Chapter I. Abú Sa‘íd Ibn Abi ’l-Khayr: Part I

Among the eminent Persian mystics of this epoch none was so nearly akin to Abú Sa‘íd in temperament and character as Abú ’l-Ḥasan of Kharaqán 5. Before leaving Níshápúr and p. 43 finally settling at Mayhana, Abú Sa‘íd paid him a visit, which is described with great particularity 1. A complete version would be tedious, but I have translated the most interesting passages in full. When Abú Ṭáhir, the eldest son of Abú Sa‘íd, announced his intention of making the pilgrimage to Mecca, his father with a numerous following of Ṣúfís and disciples resolved to accompany him. As soon as the party left Níshápúr behind them, Abú Sa‘íd exclaimed, "Were it not for my coming, the holy man could not support this sorrow." His companions wondered whom he meant. Now, Aḥmad the son of Abú ’l-Ḥasan Kharaqání had just been arrested and put to death on his wedding-eve. Abú ’l-Ḥasan did not know until next morning, when, hearing the call to prayer, he came forth from his cell and trod upon the head of his son, which the executioners had flung away. On arriving at Kharaqán, Abú Sa‘íd went into the convent and entered the private chapel where Abú ’l-Ḥasan usually sat. Abú ’l-Ḥasan rose and walked halfway down the chapel to meet him, and they embraced each other. Abú ’l-Ḥasan took Abú Sa‘íd's hand and led him to his own chair, but he declined to occupy it; and since Abú ’l-Ḥasan was equally averse to take the place of honour, both seated themselves in the middle of the chapel. While they sat there weeping, Abú ’l-Ḥasan begged Abú Sa‘íd to give him a word of counsel, but Abú Sa‘íd said, "It is for thee to speak." Then he bade the Koran-readers who were with him read the Koran aloud, and during their chant the Ṣúfís wept and wailed. Abú ’l-Ḥasan threw his gaberdine (khirqa) to the readers. After that, the bier was brought out, and they prayed over the dead youth and buried him with manifestations of ecstasy. When the Ṣúfís had retired to their cells, a dispute arose between them and the readers for the possession of Abú ’l-Ḥasan's khirqa, which the Ṣúfís claimed in order that they might tear it to pieces. Abú l-Ḥasan sent a message by his servant to say that the readers should keep the khirqa, and he gave the Ṣúfís another khirqa, to be torn to pieces and distributed among them. A separate chamber was prepared for Abú Sa‘íd, who lodged with Abú

p. 44 [paragraph continues] ’l-Ḥasan three days and nights. In spite of his host's entreaties he refused to speak, saying, "I have been brought hither to listen." Then Abú ’l-Ḥasan said, "I implored God that He would send to me one of His friends, with whom I might speak of these mysteries, for I am old and feeble and could not come to thee. He will not let thee go to Mecca. Thou art too holy to be conducted to Mecca. He will bring the Ka‘ba to thee, that it may circumambulate thee." Every morning Abú ’l-Ḥasan came to the door of Abú Sa‘íd's room and asked—addressing the mother of Khwája Muẓaffar, whom Abú Sa‘íd had brought with him on this journey—"How art thou, O faqíra? Be sage and vigilant, for thou consortest with God. Here nothing of human nature remains, nothing of the flesh (nafs) remains. Here all is God, all is God." And in the daytime when Abú Sa‘íd was alone, Abú ’l-Ḥasan used to come to the door and draw back the curtain and beg leave to come in and beseech Abú Sa‘íd not to rise from his couch; and he would kneel beside him and put his head close to him, and they would converse in low tones and weep together; and Abú ’l-Ḥasan would slip his hand underneath Abú Sa‘íd's garment and lay it upon his breast and cry, "I am laying my hand upon the Everlasting Light.…" Abú ’l-Ḥasan said, "O Shaykh, every night I see the Ka‘ba circumambulating thy head: what need for thee to go to the Ka‘ba? Turn back, for thou wast brought hither for my sake. Now thou hast performed the pilgrimage." Abú Sa‘íd said, "I will go and visit Bisṭám and return here." "Thou wishest to perform the ‘umra," said Abú ’l-Ḥasan, "after having performed the ḥajj." Then Abú Sa‘íd set out for Bisṭám, where he visited the shrine of Báyazíd-i Bisṭámí. From Bisṭám the pilgrims journeyed westward to Dámghán, and thence to Rayy. Here Abú Sa‘íd made a halt and declared that he would go no farther in the direction of Mecca. Bidding farewell to those who still persisted in their intention of performing the pilgrimage, the rest of the party, including Abú Sa‘íd and his son Abú Ṭáhir, turned their faces towards Kharaqán and Níshápúr.

