Front matter
TRUBNER’S
ORIENTAL SERIES
MASNAYI I MA’NAVI
BOOK I. Prologue . i
Story I. — The Prince and the Handmaid ... 4
Description of love ........ 5
Importunity of Shamsu-’d-Din of Tabriz .... 6
Story II. — The Oilman and his Parrot . 7
Confusion of saints with hypocrites .... 8
Story III. — The Jewish King and the Vazir .... 9
The VaziFs teaching . 10
Sleep of the body the soul’s awaking .11
Laila and the Khalifa . 12
The twelve volumes of theology . . 13
Story IV. — Another Tyrannical Jewish King . . • 15
Second causes subordinate to the First Cause . 1 5
Praises compared to vapour . 16
Trust in God opposed to human exertions . .18
Wisdom granted to the weak . 20
Human wisdom the manifestation of Divine .21
Story VI. — ’Omar and the Ambassador . 24
God’s agency reconciled with man’s free will . 25
Story VII. — The Merchant and his Parrot .... 28
Saints preserved from all harm . 28
The jealousy of God . 29
Complaints of God’s harsh dealings . 30
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VI
Contents
PAGE
Story VIII. — The Harper . 33
Apology for applying the term “ Bride ” to God . . 33
BOOK II. Prologue . 61
Story I. — The Sufi’s Beast . .62
The poet’s doctrines veiled in fables .... 63
Why the prophets were sent . 63
Mystical meaning of “ Daylight ” . 64
Expressions of religious feeling . 65
On blind imitation ....... 66
Evil influence of covetousness . 67
Story II. — The Pauper and the Prisoners .... 68
Satan’s office in the world ...... 68
The “ Beloved ” the cause of all earthly beauty . . 70
CONTENTS.
Story III. — The King and his two Slaves The apostolical succession
Story IV. — The Falcon and the Owls
The right use of forms ....
Story V. — The Thirsty Man ....
“ It was not ye who shot ” ...
Story VI. — Luqman and his Master
Love endures hardships from the Beloved
Story VII. — Moses and the Shepherd Religious forms indifferent Why the wicked flourish ....
Story VIII.— The Man and his Pet Bear He who needs mercy finds it .
The worshippers of the golden calf .
Story IX. — The Gardener and the Three Friends
Story X. — Bdyazid and the Saint .
The sweet uses of adversity God the Author of good and evil Evil turned into good for the good .
Story XI.— Mo’avia and Ibli's
The value of sighs .
Wisdom the “ believer’s lost camel ” .
False doctrines contain some truth .
Story XII. — The Four Hindustanis
Story XIII. — The Old Man and the Physician Bad principles produce bad actions .
Story XIV. — The Carrier and the Scholar
Story XV.— The Man who Boasted
Story XVI. — The Gluttonous Sufi .
The “ mean ” is relative ....
The ecstatic state above law
The “ inner voice ” its own evidence
Story XVII. — The Tree of Life
Story XVIII. — The Young Ducks .
vii
PAGE
. 72 73
• 76
• 76
• 78
82 84
. 85
■ 87
• 96
■ 97
104 . 105
. 105
. 106
. 107
. 109 viii
CONTENTS.
f x'v
',9
Book III. Page
Story I. — The Travellers who ate the Elephant . . 1 1 1
God’s care for His children . hi
Evil deeds make prayers stink . 1 1 2
The man who cried “0 Allah !’; . .114
Story II. — The Villager and the Townsman . . . .115
Jesus healing the sick . . . . .116
God’s claims to our gratitude . 1 17
Tests of hypocrisy . 118
Story III. — The Jackal who aped a Peacock . . . .120
Story IV. — Moses and Pharaoh . 120
Lust compared to the snake . 1 2 1
Story V. — The Elephant in a dark Room . , . .122
Outward sense compared to the palm of a hand .122
Noah and his son Canaan . .124
Reconciliation of two traditions . ..124
The bewilderment of love annuls thought .125
Story VI. — The Lover and his Mistress . . .126
True lovers seek “ union ” ...... 127
Story VII.— The Man in the Time of David . .128
Knowledge opposed to opinion . 128
Story VIII. — The Boys and their Teacher .... 129
Story IX. — The Darvesh who broke his Vow . . .130
All things dependent on God’s will . . .131
Divine decrees apparent in their effects . . .131
Story X. — The Old Man and his Sons . 1 33
Story XI. — Bahlol and the Darvesh . 1 34
Story XII. — The Visions of Daquqi ..... 136
Identification of the will with God’s will . 137
All religions in substance one . . . . . 1 39
Story VII. (continued) — The Man in the l ime of David . 139
Criminals betray themselves . . . . .140
Lust compared to the murderer . . . .141
Story XIII. — The Men of Saba . 142
Not all can use parables rightly . . . 143
The arguments of the Fatalists . . . . 144
Mercy inclines the good to devotion . . . j 46
The despair of the prophets . . . .148
Probability the guide of life ...... 149
CONTENTS .
