"Tazkirat al-awliyya" or Stories about the saints

Foreword

In the modern world, where chaos reigns, not only individuals, but entire nations are ready to destroy each other due to a lack of understanding of the significance of other people's cultural values ​​and achievements, as well as the contribution of various peoples to the common cause of strengthening peace. People have lost faith in God and the supernatural. They mistrustfully perceive the signs from above and do not hear the inner voice calling for the achievement of universal human brotherhood.

Sensual, animal desires inherent in human nature subdue people. Under these conditions, works of art, books on philosophical, ethical and religious topics, biographical literature and other works that provide rich spiritual food to those people who need it are especially needed. That is why we present to the readers a translation of selected passages from the famous work of the great Persian Sufi poet Sheikh Farid ad-Din Attara Tazkirat al-awliya (Stories about the Saints of Persia, Egypt and Arabia) in two parts. This work, published in 1908 in Leiden and preceded by an introductory article by Dr. Nicholson of the University of Cambridge, has not yet been translated into English. Renowned writers in the West writing on Islamic mysticism, however, have appreciated this work as an indispensable guide and have referred to it on numerous occasions.

A world dominated by earthly interests suffers from a lack of spirituality. For centuries, enlightened people have been looking for the Truth, turning to Eternity and God, dedicating their lives to the One Who can satisfy their spiritual hunger, put an end to their suffering and decorate the future life with immortality and bliss. These people, chosen by God, are called prophets and saints all over the world. Each of them served his country and his time, developed and indicated spiritual methods and ways of satisfying the internal needs of mankind. These people identified and highlighted the stages of purification on the path to spirituality, leading to the Final Reunion, when the bodily essence (nafs) dissolves, the ego is destroyed, the suffering caused by relocation to another world passes, and the fear of the Day of Judgment disappears.

Tasawwuf (Sufism), Islamic mysticism, has long been Islam's contribution to the process of peace and happiness for mankind.

His position is uncompromising monotheism, the doctrine of the absolute superiority of God, which no one can challenge. God is omnipotent and omniscient, He is present everywhere in the universe, so its existence can only be considered temporary and relative.

The goal of the Sufi - to see God - is identical to Tawhid, which requires a complete renunciation of one's essence: the destruction of the individual will, its submission to the Divine will and obedience to the commandments of the Lord. The Sufi believes that in Tawhid the believer does not become one with God, but is endowed with a transformed and eternal awareness of the immortality of the soul while still living in this world. The ideal person becomes a mirror of the Divine attributes manifesting in him, and it is in this state that Mansoor al-Hallaj loudly declared: "I am the Truth," and Bayazid said: "Make sure of my omnipotence." In fact, God Himself spoke through them.

Love is a path that captures all the best in a person, it is watered with salty tears of the heart. It is only through devotional service to God that one can attain Him. You should not turn your eyes to heaven, but should avoid temptations and not be afraid of hell. One must love God for His own sake and meekly endure all the troubles that will be encountered on the Path.

Sufism requires the eradication of all spiritual passions and desires, so that the heart is not disturbed by thoughts that are not connected with God and creation, so that it renounces earthly interests and thinks about God all the time, plunging into a state of sublime ecstasy.

Almost a hundred years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), a new religious trend arose in Arabia - Sufism. Sufism received its literary expression in Persia through the work of al-Ghazali (1059-1111). It reached its classical heyday in the thirteenth century, almost two centuries later, when Sanai, and later, following Abu Said ben Khair (d. 1049), the mystical poets Attar (1140-1234) and Jalal ad-din Rumi (1207) - 1273) raised him to an unprecedented height in their poetic works.

This tradition was continued in the fourteenth century by Hafiz (1300-1388), who became fascinated with erotic mysticism, and in the fifteenth century by Jami, when literature was still dominated by Sufi love poetry (continuing the traditions of the lyric school), although it became more restrained and less erotic. In the sixteenth century, its decline began. Above, we talked about the rise and fall of Sufism on the example of Iran, because it is Iranian Sufism that we generally recognize and appreciate, and it is Sufism expressed in Persian poetry that arouses our admiration.

Persian poetry, before the tasawwuf penetrated into it and began its introduction and consolidation in it, was deprived of life. Poetry is a means of expressing inner feelings, but before tasawwuf took root in it, no one dared to speak openly about their feelings. Odes were composed in honor of the rich, to flatter the rulers and their ministers. Lyrical poems only described their exploits, and the poets competed in a play on words. However, with the penetration of Sufism, poetry became a means of irresistible expression of love for God, ecstatic feelings and fervor of the heart. Naturally, reading or listening to these poems excited the soul and kindled a spark of love in the hearts of poetry lovers. These poetic lines penetrated right into the heart and became an event and the subject of universal praise.

Ghazali is credited with spreading Sufism in Iran. How he managed to do this, we will tell below. Let us first present a brief history of Sufism. We will tell about its origin in Arabia, about the alien influences that this religious doctrine experienced before it took root in Persia. Arabia is indeed the birthplace of Sufism. It was from there that this teaching was transferred to Persia. The culture of the Arabs spread, on the one hand, to Spain, and on the other, to Persia. Later, she entered India by land through Multan and Kandahar and by sea through Sindh.

Before the advent of Arab culture, Buddhism and Vedanta flourished in Persia. Thus, the ideas and modes of expression characteristic of Hindu India entered into the Sufi teaching. The merit of this rightfully belongs to King Ashoka, who sent his son to preach Buddhism in Kandahar, Afghanistan and Persia. Alexander the Great, who conquered Persia and the Punjab, established contacts with the Vedantins in the Ganges Valley and took several Buddhist sages and philosophers of India to Greece. The philosophical and religious teachings of his country were supplemented by the ideas of the Vedanta and in turn enriched Sufism through the influence exerted by the Christians on the Arabs during the crusades in Syria, as well as through their general interaction in Italy and in the land of the Moors in Spain.

When the caliphate was transferred from Medina to Damascus, and from there to Baghdad, religious polemics and discussions began to be conducted between people of different faiths. A wide field of activity developed for the free expression of thought, and changes began to take place in strict Arab mysticism.

With the transfer of the Caliphate to Baghdad, the formation of the teachings of the Quietists began. Sufis began to actively protest against the formalism of orthodox Islam, which paid great attention to the external rites of worship and which strictly demanded strict observance of faith. Orthodoxy did not go well with the freethinking of mysticism. Sufi thought did not want to be squeezed into a narrow framework. She was looking for her own way of expressing herself in order to emphasize the difference between personal and impersonal elements in religious practices. The skeptical quietist tendencies of the early Sufis began to give way to pantheistic tendencies, which found expression in sermons and figurative language.

It was during this period that the beginning of the work of al-Ghazali falls. He was a scholar who deeply studied theology, legislation, jurisprudence, traditions and the Qur'an. Ghazali taught Greek philosophy and had a sensitive, sharp mind and a unique memory. Dissatisfied with the average level of theological training, he abandoned the leadership of the Nizamiyya Madrasah in Baghdad and became a Sufi dervish. Ghazali resigned his high office, severed ties with the caliph's entourage, renounced wealth and family, and traveled the world alone, meeting with other Sufis and engaging in spiritual practice until he achieved enlightenment after ten years of severe asceticism.

Sufism brought peace and tranquility to his soul and satisfied his spiritual needs. The result of his spiritual experience was the scientific work of Ihya al-ulum ad-din (“Revival of theological sciences”), the best instruction on Sufism in Islam, which completed the system of theology of al-Ashari, Abu Talib of Mecca and Kalabadhi. In this great work he succeeded in linking orthodox theology and religious law with the practice and theory of mysticism. Thanks to Ghazali, mysticism has taken pride of place in official Islam. Islamic theologians who rejected philosophical freethinking and intellectualism became less harsh and more accommodating. The orthodox followers abandoned their narrow ideas. Ghazali's talents and his superior knowledge of mystical and theological matters earned him the title of Hujat al-Islam (Proof of Islam).

Al-Ghazali gave esoteric interpretations to many verses of the Qur'an, drawing on the teachings and ideas of early mystics. He laid a solid foundation for Sufism and placed it next to orthodox Islam. Here are some selected passages from the Qur'an:

"The face of God is where we turn." "It's closer to you than the jugular vein." "God guides whoever He wills and becomes a light for him." "Kingdom of God on earth and in heaven." "Can't you see that the birds, the earth and the heavens, are all praising Him?"

He drew the great ideas of Sufism from these and other lines of the Qur'an. To a certain extent, this passage from the teachings has become another support for the mystics:

The Prophet says: “God said, 'Whatever My servant does to draw near to Me, he will not come to Me any sooner than by fulfilling the duties that I have entrusted to him. My servant will draw near to Me, doing other deeds that exceed all requirements, and then I will love him. I will be his ear with which he hears, his tongue with which he speaks, his eyes with which he sees, and his hands with which he holds.

Although the Murshid (Teacher) was given an honorable place in orthodox Islam, and his mediating role in obtaining absolution for the student was considered indispensable, Ghazali, without directly criticizing the doctrine, nevertheless modified it based on quotations from the Prophet. The Prophet instructed his beloved daughter to practice self-denial, meditation, and constantly think of God. He urged her to subject herself to the most severe restrictions, so that she would become worthy of Mary, the mother of Christ, and other saints. It's not enough to be his daughter. She must make an effort and earn salvation. His mediation will not help one who does not practice asceticism and does not think about God.

Supporting the doctrine of Mercy, al-Ghazali simultaneously emphasizes the need to make efforts to deserve it.