The last years of Abú Sa‘íd's life were spent in retirement p. 45 at Mayhana. We are told that his final departure from Níshápúr was deeply regretted by the inhabitants, and that the chief men of the city urged him in vain to alter his decision 1. With advancing years he may have felt that the duties which devolved upon him as a director of souls (not to speak of bodies) were too heavy a burden: in his old age he could not rise without being helped by two disciples who took hold of his arms and lifted him from his seat 2. He left no money in the convent, saying that God would send whatever was necessary for its upkeep. According to the biographer, this prediction was fulfilled, and although the convent never possessed a sure source of income (ma‘lúm), it attracted a, larger number of dervishes and received more spiritual and material blessings than any other religious house in Níshápúr, until it was destroyed by the invading Ghuzz 3. Abú Sa‘íd lived 1000 months (83 years + 4 months). He died at Mayhana on the 4th of Sha‘bán, a.h. 440 = 12th of January, a.d. 1049, and was buried in the mosque opposite his house 4. His tomb bore the following lines in Arabic, which he himself had chosen for an epitaph: I beg, nay, charge thee: Write on my gravestone, "This was love's bondsman," that when I am gone, Some wretch well-versed in passion's ways may sigh And give me greeting, as he passes by 5.

And give me greeting, as he passes by 5. Apart from several allusions to his corpulence, the only description of Abú Sa‘íd's personal appearance that his biographers have preserved is the following, which depicts him as he was seen by an old man whom he saved from dying of thirst in the desert: tall, stout, with a white skin and wide eyes and a long beard falling to the navel; clad in a patched frock (muraqqa‘); in, his hands a staff and a ewer; a prayer-rug thrown over his shoulder, also a razor and toothpick; a Ṣúfí cap on his head, and on his feet shoes of cotton soled with linen-rags (jumjum); light was shining from his face 6. p. 46 This sketch of his life has shown us the saint and the abbot in one. Before coming into closer touch with the former character, I should like to refer to a few passages of specially monastic interest. The first gives ten rules which Abú Sa‘íd caused to be put in writing, in order that they might be observed punctiliously by the inmates of his convent. In the original, after every rule there follow some words of the Koran on which it is based. I. Let them keep their garments clean and themselves always pure. II. Let them not sit 1 in the mosque or in any holy place for the sake of gossiping. III. In the first instance 2 let them perform their prayers in common. IV. Let them pray much at night. V. At dawn let them ask forgiveness of God and call unto Him.