IX
PAOE
Story XIV. — The Miracles of the Prophet .150
The way of escape in difficulties . .150
Story XV. — The Language of Animals . 151
Why free will is good for man . 152
Story XVI. — The Woman who lost her Infants . 153
Knowing through similitudes and at first hand 154
Story XVII. — The Vakil of the Prince of Bokhdra 155
The lover’s reply . 157
The Vakil’s answer . 158
Love generates love . . . .160
The Vakil’s praises of the Prince . 163
The “ eye of certainty ” . 166
Affliction compared to the boiling of herbs .167
Objections of fools to the Masnavi . 168
Solomon and the gnat . 170
BOOK IV. Story I. — The Lover and his Mistress . 172
Evil only relative . 174
Why God is named “Seeing” . 175
The world compared to a bath stove .176
Story II. — The “ Most Remote ” Temple . 1 77
The microcosm and the macrocosm . 1 79
Solomon’s message to Bilqis . 180
Ibrahim bin Adham’s love for music .181
Ibrahim bin Adham abdicates his throne .182
The art of preaching . 183
Solomon’s admonitions to Bilqis . . .184
How men and demons helped to build the temple . .186
All creatures cry to God for sustenance . .188
On cleansing the heart from self-conceit . . .189
Story III. — The Youth who complained of his Food . .192
Moses and the magicians . 193
Story IV. — The Ecstatic States of Bdyazid . . .194
Bayazid’s impious sayings . 195
Why the Hudhaili youth was promoted . . 1 97
X
CONTENTS .
PAGE
Story V.— The Three Fishes . 198
The wise, the half wise, and the fool . 199
The bird’s counsels ........ 200
Story VI. — Moses and Pharaoh . 201
The tradition, “ I was a hidden treasure ”... 204
Pious men ask not where heaven and hell are . 205
Arguments of a Sunni and a Dahri . 207
Story VII. — The ungrateful Courtier . 209
Why some are made for destruction . 2 1 1
Story VIII. — The Prince beguiled by a Courtesan .212
He who grieves the Logos must expect tribulation . .214
Story IX. — The Mule and the Camel . 215
The evolution of man . 216
Zu’l Qarnain visits Mount Qdf . 218
Gabriel appears to Muhammad . 219
Address to Husamu’-d-Din . 220
BOOK V. Story I. — The Prophet and his Guest . 221
Outward acts bear witness of the thoughts . 223
Prayers for spiritual enlightenment . 225
Story II. — The Arab and his Dog . 227
Story III. — The Sage and the Peacock . 228
“ There is no monkery in Islam ” ..... 228
Prayers for higher aspirations . 230
Story IV. — The Rdfizis of Sabzawar . 232
Satan’s snares for men . . 233
Story V. — The Man who claimed to be a Prophet . . 234
The Prophet’s prayer . . . . 235
Story VI. — The Youth who imitated a Shaikh . 236
Worthlessness of blind imitation . 237
Theologians blind to things of the Spirit .... 239
Story VII. — The Creation of Adam . 241
God the “Only Real Agent” . 242
Death is gain . 243
Story VIII. — Mahmud and Aydz . 245
Description of him who is made one with God . . . 247
CONTENTS .
