260 He is Shaikh Ya‘qūb of Kashmīr, a small portion of whose perfections has already been described by the author's halting pen. He is an epitome of all accomplishments and therefore if his praises be repeated (a pleasant repetition), what fault can be found? In spite of his having written standard works on the mysticism of the Ṣūfīs and many other branches of knowledge his genius was highly adapted to the composition of eloquent poetry. The following couplets are a small portion of the fruit of his wonderful meditations:—

“In the morning that beauty with a face like the moon
threw a veil over her face,
It was strange to see the sun veiled before evening fell.”

“Ask not of the merits of tutty, but ask for the dust of her
door,
Ask of its virtues from discerning men.”

In his latter days he wished to compose a commentary on the Qur'ān like the Great Commentary* and he had already written some of it roughly when suddenly death's decree reached him, and the unavoidable summons of God* was delivered to him in his well-loved native land, as has been said, and he died.