The bird replied, "You have made a fine use of the others, That I should waste my third counsel upon you. To give counsel to a sleepy ignoramus Is to sow seeds upon salt land. Torn garments of folly and ignorance cannot be patched. O counselors, waste not the seed of counsel on them!" 1. Anvar i Suhaili. Book i. Story 15. STORY VI. Moses and Pharaoh. ! Then follows a very long account of the dealings of Moses, an incarnation of true reason, with Pharaoh, the exponent of mere opinion or illusion. It begins with a long discussion between Moses and Pharaoh. Moses tells Pharaoh that both of them alike owe their bodies to earth and their souls to God, and that God is their only lord. Pharaoh replies that he is lord of Moses, and chides Moses for his want of gratitude to himself for nurturing him in his childhood. Moses replies that he recognizes no lord but God, and reminds Pharaoh how he had tried to kill him in his infancy. Pharaoh com- plains that he is made of no account by Moses, and Moses retorts that in order to cultivate a waste field it is necessary to break up the soil; and in order to make a good garment, the stuff must first be cut up; and in order to make bread, the wheat must first be ground in the mill, and so on. The best return he can make to Pharaoh for his hospitality to him in his infancy is to set him free from his lust-engendered illu- sions, like a fish from the fish-hook which has caught him. Pharaoh then twits Moses with his sorceries in changing his staff into a serpent, and thereby beguiling the people. Moses replies that all this was accomplished not by sorcery, like that of Pharaoh's own magicians, but by the power of God, though Pharaoh could not see it, owing to his want of per- ception of divine things. The ear and the nose cannot see beautiful objects, but only the eye, and similarly the sensual eye, blinded by lust, is impotent to behold spiritual truth. On the other hand, men of spiritual insight, whose vision is purged from lust, become as it were all eyes, and no longer see double, but only the One sole real Being. Man's body, it is true, is formed of earth, but by discipline and contrition it

may be made to reflect spiritual verities, even as coarse and hard iron may be polished into a steel mirror. Pharaoh ought to cleanse the rust of evil-doing from his soul, and then he would be able to see the spiritual truths which Moses was displaying before him. The door of repentance is always open. Moses then promised that if Pharaoh would obey one admonition he should receive in return four advantages. Pharaoh was tempted by this promise, and asked what the admonition was. Moses answered that it was this, that Pharaoh should confess that there is no God except the One Creator of all things in heaven and on earth. Pharaoh then prayed him to expound the four advantages he had promised, saying that possibly they might cure him of infidelity, and cause him to become a vessel of mercy, instead of one of wrath. Moses then explained that they were as fol- lows: — (1) Health. (2) Long life, ending in the conviction that death is gain. Even as one who knows of a treasure hid in a ruined house pulls down the house to find that treasure, so does the wise man, full of years and experience, pull down the house of the body to gain the treasure of eternal life. The tradition "I was a hidden treasure," bears on this matter. (3) A better kingdom than that of Egypt, one of peace in place of one of enmity and contention. (4) Perpetual youth. Pharaoh then proceeded to take counsel with his wife, Asiya, whether it would be advisable to quit his infidelity and believe in the promises of Moses. Asiya, being a pious woman and well inclined to Moses, whom she had nurtured in his infancy, urged him to do so, but Pharaoh said he would first consult his vazir Haman. Asiya had a bad opin- ion of Haman, whom she knew to be as blind to spiritual truths as Pharaoh himself, and she did her best to dissuade Pharaoh from consulting him. To illustrate Haman's spiri- tual blindness, she told the story of a royal falcon who fell into the hands of an ignorant old woman. This old woman