xi
PAGE
Story IX. — The Repentance of Nashh . 248
Men’s members will bear witness against him . .250
Story X. — The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass .250
Blind imitators exposed by their actions . . 253
Worldly illusions to be shaken off . 255
The monk’s search for a man . 257
Story XI. — The Musulman and the Magian .... 258
Love puts reason to silence . 260
Story VIII. ( continued ) — Mahmud and Ayaz ... 261
Love and faith a mighty spell . 262
God’s dealings manifest to the spiritual .... 262
Story XII. — The Devotee who broke the Wine-Jar . 265
Description of one who trusts to the light of nature . . 267
Story VIII. ( continued ) — Mahmud and Aydz .... 267
Iyazi’s rebuke to his passions . 268
Hearing leads on to seeing . .270
Those who deny the life to come . 271
“ We allot to some lusts, to others virtues” 272
BOOK VI. Prologue . 275
Man’s worth depends on the objects of his aspiration 276
Fear of men hinders acceptance of truth . 278
Prayers for guidance . 279
Story I. — The Slave who loved his Master’s Daughter . 280
Story II. — The Fowler and the Bird . 282
The bird’s cries for succour . 283
Story III. — The Turkish Amir and the Minstrel 284
Intoxication a figure of spiritual ecstasy ... 286
Reasons for knocking at the empty house 288
Story IV. — The purchase of Bilal . 289
Growth in grace gradual . 291
Story V. — The Sufi and the Qazi . 292
The dead regret not dying, but lost opportunities 294
Virtue implies trials overcome . 295
Men’s members bear witness of God’s bounty . 297
Story VI. — The Faqir and the Hidden Treasure 298
God rules men by hope and fear . 300
“ I am about to place on earth a Khalifa ” ... 300
God is “ nearer to us than our neck- vein n 302
Digitized by i^ooQle
CONTENTS.
xii
PAGE
Stort VII. — The Three Travellers . 304
Lofty speculation diverts us from God .... 305
The uses of chastisement . . 307
The mouse and the frog . 309
He who discerns God in the world is safe . . .310
Story VIII. — The Pensioner of the Prefect of Tabriz 31 1
Folly of trusting to man . 312
Joseph in the prison . 314
The significance of “ forms '5 . . . . . . 315
The Truth 55 hidden in our phenomenal being . . 317
The figurative language of the Princes . . . -319
Why the answer to prayer is delayed .... 323
The joys of “ Fruitio Dei” inexpressible .... 325
The death of the Second Prince . 328
Note on Apocryphal Supplements to the Masnavi . . . 329
THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
The Masnavi is thus described by its author in his Arabic preface : —
“ This is the book of the Masnavi. It contains the roots of the roots of the roots of the Faith, and treats of the mysteries of 4 Union ’ and 4 Certitude/ Thus saith the feeble slave, in need of the mercy of God, whose name be praised, Muhammad, son of Muhammad, son of Husain, of Balkh, of whom may God accept it, — ‘ I have exerted myself to enlarge this book of poetry in rhymed couplets, which contains strange and rare narratives, beautiful sayings and recondite indications; a path for the devout, and a garden for the pious; short in its expressions, but having numerous applications/ ” The author goes on to state that he wrote his book at the instance of Shaikh Hasan, son of Muhammad, 44 a chief of the Gnostics (Arif In) and a leader of right direction and of sure knowledge ; ” and concludes with a prayer that it may prove 44 a blessing to those who are possessed of insight, the godly, the spiritual, the heavenly-minded, the men of light who keep silence and observe, who are absent in spirit though present in the body, very kings though clothed in rags, true nobles among the people, endued with virtues, the lights of guidance.”
xiii
XIV
INTRODUCTION .
II. Sufism
The Masnavi is a summary of the religious senti¬ ments and doctrine of Islam as interpreted and modi¬ fied by the Muhammadan Mystics or Sufis. And, as the preface declares, it is specially addressed to Sufis, men who aimed at following the more perfect way as opposed to the moderate practice of average Muhammadans, men who professed to renounce the world and seek know¬ ledge of God and union with Him in a life of self¬ mortification and spiritual meditation. Although some Sufi tenets seem repugnant to the teaching of the Koran, nevertheless there is ample evidence to prove that the Sufis were the lineal spiritual descendants of the earliest saints of Islam, and were, in fact, what Catholics call the “ Religious ” of the Muhammadan communion. Iiaji Khalfa in his article on Sufism ( Tcisawwuf ), quotes Qushairi to the effect that, after the death of Muhammad, the most earnest adherents of the Faith were called “ Companions of the Prophet ” ( Ashcib ), their successors bore the title of “Followers” ( Tabaiyun ), and in the third generation this title was altered to that of “ Ascetics ” ( Zcihid ), or “ Devotees ” (’ Abid ). The first to bear the name “ Sufi ” (“ clad in wool ”), was one Abu Hashim, a Syrian ascetic, who died in 150 a.h. (767 a.d.). Jami, in his life of Abu Hashim, says that the first convent ( Khanqdh ) was built for the Sufis by a Christian nobleman who had remarked their love for one another. This adoption of quasi-monastic institu¬ tions seems to have been the first step taken by the Sufis beyond the pale of strict Muhammadan ordinances. The prophet had said, “There is no monkery in Islam/' but this dictum had to be ignored or explained away by the growing sect. Their increasing spiritual exalta¬ tion soon led them to adopt other modifications of
