{"collection":"Islam","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/isl/mes/mes04.htm","path":"isl/mes/mes04.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/isl/mes/mes04.htm","text":"The Mesnavi and The Acts of the Adepts, by Jelal-'d-din Rumi and Shemsu-'d-Din Ahmed, tr. by James W. Redhouse, [1881]\nBah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn, Veled, Sult\u0101nu-\u2019l-\u2018Ulem\u0101 (The Beauty of the Religion of Islam, Son, Sultan of the Doctors of the Law).\nThe king of Khur\u0101s\u0101n, 2 \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn Muhammed, Khurrem-Sh\u0101h, uncle of Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn Muhammed Kh\u2019\u0101rezm-Sh\u0101h, and the proudest, as he was the most handsome man of his time, gave his daughter, Melika\u2019i-Jih\u0101n (Queen of the World), as to the only man worthy of her, to Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn Huseyn, el Khat\u012bb\u012b, of the race of Ab\u016b-Bekr.\nAn ancestor of his was one of the original Muslim conquerors of Khur\u0101s\u0101n. He was himself very virtuous and learned, surrounded with numerous disciples. He had not married until then; which gave him many an anxious and self-accusing thought.\nHe himself, the king, the king's daughter, and the king's Vaz\u012br were all four warned in a dream by the Prince of the Apostles of God (Muhammed) that he should wed the princess; which was done. He was then thirty years old. In due course, nine months afterwards, a son was born to\nhim, and was named Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn Muhammed. He is commonly mentioned as Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn Veled.\nWhen adolescent, this latter was so extremely learned that the family of his mother wished to raise him to the throne as king; but this he utterly rejected.\nBy the divine command, as conveyed in the selfsame night, and in an identical dream, to three hundred of the most learned men of the city of Balkh, 1 the capital of the kingdom, where he dwelt, those sage doctors unanimously conferred upon him the honorific title of Sult\u0101nu-\u2019l-\u2018Ulem\u0101, and they all became his disciples.\nSuch are the names and titles by which he is more commonly mentioned; but he is also styled Mevl\u0101n\u0101yi Buzurg (the Greater or Elder Master). Many miracles and prodigies were attributed to him; and some men were found who conceived a jealousy at his growing reputation and influence.\nIn a.h. 605 (a.d. 1208) he, Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn Veled, began to preach against the innovations of the king and sundry of his courtiers, declaiming against the philosophers and rationalists, while he pressed all his hearers to study and practise the precepts of Isl\u0101m. Those courtiers maligned him with the king, calling him an intriguer who had designs on the throne. The king sent and made him an offer of the sovereignty, promising to retire elsewhere himself. Bah\u0101 answered that he had no concern with earthly greatness, being a poor recluse; and that he would willingly leave the country, so as to remove from the king's mind all misgivings on his score.\nHe accordingly quitted Balkh, with a suite of about forty souls, after delivering a public address in the great mosque before the king and people. In this address he foretold the advent of the Moguls to overturn the kingdom, possess the country, destroy Balkh, and drive out the king, who\nwould then flee to the Roman land, and there at length be killed.\nSo he left Balkh, as the prophet (Muhammed) had fled from Mekka to Med\u012bna. His son Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn was then five, and the elder brother, \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn, seven years old.\nThe people everywhere on his road, hearing of his approach or forewarned in dreams of his coming, flocked to meet him and do him honour. Thus he drew near to Bagd\u0101d. Here he was met by the great Sheykh Shah\u0101bu-\u2019d-D\u012bn, \u2018Umer, Suherverd\u012b, the most eminent man of the place, deputed by the Caliph Musta\u2018zim to do him honour. He became the guest of the Sheykh.\nThe Caliph sent him a present of three thousand sequins, but he declined the gift as being money unlawfully acquired. He also refused to visit the Caliph; but consented to preach in the great mosque after the noon service of worship on the following Friday, the Caliph being present. In his discourse he reproached the Caliph to his face with his evil course of life, and warned him of his approaching slaughter by the Moguls with great cruelty and ignominy. The Caliph again sent him rich presents in money, horses, and valuables, but he refused to accept them.