SECTION III. —OF SOME OF THE SAINTS AMONG THE MODERNS, AND OF THE SUFIS, WHOM THE AUTHOR OF THIS WORK HAS KNOWN.

The God-devoted lord Mawláná shah Badakhshí, when he had come from his accustomed abode to India, by the assistance of God was received among the disciples of Shah Mír of the Kádarí lineage, who had chosen his residence in the royal capital of Lahore, and acquired great knowledge by his studies. From the original compositions of this sect of holi­ness, we have the following quatrain:

“The being who descended from his high sphere of sanctity,

From the absolute world, inclined towards the nether bondage,

He will, as long as the Lord forms mankind.

Remain fitted to the four elements.”

Besides, the lord Mahi eddin Muhammed, the master of rank and dignity, the lord of the universe Dáráshukó,* having, according to his desire, has­tened to wait on his person, obtained the object of his wish, so that, whatever was established as certainty among the theological propositions which he found for the benefit of the travellers in the vast desert, he sent it to Kachmír, where the lord Múláná sháh keeps his residence.

“Upon the whole, God spoke by the tongue of Omar.”

Any questions of every one who interrogates are asked from him, although they may fall from the tongue of the asker, and the hearing of every thing solicited comes from the asker, although he him­self may not know it.

“All beings are one.”

Some of this sect of Alides (may God sanctify their tombs!) also believe that the progress of perfection has no limits, because revelation is without limit, as it takes place every moment; hence it follows that the increase cannot be limited. So they say, if the Súfi live one thousand years, he still is in progress. Some of the ancient Shaikhs proffer, as a confirma­tion of this statement, that the Shaikh al islam, “the shaikh of the right faith,” said: There exists no more evident sign of bad fortune than the day of a fixed fortune; whoever does not proceed, retro­grades. It is reported as the saying of the prophet (may the benediction of the most High be upon him):

“He whose two days are alike is deceived.”

It was also said: “A traveller, who during two days goes on in the same manner, is in the way of detriment; he must be intent upon acquiring and preserving.”*

The greatest part of this sect maintain the same doctrine, but, by the benediction of my Shaikh, the crier for help in the quarters of heaven, the teacher of the people of God, the godly, the lord Mulána Shah (the peace and mercy of God be his!), upon me, an humble person, fell, as if it were the splendor of the sun, and made it clear to me that the Súfi has degrees and a limit of perfec­tion, that, after having attained it, he remains at that height; because with me, an humble broken individual, to remain at a height attained, is profi­ciency, inasmuch as every state has its perfection, and the perfection of a progressing state annihilates the progress. This is also the meaning of the before-quoted saying of the prophet; because there is lute freedom with those only who are united with bondage with those who tend towards God, and abso­him, and the words “two days” refer to time. In the same manner my master (the mercy of God be upon him!) interpreted those words. The truth is, that they have not understood the saying, and have not penetrated into the interior sense of the figura­tive expression: because the latter refers in truth to the insufficiency of a contemplative man. And this sense agrees with that of the following authentic tradition of the prophet (the peace and blessing of the Highest be upon him):

“There are moments in which I am with God in such a manner that neither angel nor arch-angel, nor prophet, nor apostle, can attain to it.”

These words confirm his having once been in a lower station. It is said that the prophet (the peace and blessing of the most High be upon him!) was not always of the same disposition, the same state, and the same sort of constitution; but this is not so, but from the same approved tradition it is evident that the prophet (peace and blessing upon him!) was always in the same state, and no ascent nor descent was possible therein; because he says: “Yon place was at once so contiguous to me, that no cherub or no divine missioned prophet ever found himself in such a situation.” The time of a prophet is a universal one, and is free from tem­porariness: this time has neither priority nor posteriority—

“With thy Lord there is neither morning nor evening.”

