AFTER THE MISSION OF THE PROPHET OF THE LATTER DAYS THE SATANS ARE PROHIBITED TO APPROACH HEAVEN, AND KHOSRU PARVIZ, THE KING OF ERÂN, IS ADMONISHED.

It is related that before the mission the Satans used to ascend to heaven, each of them taking his position in a certain place, thus overhearing the conversations of the angels concerning the events of the world. Each of them, however, mixed a great deal of falsehood with the truth, and thus imparted it to mankind. When twenty days had elapsed after the appearance of prophecy and the honour of the mission, the Satans were—by means of inflamed shooting stars hurled against them—prohibited from listening stealthily, and lost their position in the sky. The first people who became aware of their having been stoned in this manner were the inhabitants of Tâif, each of whom began, according to his means, to sacrifice to idols, slaughtering sheep and camels, until at last they had scarcely any cattle left, and said to each other: ‘Nearly all our animals have perished, but the stars of heaven have not diminished.’ Therefore they ceased offering sacrifices. It is related that when Eblis witnessed this event he said: ‘Something must have happened in the world,’ and, in order to ascertain the matter, ordered the genii to bring some earth from every region, all of which he smelled, and when the turn of the soil of Tahâmah came, he said: ‘In that country some memorable event must have taken place;’ and after inhaling the odour of that earth the fire of confusion blazed up in his heart and in the ill-nature of that accursed one, and the smoke of disappointment mounted into his brains.

One of the events that took place at the time of the mission was the admonition of Khosru Parviz, who awoke one morning from a heavy sleep and beheld that the cupola of his palace had received an injury. He therefore became melancholy and oppressed, assembled his sooth­sayers and astrologers, and said to them: ‘Find out what this occurrence portends or may portend.’ After con­sidering the position of the celestial bodies, they replied: ‘Allah is omniscient. But it appears that a great ruler will come forth from the region of Tahâmah and the country of Hejâz, whose religion will embrace the east and the west, and whose righteousness will civilize the inhabited world. The heads of the pulpits and the current coins of the various regions of the world will likewise be adorned and beautified by his blessed name and august titles.’

Distich:

In the east the pulpits will resound with his praise; In the west the coins will be stamped with his name.

There is a tradition of Hasan Bossry that the noble companions of his lordship the best of existences asked him: ‘What argument did Allah the Most High and Glorious use towards the Kesra with reference to thy mission?’ That prince replied: ‘The Most High had sent an angel, whose hand appeared through the wall of his castle, and shone so as to illuminate the whole apartment.’ This phenomenon terrified the Kesra, and the angel said: ‘The Most High has sent a prophet, and has given him His book; follow thou him, and thou wilt remain safe in this and in the next world.’

There is an authentic tradition that Khosru Parviz was sleeping in an apartment, when the inscrutable Creator sent an angel in the shape of a man, who appeared at the bedside of the Kesra with a staff in his hand, and said: ‘O Kesra, wilt thou become a Musalmân, or shall I break this staff?’ Kesra replied: ‘Let alone, let alone, and break it not.’ The angel then disappeared, whereon Kesra called for the chamberlains and gate-keepers, whom he blamed for having admitted that man. They, however, all swore that they had not seen him, nor allowed anyone to enter. After the lapse of one year the same angel again appeared to Khosru, and invited him to profess Islâm, but he refused, and the angel broke the staff.

It is related in biographies that Khâled, who had been one of the chief Magi, but had at last become a Musalmân, said: ‘When Khosru was riding out on a certain occasion, and preceded by two troopers—but according to another tradition they were riding on his right and left hand—they said to him from time to time: “O Khosru, thou art a servant, and the son of a servant of God; for God the Most High alone is King!” He nodded affirmatively with his head to this remark. One day those two men accom­panied him, according to their wont, and again repeated the same words, but received no confirmation of their assertion as usual. Therefore they complained to the Mobed of Mobeds, whom no one had ever restrained from entering Khosru’s private apartments. Accordingly they went in to discuss this matter with the king, who was at that time asleep, but awakened by the voice of the Mobed and exclaimed: “Why hast thou aroused me, and not allowed me to complete my sleep? for I was in a dream borne beyond the seventh heaven, and carried before the Lord—may His glory be exalted and His honour magnified —where I perceived an individual wrapped in a Redâ, with an Izâr down to his feet, standing in that place. The Lord —m. h. g., etc.—said to me: “Surrender the keys of the treasuries of the surface of the earth to this man.” I had heard thus far when the noise of thy feet awakened me.’ It is related that the man with the Redâ and Izâr was our prophet—the blessing of Allah and peace be on him and on his family.