\nBefore Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn quitted Bagd\u0101d, intelligence was received there of the siege of Balkh, of its capture, and of its entire destruction, with its twelve thousand mosques, by the Mogul army of five hundred thousand men commanded by Jeng\u012bz in person (in a.h. 608, a.d. 1211). Fourteen thousand copies of the Qur\u2019\u0101n were destroyed, fifteen thousand students and professors of the law were slain, and two hundred thousand adult male inhabitants led out and shot to death with arrows.\nBah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn went from Bagd\u0101d to Mekka, 1 performed the greater pilgrimage there, proceeding thence to Damascus, and next to Malatia (Melitene, on the Upper Euphrates), where, in a.h. 614 (a.d. 1217), he\nheard of the death of Jeng\u012bz. The Selj\u016bq\u012b Sultan, \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn Keyqub\u0101d, was then sovereign of the land of Rome (R\u016bm, i.e., Asia Minor), and was residing at S\u012bw\u0101s (Sebaste). In a.h. 620 (a.d. 1223) Sultan Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn, the dispossessed monarch of Kh\u2019\u0101rezm (Chorasmia) was killed in a battle fought by him in Azerb\u0101yj\u0101n (Atropatene) against the Sultans of Rome, Syria, and Egypt, when his forces were totally defeated. And thus ended that great dynasty, after ruling about a hundred and forty years.\nBah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn went from Malatia and remained four years near Erzinj\u0101n (the ancient Aziris, on the Western Euphrates), in Armenia, at a college built for him by a saintly lady, \u2018Ismet Kh\u0101t\u016bn. She was the wife of the local sovereign, Melik Fakhru-\u2019d-D\u012bn. She and her husband both died, and then Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn passed on to Larenda (in Cataonia), in Asia Minor, and remained there about seven years at the head of a college, the princess Melika'i-Jih\u0101n, his mother, being still with him.\nHere it was that his younger son, Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn Muhammed, the future author of the Mesnev\u012b, attained to man's estate, being then eighteen years old; when, in a.h. 623 (a.d. 1226), he married a young lady named Gevher Kh\u0101t\u016bn, daughter of the Lala Sherefu-\u2019d-D\u012bn, of Samarqand. She gave birth in due course to Jel\u0101l's eldest son, \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn.\nThe king had now returned to his capital, Qonya (the ancient Iconium). Hearing of Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn's great learning and sanctity, the king sent and invited him to the capital, where he installed him in a college, and soon professed himself a disciple. Many miracles are related as having been worked at Qonya by Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn, who at length died there on Friday, the 18th of Reb\u012b\u2018u-\u2019l-\u0101khir, a.h. 628 (February a.d. 1231). The Sultan erected a marble mausoleum over his tomb, on which this date is recorded. Many miracles continued to occur at this sanctuary. The Sultan died also a few years later, in a.h. 634 (a.d. 1236).\n(After the death of Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn Veled, and the acquisition of still greater fame by his son Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn, who received the honorific title of Khud\u0101vendg\u0101r\u2014Lord\u2014the father was distinguished from the son, among the disciples, by the customary title of Mevl\u0101n\u0101 Buzurg\u2014the Greater or Elder Master. The traditions collected by Efl\u0101k\u012b, relating to this period, vary considerably from one another on minor points of date and order of succession, though the main facts come out sufficiently clear.)\nJel\u0101l's son, Sultan Veled, related to Efl\u0101k\u012b that his father Jel\u0101l used frequently to say, \"I and all my disciples will be under the protection of the Great Master, my father, on the day of resurrection; and under His guidance we shall enter the divine presence; God will pardon all of us for His sake.\"\nIt is related that when the Great Master departed this life, his son, Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn, was fourteen years old. (This is apparently a copyist's error for \"twenty-four.\" Jal\u0101l is said to have been born in a.h. 604\u2014a.d. 1207.) He married when seventeen (or eighteen); and often did he say in the presence of the congregation of his friends, \"The Great Master will remain with me a few years. I shall be in need of Shemsu-\u2019d-D\u012bn of Tebr\u012bz (the capital of Azerb\u0101yj\u0101n); for every prophet has had an Ab\u016b-Bekr, as Jesus had His apostles.