V. At dawn let them ask forgiveness of God and call unto Him. VI. In the morning let them read as much of the Koran as they can, and let them not talk until the sun has risen. VII. Between evening prayers and bedtime prayers let them occupy themselves with repeating some litany (wirdí ú dhikrí). VIII. Let them welcome the poor and needy and all who join their company, and let them bear patiently the trouble of (waiting upon) them. IX. Let them not eat anything save in participation with one another. X. Let them not absent themselves without receiving permission from one another. Furthermore, let them spend their hours of leisure in one of three things: either in the study of theology or in some devotional exercise (wirdí) or in bringing comfort to some one. Whosoever loves this community and helps them as much as he can is a sharer in their merit and future recompense 3. p. 47 Pír Abú Ṣáliḥ Dandání, a disciple of Shaykh Abú Sa‘íd, used continually to stand beside him with a pair of nail-scissors in his hand. Whenever the Shaykh looked at his woollen gaberdine and saw the nap (purz) on it, he would pull the nap with his fingers, and then Abú Ṣáliḥ would at once remove it with the nail-scissors, for the Shaykh was so absorbed in contemplation of God that he did not wish to be disturbed by perceiving the state of his clothes. Abú Ṣáliḥ was the Shaykh's barber and used regularly to trim his moustache. A certain dervish desired to be taught the proper way of doing this. Abú Ṣáliḥ smiled and said, "It is no such easy matter. A man needs seventy masters of the craft to instruct him how the moustache of a dervish ought to be trimmed." This Abú Ṣáliḥ related that the Shaykh, towards the end of his life, had only one tooth left. "Every night, after supper, I used to give him a toothpick, with which he cleansed his mouth; and when he washed his hands, he would pour water on the toothpick and lay it down. One evening I thought to myself, 'He has no teeth and does not require a toothpick: why should he take it from me every night?' The Shaykh raised his head and looked at me and said, 'Because I wish to observe the Sunna and because I hope to win divine mercy. The Prophet has said, May God have mercy upon those of my people who use the toothpick in their ablutions and at their meals!' I was overcome with shame and began to weep 1."

Pír Ḥubbí was the Shaykh's tailor. One day he came in with a garment belonging to the Shaykh which he had mended. At that moment the Shaykh was taking his noonday siesta and reclining on a couch, while Khwája ‘Abdu ’l-Karím, his valet, sat beside his pillow and fanned him. Khwája ‘Abdu ’l-Karím exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" Pír Ḥubbí retorted, "Wherever there is room for you, there is room for me." The valet laid down the fan and struck him again and again. After seven blows the Shaykh said, "That is enough." Pír Ḥubbí went off and complained to Khwája Najjár, who said to the Shaykh, when he came out for afternoon prayers, "The young men lift their hands against the elders: what says the Shaykh?" The Shaykh replied, "Khwája ‘Abdu ’l-Karím's hand is my hand," and nothing more was said about it 2. 3:1 In referring to these two works I shall use the abbreviations H = Ḥálát and A =Asrár. Since A includes almost the whole of H, I have usually given references to the former only. 3:2 The oldest notice of Abú Sa‘íd occurs in the Kashf al-Malḥjúb of his contemporary, Hujwírí, who mentions him frequently in the course of that work. See especially pp. 164-6 of the translation. 3:3 A 13, 4. 4:1 A 13, 9. 4:2 H 8, 10. A 14, 16. 4:3 H 54, 3. The following is a translation of the text as it stands in Zhukovski's edition: "Whenever I have addressed poetry to any one, that which falls from my lips is the composition of venerable Ṣúfís (‘azízán), and most of it is by Shaykh Abú ’l-Qásim Bishr." I am not sure that instead of the first clause (

