Story of the sick man of whose recovery the physician despaired.

1293 - Story of the sick man of whose recovery the physician despaired.

1294 - That by the pulse you may diagnose the state of my heart, for the hand-vein is connected with the heart.”

1295 - Since the heart is invisible, if you want a symbol of it, seek from him who has connection with the heart.

1296 - The wind is hidden from the eye, O trusty friend; see it in the dust and in the movement of the leaves,

1297 - Observe whether it is blowing from the right or from the left: the movement of the leaves will describe its condition to you.

1298 - You know not intoxication of the heart where, seek the description of it from the inebriated eye.

Returning to the Story of the sick man.

1321 - Return and tell the story of the sick man and the wise physician whose nature was to palliate.

1322 - He felt his pulse and ascertained his state: that it was absurd to hope for his recovery.

1323 - He said, “Do whatever your heart desires, in order that this old malady may quit your body.

1324 - Do not withhold anything that your inclination craves, lest your self-restraint and abstinence turn to gripes.

1325 - Know that self-restraint and abstinence are injurious to this disease: proffer to your heart whatever it may desire.

1326 - O uncle, in reference to a sick man like this God most High said, ‘Do what you will.”

1327 - He said, “go; look you, my dear nephew, I am going for a walk on the bank of the river.”

1328 - He was strolling beside the water, as his heart desired, in order that he might find the door to health opened to him.

1329 - On the river-bank a Sufi was seated, washing his hands and face and cleansing himself more and more.

1330 - He saw the nape of his neck and, like a crazy man, felt a longing to give it a slap;

1331 - He raised his hand to inflict a blow on the nape of the pottage-worshipping Sufi,

1332 - Saying, “The physician told me it would make me ill if I would not let my desire have its way.

1333 - I will give him a slap in quarrel, for, ‘Do not cast yourselves with your own hands into destruction.’

1334 - O such-and-such, this self-restraint and abstinence is destruction: give him a good blow, do not keep quiet like the others.”

1335 - When he slapped him, there was the sound of a crack: the Sufi cried, “Hey, hey, O rascally pimp !”

1336 - The Sufi was about to give him two or three blows with his fist and tear out his moustache and beard piecemeal.

1337 - Mankind suffers from a wasting disease, without remedy, and through the Devil’s deception they are passionately addicted to slapping.

1338 - All are eager to injure the innocent and are seeking fault behind each others’ backs.

1339 - O you who strike the necks of the guiltless, don’t you see the retribution behind you ?

1340 - O you who fancy that desire is your medicine and inflict slaps on the weak,

1341 - He who told you that this is the cure mocked at you: it is he that guided Adam to the wheat,

1342 - Saying, “O you two who implore help, eat this grain as a remedy that you may abide in Paradise forever.”

1343 - He caused him to stumble and gave him a slap on the nape: that slap recoiled and became a retribution for him.

1344 - He caused him to stumble terribly in backsliding, but God was his support and helper.

1345 - Adam was a mountain: if he was filled with serpents, he is a mine of the antidote and was unhurt.

1355 - Although the Sufi was afire with anger, yet he cast his eye on the consequence.

1367 - Because the mine and treasury of God’s doing is not other than non-existence in being brought into manifestation.

1368 - We have previously given some indication of this: regard this and that as one, not as two.

Story of Sultan Mahmud and the Hindu boy.

1383 - He, God have mercy upon him, has told it: he has strung together the tale of King Mahmud, the Ghazi --

1384 - How, amongst the booty of his campaign in India, a boy was brought into the presence of that sovereign.

1385 - Afterwards he made him his vicegerent and seated him on the throne and gave him preferment above the army and called him “son.”

1386 - Seek the length and breadth and all particulars of the story in the discourse of that prince of the Faith.

1387 - In short, the lad was seated on this throne of gold beside the King-emperor.

1388 - He wept and shed tears in burning grief. The King said to him, “O you whose day is triumphant,

1389 - Why should you weep ? Has your fortune become disagreeable to you ? You are above kings, the familiar companion of the Emperor.

1390 - You are on this throne, while the viziers and soldiers are ranged in file before your throne, like the stars and the moon.”

1391 - The boy said, “The cause of my weeping bitterly is that in yonder city and country my mother.

1392 - Was always threatening me with you, ‘May I see you in the hands of the lion, Mahmud !’

1393 - Then my father would wrangle with my mother in reply, ‘What wrath and torment is this ?

1394 - Cannot you find any other curse lighter than this deadly curse ?