knew nothing of the virtues of a falcon, and was displeased at the falcon's appearance, and said to it, "What was your mother about to leave your claws and beak so long?" She then proceeded to trim them short, according to her fancy, and of course spoiled the falcon for all purposes of falconry. Pharaoh, however, would not be diverted from his purpose of consulting Haman, and Asiya was fain to console herself with the reflection that like always herds with like, and so Pharaoh must needs consort with Haman, who was in so many respects a duplicate of himself. To illustrate this she recalled the story of a woman whose infant had crawled to the brink of a canal, where it persisted in remaining, at the imminent peril of its life, despite all her calls and entreaties. In her distress she asked aid of Ali, who told her to place another infant on the top of the bank. She did so, and her own infant, seeing its playfellow, left the brink of its own accord and came to join its fellow. The spirit of man is of like genus with the holy prophets, but man's animal lust

with the demons. And as things of like nature attract one another, so unlike things repel one another. Thus it is said that when holy men pray to be delivered from hell, hell also prays that they may be kept away from it. Pharaoh then proceeded to consult Haman, and Haman, on hearing that Moses had proposed to Pharaoh to humble himself and confess the supreme lordship of God, was indignant and rent his clothes, saying, "Is not the kingdom of Egypt thine? Art thou not mightier than this despicable fellow? Who is he to degrade Pharaoh from his 'supreme lordship?'" So Pharaoh listened to Haman and refused to be converted to the true faith. Then Moses was much discouraged, but he was consoled by a voice from heaven assuring him that he was well-beloved of God, because in spite of disappoint- ments and through good and evil he clung to God. On the tradition, "I was a hidden treasure and I desired to be known, and I created the world in order to be known". Destroy your house, and with the treasure hidden in it You will be able to build thousands of houses. The treasure lies under it; there is no help for it; Hesitate not to pull it down; do not tarry! For with the coin of that treasure A thousand houses can be built without labor. At last of a surety that house will be destroyed, And the divine treasure will be seen beneath it. But 'twill not belong to you, because in truth That prize is the wages for destroying the house. When one has not done the work he gets no wages; "Man gets nothing he has not worked for." Then you will bite your finger, saying, "Alas! That bright moon was hidden under a cloud. I did not do what they told me for my good; Now house and treasure are lost and my hand is empty.' You have taken your house on lease or hired it; 'Tis not your own property to buy and sell. As to the term of the lease, it is till your death; In that term you have to turn it to use. If before the end of the term of the lease You omit to derive profit from the house, Then the owner puts you out of it, And pulls it down himself to find the gold-mine. While you are now smiting your head in deep regret, And now tearing your beard to think of your folly, Saying, "Alas! that house belonged to me; I was blind and did not derive profit from it. Alas! the wind has carried off my dwelling Forever! 'O misery that rests on slaves!' In that house of mine I saw but forms and pictures; I was enchanted with that house so fleetin! I was ignorant of the treasure hidden beneath it, Otherwise I would have grasped an axe as a perfume. Ah! if I had administered the justice of the axe, I should now have been quit of sorrow. But I fixed my gaze on outward forms, Like an infant I sported with playthings. Well said the famous Hakim Sanai, 'Thou art a child; thy house is full of pictures.' In his divine poem he gives this advice, 'Sweep away the dust from thy house!'" They who recognize the almighty power of God do not ask where heaven is or where hell is. "O Pharaoh, if you are wise, I show you mercy; But if you are an ass, I give you the stick as an ass.