4:3 H 54, 3. The following is a translation of the text as it stands in Zhukovski's edition: "Whenever I have addressed poetry to any one, that which falls from my lips is the composition of venerable Ṣúfís (‘azízán), and most of it is by Shaykh Abú ’l-Qásim Bishr." I am not sure that instead of the first clause ( ) we ought not to read . The statement will then run: "I have never composed poetry. That which falls from my lips, etc." In another passage (A 263, 10) it is stated on the authority of the writer's grandfather (Abú Sa‘íd's grandson) that of all the poetry attributed to Abú Sa‘íd only one verse and one rubá‘í, which are cited, were his own composition, the remainder being quoted from his spiritual directors. The credibility of this is not affected by the explanation that he was too absorbed in ecstasy to think about versifying. In addition to the single rubá‘í, of which Abú Sa‘íd is expressly named as the author, H and A contain twenty-six which he is said to have quoted on different occasions. Of the latter, two occur in Ethé's collection (Nos. 35 and 68). 5:1 A 16, 9. 5:2 A 16, 20. 6:a [This Luqmán was one of the "intelligent madmen" (‘uqalá’u ’l-majánín) 6. At first he practised many austerities and was scrupulous in his devotions. Then of a sudden he experienced a revelation (kashf) that deprived him of his reason. Abú Sa‘íd said: "In the beginning Luqmán was a man learned p. 7 in the law and pious, but afterwards he ceased to perform the duties of religion. When he was asked how this change had come to pass, he replied: 'The more I served God, the more service was required of me. In my despair I cried, "O God! kings set free a slave when he grows old. Thou art the Almighty King. Set me free, for I have grown old in Thy service." I heard a voice that said, "Luqmán! I set thee free."'" The sign of his freedom was that his reason was taken away from him. Abú Sa‘íd used often to say that Luqmán was one whom God had emancipated from his commandments.]

6:1 H 8, 20. A 17, 16. 6:2 H 9, 1. A 17, 18; 22, 6. 6:3 Died a.h. 389 (a.d. 999). See Subkí, Ṭabaqátu ’l-Sháfi‘iyya al-Kubrá, Cairo, a.h. 1324, II. 223. Yáqút, Mu‘jamu ’l-Buldán, IV. 72, 12. 6:4 A 22, 14. 6:5 H 10, 14-12, 7. A 23, 6-26, 50. There is not much to choose between the two versions. I have generally preferred the latter, which adds some interesting details, although it is not quite so tersely and simply written. 6:6 Concerning this numerous class of Mohammedan mystics see Paul Loosen, Die weisen Narren des Naisābūrī (Strassburg, 1912). 7:b [Abú Sa‘íd was standing in such a position that his shadow fell on Luqmán's gaberdine.] 7:c [Shaykh Abú ’l-Faḍl was exceedingly venerable. When, after the death of Abú ’l-Faḍl, Abú Sa‘íd became an adept in mysticism, he was asked what was the cause of his having attained to such a degree of perfection. He answered, "The cause was a look that Shaykh Abú ’l-Faḍl gave me. I was a student of theology under Shaykh Abú ‘Alí. One day, when I was walking on the bank of a stream, Shaykh Abú ’l-Faḍl approached from the opposite direction and looked at me out of the corner of his eye. From that day to this, all my spiritual possessions are the result of that look."] 7:1 This rendering of Abú ’l-Faḍl's admonition agrees with H II, 5 foll., where the text is given most fully. 8:1 Kor. 6, 91. 8:2 Though printed as prose in both texts, this line appears to belong to a rubá‘í, since it is written in one of the metres peculiar to that form of verse.

8:2 Though printed as prose in both texts, this line appears to belong to a rubá‘í, since it is written in one of the metres peculiar to that form of verse. 8:3 According to H: "the doors of the spiritual gifts ( ) of this word." 8:4 H has merely: "a terrible figure appeared in front of the niche." 9:1 A 50, 12. 10:1 A 55, 15. 11:1 H 12, 7. 11:2 A 41, 3. 12:1 H 18, 17. About 200 of Abú Sa‘íd's discourses were in circulation when the Ḥálát ú Sukhunán was written (H 55, 21). 12:2 A 26, 10; 27, 2. 12:3 A 27, 17; 30, 7. 12:4 A 27, 18. 13:1 A 28, 8. 13:2 A 28, 15. 14:1 A 32, 4. 14:2 A 34, 5. 14:3 A 35, 4. 14:4 A 35, 25. 15:1 A 36, 8. 16:1 Kor. 2, 131. 16:2 Reading . 16:3 Kor. 41, 53. 17:1 Kor. 21, 36. 17:2 H 19, 6. A 37, 8. 17:3 A 40, 19. 17:4 A 43, 9. 17:5 According to the Asrár, 44, 9, the inhabitants of Báward called the p. 18 village Shámína ( ) or Sháhína ( ), but changed its name to Sháh Mayhana ( ) on the suggestion of Abú Sa‘íd. This story appears to indicate that was pronounced Míhna, and that the pronunciation Mayhana (which I have adopted in deference to Yáqút) is not the original one. In this case and , the two names of the town, may be compared with such parallel forms as , etc. Sam‘ání gives (Míhaní) as the pronunciation of the nisba. 18:1 A 44, 11. 18:2 A 46, 7. 19:1 A 46, 11. 19:2 A 45, 14. 19:3 In the Nafaḥátu ’l-Uns (ed. by Nassau Lees), p. 327, 2, where this passage is quoted, the name of the village is written