The time had come for al-Ghazali to lay the foundation of Sufism in Persia. He offered to the impressionable and sensitive Persians an abridged translation of his instruction Ihya al-ulum ad-din under the heading Kimiya-i-Saadat (The Alchemy of Happiness). Since that time, the ideas of mysticism began to spread in Persia, and Sanai abu Said ben Abil-Khair, and later Farid ad-din Attar and Jalal ad-din Rumi became preachers of this faith.

In his Ihya al-ulum ad-din (Kimiya-i-Saadat), which consists of four volumes, the material is distributed as follows. The first volume describes the worship followed by canonical religion, epistemology, theology, and orthodox Islam. The second volume deals with questions of behavior in accordance with the law of Islam and the training of a mystic. The third volume deals with the psychological foundations of spiritual apprenticeship, passed under the general guidance, as well as the mortal sins that lie in wait for the Sufi on his path.

The fourth and most important volume for the Sufi reveals the path to redemption and eternal bliss. It gives a broad and detailed account of episodes from the life of the saints, the Prophet and his companions. The author describes almost every stage and state (maqam wa khal) on the path of a Sufi. This volume contains vivid descriptions of incidents from the life of Arab and Persian female saints, especially how they wept bloody tears because of the agony caused by separation from God, and did not close their eyes all night long, offering prayers to Him. This part deals with almost all aspects of the mystical path: conversion, fortitude, fear, hope, trust and faith in God, aspiration, satisfaction, determination, reflection and meditation, reminiscences about death and God.

All ten stages are described in detail, beautifully and simply, and the reader enjoys these descriptions like a captivating romantic poem. One great mystic described the effect produced by Ihya al-ulum ad-din as follows: “The mere reading of this book has a spiritual effect on the heart of the reader, piercing him like a dagger. Each word causes amazing transformations. One is in ecstasy while reading this book. The reason for this is that al-Ghazali was in a state of ecstasy, living alone in the desert, where he spent time in meditation, subjecting himself to restrictions, fasting and all-night vigils.

He studied many canonical, religious and philosophical literary works, but found no consolation in them. And only tasawwuf with his practice of complete renunciation brought his soul the desired peace. He refused discussions and criticism and thought about God all the time. He learned to control the mind and subdue the flesh. Al-Ghazali zealously practiced internal purification, refusing worldly fuss in order to achieve perfection. Wrapped in a cloak and wandering alone in the desert, he achieved the goal - the peace of the soul - and satisfied his spiritual hunger. He described the experience of these ten years in his work Ihya al-ulum al-din. As we said earlier, Farid ad-din Atgar, and later Jalal ad-din Rumi, learned a lot from the spiritual heritage of al-Ghazali and enriched Persian Sufi literature.

That is why no description of Iranian Sufism would be complete without a brief essay on Jalal ad-din. This is the finest Iranian Sufi thinker. His work Masnavi in ​​six volumes is called the Quran in the Pahlavi language, it is a repository of Sufi secrets. The book has been translated into English by Dr. Nicholson, Redhouse (parts) and other authors. However, Rumi wrote another work: Fihi ma Fihi (Table Talk of Jalal al-Din) in Persian, which was discovered in Turkey seven hundred years after his death by Dr. Nicholson and Maulana Majid of Azamgarh, India. Copies of this work were later found also in India, in the libraries of the states of Rampur and Hyderabad. Shibli Mentions about him in his biographical book about Jalal ad-din Rumi, as well as Nicholson in the book "Selected from the Divan of Shams Tabrizi". Some passages from Rumi's book were translated by Nicholson in his work Rumi the Poet and Mystic ("The Ethical and Religious Classics of the East").

Rumi's work has about three thousand lines and is a collection of conversations on the spiritual topics of Maulana Jalal ad-din with Muin ad-din Parvana and other scholars and mystics, their contemporaries, who visited Rumi and asked him questions on theology and mysticism. This is the only prose that came out of Rumi's pen. It is uncompromising, it does not contain logically and consistently constructed critical arguments, as in Masnavi. The book conveys Rumi's views in simple sincere language and sheds light on his spiritual experience and development. This is a true picture of Maulana's feelings and his assessment of such important events as the execution of Mansoor al-Hallaj. The book reveals to the reader his thoughts and opinions on the reconciliation of the tenets of orthodox Islam with esoteric Sufism. The book is the most authoritative evidence of the inner world and the greatness of the ideas of this unique world genius.

In conclusion, we can conclude that Sufism has existed for as long as creation itself. You can give it any definition, but it implies the soul's desire to meet its Creator and offers a path that will lead it to this highest goal. As in Sufism, all the mystics of the world constitute one eternal brotherhood, constantly engaged in the search for new paths to God. Therefore, the works of Sufism are worth studying by all who seek God, regardless of their faith, origin, country and time in which they live.

Therefore, we decided to present to the readers the best that has been written about Sufism, selecting this material from three great works: “Ilya al-ulum ad-din” by al-Ghazali, “Tazkirat al-awliyya” by Farid ad-din Attar and “ Fihi ma Fihi" by Jalal ad-din. Two translations: Ihya and Tazkirat have been completed and we are preparing their publication. By the will of the Almighty, the translation of the book “Fihi ma Fihi”, which I began a quarter of a century ago, still remains incomplete (part of the translated material was read by Dr. Nicholson).

If it pleases the Almighty, I will complete the translation of this book, and it will also see the light of day. Thus, in due time, readers and seekers of truth will be able to become acquainted with the three great works of Sufism, an indispensable guide to Islamic mysticism. I express my gratitude to the outstanding religious figure Shri Shri Mata Krishnaji from Vrindaban (India), thanks to whom I decided to translate these books and present them to the judgment of true seekers of truth, which, according to this woman, is a manifestation of the highest service to the Almighty. I am grateful to Sheikh Mohammed Ash-Raf, who took it upon himself to publish this book, written in the spirit of true Sufi teaching.

Brought up near prophecy, gifted with generosity, Kaaba of deeds and knowledge, the core

Meekness and abstinence (wara '), the first of the first to overtake, Tradition the first to guard, Hasan from Basra - may God's favor be with him! - possessed innumerable virtues and immeasurable virtues, and was versed in knowledge and behavior, and constantly feared Him, and strove for him.

His mother belonged to the entourage of Mrs. Umm Sala-we 18. While the mother was working on something, Hasan began to cry. Umm Salama-may the favor of God be with her!- gave him a breast to suck on, and a few drops of milk appeared. Those many thousands of blessings that the Lord granted him poured out after the milk of Umm Salama.

It is reported that once, as a child, Hasan in the house of Umm Salama sipped water from the jug of the Prophet - peace be upon him. The prophet exclaimed: peace to the water that he drank! Then Hassan said: since the Prophet himself touched that water, my knowledge goes back to him.

It is reported that one day the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered the house of Umm Salama. Hasan was placed beside him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said a prayer over him, and everything that Hasan was rewarded with later came from the blessed [action] current of prayer.

It is said that when Hasan was born, he was brought to ‘Umar 19. He said: call him Hassan 20, for he is a handsome face **. Umm Salama undertook his upbringing and guidance. She was imbued with such tenderness for the child that her breasts. filled with milk, and, feeding, she said: Lord,. make him a leader of the people**. And it so happened that he became acquainted with one hundred and thirty of the companions of [Muhammad] and: he knew seventy participants in the battle of Badr. He was devoted to Ali 21-may the mercy of Allah be with both of them!-he sought knowledge from him and accepted the tarikat from him, and the conversion (tauba) of Hasan began like this.

He was a pearl merchant, called Hasan the Pearl and traded with Rum, making deals with the imperial nobles and ministers, may Allah have mercy on him! Once, while in Rum, he appeared to a certain minister and began to talk with him. He suggested: if you don't mind, let's go to a certain place. Hasan agreed. The minister ordered that a horse be brought for Hasan, and they set off. When they reached the desert, Hasan saw a tent made of Rumian brocade, fastened to the ground with silk ropes and gold nails. Hasan stopped nearby, and at that moment a myriad army appeared in full battle dress. The warriors walked around the tent, said something and moved back. Then philosophers and scientists appeared, about four hundred in number. They walked around the tent, said something and left. After that, three hundred white-bearded elders, illuminated by holiness, set off. to the tent, went around it, said something and went away. Then the emperor and the chief minister entered the tent and soon left it. Hasan said: I was incredibly amazed and asked myself what it was. When we returned, I turned to the minister with a question. He said: Emperor Rum had a son, and among mortals there was no equal to him in beauty, and he comprehended science perfectly, and in military affairs he was unparalleled, and his father's love for him would not have contained even a hundred thousand hearts. Suddenly he fell ill, and the most skillful of doctors were powerless to cure him. Finally he passed away. He was buried in this tent, and once a year people leave the city to bow to him. First, an innumerable army circles around the tent, and the soldiers exclaim: O born of a king, if we could fight in an honest battle with what befell you, each of us would not spare his life in order to return you. But what befell you came from the hands of the One with whom we cannot fight and with whom we cannot fight! So they say and leave. Then philosophers and scientists come forward and say: what happened to you comes from the One before whom knowledge and philosophy, sciences and experience are powerless. All the wise men of the world are weak before Him, all experts are ignorant before His knowledge, and we would definitely figure out how to be, but no one in the universe is capable of such a thing. So they say and leave. Then the most holy elders in their glory come forward and exclaim: O thou who was born a padishah, if what befell you could be influenced by the intercession of the elders, we would all become intercessors and pray, and they would not let you go there, but it comes from One before whom the intercession of a mortal has no power! So they say and leave. Then moon-faced slaves with trays of gold and jewels come forward, go around the tent and say: O born emperor, if what befell you were subject to beauty and wealth, each of us would sacrifice ourselves and give great wealth, but would not let go you. But what befell you comes from the One over whom neither wealth nor beauty has power! So they say and leave. Finally, the emperor, accompanied by the chief minister, enters the tent and exclaims: O precious fruit of the father's heart, O apple of the father's eye, find out what are the limits of our power! The Father sent you a myriad army, philosophers and elders, intercessors and advisers, beauty and wealth, gifts and offerings, and after that he came himself. If this could help the cause, the father would bring here everything that is possible, but what befell you comes from the One before whom the father, with his rank and army, courtiers and gifts, wealth and treasury, has no power. Peace to you! Until next year! So he says and departs.