So I will drive you out of your stable, Even as I make your head and ears bleed with my stick. In this stable asses and men alike Are deprived of peace by your oppressions. See! I have brought a staff for the purpose of correcting Every ass who does not prove tractable. It turns into a serpent in vengeance against you, Because you have become a serpent in deed and character. You are an evil serpent, swelled to the size of a hill. Yet look at the Serpent (constellation) in heaven. This staff is a foretaste to you of hell, Saying, 'Ho, take refuge in the light! Otherwise you will fall into my jaws, And will find no escape from my clutches!' This staff even now became a serpent, So that you need not ask, 'Where is God's hell?' God makes a hell wheresover He wills; He makes the very sky a snare and trap for birds. He produces pains and aches in your teeth, So that you say, "Tis a hell and serpent's bite.' Or again He makes your spittle as honey, So that you say, "Tis heaven and wine of Paradise.' He makes sugar to grow in your mouth, That you may know the might of the divine decrees. Therefore, bite not the innocent with your teeth; Bear in mind the divine stroke that tarries not." God made the Nile blood to the Egyptians, He preserved the Israelites from the peril, That you might know how God discerns Between the wise and the foolish wayfarers. The Nile learned of God discernment When it let the ones through and engulphed the others. God's mercy made the Nile wise, His wrath made Cain foolish. Of His mercy He created wisdom in inanimate things, And of His wrath He deprived the wise of wisdom. Of His mercy wisdom accrued to inanimate things, As a chastisement He took wisdom from the wise. Here at His command wisdom was shed down like Whilst there wisdom saw His wrath and fled away. Clouds and sun, and moon and lofty stars, All come and go in obedience to His ordinance; No one of them comes save at His appointed time; It lingers not behind nor anticipates that time. Whereas you understood not this secret, the prophets Have instilled this knowledge into stone and staff; So that you may infer that other inanimate things Without doubt resemble in this stones and staves. The obedience of stone and staff is shown to you, And informs you of that of other inanimate things. They cry, "We are all aware of God and obey Him; We are not destructive by mere fortuitous chance." Thus you know the water of the Nile when in flood Made distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. You know the others are wise as earth, who, when cleft, Knew Qarun and swallowed him up in vengeance. Or like the moon, who heard the command and hasted To sever itself into two halves in the sky. Or like the trees and stones, which in all places Were seen to bow down at the feet of Mustafa. The arguments between a Sunni and a Materialist (Dahri) decided by the arbitrament of fire. Last night a Sunni said, "The world is transitory; The heavens will pass away; 'God will be the heir.'" A philosopher replied, "How know you they are transitory? How knows the rain the transitory nature of the cloud? Are you not a mere mote floating in the sunbeams? How know you that the sun is transitory? A mere worm buried in a dung-heap,

How can it know the origin and end of the earth? In blind belief you have accepted this from your father, And through folly have clung to it ever since. Tell me what is the proof of its transitoriness, Or else be silent and indulge not in idle talk." The Sunni said, "One day I saw two persons Engaged in argument on this deep question, Yea, in dispute and controversy and argument. At last a crowd was gathered round them. I proceeded towards that company To inform myself of the subject of their discourse. One said, 'This sky will pass away; Doubtless this building had a builder.' The other said, 'It is eternal and without period; It had no builder, or it was its own builder.' The first said, 'Do you then deny the Creator, The Bringer of day and night, the Sustainer of men?' He answered, 'Without proof I will not listen To what you say; 'tis only based on blind belief. Go! bring proof and evidence, for never Will I accept this statement without proof He answered, 'The proof is within my heart, Yea, my proofs are hidden in my heart. From weakness of vision you see not the new moon; If I see it, be not angry with me!' Much talk followed, and the people were perplexed About the origin and end of the revolving heavens. Then the first said, 'O friend, within me is a proof Which assures me of the transitoriness of the heavens. I hold it for certain, and the sign of certainty In him who possesses it is entering into fire. Know this proof is not to be expressed in speech, Any more than the feeling of love felt by lovers. The secret I labor to express is not revealed Save by the pallor and emaciation of my face. When the tears course down my cheeks, They are a proof of the beauty and grace of my beloved.' The other said, "I take not these for a proof, Though they may be a proof to common people." The Sunni said, "When genuine and base coin boast, Saying, 'Thou art false, I am good and genuine,' Fire is the test ultimately, When the two rivals are cast into the furnace." Accordingly both of them entered the furnace, Both leapt into the fiery flame; And the philosopher was burnt to ashes, But the God-fearing Sunni was made fairer than before. 1 . This story is an expansion of Koran xliii. 50 and following verses, and of Koran xi. 2. See Koran xliii. 50. 3. Compare the Hadis, "Die before you die," i.e., mortify your carnal desires, and you will find spiritual treasure. 4. The Turkish commentator translates ruh by Haqq Yoluna, "for the sake of truth," "in the way of truth." The Lucknow commentator, as usual, shirks the difficulty. 8. Ghazzali divides the ancient Greek philosophers into three classes: Dahriyun, Tabayiun, and Ilahiyun. Schmolders, Ecoles Philosophiques, p. 29. STORY VII. The Courtier who quarreled with his Friend for saving his Life. A king was enraged against one of his courtiers, and drew his sword to slay him. The bystanders were all afraid to interfere, with the exception of one who boldly threw him- self at the king's feet and begged him to spare the offender.