Except this, the noble tradition has no meaning, which is also evident from the obvious interpreta­tion, and moreover included in the state of perfec­tion and constitution of Muhammed (peace and blessing upon him!). But, in the sense which they attribute to the words, a deficiency is necessarily implied. The state of the lord of the world (Muhammed) is always in the perfection of unity; this is the best to adopt, at times in a particular, and at times in a general qualification. There is also another interpretation which the Shaikhs (the mercy of the most High be upon them) gave to these words: inasmuch as the gradations of these Saints are infi­nite. Thus in the work nefhát ul ins, “the fragrant gales of mankind,”* the opinion of the Shaikhs is stated to be, that some of the saints are without a mark and without an attribute, and the perfection of a state, and the utmost degree to which Saints may attain, is to be without an attribute and with­out a mark. It was said:

“He who has no mark, his mark are we.”

Besides, those who acknowledge an ascent with­out a limit, if in the pure being and true essence of the glorious and most high God, who is exempt and free from ascent and descent, color, odor, outward­ness and inwardness, increase and decrease, they admit a progression, it must also be admissible in the existence of a Súfi professing the unity of God. And if they do not admit a gradation of progress in God, then they ought not to admit it in the pro­fessor of the divine unity, who in the exalted state of purity and holiness became united with him. When a devotee among men, having left the con­nexion with works of supererogation, arrives at that of divine precepts, he realises the words:

“When thou didst cast thy arrows against them, thou didst not cast them, but God slew them.”*

It may be said: Certainly, he who became one with God, and of whose being not an atom remained, he, from whose sight both worlds vanished, who in the steps of right faith arrived at the rank of perfect purity, and from truth to truth became God, what then higher than God can there ever be, to which the pious professor of unity may further tend to ascend? It is known:

“Beyond blackness, no color can go.”*

Every one, as long as he is in the state of progress, cannot have arrived at the condition

“Where there is no fear and no care.”

Because care and fear derive from ascent and descent. Fear at ascending is in the expectation whether the ascent will succeed or not, but whoever dis­regards ascent and descent, and elevates himself above care and fear, he obtains tranquillity in tran­quillity, and rectitude in rectitude. And the verse of the merciful is:

“Keep thyself upright as thou wast directed.”

Hence is also understood, that the Súfi remains steadfast in the dignity of perfection, for rectitude is perseverance. O Muhammed! it is necessary; remain fixed in the dignity of professing the unity of God, which is free from the misfortune of incon­stancy. And the verse of the merciful is:

“The day on which I perfected religion for your sake, and rendered complete my favor towards you.”

This indicates clearly the meaning that, by this perfection also, the prophet (upon whom be the peace and the blessing of the most High!) is mani­fested. And those who, on account of the infinity of revelation, hold progress to be perpetual, are not right: because, as long as the sight is illuminated by the light of the revelation, the revelationists and the illuminated are still separate, and not yet become one:* in this state there is duality and infidelity in the individual who has not yet been liberated from the idea of something double in himself, and he to whom an atom of something else but that one remains attached is reckoned, by all professors of unity and by all perfect saints, to be one who gives partners to God or an infidel, and in a state of defi­ciency.

“It behoves thee to keep neither soul nor body,

And if they both remain, I do not remain;

As long as a hair of thee remains upon its place,

Know, by this one hair, thy foot remains fettered.

As long as thou playest not at once thy life,

I shall consider thee as polluted and impious.”

Why dost thou not thyself produce revelation, so that thou mayest always be illuminated?*

As this question, solved in this manner by me, humble individual, was very abstruse, I sent it to my friends, that, if there were occasion for further discussion, they might write to me, and thus the matter be better elucidated. God alone is all-suffi­cient; the rest is inordinate desire. What has been hitherto said is taken from the prince of the world (Dara sheko).