This story had such an effect on Hasan that his heart turned away from trade. On the way back, he pondered and,. Arriving in Basra, he swore that he would not laugh in this world until his case was cleared up. He devoted himself to the taming of passions and serving the Lord with such zeal that in his time there was no equal to him in asceticism, and his feats reached such a degree that, they said, for seventy years the young man took a bath [after the administration of natural needs] in the lavatory in vain. And in the hermitage he reached such a degree that people lost hope of seeing him, for he moved away from everyone.

One day, someone in the congregation stood up and said, Why is Hasan superior and better than us? A certain glorious man was present. He said: because now every mortal needs his knowledge, and he does not need mortals at all. All believers need him, and he is free from everyone in this world. In this he is superior and better than us.

He preached once a week, and every time he went up to the minbar and did not see Rabiya23, he canceled the meeting and left. Once he was asked: about the Hadji, so many husbands surrounded by retinue, Hadji and other worthy people gathered, if one old woman wrapped in a veil does not come, so what? He said: I cannot pour into the breasts of ants the sherbet that I intended for the elephant. And whenever the assembled were imbued with the ardor [of his speeches], he turned to Rabiya: O virgin, “this is from the burning coals of your heart” *. O seida, all this heat comes from one ember of your heart!

They said to him: We think you rejoice at the fact that so many people gather at your minbar. He said: Is it a matter of quantity? Even if one dervish was present, my heart would still rejoice.

Again they asked: what is Islam and who are Muslims? He said: Islam is in books, and Muslims are in graves.

He was asked: what is the basis of religion? He said: prudence. They asked: what is destroying her? He said: greed (tama\').

And they asked: what are the Gardens of Eden? He said: this is a golden palace surrounded by a garden, and no one will enter there except the Prophet, the righteous, the martyr or the just sultan.

And they asked: can a sick doctor heal others? He said: first you should heal yourself, and only then heal others.

He said: listen to my words, for in my knowledge there is benefit for you, and in my deeds there is no harm to you.

And they asked: O Sheikh, our hearts are sleeping, and your words do not leave a trace in them, what should we do? He said: if only they were sleeping! When you touch a sleeping person, he wakes up. Your hearts are dead, and no matter how much you pull them, they will not wake up.

They asked: there are people who, in words, frighten us so much that our hearts are torn with horror. Is it necessary? He said: it is better today to talk to people who frighten you and tomorrow to be safe, than today to talk to those who promise you safety and tomorrow to be terrified.

They said: other people come to your meeting and memorize your words in order to challenge them and find faults in them. He said: I see myself longing for heavenly paradise and closeness to the Most High God and not longing for rest from people, for even their Creator does not find rest from their tongues.

They said: So-and-so says, they say, do not incite the people until you first cleanse yourself. He said: Satan wants nothing so much as to nest these words in our hearts so that the door of the command to do good deeds and the prohibition to do bad deeds will be closed.

They said: the faithful are envious. He said: You forgot about Joseph's brothers. Besides, as long as you don't stop worrying about it, it won't hurt.

Hassan had a murid who, every time he heard a verse from the Qur'an, prostrated himself. One day Hasan said to him: O husband, if you can not do what you are doing, then all your life you fanned hellfire with your behavior, and if you cannot not do it, then you are ten degrees ahead of me.

Then he said: thunder is from Satan*, anyone from whom a certain loud exclamation comes from, it is none other than from Satan. Here he expressed a general judgment, not suitable for all cases, and he himself explained this, namely: if a person is able to suppress a loud exclamation, and yet publishes it, this is nothing but from the devil.

One day Hasan was holding a Majlis. Hajjaj24 entered, accompanied by many warriors carrying drawn swords. A certain glorious man was present there. He said: Today I will test Hasan, for the time of testing has come. Hajjaj sat down. Hassan paid no attention to him and did not interrupt his speech until he had finished. That man, famous in religion, said: Hasan is Hasan (lit. “Hasan is beautiful”). And Hajjaj went to Hasan, grabbed his hand and exclaimed: look at your husband! *. If you want to see a true husband, look at Hasan! Hajjaj was seen in a dream, he was prostrated: at the gathering place on the Day of Judgment. He was told: what fate do you want? He said: the one that is due to those who believe in the unity of God. And this happened from the fact that in his death agony he said: Lord, show a little bit of patience, because You are the all-forgiving and most merciful of the merciful. All agree: and unanimously that You will cast me down [to hell], so in spite of them all exalt me, show them that You are “doing what He wills” *. Hassan was told about these words. He said: it seems that this evil-minded and that world will pocket it.

They say that Murtada25 - God's favor be with him! - arrived in Basra, zealously set to work and, without delay and three days, ordered the destruction of the minbars and forbade preaching. He came to the Majlis to Hassan. Hasan made a speech. He asked: are you a teacher or a student? He answered: neither one nor the other; the word of the prophet has reached me, and I repeat it. Murtada - may Allah be pleased with him! - did not forbid his preaching and said: this young man is worthy of the word. With that, he left. Hasan guessed who it was, got down from the minbar, rushed after him, and, overtaking him, touched the edge of the clothes with the words: for the sake of Allah, teach me how to perform ablution (wuzu’) 26. There is a certain place called bab at-tasht27. They brought a tasht (tasht), he taught Hasan how to bathe and left.

One day there was a drought in Basra. Two hundred thousand people came, built a minbar and asked Hasan to go up to it for prayer. Hassan said: Do you want it to rain? They said yes, that's why we came. He said: Drive Hasan out of Basra! And such a great fear lived in him that, it came down to us, he repeated: when I sit, it’s as if I’m sitting in front of an executioner. And no one has ever seen a smile on his lips, for he carried great pain in himself.

It is said that one day he saw someone crying. He asked: what are you crying about? He said: I was at the Majlis with Muhammad Kaaba Gurazi28; he said that there is a husband among the faithful who, for the evil of his sins, will spend so many years in hell. Hasan said: I wish Hasan were among those who, after so many years, will be taken out of hell.

It is said that once he recited a hadith that “the last to leave hell is a man named Hunnad”**. Hassan said: I wish I could be that person.

One of Hasan's close associates said: One night Hassan was crying in my house. I said: why do you groan at such a fate as yours, and such talents? He said: I groan and weep because Hassan cannot take up anything without knowledge and purpose, or take a false step, or say a word that will not be approved before the throne of the Most High, for then they will say to Hasan: away! Now you have lost the price for Us, henceforth we will not accept anything from you!

It is said that one day someone was sitting on the threshold of his hut. Hassan was praying on the roof of the hut and sobbing, crouching on the prayer rug, that his tears flowed down the drain and fell on the man's clothes. The man knocked on the door and said: is this clean water or should I wash myself? Hassan said: wash your face, for with such a prayer it was not appropriate to shed tears, which means that it was the water of eyes that had sinned with disobedience.

It is said that one day he approached the deceased. When the deceased was lowered into the grave and covered with earth, Hassan sat down on that earth and shed so many tears that the earth turned into clay. Then he said: O people! The beginning is the grave and the end is the grave pit. The end of this world is a grave, and the beginning of that world, look, is also a grave, for “the grave is the first of the dwellings of the afterlife” *. Why are you proud of the world, which has such an end as the grave, and why are you not afraid of the world, which has such a beginning as the grave? And if this is your beginning and end, O careless people, prepare yourself for the beginning and the end! Those present shed many tears and cast aside hypocrisy.

It is said that one day he passed by a cemetery surrounded by dervishes. He said: men are buried in this cemetery, whose zeal and zeal did not rise to paradise, but such sadness nestled in their ashes that if a grain of this sadness were presented to the inhabitants of earth and sky, they would all rush in fear from fear.

They say that in childhood Hasan happened to commit a sin, and every time he sewed a new shirt, he wrote down that sin on the collar, and then wept so much that he lost consciousness.

Somehow ‘Umar ‘Abd al-‘Aziz29 - may Allah be pleased with him! - wrote a letter to Hasan, and this letter said: “Give me a short piece of advice, so that I remember it and become guided by it.” Hasan wrote on the back of the letter: “O emir of the faithful, if God is with you, who are you afraid of? And if not, who do you trust? Another time Hasan wrote. a letter to him: “Prepare for that day when the last person who is ordained to die dies, and with that greetings to you.” He replied, “Prepare for that day when neither this world nor that world will be like that.”

Somehow Sabet Bonnani 30 - may the mercy of Allah be with him! - wrote a letter to Hassan: “I heard that you intend to make a pilgrimage. I want to accompany you." He wrote back: “Let us live under the shadow of our Lord. After all, staying together exposes the shortcomings of each, and we will become enemies.”

They say that he said to Sa'id Jubair31 as a warning: do not do three things. First, do not step on the carpet of the sultans, even for the sake of intercession for the people. Secondly, do not sit in solitude with any woman, even if it is Rabiya and you instruct her in the Divine Scripture. Third, never lend your ears to the emir, even if you are the first among the brave. All this is fraught with disaster and in the end will harm you.