The king at once stayed his hand, and laid down his sword, saying, "As you have interceded for him, I would gladly par- don him, even if he had acted as a very demon. I cannot refuse your entreaties, because they are the same as my own. In reality, it is not you who make these entreaties for him, but I who make them through your mouth. I am the real actor in this matter and you are only my agent. Remember the text, 'You shot not when you shot;' you are, as it were, the foam, and I the mighty ocean beneath it. The mercy you show to this offender is really shown by me, the king." The offender was accordingly released and went his way; but, strange to say, he showed no gratitude to his protector, but, on the contrary, omitted to greet him when he met him, and in other ways refused to recognize the favor he had received from him. This behavior excited remark, and peo- ple questioned him as to the cause of his ingratitude to his benefactor. He replied, "I had offered up my life to the king when this man intervened. It was a moment when, accord- ing to the tradition, 'I was with God in such a manner that neither prophet nor angel found entrance along with me,' and this man intruded between us. I desired no mercy save the king's blows; I sought no shelter save the king. If the king had cut off my head he would have given me eternal life in return for it. My duty is to sacrifice my life; it is the king's prerogative to give life. The night which is made dark as pitch by the king scorns the brightness of the brightest festal day. He who beholds the king is exalted above all thoughts of mercy and vengeance. Of a man raised to this exalted state no description is possible in this world, for he is hidden in God, and words like 'mercy' and Vengeance' only express men's partial and weak views of the matter. It is true 'God taught Adam the names of all things,' but that means the real qualities of things, and not such names as ordinary men use, clad in the dress of human speech. The words and expressions we use have merely a relative truth, and do not unfold absolute truth." He illustrates this by the reply made to the angel Gabriel by Abraham when he was cast into the fire by Nimrod. Gabriel asked him if he could assist him, and Abraham answered, "No! I have no need of your help." When one has attained union with God he has no need of intermediaries. Prophets and apostles are needed as links to connect ordi- nary men with God, but he who hears the "inner voice" within him has no need to listen to outward words, even of apostles. Although that intercessor is himself dwelling in God, yet my state is higher and more lovely than his. Though he is God's agent, yet I desire not his intercession to save me from evil sent me by God, for evil at God's hand seems to me good. What seems mercy and kindness to the vulgar seems wrath and vengeance to God-intoxicated saints. God's severity and chastisements serve to exalt his saints, though they make the vulgar more ungodly than before, even as the water of the Nile was pure water to the Israelites, but blood to the Egyptians. Moses asks the Almighty, "Why hast Thou made men to destroy them?"