It should be known that, in the work Meráśed al ânáyet, “Observations upon the blessed favor,” is stated, that the sect, which in their (exalted) feel­ing* conquer the state of jazbet,* jamâ va vahedet, “attraction, union, and unity,” have acquired, by means of the superiority of the manifest name (the quality of) exterior deity, and interior and hid­den creation. This sect is called, in the language of the Súfis, saheban-i-kereb*-i-feráis, “the masters of proximity to divine “precepts,” and this proximity is acknowledged to be that of divine precepts. This sect, which, on account of the proper meaning of the name of al báten, “interior,” may be brought into relation with expansive creation and hidden reality, this sect after jamâ, “union,” obtains ferk, “division,”* and this is called kereb-i-naváfil, “prox­imity of supererogation.” The lord Shaikh Muhammed Láheji states that jamâ, “union,” is con­trary to ferk, “division;” and division is the veil of God before the creatures. Every one sees the crea­tion, but acknowledges God to be without it; every one has the sight of God by means of the creation, that is, every one sees God, but the creation by itself affords no access to the sight of him.

Besides, the Mariyam of the world, the Fátima of the time and ages, the purity of human kind, the protecting intelligence, Jehán ára “the ornament of the world,” the begum, the lady, “the daughter of Abu 'l Muzafer Shíhábu 'd dín Muhammed sáhib-Kirán sání Amir ul muslemin sháh Jehán pádsháh ghází, the victorious lord, the bright star of religion, Muhammed, a second Sáhib Kírán, the Amir of the believers, Shah Jehan, the conquering emperor, having secretly followed, by the desire of her heart, the injunctions of the blessed Mullá shah, turned her face to the right rule, and attained her wish, the full knowledge of God. One of the won­derful speeches of this blessed and exalted person­age, whom the author of this book knew, is the fol­lowing: In the year of the Hejira 1057 (A. D. 1647) Mulla shah came to the house of a friend in Hyderábád. One of the persons present, by way of reproving allusion, began to ask questions about the hurt which the bégum of the lord received by fire. The teacher of morality said to him: “A slight gar­ment imbibed with oil, when it takes fire, is easily burnt;” in such a manner came the misfor­tune upon the most pure form of her majesty. This person laughed and continued to revile. By acci­dent, somebody came from the house of this person and said: “What, art thou sitting here, whilst thy sister is burnt, because fire fell upon her gar­ment.” The master observed: “In such a man­ner, I said, befell misfortune on the illustrious princess; God has shown it to thee.”

“The lamp which God has lighted,

Whoever blows it out burns his beard.”

The Sufi Mulla Ismâíl Isfahaní, seeking enjoy­ment, came from Iran to the great towns of India, and in Lahore visited the lord Míán Mír; he chose the condition of a Durvish, and from Lahore soon betook himself to Kashmir, where he abandoned the worldly affairs, and practised pious austerity. The author of this book saw him in Kashmír, in the year of the Hejira 1049 (A. D. 1639). The following verse is by him:

“I knocked down every idol which was in my way,

No other idol remains to my veneration but God himself.”

From Mírzá Muhammed Makím, the jeweller, the information was received that Mír Fakher eddin Muhammed Tafresí was occupied in Kashmir with reviling and reproving Mulla Ismâíl and Fakher, and said: “These belong to the infidels, and are des­tined to hell.” Mulla Ismâíl answered: “In this state I with held my hand from worldly affairs, and in this world never was associated to thee; in like manner in the future world, as, according to thy opinion, we are infidels, and go to hell, and not to heaven with thee; therefore it behoves thee to be satisfied and content with us, as we have left to thee the present and the future world. The Mobed says:

The pious and the idolaters are satisfied with us, as we

Are not ourselves their partners, neither in this nor in the other world;

Enmity arises from partnership; we, with the intention of friendship,

Gave up the future, and follow the present world.”

