Story of the disciple of Shaykh Hasan Kharraqání.

2044 - A dervish went from the town of Talaqan because of the fame of Abu ’l- Husayn of Kharaqan.

2045 - He traversed the mountains and the long valley to visit the Shaykh who was endowed with sincerity and fervent supplication.

2046 - Although the afflictions and injuries which he suffered on the road are deserving, I will abridge.

2047 - When the young man reached the end of his journey, he asked to be directed to the house of that king.

2048 - As soon as he knocked at his door with a hundred reverences, the wife put forth her head from the door of the house,

2049 - Saying, “What do you want ? Tell, kind sir.” He replied, “I have come with the intention of paying a visit.”

2050 - The wife gave a laugh. “Ha, ha,” she exclaimed, “look at your beard, look at this undertaking of a journey and this trouble !

2051 - Was there nothing for you to do in the place that you should idly set out upon this expedition ?

2052 - Did you feel a craving to indulge in foolish sight-seeing, or were you overcome by disgust with your home ?

2053 - Or, perchance, the Devil laid on you a two-forked barnacle and let loose upon you the temptation to travel.”

2054 - She uttered unseemly and foul and silly words: I cannot relate all of them.

2055 - The disciple was thrown into a painful state of dejection by her parables and countless mockeries.

How the new-comer asked the Shaykh’s wife, “Where is the Shaykh ? Where shall I look for him ?” and the rude answer given by the Shaykh’s wife.

2056 - Tears burst from his eyes, and he said, “Nevertheless, where is that king of sweet name ?”

2057 - She replied, “That vain hypocritical impostor, a trap for fools and a noose for error—

2258 - Hundreds of thousands of callow simpletons like you have fallen, through him, into a hundred types of rebelliousness.

2259 - If you should not see him and return in safety, it will be good for you: you will not be led astray by him.

2060 - A braggart, a lick-platter, a parasite: the noise of his drum has reached the remotest parts of the world.

2061 - These folk are Israelites and worshippers of the calf: why do they fondle such a cow ?

2062 - Anyone who is duped by this parasite is a carcass by night and a good-for nothing by day.

2063 - These folk have abandoned a hundred kinds of knowledge and perfection and have embraced a deceit and imposture, saying, ‘This is ecstasy.’

2064 - Alas, where are the family of Moses that now they might shed the blood of the calf-worshippers.

2065 - Who have cast religion and piety behind their backs ? Where is ‘Umar ? Where is a stern command to act righteously ?

2066 - For the licence practised by these people has become notorious: it is an indulgence enjoyed by every scoundrel evil-doer.

2067 - Where is the Way of the Prophet and his Companions ? Where are his ritual prayer and rosary and observances ?”

How the disciple answered that railing woman and bade her refrain from her unbelief and idle talk.

2068 - The youth cried out at her and said, “Enough ! In bright daylight where did the night-patrol come from ?

2069 - The splendour of the men has overspread the East and the West: the heavens have bowed low in amazement.

2070 - The Sun of God has risen from the Ram: the sun has gone, shamefaced, under the veil.

2071 - How should the nonsense of a devil like you turn me back from the dust of this abode ?

2072 - I have not come by a wind like a cloud, that I should be turned back from this presence by a dust.

2073 - By virtue of that Light the calf becomes a qibla of grace; without that Light the qibla becomes infidelity and an idol.

2074 - The licence that comes from self-will is error; the licence that comes from God is perfection.

2075 - In that quarter where the illimitable Light has shone, infidelity has become faith and the Devil has attained unto Islam.

2076 - He is a theatre for the manifestation of the Glory, and he is the real beloved: he has carried off the prize from all the Cherubim.

2077 - The worship of Adam is clear evidence of his superiority: the husk always bows down to the kernel.

2078 - O old woman, you puff God’s candle, you will be burnt, you and your head at the same time, O foul-mouthed one.

2079 - How should the sea be defiled by a dog’s muzzle ? How should the sun be extinguished by a puff ?

2080 - Even if you judge by appearances, tell, what is more apparent than this Light ?

How the disciple turned back from the Shaykh’s house and questioned the people, and how they directed him, saying, “The Shaykh has gone to such and such a forest.”

2115 - Afterwards he began to inquire of every one and sought the Shaykh for a long while in every quarter.

2116 - Then somebody said to him, “That Qutb of the world has gone to fetch fire wood from the hilly country.”

2117 - The disciple, whose thoughts were Dhu ’l-faqár, ran quickly to the forest in eager desire for the Shaykh.

2118 - The Devil was introducing to the man’s mind an evil suggestion, in order that the Moon might be concealed by dust,

2119 - Namely, “Why should this Shaykh of the religion keep in his house a woman like this as his mate and companion ?

