A parable illustrating the fact that (mystical) bewilderment prevents investigation and consideration.

1376 - A certain man, whose hair was of two colours, came in haste to a highly esteemed barber.

1377 - He said, “Remove the hoariness from my beard, for I have chosen a new bride,

1378 - O young man.” He cut off his beard and laid the whole of it before him, and said, “Do thou pick out (the white hairs), for it happens that I have some important business.”

1379 - That “pick (them) out” is dialectic, for religious emotion has no care for these things (hair- splitting disputes).

1380 - A certain man slapped Zayd on the neck; he (Zayd) at once rushed at him with warlike purpose.

1381 - The assailant said, “I will ask thee a question, so answer me (first) and then strike me.

1382 - I struck the nape of thy neck, and there was the sound of a slap: at this point I have a question (to ask thee) in concord:

1383 - Was this sound caused by my hand or by the nape of thy neck, O pride of the noble?”

1284 - He (Zayd) said, “On account of the pain I have no leisure to stop (occupy myself) in this reflection and consideration.

1385 - Do thou, who art without pain, ponder on this; he that feels the pain has no such thought. Take heed!”

The essence of the story.

1386 - Amongst the Companions (of the Prophet) there was scarcely any one that knew the Qur’án by heart, though their souls had a great desire (to commit it to memory),

1387 - Because, inasmuch as its kernel had filled (them) and had reached maturity, the rinds became very thin and burst.

1388 - Similarly, the shells of the walnut and the pistachio-nut and the almond— when the kernel has filled them, the rind decreases.

1289 - (When) the kernel, knowledge, increases, its rind decreases (and vanishes), because the lover is consumed by his beloved.

1390 - Since the quality of being sought is the opposite of seeking, the Revelation and the flashing of the (Divine) Light consume the prophet with burning.

1391 - When the Attributes of the Eternal have shone forth, then the mantle of temporality is burned.

1392 - Every one that knew a quarter of the Qur’án by heart was hearing from the Companions (the words), “Great is he amongst us.”

1393 - To combine the (outward) form with such a deep (inner) meaning is not possible, except on the part of a mighty (spiritual) king.

1396 - Truly the staff is loved by the blind; the (inwardly) blind man himself is a coffer (full) of the Qur’án.

1398 - Again, a coffer full of the Qur’án is better than he that is (like) an empty coffer in the hand.

1399 - Yet again, the coffer that is empty of (any) load is better than the coffer that is full of mice and snakes.

1400 - The sum (of the matter is this): when a man has attained to union, the go between becomes worthless to him.

1401 - Since you have reached the object of your search, O elegant one, the search for knowledge has now become evil.

1402 - Since you have mounted to the roofs of Heaven, it would be futile to seek a ladder.

1403 - After (having attained to) felicity, the way (that leads) to felicity is worthless except for the sake of helping and teaching others.

1404 - The shining mirror, which has become clear and perfect— ’twould be folly to apply a burnisher (to it).

1405 - Seated happily beside the Sultan (and) in favour (with him) —’twould be disgraceful to seek letter and messenger.

Story of a lover's being engrossed in reading and perusing a love-letter in the presence of his beloved, and how the beloved was displeased thereat. It is shameful to seek the proof in the presence of that which is proved, and blameworthy to occupy one's self with knowledge after having attained to that which is known.

1406 - A certain man, (when) his beloved let (him) sit beside her, produced a letter and read it to her.

1407 - In the letter were verses and praise and laud, lamentation and wretchedness and many humble entreaties.

1408 - The beloved said, “If this is for my sake, (to read) this at the time of (our) meeting is to waste one's life.

1409 - I am here beside thee, and thou reading a letter! This, at any rate, is not the mark of (true) lovers.”

1410 - He replied, “Thou art present here, but I am not gaining my pleasure well (completely).

1411 - That which I felt last year on account of thee is non-existent at this moment, though I am experiencing union (with thee).

1412 - I have drunk cool water from this fountain, I have refreshed eye and heart with its water.

1413 - I am (still) seeing the fountain, but the water is not there: maybe some brigand has waylaid (and cut off) my water.”

1414 - She said, “Then I am not thy beloved: I am in Bulghár, and the object of thy desire is in Qutú

1415 - Thou art in love with me and (also) with a state of feeling; the state of feeling is not in thy hand (in thy possession), O youth.