19:3 In the Nafaḥátu ’l-Uns (ed. by Nassau Lees), p. 327, 2, where this passage is quoted, the name of the village is written (Basma). 19:4 A pupil of Abú ’Uthmán Ḥírí. It is stated in the Asrár, 48, 1, that his name is given by Abú ‘Abú al-Raḥmán al-Sulamí in the Ṭabaqátu ’l-Ṣúfiyya as Muḥammad ’Ulayyán al-Nasawí, but that in Nasá he is generally known by the name of Aḥmad ‘Alí. According to the British Museum Ms. of the Ṭabaqát, f. 96 a, his name is Muḥammad b. ‘Alí and he is generally known as Muḥammad b. ’Ulayyán. 19:5 Cf. Nafaḥátu ’l-Uns, No. 357. 19:6 A 47, 10. 20:1 I.e., thou wilt never serve God truly until thou art free from 'self.' 20:2 A 49, 4. 20:3 A 50, 1. 21:1 A 51, 18. 21:2 A 52, 7. 21:3 Reading for . 21:4 A 51, 14. 21:5 Two and a half years, according to another tradition which has less authority (A 52, 17). 21:6 Záwiya-gáh. It seems to have been a place surrounded by a railing or lattice, since it is compared in the text to a penfold (ḥaẓíra). 21:7 A 53, 1. 22:1 Khashan is properly the name of a grass from which coarse garments are made. 22:2 See p. 14 supra. 22:3 A 54, 6-59, 5. Cf. the fourth chapter of Hujwirí's Kashf al-Maḥjúb, pp. 45-47, in my translation. 23:1 Pír-i ṣuḥbat, i.e., the Pír to whom one stands in the relation of disciple (ṣáḥíb). The pír-i ṣuḥbat of Abú Sa‘íd was Abú ’l-Faḍl Ḥasan of Sarakhs (A 26, 10). Abú Sa‘íd used to call him 'Pír,' while he spoke of Abú ’l-‘Abbás Qaṣṣáb simply as 'the Shaykh' (A 43, 18). The second question implies that a Pír might confer the khirqa upon a novice whom he had not personally trained.

23:1 Pír-i ṣuḥbat, i.e., the Pír to whom one stands in the relation of disciple (ṣáḥíb). The pír-i ṣuḥbat of Abú Sa‘íd was Abú ’l-Faḍl Ḥasan of Sarakhs (A 26, 10). Abú Sa‘íd used to call him 'Pír,' while he spoke of Abú ’l-‘Abbás Qaṣṣáb simply as 'the Shaykh' (A 43, 18). The second question implies that a Pír might confer the khirqa upon a novice whom he had not personally trained. 23:2 A 56, 1. 23:3 The khirqa with which the novice is invested by a Pír is named "the khirqa of origin" (khirqa-i aṣl) or "the khirqa of blessing" (khirqa-i tabarruk). A 57, 7, where should be read in place of . 23:4 A 59, 1. 23:5 A 57, 12. 24:1 A 59, 16. 24:2 A 62, 9. 24:3 Concerning these terms see my translation of the Kashf al-Maḥjúb, pp. 374-376. 24:4 A 62, 18. 25:1 A 64, 6. 25:2 A 61, 1. 25:3 Kor. 46, 14. 25:4 A 65, 9. 26:1 A village near Bisṭám. According to Sam‘ání and Yáqút, the correct pronunciation is Kharaqán. Khurqán, the spelling preferred by Mr Le Strange (Eastern Caliphate, pp. 23 and 366), has less authority. 26:2 The words "He was one year in Níshápúr" (A 94, 4) refer, as the context makes plain, only to the first year of his stay in that city. Possibly the period of his residence there was not continuous. It is worth notice that, according to H 72, 17, he usually spent the winter at Mayhana and the summer at Níshápúr. 27:1 A 69, 14. 27:2 A 70, 8. Cf. A 115, 16. According to another version (A 233, 5 foll.), the prophecy was made after Abú Sa‘íd's return from Níshápúr to Mayhana, where he was visited by Niẓámu ’l-Mulk, who was then a young student.

