XXI. KHĀJA MUḤAMMAD YAḤY.

He was a descendant in the fourth generation of the holy Khāja Aḥrār* (may God sanctify his soul!). He was well acquainted with the seven styles of penmanship, and was a professor of that art. He had great practice and wonderful skill in medicine and therapeutics. His excellent qualities and dis­position were an inheritance which he had received from his forbears, and although he was little given to discourse he exer­cised hospitality, and whatever he received from his jāgīr was 100 spent in furnishing the table of friendship. He was the bene­factor both of high and low. When the new heresy was intro­duced and the influence of the vilest of men waxed great he withdrew from this society and obtained leave to perform the pilgrimage to the Ḥijāz. He was made “leader of the pilgrim­age” and was sent on his way to the holy places with ample store for the journey. When he had attained the felicity of com­pleting the pilgrimage he returned, and passed his precious time in Āgra, in devotion and the service of the Most High God, which alone is the object for which man was created, until the importunate messenger of doom seized the garment of his holy life, and invited him to the abode of nearness to God and the threshold of His greatness, so that having obtained his release from this abode of distraction and darkness he entered into close fellowship with the faithful, the martyrs, and the pious.

Couplet.

They call to thee from the highest heaven,
I know not what more thou hast to do with this world
of snares.