\"\nShortly after the death of the Great Master Bah\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn Veled, news was received by the Sultan \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn of Qonya of the arrival of Sultan Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn Kh\u2019\u0101rezm-Sh\u0101h on the borders of Asia Minor. The Sultan went and prayed at the tomb of the deceased saint, and then prepared to meet the Kh\u2019\u0101rezmians, who were in the neighbourhood\nof Erzenu-\u2019r-R\u016bm (Erzen of the Romans, the ancient Arzes, now Erzerum). Scouts brought in the intelligence that the Kh\u2019\u0101rezmians were very numerous; and great anxiety prevailed among the Sultan's troops. He resolved to see for himself.\nHe put on a disguise and set out with a few followers, on fleet horses, for the Kh\u2019\u0101rezmian camp. They gave out that they were nomad Turks of the neighbourhood, their ancestors having come from the Oxus; that latterly the Sultan had withdrawn his favour from them; and that, in consequence, they had for some time past been looking for the Kh\u2019\u0101rezmian advent. This was reported to the king, Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn, who sent for them and received them kindly, giving them tents and assigning them rations.\nDuring the night King Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn began to reflect that every one had hitherto spoken well of Sultan \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn, and a doubt arose in his mind in consequence respecting the story of these newcomers, especially as he learned that the Sultan was on his march to meet him. Consulting with the Prince of Erzenu-\u2019r-Ram, further perquisition was postponed until the morrow.\nBut at midnight the deceased saint of Qonya, Bah\u0101-Veled, appeared in a dream to Sultan \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn, and warned him to fly at once. The Sultan awoke, found it was a dream, and went to sleep again. The saint now appeared a second time. The Sultan saw himself seated on his throne, and the saint coming to him, smiting him on the breast with his staff, and angrily saying, \"Why sleepest thou? Arise!\"\nNow the Sultan did arise, quietly called his people, saddled horses, and stole away out of the camp. Towards morning King Jel\u0101l caused guards to be placed round the tents of the strangers to watch them. But afterwards, when orders were given to bring them to the king's presence to be questioned, their tents were found to be empty. Pursuit was attempted, but in vain.\nAfter an interval the two armies came into collision. The Sultan of Qonya was victorious. From that time forward, whenever difficulties threatened, he always betook himself to the shrine of the saint, Bah\u0101 Veled, who always answered his prayers.\n(As Sultan Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn Kh\u2019\u0101rezm-Sh\u0101h has already been stated to have died in battle in Azerb\u0101yj\u0101n in a.d. 1223, whereas the saint of Qonya did not die until a.d. 1231, eight years afterwards, the discrepancy of that date with the present anecdote is irreconcilable.)\nThe Great Master, Bah\u0101 Veled, used to say that while he himself lived no other teacher would be his equal, but that when his son, Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn, should succeed him at his death, that son of his would equal and even surpass him:\nSeyyid Burh\u0101nu-\u2019d-D\u012bn Term\u012bz\u012b 1 is related to have said that one night the door of the mausoleum of Bah\u0101 Veled opened of itself, and that a great glory shone forth from it, which gradually filled his house, so that no shadow fell from anything. The glory then gradually filled the city in like manner, spreading thence over the whole face of nature. On beholding this prodigy the Seyyid swooned away.\nThis vision is a sure indication that the whole human race will one day own themselves the disciples of the descendants of the great saint.\nBefore he quitted Balkh, Bah\u0101 Veled one day saw a man performing his devotions in the great mosque in his shirt sleeves, with his coat upon his back. Bah\u0101 reproved him, telling him to put on his coat properly and decently,\nthen to continue his devotions. \"And what if I will not?\" asked the man in a disdainful tone. \"Thy dead-like soul will obey my command, quit thy body, and thou wilt die!\" answered Bah\u0101. Instantly the man fell dead; and crowds flocked to become disciples to the saint who spoke with such power and authority.