Malik Dinar said: I asked Hassan what is torment in this world? He said: death of the heart. I asked: what is the death of the heart? He said: love for this world.

One illustrious husband said: at dawn, I went to the door of Hasan's mosque to pray. The doors were locked, and Hassan was praying inside the mosque, and some people said: amen. I waited until dawn, took the door - it opened. I went inside and saw Hassan alone. I wondered. After the prayer, I told him the whole story and asked: for God's sake, clarify this matter for me. He said: don't tell anyone, but every Friday night the peris come to visit me, and I talk to them about knowledge and pray, and they say: amen.

It is said that when Hassan was praying, Habib ‘Ajami32 touched his hem and said: I see that the prayer has been heard.

They say that a certain venerable man said: Hassan and I and several other people made a pilgrimage. In the desert, we were thirsty. We reached the well, but there was no bucket of rope. Hassan said: when I start the prayer, you drink water. Then he started to pray. The water, so that we could reach it, rose to the mouth of the well. We started drinking. One of the pilgrims took a sip of water - the water went deep into the well. Hassan, having finished the prayer, said: you did not rely on the Lord, so the water went into the well. Then we left this place. On the way, Hasan found some dates and gave them to us to eat. They contained golden bones, which we brought to Mecca, where we ate on them and gave alms.

It is said that during the time of Hassan, a certain man suffered losses while buying a horse. Not knowing what to do, he told Hasan about his situation. Hasan bought this horse from him for 400 dirhams, destining it for holy war, and gave him the silver. At night, that man dreamed of a lawn in paradise, on that lawn there was a horse, and around it were 400 foals, all of a light color. He asked whose horses they were. They answered him: they were written in your name, and now the Khasanovs have become. When he woke up, he went to Hassan and said: O imam, terminate the deal, for I repent. Hasan said: go away, for the dream that you saw, I had a dream before you. The man left saddened. The next night, Hasan dreamed of palaces surrounded by wondrous gardens. He asked whose it was. He was answered: the one who terminates the deal. At dawn, Hasan called the man to him and canceled the deal.

It is said that Hasan had a fire-worshipping neighbor named Sham'un35. One day he fell ill and was already on the verge of death. People turned to Hasan: help a neighbor! Hasan approached the patient's head and saw that he was lying blackened from fire and smoke. He said: Fear the Lord, for you have spent your whole life in the midst of fire and smoke. Convert to Islam so that the Lord has mercy on you. Sham'un said: three things turn me away from Islam: the first is that you blaspheme this world, while you yourself seek worldly things day and night; the second - you say that death is coming, but you yourself do not prepare for death in any way; thirdly, you say that the vision of the Almighty is ahead, and today you are doing everything contrary to His permission. Hasan said: these [speech] are a sign of awareness. But if such are the deeds of the faithful, what shall I say of you? They recognize His oneness, and you have wasted your whole life in the worship of fire. And you, who worshiped the fire for seventy years, and me, who did not worship, will be thrown into hell, and you and I will burn, but your god will not take care of you, and if my Lord wishes, the fire will not dare to burn even a single hair on my body , because fire is the creation of the Lord, and the created is subject to the Creator. Hey, you who worshiped fire for seventy years, let us lay hands on it so that you may see the weakness of fire and the power of my Lord. So he said, and put his hand into the fire, and not a single particle of his flesh was burned. Seeing this, Sham'un was amazed, and the morning of recognition dawned on him. He said to Hasan: I have been worshiping fire for seventy years, now I have only a few breaths left, what should I do? Hasan said: Become a Muslim! Sham'un said: if you give me a receipt that the Almighty God will not punish me, I will believe, and if you do not give me, I will not believe. Hasan wrote a receipt. Sham'un asked: order honest witnesses from Basra to certify what was written. They signed up. After that, Sham’un shed abundant tears, converted to Islam and bequeathed to Hassan: when I die, order that they wash me, and with your own hands commit me to the ground, and put this receipt in my hands, for it will serve me as a document. Then he uttered the [formula] of the confession of faith and died. They washed him, prayed over him and buried him. And Hassan that night, falling asleep, thought: what did I do? I drown myself, so how can I stretch out my hand to another, I have no power in my kingdom, so how did I issue a guarantee for the kingdom of God? With such thoughts, he fell into a dream and saw Sham’un in a crown shining like a candle (sham’), with a smile on his lips, smoothly walking along the paradise lawn. Hassan asked: O Sham'un, how did it happen? He said: What are you asking about? As you can see, the all-glorious God, in his generosity, brought me closer to himself and honored the meeting in his goodness, and all the mercies that the Lord bestowed on me cannot be expressed or described in words. Now you have justified your guarantee. Take the receipt, for I no longer need it. When Hasan woke up, he saw that paper in his hand. He said: Lord, it is known that Your works are not connected by any other reason than Your wisdom. At Your throne, who will suffer the loss? You brought a seventy-year-old Gebra closer to yourself for just one word, so will you really deprive [this mercy] of the faithful seventy years?

It is said that his self-abasement was such that. he considered himself the worst of men. One day, walking along the banks of the Tigris, he saw a black man with a glass flask. A woman was sitting in front of him and drinking wine from a flask. It flashed through Hasan's head: this man is better than me. But then the falcon of Sharia law rushed to the attack: they say, no, he is no better than me, because he sat down with an outside woman and drinks wine from a flask. So he thought, when suddenly a heavily laden ship with seven travelers on board appeared. Suddenly, the ship capsized and began to sink, the black man rushed into the water and saved six people, then turned to Hassan: go, if you are better than me, I saved six people, and you save one. O Imam of Muslims, this flask contains water, and this woman is my mother. I wanted to test you, whether you see with the outer eye or with the inner one. Hassan fell at his feet and asked for forgiveness, and found out that this was the messenger of God. Then he exclaimed: O black-skinned one, just as you saved them from the sea of ​​water, so save me from the sea of ​​​​imagination (pindar). The black man said: let your eyes see! After that, Hasan never imagined himself better than anyone else. Once he saw a dog and said: Lord, consider me equal to this dog! He was asked: who is better, you or the dog? He said: if I am delivered from the punishment of the Lord, then I am better than a dog, but if not, I swear by the majesty and all-glory of the Lord, a dog is worth a hundred like me.

It is reported that Hassan said: the words of four struck me - a child, a drunkard, a hermaphrodite (muhannas) and a woman. He was asked: how was it? He said: once I passed by a hermaphrodite and threw off his dress. He said: O Hajji, our situation has not yet cleared up, you do not take off my dress, for only the Lord knows how things will turn out later 36. And I saw a drunk who was walking through the mud, staggering and stumbling. I said to him: go harder, unfortunate one, so as not to fall**. He said: O you who walk firmly, with all your.claims [to love Him], if I fall down drunk, I'll get dirty in the mud, get up and wash myself, it's easy. Fear your fall! These words left a deep impression on my heart. And the child somehow carried a lamp, and I said to him: where do you bring this light from? The wind blew out the lamp. He said: tell me where this light has gone, so that I can answer where I brought it from. And a certain woman with a naked face of unprecedented beauty, open hands and tear-stained eyes complained to me about her husband. I said: cover your face first! She said: I lost my mind from love for what [God] created, and if you had not reproached me, I would have gone to the market. What are you, with all your claims to love for Him, if you could not help but notice the nakedness of my face?! This surprised me too.

It is said that when he descended from the minbar, he chose a few people from his adherents and said: let's spread the light! **. One day, someone other than the indicated people went with him. Hasan said to him: you come back.

They say that once he said to his friends: you are like the Companions of the Prophet - peace be upon him! They rejoiced. Hasan said: face and beard, and nothing else. For if you happened to see them, all of them would appear crazy in your eyes, and if your secret thoughts reached them, not one of you would be called a Muslim. After all, these were the leaders who raced on swift horses, like birds, flying like the wind, whistling, and we dragged on donkeys behind our own beards.

It is said that a Bedouin came to Hasan and asked him what patience is. Hasan said: there are two types of patience: the first refers to various disasters, and the second to what the all-glorious God forbade us, and told the Bedouin about the nature of patience. The Bedouin said: I have not met a more righteous than you **, and have not heard of a more patient than you. Hasan said: O Bedouin, my righteousness is generally based on desire, and my patience is based on sorrow. The Bedouin said: Explain your words to me, for you have confused my convictions. He said: my patience in adversity or in humility testifies to the fear of hell, and this is the same sorrow, but my righteousness in this world is a desire for that world, and this is a desire for a better fate. Then he said: the patience of that person has power who accepts his fate, then his patience is for the Truth, and not for protecting the flesh from hell, and righteousness is for the Truth, and not in order to get to heaven, and this is a sign of sincerity.

And he said: beneficial knowledge befits a person, deeds are perfect, and this requires sincerity, and humility is complete, and this requires patience. When the first, second, and third have been obtained, I don't know what they can do with it after that.

And he said: A sheep is more knowledgeable than a man, for the call of the shepherd distracts it from grazing, but the voice of God does not deter a man from desires.

And he said: association with bad people makes the actions of people suspicious in the eyes of good people.

And he said: if someone calls me to drink alcohol, I will treat him better than someone who calls me to strive for worldly things.

And he said: knowledge (marifat) comes when you do not find in yourself a grain of enmity (husumat).

And he said: Eternal paradise is not for insignificant earthly deeds, but for good intentions (niyyat).

And he said: the inhabitants of paradise, when they first see paradise, remain unconscious for seventy thousand years, so that the all-glorious Lord may appear to them. If they see His greatness, they become intoxicated with a terrifying sight; if they see beauty, they plunge into unity.