2120 - Whence familiarity between opposite and opposite ? Whence a nasnas (anthropoid ape) is with the Imam of mankind ?”

2121 - Then again he was exclaiming fervidly, “God help me ! My impugning him is infidelity and enmity.

2122 - Who am I, in view of God’s exercising control, that my carnal soul should raise difficulties and objections ?”

2123 - But soon his carnal soul was returning to the attack— in consequence of this acquaintance smoke in his straw-like heart,

2124 - Saying, “What affinity has the Devil with Gabriel, that she should be his bedfellow in intercourse ?

2125 - How can Khalíl agree with Ázar ? How can a guide agree with a brigand ?”

How the disciple gained his wish and met the Shaykh near the forest.

2126 - He was in this when suddenly the renowned Shaykh appeared before him, riding on a lion.

2127 - The roaring lion carried his faggots, while that blessed one sat on the top of them.

2128 - Because of the honour his whip was a fierce serpent: he had grasped the serpent in his hand, like an ass-goad.

2129 - Know for certain that likewise every Shaykh that exists is riding on a furious lion.

2130 - Although that and this are not perceived by the senses, yet it is not concealed from the spiritual eye.

2131 - Under their thighs a hundred thousand lions carrying faggots are before the eye that knows the Unseen;

2132 - But God has made them visible singly, in order that even he who is not a man may behold them.

2133 - That prince saw him from afar and laughed and said, “O you who are tempted, do not listen to it from the Devil.”

2134 - The venerable knew his secret thought by the light of the heart: yea, it is an excellent guide.

2135 - The master of mystical sciences recited to him in detail all that had befallen him on his journey until now.

2136 - Afterwards that man of sweet discourse opened his mouth on the difficult matter of his wife’s disbelief,

2137 - Saying, “My long-suffering is not from sensual desire; that is a vain fancy of your carnal soul: do not take that standpoint.

2138 - Unless my patience had endured the burden of my wife, how should the fierce lion have endured the labour of me ?

2139 - I am Bactrian camels, in advance, intoxicated and beside myself under the panniers of God.

2140 - I am not half-raw in the order and command, that I should take any thought of revilement by the public.

2141 - My public and my private is His command: my spirit is running on its face in search of Him.

2142 - My being single or wedded is not on account of sensual desire: my spirit is like a die in the hand of God.

2143 - I endure the disdain of that foolish and a hundred like her, neither from love of colour nor passion for scent.

2144 - This much, indeed, is the lesson learned by my disciples; unto what place the forward and backward movement of my battle !

2145 - Unto what place ? Unto the place where Place finds no admittance, and where nothing exists save the lightning-flash of the Moon of Allah.

2146 - Far beyond all conceptions and imaginations, the Light of light of light of light of light of light.”

2147 - If I have made my discourse low for your sake, in order that you may put up with an ill-natured companion,

2148 - And smilingly and cheerfully bear the burden of distress, because patience is the key to relief from pain.

2149 - When you put up with the vileness of these vile folk you will attain unto the light of the sunnas (Asal);

2187 - What is iman ? Causing the spring to flow: when the spirit (jan) has escaped from the body, they call it rawán.

2188 - The philosopher whose spirit was delivered from the bondage of the body and began to wander (rawan) in the garden.

2189 - Bestowed two titles on these two in order to distinguish. Oh, may his spirit be blest !

2190 - Showing that if he who walks according to the command wishes a rose to become a thorn, it will become that.

The evidentiary miracle of Hud, on whom be peace, in the deliverance of the true believers of the community at the moment when the Wind descended.

2191 - All the true believers, from the violence of the pernicious Wind, seated themselves in the circle.

2192 - The Wind was the Flood, and His grace was the ship: He has many such arks and floods.

2238 - He is the adversary of every lion and every fox: "Everything is perishing except His Face."

2240 - In bism the alif has stayed hidden: it is in bism and also it is not in bism.

2241 - Such is the case with all the letters that disappear when they are elided for the purpose of conjunctions.

2242 - The suppressed alif in bism is a sila and through it the 'b' and the 's' have attained to union: the union of the 'b' and the 's' could not bear the alif.

2243 - Since this union cannot bear a single letter, it behooves me to cut short the discourse.

2244 - Since a single letter is the cause of separation between the 's' and the 'b', here silence is a most urgent duty.

2245 - When the alif has passed away from self-existence, taking shelter, the 'b' and the 's' say “alif” without it.

2246 - "You did not throw when you threw" are without him; likewise God said sprang from his silence.

Ya Ali Madad