1416 - Therefore I am not the whole of that which is sought by thee; I am (only) part of the object of thy quest at the present time.

1417 - I am (only) the house of thy beloved, not the beloved (herself): (true) love is for the cash, not for the coffer (that contains it).”

1418 - The (real) beloved is that one who is single, who is thy beginning and end.

1419 - When thou findest him, thou wilt not remain in expectation (of aught else): he is both the manifest and also the mystery,

1422 - One that is stopped (on the way) is not (at) the (journey's) end; he will be seated, waiting and seeking the “state.”

1423 - His (the perfect saint's) hand is the elixir that transmutes the “state”: (if) he move his hand, the copper becomes intoxicated with him.

1424 - If he will, even death becomes sweet; thorns and stings become narcissus and wild-rose.

1425 - He that is dependent on the “state” is (still) a human being: at one moment he is (made) greater by the “state,” at another moment he is in decrease.

1426 - In similitude the Súfí is “the son of the time,” but the pure one (şáfí) is unconcerned with “time” and “state.”

1432 - May be the mansion of the Moon, but he is not the Moon; he may be the picture of the Adored One, but he is not conscious.

1433 - The Súfí that seeks purity is ‘the son of the time’: he has clasped the ‘time’ tightly as (though it were) his father.

1434 - The pure one (şáfí) is plunged in the Light of the Glorious (God); he is not the son of any one, (he is) free from ‘times’ and ‘states’.

1435 - Plunged in the Light which is unbegotten: (the description) He neither begetteth nor is He begotten belongs to God (alone).

1438 - Do not regard the fact that thou art despicable or infirm; look upon thy aspiration, O noble one.

1439 - In whatsoever state thou be, keep searching; O thou with dry lip, always be seeking the water,

1440 - For that dry lip of thine gives evidence that at last it will reach the springhead.

1441 - Dryness of lip is a message from the water (to say) that this agitation (anxious search) will certainly bring thee to the water,

1448 - If an ant has sought (to attain) the rank of Solomon, do not look languidly (contemptuously) on its quest.

How a certain Shaykh showed no grief at the death of his sons.

1772 - Formerly there was a Shaykh, a (spiritual) Director, a heavenly Candle on the face of the earth,

1773 - One like a prophet amongst religious communities, an opener of the door of the garden of Paradise.

1774 - The Prophet said that a Shaykh who has gone forward (to perfection) is like a prophet amidst his people.

1775 - One morning his family said to him, “Tell us, O man of good disposition, how art thou (so) hard-hearted?

1776 - We with backs (bent) double are mourning for the death and loss of thy sons:

1777 - Why art not thou weeping and lamenting? Or hast thou no pity in thy heart?

1778 - Since thou hast no pity within, what hope for us is there now from thee?

1799 - The Shaykh said to her (his wife), “Do not think, O gracious one, that I have not pity and affection and a compassionate heart.

1802 - I utter a prayer for the dog that bites, crying, ‘O God, deliver him from this (evil) disposition!

1803 - Keep also these dogs in that (good) thought, so that they may not be stoned by the people.”

1814 - She (the Shaykh's wife) said, “Then, since thou hast pity on all, and art like the shepherd (going watchfully) around this flock,

1815 - How mournest thou not for thine own sons, when Death, the Bleeder, has pierced them with his lancet?

1816 - Since the evidence of pity is tears in the eyes, why are thine eyes without moisture and tearless?”

1817 - He turned towards his wife and said to her, “Old woman, verily the season of December is not like Tamúz (July).

1819 - Inasmuch as I see them distinct before me, for what reason should I rend my face as thou doest?

1821 - Weeping is caused by severance or by parting; I am united with my dear ones and embracing them.

1824 - Sense-perception is captive to the intellect, O reader; know also that the intellect is captive to the spirit.

1825 - The spirit sets free the chained hand of the intellect and brings its embarrassed affairs into harmony.

1826 - The (bodily) senses and (sensual) thoughts are like weeds on the clear water— covering the surface of the water.

1827 - The hand of the intellect sweeps those weeds aside; (then) the water is revealed to the intellect.

1828 - The weeds lay very thick on the stream, like bubbles; when the weeds went aside, the water was revealed.

1829 - Unless God loose the hand of the intellect, the weeds on our water are increased by sensual desire.

1830 - Every moment they cover the water (more and more): that desire is laughing, and thy intellect is weeping;

1831 - (But) when piety has chained the hands of desire, God looses the hands of the intellect.

