ContentsTitle pageAbout this editionNicholson’s introductionPostscriptPreface to Book IBook IProemThe story of the king’s falling in love with a handmaiden and buying her.How it became manifest to the king that the physicians were unable to cure the handmaiden, and how he turned his face towards God and dreamed of a holy man.Beseeching the Lord, who is our Helper, to help us to observe self-control in all circumstances, and explaining the harmful and pernicious consequences of indiscipline.The meeting of the king with the divine physician whose coming had been announced to him in a dream.How the king led the physician to the bedside of the sick girl, that he might see her condition.How that saint demanded of the king to be alone with the handmaiden for the purpose of discovering her malady.How the saint, having discovered the (cause of) the illness, laid it before the king.How the king sent messengers to Samarcand to fetch the goldsmith.Setting forth how the slaying and poisoning of the goldsmith was (prompted) by Divine suggestion, not by sensual desire and wicked meditation.The story of the greengrocer and the parrot and the parrot’s spilling the oil in the shop.Story of the Jewish king who for bigotry’s sake used to slay the Christians.How the vizier instructed the king to plot.How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt and perplexity.How the Christians let themselves be duped by the vizier.How the Christians followed the vizier.Story of the Caliph’s seeing Laylá.Explanation of the envy of the vizier.How the sagacious among the Christians perceived the guile of the vizier.How the king sent messages in secret to the vizier.Explanation of the twelve tribes of the Christians.How the vizier confused the ordinances of the Gospel.Showing how this difference lies in the form of the doctrine, not in the real nature of the Way.Setting forth how the vizier incurred perdition (by engaging) in this plot.How the vizier started another plan to mislead the (Christian) folk.How the vizier refused the request of the disciples.How the disciples repeated their request that he should interrupt his seclusion.The refusal of the vizier to interrupt his seclusion.How the disciples raised objections against the vizier’s secluding himself.How the vizier made the disciples lose hope of his abandoning seclusion.How the vizier appointed each one of the amírs separately as his successor.How the vizier killed himself in seclusion.How the people of Jesus—on him be peace!—asked the amírs, “Which one of you is the successor?”The quarrel of the amírs concerning the succession.How honour was paid to the description of Muṣṭafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, which was mentioned in the Gospel.The story of another Jewish king who endeavoured to destroy the religion of Jesus.How the Jewish king made a fire and placed an idol beside it, saying, “Whoever bows down to this idol shall escape the fire.”How a child began to speak amidst the fire and urged the people to throw themselves into the fire.How the mouth remained awry of a man who pronounced the name of Mohammed, on whom be peace, derisively.How the fire reproached the Jewish king.The story of the wind which destroyed the people of ‘Ád in the time of (the prophet) Húd, on whom be peace.How the Jewish king scoffed and denied and would not accept the counsel of his intimates.Setting forth how the beasts of chase told the lion to trust in God and cease from exerting himself.How the lion answered the beasts and explained the advantage of exertion.How the beasts asserted the superiority of trust in God to exertion and acquisition.How the lion upheld the superiority of exertion and acquisition to trust in God and resignation.How the beasts preferred trust in God to exertion.How the lion again pronounced exertion to be superior to trust in God.How the beasts once more asserted the superiority of trust in God to exertion.How ‘Azrá‘íl (Azrael) looked at a certain man, and how that man fled to the palace of Solomon; and setting forth the superiority of trust in God to exertion and the uselessness of the latter.How the lion again declared exertion to be superior to trust in God and expounded the advantages of exertion.How the superiority of exertion to trust in God was established.How the beasts of chase blamed the hare for his delay in going to the lion.How the hare answered the beasts.How the beasts objected to the proposal of the hare.How the hare again answered the beasts.An account of the knowledge of the hare and an explanation of the excellence and advantages of knowledge.How the beasts requested the hare to tell the secret of his thought.How the hare withheld the secret from them.The story of the hare’s stratagem.The baseness of the foul interpretation given by the fly.How the lion roared wrathfully because the hare was late in coming.Further setting forth the stratagem of the hare.The hare’s coming to the lion and the lion’s anger with him.The hare’s apology.How the lion answered the hare and set off with him.Story of the hoopoe and Solomon, showing that when the Divine destiny comes to pass, clear eyes are sealed.How the crow impugned the claim of the hoopoe.The hoopoe’s answer to the attack of the crow.The story of Adam, on whom be peace, and how the Divine destiny sealed up his sight so that he failed to observe the plain meaning of the prohibition and to refrain from interpreting it.How the hare drew back from the lion when he approached the well.How the lion asked the reason of the hare’s drawing back.How the