Curiously enough, the Manāqib ul-Ārifīn (The Acts of the Adepts) gives another anecdote which would seem to indicate that, although the Prophet was averse to a premature adoption of a contemplative life, he initiated a few in the esoteric doctrines of the higher spiritual life. According to this account, the prophet one day confided to Hazrat Ali in private certain secrets and mysteries of the Brethren of Sincerity, enjoining strict secrecy so far as the uninitiated were concerned. This, by the way, indicates the existence of a class of initiates. For forty days Ali’s lips were sealed. But the burden caused a regular tumult in his breast till at last he was sick at heart. Even breathing became difficult. He fled to a desert and chanced upon a well. He stooped as far down into the well as he could and then, one after one, confided those mysteries to the bowels of the earth. So great was his excitement that his mouth was filled with froth and foam, which too found an outlet into the well. A few days passed by, and a seed was seen to be growing in the well. It grew, shut up as it was, until at length a shepherd youth whose heart was miraculously enlightened on the matter, became aware of the existence of the plant. He cut it down, drilled holes in it, and began to play airs upon it as he pastured his sheep. So exquisite was this music that round this Arab Orpheus camels and sheep gathered together to listen to his piping. The wild nomads also flocked to hear his strains and the whole audience went into ecstasies with delight, weeping for joy and breaking forth in transports of gratification. The matter was soon represented to the Prophet and the wonderful player was brought into the sacred presence. There, too, his dulcet notes moved all the holy disciples to tears and transports. They burst forth in exclamations of pure delight, and were, so to say, wafted away from the plane of self-consciousness. But the Messenger of God at once found out the key to this miraculous chanting, and declared that it was inspired by those very mysteries that he had confided to Ali’s charge!