\nWhen Sultan \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn had fortified Qonya, he invited Bah\u0101 Veled to mount to the terraced roof of the palace, thence to survey the walls and towers. After his inspection, Bah\u0101 remarked to the Sultan, \"Against torrents, and against the horsemen of the enemy, thou hast raised a goodly defence. But what protection hast thou built against those unseen arrows, the sighs and moans of the oppressed, which overleap a thousand walls and sweep whole worlds to destruction? Go to, now! strive to acquire the blessings of thy subjects. These are a stronghold, compared to which the walls and turrets of the strongest castles are as nothing.\"\nOn one occasion Sultan \u2018Al\u0101\u2019u-\u2019d-D\u012bn paid a visit to Bah\u0101 Veled. In lieu of his hand the latter offered the tip of his staff to be kissed by the Sultan, who thought within himself: \"The proud scholar!\" Bah\u0101 read the Sultan's thoughts as a seer, and remarked in reply thereto: \"Mendicant students are bound to be humble and lowly. Not so a Sultan of the Faith who has attained to the utmost circumference of the orbit thereof, and revolves therein.\"\nA certain Sheykh Hajj\u0101j, a disciple of Bah\u0101 Veled and one of God's elect not known to the herd of mankind, quitted the college after the decease of his teacher, and betook himself to his former trade of a weaver, therewith\nto gain an honest livelihood. He used to buy the coarsest brown bread of unsifted flour, mash this up with water, and break his fast with this sop alone. All the rest of his earnings he saved up until they would reach to two or three hundred piastres. This sum he would then carry to the college, and place it in the shoes of his teacher's son, Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn, the new rector. This practice he continued so long as he lived.\nAt his death a professional washer was appointed to perform the last ablution for Sheykh Hajj\u0101j. In the execution of his office the washer was about to touch the privities of the deceased, when the defunct seized his hand with so strong a grip as to make him scream with pain and fright. The friends came to rescue him, but they were unable to release the imprisoned hand. They therefore sent word to Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn of what had occurred. He came and saw, knew the reason, and whispered into the ear of the deceased man: \"The poor simpleton has been unaware of the high station of thy sanctity. Pardon his unintentional transgression for my sake.\" Immediately the poor washer's hand was released; but three days afterwards he was himself washed and borne lifeless to his grave.\nThe Sultan had a governor of his childhood still living, the Em\u012br Bedru-\u2019d-D\u012bn Guhert\u0101sh, commonly known as the Dizd\u0101r (Castellan), whom he held in great esteem. One day, as Bah\u0101 Veled was lecturing in the mosque, in presence of the Sultan and his court, he suddenly called upon the Dizd\u0101r to recite any ten verses of the Qur\u2019\u0101n, saying he would then expound them to the congregation. The Dizd\u0101r had been admiring the eloquence of the preacher's expositions. Upon this sudden call, without the slightest hesitation and without ever having committed them to memory, he recited the first ten verses of chapter xxiii., \"The believers have attained to prosperity,\" &c., which\n[paragraph continues] Bah\u0101 forthwith explained in such a manner as to draw down the plaudits of the assembly. The Dizd\u0101r, with the Sultan's permission, went to the foot of the pulpit and declared himself a disciple to Bah\u0101. \"Then,\" said the preacher, \"as a thank-offering for this happy event, do thou build and endow a college where my descendants shall teach their disciples after me.\" The Dizd\u0101r did so, and richly endowed it. This is the college where Jel\u0101lu-\u2019d-D\u012bn afterwards lived. When the Dizd\u0101r died he left all his possessions to enrich the foundation. (See chap. iii. No. 69.)\nThe Sultan had a dream (something like one of Nebuchadnezzar's). He saw himself with a head of gold, a breast of silver, a belly of brass, thighs of lead, and shanks of tin. Bah\u0101 Veled explained the dream as follows:\u2014\"All will go well in the kingdom during thy lifetime. It will be as silver in the days of thy son; as brass in the next generation, when the rabble will get the upper hand. Troubles will thicken during the next reign; and after that the kingdom of Rome will go to ruin, the house of Selj\u016bq will come to an end, and unknown upstarts will seize the reins of government.\"\n3:1 There is an allusion in the word \u2018Arifin (Adepts) to the name of Efl\u0101k\u012b's patron, the Cheleb\u012b Em\u012br \u2018\u0100rif (well-knowing).\n3:2 Eastern Persia.\n4:1 The ancient Bactra, sometimes called Zariaspa, the capital of Bactria.\n5:1 Incorrectly written Mecca by Europeans.\n9:1 Of Term\u012bz (Tirmez), on the north bank of the Oxus, near to Balkh.","title":"The Mesnavi and The Acts of the Adepts: The Acts of the A...","type":"page"}