In the suburbs of a certain city there was a mosque in which none could sleep a night and live. Some said it was haunted by malevolent fairies; others, that it was under the baneful influence of a magic spell; some proposed to put up a notice warning people not to sleep there, and others advised that the door should be kept locked. At last a stranger came to that city and desired to sleep in the mosque, saying that he did not fear to risk his life, as the life of the body was naught, and God has said, "Wish for death if you are sincere." The men of the city warned him again and again of the danger, and rebuked him for his foolhardiness, reminding him that not improbably Satan was tempting him to his own destruction, as he tempted the men of Mecca at the battle of Bedr. The stranger, however, would not be dissuaded, but persisted in his purpose of sleeping in the mosque. He said that he was as one of the devoted agents of the Ismailians, who were always ready to sacrifice their lives at the bidding of their chiefs, and that the terrors of death did not appal him any more than the noise of a little drum beaten by a boy to scare away birds could appal the great drum-bearing camel that used to march at the head of King Mahmud's army. Accordingly, he slept in the mosque, and at midnight he was awakened by a terrible voice, as of one about to attack him. But instead of being dismayed, he bethought himself of the text "Assault them with thy horsemen and thy footmen," and confronted his unseen foe, challenging him to show himself and stand to his arms. At these words the spell was dissipated, and showers of gold fell on all sides, which the brave hero proceeded to appropriate.

The "knowledge of certainty" and the "eye of certainty". Our body and substance are snow, doomed to perish, God is He who buys them, for "God hath bought them." You prefer this perishing snow to God's price Because you are in doubt and have not certainty; And, strange to say, opinion abides in you, O weak one, Every opinion is aiming at certainty, O son, When it reaches knowledge it stands erect, And its knowledge again hastes on towards certainty, Because in the approved road of the faith Knowledge is lower than certainty, but above opinion.

Know knowledge aspires to certainty, In the chapter, "Desire of riches occupieth you," After "Nay," read "Would that ye knew!" Knowledge conducts you to sight, O knower! "If ye are certain, ye shall see hell-fire." Sight follows on certainty with no interval, See the account of this in the chapter cited, As for me, I am above both opinion and certainty; Since my mouth has eaten of His sweetmeats, I am become clear-sighted, and see him face to face! Behold these potherbs boiling in the pot,

Whilst they are boiling, they keep leaping up, Even to the top of the pot, and utter cries, Saying to the housewife, "Why do you set us on the fire? Now you have bought us, why should you afflict us?" The housewife pushes them down with her spoon, saying, "Be still, and boil well, and leap not off the fire. I do not boil you because I dislike you, When you become food you will be mingled with life; In the garden you drank water soft and fresh; Mercy was first shown to it before vengeance, That mercy might train it to be proof against trial;

Mercy was shown to it previously to vengeance, Because flesh and skin grow not without tender care, How should they not grow when warmed by the Friend's love. If vengeance follows as a necessary consequence, That you may make an offering of that substance, Mercy follows again to compensate for it, I am Abraham, and you his son under the knife. Lay down your head! 'I have seen I must sacrifice you.' Yield your head to vengeance, your heart to constancy, That I may cut your throat like an Ismailian's.

I cut off your head, but that head is such That it is restored to life by being cut off!" My main object herein is to inculcate resignation, O Mosalman! it behoves you to seek resignation. O potherbs, you boil in trials and sufferings Though you once smiled in that earthly garden, If you are torn away from the garden of earth, You become sweet food to revive man's life; Yea, become his food and strength and thought! You were only milk, you become a lion of the forest!

You issue from God's attributes at first; Return again back to those attributes with all speed! You come from the clouds and sunshine and sky, You come in the form of rain and sunshine, You begin as a part of the sun, clouds, and stars, You rise to be breath, act, word, and thought! True is the saying, 'Kill me, O faithful ones!' True it is that 'In our death is life.' Acts, words, and faith are the food of the King, Thus, as potherbs become the food of men,

A certain goose pops his head out of his coop, And displays himself as a critic of the Masnavi, Saying, "This poem, the Masnavi, is childish; 'Tis but a story of the prophets, and so on. 'Tis not an account of the arguments and deep mysteries, Whereto holy men direct their attention; Concerning asceticism, and so on to self-annihilation, Step by step, up to communion with God; An explanation and definition of each several state, Whereto the men of heart ascend in their flight."

Whereas the Book of God resembles the Masnavi in this, The infidels abused it, in the same manner, Saying, 'It contains old tales and stories; Little boys can understand it; It only contains commands and prohibitions, Accounts of Yusuf and his curled locks, Accounts of Jacob, of Zulaikha and her love, Accounts of Adam, of the wheat, and of the serpent Iblis, Accounts of Hud, of Noah, of Abraham, and the, fire." Know the words of the Koran are simple,

Beneath that secret meaning is a third, The fourth meaning has been seen by none Save God, the Incomparable and All-sufficient. Thus they go on, even to seven meanings, one by one, According to the saying of the Prophet, without doubt. Do thou, O son, confine not thy view to the outward meaning, The outward meaning of the Koran is like Adam's body, For its semblance is visible, but its soul is hidden. O reviling dog! thou makest a clamour, This is not a lion, wherefrom thou canst save thy life,

Or canst secure thyself from his talons! The Koran cries out even to the last day, "O people, given up as a prey to ignorance, If ye have imagined me to be only empty fables, Ye yourselves who abuse me will see yourselves Annihilated, and made like a tale that is told!" A gnat came in from the garden and fields, And called on Solomon for justice, Saying, "O Solomon, you extend your equity Fish and fowl dwell under the shelter of your justice;

Where is the oppressed one whom your mercy has not sought? Grant me redress, for I am much afflicted, Being cut off from my garden and meadow haunts." Then Solomon replied, "O seeker of redress, Tell me from whom do you desire redress? Who is the oppressor, who, puffed up with arrogance Has oppressed you and smitten your face?" The gnat replied, "He from whom I seek redress is the Wind, 'Tis he who has emitted the smoke of oppression at me; Through his oppression I am in a grievous strait,

Through him I drink blood with parched lip!" Solomon replied to him, "O sweet voiced one, God has commanded me saying, 'O dispenser of justice, Never hear one party without the other!' Till both parties come into the presence, The truth is never made plain to the judge." When the Wind heard the summons, it came swiftly, In like manner the seekers of God's presence-seat, When God appears, those seekers vanish. Though that union is life eternal,