Part 28 (2/2)
ABOULHUSN ED DURRAJ ABU AL-HASAN AND ABOU JAAFER THE AND LEPER ABU JA'AFAR THE LEPER
Quoth Aboulhusn ed I had been many times Durraj, I had been many to Mecca (Allah increase times to Mecca (which its honour!) and the folk God increase in honour) used to follow e of the road and e remembrance of the water of the road and stations It happened one the watering-places It year that I was e to was e to the Holy of the tomb of His House of God and visit the Prophet (on who and the Peace!) who), and I said in myself ”I and I said to myself, well know the way and ”I know the road and ill fare alone” So I go alone” So I set out set out and journeyed till I and journeyed till I ca entering the Mosque there, the Mosque there, sa afrom a leper seated in the black leprosy seated in prayer-niche When he the prayer-niche Quoth he sawme, ”O Abu ”O Aboulhusn, I crave al-Hasan, I crave thy company thy company to Mecca” to Meccah” Quoth I Quoth I to myself, ”I to myself, ”I fled from all wished to avoid companions, my companions and how and how shall I shall I company with lepers”
company with lepers?” So I said to him, ”I will So I said to him, ”I will bear no man company,”
bear no one company,” and he was silent at my and he was silent words
Next day I continued Next day I walked on my journey alone, till I alone, till I came to came to Acabeh, where Al-Akabah, where I entered I entered the Mosque and the mosque and found the was amazed to find the leper seated in the prayer leper seated in the prayer- niche So I said to myself, niche ”Glory be to God,” ”Glory be to Allah!
said I in myself ”Ho hath this fellow preceded hath this fellow foregone me hither” But me hither?” But he he raised his head to me raised his eyes to , ”O, Abu al-Hasan, He doth Aboulhusn, He doth for for the weak that which the weak that which the surpriseth the strong!”
strong wonder at” I I passed that night confounded passed that night in at what I had perplexity, confounded at seen; and, as soon as what I had seen, and in ain by myself; but by myself; but when I when I came to Arafat came to Arafat and entered and entered the mosque, the mosque, behold, behold! there was the leper there was the leper seated seated in the niche So I in the niche! So I threw threwhis feet said, his feet, said, ”O my ”O my lord, I crave thy lord, I crave thy company” company” But he answered, But he said, ”This an Whereupon I fell a-weeping weeping and wailing at and la when he said, ”Spare thy will avail thee nothing,” tears, which will avail thee And he recited the naught!” and he recited following verses: these couplets:
For ement dost thou Why dost thou hen I weep,--whereas it ca from thee,--And restoration claim; and cravest union dost implore, when none, e ne'er shall re-unite alas! may be? the sa save disease, as it appeared, and oes, nor coht, or day, for this his coht, or day, this malady” sickly frame”
Seest not that God (exalted be Seest not how Allah (glorified His glory) to His slave His glory ever be!) deigneth vouchsafeth all he can conceive to grant His slave's petition of favour fair and free!ithal he came
If I, to outward vision, be as If I, to eyes of men be that and it appears and eke in body, for only that they see, and this despite of fate, e'en that rief and graht of food that have, unto the holy place shall supply me to the place where crowds unto my Lord where crowds unto le ai Lord bounties untome from a Lord who hath none equal Him, and without peer is He and no fear is known to Him
Depart from me in peace and So fare thee safe and leave erhood to wone
For with the lonely For He the only One, consoles exile still the One shall my loneliness so lone
coly I left hie I caone found him before me, till me, till I reached Al-Madinah, I caht of his of him Here him Here I met Abou I met Abu Yazid Yezid el Bustani and Abou al-Bustami and Abu Bakr Beker es shi+bli and a al-shi+bli and a number of number of other doctors, other Shaykhs and learned to whom I told my case, men to ith many and they said, ”God complaints I told ain his coain his company after Jaafer the leper, in whose this! He was Abu Ja'afar name, at all tides, the folk the leper, in whose name pray for rain, and by whose folk at all tis prayers are answered” rain and by whose blessing When I heard prayers their end attain”
this,for his When I heard their words, company redoubled and my desire for his company I implored God to reunite redoubled and I ihty to reuniteon Arafat, with hi on Arafat one so I turned and pulled me from behind, so behold, it was Abou Jaafer I turned and behold, it At this sight I gave a loud was ht I cried out with a swoon; but when I caone a fainting fit; but when I caht
This increasedfor him and the ways for him and the were straitened upon ceremonies were tedious to ht of hiht of nor was it but a few days him; nor was it but a few after when one pulled me days after, when lo! one from behind, and I turned, pulled me froain Quoth he, ”I conjure he again Thereupon he thee, ask thy desire said, ”Coed him thee, and ask thy want of to pray three prayers to ed him to God for me; first, that pray for me three prayers: He would make me love first, that Allah would ht never lie down to that I ht upon provision and thirdly, that assured to me; and He, the Bountiful One, thirdly, that he would would vouchsafe me to vouchsafe me to look upon look upon His face So he His bountiful face So prayed for me, as I wished, he prayed for me as I and departed from me wished, and departed froranted ranted me what the prayers; for He hath devotee asked in prayer; in with he hath made poverty, so that, by Allah, hty! there is world dearer to ht in the world dearer it, and since such a year, to me than it, and secondly I have never lain down since such a year I have upon assured provision; never lain down to sleep yet hath He never let ht As for the withal hath He never let third prayer, I trust that ht As for the He will vouchsafe me that third prayer, I trust that also, even as He hath he will vouchsafe ranted the two others, also, even as He hath for He is bountiful and granted the two precedent, excellently beneficient And for right Bountiful and may God have mercy on Beneficient is His Godhead, him who saith: and Allah have mercy on him who said;
Renouncearments be; In lowliness; patched and tattered clothes His robe of tatters and of rags still fares the devotee his dress;
Pallor adorneth hihts, The h with pallor still e thou ht to pray Wasted hi-lived night, his lids the tears strea tears ne'er cease as 'twere a sea to diht of God to him his Memory of Him shall cheer his very househty nearest is in Olooe helpeth such Fakir in his need; And birds and in need; beasts no less to succour hied breed;
On his account, the wrath of Allah for sake of hirace, the rains fall And for the grace of him shall down on wood and lea fall the rain;
And if he pray one day to do And if he pray one day for plague away a plague, The oppressor's to stay, slain and men fro and tyrants slay
For all the folk are sick, While folk are sad, afflicted one afflicted and diseased, And he's and each, the pitying leach withouten He in his enerous leach;
His forehead shi+nes; an thou Bright shi+nes his brow; an thou but look upon his face, Thy regard his face heart is calhts of Thy heart illurace
O thou that shunnest these, their O thou that shunnest souls of virtues knowing not, Woe's worth innate, thee! Thou'rt shut from Departs thee (woe to thee!) of theht
Thou think'st them to o'ertake, Thou thinkest to overtake them, for all thou'rt fettered fast; while thou bearest Thy sins from thy desire Follies, which slay thee whatso do hinder thee, perdie way thou farest
Thou wouldst to them consent Didst not their worth thou hadst and rivers from thine eyes all honour showed Would run from them, if thou And tears in streamlets from their excellence could'st see thine eyes had flowed