Mírzá Muhammed Mokim, the jeweller, further said: A person gave bad names to Fakheraye Fál; the latter, looking towards him, gave him no answer. When we asked him the reason of his silence, he replied: “A man moved his lips, and agitated the air; what does that concern me?” Fakher, the ornament of mankind, was not much addicted to religious austerity, but gave himself up to counselling, reforming, and correcting others. He assumed the surname of Tarsa, “timid, or unbeliever;” he called the Journal of his travels, Dair-namah, “Journal of a tavern (also monastery).” In this Journal are the following lines:

“I met upon my road with a bitch,

Like a dog guided by scent in the circle of a chase.

Her paw was colored with blood,

In the middle of the road she lay like a tiger;

Impelled either by wild instinct or necessity,

She had made her own whelp the aliment of life.

At the sight of so strange a scene,

I restrained my hand from striking, and opening my lips,

I said: ‘O dog, what desirest thou to do?

Upon thy own heart why inflicting all this pain?’

Scarce had the tip of my tongue perforated the pearl of the secret,

When her tail was agitated, and she said: ‘O thou who art not informed of thy own state,

How shall I give thee an account of my condition?’

When the words of the dog came upon my ear,

A resplendent sun fell into my mind.

In the sense of (these words indicative of the dog's) insanity,

My own sense found the authority of a precept.*

The desire of wandering in the garden left my heart,

Which assumed the quality of a tulip and a deep mark;

It saw nothing upon the path of profligacy

But the privation of remedies.

I said again to her: ‘O lion-like dog,

The morning-breeze learns from thee rapidity:

Manifest to me the state of thy heart,

Exhibit to me the form of its history.’

She gave a howl, and, emitting lamentations:

Rendered testimony of her own secret condition:

‘I devoured the blood of the offspring of my own womb

That nobody might place a weight upon my head.”

In the year of the Hejira 1056 (A. D. 1647), according to information received, Fakhera Tarsa left his old habitation in Ahmed ábad of Guzerat. The father of the Durvish, the pious Sabjáni, was an inhabitant of Hirát, but he was born in India. This illustrious person made a great proficiency in the sciences of philosophy and history, and acquired also a fortune; but he at last turned his face from it, and chose retirement and solitude; for many years he followed the footsteps of a perfect spiritual guide; he travelled to see monasteries and hermitages, until he became the disciple of Shaikh Mujed eddín Muhammed Balkhí Kâderí, who was free, virtuous, and remote from the world. The said Shaikh read the whole work of Shaikh Mohí eddín Arabi before his master, and his master perused it likewise with Shaikh Sader eddin Kau­tíví, who had heard the whole of it from Shaidh Mohí eddín. Ths pious Sabjáni frequently expounded the words of the lord Rais ul Mohedín, “the chief of the believers of divine unity,” Shaikh Mohí eddín Arabí, and those of the best Súfis, and as he was carried to the very limit of evidence, he found them conformable with the doctrine of the Platonists. The godly Sabjána studied the whole work of the celebrated Shaikh in the service of his perfect master. After this attendance, having resigned every thing into the hands of the fortunate Shaikh, he turned his face entirely to sanctity, and lived a considerable time retired in solitude, until his master declared to him: Now, thou hast attained perfection. The pious Sabjáni keeps nothing with him but the cover of his privities; he abstains from eating the flesh of any animal; he asks for nothing; if any sustenance be left near him, provided it be not animal food, he takes a little of it; he venerates the mosques and the temples of idols; and he performs in butgadah,* “house of idols,” according to the usage of the Hindus, the puja and dandavet, “worship and prostration,” that is, the religious rites, but in the mosques he conforms in praying after the man­ner of the Muselmans; he never abuses the faith and rites of others; nor gives he one creed preference over another; he always practises absti­nence, but at times he breaks the fast with some fruits from the mountains, such as pine-kernels, and the like; he takes no pleasure in demonstrations of honor and magnificence to him, nor is he afflicted by disdain and contempt, and in order to remain unknown to men, he dwells in the Kohistan, “moun­tainous country” of the Afgháns and Kafris, and the like. The Kafrís are a tribe from Kabulistan, and are called Kafer Katóriz, who before lived upon mountains, in deserts and forests, remote and con­cealed from others.