27:2 A 70, 8. Cf. A 115, 16. According to another version (A 233, 5 foll.), the prophecy was made after Abú Sa‘íd's return from Níshápúr to Mayhana, where he was visited by Niẓámu ’l-Mulk, who was then a young student. 27:3 A 73, 4. The MSS. give the name of the street as or (A 73, 14; 119, 15). Cf. . (A 463, 9). 27:4 This convent was destroyed by the Ghuzz who sacked Níshápúr in A.H. 548 = a.d. 1154 (A 195, 11). 27:5 A 84, 10. 28:1 A 75, 12. 28:2 He compares his reception to that of a dog who on entering a parish where he is unknown is set upon and mauled by all the dogs belonging to it (A 265, 12). 28:3 The Karrámís interpreted the Koran in the most literal sense. See Macdonald, Muslim Theology, p. 170 foll. 29:1 Lawzína and gawzína. For the former see Dozy. The latter is said to be a sweetmeat made of walnut kernels. 32:1 Kor. 109, 6. 32:2 A 84, 10-91, 17. 33:1 A 94, 3. 34:1 See, for example, my abstract of the contents of the Kitáb al-Luma‘, 69 foll., and Hujwírí, Kashf al-Maḥjúb, 393 foll. It is certain that Qushayrí did not condemn samá‘ outright. He seems to have held the view, which was favoured by many Ṣúfís that same is bad for novices, but good for adepts. Cf. Richard Hartmann, Al-Ḳuschairîs Darstellung des Ṣûfîtums, 134 foll. 34:2 A 95, 15. 34:3 A 97, 10. 34:4 A 106, 8. 35:1 A 102, 10. 36:1 A 103, 14. 36:2 A 109, 17; 179, 12. 36:3 A 294, 11. 37:1 A 117, 16. 37:2 A 110, 3.

37:3 . 37:4 Extravagance (isráf) is forbidden in the Koran, 6, 142; 7, 29, etc. 37:5 A 134, 9. In another version of this story (A 157, 11) the offender is smitten with paralysis. 39:1 A 113, 1. 39:2 A 123, 19. 41:1 A 280, 3. 41:2 A 299, 16. 42:1 A 236, 21. 42:2 The Arabic text of a letter written by Avicenna in reply to one from Abú Sa‘íd is given in H 65, 3. 42:3 A 251, 16. 42:4 A 252, 12. 42:5 See his biography in ‘Aṭṭár's Tadhkiratu ’l-Awliyá, 11. 201-255. Some of his sayings are translated in my Mystics of Islam, p. 133 foll. 43:1 A 175-191. 45:1 A 193, 18. 45:2 A 110, 16. 45:3 A 195, 3. 45:4 A 67, 1. 45:5 H 78, 19. A 445, 12. 45:6 A 80, 14. 46:1 Reading . 46:2 , i.e., I suppose, at the commencement of their monastic life. 46:3 A 416, 5. 47:1 A 146, 4. 47:2 A 271, 5.