Introduction
xv ordinary Muhammadan doctrines. Thus the ordinary doctrine of resignation to the will of Allah ( Tasllm ), was soon developed into an exaggerated “ Quietism ” like that of Mme. Guyon in France. In his Tazkiratu-l- AidiycL , 'Attar gives the life of Eabi’a of Basra, a female saint of the second century of the Hijira. A conversa¬ tion took place between her and three holy men on the subject of sincerity (Sidq). One of them said, “ He is not sincere who does not patiently endure the blows of his Lord.” Eabi’a answered, “That saying smells of egotism.” Another said, “ He is not sincere in his pro¬ fessions who does not enjoy the blows of his Lord.” Eabi’a rejoined, “ I know a better saying than that : He is not sincere who does not forget the pain of the blows in his joy at beholding the face of his Lord.” Once she fell sick, and they asked her the cause of her sickness. She said, “ I dwelt upon the joys of Paradise, and therefore my Beloved has chastened me.” She added, “ Consume with fire, 0 Lord, the heart that loveth thee.” This is exactly Mme. Guyon’s senti¬ ment : —
“ Love, if tliy destined sacrifice am I,
Come, slay thy victim and prepare thy fires,
Plunged in thy depths of mercy let me die The death which every soul that lives desires.”
Eabi’a was asked if she wished to marry ; she said, “ The bonds of wedlock have descended upon me, I am not my own but my Lord’s, and must not be un¬ faithful to Him.” Hasan of Basra said to her, “ How dost thou know Him ? ” She answered, “ Thou knowest Him as such and such, I as Nonsuch.” When she made the pilgrimage and saw the KcCba , she said, “ I see only bricks and a house of stone, what do they profit me ? ’Tis Thou that I want.” This saying is, perhaps, the earliest expression of that indifference to outward forms and rites which distinguished Sufis as a class.
b
XVI
INTRODUCTION.
Another famous saint of the second century a.h. was Ibrahim bin Adham of Balkh. He is a typical example of the Sufi ascetic. Born in the purple, he renounced all the pomps and vanities of the world and became a Darvesh. One story told of his ascetic practices is that he was not content to make the pilgrimage in the ordinary way, but stopped at the end of every mile of the road to prostrate himself a thousand times. By this and similar works of supererogation he of course acquired supernatural powers. Just as St. Anthony of Padua constrained the fishes at Ravenna to listen to his preach¬ ing, Ibrahim made the fishes in the Tigris bring back a needle which he had dropped into that river. The miracles ascribed to all the chief Sufi saints, are almost exact counterparts of those of St. Francis of Assisi, and other noted Christian saints. As Rumi says, “ Love and faith are a mighty spell.” The “ Golden Legend ” is the natural outcome of the love and reverence in¬ spired by the memories of saintly lives.
By the end of the second century of the Hijira, it is clear that Sufi doctrine had come to differ in some respects from ordinary Muhammadan views, but there is good evidence to prove that the Sufis of that time were highly esteemed. According to the Tazkiratu-l- Auliyci , the great Canonist, Imam Ash-Shafi’i once visited a Sufi convent and listened to the discourse of the ^ brethren, and then gave it as his opinion that “ The knowledge (of God) possessed by the whole world did not equal his own knowledge, but that his own know¬ ledge fell short of the knowledge possessed by the Sufis.” The Imam Ahmad Hanbal, another of the great Canonists, gave similar testimony. One day his disciples said to him, “ These Sufis rest on blind faith or trust ( tawakkal ), but are devoid of knowledge.” Hanbal answered, “ Ye are mistaken, knowledge is implanted in them.” They said, “ They aspire to nothing more than a broken crust.” He replied, " I know no sect on the face of the earth
INTRODUCTION. xvii
whose aspirations are nobler than theirs, since they desire nothing of the world beyond a broken crust/’
In the third century of the Hijira, Sufi doctrines were developed, which at last brought some of the more advanced members of the sect into conflict with the ecclesiastical authorities. The earliest and most cele¬ brated of these more advanced doctrinaires was Bayazld of Bistam in Khorasan, who was descended from a Parsi (or Magian) family. He used to say that he had gained his spiritual knowledge by an empty belly and a naked body. Ibn Khalliqan records one of his sayings to the effect that it is not the performance of miracles which proves saintship, but rather a godly and righteous life. On the other hand, many of the sayings ascribed to him in the “ Lives of the Saints ” are of the most extravagant character. He would say, “ Glory be to me ! ” ( Subhdnl ), implying that he was one with the Deity. In the Masnavi, Eumi gives some specimens of these extravagant sayings, and excuses him on the ground that he was possessed by a spirit, and therefore not answerable.
