adulterated coin.”

2088. He played the harp a long while and (then), weeping, laid his head down: he made the harp his pillow and dropped on a tomb.

2089. Sleep overtook him: the bird, his soul, escaped from captivity, it let harp and harper go and darted away.

2090. It became freed from the body and the pain of this world in the simple (purely spiritual) world and the vast region of the soul.

2091. There his soul was singing what had befallen (it), saying, “If they would but let me stay here.

2092. Happy would be my soul in this garden and springtide, drunken with this (far stretching) plain and mystic anemone-field.

2093. Without head or foot I would be journeying, without lip or tooth I would be eating sugar.

2094. With a memory and thought free from brain-sickness, I would frolic with the dwellers in Heaven.

2101. If this world and the way to it were manifest, no one would remain there (in the material world) for a single moment.

2102. The (Divine) command was coming (to the minstrel)—“Nay, be not covetous: inasmuch as the thorn is out of thy foot, depart”.

2103. (Whilst) his soul was lingering there in the spacious demesne of His (God's) mercy and beneficence.

How the heavenly voice spoke to ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, while he was asleep, saying, “Give a certain sum of gold from the public treasury to the man who is sleeping in the graveyard.”

2104. Then God sent such a drowsiness upon ‘Umar that he was unable to keep himself from slumber.

2162. The voice (of God) came to ‘Umar, saying, “O ‘Umar, redeem Our servant from want.

2163. We have a servant, a favourite and highly esteemed one: take the trouble to go on foot to the graveyard.

2164. O ‘Umar, spring up and put in thy hand full seven hundred dínárs from the public treasury.

2165. Carry them to him (and say), ‘O thou who art Our choice, accept this sum now and excuse (Us for offering such a small gift).

2166. Spend this amount on the price (purchase) of silk: when it is spent, come here (again).’”

2167. Then ‘Umar in awe of that voice sprang up that he might gird his loins for this service.

2168. Umar set his face towards the graveyard with the purse under his arm, running in search (of God's favourite).

2169. Long did he run round about the graveyard: no one was there but that poor old man.

2174. When it became certain to him that none was there except the old man, he said, “Many an illumined heart is (to be found) in darkness.”

2175. He came and sat down there (beside him) with a hundred marks of respect.

2183. here are some pieces of gold to pay for silk. Spend them and come back to this place.”

2184. The old man heard this, trembling all over and biting his hand and tearing his garment,

2185. Crying, “O God who hast no like!” inasmuch as the poor old man was melted with shame.

2186. After he had wept long and his grief had gone beyond (all) bounds, he dashed his harp on the earth and broke it to bits.

2187. He said, “O thou (harp) that hast been to me a curtain (debarring me) from God, O thou (that hast been) to me a brigand (cutting me off) from the King's highway,

2188. O thou that hast drunk my blood for seventy years, O thou because of whom my face is black (disgraced) before (the Divine) perfection!

2189. Have mercy, O bounteous God who keepest faith, on a life passed in iniquity!

How ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, bade him (the harper) turn his gaze from the stage of weeping, which is (self-) existence, to the stage of absorption (in God), which is non-existence (of self). 2199. Then ‘Umar said to him, “This wailing of thine is also (one of) the marks of thy sobriety (self-consciousness).

2208. When Fárúq (‘Umar) became a reflector of mysteries, the old man's heart was awakened from within.

2209. He became without weeping or laughter, like the soul: his (animal) soul departed and the other soul came to life.

2210. In that hour such a bewilderment arose within him that he went forth from earth and heaven.

How the Prophet, on whom be peace, manifested a miracle by the speaking of the gravel in the hand of Abú Jahl—God's curse on him!—and by the gravel's bearing witness to the truth of Mohammed, on whom be God's blessing and peace.

2154. There were some pebbles in the hand of Bú Jahl: “O Ahmad,” said he, “tell quickly what this is.

2155. If thou art the Messenger (of God), what is hidden in my fist? (Speak), since thou hast knowledge of the mysteries of Heaven.”

2156. He said, “How dost thou wish (me to do)? Shall I say what those (hidden) things are, or shall they declare that I am truthful and right?”

2157. Bú Jahl said, “This second (thing) is more extraordinary.” “Yes,” said the Prophet, “(but) God hath greater power than that.”

2158. Without delay, from the middle of his (closed) fist every pebble began to pronounce the (Moslem's) profession of faith.

2159. Each said, “There is no god” and (each) said, “except Allah”; (each) threaded the pearl of “Ahmad is the Messenger of Allah.”

2160. When Bú Jahl heard this from the pebbles, in his anger he dashed those pebbles on the ground.