Moses said, "O Lord of the day of account, Thou makest forms; wherefore, then, destroyest Thou them? Thou makest charming forms, both men and women; Wherefore, then, dost Thou lay them waste?" God answered, "I know that this query of thine Proceeds not from negation or vain curiosity. Otherwise I should chastise and punish thee; Yea, I should rebuke thee for this question. But thou seekest to discover in my actions The ruling principle and the eternal mystery, In order to inform the people thereof, And to make 'ripe' every 'raw' person. Yea, O messenger, thou questionest me that I may reveal My ways to the people, though thou knowest them. O Moses, go and sow seed in the ground In order to do justice to this question." When Moses had sowed and his seed had grown up, He took a sickle and reaped the corn, And then a divine voice reached his ears: "Why hast thou sown and nurtured the corn, And then cut it down directly it was ripe?" Moses replied, "Lord, I cut it and lay it low Because here I have grain and straw. Grain is out of place in the straw-yard, And straw is useless in the wheat-barn. 'Tis wrong to mix these two, It is needful to sift them one from the other." God said, "From whom learnest thou this knowledge Whereby thou hast constructed a threshing-floor?" Moses said, "O Lord, Thou hast given me discernment." God said, "Then have not I also discernment? Amongst my creatures there are pure spirits, And also dark and befouled spirits. The oyster-shells are not all of the same value; Some contain pearls, and others black stones. It is needful to discern the bad from the good, Just as much as to sift wheat from straw. The people of this world exist in order to manifest And to disclose the 'hidden treasure.' Read, 'I was a hidden treasure, and desired to be known; Hide not the hidden treasure, but disclose it. Your true treasure is hidden under a false one, Just as butter is hidden within the substance of milk. The false one is this transitory body of yours, The true one your divine soul. Long time this milk is exposed to view, And the soul's butter is hidden and of no account. Stir up your milk assiduously with knowledge, So that what is hidden in it may be disclosed; Because this mortal is the guide to immortality, As the cries of revellers indicate the cup-bearer." 2. See Gulshan i Raz, I. 120. 4. See Koran xxi. 68, and the Commentators thereon. 5. So Job x. 8: " Thy hands have made me, yet Thou dost destroy me." STORY VIII. The Prince who, after having been beguiled by a Courtesan, returned to his True Love. A certain king dreamed that his dearly beloved son, a youth of great promise, had come to an untimely end. On awaking he was rejoiced to find that his son was still alive;

but he reflected that an accident might carry him off at any moment, and therefore decided to marry him without delay, in order that the succession might be secured. Accordingly he chose the daughter of a pious Darvesh as a bride for his son, and made preparations for the wedding. But his wife and the other ladies of his harem did not approve of the match, considering it below the dignity of the prince to marry the daughter of a beggar. The king rebuked them, saying that a Darvesh who had renounced worldly wealth for the sake of God was not to be con- founded with an ordinary beggar, and insisted on the con- summation of the marriage. After the marriage the prince refused to have anything to do with his bride, though she was very fair to look on, and he carried on an intrigue with an ugly old woman who had bewitched him by sorcery. After a year, however, the king found some physicians who succeeded in breaking the spell, and the prince returned to his senses, and his eyes were opened to the superior attrac- tions of his wife, and he renounced his ugly paramour and fell in love with his wife. This is a parable, the true wife being the Deity, the old paramour the world, and the physi- cians the prophets and saints. Another illustration is a child who played at besieging a mimic fort with his fellows, and succeeded in capturing it and keeping the others out. At this moment God "bestowed on him wisdom, though a child," and it became to him a day "when a man flees from his brethren," and he recognized the emptiness of this idle sport, and engaged in the pursuit of holiness and piety. This is followed by an anecdote of a devotee who had so concen- trated his thoughts on things above that he was utterly care- less of all earthly troubles, and was cheerful and rejoicing even in the midst of a severe famine. The world is the outward form of "Universal Reason" (Muhammad), and he who grieves him must expect trouble in the world. The whole world is the outward form of Universal Reason, For it is the father of all creatures of reason. When a man acts basely towards Universal Reason, Its form, the world, shows its teeth at him. Be loyal to this father and renounce disobedience, That this earthy house may furnish you golden carpets. Then the judgment-day will be the "cash of your state," Earth and heavens will be transfigured before you. I am ever in concord with this father of ours, And earth ever appears to me as a Paradise. Each moment a flesh form, a new beauty, So that weariness vanishes at these ever-fresh sights. I see the world filled with blessings, Fresh waters ever welling up from new fountains. The sound of those waters reaches my ears, My brain and senses are intoxicated therewith. Branches of trees dancing like fair damsels, Leaves clapping hands like singers. These glories are a mirror shining through a veil; If the mirror were unveiled, how would it be? I tell not one in a thousand of them, Because every ear is stopped with doubt. To men of illusions these tales are mere good tidings, But men of knowledge deem them not tidings, but ready cash.