And he said: thoughts are a mirror in which your good and bad deeds are clearly reflected.

And he said: for anyone whose words do not come from wisdom, they are a real disaster, and any silence that is not from meditation rests on lust and negligence, and any glance thrown not from the desire to learn is all fun and sin.

And he said: in the books of Musa it is said: every person who was content with a little, ceased to need, and when he got away from people, he found peace, and when he trampled on lust, he found freedom, and when he was freed from envy, he found cordiality in himself.

And he said: people of the heart always prefer silence. First their hearts speak, and only then their tongues.

And he said: there are three degrees (maqam) in prudence. The first is when the servant of God does not say a word except in justice. The second is when he protects his members from everything that the Lord is angry with. The third - when it aspires to what the Lord favors.

And he said: A misqal from a grain of diligence is better than a thousand mithqals of prayer and fasting.

And he said: The wisest of all deeds is reflection and prudence.

And he said: if I knew that there is no hypocrisy in me, of all that is on earth, I would have the most precious.

And he said: the contradiction between the open and the secret, the heart and the tongue, springs from hypocrisy.

And he said: there is not a single true believer among those who have gone and there will not be among those who will come, except for those who tremble with fear, lest they become hypocrites.

And he said: everyone who says: I am a true believer is in fact an unbeliever. “Do not purify yourselves: He knows better those who fear God!”37.

And he said: the true believer is the one who is not fussy and not like one who gathers firewood in the dark, that is, he does not look like one who does what he can do, does everything that comes to the tongue, says.

And he said: three do not have a state of renunciation38 - overwhelmed by passions, a lecher and an unrighteous imam.

And he said: pious deeds in a state of detachment are accepted [by God] as a plea for forgiveness, even if you do not ask for forgiveness [sins].

And he said: Unfortunate is the son of Adam, contented with a dwelling, where for what is permitted there is demand, and for what is not permitted - torment.

And he said: the soul of the son of Adam will not part with this world except when burdened with three sorrows: first, he was not satisfied with what he accumulated; second, he did not find what he hoped for; third, he did not stock up on the necessary for the path that opens before him.

Someone said: such and such gives his soul. He said don't speak

so. He has been giving his soul for seventy years already, if he does not give it up now, then what will he come to?

And he said: those who were lightly loaded were saved, those who were heavily loaded perished.

And he said: the great and all-glorious Lord taught some people that this world was given to them on loan. They paid their debt and left lightly.

And he said: according to me, a smart and knowing one destroys this world in order to build that world on its ruins, and does not destroy that world and builds this one on its ruins.

And he said: everyone who knows the Lord loves him, and everyone who knows this world considers him an enemy.

And he said: No beast of burden is fit for a hard bridle to the extent that your [carnal] soul is in this world.

And he said: if you want to see what this world will be like after your death, look what it has become after the death of others.

And he said: I swear by God that they did not honor idols except for the love of worldly things.

And he said, the people who were before you knew the value of the Message that came to them from the Lord. At night they pondered it, and during the day they acted accordingly. And you studied, but did not act accordingly, corrected the vowels and letters and thereby created permission for yourself to enter the mortal world.

And he said: I swear by God that not a single person who loves silver and gold will escape the shame and humiliation of the Lord.

And he said: Every fool, seeing a crowd of people passing by, will not stand still.

And he said: anyone who brings you the words of people, and carries your words to others, does not deserve conversation.

And he said: the brothers are dear to us, for they are friends of religion, and the family and household and children are friends of this world and rivals of religion.

And he said: everything that the servant of God spends on his own food and the food of his mother and father will be accounted for, excluding only the food that he offers to friends and guests.

And he said: each prayer, in which the heart is absent, brings one closer to torment.

And they said: what is humility? He said: fear that fits in the heart, and the heart serves him inseparably.

They said: one person has not come to the common prayer for twenty years and does not talk with anyone, having withdrawn from everyone. Hasan went to him and asked: why do you not come to the common prayer and do not talk to anyone? He replied: forgive me, for I am busy. Hasan asked: what are you doing? He said: not a single moment passes without the Lord not showing me His mercy and I did not thank Him for this with a sin. I am busy with atonement for sins. Hassan said: continue like this, for you are better than me.

He was asked: have you ever had a good time? He said: once I was on the roof of the house, and the neighbor told her husband: for almost fifty years I have been living in your house, everything that happened, I endured both heat and cold, did not demand too much and took care of your honor. I will never agree to one thing - that you choose another one with me. I did all this so that you would look at me and not look at others. If today you honored another with attention, I will ask the Imam of the Faithful for protection from shame. Hasan said: I felt well then, and tears flowed from my eyes. I looked for an example in the Qur'an and found this verse: “Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners are given to Him, but He forgives that which is less than this to whom He wills”39 - I forgive all your sins, but if in the corner of your heart you desire another and give his Lord as partners, I will never forgive you.

It is said that one man asked him: what is it like? He said: What happens to people in the middle of the sea when their ship is broken and everyone is clinging to a plank? He said: it is hard for them. .Hasan said: that's how it is for me.

They say that there was a holiday in the community and everyone laughed and had fun. He said: I wonder at people who laugh, not knowing the truth about their condition.

It is said that he saw a man who was eating bread in the cemetery. Hasan said he is a hypocrite. He was asked why? He said: if a person next to these dead indulges his flesh, as if not believing in the afterlife and death, this is a sign of hypocrisy.

They say that at night prayer he said: O Allah, you showered me with favors - I did not thank You, sent misfortunes on me - I did not endure; for what I did not thank, do not deprive me of favors, for what I did not endure, do not turn my misfortunes into permanent ones. O Allah, what comes from You but generosity?!

And when the time of his death approached, he began to laugh, and no one had ever seen him laugh before. At the same time, he repeated: what sin, what sin? With that, he passed away. A certain old man saw him in a dream and asked: during your life you never laughed, what happened on the verge of death? He said: I heard a voice: O king of death, treat him harshly, for one sin still remains behind him. I laughed with joy, asked what sin was, and reposed.

One glorious husband that night, when Hassan departed, saw in a dream that the gates of heaven were open and announced: Hassan Basri approached the Lord and the Lord was pleased with him, may Allah rest his soul?

Notes:
17 A. J. Arberry translated three episodes from this life. Al-Hasan b. Abu-l-Khaeai al-Basri was born in Medina in 642 and died in Basra in 728. One of the first ascetic ascetics, he was extraordinarily famous in the Sufi tradition for his piety and denial of worldly things.
He is ranked among the most revered saints of early Islam, and is also considered the founder of the Mutazilite sect (‘Amr b. Ubayd and Wasil b. ‘Ata belonged to his disciples). The most detailed analysis of his biography and teaching belongs to X. Ritter.
18 Umm Salama is the mother of the Prophet Muhammad.
19 Umar b. al-Khattab (d. 644) - caliph since 634, one of the most prominent companions of Muhammad.
20 Hassan (Arabic) - lit. "beautiful".
21 This refers to Ali ibn Abi Talib (d. 661), the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, who was elected caliph in 656. Ali is regarded by the Shiites as the Sherva Imam.
22 This plot is well known, for example, from the tales of the Thousand and One Nights (see ).
23 Rabiya (Rab i'a al-Adawiya, d. 752 or 801) is an illustrious Sufi preacher. Our translation of her life from "Tazkirat al-awliyya" see: Ancient and Medieval East. History, philology. M., 1983, p. 284-301.
24 Hajjaj (Ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi; d. 95 AH) - governor of Arabia and Iraq, known for his cruelty.
25 Murtada (Arabic) - literally "chosen", one of the titles of Caliph Ali.
26 Vuzu - ritual washing of the face, hands to the elbows and feet.
27 Bab at-tasht (Arabic letters “place of the pelvis”) - “washing place”. 28 Muhammad Kaab Gurazi (VIII century) - a preacher of Sufism, mentioned by Attar also in the life of Fudayl b. ‘Iyada (d. 803).
29 Umar II (‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, d. 720) — Caliph of Baghdad.
30 See note. 5.
31 Sa’id b. Jubair is mentioned in the book of al-Shahrastani among the authorities of the Murjit sect, who “placed the deed after the intention of faith (in the truth of religion)” and “those who committed serious sins were not considered unbelievers” .
32 Habib ‘Ajami is an ascetic and preacher, his biography is included by Attar in Tazkirat.
33 Abu ‘Amr bal-‘ Ala (d. 770) is a famous authority on the reading of the Koran, who lived for many years in Basra. The story is translated by A. J. Arberry 112, p. 22].
34 The Haifa Mosque stood in the way of the pilgrims near Mecca.
35 The last of the three stories about Hasan, translated by A. J. Arberry 112, p. 23].
36 The meaning of the story is explained by the fact that the idea of ​​a full-fledged person who, leading a sinless life, subsequently goes to heaven, is associated with the male sex (for example, in the life of Rabiy it is repeatedly emphasized that a righteous life puts her on a par with men). But a person cannot judge for himself, only the Lord judges - this, apparently, is the meaning of the moral lesson taught to Hasan by a hermaphrodite.
37 Koran 53:33.
38 Detachment (ghaibat) is interpreted in Sufi dictionaries as such a state of a person when he renounces carnal pleasures, but is not yet completely free from them.
39 Koran 4:116.