It seems worth while to give some more of these hard sayings of Bayazld, because, so far as we can judge, he was the man who above all others gave to Sufi doctrine its permanent shape. The Tazkirat ul Auliya records this saying of his, “ God, most high, has laid down commands and prohibitions, and to those who obey Him He gives a robe of honour. Other men earnestly strive to gain that robe, but I desire of Him naught but Himself.” Again, “Every one is drowned in the sea of works, but I am drowned in the sea of Unification ( Tauhld ). They rely on their own righteousness, but I rely on His free bounty.” Here we find the first hint of an esoteric religion for “ interior men ” 1 {Ahl
1 “While men of externals believe be seen through a near approach to that there is nothing in existence God, and a close communion with but what is visible to sight, in- His omnipresent Spirit.” — Fasusu'l terior men hold that much is veiled Hikam. from outward sight, which can only
INTRODUCTION.
xviii
i bat-in ), as the Sufis called themselves, opposed to the exoteric religion of ordinary Mussulmans. The latter sought salvation through the works of the law (Shariat), while the Sufis followed the higher road of the truth (Haqlqat).
There was nothing singular or exceptional in the rise of an esoteric religion in Islam. The same phenomenon had been seen in Hinduism, when the theosophy of the Upanishads and the Vedanta was engrafted upon the older Hindu scriptures. And the same thing happened when the more cultivated Athenians established the Eleusinian mysteries, which aimed at presenting to the initiated or “ mystics,” as they were called, more ade¬ quate conceptions of Deity than those of the current popular religion.
Bayazld is reported to have said, “ I saw ‘ The Truth,’ most high (Al Haqq), in a dream. He said to me, ‘ What dost thou desire ? ’ I answered, ‘ I desire what Thou desirest.’ He said, ‘I am to thee as thou to Me.’” Another of his sayings was this, “ I beheld in a dream ‘ The Truth,’ most high, and I asked, 4 What is the way to Thee?’ And He said, ' Quit thyself, and thou wilt attain to Me.’ ”
Al Haqq , or “ The Truth,” the name here used by Bayazld, is one of the ninety-nine names of Allah, com¬ monly recited as ejaculations (Zikr). But in most Sufi writings it is used in preference to all the rest, presum¬ ably because it indicates a somewhat wider conception of Deity than the “ Allah ” of the Koran. It has been compared to the “Sat” of the Upanishads ( Das seiendc ), but it may well be doubted if the Sufi conception of deity ever became quite so abstract and devoid of per¬ sonal attributes as the Brahma of the Upanishads and the Vedanta.1 With the Sufis “ The Truth ” is a
1 Thus “The Truth” seems to jcdal ), which are, in fact, the goodhave always retained the attributes ness and severity, the mercy and of beauty and terror (jamcd and vengeance of the Allah of the Koran.
INTRODUCTION.
xix personality so wide as to include in itself all existence and all action, all matter and all force, but it seems to be regarded as a personality for all that. It is not difficult to understand how this idea of the all-absorbing and all-embracing nature of the Deity grew up.
As Deutsch and Eenan point out, the Koran does not clearly determine the question as to how far men are free agents, acting on their own initiative, and how far their action is constrained by Allah. In fact, it speaks in merely popular language, sometimes ascribing all action to Allah, and sometimes to men's own agency.1 But the Scholastic theologians, or Mutakallamin , were not content to leave the question in this prudent obscurity. By reasonings similar to those of St. Augus¬ tine and Calvin, they demonstrated that Allah was the only real agent {Fail i haqlql ), and that men only acted under the “ compulsion ” (jdbr) of the divine will. This extreme view seemed to glorify Allah, and exalt the idea of the divine nature, and was warmly adopted by thorough¬ going Sufis like Bayazid. Thus we find him saying, “ If to-morrow in His court He should ask me, ‘ Why hast thou not done so and so ? ’ I should prefer that to His asking, * Why hast thou done so and so ? * for whatever I do of myself is egotism, and egotism and ‘ I * are ‘ Shurk / or ascribing partners to God, which is the deadliest of sins.” A story is told of a zealous Sufi, called “MuhasibI,” from his habit of rigorous self-exami¬ nation, who refused to inherit from his father because the father had held the doctrine of man’s free will, and was therefore a blasphemer of the divine omnipotence. Shabistari, in the Gulshan i Edzt lays down in like manner that all who hold any doctrine other than :{ compulsion ” ( jdbr ), are no better than Magian dualists. It may be remarked by the way that St. Augustine, like Bayazid, had once held the dualistic view. Was
1 Canon Mozley, in his “ Angus- makes a similar remark about the tinian Doctrine of Predestination,” Bible (p. 36).
XX
INTRODUCTION.