This is illustrated by an anecdote of Ezra or 'Uzair and his sons. On his return from Babylon, whither he had been carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar, Ezra beheld the ruins of Jerusalem, and he said, "How shall God give life to this city after it hath been dead?" And God caused him to die for a hundred years, and then raised him again to life, and said to him, "How long hast thou waited?" He said, "I have waited a day." God said, "Nay, thou hast waited a hundred years. Look at the dead bones of thine ass; we will raise them and clothe them with flesh." Ezra was raised from the dead as a young man, whereas his sons were then, of course, very old men. They met him, and asked if he had seen their father. He replied, "I have seen him; he is coming." Some of them rejoiced, considering this good news; but others, who had loved him more dearly, knew him and fainted with joy. What was mere good tidings to the men of opinion was the "ready money of their state" to men of real knowledge. 3. "Aql i Kull, Universal Reason, or the Logos, was identified with the prophet Muhammad." 5. This story comes from Koran ii. 261. STORY IX. The Mule and the Camel. A mule said to a camel, "How is it that I am always stum- bling and falling down, whilst you never make a false step?" The camel replied, "My eyes are always directed upwards, and I see a long way before me, while your eyes look down, and you only see what is immediately under your feet." The mule admitted the truth of the camel's statement, and besought him to act as his guide in future, and the camel consented to do so. Just so partial reason cannot see beyond the grave, but real reason looks onward to the day of judg- ment, and, therefore, is enabled to steer a better course in this world. For this cause, men having only partial reason or mere opinion of their own ought to follow the guidance of the saints, according to the text, "O believers, enter not upon any affair ere God and his Apostle lead the way."

Then follows another anecdote of an Egyptian who asked an Israelite to draw water for him from the Nile, because the water of the Nile turned to blood when drawn by an Egyptian. Afterwards the Egyptian asked the Israelite to pray for him, and the Israelite admonished him to renounce his egotism and conceit of his own existence, which blind- ed his eyes to divine verities. In illustration of this he tells the same story of an adulterous woman, which is known as the "Merchant's Tale" in Chaucer. This woman, desiring to carry on an intrigue with her paramour, climbed up a pear- tree to gather the fruit, and when she had reached the top she looked down, and pretended that she saw her husband misconducting himself with another woman. The husband assured her there was no one but himself there, and desired her to come down and see for herself. She came down and admitted there was no one there. Her husband then, at her request, ascended the tree, and she at once called her para- mour, and began to amuse herself with him. Her husband saw her from his post in the tree, and began to abuse her; but she declared there was no man with her, and that the pear-tree made her husband see double, just as it had made her see double previously. The evolution of man. First he appeared in the class of inorganic things, Next he passed therefrom into that of plants. For years he lived as one of the plants, Remembering naught of his inorganic state so different; And when he passed from the vegetive to the animal state He had no remembrance of his state as a plant, Except the inclination he felt to the world of plants, Especially at the time of spring and sweet flowers. Like the inclination of infants towards their mothers, Which know not the cause of their inclination to the breast, Or the excessive inclination of young disciples Towards their noble and illustrious teachers. The disciple's partial reason comes from that Reason, The disciple's shadow is from that bough. When the shadows in the disciples cease, They know the reason of their attachment to the teachers. For, O fortunate one, how can the shadow move, Unless the tree that casts the shadow move as well? Again, the great Creator, as you know, Drew man out of the animal into the human state. Thus man passed from one order of nature to another, Till he became wise and knowing and strong as he is now. Of his first souls he has now no remembrance, And he will be again changed from his present soul. In order to escape from his present soul full of lusts He must behold thousands of reasonable souls.