The author of this book saw Sabjání in the year of the Hejira 1046 (A. D. 1636) in upper Bangash. This personage never sleeps at night, but sits awake in deep meditation; every one who sees him would take him for a divine being. Shaikh Sâdi says:

“Dost thou not know that, when I went to the friend,

As soon as I arrived before him, I said: ‘It is he.’”*

Sabjání appears a (divine) revelation in his actions; steps, attributes, and nature, and to have attained the summit of perfection. He said that, with respect to the other world, there are several classes of men. The one denies the absolute being; another interprets it in an abstract manner of rea­soning, inasmuch as they have sufficient intelligence to be modest and conciliating. The distinguished Súfis, without interpreting the different systems of nations, which, in their separate creeds of various kinds and religions, differ about the beforesaid object, view in the bodies the agreeableness of imagery. Khiźer, Elías, Brahma, Ganésa, and all the gods of India, these and the like representations, which in this world have no reality, all are distinct objects of imagination. Essential is what was said by Abu Nazer Farábí (may God illume his grave!) that the common people view their creeds under the form of their imagination. The author of this book heard also from the lord, the pious Sabjání: The contem­plative man sees every one whom he loves and esteems, frequently in dreams in a beautiful shape, and in an exalted state, although to other people he may appear iniquitous; and the person whom he knows to be depraved, will often be viewed by him in a repulsive condition, although to the crowd he may appear glorious and powerful. Hence fol­lows, that the learned among the contemplative persons make use of a negative argument in their creed, in order that it may become evident what the truth really is. When any one sees a person of high rank, such as a prophet, an Imám, or any dig­nified individual, in a state of some deficiency, he views his own defects in his understanding, spirit, heart, or nature; and as these things are but seem­ing defects in the great personage, he must endeavor to remove them from himself. In like man­ner, if one sees a person in good health (appearing to him) in a state of illness, there is illness in his own state, and if he thinks him bad with regard to his own faith, he ought to be somewhat disposed to think that person good.

A disciple demanded some employment from Sab­jání. The master asked him: “Hast thou devoted thyself to piety?” The answer was: “I have.” Then Sabjání said: “If thou art a Muselman, go to the Franks, and stay with that people; if thou art a Nazarean, join the Jews; if a Sonni, betake thyself to Irak, and hear the speeches and reproaches of those men; if thou professest to be a Shíah, mix with the schismatics, and lend thy ear to their words; in this manner, what­ever be thy religion, associate with men of an opposite persuasion; if, in hearing their dis­courses thou feelest but little disturbed, thy mind keeps the tenor of piety; but if thou art not in the least moved and mixest with them like milk and sugar, then certainly thou hast attained the highest degree of perfect peace, and art a master of the divine creation.”

Yusef was a man belonging to the tribe of Durds,* and in his youth a hermit; at last, by his efforts, he found access to the intellectual world, and by the grace of God he carried it so far, that he was ranged among the disciples called Sanyásis, on account of their piety and knowledge, and among the learned followers of the celebrated master, who dwelt in Bárahmúlah, a village in Kachmir. It so happened that, when he devoted himself to his service, he found what he was in search of. Shaikh Aťar says:

“An unbeliever becomes a relation by love;

A lover acquires the high sense of a durvish.”