Literature:
1. Averintsev S. S. Parable. - Brief literary encyclopedia. T. 6. M., 1971.
2. Bertels E. E. Selected Works. T. 3. Sufism and Sufi Literature. M., 1965.
3. Braginsky V.I. Khamza Fansuri. M., 1988.
4. Grigoryan S.I. From the history of philosophy of Central Asia and Iran in the 7th-12th centuries. M, 1960
5. Gurevich A. Ya. Problems of medieval folk culture. M., 1981.
6. Zhukovsky V.A. Life and speeches of the elder Abu Said Meikhenei. SPb., 1899.
7. Klyuchevsky V. O. Course of Russian history. Part 2. M., 1908.
8. Krymsky A. E. History of Persia, its literature and dervish theosophy.
9. ash-Shahrastani. A book about religions and sects. Per. from Arabic, input. and commentary by S. M. Prozorov. M., 1984.
10. Abdarrahman Jami. Nafahat al-uns min hadarat al-quds. Tehran, 1958.
11. Ibn Khaldun. The Muqaddimah. An Introduction to History. Vol. 3. N. Y., 1958.

The monkey saw the cherry through the clear glass of the bottle and thought he could get it. Putting her paw into the neck, she grabbed a cherry, but immediately realized that she could not pull her paw back. Suddenly, a hunter appeared and set this trap. The monkey, extremely constrained by the bottle, could not run and was caught. "At least I'll have the cherry," she thought. At that moment, the hunter hit her on the elbow, her fist opened, and the paw came out of the bottle. Now the hunter had the cherry, the bottle, and the monkey.

"Book of Amu Darya"

“Relinquishing something just because others have misused it can be the height of stupidity. Sufi truth cannot be reduced to rules and regulations, formulas and rituals, but partly it is present in all these things.

These words are attributed to Farid al-Din the Chemist, a great initiate and writer, as well as an organizer of the Sufis. He died more than a hundred years before the birth of Chaucer, in whose writings one can find traces of the influence of the Sufi ideas of Attar. More than a hundred years after his death, the Order of the Garter was founded, with such a striking resemblance to the earlier Attar order that this can hardly be considered a mere coincidence.

Farid ad-din was born in the vicinity of Nishapur, beloved by Khayyam. His father bequeathed him a pharmacy, and this is one of the reasons that the word "attar" - "chemist" became his pseudonym and Sufi name. There are a lot of legends about Attar's life. Some of them tell about miracles, others include elements of his teaching. He wrote 140 works intended for the Sufis, the most important of which is undoubtedly the poem "Parliament of Birds", the predecessor of "The Pilgrim's Way". Being both a work of Sufi and Persian literature, "Parliament" describes the Sufi experience, developing the theme of the initial Sufi search. The meaning of this work becomes available only after the Sufi awakening of the mind.

The story of Attar's conversion, which the Sufis use to emphasize the need for a harmonious correspondence between the material and the metaphysical, is given by Daulat Shah in his classic Brief Biographies of the Poets. It is perceived as an allegory, and not as a real fact. “Once Attar was sitting in his shop, surrounded by many and varied goods. Suddenly, a wandering Sufi appeared at the door and began to gaze at him with tearful eyes. Farid ad-din ordered him to leave. “It’s not difficult for me,” said the traveler, “I have nothing but this shirt. But how will you leave with your expensive goods? You would better take care to prepare for your journey.”

This had such an effect on Attar that he abandoned his shop and his craft and retired to the Sufi community for a period of training under the guidance of the master Sheikh Rukn ad-din. While a lot was being done for his aesthetic education, he himself became convinced of the great importance of the body. Attar owns the following words: "The body is not different from the soul, because it is part of it, and both of them are part of the Whole." Attar's ideas are contained not only in poetic works, but also in traditional rituals, which Sufis consider them an integral part. We will talk about this later, but for now we can say that this is such an area where Sufi poetry, teaching and "work" (amal) are one.

Attar was one of the best connoisseurs of the biographies of the early historical Sufis, and his only prose work, Biographies of Friends (or Descriptions of the Saints), is devoted to their lives. He decided to compose these biographies during his travels to Mecca and other places after he left the circle of Rukn al-Din.

In his declining years, Attar was visited by little Jalal ad-din Rumi, and he gave him one of his books. Rumi made more accessible the secret aspects of the Sufi teachings that Attar dealt with. Later, Rumi considered Attar a model for himself: "Attar walked around the seven cities of love, and we walked only along one street."

Attar's death, like his whole life, became part of his teachings. His last act was done specifically to make a person think about himself. When the hordes of Genghis Khan conquered Persia in 1220 and Attar was captured, he was already 110 years old. One of the Mongols said:

"Don't kill this old man, I will ransom him for 1000 silver coins." Attar advised his master to wait, as the other person would allegedly give even more for him. A little later, someone offered for him just an armful of hay. Attar said: "Give me back for this hay, because I am not worth more." For this, the enraged Mongol killed him.

As the works of Garcine de Tassi have shown, Attar's romantic works are very reminiscent of The Romance of the Rose and, without a doubt, are among the Sufi works of a romantic nature that preceded the emergence of a similar trend in Europe. Majriti of Córdoba wrote a romantic work, the first of a series of works on the same Sufi theme. It is most likely that these works came to Europe through Spain and southern France, and not through Syria, where Sufi works of this genre were also very common. Western scholars, who are of the opinion that the Crusaders brought the legend of the Grail with them, rely only on Syrian sources. However, it should be noted that Syria and Andalusia were closely linked. The transformation of the hard "k" into "g" ("Kara el-Muqaddas" / "Holy Narrative" / turned into "Gara el-Muqaddas") is characteristic of the Hispano-Moorish dialect of Arabic, and not Syriac. De Tassi notes that in the "Roman of the Rose" the influence of two areas of Sufi literature, which are represented by works about birds and flowers, is noticeable, and in addition - of Attar's "Parliament of Birds". Of course, it is not known what particular work served as the basis for the "Romance of the Rose", known in Europe, but there is still reason to believe that this work existed orally and was transmitted in the process of Sufi training in the Sufi communities widespread in Spain.

The Indian romantic work "Rose Bakawali" in many ways clarifies the meaning of the living system of images used by the Sufis. The Parliament of the Birds itself, not to mention individual references to it by Chaucer and other authors, was completely translated into French and published in Liège in 1653. A Latin translation appeared in 1678.

In the order of Khyzra (Khizr, or St. George, is the patron saint of the Sufis and their secret leader, who is sometimes identified with the prophet Elijah), which exists to this day, excerpts from Mantik-ut-Tayyur (Parliament of Birds) are used Attara. Here is part of the initiation ceremony:

They asked the sea why it was dressed in blue, the color of sorrow, and why it was agitated, as if the flame had boiled it. The sea replied that the blue speaks of the bitterness of separation from the Beloved, and "the fire of Love makes me boil." Yellow is the color of gold, the alchemy of the Perfect Man, which is purified until it becomes gold itself. The initiate's attire consists of a hooded, blue Sufi robe edged with a yellow stripe. In combination, these two colors give green - the color of dedication and life, truth and immortality. "Parliament" was written 170 years before the formation of the mysterious Order of the Garter, which was originally called the Order of St. George.

The Sufi order which Attar is credited with founding and perfecting undoubtedly maintains the tradition of his methods of concentration. This order resembles in many ways other Sufi orders (tariqa) ​​and practices exercises designed to ensure that their members achieve and maintain harmony with all creation. The Parliament of the Birds describes the stages of Sufi development through which different people pass in different sequences.

A hoopoe (Sufi) collects the birds representing humanity and invites them to go in search of their mysterious King. His name is Simurgh, and he lives on Mount Kaf. At first, all the birds were excited about the offer to have a King, but then they began to look for excuses to refuse personal participation in his search. After listening to the arguments of each, the hoopoe told a parable showing the futility of preferring what already exists or could be to what should be. The whole poem is saturated with Sufi images, and a correct understanding of this work requires its detailed study. On its pages you can find stories about the ring of Solomon, about the nature of the hidden leader Khyzr, anecdotes about the ancient sages.

In the end, the hoopoe tells the birds that in the process of searching they will have to cross seven valleys. The first of them is called the Valley of Searches. Here the traveler is threatened by all sorts of dangers, he must give up his desires. Then follows the Valley of Love. It is a boundless ocean where the seeker is completely absorbed in seeking the Beloved. Then comes the Valley of Intuitive Knowledge, in which the heart directly perceives the light of Truth and begins to know God. In the Valley of Separation, the traveler is freed from desire and dependence.

In the conversation of the hoopoe with the nightingale, Attar puts the thought of the worthlessness of exalted mystics, striving for romance for the sake of romance and arousing themselves with longing. Such people are not serious about ecstatic experiences and are isolated from real life. “The ardent nightingale rushed forward beside himself with passion. A thousand mysteries were made clear by his chattering. He spoke of these mysteries so eloquently that the rest of the birds fell silent.

This is what the nightingale said: "I know the secrets of love. All night I call on my beloved. I myself teach the secrets; my song is the lament of the flute and the cry of the lute. It is I who set the Rose in motion and make the hearts of lovers worry. I unceasingly reveal new secrets, but each of them, like the waves of the sea, rolls over me with new sadness. Everyone who hears me loses his mind with a delight that he has never known before. When the Rose leaves me for a long time, I constantly cry ... When the Rose appears again in this world in the summer, I open my heart to joy Not everyone knows my secrets, but the Rose knows them I think only of the Rose, I want nothing but the ruby ​​Rose.

Finding the Simurgh is beyond my strength - the nightingale has enough love for Rosa. It is for me that she blooms ... Can the nightingale live at least one night without her Beloved?

The hoopoe exclaimed: “Oh dull one, you are carried away by the shadows of real things! Refuse the pleasures that promise you seductive forms! Your heart has been seized with love for the appearance of the Rose, and you have become a slave to this love. No matter how beautiful the Rose is, the beauty will disappear in a few days "To love such impermanence can only disgust a Perfect Man. Rose's smile awakens in you desire only that sadness never leaves you. She laughs at you every spring, but she herself never cries - give up both Rose and Red"".