lion looked into the well and saw the reflexion of himself and the hare in the water.How the hare brought to the beasts of chase the news that the lion had fallen into the well.How the beasts gathered round the hare and spoke in praise of him.Commentary on (the Tradition) “We have returned from the lesser Jihád to the greater Jihád.”How the ambassador of Rúm came to the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, and witnessed the gifts of grace with which ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, was endowed.How the ambassador of Rúm found the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, sleeping under the palm-tree.How the ambassador of Rúm saluted the Commander of the Faithful, may God be well-pleased with him.How the ambassador of Rúm questioned the Commander of the Faithful, may God be well-pleased with him.How Adam imputed that fault (which he had committed) to himself, saying, “O Lord, we have done wrong,” and how Iblís imputed his own sin to God, saying, “Because Thou hast seduced me.”Commentary on “And He is with you wheresoever ye be.”How the ambassador asked ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, concerning the cause of the tribulation suffered by spirits in these bodies of clay.On the inner sense of “Let him who desires to sit with God sit with the Ṣúfís.”The story of the merchant to whom the parrot gave a message for the parrots of India on the occasion of his going (thither) to trade.Description of the wings of the birds that are Divine Intelligences.How the merchant saw the parrots of India in the plain and delivered the parrot’s message.Commentary on the saying of Farídu’ddín ‘Aṭṭár, may God sanctify his spirit—“Thou art a sensualist: O heedless one, drink blood (mortify thyself) amidst the dust (of thy bodily existence),For if the spiritualist drink a poison, it will be (to him as) an antidote.”How the magicians paid respect to Moses, on whom be peace, saying, “What dost thou command? Wilt thou cast down thy rod first, or shall we?”How the merchant related to the parrot what he had witnessed on the part of the parrots of India.How the parrot heard what those parrots had done, and died in the cage, and how the merchant made lament for her.Commentary on the saying of the Ḥakím (Saná’í):“Any thing that causes thee to be left behind on the Way, what matter whether it be infidelity or faith?Any form that causes thee to fall far from the Beloved, what matter whether it be ugly or beautiful?”—and (a discourse) on the meaning of the words of the Prophet, on whom be peace: “Verily, Sa‘d is jealous, and I am more jealous than Sa‘d, and Alláh is more jealous than I; and because of His jealousy He hath forbidden foul actions both outward and inward.”Reverting to the tale of the merchant who went to trade (in India).How the merchant cast the parrot out of the cage and how the dead parrot flew away.How the parrot bade farewell to the merchant and flew away.The harmfulness of being honoured by the people and of becoming conspicuous.Explanation of (the Tradition) “Whatsoever God wills cometh to pass.”The story of the old harper who in the time of ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, on a day when he was starving played the harp for God’s sake in the graveyard.Explanation of the Tradition, “Verily, your Lord hath, during the days of your time, certain breathings: oh, address yourselves to (receive) them.”The story of ‘Á’isha, may God be well-pleased with her, how she asked Muṣṭafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, saying, “It rained to-day: since thou wentest to the graveyard, how is it that thy clothes are not wet?”Commentary on the verse of Ḥakím (Saná’í):“In the realm of the soul are skies lording over the sky of this world.In the Way of the spirit there are lowlands and highlands, there are lofty mountains and seas.”On the meaning of the Tradition, “Take advantage of the coolness of the spring season, etc.”How the Ṣiddíqa (‘Á’isha), may God be well-pleased with her, asked Muṣṭafá (Mohammed), God bless him and give him peace, saying, “What was the inner meaning of to-day’s rain?”The remainder of the story of the old harper and the explanation of its issue (moral).How the heavenly voice spoke to ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, while he was asleep, saying, “Give a certain sum of gold from the public treasury to the man who is sleeping in the graveyard.”How the moaning pillar complained when they made a pulpit for the Prophet, on whom be peace—for the multitude had become great, and said, “We do not see thy blessed face when thou art exhorting us”—and how the Prophet and his Companions heard that complaint, and how Muṣṭafá conversed with the pillar in clear language.How the Prophet, on whom be peace, manifested a miracle by the speaking of the gravel in the hand of Abú Jahl—God’s curse on him!