Having known many countries and persons, he became impressed with the marks of revelations. So it happened that the author of this book heard from him what follows: “One night I saw in a dream that the world was deluged by water; there remained no trace of a living being, and I was myself immersed in the water. In the midst of this state I saw a kingly rider come, sitting upon his horse upon the surface of the water. When he came near me, he said to me: ‘Come with me that I may save thee.’ I replied: ‘Who art thou?’ He answered: ‘I am the self-existing being, and creator of all things.’ Then I began to follow him rapidly, and run along the surface of the water, until I arrived in a garden. There I put my foot on the ground, and, directing my sight to the right, I beheld a delightful spot, full of all sorts of odoriferous herbs and elevated palaces, huris (beautiful virgins), kaśurs (bridal chambers), and youths and boys, and all the gifts of heaven, as well as the blessed, occupied with enjoyments. Besides, at the left, I saw pits, black, narrow, and tenebrious; and therein, like bats, suspended a crowd of miserable beings whose hands and feet were tied to the neck. The horseman, after having invited me to a pleasure-walk in the garden, wanted to conduct me out of the delightful place, but I had resolved in myself that, like Idris, I would not go out of it. Then I stuck close to the door, and took fast hold of the post. When I awoke from sleep, I found my lips held fast by both my hands; and thus it was revealed to me that, whatever is, exists within mankind itself.

“Demand from thyself whatever thou wishest: for thou art every thing.”

It is related: That there was a man called Baháder among the Hindus, and he happened to have no male offspring in his house; therefore he came to Baba Yúsef, and demanded his benediction. Baba Yúsef gave him a bit of white earth, and said to him: “Let thy wife eat it.” When the man had done as was enjoined him, a boy was born in his house, and received the name of Rahu. This individual, by the favor of the friends of God, became a learned man, and acquired the surname of “independent,” as was said in the chapter of the Jnanian.*

The Mulla, called Umer, prohibited Baba Yúsef to listen to music, and whatever gentle entreaties Baba Yúsef employed, he paid no attention to them; at last the Baba, in the perturbation of his mind, threw a small fragment of stone upon him, in such a man­ner that Mulla Umer lost his senses for some time; when he recovered, he prostrated himself before the Baba, went out, and was no more seen.

Yúsef, the inspired, was a durvish, devoted to the practice of restraining his breath, which he carried so far that he kept his breath during four watches (twelve hours).* One of his friends said to the author of this book in Kachmir, that Yúsef during a length of time ate nothing at all. The friend related: “I went one night to watch with him; he said to me: ‘Go and eat something.’ I replied: ‘I will; but it would be well that thou also shouldst take something to eat and to drink.’ His answer was: ‘Thou art not able to satisfy my want of food.’ I assured him: ‘I am able.’ He then ordered: ‘Go, bring what thou hast.’ I went home and brought him a great dish full of rice, a large cup of coagulated milk, with bread and other eatables, as much as might have been sufficient for ten gluttons; he eat up every thing, and said: ‘Bring something more.’ I went home, prepared a meal for twenty persons, and with the aid of the people of the house, brought it to him. He eat it up, and desired more. I returned home, and carried to him meats half cooked and other things. He eat up all, and said: ‘Bring more.’ I fell at his feet; he called out: ‘Have I not said to thee that thou wouldst not be able to satisfy my want of food.’”

One of his disciples related: Yúsef said, that he has seen God the Almighty in the shape of a man, sitting in his house. The author of this book fre­quented the society of many contemplative pious Súfis, and learned men of this sect, elevated in rank; if he should relate all he knows of them, he would have to write a copious work.

To sum up precisely the creed of all these sects, it may be said, that some do not agree upon beings perceived and beings probable, but all acknowledge the existence of appearances. These are called Súfistáyah, and in Persian Samrádí. All those who believe all ought to be comprehended in what is perceived, and deny any reality to things probable (or to the subjects of reason), are named Tábíâyah, “physiologists,” in Persian, Mansí. The belief of the latter is, that the world is composed of things perceived, and of individuals, children of Adam, and that animals are like plants: the one dries, the other shoots up afresh, and this occurrence will be repeated without end. Enjoyment is comprehended in eating, drinking, women, vehicles, and the like, and besides this world there is no other existence. Some agree upon the existence of things perceived and things probable, but differ npon the limits and laws. These are entitled Filásafa-i-dahriah, “secu­lar philosophers,” in Persian Jáyákárí, “attached to temporariness.” This sect establishes a world of probabilities (composed) of nothing but things perceived, but they believe also the perfection proper to mankind is that, after a certain knowledge of an Almighty Creator, they attain the future spiritual existence in an exalted station of the rational world, and become blessed with an abundance of every beatitude; they acknowledge a powerful intrinsic virtue of the intellect in the acquisition of this ever­lasting beatitude, which, with the essence of wis­dom, has no want of another gift of any sort what­ever. Disgrace means the opposition to the mode of laudable reason, and law is the mode in which the wise have settled the common affairs of the individuals of mankind conformably with rectitude.