1395 - You are very pitiless and exceedingly hard-hearted, for you are killing him with a hundred swords.’

1396 - I used to be dismayed by the talk of both: a terror and pain would come into my heart,

1397 - Oh, wonderful ! What a hellish person Mahmud must be, since he has become proverbial for woe and anguish !’

1398 - I used to tremble in fear of you, being ignorant of your gracious treatment and high regard.

1399 - Where is my mother, that she might see me now on the throne, O King of the world ?”

1400 - Spiritual poverty is your Mahmud, O man without affluence: your nature is always making you afraid of it.

1401 - If you come to know the mercifulness of this noble Mahmud, you will cry joyously, “May the end be praised !”

1402 - Poverty is your Mahmud, O craven-hearted one: do not listen to this mother, namely, your misguiding nature.

1403 - When you become a prey to poverty, you will certainly shed tears, like the Hindu boy, on the Day of Judgment.

1404 - Although the body is a mother in fostering, yet it is more inimical to you than a hundred enemies.

1407 - The bad associate is good because of the patience, for the exercise of patience expands the heart.

1408 - The patience shown by the moon to the night keeps it illumined; the patience shown by the rose to the thorn keeps it fragrant.

1409 - The patience shown by the milk betwixt the feces and the blood enables it to rear the camel-foal till he has entered on his third year.

1410 - The patience shown by all the prophets to the unbelievers made them the elect of God and lords of the planetary conjunction.

1414 - If he had shown patience and loyal friendship, he would not have suffered this affliction through being separated from Him.

1415 - He would have consorted with God as honey with milk, saying, “I love not them that set.”

1445 - Now return to the description of non-existence, for it is like undigested animal fodder, though you think it is poison.

1446 - Listen, O fellow-servant, go and, like the Hindu boy, be not afraid of the Mahmud of non-existence.

1463 - Dissolve the whole of this body of yours in vision: pass into sight, pass into sight, into sight !

1464 - One sight perceives two yards of the road; another sight has beheld the two worlds and the Face of the King.

1466 - Since you have heard the description of the sea of non-existence, continually endeavour to stand upon this sea.

1471 - Since the highest stage is non-existence (La maka), the dervishes have outstripped all,

1473 - The beggar is he whose goods have melted away; the contented man is he who has gambled away his body.

1474 - Therefore do not now complain of affliction, for it is a smooth-paced horse towards non-existence (La maka).

1475 - We have said so much: think of the remainder, if thought be frozen, practise recollection.

1476 - Recollection brings thought into movement: make recollection to be the sun for this congealed.

1477 - God’s pulling is, indeed, the original source; but, O fellow-servant, exert yourself, do not be dependent on that pulling;

1478 - For to renounce exertion is like an act of disdain: how should disdain be seemly for a devoted lover ?

1480 - Suddenly the bird, namely, the attraction, will fly from its nest: put out the candle as soon as you see the dawn.

1481 - When the eyes have become piercing, it is its light: in the very husk it beholds the kernels.

1482 - In the mote it beholds the everlasting Sun, in the drop it beholds the entire Sea.

Returning once more to the Story of the Sufi and the Cadi.

1483 - The Sufi said, “It does not behove me blindly to lose my head by taking retaliation for a single slap on the nape.

1484 - My putting on the mantle of resignation has made it easy for me to suffer blows.”

1485 - The Sufi observed that his adversary was exceedingly frail: he said, “If I give him a hostile blow with my fist,

1486 - At my first blow he will crumble like dead, and then the king will punish me and exact retaliation.

1489 - Since he dares not give his adversary a fisticuff, he resolved to take him to the Cadi.

1495 - The cadi is a mercy and the means of removing strife: he is a drop from the ocean of the justice of the Resurrection.

1507 - The Sufi went to the man who had slapped him, and laid hold of his skirt like a plaintiff.

1508 - Haling him along, he brought him to the Cadi, saying, “Mount this asinine miscreant on an ass,

1509 - Or punish him with blows of the whip, according as your judgment may deem fitting;

1510 - For one who dies under your chastisement, no fine is on you in vengeance: that is not penalised.”

1516 - If a father strikes his son and he dies, the father must pay the blood-price,

1517 - Because he struck him for his own benefit, it is the duty of the son to serve him.

1518 - When a teacher strikes a boy and he perishes, nothing is on the teacher; no fear’

1519 - For the teacher is a deputy and a trustee; and the ease of every trustee is the same as this.