1832 - So, when the intellect becomes thy captain and master, the dominant senses become subject to thee.

1833 - He without being asleep (himself), puts his senses to sleep, so that the unseen things may emerge from (the world of) the Soul.

1834 - Even in his waking state he dreams dreams and opens withal the gates of Heaven.

Story of the blind old man's reading the Qur’án in front (of him) and regaining his sight when he read.

1835 - Once upon a time a dervish Shaykh saw a Qur’án in the house of a blind old man.

1836 - He became his guest in (the month) Tamúz: the two ascetics were together for several days. He said (to himself),

1837 - “Oh, I wonder what the Book is (here) for, as this righteous dervish is blind.”

1838 - (Whilst he was occupied) in this reflection, his perplexity increased: (he said to himself), “No one lives here except him.

1839 - He is alone, (and yet) he has hung a Book (on the wall). I am not (so) unmannerly or muddled (in my wits).

1840 - As to ask (him the reason). Nay, hush! I will be patient, in order that by patience I may gain my object.”

1841 - He showed patience and was in a quandary for some time, (till at last) it (the secret) was disclosed, for patience is the key to joy (relief).

How Luqmán, when he saw David, on whom be peace, making (iron) rings, refrained from questioning him, with the intention that this act of self-control should be the cause of relief (from perplexity).

1842 - Luqmán went to David, the pure of heart, and observed that he was making rings of iron,

1843 - (And) that the exalted King was casting all the steel rings into each other.

1844 - He had not seen the armourer's handicraft (before), (so) he remained in astonishment and his curiosity increased.

1845 - “What can this be? I will ask him what he is making with the interfolded rings.”

1846 - Again he said to himself, “Patience is better: patience is the quickest guide to the object of one's quest.”

1847 - When you ask no question, the sooner will it (the secret) be disclosed to you: the bird, patience, flies faster than all (others);

1848 - And if you ask, the more slowly will your object be gained: what is easy will be made difficult by your impatience.

1849 - When Luqmán kept silence, straightway that (work of making rings) was finished by David's craftsmanship.

1850 - Then he fashioned a coat of mail and put it on in the presence of the noble and patient Luqmán.

1851 - “This,” he said, “is an excellent garment, O young man, for warding off blows on the battle-field and in war.”

1852 - Luqmán said, “Patience too is of good effect, for it is the protection and defence against pain everywhere.”

1853 - He (God) hath joined sabr (patience) with haqq (the real and permanent): O reader, recite attentively the end of (the Súra) Wa’l-‘asr.

1854 - God created hundreds of thousands of elixirs, (but) Man hath not seen an elixir like patience.

The remainder of the story of the blind man and his reading the Qur’án.

1855 - The guest showed patience, and of a sudden the difficult case was unveiled to him all at once.

1856 - At midnight he heard the sound of (recitation of) the Qur’án; he sprang up from sleep and beheld a marvel.

1857 - That the blind man was reading correctly from the Qur’án. He became impatient and sought from him (an explanation of) that matter.

1858 - “Oh, wonderful!” he cried. “Thou with sightless eyes, how art thou reading, (how art thou) seeing the lines?

1859 - Thou hast touched that which thou art reading: thou hast laid thy hand upon the words of that (passage).

1860 - Thy finger, in motion, makes it evident that thou hast thine eye resting on the words.”

1861 - He replied, “O thou who hast been separated from the body's ignorance, dost thou feel this wonder at the work of God?

1862 - I begged of God, crying, ‘O Thou whose help is sought, I am (as) covetous of reading the Book as (I am) of life.

1863 - I do not know it by heart: at the time of reading it, bestow on my two eyes an untroubled light.

1864 - Give me back my eyes at that moment, so that I may take the Book and read it plain.’

1865 - From the Divine Presence came the cry (in response): ‘O man of (devotional) work, O thou that hast hope of Me in every grief,

1866 - Thou hast the good thought (of Me) and the fair hope that at each moment bids thee mount higher.

1867 - Whensoever thou intendest to read (the Qur’án) or wantest the lection from (different) copies,

1868 - At that moment I will restore thine eye, in order that thou mayst read, O venerable being.’

1869 - Even so He did, and whenever I open the Book to read,

1870 - That all-knowing One who never becomes forgetful of His work, that honoured Sovereign and Maker,

Ya Ali Madad