Commenting on this passage, one teacher notes that here Attar is referring not only to exalted mystics, whose mysticism is limited only to an ecstatic state, but also to those people whom he likens to them. Such people often experience flashes of imperfect love that have a great impact on them, but these flashes cannot revive and transform them to such an extent that their very essence undergoes changes: “Only the fire of love can purify, which never remains unchanged, which burns the foundation and white-hot core. The metal is separated from the rock and the Perfect Man appears, changed so much that every aspect of his life becomes ennobled. Outwardly, he has not changed, but he has become perfect, and this makes people see his power. All the strings of his soul have been cleansed and risen to a new level, now they can take higher notes and penetrate deeper, attracting people and causing more love, on the one hand, and more hatred, on the other. They can influence fate, they have gained infinite confidence and are no longer affected by those things that influenced a person who aspired only to the shadow of essence, regardless of what experience he had before.

The following words belong to the teacher Adil Alimi, who warns that not everyone will be interested in such things. “The materialist will not believe them, the theologian will oppose them, the dreamer will not pay attention to them, the superficial thinker will shun them, the exalted mystic will reject them, they will be accepted, but misunderstood by theoreticians and imitators. But, he continues, we must remember the "kadam bo kadam" (step by step):

"Before enjoying the fifth bowl, you must drink the first four, each of which is delicious."

He understands that things, whether they are new or old, do not matter. What is known is no longer valuable. The traveler experiences everything anew. He comprehends the difference between reality and adherence to traditions, which is just a reflection of reality.

The fifth valley is called the Unification Valley. Here the Seeker realizes the unity of those things and ideas that previously seemed different to him.

In the Valley of Delight, confusion comes to the traveler, mixed with love. Now he treats knowledge differently than before. It is replaced by Love.

The seventh and final valley is called Death Valley. In this valley, the Seeker learns the secret of how a single “droplet” can be swallowed up by the ocean and yet retain its meaning. He found his "place".

Attar is the pseudonym of the poet, meaning Chemist or Perfumer in translation. Most historians believe that he chose this name because his father owned a pharmacy, but Sufi tradition says that this word has a hidden meaning. Using the usual method of deciphering using the Abjad system, known to almost anyone who knows Arabic or Persian, we can replace the letters of the word "attar" with the following numbers: A (ayn) \u003d 70; Ta = 9; Ta = 9; Alif = 1; Ra = 200.

These letters must be brought into a certain order in accordance with the rules of Semitic orthography. Hisab al-Ja-mal (the usual way of substituting letters and numbers) is the simplest form of using the Abjad system, used in many poetic pseudonyms. In this case, it is necessary first of all to add the numerical values ​​\u200b\u200bof the letters (70 + 9 + 9 + 1 + 200), which gives the sum is the number 289. To obtain a new “hidden” three-letter Arabic root, one should (again, in accordance with the usual methods) decompose the sum into tens, hundreds and units: 289 \u003d 200 + 80 + 9.

These numbers correspond to the following letters:

Now you need to find in the dictionary those words that correspond to any combination of these three letters. Arabic dictionaries are compiled according to the root system, so this will not be difficult to do.

From the three letters obtained, you can make the following roots:

RFT, RTF, FRT, FTR, TFR and TRF.

The only root whose meanings are related to religious, inner or secret things is FTR.

The word "attar" in encrypted form conveys the concept of FTR, which is an indication of the teachings of Farid ad-din Attar.

Attar was one of the greatest Sufi teachers. Before considering the meanings of the Arabic root -FTR-, we may briefly mention Attar's ideas. Sufism is a form of thought practiced by Attar and his followers (including his student Rumi) in a religious context. It is associated with the growth and organic development of mankind. Comprehension of this form of thinking is likened to the onset of day after night, a piece of bread after a long fast, unexpected and intense mental and mental activity caused by the intuitive need of a person.

Do the meanings of the root -FTR- contain: (1) religious associations; (2) indications of links between Christianity and Islam (Sufis call themselves not only Muslims, but also esoteric Christians); (3) the idea of ​​quickness or unexpected action; (4) concepts of humility, dervishness; (5) the idea of ​​strong influence (ideas or movements used in dervish schools to train Sufis); (6) references to "grapes" - a Sufi poetic analogy describing inner experience; (7) allusions to something making its way to the supernatural?

Yes, all these concepts are conveyed by words formed from the root -FTR- and forming a mosaic of Sufi existence. Now we can consider the root itself and its values:

FaTaR = to split, break something; find out, begin; create something (about God);

FuTR = mushroom (breaking its way up by splitting);

FaTara = to have breakfast, break the fast;

Eid al-Fitr = feast of breaking the fast;

TaFATTAR = to crack or crack;

FiTRAT = natural inclination, religious feeling, the religion of Islam (submission to the Divine will);

Fatir = unleavened bread; sudden or sudden action; haste,

FaTira = a small flat cake, similar to that used for communion;

Fatir = Creator,

FutayuRi = useless, empty, stupid person;

FuTaR = a blunt thing, like a blunt sword.

Tradition ascribes to Attar the invention of a special Sufi exercise called "Stop!", an exercise to stop time. This happens when the teacher at a certain moment orders the students to stop all movement. During this "stop time" he hands over his baraka to them. It is believed that the sudden cessation of all physical activities helps the human mind to take certain steps in its intellectual development due to the energy that the muscles used to expend.

With the help of certain transformations, the root -FTR- can be turned into the root -KMM-. Using the Abjad system, from this root, in turn, you can get the word KiFF - Divine Stop. This stop is called the “Stop!” exercise, which can only be led by a teaching master.

"Mushroom", one of the secondary meanings of the root -FTR-, can lead to interesting reflections. Largely due to the writings of Mr. R. Gordon Wasson, it became known that in ancient times (and in very many places even now) there was a widespread ecstatic cult based on the consumption of hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Is the meaning of the root -FTR- connected with this cult? Yes, but not quite in the way you might immediately think. FuTR is indeed a mushroom, but not a hallucinogenic one, and we have two sources to confirm this. Firstly, the Arabic word for this kind of mushroom is derived from the root -GRB-. Words derived from this root indicate a strange effect of such fungi, but derivatives from the PTR root do not:

GaRaBa = to leave, leave, swell (about the eyes);

GaRab = to leave one's country, to go abroad;

GuRBan = the place where the star hides behind the horizon; to be absent or far away;

GaRuB = to be obscure; something that is not well understood; become a stranger

GaRaB = go to the West;

AGRaB = to show strangeness or immoderation in words or deeds; laugh too much; run fast; go far into the interior of the country;

Garb - sword blade; tears, etc.

ESH al-Ghurab = toadstool (literally - "bread of the crow, confused, darkness, strangeness").

The second interesting piece of evidence that the Sufis used the root -FTR- to designate internal experiences that were not caused by chemical means is contained in one of the works of Mast Qalandar (literally - "drunk dervish"), which refutes the notion that hallucinogenic mushrooms can cause mystical experiences, considering it completely wrong.

Let's start with a verbatim excerpt from the text:

“The Creator intended the“ grape juice ”as food for the Lovers (Sufis), because they were seized with heat and truly religious feelings, and in the sacrificial bread of those who did not reach full understanding, he left a symbol. Know also that the enlightened Sufi is far from the fissure and fissure of deceit, which is distortion, and close to another (secret) ecstatic experience; he is also far from mushrooms and from eating them, he is far from madness. Their food was the truth on the Path, which has nothing to do with madness. In the end, after they were engulfed (the vine), and the grape appeared, and its juice gave wine, and food appeared (after abstinence). The Perfect Man was given a strange form with the help of a blunt scimitar. But this bread is not from where they say, and not from under the tree. Truly the Truth of Creation and ecstasy can be known by knowing the secret of the bread of the thirsty and suffering. He drinks after meals. The Creator becomes the revealer."

This remarkable passage was considered the ravings of a madman. Sheikh Mauji of the Azamiyya Sufi order comments on it in the pages of his Durood (Stories):

“There is a certain feeling which is true ardor and approaches love. It comes from ancient times and is necessary for mankind. Evidence of this has been preserved not only in Sufi circles, however, in the form of symbols - they have the cross in this role, and we have Jesus. The seeker must remember that there are illusory similarities of feelings that resemble madness, but not the madness that the Sufis talk about, as our author did when talking about himself (Mast Qalandar). True illumination comes from here, from this source, the beginning of which we call wine, from grapes, from the vine, the result of splitting and grasping. After a period of abstaining from wine or bread, a withdrawal from union, a force appears, which is something like a crack. This is nutrition that has no analogues in the world of physical things.

The original passage, written in more or less literary Persian, tells us what exactly the "mad dervish" was trying to do. This passage is built on the use of words formed from the root -FTR-. It is impossible to preserve this literary device in any translation, because in English the words "split", "cake", "religious experience", etc. are formed from different roots, and we cannot convey the almost terrible feeling that arises from the use of the same sounds.

Here is an example: "Ya, barodar, Fatir ast tafatta ri fitrat va zati ftrat..."

In a passage consisting of 111 words, derivatives of the root -FTR- occur 23 times! This is not to say that these words are misused, but the use of many of them is so unusual (often the common word is more appropriate for the given context) that there is no doubt that this passage was written to show that the chemical hallucinogens derived from mushrooms, cause undoubted and, nevertheless, false experiences.

