SECTION I. — Of the appearance of the individual Váhed, and an account of his person.

Váhed Mahmúd was born in Masjuan, a village in the country of Gilán.* He was learned, active, abstinent, austere, and eloquent; he appeared in the year of the Hejira 600 (A. D. 1203-4).* It is said that when Muhammed's body had attained a greater perfection, from it Mahmúd arose:

“We shall resuscitate thee in a place Mahmúd ‘praiseworthy.’”

The meaning of it is this: When in an elemental matter, the energy conjoins in such a manner that by it an exuberance results in the composition of the mineral form; then it may happen that it assumes such a superior aptness as to invest itself with a vegetable guise; when its faculty and fitness gains a further increase, then the animal vest adapts itself to a suitable shape, and becomes worthy, that the elemental matter, fitted for the dignity of a human constitution, converges to such an excellence as to manifest itself in the perfection of mankind. In this manner, the parts of the human body from the appearance of Adam were progressing in purity, until they attained the dignity of a Muhammed, who is the top of the ladder. In this time, as the per­fection and purity advanced, Mahmúd appeared. On that account it was said:

“From Muhammed is the flight to Mahmúd:

As in the former there is less, and in the latter more (perfection).”

And the words which the lord of the prophetic asylum, Muhammed, addressed to Alî:

“I and Ali proceed from one light; thy flesh is my flesh, and thy body is my body.”

have this meaning: that the purity and energy of the bodily parts were collected in the prophets and the saints; and from them the bodies of Muhammed and Alí were kneaded, in such a manner that the chosen parts of Muhammed's and Ali's bodies being conjoined and mixed together, the person of Mah­múd was formed.