. it a similar revulsion from this view which im¬ pelled both to such strong advocacy of the opposite principle ?
When Bayazld had become convinced that all the action in the universe is the direct action of “ The Truth,” he soon came to the further conclusion that there is no real existence in the universe save the exist¬ ence of the same “ Truth.” By the aid of allegorical interpretation, that wonderful instrument for putting new wine into old bottles, it was easy to deduce this doctrine from various texts of the Koran, c.g. “To Him we shall return,” “ All creatures shall pass away except the face of thy Lord,” &c. Consequently we find Bayazld claiming actual identity with the Deity. He said, a My similitude is as the ocean, for its depth is not seen, neither its beginning or ending.” One asked him, “ What is the empyrean ('arsli)V' He answered, “It is I.” “What is the throne of Allah?” “It is I.” “ What are the pen and the tablet ? ” He said, “ I am the pen and the tablet.” They said, “ Before God, most high, Abraham, Moses, aud Muhammad (on whom be peace and blessing), are very slaves.” He made answer, “ All these am I.” They said, “ Before God, most high, Gabriel, Michael, Israfil, and ’Azrall (on whom be peace), are very slaves.” He said, “ I am all these.” His ques¬ tioners were silent. Bayazld added, “ Of a surety he who is annihilated (viahv) in ‘ The Truth ’ attains to the very reality of all that exists.” 1 To use the words of the German mystic, Eckart, he “ breaks through to the Oneness,” and abides in “ the ground of his soul.” 2 This is the doctrine expressed in the well-known Sufi formula, “ Baqa bad vl fana” or abiding in “ The Truth ” after anni¬ hilating self.
After Bayazld, the greatest name amongst the early
1 Vaughan quotes similar rhap- ii. pp. 7 and 11. sodies from the poems of Mr. Emer- 2 See Vaughan’s account of son and the hymns of Angelus Eckart in “ Hours with the Mys- Silesius. “ Hours with the Mystics,” tics,” i. p. 146.
INTRODUCTION.
xxi
Sufis was that of Junaid of Bagdad, who, according to Jami in the Nafahcitu-l-Uns, died in 297 a.h. It is said that the mantle of ’Ali had descended to Junaid through Hasan of Basra, as an outward and visible sign of his apostolic succession. One of his sayings was this, “ The hearts of religious men are veiled by three veils ; to wit, estimation of their own works, expectation of recompense for them, and pre¬ occupation with the hope of divine favours.” They asked Junaid, “ When is a servant a true servant in his devotion ? ” He answered, “ When he sees all things under the absolute sway of God, most high, and that all come from God, and subsist in God, and return to God, as God hath said, ‘ Glory be to Him in whose hand is sway over all things, and to Him shall ye return* ” {Sum, xxxvi. 83).
Husain bin Mansur A1 Hallaj (“ the wool-carder ”) was a disciple of Junaid. His life is given by Ibn Khalliqan, * Attar, Jam!, and others. He was put to death at Bagdad in 309 a.h. for saying, “I am ‘The Truth * ” ( And ul Haqq). Imam Ghazall excuses him on the ground that he spoke in this way out of excessive love to God, and that such expressions may be likened to the following : “I am he whom I love, and he whom I love is I. We are as two souls in one body. When ye see me ye see him, and when ye see him ye see me.” But in another passage quoted in Pococke’s Specimen Historic Arabum , p. 263, he condemns the use of all such expressions. When the sentence of death was passed, Hallaj said, “ You cannot scourge me or shed my blood ; my belief is Islam based on the Sunna ; I acknowledge the pre-eminence of the Imams, the well-directed Khallfs ( i.e . the first four Khalifs), and of the rest of the Companions, may the blessing of God be upon them ; on God do I call that He protect my blood.” Shortly before he died, he cried out, “My friend is not guilty of injuring me ; he gives me to xxn
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