—and by the gravel’s bearing witness to the truth of Mohammed, on whom be God’s blessing and peace.The rest of the story of the minstrel, and how the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, conveyed to him the message spoken by the heavenly voice.How ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, bade him (the harper) turn his gaze from the stage of weeping, which is (self-)existence, to the stage of absorption (in God), which is non-existence (of self).Commentary on the prayer of the two angels who daily make proclamation in every market, saying, “O God, bestow on every prodigal some boon in exchange! O God, bestow on every niggard some bane (in return)”; and an explanation that the prodigal is he that strives earnestly in the Way of God, not he that squanders his wealth in the way of sensuality.The story of the Caliph who in his time surpassed Ḥátim of Ṭayyi’ in generosity and had no rival.Story of the poor Arab of the desert and his wife’s altercation with him because of (their) penury and poverty.How disciples (novices in Ṣúfism) are beguiled in their need by false impostors and imagine them to be Shaykhs and venerable personages and (saints) united (with God), and do not know the difference between fact (naqd) and fiction (naql) and between what is tied on (artificially) and what has grown up (naturally).Explaining how it may happen, (though) rarely, that a disciple sincerely puts his faith in a false impostor (and believes) that he is a (holy) personage, and by means of this faith attains unto a (spiritual) degree which his Shaykh has never (even) dreamed of, and (then) fire and water do him no hurt, though they hurt his Shaykh; but this occurs very seldom.How the Bedouin bade his wife be patient and declared to her the excellence of patience and poverty.How the wife counselled her husband, saying, “Don’t talk any more about thy merit and (spiritual) rank—‘why say ye that which ye do not?’—for although these words are true, yet thou hast not attained to the degree of trust in God, and to speak thus above thy station and devotional practice is harmful and ‘exceedingly hateful in the sight of God.’”How the man counselled his wife, saying, “Do not look with contempt on the poor, but regard the work of God as perfect, and do not let thy vain thought and opinion of thine own penury cause thee to sneer at poverty and revile the poor.”Explaining how every one’s movement (action) proceeds from the place where he is, (so that) he sees every one (else) from the circle of his own self-existence: a blue glass shows the sun as blue, a red glass as red, (but) when the glass escapes from (the sphere of) colour, it becomes white, (and then) it is more truthful than all other glasses and is the Imám (exemplar to them all).How the wife paid regard to her husband and begged God to forgive her for what she had said.Explanation of the Tradition, “Verily, they (women) prevail over the wise man, and the ignorant man prevails over them.”How the man yielded to his wife’s request that he should seek the means of livelihood, and regarded her opposition (to him) as a Divine indication. (Verse):To the mind of every knowing man it is a fact that with the revolving object there is one that causes it to revolve.Explaining that both Moses and Pharaoh are subject to the Divine Will, like antidote and poison and darkness and light, and how Pharaoh conversed in solitude with God, praying that He would not destroy his (good) reputation.The reason why the unblest are disappointed of both worlds, (according to the text) “he has lost this life and the life to come.”How the eyes of (external) sense regarded Ṣáliḥ and his she-camel as despicable and without a champion; (for) when God is about to destroy an army He makes their adversaries appear despicable and few in their sight, even though the adversary be superior in strength: “and He was making you few in their eyes, that God might bring to pass a thing that was to be done.”On the meaning of “He let the two seas go to meet one another: between them is a barrier which they do not seek (to cross).”Concerning the impropriety of the disciple’s (muríd) presuming to do the same things as are done by the saint (walí), inasmuch as sweetmeat does no harm to the physician, but is harmful to the sick, and frost and snow do no harm to the ripe grape, but are injurious to the young fruit; for he (the disciple) is (still) on the way, for he has not (yet) become (the saint to whom are applicable the words in the Qur’án): “That God may forgive thee thy former and latter sins.”The moral of the altercation of the Arab and his wife.How the Arab set his heart on (complying with) his beloved’s request and swore that in thus submitting (to her) he had no (idea of) trickery and making trial (of her).How the wife specified to her husband the way to earn daily bread and how he accepted (her proposal).How the Arab carried a jug of rain-water from the midst of the desert as a gift to the Commander of the Faithful at Baghdád, in the belief that in that town also there was a scarcity of water.How the Arab’s wife sewed the jug of rain-water in a felt cloth and put a seal on it because of the Arab’s utter conviction (that it was a precious gift for the King).Showing that, as the beggar is in love with bounty and in love with the bountiful giver, so the bounty of the bountiful giver is in love with the beggar: if the beggar have the greater patience, the bountiful giver will come to his door; and if the bountiful giver have the greater patience, the beggar will come to his door; but the beggar’s patience is a virtue in the beggar, while the patience of the bountiful giver is in him a defect.The difference between one that is poor for (desirous of) God and thirsting for Him and one that is poor of (destitute of) God and thirsting for what is other than He.How the Caliph’s officers and chamberlains came forward to pay their respects to the Bedouin and to receive his gift.Showing that the lover of this world is like the lover of a wall on which the sunbeams strike, who makes no effort and exertion to perceive that the radiance and splendour do not proceed from the wall, but from the orb of the sun in the Fourth Heaven; consequently