1520 - It is not his duty to serve his master therefore in chastising him the master was not seeking benefit,

1522 - Behead selfhood, then, O Dhu ‘l-faqár: become a selfless non-existent one like the dervish.

1523 - When you have become selfless, everything that you do you did not throw when you threw, you are safe.

1524 - The responsibility lies on God, not on the trustee: it is set forth plainly in jurisprudence.

1525 - Every shop has a different merchandise: the Masnavi is the shop for poverty, O son.

1526 - In the shoemaker’s shop there is fine leather: if you see wood, it is the mould for the shoe.

1527 - The drapers have silk and dun-coloured cloth: if iron be, it is for a yard-measure.

1528 - Our Masnavi is the shop for Unity: anything that you see except the One is an idol.

1533 - Listen; relate the story of the Sufi and the Cadi and the offender who was feeble and wretchedly ill.

1534 - The Cadi said, “Make the roof firm, O son, in order that I may decorate it with good and evil.

1535 - Where is the assailant ? Where is that which is subject to vengeance ? This man in sickness has become a phantom.

1536 - The law is for the living and self-sufficient: where is the law upon the occupants of the graveyard ?”

1537 - Those who are headless because of poverty are in a hundred respects more non-existent than those dead.

1541 - Every one is inwardly like Jirjis: they have been killed and brought to life sixty times.

1558 - What is injustice? To put out of its proper place: beware, do not let it be lost out of its place.”

1559 - The Sufi said, “Then do you think it right for him to slap me without retaliation and without a farthing ?

1560 - Is it right that a big rascally bear should inflict slaps on Sufis for nothing ?”

1561 - The Cadi said, “What have you, larger or smaller ?” He replied, “I have six dirhems in the world.”

1562 - Said the Cadi, “Spend three dirhems and give the other three to him without words.

1563 - “He is weak and ill and poor and infirm: he will need three dirhems for vegetables and loaves.”

1564 - His eye fall on the nape of the Cadi’s neck: it was better than the nape of the Sufi.

1565 - He raised his hand to slap it, saying, “The retaliation for my slap has been made cheap.”

1566 - He approached the Cadi’s ear for the purpose of a secret, and dealt the Cadi a blow with his palm.

1567 - “O my two enemies,” he cried, “take all the six dirhems: I shall be free without trouble and anxiety.”

How the Cadi was incensed by the slap of the poor man and how the Sufi taunted the Cadi.

1568 - The Cadi was incensed. “Hey,” cried the Sufi, “your decision is just, no doubt: there is no error.

1569 - O Shaykh of the religion, how can you approve for a brother what you disapprove for yourself, O man of trust ?

1570 - Don’t you know this; that you dig a pit for me you will at last let yourself fall into the same pit ?

The Cadi’s reply to the Sufi.

1577 - The Cadi said, “It is our duty to acquiesce, whatever slap or cruelty the destiny may bring to pass.

1578 - I am inwardly pleased with the decision in the Scrolls, though my face has become sour—for Truth is bitter.

1579 - This heart of mine is an orchard, and my eye is like the cloud: the cloud weeps the orchard laughs joyously and happily.

1580 - In a year of drought the orchards are reduced to death and agony by the sun laughing unconscionably.

1581 - You have read in God’s Commandment and weep much: why have you remained grinning like a roast head ?

1592 - When you come into a company of Mends, sit silent: do not make yourself the bezel in that ring.

1593 - At the Friday prayer-service look well and attentively: all are concentrated and possessed by a single ought and silent.

1594 - Direct your course towards silence: when you seek the marks, do not make yourself a mark.

1595 - The Prophet said, ‘Know that amidst the sea of cares Companions are stars in respect of guidance.’

1596 - Fix your eye on the stars, seek the Way, speech is a cause of confusion to the sight: do not speak.

1597 - If you utter two true words, O such-and-such, the dark speech will begin to flow in their train.

1598 - Haven’t you read that talk concerning grief, O frenzied is drawn along by the draw of talk ?

1599 - Beware; do not begin those right words, for words quickly draw words.

1600 - When you have opened your mouth, they are not in your control: the dark flows on the heels of the pure.

1601 - He may open who is preserved in the way of inspiration it is permissible since he is entirely pure.

1602 - For a prophet does not speak from self-will: how should self-will proceed from him who is preserved by God ?

1603 - Make yourself one that speaks eloquently from ecstatic feeling, lest you become a slave to argumentation like me.”

Ya Ali Madad