There is another sect which, assuming the con­viction of a material and immaterial world, and the power of reason, believe in a prophet, and say, that these distinguished persons have established the law for the good of God's creatures and the order of cities; and to that effect they possess a knowledge of the highest and most perfect kind; they are sup­ported by the self-existing Being for the establish­ment of regulations and the decision of what is legal and forbidden, and what they announce con­cerning the world of spirits, angels, the ninth heaven, the throne of God, the tables of destiny, the written characters, and the like, are all ingenious inventions, rendered sensible to the understanding of the vulgar under forms which strike the imagina­tion and offer tangible bodies; in this manner, in the account of the other world, they represent figura­tively paradise, and húrís, kasúrs, rivers, birds, and fruits, merely with the intention of subduing the hearts of the vulgar, as allurement often ren­ders their minds inclined to the proposed ends. And what they relate of chains, bolts, and hell, is calculated for alarming and terrifying the people. This class of men, that is the philosophers, direct also their hints and interpretation to this object, and their disciples say, that their wish is to follow the indicated footsteps of the prophet; these are the pious sages to whom they give the title of “philoso­phers of God,” and in Persian Jánsáyi, “the polishers of souls.”

The sect which adopts the material and immate­rial world, adopts also the precepts of reason, but not the laws of the prophet. These are named Sábíah .* Another sect agrees to the material and immaterial world, and to the precepts of religious reason. but they say that the law of the prophet is to be conformable with reason, and every prophet who appears is not to be opposed to his predecessor, and not self-complacently to exalt his law: these are the Yézdanían. Some adopt the law of tradition, which others, with respect to literal meaning, reject as contrary to reason.

It is known that there are five great religions, viz.: that of the Hindus, Jews, Magians, Nazárean, and Muselmans. Each of these five proffer claims that their law is the true one, and set forth demon­strations for the confirmation of its truth.

Finally, at the conclusion of this book let it be said that, according to the statement of some excel­lent personages, every thing relating to religion and law has been exhibited in the work Tabśeret ul âvam, “Rendering the Vulgar quick-sighted;” but at present this is not before the eyes of the author; on that account its contents remain unknown to him. The author begs further to say that, after having greatly frequented the meetings of the followers of the five beforesaid religions, he wished and under­took to write this book, and whatever in this work treating of the religions of countries has been stated, concerning the creed of different sects, had been received from the tongue of the chiefs of those sects or from their books, and, as to the account of the persons belonging to any particular sect, the author wrote down the information which had been imparted to him by their adherents and sincere friends, in such a manner that no trace of partiality nor aver­sion might be perceived; in short, the writer of these pages performed nothing more than the office of a translator.

“The purport of a picture is, that it may remain after me,

As I do not see my existence lasting.”

Thus, by the aid of the generous King, was brought to a conclusion the printing of this work, entitled Dabistán al Mazáheb, “the school of sects,” in the month of October of the year 1809, since the Mes­siah's being carried to heaven,* the prophet, upon whom be the blessing (of heaven), which corre­sponds to the sacred month of Zí 'l Kâdah, “the penultimate month of the Muhammedans,” of the year 1224 of the Hejira of Muhammed, upon whom be the most excellent blessings and veneration, as well as upon his family and companions. Glory to God for his benefits! at the final conclusion.