Mansoor al-Hallaj
Farid ad-din Atgar begins his account of this great saint, Mansoor, with the comment:
“What a pity that such a great saint was poorly understood by his contemporaries. You can bow before a tree if the sound of Ana al Haqq (I am the Truth) is heard from it, but you send the person who uttered these words to the chopping block. You should know that all the great saints who speak such words in a state of ecstasy are simply speaking in the name of God. The Almighty speaks through their mouths, and their essence is dead.
Shibli noticed that, although he and Mansur uttered the same words, he was considered insane, they left him alone, and Mansur was quartered on the basis that he uttered blasphemous words in his right mind and memory.
Mansur came to Tustar at the age of sixteen and stayed there for two years, and then moved to Dokharka, where he spent a year and a half in the company of Hazrat Umar bin Usman Makki. There he married the daughter of Hazrat Yaqub al-Aqta. After that, he lived for some time with Hazrat Junayd in Baghdad. From there he went to Hijaz where he met a group of Sufis with whom he returned to Hazrat Junayd in Baghdad. There he put a question to Junayd, the answer to which was the prophecy of the great saint:
"One day you will paint a piece of wood red." This meant that Hallaj was quartered on the chopping block. Hearing this, Mansur said: "When this happens, you will have to give up the garb of a Sufi and put on the attire of a layman." This is exactly what happened at the time, for it is well known that when the religious leaders were asked to sign Mansoor's death warrant, they hesitated to do so until Hazrat Junayd first signed it. Junayd had doubts, but the caliph told him that he would not execute Mansur until he signed his name. Then Junayd took off his Sufi clothes and put on the outfit of a secular teacher, and then signed the verdict and said: "I express my opinion about Mansur's outward behavior and I think that he deserves to be executed."
Mansoor was disappointed when he heard from Junayd, instead of answering his own question, a gloomy prophecy that was destined to have dire consequences. Mansur said goodbye to Junayd and went to Tustar with his wife. There he lived for one year. The locals treated him with great respect. He made it a habit to criticize the religious pretenders, whom he greatly irritated. They organized a conspiracy against him, in which Hazrat Umar bin Usman took an active part, who composed slanderous letters for them in order to destroy Mansur. However, Mansour did not tolerate such opposition to his views. He took off his Sufi clothes and put on the attire of a layman, but by this time he had reached a very high spiritual state, which had owned him for five whole years.
During this period he made trips to Seistan, Kerman and Nimroz. Mansoor wrote several brilliant books and his sermons were so inspirational that he was given the title "Teacher of Secret Knowledge".
Mansoor then went to Basra, where he again donned the garb of a Sufi. He came to Mecca, where the inhabitants considered him a magician. Mansour returned to Basra, and from there to China through India. Upon his return, he made a second pilgrimage to Mecca. Great spiritual changes took place in Mansoor. His sermons were filled with secret meaning, so he had very few followers. Mansur was persecuted and driven out of the places he visited.
During his tense spiritual state, Mansoor wore the same woolen cloak for twenty years. Once, people took this cloak off him by force. To their amazement, they discovered that a scorpion had built a nest in the folds of the cloak, and they wanted to kill him, but Mansur asked to return the scorpion to its place, since over these twenty years they had become friends.
One day, four thousand pilgrims accompanied Mansur to the Kaaba. Arriving there, he stood for a whole year in one place barefoot and with his head uncovered. Usually a person came to him and brought bread and a jug of water, but he rarely agreed to swallow even a piece. Therefore, Mansur was very physically exhausted. He was all dried up, his skin wrinkled and cracked in places. A scorpion nested in his clothes. Mansoor prayed, “O Lord! You are the guide of those who pass through the Valley of Wonder. If I am a heretic, increase my heresy." When the people left and Mansoor was left alone, he again prayed: “I know only You and do not worship anyone but You, and I am grateful for the gifts that You have sent me. I am Your servant, and Your gifts to me are so numerous that, having only one language, I cannot express my gratitude for them. Therefore, thank Yourself on my behalf.”
One day Mansoor met Hazrat Havas in the desert and asked what brought him there. He replied: "I try to find satisfaction (tawakkul) and be content with whatever the Lord does with me: whether he sent me food or decided to leave me without it." Mansoor remarked, “How long are you going to spend time on your stomach? When will you lose yourself in Divine Unity (dissolve your identity in Divine consciousness)?”
When on the first night of Mansur's imprisonment, people came to him in a prison cell, they did not find him in it. He dissapeared. On the second night they came again and found him in the cell, but the prison was gone. On the third night, they saw that the prison was still standing, as before, and Mansur was sitting in his cell.
They asked him about the reason for such strange transformations. He replied: “The first night I was with God, the second night God came here to me, and now I am here to confirm the words of Scripture: “A person of sound mind should never utter the words “I am the Truth,” because, being a man, he can never become God. If a person utters these words, then he is an apostate.
Mansoor used to bow to God a thousand times every day after the end of the day's prayers. When the people asked him: “Since you say that you are God (Hakk), then whom do you bow down to?” - he replied: "I have a very good idea of ​​what I'm worth."
There were three hundred prisoners in the prison where Mansur was imprisoned. He asked them if they wanted to be released. Having received an affirmative answer, he gave a sign, and their chains fell, and the gates of the prison opened wide. They asked him to run with them. He replied: “I have a secret business with God that will be revealed when they put me on the scaffold. I am a prisoner of God my Master, and I must respect His Scripture."
In the morning, people saw that all the locks were broken, and the prisoners fled. They asked Mansour what happened. He told them everything. People asked him why he did not run away with the rest of the prisoners. He replied, "My Master is angry with me and He has put this punishment on me, that's why I'm here."
When the caliph found out about what had happened, he ordered that Mansur's head be cut off immediately so that he would not cause more trouble. Three hundred lashes were inflicted on him, and after each blow a voice was heard: “Oh, Mansur, I am not afraid. You can handle everything."
One hundred thousand people gathered around the scaffold on which he was to be executed. He looked around and said:
"Hakk, Hakk, Ana al Hakk" (Truth, Truth, I am Truth)".
At this critical moment, a dervish asked Mansoor for a definition of love. Mansour told him that he would know the answer today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Mansour was executed on this day. The next day, the mutilated body was burned, and on the third, the ashes were scattered. This was Mansur's answer to the dervish's question.
During the execution, Mansoor's servant asked for his last instructions. Mansur answered him the following:
“Never give in to the desires of your bodily essence (nafs), if you do this, it will make you do vile deeds.”
His son asked him for advice. He said, “The world seeks to live a moral life, but you seek the Divine life. She is better. Even if you manage to live at least a part of it, it will be higher than all the virtuous deeds performed by people and angels.
When Mansur was just walking to the place of execution, a smile shone on his face. People asked him how he could rejoice at such a moment. He replied: “Now is the time to be happy, as I am returning home,” and spoke the following words;
My friend is not a tyrant at all. He gave me to drink the wine that the Master of the House offers to His guests. I drank wine until there was not a drop left. Then He ordered the sword to punish the one who drank so much aged wine in the forbidden month.
Then Mansoor kissed the steps leading to the scaffold and, turning to the Kaaba, said: "You gave me what I was looking for."
Then Mansour said:
“In my youth, I looked badly at one young woman, for which I was punished. Be careful not to sin in this way and suffer terrible consequences.”
Shibli asked Mansur to explain what Tasawwuf was.
“The spectacle at which you are a witness is Tasawwuf. And this is only its lowest degree.
Shibli asked:
“What then is the highest degree?”
Mansour replied:
"You are ignorant to understand it."
The caliph ordered the crowd to throw stones at Mansoor. He endured all this, but when, on the orders of the caliph, Shibli hit him with a flower, he screamed. When asked why, he replied: "The people who threw stones at me are ignorant, but there is no excuse for Shibli who hit me, because he knows everything."
Mansur's hands were cut off, but he continued to smile. When asked what his smile means, he replied: “They cut off my hands that were outside, but with the hands that I have inside, I grabbed the legs of the Almighty, and they do not dare to touch these hands.” Then the executioner cut off his legs. He said: "They cannot touch my inner legs, on which even now I can travel through two worlds." Then Mansoor ran the bloody stumps of his hands over his face and said: "Today I feel happy, as the blood of a martyr is imprinted on my face." Then he made a gesture as if he folded his hands in prayer and said the Prayer of Love.
After that, his eyes were gouged out and his tongue was pulled out. Finally, Mansur was beheaded. Before that, he said a prayer:
“O Lord! I am grateful to You for allowing me to remain calm and steadfast until the very end. I want You to grant this wealth to my persecutors.”
Hearing these words, people began to throw stones at him. He spoke the last words:
"The friendship of the ONE makes you stand out and exceptional." At the moment when his head was cut off, he laughed, and his soul passed to the Almighty. All the severed members of the martyr began to shout: "I am the Truth." The caliph ordered them to be collected and burned. When this was done, the ashes began to utter the same words: "I am the Truth (Ana al Haqq)". When the ashes were thrown into the Dajla River, its particles formed on the water into the words "I am the Truth." The water in the river churned and rose high. Anticipating this, Mansur gave the order in advance to the servant to spread his clothes on the surface of the water in order to calm the wrath of the river and save Baghdad from flooding. The servant did just that. The water has calmed down. The ashes collected along its banks were buried.
On the occasion of Mansur's death, Hazrat Abbas Tusi said: "On the Day of Judgment, Mansur will be brought in chains for fear that in his ecstasy he will be able to turn the globe."
On the day of his death, Mansur spent the whole night in prayer, sitting under the scaffold, and he heard the Voice of God:
“We entrusted Mansur with one of Our secrets. He opened it to others. Therefore, We punished him for revealing the Royal Secret.