he sets his whole heart on the wall, and when the sunbeams rejoin the sun (at sunset), he is left for ever in despair: “and a bar is placed between them and that which they desire.”The Arabic proverb, “If you commit fornication, commit it with a free woman, and if you steal, steal a pearl.”How the Arab delivered the gift, that is, the jug to the Caliph’s servants.The story of what passed between the grammarian and the boatman.How the Caliph accepted the gift and bestowed largesse, notwithstanding that he was entirely without need of the gift (the water) and the jug.Concerning the qualities of the Pír (Spiritual Guide) and (the duty of) obedience to him.How the Prophet, on whom be peace, enjoined ‘Alí—may God make his person honoured—saying, “When every one seeks to draw nigh to God by means of some kind of devotional act, do thou seek the favour of God by associating with His wise and chosen servant, that thou mayst be the first of all to arrive (to gain access to Him).”How the man of Qazwín was tattooing the figure of a lion in blue on his shoulders, and (then) repenting because of the (pain of the) needle-pricks.How the wolf and fox went to hunt in attendance on the lion.How the lion made trial of the wolf and said, “Come forward, O wolf, and divide the prey amongst us.”The story of the person who knocked at a friend’s door: his friend from within asked who he was: he said, “’Tis I,” and the friend answered, “Since thou art thou, I will not open the door: I know not any friend that is ‘I.’”Description of Unification.How the lion punished the wolf who had shown disrespect in dividing (the prey).How Noah, on whom be peace, threatened his people, saying, “Do not struggle with me, for I am (only) a veil: ye are really struggling with God (who is) within this (veil), O God-forsaken men!”How kings seat in front of them the Ṣúfís who know God, in order that their eyes may be illumined by (seeing) them.How the guest came to Joseph, on whom be peace, and how Joseph demanded of him a gift and present on his return from abroad.How the guest said to Joseph, “I have brought thee the gift of a mirror, so that whenever thou lookest in it thou wilt see thine own fair face and remember me.”How the writer of the (Qur’ánic) Revelation fell into apostasy because (when) the ray of the Revelation shot upon him, he recited the (revealed) verse before the Prophet, on whom be peace, (had dictated it to him); then he said, “So I too am one upon whom Revelation has descended.”How Bál‘am son of Bá‘úr prayed (to God), saying, “Cause Moses and his people to turn back, without having gained their desire, from this city which they have besieged.”How Hárút and Márút relied upon their immaculateness and desired to mix with the people of this world and fell into temptation.The rest of the story of Hárút and Márút, and how an exemplary punishment was inflicted on them, even in this world, in the pit of Babylon.How the deaf man went to visit his sick neighbour.The first to bring analogical reasoning to bear against the Revealed Text was Iblís.Explaining that one must keep one’s own (spiritual) state and (mystical) intoxication hidden from the ignorant.The story of the contention between the Greeks and the Chinese in the art of painting and picturing.How the Prophet, on whom be peace, asked Zayd, “How art thou to-day and in what state hast thou risen?” and how Zayd answered him, saying, “This morning I am a true believer, O Messenger of Allah.”How suspicion was thrown upon Luqmán by the slaves and fellow-servants who said that he had eaten the fresh fruit which they were bringing (to their master).The remainder of the story of Zayd (and what he said) in answer to the Prophet, on whom be peace.How the Prophet, on whom be peace, said to Zayd, “Do not tell this mystery more plainly than this, and take care to comply (with the religious law).”The (author’s) return to the story of Zayd.How a conflagration occurred in the city (Medina) in the days of ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him.How an enemy spat in the face of the Prince of the Faithful, ‘Alí, may God honour his person, and how ‘Alí dropped the sword from his hand.How that infidel asked ‘Alí, may God honour his person, saying, “Since thou wert victorious over such a man as I am, how didst thou drop the sword from thy hand?”How the Prince of the Faithful made answer (and explained) what was the reason of his dropping the sword from his hand on that occasion.How the Prophet, on whom be peace, said in the ear of the stirrup-holder of the Prince of the Faithful (‘Alí), may God honour his person, “I tell thee, ‘Alí will be slain by thy hand.”How Adam, on whom be peace, marvelled at the perdition of Iblís and showed vanity.Returning to the story of the Prince of the Faithful, ‘Alí—may God honour his person!—and how generously he behaved to his murderer.How the stirrup-holder of ‘Alí, may God honour his person, came (to him), saying, “For God’s sake, kill me and deliver me from this doom.”Explaining that the motive of the Prophet, on whom be peace, in seeking to conquer Mecca and other (places) than Mecca was not love of worldly dominion, inasmuch as he has said “This world is a carcase,” but that on the contrary it was by the command (of God).How the Prince of the Faithful, ‘Alí—may God honour his person!—said to his antagonist, “When thou didst spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and I could no longer act with entire sincerity (towards God)[215.3]: that hindered me from slaying thee.”Nicholson’s notes
Hidden Lantern