KHIẒR.

His name was Balyán, the son of Kalyán, the son of Fáligh (Phaleg), the son of Aábir (Heber), the son of Shálikh (Sale), the son of Arfakshad (Arphaxad), the son of Sám, (Sem), the son of Núḥ (Noé). Some call him Kalyán-b-Malkán, others Malkán, the son of Balyán, the son of Kalyán, the son of Simeon, the son of Sám, the son of Noé. His patronymic was Abu'l Abbás. He was called Khiẓr* because he sat upon a white skin which through the blessed influence of his feet turned to green. He was born in the time of Moses within two parasangs of Shíráz, or accord­ing to another opinion in the time of Abraham. Some place him shortly before the mission of Abraham and others, a considerable time after. Shaykh Aláu'ddaulah in his U'rwat (li Ahli'lkhalwat wa'ljalwat) (ansa viris solitariis et multum conspicuis oblata)* says of him, “he has many wives, and children are born to him and he gives them names, but no one can find a trace of him. It is now one hundred years and seven months that he has withdrawn himself from the world, and no children of his survive. In his early profession of broker he used to buy and sell and secure profit, and borrow and give in pledge; he is also learned in alchemy and knows where the treasures of the world lie buried, and by the command of God expends them in the service of the people, and never acts solely for his own benefit. He delights in music and dances, and will often pass a day and a night together in an ecstatic trance.* A thousand years ago he renewed his youth, and subsequent to that time this occurs after every one hundred and twenty years.” The Shaykh continues: “In this year the period of renewal takes place and from the epoch of the Hijrah up to this day the renewal has occurred seven times. He associates, and prays with the (saints called) Ḳuṭb and Abdál.* They say that once in Medina some camel-men were having a fight with stones. A piece of stone struck Khiẓr on the head and cut it open. The wound chilled and became inflamed and his illness lasted three months. His prophetic office is disputed though many believe it.” He accompanied Zu'l Ḳarnayn (the two-horned Alexander)* in search of the water of life, and obtained the boon of length of days. Some say that both Elias and Khiẓr obtained the water of life, and others maintain that Khiẓr is a spirit who assumes various bodily forms, and they deny him to be of mortal race.